Carrot Muffins

Because the baby is quickly turning into a toddler and wants only grown-up food.

Because yesterday I just realized that Soledad's nail is coming off. All the way off.

Because Bella is a sweet angel who often gets caught in the destructive misfire of her siblings shenanigans.

Because Shelbi is growing up so fast, that I want to stop and just freeze this moment.

Because Warwick is a little bossy, but probably gets as good as he gives.

And because, I'm hoping today I won't completely lose it and go running down the street in my underwear, wild hair flying in the wind, screaming "STOP SAYING MY NAME!!!"  It could happen.  I've thought about it.
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I think food is God's way to say, "Let's take a time out".  Time to eat and nourish ourselves, enjoy the lovely colors on our plates, to be silent and absorb all the beauty that surrounds us.

Whenever it gets a little crazy around here, which you might have guessed is often, I try to bake or make some type of food that will bring us all together.  Today it was Muffins.  Sweet. Soft. Comforting.

These are so good, you can have them for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.  And with the added carrots and applesauce, you can feel good about eating them too.

Healthy, Delicious Carrot Muffins
makes about 24 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 carrtots, grated
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup lemon juice or zest and Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup canola oil
4 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine carrots, lemon juice, peel, and applesauce.  Mix, and set aside.
3. In another medium sized bowl, stir together, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Next, add the oil and eggs and stir until there are no visible lumps.
4. Add carrot mixture to batter, and stir to combine.
5. Pour batter into muffin liners and bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 24 minutes.
6. Cool muffins on wire racks. Eat!!!!!!

A New Surprise Everyday

Sometimes I look at my children, and think, wait a minute. . . .who are you?

Today, the answer to that question was Shelbi, age 9, Culinary Chef Extraordinaire.

That darling, strong headed, know it all, cute as can be kid came tumbling down the stairs this morning wanting to make breakfast.  "Okay,  but if you make anything fancy," I said leerily, "make some for your sisters too."

"Okay," and she was off.

Thirty minutes later she returned with a plate for me.

How did I not know she could make perfectly scrambled eggs? And look it's so pretty. All the colors on the plate. . . . . . and so fanciful with the organization of it all.  Oh my, ~ is that hot peppermint tea, with cream? Kid, I've been waiting for you all my life.

And then, I gobbled it up in two seconds flat.

Quick Turkey Meatball Sub Sandwich (Sibling Shenanigans and the Gift of the Smarty Pants)

                                       
In our house, we have a very special shirt.

                                             

It was worn by the cutest little boy in the world.


                                              



A portrait was painted of him while he was wearing it.

                                                

When Shelbi was 3, she wore it.  Then, it was passed on to Bella, and now it's Soledad's.  One day it will be little Feeb's.

Soli loves, loves, loves, this shirt.  It's soft, comfortable, and just the right size, so generally she wears it to bed.

It even has Daddy's name on the back.

                                               

Which, could be a problem, if you are a 4 year old with an anger management problem, and you've got a 9 year old sister with a "I'm gonna get on your nerves" problem.

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It was about 8 pm, most of the children were in their pajamas, lying around the den watching TV.  The sound on the television was progressively getting louder and louder.  Two little somebodies were playing Littlest Pet Shop, and one Bigger Little Somebody was trying to watch television. But she couldn't, because she has two sisters who are sometimes loud, who get in the way, and to put it frankly don't really care that she can't hear the TV.

Soledad is wearing her favorite pajama shirt, the one with WARWICK ironed on the back.

Shelbi is really wanting Soledad to move out of the way of the television, but she won't.

It was the perfect storm of events.  No good could come of this.

Shelbi:  Soledad!  Move out of the way.

Soledad: Nothing. I think I heard a pin drop.

Shelbi: I SAID MOVE SOLEDAD!!!!!!
 
Soledad: Again nothing. . . . .but birds tweeting in a nearby tree.

A light bulb goes off in Shelbi's head. A moment of utter brilliance.

Shelbi:  Warwick, can you get out of the way?  Warwick, you-who. . . .Warwick.

Soledad looks around, wondering who the heck Shelbi is talking to, and then it occurs to her that she is wearing her most "favoritess" shirt.  The one with Daddy's name on the back.  I think that **** is talking to me.

Soledad whips around, with a darted glare in her eye, "MY. NAME. IS. NOT. WARWICK. IT. IS. SOLEDAD. STOP. CALLING. ME. WARWICK!" Soledad doesn't drop her gaze, she just slowly holds her position daring for any challenger to tell her otherwise.

Shelbi looks at her smiling, shakes her head and says, "What are you talking about WARWICK?  It says it right there on your shirt Warwick. Why are you yelling at me Warwick?"

And then the flood gates opened.

"Mooooommmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! Maaaahhhhhhmeeeee!" Soledad calls, as she runs into my bedroom.  "Shelbi's calling me Warwick, my names not Warwick, it's Soledad!  That's a boys name. . . I'm not a booooyyyyyyy!!"  She protests as she wipes the snot from her nose.

Quickly, I whisper into her ear, there isn't time for many instructions as Shelbi will round the corner at any minute.

"Listen Soli.  We all know your name isn't Warwick.  That's a boys name, and you're a girl.  Who cares what Shelbi says just ignore her." I tell her as I'm trying to shove her back into the den.

"Hey there Warwick!" Shelbi grins.

"Well, ummmmm, Mommy said. . . . .ummmmmm. . . ." and then, there was a slight shift, a creak and then a jostle, as the wheels began to turn in her head. Soledad finally received one of the many graces of childhood.  The Grace of how to be a smarty pants.

"Well, Shelbi, I mean Nicole! Stop calling me Warwick, Niiicccoooollle. Nicole, Nicole, Nicole! Nicole, Nicole, Nicole. Whatcha doin' Nicole?  Leave me alone Nicole!" and she went on and on and on.

And I gotta tell you, I've never been so proud of that kid in my life.  That kid, she's gonna be alright. Way to stand up for yourself and use your noggin to get out of a pickle, Soledad.  You have been given a gift.  Use it well.

                                              



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So, if you haven't figured it out yet.  I have plenty of Turkeys and Meatballs that live with me in my house. Some days they are more Turkey-ish, other days their brains are more like meatballs.  On this day, we had a combination of both.

So what's up for dinner?  A super easy  and delicious, stick to your ribs Turkey Meatball Sub that will satisfy the Smartiest Pants your house has to offer.

Eat Up!!!

Quick Turkey and Meatball Sub Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 TB Oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground turkey meat
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
28 oz prepared Marinara sauce
Mozzarella or Provolone Slices
Soft Whole Wheat Hoagie Bread  ( you could make sliders for the kids with Potato Rolls, Hawaiian Rolls or whatever you like)

Directions:

1. In a skillet (that has a lid), cook onions on medium heat, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. While the onions are cooking, mix turkey, Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt and pepper.  Roll turkey mixture into 1 inch size meatballs and place in skillet with the onions.
3. Cook meatballs for 1-2 minutes and then turn over and cook another minute longer.  Add marinara sauce, cover with the lid, and let cook 20 minutes.
4. Place hot meatballs on the bread, top with cheese. Serve with a green salad and these oven fries.

Gosh Durn Kids

That older kid  isn't cocky, is she?  And that one in pink, doesn't even look like she broke a sweat.  Sheessshhhhh.

Another great idea, that backfired.

Yesterday, I told Shelbi we were going to start running 5 times a week because we've been much too languid lately. She said okay, no complaints, and so we ran.

She came home bounced around, sang about how fast she was, and wrestled with her sisters on the floor.

I came home, suffered heart palpitations, hiccupped bile, and passed out 5ft away from the front door.

Today, it was raining. Oh well.  It's raining.  I guess we can't run. Darn.  I was really looking forward to it. Sike.

Shelbi:  Mommy, you ready to go running?

Me: Uuuuuuh, Shelbi.  Have you looked outside?  It's raining.  We can't run in the rain.

Shelbi: Yes we can.  We can use umbrellas.

Me:  Uuuuuuh, no we can't.  That's just what I need to add to my crazy humped back, Frankenstein leg dragging, hyperventilating form. . . . . . . ..an umbrella.  Now I can look like and out of shape monster who runs with an umbrella.  No thanks.

Shelbi: Ooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Come oooooonnnnnnnnnnn, Mooooommmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Let's go ruuuuunnnnnnnniiiiinnnnnnnggggg! Wah. Wah. Wah. Wah. Wah.

And so, I ran. In the rain. With no umbrella. Slipping and tripping and hyperventilating the whole way. All for the love of this child, who would run so fast that she's leaves her mother in the dust, and complains for ATLEAST 20 minutes of our exercise routine that I am going soooooo slow.  Can't I speed up? No, Shelbi. No I can't.

What have I done?  Have I created some sort of mutated Jane Fonda Shelbi work out monster?  It's only day two and I was supposed to be making her work out for her benefit.  Not mine.  I never intended to. . . . . . get in shape.

These durn kids.  Always trying to change our lives for the better.

Movie Review: Ramona and Beezus

I'm biased.  I know.  I won't even pretend otherwise.

My ABSOLUTE favorite book of all time is Ramona Quimby Age 8. There is no close second. 

I am Ramona and Ramona is me.  That crazy little kid with all the great ideas, that sometimes don't turn out so great.  That kid who is forever trying her darnedest, but sometimes comes up short.  Who is perpetually dirty and a little off centered, but so completely wants to be that darn cutie girl that sits next to her in class.  Yes, me and Ramona have a lot in common.  And I'm sure I'm not the only one, because I see bits of that scraggly headed little girl in each of my children. 

And to further my expertise on the subject, I've read EVERY book by Beverley Cleary.  25 years ago you say? No.  25 minutes ago.

Well okay, I'm exaggerating, but I have re-read all the classic Cleary books the past few months with my little munchkins in anticipation of the movie, Ramona and Beezus. And so I admit that I am biased, and a very harsh critic when it comes to the subject of Ramona.  So can you imagine my reaction when I went to the movie, and realized that. . . . .

It was actually good. Really good. Dare I say Excellent?

I know, I'm shocked too.  I even cried.  Yes, I did.  I don't think that was a normal reaction, and I don't think anybody else in the theater cried, or in the world for that matter, but I did, because damn it, those Quimby's are awesome.  It was if the actors weren't actors at all, but rather they were the actual characters from the books, that had been plucked off the page and placed onto a full color screen.

I was really not expecting that.

Other things I wasn't expecting.  . . . . . . .

1. The movie was a compilation of a series of Clearly books, not just Beezus and Ramona.
2. It was G-rated, and it was really G-rated.  No underlying tones of inappropriate adult humor. Perfect, perfect, family film.
3. The movie taught valuable lessons on family, love, job loss, parental squabbles and money issues in an endearing "unscary" but truthful way.
4. The cast was made up of crazy good actors including up and coming Joey King (Ramona),  Selena Gomez (Beezus), John Corbet (Mr. Quimby), Bridget Moynahan (Mrs. Quimby), Ginnifer Goodwin (Aunt Bea), Josh Duhamel (Uncle Hobart), and Sandra Oh (Ms. Meachum).

This is definitely a 5 star movie. Go take your whole family to enjoy it.  Now. And then, buy a house next to mine on Klickitat Street, and if you see my cat Picky Picky, please send her home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsspoW7rSR4

Chicken and Broccoli Couscous with Lemon - 15 minute Supper

I feel like I've been a bad, bad, mom. This is nothing new.  Generally, I feel guilty about something.

Today that something is the little dimples that seem to be developing around everyone's waist as we try and navigate our way through the sun and fun of summer.

And it's my fault, I know it is, cause you know, the world revolves around me and my choices.  I went on vacation and then I went to visit my dad, and my kiddos have been showered with treats, and sweets, and everything yummy to eat as they have navigated life without their mommy. Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo.

Well, no use crying over spilled milk, I've got to hold my head up high, because TODAY THERE IS A NEW WORLD ORDER. . . . MAMA IS BACK IN TOWN.

No more fizzy drinks, or syrupy slushes.  Don't even try to ask me for a piece of candy, because I will laugh in your little tearful face and offer you turnip stew.  BBBWWWWAAAAAHHHHHAAAAHHHHAAAAA!!!!!!

Okay, enough of the dramatics.  Children, you don't need to cower in corner shaking madly, I promise this won't hurt a bit.  We are going to adamantly watch what we eat for the remainder of the summer, but I promise you'll love every minute of it.

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First up for dinner Chicken and Broccoli Couscous with Lemon - A Huge Hit in our House. It's loaded with vegetables, protein, and whole grains, and it's so good the kids won't look up from their plates until it's gone.

Last night Shelbi and Bella had 3 servings, Soledad 2, and the Baby wolfed it down like a pig at a Ho-Down.  And, IT ONLY TAKES  15 MINUTES TO PREPARE!  Enough said.

The below serving feeds our entire family, sometimes with leftovers, other times with none.  Last night after a busy day, not a crumb was left in the pot.

Chicken and Broccoli Couscous with Lemon

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water
2 TB olive oil
5 cups Frozen Broccoli Florets
2 Packages of Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous Mix (can usually be found near the box rice mixes or in the International Foods section)
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
6 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice (I use Minute Maid 100% lemon juice found in the freezer section)

Directions:

1. In a medium sized pot with a lid, bring water, oil, broccoli and seasoning packets to boil.
2. Once boiling, add lemon juice, chicken, and couscous, in that order. Stir until incorporated.
3. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

This tastes great, hot, room temperature, or cold from the fridge.  Enjoy!

Cleaning out A Junk Drawer

To Whom It May Concern,


Please stop keeping me up at night. It is 2:08 am, and I am not asleep because of you. No, it’s not because Bella woke me up with a bloody noise, it is because of YOU.

Please do not interrupt me. I must get this out so that I am able to go back to sleep.

While it may appear to you that I love children (because I have four of them), that is only a partial truth. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with MY children. I cannot imagine my life without them. This is why no matter what their mood, or my disposition, I would always rather be with them than without.

Your children, on the other hand, I would rather be without. Did you hear me? I have four children already, I don’t need anymore. It isn’t that I feel your children aren’t lovely, it’s just that if I wanted more children, I’d spawn them, because well. . . .I’m good at it.

I know, you’re thinking, I’m a stay at home mom and I have nothing better to do than watch your kids while I do menial housework. But, I’ve got news for you, I DON”T DO HOUSEWORK. But, you say, it’s probably easier with your kids at my house, because then my children will be occupied, and they won’t bother me as much. NEWSFLASH: My children will always be bothering me, and NOW so will your children!

I hate to break it to you, but your kids are no bag of Jolly Ranchers, and they are always hungry for snacks, that I do not have. Your children do not like Raisins. Your children do not like peanut butter. Your children do not like anything that I have in my house, yet they are constantly nagging me for something to eat. So I end up spending half the day searching for a stale Ritz Cracker that they MIGHT cram into their mouth. And that’s your job, and I don’t want to help you with it, not even on occasion.

I’m sorry. I know all if this is sudden, and sounds a bit harsh, but I just needed to let you know so that you can find other arrangements for your little darlings. Please refrain from bringing them over to my house for me to babysit under the guise of a playdate, or I might be forced to grow a back bone, and slam the door in your face.

Sincerely,

Nicki Woo

P.S. I know that sounds harsh. Don’t be mad. I wouldn’t really slam the door in your face. Probably just close it gingerly after offering you a drink. . . . . and allowing your children to stay and play. Ufffff.

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I'm trying to get all the junk I have in my closets (literally and figuratively) out, and all cleaned up.  I have too many things that I've been holding onto, that no longer add value, and are just crowding up my life.  Originally,  I thought I'd clean out our coat closet, but then I looked at it, and thought, baby steps. 

So I woke up this morning, and tackled the job of 1 of our 4 junk drawers in the kitchen. Yes, we have four.  Don't judge.

Anyway, this is what it looked like at 6:00 am.

And this is what it looks like now.

 Better, much better.  It's our condiment, coupon, grocery ad drawer. Everytime someone goes into it, they can never find the condiment they are looking for and just make the scattered mess even worse.  So, to solve the problem, I did what I used to do as kid when I had no money but wanted to organize (weird childhood hobby, i know). I grabbed some duct tape, scissors, and the top of a pizza box (the unused portion), cut it up to make dividers and voila - an organized drawer, perfectlyly sized compartments and all for free.

Now it's junk free, onto the rest of my life.

Book Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, and Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

I have an issue with finding books that I really love. It’s this. When they’re over, they’re over. And that sudden forceful realization makes me so sad. I begin frantically searching bookstores for a new book that I can immerse myself into.


Luckily, The Twilight series just keeps going and going, which is great, because I’m not ready to move on. I’d like to stay right there in Forks, WA (where the main characters Bella and Edward live) for as long as I can and learn more about their crazy wacky Vampire/Werewolf lives.

Consequently, when Stephenie Meyer released The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner, I was all over it. It’s a companion book/novella that takes a deeper look into the background storyline of the third book in the series, Eclipse. The Second Short Life is written from the point of view of 15 year old Bree Tanner, who is a Newborn vampire of 3 months. It’s much darker than the other books,  as it takes the reader into the underworld of a vampire army that is forming to destroy Bella and the Cullen Family. In this world, there’s not much love or kindness, mostly death, mayhem, and utter despair.

The book is a short 195 pages, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for character development. My Twilight Addict Card may be taken away for saying this, but in my humble opinion, the book was just okay. It's pinnacle was when the Cullens and Bella are reintroduced, which is about the same time as Bree finds her second demise. So much for this heroine!

Overall, I found the book moderately entertaining, but a definite must read for anyone who is a hardcore Twilight fan.

Other fun reads for Twilight Fans can be found on http://fanfiction.net/
It’s surprising to see how well fans can write about their favorite characters.

Also check out the first 12 Chapters of Midnight Sun (hopefully, and upcoming novel to be released by Stephenie Meyer) the story of Twilight written in Edwards perspective. You can check it out here.

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/pdf/midnightsun_partial_draft4.pdf

Have you read any of these books? I’d love to hear your opinion. Comment and let me know.

Easy Homemade Kettle Corn

What is that saying?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder? So sweet.

Stay gone too long, and the heart will begin to wander. So true.
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Today is Friday, July 16th , which marks the 6th day that I have been away from my 3 oldest children. And, I have 3 more days to go.

So far, the day has been marked by a spinning head, cloudy vision, and complete and utter guilt. And it’s only 7 am. 6 am central. 4 am Pacific. And I’m sure that at least one of my kiddos is miserable by now, cursing me, wondering how in the world I could have left them.

Currently, I’m in Miami helping my Pops recuperate from surgery. I brought little Phoebe with me because I thought she might be able to bring a little light into the household, and because she flies for free. She’s been stuck like Chuck to my side, and I have enjoyed every minute that the two of us have been able to spend together.

But. . . . .

I really, really, really miss my other three.

To make matters worse, at the beginning of the week the two younger girls were all excited to tell me what fun things they were doing with Grammi. But now, they hardly have a second on the phone to speak to me.

It’s a rushed “Yeh, sure I’m having fun. So and so hit me. So and so spit on me. Here, you wanna talk to Ralph?”

“Wait – Whose Ralph?” And then the phone goes dead. Seconds later the phone rings, and it’s my oldest.

Clearly puffy eyed, sniffling, and on her death bed, “Mommy, I CAN’T STAND IT HERE ANYMORE! I can’t do it, I can’t do it. Why did you leave me here? It’s not fair. Nobody is being nice to me. They keep spitting on me. I can’t get away. They’re everywhere.”

“Whose everywhere?” I asked concerned.

“The little kids. I can’t get away.” She huffs.

“Where are you now?”

“Outside with the mosquitoes and the wasps.” She states in a matter of fact tone.

“Well, maybe you should go inside, and just try and lock yourself into a room until Daddy comes to get you.” Great thinkin’ mom.

“I CAN”T! I trrrriiiiiiiieeeeeeeddddddddd.” Boo hooo hooo hooooo hoooooooooo.

And so I do the only thing I can do when I’m hundreds of miles away, and I can’t reach my baby, and I’m thinking she hates me because I have abandoned her. I harness the power of the Internet, and I buy her stuff. I quickly log on and begin ordering monthly subscriptions to gaming sites like Club Penguin and Fantage. As I navigate from site to site, I am sure that buying your child off is not the right answer. What have I done? Will there ever be atonement for me?

I call Shelbi back, and I’ve told her what I have done as penance for my sins. And she accepts my humble offering, and is off to lock herself into the computer room away from spitting toddlers and biting mosquitoes. My work is done.

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If I were at home with my kids, on this Friday in the middle of the summer, I’d probably be yelling at them to “CLEAN UP THE HOUSE!!!!!” And then I’d end it with an “AND YOU BETTER DO A GOOD JOB OR NO MOVIE NIGHT TONIGHT”. Cause that’s what we Woo’s do on Friday’s in summer, clean our house with mediocre fervor, in the hopes of watching a movie in the living room with one another as our toes and legs intertwine on the couch.

And there would probably be some sort of effervescent soda, maybe Root Beer or Orange Crush. If they’ve been extra good, I might hand out little snack size bags of peanut M&M’s for added protein. And then, as soon as the movie starts, and we are all snuggled in our places underneath pillow and blankets, I’ll hand out steaming Kettle Corn. And we’ll chomp on this wonderful bit of happiness.

Homemade Kettle Corn

Ingredients:

Big Pot (with a lid)
¼ cup Oil (my favorite Orville Redenbacher’s Butter Flavor Popcorn Oil)
2/3 cup Popcorn
¼ rounded cup of Sugar (this just means don’t level off the top the scoop, for a little extra sugar)
½ teaspoon Salt

Directions:

1. In a large pot with a lid, heat oil on medium high heat. Place 3 kernels of popcorn inside the pot. When the kernels pop, that will indicate that the oil is ready.
2. Pour in the popcorn and shake until it is in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar, and place top on pot.
3. Begin shaking the pot continuously, while it is resting on the burner. Continue to shake the pot until the corn slows its popping to a few seconds between pops. The whole popping process will take about 3 minutes from the time the popping starts until it done and needs to be removed from the stove.
4. Immediately remove the popcorn for the heat, and pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

* Be sure not to allow the Kettle Corn to sit in the hot pot long, or the sugar will begin to caramelize and burn.

12 Month Checkup

Maybe this is just more evidence for the case that I really don't set the best examples for my children.

Phoebe just turned 1, which means Year One Doctor Visit.  Which means probing questions as to how my child is developing.  Which means probing questions as to whether I am a good parent.  Which means, according to my calculations, no crawling baby at 12 months, I TOTALLY suck as a parent or something is definitely wrong with my kid, or both. 

Clearly, look at my kid.  There is nothing wrong with her.

Now look at me.

Something is definitely wrong with me.  Yet, I don't want to be told this at the pediatricians office, and I do not particularly want other people to know (unless they are on the Internet, so don't worry).

So I have devised a plan to tell a bold faced lie to the doctor.

How old is Phoebe? 12 months.  Not a lie.
How much milk does she take in a day? 28 ounces. Not a lie.
How many hours a night does she sleep?  13 hours. Oooh that sounds a little excessive. I can see the doctor looking at me sideways. She thinks my baby has narcolepsy. Maybe I should lie.
Does your baby still drink from a bottle? Uhhh. . . .trick question. Yes, but we are weening her (LIE).
Can your toddler crawl, walk, cruise, and  pull themselves up? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Lie. Lie. Lie. Lie.
What things does our toddler say? Hello, goodbye.  Mommy is beautiful. I'd like to read a book. ( All true-ish )

I wasn't really sure if it was going to work, but I was willing to give it a shot for my Phoebe's sake.  But, just as I was calling to schedule her an appointment, the clouds parted, a ray of light shone down and. . . . .

Phoebe crawled. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9yc7G-6gAM


It's not Olympic form, but it'll do. Now mommy doesn't have to be a liar.  Well, about that anyway.

Box Brownies (but even better)

Dear Littlest Woo,

I love you.  I can not imagine my life without you. I can't believe that exactly one year ago today, you came clawing and bighting your way into our world, which is now, for all intensive purposes, your world.

When we first met, I was afraid to hold you because I didn't know what the heck you might do to me. You came out with such a force, no drug (atleast not the drugs I had) could mask your strength and power to get get the heck out of dodge.  So when the doctor layed your precious little soul next to my heart, you can imagine my surprise that such a sweet tiny thing, could be so strong.

I mean Phoebe, really, who fractures their shoulder during birth and continues on with life, with only a few whimpers and moans? Seriously kid, I wish you could have told us instead of being so stoic.  Sorry it took us a few weeks to figure that whole thing out, but you hung in there like a champ. The kind that gets their ear bitten off by Mike Tyson, and then beats his a**.

Your strength has shown itself, in a million different ways every single day since you've lived here with us.  Like how, your only 12 months old, and you're never afraid to go to sleep by yourself.  Or how when your sisters put their faces in your space, you pull their hair out.  Or remember the time you nearly bit off Bella's finger for sticking it in your mouth? Or was that Soledad? Maybe it was both. Well, that was priceless. Way to be on guard.

But through all the craziness, the tears, and the laughter, you ~ my love, have shown such strength and determination. And I am so very blessed to be able to call you my daughter.  Thank you for gracing me with your presence and for loving me with all your heart.  I promise, to never take it for granted and to love you every minute of every day, till the end of forever. I love you.

Happy Birthday Queen of my heart,

Mommy

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To be honest, I've only known Phoebe for 12 months, so I'm not sure what her favorite type of cake is. So sue me.

But I do know this, I LOVE CHOCOLATE, and the rest of the Woodards looooooovvvvvvveeeeeee Brownies, so that's what we are going to bake today. 

In my most humble opinion, brownies made from the box are delightful and supremely delicious.  Usually, I like my baked goods from scratch, but in my book, not much is better than a boxed brownie. Except for this recipe, a few added things that turn up the volume, just. a. notch. Yummy, yummy brownies, with nuts, and fudge, and chewiness.  I'm sure she'll love these, she's a Woodard afterall.

Birthday Brownies

Ingredients:

Box of Brownie Mix (I like Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge)
2 eggs
1/4 cup of milk, warmed
1 rounded teaspoon Instant Coffee
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon cocoa (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Grease a 13 X 9 inch pan. and preheat oven to 350 for a glass pan, 325 for a metal pan.
2. Dissolve instant coffee into warm milk.
3. In a medium bowl, mix brownie mix, eggs, milk mixture, oil, vanilla, and cocoa. Stir until mixture is fully combined, about 3 minutes.  Mixture will still be slightly lumpy.
4. Add nuts and mix well.
5. Pour batter into pan and cook for 25 minutes.
6. Let cool. Cut and serve.

Coconut Basmati Rice with Cilantro

Last week,  I was living it up in California. This week, I'm killing ants off the kitchen table.  Stark comparison.

Last week, I had already watched Eclipse, twice in one day.  I'm so proud of that accomplishment. Once during the trilogy showing (after waiting in line for 3 hours with my lovely husband, my best friend, and her lovely husband) and then again 19 hours later (sans husband, I'm good, but even Rocky lost a fight to Apollo Creed).

Aaaaaahhhhhh, that was the life of carefree uselessness.

Now as I reflect, I really thought I'd be whining about how much it sucks to return to the doldrums of everyday life. The laundry (my mom already did), the cleaning (my mom already did), the ever present feeling that I'm not doing everything I supposed to be doing (still here). Along with the task of combing hair for 4 hours a day, feeding kids for 10 hours a day, and yelling at raving lunatics for 12 hours a day. I think that's more like 26 hours. Never mind, you get my point.

But, as I sat down to reminisce about our trip to San Francisco to visit my most wonderful and cutest of cousins. . . .

and the fun times we spent in China town and tourist hopping all over the city,

Streets of China Town

View of Alcatraz

Fisherman's Wharf

Lunch at the Wharf of Clam Chowder and Calamari and Chips

The Eiffel Tower. . .or ummm. . . .I mean the Golden State Bridge.

Lombard Street - Said to be the most winding road in the world.

Breakfast of Almond Croissants and Goat Cheese and Chorizo Quiche.

and about the great fun we had in Napa with our friends. Drinking it up, and errrrr, drinking it up, while slurping up the residual slurpage. *burp*

Castello di Amorosa - A Castle Winery

Gargoyles at a Castle. My wacky Harry Potter, Twilight Fanatic self is in heaven.

I think,  what was I doing at this precise moment last week?

Sipping on some sizurp? No.

Frolicking in a meadow? No.

Exactly 1 week ago, at this precise moment, our rental car broke down.  And we were stranded in the middle of who knows where for a little over an hour while the car was worked on.  It could have been worse, but it still sucked.  And then I remember, as we hopped into our newly fixed car and drove to Santa Cruz, we stopped at a local Taco Bar to get something to eat.  And it sucked.  And I really missed Texas Tex Mex.  And I threw up, literally.  And then Warwick gagged as a reflex to my puke, and almost did the same.  And I missed my kids, and their hair, and their voracious appetites, and their ever inquisitive nature, and their kisses, and their hugs.  And I remember not wanting to be on my vacation one second longer. Cause I missed those jokers.

Holidays are great, Warwick and I really needed it. And we had soooooooo much fun with our friends and being completely free to do what we pleased. . . . . .  but, our kids are even better, and I'm glad to be back home with them.

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During our stay in Napa, we ate at this crazy-good restaurant called The Rutherford Grill.  We had a grilled artichoke that made me want to turn into hollandaise sauce just so I could be lapped up by the dreamy petals of this delightful dish. I don't even remember what Warwick had for dinner, because I was totally entranced by mine.

I had a Sinful Chicken and Spinach Enchilada dinner with steamed broccoli and Coconut Basmati Rice that I quite literally would have killed for.

So good, that the minute I got home (and kissed my children) I ran straight for the kitchen to try and recreate this buttery heaven sent dish.  This is my humble attempt, which I am not so humbly saying is Damn Good!  Try it with enchiladas, barbecue, steak, or whatever, but just make sure you try it. 

 Basmati Coconut Rice with Cilantro

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Basmati Rice
1 can (14 oz.) Coconut Milk - this should be creamy, and not sweet. Do not buy Creme of Coco or Coconut Water.
1/2 cup plus 6 TB water
3 TB freshly chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

1. In a rice cooker, or a pot with a lid, add rice. Cover with coconut milk and water. Cook according to package instructions.

2. When rice is done, add cilantro and salt and mix well. Serve.

Happy Fourth of July! (Creamy Potato Salad, Slow Cooked Pinto Beans & Best Blackberry Cobbler)

This entry was supposed to be posted, 3 days ago on July 3rd.  But, I just returned from vacation, and I couldn't get my booty out of bed.

I quickly convinced myself that I could cook early on Sunday, and post early on July 4th. But ummmmm . . .my life ran a muck (as on most days) and that plan didn't really work out.  It had something to do with cute little girls dressed up in patriotic wear, and one little girl who had patriotic flip flops. . . .

 and two other little girls who did not. One little girl was smiling, the other 2 little girls were crying. So, we had to make a detour and make an abridged version of last weeks flip flop post.

And then, we had to leave the house when it was pouring raining to go to an outdoor Independence Day Celebration that was held inside. Wait a minute, I think that was Saturday, I'm so confused. In any case, the girl's didn't even wear their flip flops.  But they did wear these crazy glasses.

and watch Nana be eaten alive by farm animals. . .

and rode ponies . . . .

and marveled at sparklers. . . .

and were mesmerized by fireworks.

And ate, and ate, and ate (recipes below).

The End.

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This is our menu for the Fourth.  But, I'm sure it would be lovely any day of the year when you want to see stars in your eyes!

We had Smoked Brisket (courtesy of HEB - perfectly delicious, so don't hate)

 and.. . . .
Creamy Potato Salad (no mustard)

Ingredients:

3 pounds red potatoes
3 eggs, boiled and chopped
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon celery salt

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes until tender, about 60 minutes. Let cool. Chop into bight size pieces.
2. Mix all ingredients. Salad can be served immediately, or allowed to sit in the refrigerator for later consumption.


Slow Cooked Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound dry pinto beans
4 slices bacon
1 onion
2 gloves of garlic
1 quart Chicken Stock
Water
Salt and pepper
6 TB sugar

Directions:

1.Soak beans overnight.  If you're like me, and didn't do this, use the quick soak method by placing beans in a large pot, cover the beans with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 60 minutes.
2. Discard water. Cover beans with quart of chicken stock and enough water to make sure they are submerged by at least one inch of liquid.
3. Return beans to stove and cook on high heat until they boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
4. While the beans are cooking, using a skillet cook 4 slices of bacon, until crispy.  Remove bacon, reserve about 2 TB of bacon fat.
5. Add chopped onion to bacon grease and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic in the last one minute of cooking.
6. Add cooked onion, garlic, crushed up bacon pieces, and sugar to the pot of beans.
7. Cook the beans slowly, for 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Keep the lid on (but slightly tilted - so that air can escape) during the first 3 hours of cooking. During the last 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to cook. If the beans begin sticking to the bottom of the pot or need more liquid, add water and continue to cook for the remainder of the time mentioned.



Best Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

Filling:
7 cups of fresh blackberries (about 6 six ounce containers)
6 TB water
3 TB cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 TB lemon juice

Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
Dash of salt
7 TB butter, cold and chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. In small bowl, mix water and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture. Mix gently, and pour into a buttered casserole dish.
4. Put the blackberries in the the oven and cook until bubbly. Meanwhile, make the crust.
5. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter and blend until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.  Add hot water, and stir until a soft dough is formed.
6. Remove berries from the oven, and lower the heat to 400.
7. Make pancake-like forms with the dough, and place them on top of the blackberry filling until all the dough is used and the filling is completely covered.
8. Place back into a 400 degree oven, cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream.