Etsy Shoppe!

I can NOT believe I did it! You can now find my sewing stuff here!

http://www.etsy.com/people/TheSnuggledStitch?ref=si_pr

A Smattering

I've been gone a while, super busy!

**Putting new sod down in the back yard is a huge amount of work. BUT, we will have more lawn now and less mulching.

**Rearranged the den a million times and it's finally to my liking.

** Painted the master bedroom the same dreamy green as the bathroom. LOOOOVE!

** Cleaned out all the closets and garage for a yard sale.

** Been sewing up a crazy storm in my sewing room! You can see all the latest projects at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Snuggled-Stitch/113488372075395. More coming soon

** Nora started her third year of preschool!

** We also had her in the ER for the first time with 105 degree fever. NOT fun.

** The little dude finally found his walking legs. And subsequently, his climbing legs. Lord help me he's a goat in toddler's skin.

** Watched the in-laws animals while they were gone! Craziness, please don't make us do that often. Love the animals, not so much the nights apart from hubby.

**Started very part-time work with a landscaper

** Cooking meals for all the preggos and new baby mommies I know. Driving up to Suwanee every other week to help a twin preggo mommy. Her daughter is just eating up the 4-5 hrs of play time with Nora.


That should about cover it. This post is about as disorganized as my brain these days.

Szechuan Turkey Meatballs.

Another great experiment that got the hubby's approval!. Keeping with the theme, of 'use what I have' I found some frozen ground turkey breast in the freezer and went from there.


1 lb ground turkey(1% fat)
1/3 c. chopped green onion
2 Tablespoons Szechuan stir Fry Sauce(not the paste!)
1 egg
4 T. sesame seeds
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 c. red bell pepper, finely diced.
1/2 tube whole wheat saltine, crushed.

1 T. Szechuan Stir Fry Sauce(Mix with water below)
3 T. water.

In large mixing bowl combine ingredients and knead together with hands or wooden spoon. Feel free to use your Kitchen Aide with a meat hook, I just don't like messing up another utensil.

On stove, heat up 2 T. olive or sesame oil in large skillet, on medium to medium low heat.

Form 16-24 meatballs depending on preferred size and place in hot oil. Cook on each side approximately 8 mins. When nice browned on each side add additional sauce and 3 T. water and gently stir meatballs to glaze them.

I served this with a mix of Chinese veggies steamed in soy sauce and garlic. You could always add some plain brown rice if you want.

Un-Gourmet Recipes

Ok....I'm experimenting and these came out REALLY well. This weeks challenge...COOK OUT OF THE HOUSE!. It forces you to get creative and truly see how the budget can stretch.


Spaghetti Meat Sauce - Total Cost - $6

1 pkg. ground beef (1.5 lbs) and frozen is fine.
1 can Hunt's Garlic and Herb Canned pasta sauce
1/2 onion, large diced
1 T. garlic powder
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp oregano

Simmer all ingredients on LOW for 8 hrs. Boil noodles of your choice and serve on top. Note: I put the ground beef in a perfectly frozen rectangle and didn't break up the piece until time to serve.


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Sherry Chicken with Wild Rice - Total cost $10

2-3 lbs boneless chicken
1 c. cooking sherry
1 c. water
1/2 tsp curry powder(optional)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 stalks celery, large diced
1 onion, large diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

2 pkgs Mahatma Wild Rice
1 sm. can mushrooms


Put first 9 ingredient in crock pot and simmer on low all day. An HOUR before dinner, turn to high and add Rice, 1 c. of water, and mushrooms. Cook 45 mins until rice is done.

Inside Her Head.

Sometime you wonder, what's going on in that head. The craziness you find ends up be hysterical interpretations and insights.

''Daddy, my brain is hungry! It wants to learn'' Good to hear because you are going back to preschool in three days! In truth, it's been a rough month with mommy weaning off some meds and finding her mental balance. We both need a long break from the submersion of summer vacation.

*****

Me commenting on Trent becoming a crazy walker....''Buddy! Did the light bulb finally go off in there?'' I rubbed his fuzzy head and he just giggled and kept trucking...left, right, left whooooooa, whew, right, left, right....

Nora, ''Mommy the 'keleton and brain are in his head. The brain does not light up, only at night it glows.''

huh?

*****

''I can't find my scissors, I think the white monster took them. He's the sneaky one.''

*****

''Mommy on Nonni's side of the garage there is a car, on Dome's side is lots of stuff.'' A true observation of my mildly hoarding father in law.

*****

''I am getting bigger?''

''Yes''

''Eeeeee! My cheeks are getting bigger?!!!''

''You are excited about that?''

''Yes.''

*****

''I had a bad dream. The aliens. They come and get me and little buddy. The poke us with owies.''

(?????? I promise we are not watching an Alien abduction shows in this house!)

Mommy LOOK!

One of my PP sisters just posted about this and thus inspired a blog.

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I don't like this stage. It is a necessary evil, but patience and feigned excitement wears thin by the end of the day

Mommy, I have something to tell you......(insert random comments)

* Han-du is at Ms. Nastia's
* I am getting bigger and bigger!
* I do not like bread.

Mommy, I have something to show you......(insert random item)

* Pennies lined up around the edge of a stool
* One plastic cup per dining room chair
* Trent covered in lotion

Mommy, look what I can do.................(insert random physical feat)

* Standing on one leg like a flamingo
* Jumping over a toy golf club
* Prancing like a ballerina

AND

The worst one by far.

Mommy, I wanted to sing you a song. (Me shiver) Here it comes, brace for it, the worlds most annoying song.

''La la gola la la gol, la la gola la la gol.''

It seems Nora has made up this song and won't forget it! She sings it randomly all. day. long. A tune that makes her happy has become nails on the chalkboard to us.

Joyful Angst.

Yesterday.

It was NOT my day. Should of just stayed in bed, but it was a 'for my friends' day.

Get up, spill coffee, run errands, lost a receipt, get home.

Find a bill that hasn't been paid and that the fridge was left ajar. Freezer will need defrosting.

Pork Roast in crockpot with bbq sauce...taking dinner to a friend who just had a baby. Ohhhhhh, can't wait to snuggle me some newborn.

Feed the kids lunch. Watch Trent happily enjoy his food, half on and half off his tray...mess mess mess on the floor. The vacuum will solve that later.

Check on dinner, and burn my finger.

Time for kidlet nap. Fill bottle with milk and promptly knock it over. Milk on the counter, down the cabinet, on the red stool, on the floor. I was going to wash that towel anyway....clean up mess.

Sewing. Must get curtains finished for a friend. Her principal is asking where they are, the view of the playground needs to be blocked off. Machine is my enemy today....bobbin runs out mid-seam, jam a needle into the thread well. Heaven help me. My cathartic sewing has gone awry.

Short nap! Not what I had planned.

Time to finish dinner....pull greenbeans out of drawer and onto the floor. Somehow the bag was upside down. Pick up green beans, wash green beans again.

Let poor Trent scream on the floor for 'uppies'. Love you buddy, but I have to get this done.

Cook, cook....drive to friends, car out of gas, errrr....baked apple lid came off in route, syrupy, cinnamon goodness everywhere.

Come home, finish our dinner.

Run upstairs to finish curtain #2, deliver to friend.

Come home, and look around at the mess my house is because I wanted to help friends, joy at the chaos I'm willing to endure to serve others.

Such a juxtaposition of thoughts, but so appropriate sometimes.

Color Me Happy

Ask Nora, she will tell you....''Mommy was over the red.''

After 7 years of a autumn maple red kitchen, it is gone, gone, gone! Don't know where the inspiration came from but it is now Palamino Gold....apricot to simplify.

Who knew a soul could be rejuvenated so readily by color. Cooking in sunshine is what it feels like.

To the hubbys' chagrin, a Pandora's box of renovation and simplification has been opened. This desperate housewife is trying not to stray into the realm of ridiculous expenditure on decoration.

Paint is cheap. Kitchen is done, check.....Nora's room is Lilac Bouquet(lavender)...and now to attack my red bedroom. Soon to be Flecked Gold, a shade of light yellowy green moss. Coolness, earthy smells, calm breezes are all I imagine in this hue.

As a friend pointed out, I was living in a LOT of red rooms between the kitchen and the master bedroom. Red is the color of passion, blood, love, anger and many other strong emotions.

Strong emotion has ruled my life for many months and it is ebbing now...calming, coloring my soul with happiness in this new life.

Yummy French Food!

Here are the recipes from last night.

Classic French Chicken in White Wine Sauce.

Butter
4 lbs of thin chicken breast
salt pepper

1 medium onion chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 oz. diced prosciutto
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. light cream
2 T. cornstarch

Melt butter in large skillet over med. heat(approx 2 T.) Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet until both sides are brown, approx. mins per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside..

Add onion, carrot, celery, and prosciutto into pan with additional tablespoon of butter. Saute until onions are browning. Approx 8-10 mins. Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine with vegetables. Put the chicken back in the pan, reduce heat to simmer, cover skillet with lid for 20-25 mins.

Remove chicken from pan. Turn heat to high and bring remaining liquid to boil. Combine cream and corn starch in bowl and whisk together. Pour into boiling liquid and stir to thicken.

Place chicken on plates and cover in wine sauce...serve with preferred sides.


Pork Tenderloin with Gremalata Marinade.

2.5 lbs pork tenderloin
Olive Oil
Cavender's Seasoning

2 cans. chicken broth
1 orange, peel grated and orange sliced
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
2 bay leaves
3/4 c. honey, divided
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. fresh thyme chopped finely
3 T. fresh rosemary chopped finely

Turn gas grill on and warm to medium heat. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, season to taste with Cavender's seasoning or similar. Place on grill for 10 mins. each side.

While tenderloin is cooking.....In sauce pan bring the chicken broth, 3 orange slices, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leavces, 1/2 c. honey and pepper to boil. Let simmer for 20 mins.

In small bowl, Combine grated orange, thyme, rosemary, 1/4 c. honey, and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Mix together well to make orange Gremolata.

Take pork tenderloin off grill and place in grill safe dish(aluminium roasting pan)....pour herbed brother over tenderloin. Cover tenderloin with gremolata.

Cover pan with lid or foil and place back on grill at low setting.....roast for approx. 35-40 mins.

Slice and serve with bread to soak up juices....YUMMY!

French Food

We are hosting our dinner club tomorrow night. Be back with recipes, if they turn out well.

Classic French Herb Chicken with Prosciutto. (wow, I spelled that right!)
Orange Herb Pork Tenderloin.

I'm going to roast some apples and potatoes to go with. Others are bringing the bread, salads, and desserts.

Mommy - 0, Nora - 1

So, the whole plan to give Nora cold milk is not going well.

She told me it was yucky last night after only 40 secs in the microwave. The thought of warm milk gives me the barf shivers and SHE thinks this is tasty!

The ladies at daycare used to joke about her milk being 1 degree off boiling for her to like it...baby had a mouth of steal.

I digressed.

My mind was on getting the smallest kidlet to bed so I said, 'I'm sorry, that's the way it is tonight. If you don't like it, then no milk.' This statement kills me because at $4 a half gallon Lactose Free milk is like liquid gold in this house.

Not liking my answer she must have snuck downstairs.

Proud little girl saunters back thru the stair gate and proclaims..''AHHHH, that's good milk! Mommy, I put it in the microwave all by myself and shut the door. The buttons went Beeeeeep, then it went round and round.''

''really?''

''I stuck my finger in like you, it's not too hot. I checked, I was careful.''

Now thinking of a new strategy...

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Adding a small story here.

Nora just found a new way to lead brother up the stairs in the morning...one cheerio per stair, he eats them as he goes. She is completely amused.

Forever, a moment, a whisper....

Someone once told me, there are three types of friends and each person has a distinct definition of each.

Life long, the ones that you always talk to, have always been there. The friends that are closer than family. Your life novel carries them to the end.

Purposeful, these friends see you through a period of your life. Touching your spirit just enough to nudge you down a path. Call them a supporting character that appears for a few chapters.

Whispers. There for just a moment, putting a brief sentence into your story.

There is an emotional honesty to the last fifteen years of my life, trying to grow into an adult. The journey filled with shifting moods. Pride, happiness, envy, joy, pain, love, temptation, jealousy, laughter.

Life long friends can be connected to all of these and still love you. Recognize your faults for the human condition God created in us. Wait patiently in the wings for you to turn a corner in triumph.

Problems lie in the middle for me. The what could have been gets to me. In most cases, I understand the natural ebb of relationships. Others are a mystery.

I don't like the loose ends, tickling my conscience with a sand paper edge. With the predisposition to internally interrogate myself, I make my own assumptions. To afraid to ask for an answer. Does anyone want to look at themselves in the mirror that closely?

I tell myself over and over....let go, let go, ...let go.

I pray to leave only happiness and contentment in this world, knowing it's not humanly possible. It is possible to forgive. So much harder to forgive oneself than others.

Let go, let go.....let go. A whisper I say to myself.

I Fall Down...

...But don't get up again, walking is slowing me down.

Little man needs to figure this walking thing out! It's been three weeks since he took those first steps at Mimi and Poppie's on July 11th.

A holding pattern has emerged. Up, walk 4-8 steps, lose balance, cry in disappointment and skitter off crawling. Content to be a floor dweller.

Is this a confidence thing? Every mom tells me their boys walked later than the girls.

Part of me thinks he's just attached to idea of riding on my hip. Forever, asking for his 'meh meh.' with his hands extended. I can not refuse his little face and quivering lip.

Maybe sister is making the game of horsey chase too exciting. Minutes filled with giggles and screeches around the coffee table, peeking underneath and turning around to say 'Boooooo!' Best little buddy game EVER!

I must be grateful though. That he is a happy, happy child that is so eager to please us. He will walk when he will walk.

In the years ahead, he will fall down many times, in many ways trying to learn life lessons.

Just A Normal Day....

Opened my eyes to see the clock. Noooooo, go back to sleep! Six-forty five are you insane little man, go back to sleep.

No dice. Stumble down the stairs with ecstatically chipper boy. Put him on floor, drag out milk and creamer. Concentrate for 5 seconds, do not give baby Mocha chino flavored milk.

Peruse the bill board, pay seven bills and hand those to the hubby while kissing him out the door.

Forty minutes later, swig stone cold coffee down and run out the door. Bank, thrift store, Old Time Pottery, gas, and another thrift store...random thought across my brain. Memo: Did you put your new tag on the license plate? Nooooo! Oh, dear night, where is it, where is it! If I lost it do I have to pay advelorum taxes again? Found it! Stick it there, say blessed thank you for a cop not pulling me over in the meantime.

Home, lunch, now grumpy little man down for nap. Toss the laundry in, look out the back windows. That wooded mess is ticking me off...collect leaf bags, trim trim trim, finding my zen happy place while snipping away. Get Nora Popsicle, swing her, discover spiders in her playhouse. Snip, snip...oh that is so much better!

Weed the veggie garden, pick the tomatoes and cucumbers. Trim the basil. Water everything.

Shower, switch laundry and lay like vegetable on the couch for an hour watching WordWorld with Nora. Chat it up with friend expecting twins, have fun discussing baby names. Little man wakes up, play ball game, listen to him fuss, snacks for everybody, and pick up toys.

Why do I hear water running? Oh for heavens sake! Left the hose on in the garden for 3 hrs, water bill is going to be fantastic.

Oh good. Rich is home. Eat a hurried dinner and send him off to tire the kids out. Clean the kitchen and take out trash. Switch the laundry and put some away.

Play a riveting game of find the toy pieces. Exhaust all possibilities trying to find 4 balls, two puzzle pieces and a Barbie crown.

Draw on client plan for two hours. Contemplate a glass of wine and good book later.

Bath time and snuggles for kidlets.....what will I do with myself tomorrow?

I hope it's as interesting as today.