Crafting & Cooking & Random Photos

I took this photo while out at Dad & Linda's. The orange blossoms smelled amazing!
My sister, Naomi, sent Simon a case for his Nintendo DS.

It also included a screen cleaner, game storage & stylus.

I made a Sofrito recipe on Sunday night that I have been eating this week for lunch. It starts out with pepper, onion, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic.

Adding the beans....

The finished product. I wish I had some fresh cilantro.

I also finished my March Finny & Donk Craft Along March Project. I made the Crooked Coaster.

That sad thing in this adventure is I continue to not need to buy much to make these projects. Leah was making herself comfortable on the batting.

The finished coasters.

Renaissance Festival

We went with friends to the Renaissance Festival with some friends today! Here is a nice man who is trying to do a scientific experiment where somehow Hannah gets her head cut off. Simon was totally ready to put Hannah up as a guinea pig!
But...she didn't do the experiment and found a jump rope instead.

The biggest thing my kids love to do is the catapult....so....here is Simon &

Hannah getting harnessed up...

to jump on the trampolines with bungee cords.Simon went much higher than he had in previous years. Here is our friend, Georg on the trampoline.

We also visited the petting zoo.

Georg loved the sheep.

There was also a tug of war the kids all participated in.....

The big attraction for Simon was the butter churning. He LOVED it!

All the kids got along so well. They all rode on the carousel together and had a good time.

A family photo just before leaving the festival.

We also had a quick visit with Grandma & Grandpa. Grandma taught the kids a new dice game.

A great Sunday!

Saturday....

I went with a friend to the Carefree Arts & Wine Festival.
We tried a bunch of different wines.

There is a beautiful fountain downtown.

Along with a gecko slide for kids.

And had lunch at Jalapeno's. I used to go here on Friday's for dinner 14 years ago when I moved to Phoenix. I have not been here in years but it was a bit of a trip down memory lane.

When I got home, while I waited for the cable guy to fix my cable, I worked on pulling up this plant. It is going to take some more work.

However, I did go out and buy these two chairs and put them in front of the house.....

So, I can watch this sunset with a glass of wine.

That is what I did tonight and I enjoyed sitting out front enjoying spring in the desert.

Simon...

As a reader, I can't tell you how much I loved looking over the counter while making dinner and seeing Simon reading a book of his own volition! I snapped the photo quickly before he noticed I was taking a photo!
And, he lost his left front tooth and is very happy with the spoils from the Tooth Fairy.

I LOVE SALAD

but my kids don't...every now and again, I buy salad and make a different dinner for me than the kids have. Tonight was one of those nights since the grocery store had $1 lazy lettuce and I was craving a salad. So, I rustled up these items from the fridge.
And then realized I should make a salad for lunch tomorrow since I have a conference call over the 2 hours I might think of taking lunch. So, I started adding items to my salad container. Unlike a "normal" salad, this one you load from the normal top down (meaning the lettuce is last). The lid has a spot for storing dressing.

My finished "free" lunch from what I have in my refrigerator already. Love a veggie (and tuna) lunch for free. I also really like this salad container. I have had it for about a year or so and still think the fit-fresh containers ROCK.I also have the lunch on the go container, 4 breakfast chillers (from my ill fated thought my kids would eat breakfast I packed at their summer program) and the fruit & veggie bowl. I find all of these containers well thought out and they come with their own freezer pack so what is not to love??

Fun weekends!

My college friend, Tamara (on the left) came into town for the weekend. We went out with Michele and others for some fun on Saturday night.
On Sunday we took Hannah & Simon to visit her parents at their winter place in Mesa where there is a heated pool.

Hannah was doing this thing with her hair where she was a monster....
and then a president. Funny with the hair!

Hannah & Simon being crazy in the pool.

Gotta love a heated pool in the spring time! That pool was like bath water at 90 degrees!

Bird Feeder

I found this "recipe" for making a bird feeder and so decided to make one for our house.

I took an old Gatorade bottle and allowed it to dry, added a hole on one side & asterisk on the other side, slid the two wooden spoons through it, added an eyelet to the lid and filled with birdseed.
Then hung it in our tree. This is right ousdie the front window so we can watch the bird from the couch.
I hope the birds enjoy it.

February Craft Along Project

As part of Finny & Donk's craft along, I made the February fabric bowl project.

The first coil is tricky!

The bowl in progress.
I used cording instead of clothesline because I got to the craft store first.

The finished basket.

Another view....cute and pretty easy project.

The Morning After....

Well, the girls finally went to sleep between 11-11:30 and one went home because she was not feeling well about midnight.

Unfortunately, the latest anyone slept in was about 7:30. Of course Simon was up by 6:45. Sigh..I need a nap.

For breakfast, I made waffles. For once mixed up the batter in something with a spout.
Tricks of the trade....a counter top griddle (for the scrambled eggs) and waffle makers.

I have two waffle makers. This one I got at a garage sale from my old neighbors parents. Good old fashioned round waffle maker with triangular waffles.

This one I got from Dad & Linda for a birthday many years ago. Heart shaped waffles are big in Norway (I spent a year there back in 1987). This waffle iron has been with me for at least 15 years!

No one wanted the boring waffles so all I made were the heart shaped kind.

Phew, everyone went home and I am looking forward to a nap after lunch!

Hannah's Sleepover

We had 4 girls come over. While I was making dinner, the girls surfed on You Tube.
Hannah chose a Hawaiian theme for her party.

Watching Mamma Mia after dinner.

Simon finally giving up the ghost at 9:30!