Scenes from Playtime

 

Last Week of March 2012

It's strawberry season; one of a couple of strawberry seaons.  We thought some strawberry picking was in order.  We headed down to The Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens in Savannah and picked ourselves some strawberries.....lots and lots of strawberries....10 pounds worth!  Of course there's no way we'll get through all those strawberries before they go bad, so J decided to try his hand at making jam....lots and lots of jam!  He actually made the jam in our breadmaker which has a jam cycle...wow is it good!

Then we took a drive over to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge; which is actually mostly in South Carolina, not Georgia.  It's a beautiful parkway preserve, not far from our house, yet this is the first time we've been there.  We saw lots of gators in action...including some walking briskly....I've personally not seen them move before, usually they are just sunning themselves.  I opted not to get out and take a picture of the moving gators, which weren't all that far from our Sienna:D  They offer classes for kids, and volunteer work for families; and we plan on becoming "friends" of this beautiful place!

 

My girls have a new hobby; I seriously don't believe children need toys!

 And, for the final big happening of the week; we'd like to introduce my new niece, Maya (isn't she adorable!)  My brother and sister in law are the proud parents!

Oh my

 gosh, I almost forgot, our resident owl decided to bless us with her presence in our very own backyard....Little Angle spotted her!

This Week in Our Lives

Well, it appears I'm not as good about daily blogging...maybe I have more of a life now, maybe I'm just lazy:D  So, here's a recap of our past week:

We hit the beach!  And J and Little Angel were out in the water and a dolphin swam back and forth in front of them....only about 10 feet away---it was really cool!

Here's a photo from our first ever band rehearsal for the all-new Low Country Community Band.  This is a REALLY big deal!  I volunteered to be historian, as I feel I will be "growing old" with the band:D

We hit our little enclosed butterfly garden.  The butterflies have not "been born" yet, but there were a few black swallowtails.

While I've been busy creating bracelets for orders/requests or seeing the "The Hunger Games," J and Fairy girl were hard at work creating a garden plot, and planting tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, cucumber, basil, oh...and a Meyer Lemon Tree, as seen in our Jim Beam Whisky Barrel (I'm VERY excited for this one!)

And Little Miss Angel has literally started cooking and baking on her own, with very little supervision (we haven't let her handle a knife yet though; but she is managing the oven!)

And no blog entry would ever be complete without a brief appearance from Piper the Fluffy Poo!

Still Alive and Kicking!

My blog has been seriously neglected his year.  Heck, my cameras have been seriously neglected this year!  I just thought I'd do a little recap, and post some more photos from the last time I took some photos, which was, ahem, January 30th---Little Angel's 8th birthday.

After the New Year, we headed down to Florida, to celebrate Christmas with the grandparents.  Last year my parents gifted us passes to Magic Kingdom.  This year they gifted us annual fun passes to Sea World, we've been there twice this year already (two trips in January).

J was "liberated" of employment just before Christmas---I know most people wouldn't get this, but it was a HUGE blessing (though we are eternally grateful to his former company for relocating us down to Paradise!)!  Life's been so wonderful having him home (they were working him into the ground, it was really dragging us down as a family).  He's really taken this time to just relax, unwind, recover, and just be.  Work has been crazy for him since we were married.  Now he's taking the opportunity to possibly switch careers---he's looking into renewable energy...but in the meantime, he's enjoying his vacation:)  Of course we'll have to have an income again someday, but for now, he really needed this break.

So, we had a wonderful "post" Christmas with Grandparents---we went to this cool restaurant in Dade City, sort of the half way point between J's parents and mine.  The next day we hit Sea World!

Then we headed back down to Florida three weks later, for the January Birthdays.  We had another Sea World adventure, Little Miss Angel got her ears pierced, and J and I had an incredible overnight get-away to Cedar Cove, on the gulf.  Our room was literally OVER the gulf.  We had such a wonderful time, and it's an adorable quaint town!  

      Other News on the homefront, I finally bit the bullet and joined the Savannah Winds!  and then, after two rehearsals, I quit--forever!  The group is phenomenal!  But I just don't have THAT much time to practice at home for this group.  They are THAT good, and I'm not a total musical wimp.  BUT then, TWO musical opportunities popped up for me!  woo hoo!  One, was to join a concert band/pit group, that accompanies a 100 piece show choir.  These are mostly retirees:D  And I would be paid $100 a gig!  I may do this someday, but not right now;  why?  they rehearse Saturday mornings, and I'm assuming someday, my hubby may decide to work again, in which Saturdays would be our boating/ biking/ beaching/ hiking/ kayaking day (you know, the whole reason why we moved here!).  But no worries, a brand new community band really formed down here, right in my own town...I could not believe it really happened---we already have 50 musicians and a talented band director...we are affiliated with a returning adult program with the University of SC...we have support!  we have musicians!  we have a place to practice!  we don't have anything else:D  they are even asking if band members would consider purchasing/donating music (next year we will qualify for a grant to help with this).  Our first performance will be Memorial Day!  This really makes me do the Happy Dance (in case you didn't catch how much I have missed band:)

Other news, the girls start piano lessons tomorrow!!  They still have choir on Tuesdays.  I'm making and selling bracelets!  J unpacked the the last four boxes, today, the only ones he was responsible for (after 13 months here:O) And lots more exciting goings-on.........

Life is quite good!

  

I Guess I Have Myself a Little Bracelet Business Now:)

When I made my first bracelet, about 1.5 weeks ago, I had NO idea that they would become such a hot ticket item where people would start asking me to make them bracelets...I've even had people on the street stop me.   In 1.5 week's time frame, I have sold 16 bracelets, I have several people about to order, and I have a craft shop in Waco, TX called Butter flies, which plans on purchasing my bracelets for resale on their end, on a regular basis.  I haven't even had time to build up inventory, they sell as soon as I make them!  So, my friend in TX (the co-owner of the shop, soon to open a second location) made some suggestions (she's got a strong marketing background), asking me to come up with a little background on the bracelets and attach business size cards to the bracelets, as well as a bigger version for their display.  They even plan on featuring my bracelets, separate from their other jewelry!  And, she had me rush ship the six I had so they'd arrive on time for a TX cook off this weekend:)  Since she suggested I come up with a background type of card, my hubby and I decided to take it a step further and just make inspirational business cards we could attach (the focus is on the meaning of the bracelets though).  And this is what I came up with:

 I've decided to call our little bracelet business, Dragonfly Inspirations.  Unfortunately, after I created/ordered the cards (you know, yesterday morning:) my husband also suggested I create a blog (not going the website route yet; may finish creating my weebly site later though:), to showcase the bracelets I've created.  The unfortunate part is that blog website address is not printed on the first batch of cards, but no worries, I can just handwrite it on the back.  So, for anybody who may be interested, please visit Dragonfly Inspiration Bracelets, and enter in your email address (I won't see it) to follow by email.  Feel free to share with your friends.  There's an email address listed on there for anybody who may be interested in ordering a bracelet.

**added note: we decided to have the blog address printed on sticker style address labels, which also has a photo of the dragonfly on it, and then stick these on the back of the cards for a more polished look!

hee hee:D

Peanutbutter Cake Bars (because peanut butter and chocolate combined, is THE BOMB!)

Peanut Butter Cake Bars

These cake-like bars are packed with peanut butter and chocolate chips, and are perfect for any occasion. Kids and adults alike are in for a treat with these gems. Charlotte Ennis - Lake Arthur, New Mexico

24 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 45 min. + cooling

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown
• sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt;
• gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
• 
  
• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for
• 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes
• out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 2 dozen.
• 
  

Nutrition Facts: 1 bar equals 277 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 52 mg cholesterol, 178 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.

© Taste of Home 2011

I love and Miss You My Beautiful Buddy!

 

photo taken from  Bayfield, WI

Our Home for One Year Now!

And we couldn't be happier or more grateful!!!

Three Years Ago..,

my now 8 year old, then 5 year old once asked:

 "do star fish come from the sky?"

Little Angel turns 8!

Kids in the Kitchen

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt:

• 1/2 gallon milk* – fat content of your choice (I used organic 1% milk)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons plain prepared yogurt (make sure it contains live, active cultures)
• cooking thermometer
• cheesecloth to fit 4 layers in a large strainer

To begin, pour all but 2 tablespoons milk into a double boiler or heavy-bottomed pan and turn the heat to medium. If using a double boiler, cover the milk. If the pot is directly on the burner, stir it and watch it very, very carefully so you don’t burn the bottom.

Heat the milk to 180 degrees F. It helps to have a candy thermometer so you can carefully watch the temperature, but when I went to fetch mine I remembered that the kids broke it the last time they made frosting so I used an instant-read thermometer instead.

Immediately remove the pot from the stove and carefully pour the hot milk into a glass or ceramic bowl or casserole dish. Put the dish on a cooling rack uncovered, and let the milk cool to between 105 and 110 degrees F. In our kitchen, this took about 50 minutes. (Note: remember to leave the dish completely uncovered at this stage, so the good bacteria from the air can start working their magic!)

Meanwhile, turn on your oven light. Just the warmth from the oven lightbulb will provide the perfect temperature for the organisms to make yogurt. Now, combine the 2 tablespoons of milk you saved with the prepared yogurt in a small bowl and reserve. Resist the temptation to add more than 3 tablespoons yogurt. According to the Joy of Cooking, “you may wonder why so little starter is used and think that a little more will give a better result. It won’t. The bacillus, if crowded, gives a sour, watery product.” I used 2 1/2 level tablespoons of prepared yogurt and the resulting yogurt was thick, mild and creamy.

Once the milk has cooled to between 105 and 110 degrees, add in the yogurt-milk mixture and stir well to combine. (Don’t forget this important step.) Put the lid on the casserole and cover it with a dishtowel. Put it in the oven, making sure that the towel isn’t near the oven lightbulb, and leave the oven light on. Leave the yogurt for 7 or 8 hours, or overnight.

In the morning, carefully take the dish out, unwrap it and remove the lid, and check to see whether the milk has turned to yogurt. I could hardly believe my eyes when I put a spoon into the mixture:

If your batch isn’t quite thickened, return it to the oven and check on it again in an hour. Once the yogurt is sufficiently thickened, you can stop at this stage if you want regular yogurt. Just stir the mixture and refrigerate it; you may need to pour off a little of the watery liquid. Don’t forget to turn off the light in your oven!

For creamy Greek yogurt, refrigerate the yogurt for at least two hours to allow it to completely cool and thicken. Line a large strainer with four layers of damp cheesecloth and find a bowl that the strainer will fit inside

Put the strainer inside the bowl and pour the yogurt in; refrigerate for one hour. Pour out the liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl; this is the whey – that’s right, the very same delicacy Little Miss Muffet ate while she was sitting on her tuffet. You can save the whey and use it for cooking (a common use is as a liquid in homemade bread recipes) or discard it. Return the bowl to the refrigerator for one more hour, strain the liquid again and the yogurt should now look thick and creamy – like this:

Spoon it into a container and refrigerate for up to six days.

I find most store-bought plain yogurt is too tart for my liking so I usually buy vanilla-flavored, but you’ll find this homemade yogurt has a very mild flavor. You can enjoy it as is, add some fresh fruit or jam, or do what we did and serve it with raw wildflower honey (we love Colorado-based Madhava Honey) and homemade granola.

Remember to save a couple of tablespoons of your homemade yogurt so you can use it as starter for the next batch!

thank you to: Happy Simple Living.

LIfe is Good

My Parents Adopted Brie Today!

Texting Shorthands for Musicians

Sea World!!!!

 

Thank you Grandpa and Grandma!!!!

Happy New Year!

Ring Out The Old; Ring in The New--reflections

photo taken from final hike of 2011

2011: This was a year of MUCH transition for me and my family.  It was a year followed by much whirlwind of a previous year of travel, loss, and a strong desire to have that fresh start...and we did.....2010 didn't involve a whole lot of thinking and reflecting---we just went!  And then 2011 arrived, we found ourselves feeling a little bit more settled in our new neck of the woods---but we still had the craziness of 2010 of having JUST relocated to a new state, far away from WI; moving into a pricey house rental situation, with our home in WI on the market...trying to get all of our house hold goods to catch up with us in SC....working with our wonderful (Thank GOD for her) realtor in WI, who went WAY beyond the call of duty to help us with the sale of our home...selling our home, finding a new home, buying a home---and 2011 hits...we are completely packed up...once again....then we hit Disney World to celebrate Little Angel's 7th birthday, then we come back, and then I bring my girls back to FLA to be with grandparents, so that we can close on our beautiful new home and move in, and install new flooring and get unpacked and settled in and....add to this, I traveled to WI twice (driving once by myself with two little girls), we hit OH once, we hit FLA a few times, a week in The Smokies.....J wound up working UNGODLY INSANE hours....basically as much as we love it here and are settling in nicely---2011 was a year of finding peace amongst the chaos.....

and then...the Winter Solstice Hit, and brought with us a fresh opportunity for us to completely reinvent our lives...the peaceful, nature-based, simplistic lives we have always so-desired!  Most people would be fearful or upset by the changes coming our way...but not us....we are filled with nothing but complete gratitude!  

And now...here we are, the much talked about and written about 2012!!  This is my year of gratitude and creativity.  And I truly am grateful! My 2012 Resolution: to be as In the moment, with Gratitude for each and every moment, as I can possibly be.

photo taken from first 2012 hike

Wishing all of you a blessed and peaceful 2012----filled with Love and Gratitude!