The temperature has dropped to the fifties, leaves are turning colors and falling, our harvest decorations are up on the window ledges, I had my first cup of hot cocoa for the season last night, and bought Halloween candy! I love this time of year!
I absolutely love Yummy Earth's Organic Lollipops. I bought the 1 pound bag from Whole Food's the other day and was delighted to find that they added new flavors! Too berry blueberry (my favorite), sour apple tart, googly grape, strawberry smash, and very very cherry. Kai's favorite flavor is the mango tango! Just writing about them makes me want one! Oh, why not..I think I'll have a grape one...yummy! They make a variety of other lollipops like 'Hot Chili Pops', 'Super SOUR Pops' and 'Vitamin C Pops'. Our store doesn't carry the 'Hot Chili Pops' so I'm going to check out their website because I'm curious and I love those spicy mango lollipops I used to get from Fiesta.
I'm starting the slow cooker again, tonight is beef stew! I only use the slow cooker during these cool months, so dishes like beef stew, chili, and chicken with squash and curry are back in rotation. For some reason my kids will eat the vegetables that are cooked in the slow cooker; it could be because of the texture or because it has so much flavor...I'm not sure, but glad they're eating veggies!
For some reason I was craving pumpkin pie (could be because all the coffee shops have pumpkin spice lattes on their menu....I don't like them by the way), so Kai and I baked one last night. It was good, could have been better. I made the mistake of using already ground nutmeg instead of freshly grating it. I don't know how I could have overlooked it since I did freshly grind all the other spices! The pie was gorgeous, looked store bought, but the flavor was a little uneven. Now, I know and can make adjustments. Last year I didn't bake one, so I didn't even eat pumpkin pie last year!
Kai my little sous chef is such a sponge, he is learning so much everyday, it's amazing! He has learned to be patient and understanding of his little sister when she destroys something of his and will cover up for her when she does something naughty. He is showing interest for pre-school, doing well with potty training, and loving all things Halloween.
Cassia, is no longer a baby...she has turned into a toddler in what seems like overnight! Sob..sob..sniff..sniff. She is a delight to watch and play with. Jimmy thinks she's such a girly girl. She'll bat her eyes at him and give him lots of hugs and kisses...it's so sweet to see the two of them together. She walks everywhere now and is fast. Her love of reading continues, now she really loves lift-the-flap books. We have a Halloween one that she really likes and when we read it she always says 'boo' when lifting the flaps! Just too cute, I only wish that the rest of the family could see her before she becomes a pre-schooler too.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Good to be home
We are back from Atlantic City where Jimmy and Sandra placed third in the National Bread and Pastry Competition! I am so proud of them after all the sleepless nights and food less days of training.
I am so glad to be home! Traveling and staying in a hotel with two babies is not easy! Our schedule gets turned upside down and you have to be really resourceful about food storage and heating. Atlantic City is about one eighth the size of Las Vegas. I didn't feel safe to roam around with the kids by myself, so we didn't.
We spent most of our time at the Baking Expo watching Jimmy work on his competition. The kids and I sat in the front row with Sandra's family cheering them on. Kai took a liking to Sandra's family after the first hour we were there. He was stuck to them like glue! I had packed his backpack full of books, puzzles, games, crayons, and snacks to keep him busy for six hours each day!!
I walked around the expo a little bit, didn't get to do much research with baby in hand at all times, but I did get to taste lots of yummy sweets and ice cream! The one thing that I remember most and would like to eat again is something called cinn-fulls; it's a cinnamon filled doughnut that is glazed! It tasted like a fried cinnamon roll!!
The last day there we spent a couple hours walking the boardwalk, taking pictures and stopping in a couple candy shops!! All I wanted was the salt water taffy from James' Candy, and when I got them it made the whole trip worth while!! We are not the gambling folk, but candy and confections are what we are all about! I did a little research before going and James' Candy was the place to go and now I also recommend that place! They have the best salt water taffy and fudge I have ever tasted!! Seriously! We stopped at another candy shop on the boardwalk, but the taffy and fudge are the kind you can get anywhere. James' candies are incredibly smooth, rich, soft and oh so yummy!
My mind is racing and feeling unorganized, trying to catch up and clean up. I can't talk more of the trip right now because I'm jittery from coffee so enjoy the following pics ^_^
Kai loves M&Ms!
Jimmy holding Kai next to the candy tree in It'Sugar candy shop.
I am so glad to be home! Traveling and staying in a hotel with two babies is not easy! Our schedule gets turned upside down and you have to be really resourceful about food storage and heating. Atlantic City is about one eighth the size of Las Vegas. I didn't feel safe to roam around with the kids by myself, so we didn't.
We spent most of our time at the Baking Expo watching Jimmy work on his competition. The kids and I sat in the front row with Sandra's family cheering them on. Kai took a liking to Sandra's family after the first hour we were there. He was stuck to them like glue! I had packed his backpack full of books, puzzles, games, crayons, and snacks to keep him busy for six hours each day!!
I walked around the expo a little bit, didn't get to do much research with baby in hand at all times, but I did get to taste lots of yummy sweets and ice cream! The one thing that I remember most and would like to eat again is something called cinn-fulls; it's a cinnamon filled doughnut that is glazed! It tasted like a fried cinnamon roll!!
The last day there we spent a couple hours walking the boardwalk, taking pictures and stopping in a couple candy shops!! All I wanted was the salt water taffy from James' Candy, and when I got them it made the whole trip worth while!! We are not the gambling folk, but candy and confections are what we are all about! I did a little research before going and James' Candy was the place to go and now I also recommend that place! They have the best salt water taffy and fudge I have ever tasted!! Seriously! We stopped at another candy shop on the boardwalk, but the taffy and fudge are the kind you can get anywhere. James' candies are incredibly smooth, rich, soft and oh so yummy!
My mind is racing and feeling unorganized, trying to catch up and clean up. I can't talk more of the trip right now because I'm jittery from coffee so enjoy the following pics ^_^
Kai loves M&Ms!
Jimmy holding Kai next to the candy tree in It'Sugar candy shop.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Pastry, dinner and Fluff friends
It was an exhausting weekend. Jimmy was training for the competition on the weekend and it kinda messed up my schedule. I couldn't go to sleep until almost 6 am on the nights that he was training. I just don't sleep well with out the hubby in the house.
I've been trying for days to plan this week's dinner, but just hit a wall. If I haven't mentioned, we have been doing vegetarian meals until Jimmy is finished with his Pastry competition. It gives him more energy and makes him feel less heavy, plus I've lost alot of weight on this new plan. I'm almost back to pre-preggers weight! We are finally getting the vegetables that we have been missing in our diet! We eat mainly dairy(seriously have six types of cheese in cheese drawer at all times!), carbohydrates (we love bread, pasta and rice!), protein, and fruits in this family, but now I think we are coming to a balance with the extra veggies.
I used to spend a few hours a day on Facebook using the Fluff Friends application, but have slowed down to spend time out side with the kids, but now the weather is getting chilly and days are getting wetter, I've been back on. I have to limit the time I spend on there because it is really addictive visiting my (fluff) friends, petting, feeding, racing, earning munny, and trying to win race points! I confess I am an addict! The newest feature is fulfilling wish lists and a treasure hunt to come! I remember the last time they had a hunt I was glued to the computer searching for easter eggs!!! I can't wait to see what they'll have us looking for next! See told you...total addict!!
To plan my days wisely I purchased an organizer that I keep within eye sight to keep me on track and a timer by the computer to limit my time on certain tasks....it also alerts my son of when mommy is done with "work"!
I've been trying for days to plan this week's dinner, but just hit a wall. If I haven't mentioned, we have been doing vegetarian meals until Jimmy is finished with his Pastry competition. It gives him more energy and makes him feel less heavy, plus I've lost alot of weight on this new plan. I'm almost back to pre-preggers weight! We are finally getting the vegetables that we have been missing in our diet! We eat mainly dairy(seriously have six types of cheese in cheese drawer at all times!), carbohydrates (we love bread, pasta and rice!), protein, and fruits in this family, but now I think we are coming to a balance with the extra veggies.
I used to spend a few hours a day on Facebook using the Fluff Friends application, but have slowed down to spend time out side with the kids, but now the weather is getting chilly and days are getting wetter, I've been back on. I have to limit the time I spend on there because it is really addictive visiting my (fluff) friends, petting, feeding, racing, earning munny, and trying to win race points! I confess I am an addict! The newest feature is fulfilling wish lists and a treasure hunt to come! I remember the last time they had a hunt I was glued to the computer searching for easter eggs!!! I can't wait to see what they'll have us looking for next! See told you...total addict!!
To plan my days wisely I purchased an organizer that I keep within eye sight to keep me on track and a timer by the computer to limit my time on certain tasks....it also alerts my son of when mommy is done with "work"!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I'm going mobile!
Wow! Yay! Coolness! I just discovered that I can blog via email from my cell phone! Yes that shows my age a little. I'm sure all the young hipsters already knew that. I am just excited because that means that I can still give you all updates when I am away from a computer. Now only if I could decide on which phone I want then.....wow....think of it posts from me every day!
Have I told you that Cassia is walking? Every day she takes a few more steps. Yesterday after story time, she looked up at me with a sweet smile and said, "mama"! She said "mama"! I was so happy! I think she knew what she had done because she flashed me another smile and gave me one of those open mouth baby kisses! When I asked her to say it again she just laughed! I am so in love with her and thankful that I get to enjoy all of her joy and excitement. She is starting to love books as much as Kai. She used to just chew on them, but now she will flip the pages to find her favorite page, stop to pet the fuzzy animals on the page and talk to them!!
Kai is still having toddler issues and I am pulling out my hair trying to help him through it, but it is so hard and I have a constant headache. We only have a few training pants left and I told him that if he wants more trains or books about Thomas the train, then he would have to start wearing real underwear. Cross your fingers and hope that it works for me.
The count down is on...two more weeks until Jimmy's competition. I'll keep you all posted. I will be doing a little research to see what family friendly things we can do in Atlantic City.
Have I told you that Cassia is walking? Every day she takes a few more steps. Yesterday after story time, she looked up at me with a sweet smile and said, "mama"! She said "mama"! I was so happy! I think she knew what she had done because she flashed me another smile and gave me one of those open mouth baby kisses! When I asked her to say it again she just laughed! I am so in love with her and thankful that I get to enjoy all of her joy and excitement. She is starting to love books as much as Kai. She used to just chew on them, but now she will flip the pages to find her favorite page, stop to pet the fuzzy animals on the page and talk to them!!
Kai is still having toddler issues and I am pulling out my hair trying to help him through it, but it is so hard and I have a constant headache. We only have a few training pants left and I told him that if he wants more trains or books about Thomas the train, then he would have to start wearing real underwear. Cross your fingers and hope that it works for me.
The count down is on...two more weeks until Jimmy's competition. I'll keep you all posted. I will be doing a little research to see what family friendly things we can do in Atlantic City.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Little help from the grocery store
Thank you Trader Joe's! I love that grocery store! They carry all the same stuff as a regular grocery store, but almost everything is their own brand. I spent only $60 on groceries yesterday and managed to pick up stuff for four dinners! That's how much we would spend on one dinner out! Yes, I cook at home everyday. Only on special occasions or if I am extremely tired do we call for take out.
After about two years of tasting what's available for delivery, we've decided that my cooking tastes better and better for the wallet (no tipping required)!
Last night I made hot and sour soup, orange chicken, vegetable stir fry and steamed rice. Of course I had help from the freezer section of Trader Joe's. They sell frozen vegetables in variety of blends and I bought the Asian one for last night's meal. All I had to do was open the package, pour it into the pan and stir for about five minutes then add the soy sauce that came with it. Of course I added a few extras to make it mine. The orange chicken was just as simple! It's a bag of frozen par fried chicken pieces and sauce packets. I have stainless steel cookware so I just plopped the chicken into the pan and threw it in the oven for 25 minutes to cook. When it was ready I poured on the sauce and heated it a minute on the stove top..viola dinner was ready!
I love hot and sour soup, but never made it before so I was a little nervous that mine wouldn't taste as good, but as it turns out I make a pretty good hot and sour soup! Jimmy said it was one of the best hot and sour soups he has had! It was so easy and I got to put all of my favorite ingredients in it and leave out the ones I usually fish out. I also didn't have any green onions so I substituted shallots and it worked just right.
I picked up some pizza dough and frozen lasagna there too. I bought dough for Jimmy and I to make and one for Kai. I thought it would be fun for him to roll, top and bake his own pizza. Then that would take care of our weekly pizza/pasta craving.
I've been on a roll with the cooking and have a rotation of cuisines that I make now. It consists of Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, American comfort food (meatloaf, mac and cheese, chicken and dumplings, beef stew..etc), Mediterranean and Srevotfel (Jimmy just taught me that one this week. It's leftovers spelled backwards..^_^).
After about two years of tasting what's available for delivery, we've decided that my cooking tastes better and better for the wallet (no tipping required)!
Last night I made hot and sour soup, orange chicken, vegetable stir fry and steamed rice. Of course I had help from the freezer section of Trader Joe's. They sell frozen vegetables in variety of blends and I bought the Asian one for last night's meal. All I had to do was open the package, pour it into the pan and stir for about five minutes then add the soy sauce that came with it. Of course I added a few extras to make it mine. The orange chicken was just as simple! It's a bag of frozen par fried chicken pieces and sauce packets. I have stainless steel cookware so I just plopped the chicken into the pan and threw it in the oven for 25 minutes to cook. When it was ready I poured on the sauce and heated it a minute on the stove top..viola dinner was ready!
I love hot and sour soup, but never made it before so I was a little nervous that mine wouldn't taste as good, but as it turns out I make a pretty good hot and sour soup! Jimmy said it was one of the best hot and sour soups he has had! It was so easy and I got to put all of my favorite ingredients in it and leave out the ones I usually fish out. I also didn't have any green onions so I substituted shallots and it worked just right.
I picked up some pizza dough and frozen lasagna there too. I bought dough for Jimmy and I to make and one for Kai. I thought it would be fun for him to roll, top and bake his own pizza. Then that would take care of our weekly pizza/pasta craving.
I've been on a roll with the cooking and have a rotation of cuisines that I make now. It consists of Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, American comfort food (meatloaf, mac and cheese, chicken and dumplings, beef stew..etc), Mediterranean and Srevotfel (Jimmy just taught me that one this week. It's leftovers spelled backwards..^_^).
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Going crazy!
It has been raining all day and still raining! I am just going crazy. My cell phone (which has been dropped, chewed and drooled on a thousand times) is now giving me a hard time! Some of the buttons do not work and the curser only moves down and occasionally sideways!!! I love the phone, but it's now dated because it's over a year old, so I've been looking at Blackberry and Sidekicks, but still can't decide. I also have to wait for my phone contract to be up before I get a new phone or else I'll have to pay full price of $300 and upwards!!! I really try to be practical and have a phone just for phone sake, but I've gotten addicted to the extras like the camera, music player and web access.
I spent the day away from house work and spent the day just playing with the kids. Kai is going through some growing pains and testing his boundaries. We are still working on the potty training, he makes poopy in the toilet, but doesn't make it for peeing. So I came up with another motivation system (not really a bribe), every time he pees in the toilet he gets a ticket that he can redeem for something that he wants like watching t.v. or an ice cream. One ticket gets him one show, which also limits the amount of television that he watches, because ice cream costs ten tickets, trip to the zoo or museum 25 and toy store is 50. It might seem like alot, but kids go to the toilet like ten times a day.
In one day he has already learned about saving and spending. He wanted an ice cream and a show last night, but he didn't have enough tickets for both so he decided to save up his tickets and got to have an ice cream today. It was cute, when he first handed me his tickets and got his treat he asked me to give his tickets back. I had to give him an example of when mommy goes to the store and buys groceries, I get food for the money and the store doesn't give me back money. He then understood. I think this is a great system! Every time he gets a ticket, he takes out all his other tickets to count them. I can't believe that I'm already teaching him how to add and subtract. That makes me less guilty about not having him in preschool like the rest of his friends. Jimmy was great in supporting me and telling me that he is right where he needs to be and advanced in some areas too. How many three year olds can actually cook?
He's my little helper. He helps me chop vegetables, measure and pour ingredients, mix batter and even fry eggs! He's also a great grocery helper, he always remembers what I forget.
Little Cassia is now a toddler! Yep, I'm sad my baby is growing up. The year just flew by so fast! She loves to show off her steps and act like it's nothing that she is walking! I'm slowing down on the picture taking, but have to get back into it so that I can capture as many baby moments as possible.
We are in a frenzy trying to prepare for our trip to New Jersey for the National Bread and Pastry competition. I am so excited and nervous for Jimmy and Sandra. I really hope that they take the gold. I'll try to take lots of picture and post at the end of the month.
I spent the day away from house work and spent the day just playing with the kids. Kai is going through some growing pains and testing his boundaries. We are still working on the potty training, he makes poopy in the toilet, but doesn't make it for peeing. So I came up with another motivation system (not really a bribe), every time he pees in the toilet he gets a ticket that he can redeem for something that he wants like watching t.v. or an ice cream. One ticket gets him one show, which also limits the amount of television that he watches, because ice cream costs ten tickets, trip to the zoo or museum 25 and toy store is 50. It might seem like alot, but kids go to the toilet like ten times a day.
In one day he has already learned about saving and spending. He wanted an ice cream and a show last night, but he didn't have enough tickets for both so he decided to save up his tickets and got to have an ice cream today. It was cute, when he first handed me his tickets and got his treat he asked me to give his tickets back. I had to give him an example of when mommy goes to the store and buys groceries, I get food for the money and the store doesn't give me back money. He then understood. I think this is a great system! Every time he gets a ticket, he takes out all his other tickets to count them. I can't believe that I'm already teaching him how to add and subtract. That makes me less guilty about not having him in preschool like the rest of his friends. Jimmy was great in supporting me and telling me that he is right where he needs to be and advanced in some areas too. How many three year olds can actually cook?
He's my little helper. He helps me chop vegetables, measure and pour ingredients, mix batter and even fry eggs! He's also a great grocery helper, he always remembers what I forget.
Little Cassia is now a toddler! Yep, I'm sad my baby is growing up. The year just flew by so fast! She loves to show off her steps and act like it's nothing that she is walking! I'm slowing down on the picture taking, but have to get back into it so that I can capture as many baby moments as possible.
We are in a frenzy trying to prepare for our trip to New Jersey for the National Bread and Pastry competition. I am so excited and nervous for Jimmy and Sandra. I really hope that they take the gold. I'll try to take lots of picture and post at the end of the month.
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