Cleaning, Cake, Cooking....

It was kind of a C day around here, or at least it seems all my activities seem to be centered around things that begin with the letter C.

Started the day early, with a cup of coffee and an onion bagel with cream cheese.



After getting a load of laundry going, I had quite a bit of cleaning up to do from the crazy dust storm we had yesterday. Everything was covered in a layer of nasty dust.

I had to hose down and wipe the patio furniture and the grill.....and then moved onto my car which looked pitiful



My son came out and helped me wash it, we talked, we giggled, we had a blast



And soon, the car was back to squeaky clean, or like my son says "back to new".

Next I moved onto my son's cake for his birthday tomorrow. First thing, bake some chocolate cake. That fabric strip you see around the pan works wonders.

For the longest time my cakes would take forever to cook in the middle, and they would rise real high in the center, which I really disliked. I had heard about cake strips but honestly didn't want to spend the money on them.



After some searching on the internet, I learned that you can make them at home, and all you need is an old towel. Cut a strip about 2 inches wide all the way down the towel. When you're going to bake the cake, wet the towel strip, you don't want it dripping water but it needs to be wet. Wrap it around the cake pan, secure it with a safety pin and you're good to go.

I can't even tell you what a difference these make. They allow the cake to cook at the same temperature and prevent the middle from rising, giving you a level cake. It works wonders.



While the cake baked, I made the little figures for the cake decoration. Creepers from Minecraft, of course.

I'm not a cake decorator, not professional at all, and this is the first time I'm really trying to push the envelope, so to speak.

But this was so much fun, I can understand why so many people love cake decorating.



I love it, and more importantly my son is ECSTATIC with the cake. He said it was the best cake he has ever had.

Now I know I won't win any cake contests, there is so much wrong with this cake, but I think for a first attempt it's not bad at all :)



This did take up most of my day, so between this and the laundry and housework and homeschooling, that was all I could fit in.

Being that today is Wednesday, it means my husband has college class after work, so he has just enough time to run home, eat a quick sandwich and run back out. He usually eats when he gets home around 8pm, so I keep a plate warm for him :)



Dinner preparation under way. I love being in the kitchen, and I love cooking so much that I find myself smiling a lot when I'm in there.



For dinner tonight I fixed one of our favorites. It's a quick dinner to get on the table but tastes so good.



It's quite an old recipe, and you can find it on the food blog.

And before I leave, here's last night's dinner, another favorite, and seemed quite fitting for the crazy gloomy windy weather we were having.  Best Chili Ever.

 So there you have it, my day in a nutshell.  Just the same ol' same ol' :)

Hope you're week is going well so far, can you believe we're already almost at another weekend?  Time needs to slow down!

When you love your children....

You do things you don't always plan, you do things you never thought you would do.

And all because of the love you have for your children.

My kids mean the world to me, so I try as hard as I can, and in every possible way, to be the most mother I can be to them, to go the extra mile, to do whatever they want (within means of course).

For the longest time, birthdays meant, a simple cake baked by mommy, and merely store bought gifts.

And then a few years ago I realized that even though they like those things, they love things made by mom, especially if it's something they've seen and know that mom can make.  You know, the special things that no other kid will have?

It kind of frightens me at times because ever so often they'll have a request that leaves me wondering if they think I'm some sort of superwoman.  Ha!

Thankfully I love sewing and cooking and baking, so when I can, I go out of the way to fulfill those special requests.

The past two days have seen me at my kitchen table, sewing.

This is what I was making, and though his birthday is not until Thursday, he already knew I was making this, so no sense in waiting until then.

When I handed him the Enderman, he actually started crying, that's how much he loved it, and as a mom I think that is the best reward for taking time out to make something.

We had the craziest of weather yesterday, high winds and a dust storm started at 10am and lasted until 8pm last night. It was HORRIBLE. I'm not a fan of dust storms to begin with, but this one caused some damage and left everything just nasty in it's path. UGH!

This morning I woke up to yard items thrown around, the patio umbrella upside down and off the table, the cars in a layer of dust and odds and ends strewn about.

We've also had cloudy skies and just dreary weather, so it was a good day to stay inside, sew a little more and take it easy.

Perfect for another day of sewing. I had 3 more things I wanted to make to go with his Enderman. By the way, if you don't know what the Enderman is, he is a character from the Minecraft game, which my children love.

Here he is, the Enderman and some blocks, I'm sure Minecraft fans will know what they are.

He is one happy boy.

And in keeping with the theme of going the extra mile, I also made the fondant for his cake, which will be a Creeper cake.

I made a batch of Marshmallow Fondant, way cheaper than store bought and works just as well. Check out the recipe here.

Now it will sit in the fridge until Thursday morning. It actually keeps in the refrigerator for a few weeks :)

Soon as I was done with the birthday stuff, I got a little sewing going on my newest quilt. Some fabric is actually from a very sweet friend of mine, Tamy. I love it, I'll always think of her when I see this quilt, and isn't that what quilting is all about, that special something that will remind you of someone for years to come?

And that is basically what my day has been.

I did throw chili in the crockpot this morning, with this weather, it will be the perfect dinner.  I'll make Fluffy Dinner Rolls to go with it :)

While I was sewing, I had the Little House Mini Series playing on my laptop, it keeps me company and it's usually when I get most of my tv watching done, because otherwise between housework and homeschooling and children, there really aren't many hours left in the day :)

I do always find some time to work on my crochet. Tends to be at night while I'm watching TV with the family or just chatting in the living room.

Well, it's time to get started on dinner preparations and switch over the last load of laundry.

Do hope you're all having a fantastic Tuesday :)

Happy Homemaker Monday - 04/08/2013

Good morning ladies.

Here we are, another Monday morning and a whole week ahead.  Sure do hope it's a good one for everyone.


The weather.....
It's been beautiful, but then again I think it's because we're not in the middle of the scorching summer yet. 

Right now I am....
About to have my coffee, this morning is a Vanilla Biscotti kinda morning.  Talking to hubby about our son's birthday on Thursday, talking about some decisions we have to make and just watching him get ready for work.
 
Thinking....
That it's Monday morning and that I would rather still be in bed.   Also thinking about my son's birthday and what I have to do in preparation for that, things like make the sugar paste for the cake and his Minecraft plushies etc.

On my reading pile....
An Elm Creek Quilts Collection by Jennifer Chiaverini.  (It's 3 books in one, I've finished the first and am on to the second, really enjoying this series)
The Kingmaker's Daughter by Phillipa Gregory


On my TV.....
This week, I'll be watching quite a few things, and also plan on filling my days with period dramas.  Speaking of which, I updated the Period Drama List this weekend, and have added well over 100 links to movies/shows and documentaries. 

UK:
Helicopter Rescue
The Great British Sewing Bee
The Baby Bomb
Paul Hollywood's Bread
Great British Ghosts
Doctor Who

USA:

Haunted Collector
Deep South Paranormal
Stan Lee's Superhumans
The Dead Files

Blog hopping (newly discovered blog)....
Nottingham Daily Photo


On the menu for this week....


Monday:  Baked Garlic Chicken with Rice
Tuesday:  Spaghetti, Homemade Cheesy Breadsticks
Wednesday:  Slow Cooked French Dip Sandwiches
Thursday:  Nic's Birthday (Out for dinner)
Friday:  Smothered Chicken, Roasted Potato Wedges
Saturday:  Enchiladas Verdes with Salad
Sunday:  Chicken Fettucine with Homemade Noodles

On my to do list....
Zumba
Homeschooling
Homemaking (make beds, sweeping, vacuuming, bathrooms, laundry, dusting)
Make the sugar paste for the birthday cake

In the craft basket....
Red, white and blue quilt.
Crochet Ripply Blanket.
Minecraft Enderman, Butter Block, Grass Block, TNT Block

Looking forward to this week....
My son turning 10 years old.  I can't believe time has gone by so quickly, not quite sure I'm ready to have no littles left in the house.  

Looking around the house....
Some dishes in the sink that didn't fit in the washer last night.  A few items on the kitchen table that need to be put away.
I have a few loads of laundry to get through as well.
Kids are still asleep and it's really quite in here, so at the moment it's just me and the pugs in the living room.

From the camera....

On my prayer list.....
Brother and sister in law, they have an important appointment tomorrow.

Bible verse, Devotional....
Exodus 33:12-13 (NIV) - Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

Spring Air!

Good morning :)

It's a beautiful day here in Arizona.  We're at 72 degrees right now which feels just fabulous, there's the sound of birds chirping outside, my windows are all open, the sprinkler is going, the flowers in the front of the house are being watered.....yes I do believe it's a good spring day.

I've been really enjoying the weather, matter of fact, yesterday I spent a few hours out on the patio.

I quite enjoy sitting under the umbrella, watching the cars drive by, the dogs play in the yard, and the birds flying overhead. 

It's quiet and calm, and I just plug away at my current crochet project.  The only real loud noise next to me is the buzzing of the honeybees on my lemon tree, they just love the blossoms.

And of course little Miss Lola is always by my side.  This is how she expects me to crochet.  Silly pug.

And ever so often, she will paw at my hand for me to hug her and kiss her.  She is definitely spoiled, but I don't mind, she's my baby.

After sitting outside for a while, I went to check the mail box and what a surprise I had waiting for me. 

One of my dear friends, Alicia, is stationed in England, and she knows how much I love Doctor Who, so she sent me some stamps from the 50th Anniversary collection. 

Oh my, just what I wanted.  Of course the kids were super excited too, and so was the hubby, as we are HUGE Whovians in this household.  They do know that these are collectible and will not be used in any mail.  I mean how could I?

But that wasn't all she sent me, oh my giddy heart.  Jane Austen stamps.  Gorgeous Jane Austen stamps the movie titles.  Won't be using these either.  They will both be safeguarded and treasured for many years to come.

Stepped outside this morning, and admired my purple leaf basil, it's stunning and the photo doesn't do it justice.  And the aroma?  Wow!



All my plants seem to be thriving outside.  They are right under my kitchen window and I've tried many years to grow something here but because of the heat and not enough water, nothing survived.

My clever husband purchased one of those soaker hoses, I just turn it on for about 15 minutes and it waters the whole flower bed.  The plants are loving that.

Thank you all who have come by to visit through the Ultimate Blog Party 2013, I have gone through and said hi to many of you, but only managed to get up into the 70's.  There are just so many, and I'll slowly get around to you all.

This morning, my husband has a college class, so he's off at school and it's just the kids and I until he returns.  We do have some errands to run and places to go which will take me out of the house for the rest of the day.

My plan is not to rush it though, take our time, there's no sense in running around on a weekend, right?


WHAT I'M COOKING:

Lunch - Beef Pot Pies for the kids and I
Dinner -  BBQ Grilled Chicken, Hotdogs, BLT Pasta Salad





WHAT I'M WATCHING:

Doctor Who 
The Great British Sewing Bee


WHAT I'M DOING:

Errands
Shopping for Nic's birthday next week

Ultimate Blog Party 2013

It's Friday, and I think the best way to kick off the weekend, is with a party.

When I first started blogging back in 2006, one of the first places I added to my blog list, was 5 Minutes for Mom.  Since then, I've participated in a few of their parties and link ups, and I think this one is a great way for bloggers to meet new friends, get their blog out there and have some fun at the same time.

So, come on in and let me tell you a little about me, my family and my blog.

I'm a 38 year old mom of two, and wife to my Air Force husband.   I am in love with anything British, honestly believe I was born in the wrong country.  HA!

I love crochet, photography, cooking, baking, reading, period drama, antiques, the pioneer era, zumba and living a simple life.

We are a military, homeschooling family currently stationed in Arizona and very close to retirement, probably as soon as next month.  It's a scary though but it's also exciting and we're looking forward to the next chapter in our lives.

I was born in Mozambique in East Africa, then when the independence war happened, we were forced to leave, first to Zimbabwe, then to Portugal where we stayed until I was 10 years old, and THEN....we moved to South Africa.  I grew up in Johannesburg, did all my schooling, made friends, started working and then one day met my husband online.  

I was Christian, he wasn't.  One thing led to another, and 16 years later here we are, with two beautiful children and a lifetime of ups and downs, deployments, miscarriages and a shared loved for the Lord.

Here's my Sarge.  He is an F-16 Mechanic (Crew Chief) in the US Air Force.  He has been in for 22 years and I'm so extremely proud of him.  This man has taken me on such a journey, not just physically moving from here to there, but emotionally, and I am the woman I am today because of his support and his love.   Wouldn't have it any other way.

Our girl is about to turn 14 years old.  She makes us laugh, she makes us cry, she makes us want to pull our hair out and I keep thinking that we are NOT ready for the teen years, but hey, we're here and it's going to be an adventure one way or the other right?

Our boy is about to turn 10 years old.  I feel like just yesterday I was holding him in my arms, my miracle baby who came along after two heartbreaking miscarriages, a difficult high risk pregnancy, and a few scares along the way.  He is hilarious and the sweetest boy on earth.

Miss Lola 

Miss Bella

These are our furry babies.  Lola and Bella, our adorable pugs.  They make life exciting and interesting and they make us laugh until our sides hurt.  We love these girls to death :)


And now that you know a little about us, let me tell you a little about my blog.  Actually I have two blogs, I have this main one and I also have a cooking blog called Full Bellies, Happy Kids.

It all came about when we were still stationed in Idaho, back in 2006.

I wanted a place to stay in touch with the family, where they could go online from anywhere in the world, and see what we were up to, what the children were doing, how they were growing, etc.

And then the food blog sort of came out of that, but mainly because at the time my children were both very young and as with most parents meal time was a pain in the behind.  They wouldn't eat, they didn't want it, they didn't like it, they wanted a snack 5 minutes after dinner etc.  It became a place to jot down recipes but also to share those which they were eating WITHOUT complaints.

It's grown immensely since then and I have tons of recipes, some from cookbooks, some from online blogs, some of my own creation and a lot of my heritage, Portuguese food.

If you're interest in cooking and yummy food, you can check out my blog, Full Bellies, Happy Kids here :)

But now, I think I should tell you what I do over here in my little corner of the web.

I write about my daily life, I take hundreds of photos and I try to document everything we are doing.  I feel it's imperative to have this online journal so that one day we can sit down and look through everything we've done, places we've been and reminisce about our days.

I share my love for crochet

I talk about simple life and days gone by

I share tips and recipes for homemade products, like the popular Homemade Laundry Detergent

I constantly talk about the current period drama movie or tv series I'm engaged in.  And if you love them as much as I do, I even have a list for you.  :)

I'm always busy in the kitchen, making this or that....

I have a vegetable garden that I'm so proud of, because up until a few years ago I was a Green Thumb of Death.  So it's fascinating that I can grow things, especially things we can eat LOL

And I talk about my journey in pursuit of a closer relationship with God and what He's doing in my life. 

I guess it's just a mish mash, hodgepodge of stuff.  I talk about my life and what I'm doing, I cry when my husband is deployed, I rejoice when my children succeed in a task they've had trouble with, and I just love visiting blogs and getting to know other women of like mind.

Feel free to look around my blog, go through the archives, read my past posts and leave a comment.  I love meeting new friends, and if you let me know where you're blogging, I will come by and say as well.

Blessings,
Sandra