Random musings for the end of January

I wish you could see me as I write this! It is Sunday afternoon, it is 70 degrees out and I am sitting in the dune buggy out in the garage.  Hey, you can see me out here!

Not only am I squished in this seat with the computer pushed into my gut and trying to write, but I am having to pump the brakes every couple seconds. Pump three times. Push down. Pump three times. Push down. That is all I hear from him next to the dune buggy. My leg is tired!!

 

Ahhh, this is what love is. And the beauty of our relationship is that I know Chad

would do this for me in a heartbeat too.

What a week it has been.  For this Minnesotan, I am in awe.  My windows have been open for most of this week.  And it is january!!!!!!!  I still can't get over this.  It's supposed to be in the 40's this week and that is ok.  I hear it will be warm again before I know it.

 This week, as I was creating Valentine cards on my computer, I was sitting in my craft room, the windows were open and I got to listen to the birds sing and cars drive by.

Then Hannah got up from her nap and joined me!

 I wonder what she sees- the world is so different from the eyes of a child!

Today is Sunday and it is still beautiful.  V put on H's swimsuit and wanted to take her out in the sprinkler!  It wasn't warm enough for that though! 

Since I open the windows, I am always afraid that the spiders are going to find their way into the house.  So I am faithful to sweep the window sills and porch every day while they are open!  A perfect Sunday afternoon chore.  Thank you H, for helping me!

One day last week we went out for a walk to help V sell candy bars for her school fundraiser.

 

 We got out the wagon so H could have a ride.

Victoria got her pillow and blanket so H could be comfy!

The next princess poopsie!  :)

We stopped at a few houses but didn't find anyone home.

On our way back home, we found our neighbor outside and he bought one!  Mission accomplished!

H needed a "little help" during the last 10 minutes of our grocery shopping trip and a sucker did the trick!

Watching the movie 'Secretariat' with daddy!

H and I went for a walk yesterday.  We walked about 3 miles and I loved watching her look around at all the sights and sounds!

Enjoying our walk together!

When we got back she had fun just running around the yard!

So much to see and discover!

A beautiful sky to end the wonderful day

Big things are going to happening during the month of February on my blog!  I am going to do my own version of  "Julie and Julia"- one of my favorite movies!!!  I am going to be cooking my way through my "the best of Southern Living" cookbook!  I have picked 28 recipes that I would like to try and I will be cooking them and posting them on my blog daily.  It is a really huge undertaking and that's why I chose February to do it- it has only 28 days!!  Plus, I think I can do it for a month.  Julie took a year of cooking through Julia Childs french cookbook- I don't know if I can do something every day like that for a year!  :)

I went through many of my cookbooks- looking for the "right one" and I chose this one because of the variety of foods.  I can do main dishes, appetizers, salads, desserts, breads- whatever I choose!  Originally, I wanted to cook my way through Martha Stewarts Cupcake cookbook but what am I going to do with that many cupcakes?!?  I only have so many friends to "bless" with cupcakes and then the rest might find their way to my lips! We all know the saying- ''a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips"!   And I know my hips don't need anymore "cupcakes"!!  :)

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Plump Carrot Muffins

Last week my mom told me she made a batch of delicious carrot muffins and I should try them!  She said they were out of the Pillsbury Healthy Baking cookbook- one that we both have.  As I looked up the recipe, I realized it was one I had made often in the past so I decided it was time to make them again!  I would love to share it with you and I hope you enjoy them too.

Plump Carrot Muffins

Mix together the dry ingredients

Shred 1/2 cup of carrots

You will need 1 1/2 t. orange peel

Mix together the wet ingredients, including orange peel and shredded carrots

Now combine the wet and dry together

I made them into mini muffins but the recipe called for a 12 cup muffin pan

Bake them at 375 for 15-18 minutes

Plump Carrot Muffins

1 3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 t. baking powder

1 t/ baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. shredded carrot

3/4 c. orange juice

2 T. oil

1 1/2 t. grated orange peel

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

1/3 c. raisins

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray bottoms only of 12 muffin cups . 

In large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt; mix well. 

In small bowl, combine carrot, orange juice, oil, orange peel, vanilla and egg; blend well.  Add to dry ingredients and stir just till dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in raisins.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-18 minuts or toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pan 1 minute; remove from pan.

The recipe doesn't call for frosting but my mom and I both like to add it- just makes them more delicious! 

Just mix together 1 T. melted butter, 1c. powdered sugar and enough orange juice to make it a nice consistency for spreading.  Drizzle over the top.  Mmmmm.

Enjoy!

Just a Sunday of random musings

Today while H napped, I downloaded all my pictures from this past week to my computer.  Oh, it's so fun to go over all my pictures but I have to confess since I've been blogging, I download my cameras every couple days and I am amazed at how many pictures I take! 

I just wanted to share with you some of my favorites- hope you enjoy them!

Last week when I made the Chicken Ceasar Pasta Salad I meant to post these pictures- I think they are so cute!  Chad came home late from work and he was trying to eat dinner.  Mind you- H had already eaten dinner but that didn't stop her from trying to eat Chad's!  Whenever we are eating and she isn't, she opens her mouth and smacks her lips together until we give her our food. 

 I am a "basketball mom" and I couldn't be more proud!!!  My precious V is playing this year for the first time.  We love going to her games and watching her play. (btw- she is #3)

I bought a package of buttons for our craft time. She found them, likes

to carry them around and play with them! 

LOVE the colors!!

H has a job every morning- she carries V's lunch bag out to the car, she holds it in the car on the way there and when V is ready to get out- she hands it to her!  It is so precious how she does this every day.

V decided one day she wanted to create a shirt for H!  She found an old shirt,

got out her sewing kit and sewed some buttons on it for her! 

Another day she decided she wanted to sew an apron for her!  Isn't this so cute?!?

H's new "find" this week was her sister's room!!  How fun to go in V's room when she is at school!!

Beautiful

I am having an obsession with baby hands this week! 

Mmmm



 Snow day!!



~Hope you enjoyed a "peek" into my week~