Mommy Monday: Going for a hike

We have had really great weather the last couple of days, so I've tried to take full advantage of that and get Ellie outside as much as possible.  This can be tricky, as she takes really long naps, so I have to make sure we get out in the morning.  I pack lunch and we try to get out the door by 9:00am.  (I realize I could go earlier, but I am not a morning person.  9:00 am is as early as it's gonna get.)

Yesterday we just went to the park in town.  I tried to get some pictures of the hat I made for my niece, but Ellie was wild and not particularly cooperative.

 It's supposed to be an over-sized hat, but it's extra over-sized on Ellie because she's little.

Today we loaded up a backpack and the Ergo (in case Ellie got tired) and went to Radnor Lake.  It's a bit of a drive, but it's totally worth it.  We were lucky enough to see an owl as soon as we got there.  He was just chillin' on a branch about three feet from us.  Ellie just stared at him.  I wasn't sure she had even really noticed him.  After he flew away, all she talked about was that owl.  The whole time.  We also saw a wild turkey, a chipmunk, lots of birds, turtles and some ducks.  But Ellie only cared about that owl.

 She got tired trying to find her owl.

Watching the ducks.

Hiking is very hard work...

FO Friday: Hat

I don't have pictures yet, but I did technically finish a project today!  With one hour to spare!  I'm going to break my "no blogging on the weekends" rule and post pictures tomorrow.  Hopefully Ellie will consent to being my model...no promises.

Pattern: Wurm
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in Seaspray
Needles: Size 8 circular

I didn't follow the pattern exactly.  I only cast on 80 instead of 90 and I didn't do the increase after the edging.  I also did the edging differently, in stockinette instead of the folded ribbing.  I'm not entirely sure I'm happy with it.  Initially I liked it, but the shape isn't quite what I wanted.  I might make some adjustments, or just make a second one and see which one I like better.

WIP Wednesday: Already Behind

Hey, look at that.  It only took me two weeks to get behind on posting.  Figures.

I forgot to post for Mommy Monday, but I was busy chasing two toddlers instead of my usual one.  Ellie and I had a playdate with one of her little friends.  I watched him for a couple months over the summer when his parents had a lapse in childcare, but we hadn't seen him since Thanksgiving.  They were really excited to get to play together again.  It was so exhausting, they both crashed before their usual naptime.

Today I'm lucky enough to have the husband home, so I get to escape to the fabric store.  Hooray!  I plan to come home with armfuls of yarn and maybe a little fabric.

Projects on the to-do list:

• A knitted stuffed elephant and matching sweater, a gift for my cousin's baby.

• Some fingerless gloves for my friend's birthday

• A hat for my niece

• Fabric for circle skirts for this summer, one each for Ellie and her cousin. 

If you're wondering about the progress on those baby blocks: I accidentally left them at my mother-in-laws house, so....no progress.

Hopefully I'll have a FO on Friday from that list above!  Stay tuned to find out!

FO Friday: Christmas

Yes I know it's February, but I don't have any recent finished projects.  

So, until I do, you get old ones that I never posted.

For Christmas I had a goal to make all of the Christmas gifts.  

I failed.

But I got about half of them done!  So we'll call it a partial win.  

Next year I'll start earlier...

This hat for my father-in-law

A cowl for my dad, for when he rides his motorcycle.

Me modeling the cowl.

 Matching outfits for my niece and nephew.  

Ellie also has a skirt in the same fabric.  

 I was originally going to make this blanket out of granny squares, but decided it would be quicker and more fun to make it out of fleece squares.  I made it for my nephews.  I only made one.  

They have to share it...but I'm sure they'll survive.

I'm really proud of this hat.  I made up the pattern.  I started off thinking I would use a basic hat pattern, but then I decided to just wing it!  It was really fun!  It was for Nick's stepdad, who is a huge UT Vols fan, which should explain the color choices.

 Stephen wearing his hat on Christmas morning.

 This kiddos wearing their matching outfits

I should have fixed the lighting issue...

 My dad being a goofball with his neckwarmer.

The boys and their blanket (the other two boys are underneath it somewhere).

I also made a scarf for my sister-in-law and put together a Shutterfly photo book for my parents (not pictured).  So I may not have finished everything I wanted to accomplish, but when I put it all together on this post, it feels pretty significant.

Happy Valentine's Day!

What we did on Valentine's Day:

Ellie got dressed.

Ellie and I painted a Valentine for her daddy.

We made cupcakes and took them to friends.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!


What did you do to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Mommy Monday: Cleaning Toys

It's flu season.  Fortunately, it has not hit our house.  However, sinus and ear infections have.  If there's one thing I know, toddlers are germ factories.  Especially toddlers that play with other toddlers, aka Daycare.  I grew up in a daycare.  Literally.  My mom owned and operated a fully licensed daycare out of our home my entire childhood, and then some.  I may be a first time mom, but if there is one lesson I learned from my mom and her daycare it is this:

CLEAN YOUR KIDS' TOYS!

I will admit, I don't do this as often as I should, but I try to do it at least once a month.  If you can find the time, it's better to do it once a week.  If your child is sick, or has recently had a friend over who is sick, clean the toys immediately.  The Bean currently has an ear infection.  I cleaned her toys last night while she was asleep.  I was awake anyway dispensing regular doses of Tylenol and Motrin to keep her fever down.  So why not use that time to clean toys, right?  

It can be a tedious job, but it really does help keep those crazy toddler germs at bay.  This is what I do:

1. Separate out all the toys.  Soft, fluffy toys such as stuffed animals go in one pile.  Hard plastic or wooden toys go in another.  I also have a pile for books because we have a ton.

2. Fill your bathtub with water.  Add bleach.  I use a ratio of 1/2 cup of bleach for every gallon of water because that is what is recommended by Clorox.  Place all the non-porous, hard toys in the bathtub.  I usually leave out the wooden toys because Ellie's are painted and while the bleach probably won't hurt the seal, I don't want to take that chance.  Also, any toys that are battery powered or have a mechanical device of some kind should NOT go in the water.  

Soak the toys in the tub for 5 minutes.  Then rinse and let air dry.  If you can, just spread a couple towels on the floor of the bathroom and lay the toys out in a single layer overnight. (Don't forget about bath toys!)

3. Now for the fluffies.  These guys are going in the washer.  My washer has a "hand wash" setting, so I use that, but I'm pretty sure most stuffed animals can handle the regular cycle.  Important note: if the stuffed animal has some kind of device I don't put it in the washer.  For example, Ellie has a Big Bird that sings the ABCs, he does not go in the washer.  

I wash the stuffed animals in warm water, with regular detergent (we use All Free and Clear) and then dry them on the lowest heat setting.  You can air dry them, but you might want to put them through at least a short cycle first to fluff them.

Some of the stuffed animals after being washed and dried.

4. Last, the most boring part.  Get a container of disinfecting wipes, gather up all the remaining toys and put on your favorite TV show or movie.  The next step is simple, wipe down everything.  I wipe down all of the wooden blocks, any of the stuffed animals that couldn't be washed, the outside covers of her books and all of her board books.  Be careful with the books, don't saturate them too much.  If you need to, wait a few seconds to let the disinfectant work and then dry them with a paper towel.  Just remember, the disinfectant won't work if you immediately wipe it off.  Don't forget to wipe down any large items as well: table and chairs, doll stroller, kitchen set, etc (yours might be more boy-related, but you get the idea).

 Blocks and other toys that I wiped down with Clorox wipes.

Most of these could have soaked in the bleach solution, but I ran out of bleach.

Now you just sit back and wait for everything to dry!  Or go to bed, because it might be really late...

All clean and put away! 

(These shelves only look like this when Ellie is asleep)

This is a big task, but it helps.  If your child has a ton of toys and this job just seems too daunting, here are a couple of tips:

• Play in batches.  Consider limiting the toys your child plays with.  If they are really into a certain group of toys right now, but totally ignoring another, put those unwanted toys away for a few months.  Then when you get them back out, it'll be like Christmas morning!  (Or if you get them back out and they still don't care, donate them!  Less clutter!  Win-win!)  This way when you do clean toys, you're cleaning less and you know which ones your child regularly plays with.
• The Plastic Bin Method When your child is sick, you should try to clean his/her toys every day, but there is no way I could clean all of Ellie's toys every night for the rest of this week.  I need sleep!   So another option is to put favorite toys in one big plastic bin and eliminate the others.  Just take them out of play.  That way at the end of the day those are the only toys you have to clean.  I realize this might be a battle, but you can be flexible.  If she really wants a toy I didn't include in the bin, she can have it, she just can't have all of them.
• Maintain Healthy Habits This is just a general rule.  If you maintain healthy habits, and teach your toddler to do the same, it should keep some germs at bay.  Teach children early about washing their hands.  I know it's easy to just clean Ellie myself, and I still catch myself doing it when I'm in a hurry.  However, she will learn more if I take her over to the sink and show her how to wash her hands with soap and water.  In addition, while sharing is an important lesson, certain things should not be shared: cups, silverware, half-eaten snacks.

I hope these tips will help you kick those toddler germs out of the house and keep the doctors visits at a minimum!

FO Friday: My First Sweater

Welcome to FO (Finished Object) Friday!

 This was my first time knitting a sweater and my third time knitting anything!  I was so happy with the result.  In fact, I was too excited during the knitting to stop and check the gauge, which I hear is really important.  But the final product fit, so I'm happy!  

I actual made this back in September, but since I'm super behind on my blog, I might as well catch you up on the projects I've already finish, right?

Here are a few pictures of the Bean wearing her sweater.  She wasn't super cooperative about pictures, so I got what I could.  Apparently this sweater is good for all sorts of activities, including:

Reading

Lounging

Singing

and chewing on your pajamas...

Specs

Pattern: Nature Baby Kimono by Lion Brand Yarn

Yarn: stash (seriously, I have no idea what yarn I used, I've probably had it for a decade)

Needles: size 8 SPN

Happy Birthday, James!

Ten years ago tonight, I was sitting in my Monday night Education Lab, very impatiently waiting for class to end so I could go to the hospital.  Apparently I was so impatiently I was literally a distraction.  I wouldn't shut up about my nephew, who was about to enter this world at any moment, and I was missing it!  My professor was nice enough to let me leave early, probably because I wouldn't shut up and she wanted to get on with class.

I made it to the hospital mere minutes after this perfect little person was born.

My family calls me a baby hog, and rightfully so.  He was absolutely perfect in every possible way.  I know they tell you you'll fall in love with your own children the minute you meet them, but I never expected to fall so completely in love with my nephew the way I did. 
For the first three years of his life, I got to see him nearly every day.  Then I moved to Tennessee, and missing all those little milestones, that silly face, was very sad. 

Now he's a serious ten year old.  He's practically a grown man. He's taller than my mom, although in this family that doesn't take much (sorry mom). 

James, you have been the joy during some very sad times in this family.  You are an amazingly patient and loving big brother.  You are incredibly talented and intelligent and you have inherited some killer Lego building skills.  I am so proud of you and I love you very much. 

Happy Birthday!

Dinner last night...

I love store bought pizza crust.  I mean, I love making pizza crust too, but at this point in my life, store bought pizza crust is amazing.  Dinner in about 15 minutes.  It's the best.

Kale and Sausage Pizza

Ingredients:

-store-bought, refrigerated pizza dough (or homemade)

-1/2 lb sausage, browned (left overs)

-couple handful of fresh kale, chopped

-1/4 cup ricotta

-provolone cheese slices (4-6)

-1/4 cup tomato sauce

- 1 or 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

- Place your pizza stone (or a baking sheet) in your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

- Gather all ingredients and create an assembly line.

- Once preheated, carefully remove stone/baking sheet with oven mitts and place on a heat proof surface.

- Unroll pizza dough and place on stone.

- Spread on tomato sauce (it will be a thin layer)

- Sprinkle on sausage

- Drop on dollops of ricotta cheese

- Layer on provolone cheese

- Sprinkle on kale

- Drizzle olive oil over the top

- Place in oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown and delicious.  It really won't take long.  Then consume! (maybe with a side salad or something)

This toppings combo was created out of things we had left in our frig from previous dinners.  Obviously you can put anything on your pizza, but this combo was a definite winner, and we'll be having it again!

Avocados

My kid loves avocados...

Me: Ellie how did the avocado get in your hair?

Ellie: I don't know mom...it's a mystery.

A Family Affair

Today is Ellie's birthday.  I could go into all the dramatic details of where I was this time last year and all the chaos of the hospital, but for some reason that just didn't seem fitting.  This blog is about food and crafty things, and while creating a child is probably the most epic craft I will ever create, it was food that I felt compelled to write about today.  Food is such a huge part of my family, it's where we gather, where we share and where we reconnect.  Often even after the table is cleared we're still there, talking and laughing and telling stories.  The same stories.  Over and over and over again.  I think the foods I love, I love because I have many memories connected to them.  I want to share that with Ellie.

Ellie is named after two people:  Laurene, Nick's aunt, who passed away not long after becoming a mother, much too young.  We wanted to honor her memory, her sister, Ellie's Nana, and her daughter, Ellie's Aunt Meg. Eleanor, my great-grandmother, mother of 12 children, clearly a strong woman, and a really good cook.

Today was Ellie's birthday, but it was all about a melding of all things family, in the form of dinner.  I made chicken and noodles.  I know, you're thinking, why did you make the stereotypical sick food for a birthday dinner? This isn't that chicken and noodles.  This is my Grandma Taylor's chicken and noodles which is much more serious than a bowl of broth with a few noodles and bits of chicken floating around.  Grandma Taylor's chicken and noodles is thick, creamy and warms your soul.  Or at least mine.  I feel like I'm in her house again whenever I eat it.  But I had to up the ante.

So I made my great-grandma's noodles.  I had never made pasta of any kind.  I always considered it, but never did it.  This was apparently one of my grandpa's favorite things to eat, but I had never eaten it.  Ever since my family put together a cookbook, I've been itching to try her noodle recipe.  Ellie's birthday seemed like the perfect opportunity.  So Grandma Dietz's noodles went into Grandma Taylor's recipe and it was a match made in heaven.

We shared our dinner with Ellie's Nana and Papa and I had this sense that there were a lot more family members present than the five of us seated at the table.  It was perfect.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ellie has been refusing to eat meat and vegetables recently.  She basically lives off yogurt, graham crackers and the occasional banana.  My goal to make one meal for the whole family was thrown out the window in an effort to get her to just eat anything.  I didn't care if my dinner consisted of a piece of cheese and a pickle* as long as Ellie was happy and well fed.
Today that all changed.  I found a meal that I love and that Ellie will devour:

Chicken Pot Pie

Imagine a light shining from the heavens and angels singing because when she at her entire dinner tonight, that's how it felt.  Now, I realize chicken pot pie isn't the healthiest thing in the world, but I'm not saying you should eat it all the time.  I'm just saying you absolutely should eat it.  It's awesome.  It also has the misconception of being time consuming and difficult, but not my recipe.  Super quick and super easy with very few ingredients.

Ellie's Chicken Pot Pie

1 chicken breast, cubed and sauteed (if you one leftover that's even better!)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk (or 2%, but not skim)
1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots, or any mix of veggies
1 roll of refrigerated pie dough (you could make your own in a big batch, portion it and keep it in the frig or freezer, but that's another story)
salt and pepper, to taste
4 ramekins, or small oven safe bowls

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1. In a sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter.
2. Whisk in the flour to create a rue.
3. Let the rue cook for a minute or two, but continue to move it around the entire time so it doesn't burn.
4. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking.
5. Continue to stir/whisk the mixture every couple minutes until it thickens.  It doesn't take very long.  You'll know its done when it has reached about the consistency of heavy cream.  Congratulations, you just made bechamel sauce!  Add cheese and pasta and you've made macaroni and cheese from scratch!  (This is the stage where I added the salt and pepper, but not much because I'm feeding it to a toddler.)
6. Add the sauteed chicken and peas and carrots to the cream sauce. Stir until everybody is coated.
7. Spoon into ramekins.
8. Roll out your dough and cut into quarters.
9. Lay the dough on top of the ramekin.  You could use egg wash to make the dough stick, but I just pressed down a little.  It'll stick, its buttery dough.
10.  Cut a little hole in the top of the dough so the filling can vent.  To finish the top you could brush it with egg wash or milk and sprinkle with a little salt.
11.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and delicious. 

Dig in!

So, store bought pie crust always has two rolls in the box.  I only used one roll for the pot pies, so of course I felt compelled to use the other.  I couldn't let it go to waste!  Wasted pie crust, in this family, is like a felony.  I had a few fresh blueberries that I was actually saving for the next morning's pancakes, but the pancakes would live.  We have bananas.  And I had some of Ellie's cooked apples that she was currently refusing to eat.  Perfect!  I had turnovers!

I started by cutting the crust into quarters, just like I had for the pot pies.  For the blueberry filling I dusted the blueberries with cornstarch.  This would soak up the juice when the blueberries burst and would keep the dough from getting wet.  For the apples I dusted them with a little brown sugar and cinnamon.  The brown sugar creates this caramel apple effect, which is super yummy.  You simply place the filling in the middle and fold the dough in half.  Be sure to seal the dough really well around the edges.  Then brush the top with egg wash, milk or even water and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden. 
You could put anything inside these.  I also had marshmallows and chocolate I really wanted to use, but I didn't have anymore dough.  You could even do the pot pie filling in a turnover form and have pot pies to go!  You can put anything in pie dough because pie dough is the best!

*this was a regular lunch for me for about the first two months of Ellie's life

**for leftover scraps, don't throw them away!  Roll them together into one flat piece, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and top with little pieces of butter.  Bake at 425 degrees until golden and enjoy!  My family called these "crispies" and they are the best part of pie making!

Pasta Night, Family Style

I have been hunting for recipes that were quick, easy, fairly healthy and most importantly, something the entire family could eat (meaning, a dish Ellie could eat with her fingers).  I have found a few.  This is one of Ellie's favorites.  She loves pasta and tomato sauce so I tried to add some nutrition to it.

The best part is that, apart from cooking the pasta, the whole thing comes together in one pot.  I'm all about fewer dishes, since we don't currently have a dishwasher.

What You Need

1 lb ground meat (I use ground chicken or turkey)
1 box pasta (I use something small, like mini bow ties)
1 jar pasta sauce (I always use Prego Chunky Garden)
1 bag frozen peas and carrots (you could also use broccoli, or spinach, Ellie just loves peas and carrots)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste (I leave this out because Ellie is too little for salt)

What To Do

-Cook the pasta.  I cook it a little softer than usual just to help Ellie out.  She still only has six teeth, and I'd like to avoid choking.
-While the pasta is cooking, brown the meat in a large skillet on medium high heat.
-Add the pasta sauce, peas and carrots to the browned meat.  Reduce the heat to medium low and cover with a lid.  Allow the sauce to simmer.
-When the pasta is done cooking, add it directly to the skillet.  Add Parmesan cheese.  Stir to combine.
-Turn the heat off and let the mixture sit for just a few minutes.  The pasta will absorb the remaining pasta sauce, and it will be extra yummy.

The last step: Consume!  This recipe will make A LOT!  At least, a lot for a family of three.  I portion out the leftovers into containers, which Nick takes to work for lunch.  Plus, Ellie loves this dish so much that she'll eat the leftovers for lunch or dinner until it's all gone.  The best is that it's pretty inexpensive and a balanced, one pot meal.  It has carbs, protein, and veggies!  It has become a weekly staple in our house.

  My taste-tester approves. 

Top Ten: February

My Top Ten goal for February was to complete a sewing project.  February isn't quite over, but the project is complete!  I made aprons using this pattern, but I made a few changes.  I made one adult size apron in a green cotton duck cloth and two child size aprons in pink cotton duck cloth.  The green apron was for Ellie's Nana, and then one apron each for Ellie and her cousin Natalie.  They will live at Nana's house for future baking, craft, all-around-messy projects.

Here is the final product:

Details:

Ellie modeling Natalie's apron (the first one I finished):

They're by no means perfect, but I'm pretty proud of them!  

(And yes, Two-Mama, I'm already planning the next set :-) )

Are TV show preferences passed genetically?

We don't have cable.  We got rid of it over two years ago and "survive" on basic network channels, PBS and Netflix.  It's really not bad.  I do miss some Food Network shows, but that's easily remedied on Saturdays.  PBS has America's Test Kitchen and Simply Ming, which completely fulfill my cooking show cravings.
I don't usually leave the TV on all day, but today I really wanted the background noise.  Ellie was playing, I was working on a sewing project, and last I checked something about quilting was on PBS.  Then it happened...
Bob Ross came on.
I love Bob Ross.  I never remember when his show comes on.  I always miss it and it is a wonderful moment when I happen to catch it.  I feel I must note that I don't paint.  That's not why I love Bob Ross. It has nothing to do with painting.  His voice is so wonderfully calming that it's nap-inducing, like golf...or everything on the History Channel.
I honestly didn't think Ellie would notice.  She rarely notices the TV unless SuperWhy! comes on or the 30 Rock theme song plays (she just loves the theme song, then she's done).  But when Bob Ross started talking, she literally dropped her toy and stared at the TV for no less than 10 minutes.  It was like a trance.  Like a little baby trance.  With his happy trees and secret little paths, Bob Ross had drawn my baby into some kind of hypnosis.
Does he have this effect on everyone?  Or is there something in my genes that I passed on to my daughter?  Either way, made for an awesome Saturday!

Soup's On!

(As I read that title back to myself I can hear my grandpa yelling those words down the stairs at dinner time.)

I'm not usually a fan of soup.  I love potato soup, a good stew, or my Grandma Taylor's Chicken and Noodles, but really broth-y soup just isn't my thing.  Usually its because I don't like the broth.  Well this past week, that changed.  There is now one soup, that's basically all broth, that I will devour.  In fact, I went back for seconds.

I don't remember what the inspiration was for this recipe.  I know I had recently watched an episode of Simply Ming where they made essentially a dumpling or pot sticker (I don't remember what they were called) placed in the bottom of a bowl and covered with a really flavorful broth.  I had also recently been looking up quick dinner recipes.  With Ellie crawling, getting dinner together is a whole new ballgame.  Once again I saw a recipe for Tortellini Soup.  I had tried to make Tortellini soup in the past, but the tortellini always ends up way too mushy, especially the leftovers (and there's always leftover soup).  So, I decided to make my own version of Tortellini soup with an Asian twist.  It was super fast and SO good!

Tortellini Soup

What you'll need:
-one bag of frozen cheese tortellini*
-olive oil
-cremini mushrooms, sliced**
-celery, 2-3 of the inside stalks, finely sliced
-red pepper flake, 1/2 tsp***
-one box of chicken or beef broth
-2 cups of water
-green onion
-soy sauce, 1 tbsp
-salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions.  When they're done, drain (DO NOT rinse) and place in a bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Toss to coat the pasta so it doesn't stick together.  Set aside.
2. Place a large saute pan on medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mushrooms.  The key to good mushrooms is to spread them out in the pan and leave them alone for at least 5 minutes.
3. Add the celery and red pepper flakes, cook for another 5 minutes.  This is also when I add salt and pepper.
4. Add broth, water, soy sauce and green onions.
5. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

To Serve:

-Place desired amount of tortellini in the bottom of your bowl.
-Ladle enough broth to cover the tortellini.

Leftovers

Store the tortellini in one container, and the broth in another.  I don't believe this recipe freezes well, but kept in the frig, it should last one week.  Nick and I were pretty generous with the tortellini, so it worked out to about 6 servings. 

Enjoy!

*This recipe could easily be made gluten free if you used a gluten free pasta.  I know I've seen gluten-free ravioli, so I'll have to see if I can find some gluten-free tortellini.
**Any mushroom would work, actually, this is just what we had.  Next time I want to use a mix of mushrooms.
***If you like spicy, add more.