GIANTS.....Spring Cleaning.......Goodies!

First and foremost I have to tell you that I was never a huge football fan, I do enjoy sports and as you know during the Soccer World Cup I'm ALL over it. but I keep up with sports and had been watching the build up to this Superbowl.......one thing I was hating was Tom Brady's arrogance and attitude and for that alone I had already started pushing towards the Giants but then on Saturday after I met Jason Bell, I really became a GIANTS Girl, so yesterday we gathered around the tv and watched an AMAZING game.

It was just unbelievable, especially the last minute, OH.MY.GOSH.....we were at the edge of our seats sweating it LOL But that last TD was just a beauty, the kids were jumping up and down with their signed footballs in their hands, it was pretty funny.

CONGRATS Giants!

Anyway, I just spent the day cleaning the house and gearing up to start my Spring Cleaning. I know I know, it's one of those jobs that you don't really want to get into but after you're done it's so rewarding and SO worth it to see a decluttered house.

I found the easiest way for me is to have a checklist so that I keep track of what I'm doing and don't feel overwhelmed, there's nothing worse than deciding you're doing this and then looking around the house not knowing where to start first. So here's the checklist I'm using:

I'm sure I'll add more things to it as I go along, like the kids toys that seem to multiply into a million pieces, then there's the sad ones with missing legs and arms but if you go near them and try to throw them out, you get your child's sad puppy eyes "But this one is my favorite" RIIIGGHHHTTT!


Another thing I want to share with you is this great site called Internet Archive, you can find Audio books and text books online, free to download and read. They even have a wonderful Children's Library that will leave you in awe....I haven't even begun to look through all the available materials there.....but the first one I did download was Anne of Green Gables and The Swiss Family Robinson, go ahead and click on the link to see the book.

But in my browsing around I came across the Chicago Evening American Cookbook and let me tell you, YIPPEE. I downloaded the free copy and love it.

A book of practical recipes for the housewife. The pages which follow were compiled with a view to dependable recipes.
Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made to more than 13, 000 housewives, ready and willing to contribute their favorite recipes and thereby help to make this cookbook possible.

So I started browsing through the 294 pages it has and a lot of things caught my eye like, Household Tips on keeping flowers alive longer, cleaning piano keys, removing stains etc. Then it starts with the recipes but boy oh boy, was I in for a treat. This is an old Cookbook, dated to 1908 so it talks about pasteurizing milk......I mean, who knew? I certainly don't know how to do it but I'm very interested in how it was done.

The recipes are great too, Russian Tea....Oatmeal Bread....Popovers....Cheese Souffle....Gnocchi....and the list goes on. A true treasure I tell you, it even includes menus in the back.

As I sit here, there is thunder outside, loud booming thunder. I love it, the kids on the other hand tend to cringe at the sound, but when you've lived in Africa with the unbelievable Thunderstorms, you don't fear it.

This is what the sky looks like, now bear with me, this is straight out in front of my back door, see the almost cloudless sky and the bright hot shining sun???

Now turn to your left, yeah, that's it, just turn, don't even take a step anywhere, just turn around and look at the sky. What a difference huh?

It's heading towards us and unlike others who get frustrated over the rain, I'm the lady jumping up and down with glee. I don't know, I just love the rain, I love the smell of rain, I love the sound of it hitting the roof at night and I love seeing how it makes everything look brighter and shinier.

So instead of "Rain Rain go away" I'm chanting "Rain Rain come this way".

I just looked out the window and saw this beautiful Rainbow....




Did you remember to watch Jane Austen's movie last night? It was "Miss Austen Regrets" and I really enjoyed it, it was interesting learning a bit more about who the author was, what she liked and didn't like, her family and her struggle to make money.....all leading up to her death and the burning of her journals and writings. It was really good, so I'm glad I recorded it for myself :)

I can't wait for this sunday though, one of my favorites "Pride and Prejudice" is playing. Oh Mr Darcy.....love him.

In the meantime I started the "Tales from Avonlea" series on Netflix. I have to tell you that at first I wasn't sure if I would like it because when I think of Avonlea my mind goes to Anne of Green Gables and without her I just wasn't sure that I could get into it. Was I wrong!!! This time we're enjoying the story of Sarah Stanley and but even in the first few episodes we get to see Marilla Cuthbert and Rachel Lind so that alone was worth it for me. I'm done with the first DVD and am anxiously awaiting the rest.

With that my friends, I have to get going, I have my Parmesan Chicken in the oven, but still need to go start my rice with green peas and onions. I'll have the recipe for everything up in my food blog later :)

God Bless,