Playing With Sam

 

More Beautiful Every Day

 

A Finished Project

I actually got something all the way done!

 

Sunday Morning Muffins

In the Brioche pan. Yum!  

On the Way to the Egg Farm

Emily and I left the house this morning with cameras in hand, ready for adventure. First we went to get brown eggs from the local farmer who sells them to me for $1.25/dozen. I go there about once a week and I always see this barn on the way and think "I would like to take a picture of that barn." Well, today was the day, and I'm really glad I have this picture.

 

You Can Ride Your Horse to the Egg Farm

And when you get there, you can hitch it to this!
Speaking of riding horses, when Emily and I were driving around today we saw a couple guys on horses rounding up a couple of stray cows that were standing right on the edge of a suburbanized farm road. One of the "cowboys" was wearing basketball shorts and tennis shoe-- clearly not dressed for his job, but it was probably an emergency!

Towel Creatures

Small children in hooded bath towels are one of the great joys of parenting.

 

Pesto Tomato Pizza

This is how we eat when Emily is around. I wish she could be here more often! Fresh, homemade pesto, homemade whole wheat pizza dough, fresh garden tomatoes, and cheese (no, we did not make the cheese!)



 

And Then

There was all this broccoli in the garden, so we had to make broccoli pizza too. No one can make broccoli pizza like Emily. She steams the broccoli, then sautes it in garlic and olive oil. I could eat a whole plate of it just like that, but then she puts it on pizza with pesto sauce and cheese and transforms it into something celestial.

What Happened to the Tomato and Zucchini

 

Sweetness

Ellie doesn't know how to pull obnoxious faces yet.

Another Immortal Family Photo

This one's going to be a classic!

What Emily and I Were Supposed to Do Late Last Night

We were supposed to make jewelry. But Emily fell asleep. So I made this bracelet while I waited for the turtle cake to come out of the oven.

 

Emily's Here!

My sister Emily is here visiting! She is one of my very favorite people in the entire world. She is here for the wedding of her niece, which we all attended last night. Cecelia, the bride, is the daughter of Janie, whom I picked blueberries with in June. Janie is the sister of Dave, Emily's husband. The wedding was beautiful, but unfortunately I forgot my camera. I'm making up for that today by taking pictures of everything in sight. Like the tomatoes and zucchini Emily brought me from her garden. We are going to make yummy things with them today!

Chocolate Turtle Cake

Contains caramel sauce, nuts, and chocolate chips. (I just got my Demarle pans.)

 

Pumpkin Muffins

Tonight I made muffins and stirred in some pumkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. I'm trying to use up all the pumpkin in the freezer from last year before this year's crop is ready to harvest.

They were sooooo yummy! 

Just Ten Minutes

The family room, before and after 10 minutes with kids.


 

Scratch and Sniff

Here's dinner!






Sarah's Bread

2 1/4 C warm water
1 T Instant yeast
1 T salt
1/3 C oil
1/4 C honey
1 C oats
3 C whole wheat flour
2 1/2 to 3 C white flour

Dissolve yeast in water in Kitchenaid bowl. Add everything else but the white flour and stir with the dough hook while you pick up the baby and put her in her high chair and give her an octopus to chew on. Add white flour and knead on speed 2 while you break up a fight between 2 small boys, send them outside to play, wipe up the spilled milk, pick up the baby and nurse her for 2 minutes until she bites you, then put her on the floor with a crinkly pig to squeeze. Check the dough and make sure it's a good consistency (pulling away from the sides of the bowl but still sticky). Continue to let it knead while you pitch a few baseballs to the boys. Then divide the dough in two, put it in loaf pans and let it rise while you and the kids take a nap (or at least the kids take a nap). When you remember the bread hours later and notice that it's very, very raised, put it in the oven at 375 for 45 minutes. 

Birds of a Feather

I really think Joseph and Eleanor are kindred spirits.


 

But I Thought...

Pumpkins weren't supposed to ripen until October?