Phone Dump

A few random photos from the last few weeks...

One Sunday I was making cookies and the kids were just right under my feet (the usual). I finally banished everyone to the other side of the counter and said I was going to do a cooking show.  I explained all the ingredients and everything I was doing.  They even got "samples" and thought it was great fun.  Win-win!

Our summer days have looked a lot like this: playing in water outside.  The sprinkler under the trampoline makes a great self-contained "water-park" when I don't want to take a trip anywhere.

Oh look, it's The Beast enjoying some shade while the kids play.

Cade lost his first tooth at five and a half years old (which is now his claim to fame, since Boston didn't lose his first tooth until first grade).  We were enjoying some sherbet with Manny and Papa one afternoon...

One bite was all it took for it to fall out! It had been hanging on by a thread, but he wouldn't let anyone pull it.  He was excited until I showed him a close up picture of the "window" and then he started crying that he didn't want it to bleed! 

All was well when he got his Tooth Fairy money!

We spent a Sunday afternoon in Plano, and of course it involved a trip to the park in the Gator.  Hudson and Avery even tried their hands at driving!

I just loved this close up picture of my Avie girl.  So glad I got a brown-eyed girl!

I got this US map in the dollar bin at Target and the boys were excited to start learning the state capitals, starting with where they were born.  (For about two days and then that burning desire kind of fizzled, but at least it's a nice colorful map!)

Hudson is potty-trained!! Avery likes to wear his underwear for moral support. 

Mike took Jamie and Boston to a Ranger's game to celebrate Boston's birthday. Lucky boys!

Projects

I'm not really one of those moms who likes to do messy projects with the kids, as a general rule.

I know I'm probably scarring them for life by not allowing them to fully express their creativity (or something like that) but seriously, I just usually feel like there is already enough to do around here without adding "scrub paint off table and floor" to my list.  I'm much more inclined to encourage them to be creative through imaginative play, building creations, illustrating stories, playing outside, etc.

But today was one of those days I had to push the anxiety away and embrace the mess.  We started with the Home Depot Kids Workshop kit, which we did at home so we could spend time with Manny. The older boys did fine when it came time to paint, but I started to get on edge when Hudson insisted that he had to paint too.  I spent a fair amount of time cleaning paint off of his hands, clothes, and floor, but it all ended pretty well.

Today was a really long day, and by this evening I was feeling wiped out.  It was a full day of go-go-go, and two toddlers who didn't get their usual naps made the evening especially challenging.  But I had been saying all day that we were going to make chocolate chip cookies for Boston to give to his teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week.  Boston and Cade had done everything we asked them to do throughout the evening--cleaning up, practicing piano, waiting patiently for the babies to go to bed--so I had to dig deep for a little extra energy and make cookies with them.

Again, this is a task I'd generally rather do by myself.  I'm faster and more efficient baking solo, not to mention cleaner! But I wanted to keep my promise to the boys, so we brought out the mixing bowls and measuring cups at 9 pm.

Even though it was a little messy and took longer than usual, I can't underestimate the importance of taking the time to do things like this with the boys.  I remind myself they won't always be little and so eager to cook with Mom. And the best part...I can eat as much of the dough and fresh cookies as I want now that they are in bed!

July 29

7:45pm: baking my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe...one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday evening

I ate more than a little bit of this dough.  And one, just a couple, several, ok fine, about 6 cookies after they were baked.  I have very little self-control when it comes to snacking after the kids go to bed.  Put your judging eyes away...I know it's bad.

July 4

So I made some star-shaped jello jigglers to get us in the spirit for 4th of July:

Wait, I'm sorry.  That was misleading.  I meant to say I tried to make star-shaped jello jigglers, but this is what they actually looked like:

6:00pm: dinner is served! I should start a food blog, I know.

{I'm posting an iphone picture each day in July.  See them all here.}

Don't Try This at Home

Preface: I do not enjoy cooking, and after this story, you'll understand why.

Tonight I made tempura chicken nuggets (recipe included at the end of this post for those who care). This meal always takes me back to Memphis 2005. Let me tell you why...



First let me set the stage: Jamie and I were still newlywed(ish) and living in an apartment complex in Memphis for the summer while Jamie did pest control. I occasionally worked at Bath & Body Works, but mostly laid out by the pool and hung out with Melinda.

It was a Friday night and we had planned to go to the temple. I decided to make chicken nuggets for the first time. Jamie came home from work and got in the shower while I started dinner. I poured a couple inches of oil in the pot, turned the burner on high, and continued with the chicken prep.

After a few minutes, the oil started smoking. My eyes were burning a little too. I knew that meant the oil was too hot, but I figured throwing the cold chicken in would cool it down, so I dropped in a piece. (PS. don't judge me, I already told you I don't cook.)

I went back to cutting and dipping chicken on another counter until something caught my eye. I looked back and saw it. The pot of oil on fire. Flames lapping up nearly to the cupboards above the stove. I froze. I literally didn't know what to do. Where's the fire extinguisher? Do we even have a fire extinguisher? Are those flames going to catch the cupboard doors on fire?

Luckily the smoke alarm started to go off and jolted me back to reality. Jamie cracked open the bathroom door to see what was going on . After seeing all the smoke and me panicking, he yelled for me to put the lid on the pot.

I threw the lid on the pot and the fire immediately went out, but the pot was still bellowing smoke. And I do mean bellowing. My eyes were on fire and my nose was running like crazy. I couldn't stop coughing. The smoke alarm was still screaming. Our little apartment was quickly filling with smoke.

Stay with me; here's where it gets good...

Jamie ran into the kitchen, grabbed the pot, and started running towards the front door. He threw open the door, ran outside, and set the smoking pot down on the porch.

And then he realized he was standing on the porch on the 2nd story of a busy apartment complex dripping wet and naked.

After coming to his senses and retrieving a towel, he grabbed the baking soda and doused the pot to stop the smoking. I opened up all the windows and turned on fans while he got dressed. We sat outside for a while because our apartment was so smokey. I cried. I felt like such an idiot for nearly burning down our apartment complex. Jamie said some encouraging words about how Satan was trying to deter us from going to the temple, but really I knew I had caused the fire because I didn't know the first thing about deep frying (or how to put out a grease fire, which would have come in handy).

We went to the temple, got hamburgers on the way home, and Jamie assured me one day we'd laugh about the whole thing.

Boy, was he right.

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And here's the recipe:

Tempura Chicken

2/3 c flour
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 c water
1 and 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

Cut chicken into cubes. Heat oil in deep fryer. Mix flour and salt. Mix vinegar and baking soda. Stir vinegar mixture and water into flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Dip chicken into batter, allowing excess batter to drip into bowl. Fry chicken in hot oil until golden brown and done, about 4 minutes. Take out and place on paper towel or brown paper bag to drain.

Just watch your oil temp, folks. I'm just sayin.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Sorry about the bad lighting on some of these pictures. I turned the flash off because I was getting a bad glare.)

Step 1: Get all your ingredients, and have a good assistant (baby brother will work)Step 2: Add 1 cup of salt (spill most of it on the floor)
Step 3: Add 2 cups of chocolate chips (first eat about 1/2 cup)

Step 4: Lick the beater. Then lick the other one.
The end.

Fudge

So a few nights ago we were flipping through the channels and saw some food network show about fudge. Since then, Jamie and I have both been wanting some. He told me his mom made the best fudge ever (from scratch) and I had to make her recipe. So last night I tried the recipe...twice...and both times I failed miserably! The first time it just stayed liquid; never set up. Then after Boston went to bed I tried again and that time it set up a little, but it was just gritty sugary gooeyness. It tasted like I just threw some Hershey's syrup and cane sugar together. I guess I am just not cut out to be a candy maker! It would have helped if I had a candy thermometer. I think neither batch turned out because you have to get the sugar to a certain temperature and I had no idea what I was doing. Anyway, today I was still determined to get my fudge so after a quick trip to the grocery for some jet-puffed marshmallow creme with the fool-proof fantasy fudge recipe on the back...we are in fudge heaven! Even though it was a little stressful trying to keep Boston away from the stove, it was a fun activity for us to do together and he enjoyed helping me (or more specifically, licking the spoon!)


He loves "doing dishes" too (aka making a huge wet soapy mess in the sink and usually all over himself, too).

Overall it was a fun activity and the fudge is delish! Now I just have to keep myself from eating the whole pan by myself!

The Muffin Man

Boston is really into being my helper lately. It usually means it ends up taking twice as long to do simple things (and sometimes more of a mess for me to clean up afterwards!) , but I love that he is learning to help and I figure I should enjoy it while helping Mommy is still exciting for him! He loves to push baskets of laundry to and from the laundry room and dump the soap in the washer, stand on his stool and hold the scrub brush while I do dishes, put away toys, and his latest interest is in cooking. He likes to stir (or "stirn" as he says). He's usually good about hot things but he did get a little burn a few weeks ago when he was sitting on the counter and accidentally touched his forearm on the edge of the pot on the stove=( I felt so bad but he didn't even notice it! Today I woke up with a full-fledged CRAVING for blueberry muffins (to be honest it started last night...I often think about what I want to eat for breakfast as I'm going to bed; Jamie always laughs at me!) Boston was absolutely frantic to help me cook so he was oh-so-delighted when I let him stand on a chair and stir, and then he put all the paper cups in the muffin tin. This was definitely one of those times when it took a little longer and there was more clean up to be done (thanks to him flinging the wisk and batter flying everywhere) but it was worth it. I know I will miss times like these when he's grown out of this stage. Thanks to my mom, the ever-ready-photographer, we have some pictures of the morning!

*Waiting patiently (well, as patient as a 2 year old can be) for his turn.*Finally time to stir!
*Such a big helper!