new favorite recipe

I love to cook. I also love to try new recipes. I regularly scour the internet and different sites looking for new things to try. Somehow I came upon this site http://smittenkitchen.com/ and I love it. My favorite site status is saved for http://thepioneerwoman.com/ because I love how all of the ingredients she uses are actually easy to find and chances are good that I already have them in the pantry anyway, I also think she's hilarious.

Anyway. My new favorite recipe came from smittenkitchen and here's a link. http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/eggs-in-tomato-sauce-contest-winners/

I saw this recipe and my belly screamed at me to make it for DAYS. It was worth the wait ladies I am telling you. I make it every Saturday morning and sometimes for dinner. Seriously good, my kids even eat it. I must say though that most of the time we cover ours with feta cheese. My husband prefers the egg fried over easy on the toast and then covered in the sauce but I like it as the recipe suggests. We've also make it with sauteed spinach and we all cleaned our plates. Yum!

This particular night I made cheesy grits (Lily calls them grease which is so cute) and fried cheddarwurst. For the record I feel the need to tell you that this is a picture of my husbands plate and he had seconds and finished my food. How, is he so thin?

is that a to-do list in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

I am a busy bee. I have so much crap going on week to week that I am not accomplishing all of it by week end and that bugs me. We start construction on the bathroom on Wednesday at 9AM. So far my strapping husband has done 99% of the demolition. Our contractor came and tore out the sink, toilet, and bathtub. That bathtub is cast iron by the way and I have the distinct pleasure of sanding off who.knows.how.old paint and repainting the whole darn thing, complete with lion toenails on the feet. I am seriously considering nail polish on the toes by the way, maybe a sparkly red. Jury's still out on that one. For now it is sitting on the floor of my husbands office.

Side note: Lily was totally freaked out when the contractor took the potty away and totally confused to see the bathtub in Daddy's office. Very cute.

The list of to-do's from hell...
-schedule tree trimmer
-schedule bathtub refinisher (for the enamel inside the tub)
-order bathtub fixture (I am being so indecisive about this for some reason)
-choose extra lighting for hallway section of bathroom
-choose paint for walls, trim, ceiling in the bathroom
-refinish the outside of the tub
-get quote for a fence
-get quote for doors and storm doors
-decide what to do for Mother's Day (buy, wrap, ship)
-Vet appointment for the hound
-Dentist appointments for the girls and I
-Find wall letters for the new bathroom (can anybody help me? I can't find what I want)
-Buy new towels, bath rug etc.
-Buy towel bars and all that crapola
-get quote for a load of dirt
-get quote for a load of pea gravel
-call time warner and figure out why it doesn't work right
-work on my stack of sewing obligations and not accept any more obligations
-make a desert for hubby's office for tomorrow
-scan all the pictures in four very old scrapbooks, make copies for family members
-hang a cuckoo clock and a coffee grinder
-get ready for a garage sale, finally settle on a date
-plan neighborhood get together at our house
-Call Theresa P in NE, call Sarah Ann, call SIL
-Buy a toilet
-plan veggie garden
-mulch flower beds around the house
-make a board like Anne's

The sad thing is that I know there is more that I'm forgetting. I think maybe instead I'll color and make cookies with the ladies. Maybe I'll even do some laundry, and then if I get crazy I might even put it away after I fold it. Woot!

great weekend

I love it when we have a really great weekend and actually feel refreshed. It's even better when we accomplish a lot around the house and have something to show for having 2 days off. We never get everything done but this weekend we got to most of it.

Friday was beautiful and the ladies and I spent most of the day outside blowing bubbles, picking "flowers" aka dandelions, and playing hopscotch. We had a Skyline night with the Theresa, Keith, and Kyle after having the grill foil our plans of having a huge grilled feast. I love Skyline. I am so spoiled that it's just down the street. (Jenell, if it can go through customs and you need a fix say the word and it'll be on it's way)

Saturday we worked all day and then headed over to our neighbors house for a tuna grill. I'm not sure how we got so lucky in the neighbor department but this is easily the best neighborhood we have ever seen in our lives. As soon as the moving truck left our house we were welcomed in a huge way and I feel like these people have been my friends for years, not months. So much better than the last 'hood. What with the roaming livestock and redneck skeet shooting. Though the last 'hood gave me much better stories....so far. This is a lively group here and I'm sure things have the potential to get rowdy.

Sunday we went for a long walk down by the river and took Marty swimming and let the girls play at the park until we were all hot and thirsty. I got my first sunburn of the season. I guess it's time to break out the sunscreen. I'm sure mosquitoes will be here soon too. Hopefully Lily will have outgrown that allergy.

Sunday night we had my friend Liz over for dinner. She lives in WI and was in Cinci/Kentucky for a work conference. We had a great time catching up. Hopefully when the girls and I go back in June we'll be able to get together and let the kids play. There is just never enough time to see everyone we want to see and everyone we need to see. It's very frustrating. It's usually made worse by the fact that no one sleeps well for the first few days.

I got to bed last night after midnight and woke up in a great mood, the sun is still shining and there's a great breeze coming in. I think the ladies and I will go for a walk and enjoy the weather.

eek times 5

1. I just spent $1,000 on tile for the new bathroom. I also have the paint for the bathtub. The contractor is coming tomorrow to remove the tub so we can start work on it and Jer has to finish demo this weekend. I now need to order the tub fixture (and drain and all that junk) and bath accessories. Towel bars are much trickier than I thought they'd be fwiw.

2. They start construction on the 29th! If all goes according to plan (cross your fingers) they'll be done in 2 weeks or less. I really want to soak in my new bathroom on Mother's Day, we'll see.

3. Jer's niece is coming to stay with us for three weeks this summer. I am very excited, I hope we have fun, she is 13....we'll see what it's like to have a teenager.

4. I made a camping (in a park model RV) reservation for Father's Day weekend at Cedarlane campground by Put In Bay, OH. Brenna will be with us and I think we'll have a blast. This makes two years in a row of camping for Father's Day. Last year was in Colorado Springs, I think Ohio should be slightly different.

5. My friend Liz is coming to Cinci/Kentucky this weekend for work and will be coming to see our house on Sunday and have dinner. She just informed me that she is 13 weeks pg with her second child. I am thrilled for her.

favorite Wisconsin foods

In no particular order here are some of my favorite foods from my hometown. Please note, this is not a complete list. One of my absolute favorite places is absent. Next time John's Root Beer, next time!!

1. Jimmy's Grotto, a place with paneling on the walls and duct tape on the seats. A place that only takes cash. Home of the Ponza Rotta. Yum. A Ponza Rotta is pretty much a pizza folded in half and deep fried. They also have really great deep fried green pepper rings. The ladies had their first Ponza Rotta this trip. Lily is a fan, Ava... not so much.

2. Cheddarwurst. You can buy these in lots of stores outside of Wisconsin but there are only a few brands that are actually sausages, instead of ... well, hot dogs. Every time I go home I bring a cooler to bring these back. We like to slice them down the center lengthwise and fry them on the cut side till the cheese is crispy. Yum, and so low in fat, lol. A word of warning: if you should ever try these on your own and cook them without cutting them first beware, the cheese becomes molten lava that will burn your face off when you bite into it and it goes shooting across the room.

3. Cheese! When I was 18 and moved in with my military boyfriend in Ohio I had no idea how the rest of the world lived. I remember going to the grocery store and looking for cheese and thinking what the hell is this place, where is the friggin cheese?! I found Kraft block cheese and that was it. There was no cheese by weight, no selection, none of my favorites, and NO CHEESE CURDS! If you've never had cheese curds let me know, I will find a way to get them to you!

While we were home my Dad and his friend went on a cheese run for me. We're stocked up now for at least 2 weeks. See that speckled stuff on the right? That stuff is salami cheese, my favorite. I plan on eating most of that myself. Because I'm a pig, that's why.

4. Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag from The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, WI. If you ever watch Throw Down with Bobby Flay on Food Network you might have seen this. This pie took on Bobby Flay and won BIG TIME!

When I was growing up this place was in the country. You could go there and pick a pumpkin out in a field or pick apples in the orchard. It's different now but still great. They have tons and tons of specialty food: honey, maple syrup, pie, bread, cookies, meat, ice cream, fruits, veggies, preserves etc.

In the fall they have more variety of apples than you ever knew existed and you can choose any apple, either have it sliced or have it put on a stick, slather it with caramel and add as many toppings as you think you could possible eat. You pay by the pound for your caramel apple creation and sit on bales of hay to eat it.

Anyways, back to the pie! This thing is so good. The top is more like a sugar cookie than a crust and the apples are not smushy but aren't too firm either. My husband could eat a whole pie by himself if I let him. My Dad eats his with sliced sharp cheddar cheese. Any way you go, it's good pie.

home again, home again

Nothing like driving in the rain for 7 hours with a migraine.

It was really good to see my hubby again and I missed my house. This was the first time I had left it since we moved in and I wasn't sure if it would feel like home when I returned. I guess that's why I still refer to my parents house as "home" as well. When you move around a bit you start to get confused. That's also why I can never remember my phone number or my zip code half the time.

We had a good visit even though the kids were sick. We got to see all the local family and I returned with 4 scrapbooks to scan and archive as best I can. One of them was my Great Grandmother's and the others were my Grandma's.

I also have many culinary specialties to show you, but that may have to wait till nap time. Please contain yourselves.

vocabulary word

Ava enters the kitchen where Daddy is doing dishes (like every husband should). She is clearly frustrated, arms are crossed and pout on her face. She sighs.

Daddy: What's up kiddo?

Ava: Daddy can you help me do this puzzle, it's too hard for me. It's freaking me out.

so much to do, so much to do

We're in for a busy weekend and an even busier week.

Saturday we have some running around to do, hopefully including ordering tile for the bathroom remodel. Buying any last minute Easter junk (batteries for the Leapster) and maybe the plug in adapter thing (thoughts on that?) for the Leapsters the ladies will be receiving from the Big Bunny.

Sunday we have all of our Easter festivities, including a big breakfast, an egg hunt, and hopefully a picnic or hike (providing the weather cooperates). At the end of the day we'll sit around and stuff ourselves and eat chocolate.

Monday morning the ladies and I are headed to WI to visit Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the family. I am looking forward to a Ponza Rotta and some apple pie baked in a brown paper bag from the Elegant Farmer. I plan on going to John's Root Beer at least once for cheese fries and a medium frosty mug of root beer, I will return with a cooler full of cheese curds and cheddarwurst sausage.

For your viewing pleasure I'll keep you updated via photographs.

the Easter bunny is out of control

Let's just face the fact that I should never be allowed into Target by myself. Ever. I don't think I should even be allowed to go in without money because surely I'd jump on their ever presant offer to save $21.49 by opening a Target card.

Alas, yesterday we were bored and needed to get out. I also needed to do the Easter bunny shopping. So off we went to the giant red bullseye.

It started well enough. We got some things we actually needed. Four pairs of shoes (2 for each kid, play and dress) and some bins to organize the art cabinet that makes me crazy. It started to go down hill as soon as the Easter bunny shopping started... The girls were completely in love with a cute little jewelry box that even has a dancing ballerina and music - into the cart. Oh look, the jewlery box has a matching vanity set - into the cart. Wow, these little princess notebooks are cute - into the cart. Oh, that fishing game is on sale for $5 - into the cart. Leapsters on sale for $29! Seriously! - into the cart. Well, I suppose we need 2 games - into the cart. Elmo's World Springtime, that'll keep them entertained on the way to Grandma's house - into the cart. Madagascar 2, I heard that was kind of funny - into the cart.

I should not be trusted, but Easter will be a lot of fun!

bathroom reno time is almost upon us

When we moved in we had projects in mind for our house. Most of them were on the "someday" list. This included the upstairs bathroom. It's an odd room. You walk down a hallway when you enter and everything is squished in at the end. But, our house was built is 1869 so the bathroom was an after thought. It's mostly functional but doesn't have a shower, only a tub which is surrounded by some very unattractive linoleum.

A couple weeks after we moved in we were feeling particularly brave and or stupid, and we decided that we should test our theories that the upstairs tub was actually a claw foot that had been covered up in order to modernize the room. Guess what? We were right, yippee! The euphoria was short lived though when we realized that we would have to put the bathroom together again at some point and this would cost lots and lots of money.

We've settled on a contractor and construction should begin the last week in April. Hopefully it'll be done by Mother's Day. We're knocking down a false wall and stealing a closet to make it bigger and more useful. All of the plumbing will be reworked as well as the electrical. Now I have embarked on the quest of choosing finishes, fixtures, colors, tile, accessories, towels, etc.

Rundown:

-White subway tile on the walls, white grout

-White octagon tile on the floor with a light grey square in the middle, grey grout

-Claw foot tub stays and will be refinished (white) and the outside will be repainted (gunmetal), new fixture with a hand shower

-Chrome fixtures with porcelain accents

-Pedestal sink

-Double light over the vanity, two single sconces over the tub

-Walls will be painted a medium grey blue

How about some before pictures?

This is the false wall we're removing. It runs the whole width of the bathroom and hides the plumbing behind the toilet. The tub will be turned parallel to the back wall instead of perpendicular as it is now.

This sink will be gone and so will the little wall next to it. The sink will be in the corner under the window and the toilet will be directly under the window.

Hallway shot. That wall was put up with square nails, I kept them cause they're just cool, no idea what to do with them though.
Ooooo pretty! Or at least it will be when I'm done with it.

the mattress has landed

We did it. And when I say "we" I mean two delivery guys, my husband, and Keith. The mattress is in the bedroom. Of course the sheets we have don't fit on the darn thing but we can deal with that later. They had to take out the window in the bedroom and I'm pretty sure there was a whole lot of unsafe use of ladders, but hey, the job is complete.

I'm so glad we don't have to change our names to Lucy and Ricky.

I thought it would be easy

When we bought this house we bought some of the previous owners furniture, including the furniture in the master bedroom. Since we previously had a queen size bed and the one in the house was a king we asked if we could also have the mattress. That way we didn't have to run out and buy a mattress and box spring the minute we got here.

After three months sleeping on an uncomfortable bed we had had enough. I set out yesterday to change all that. First of course I shopped online, cause anybody with rugrats knows you can actually think when you shop online. I quickly dismissed the online idea when I realized we'd be dealing with a truck driver to deliver the thing. I am not a fan of truck driver delivery guys. Every one I've ever dealt with has had poor hygiene and an even worse attitude.

So, I loaded up the youngin's and headed to Piqua, OH. Good times let me tell you. I stopped in a bedroom store and luckily had a friendly and helpful sales guy, big plus in my book, who didn't mind that my kids were climbing on everything. As I was test laying I noticed some burly guys loading a truck. I inquired about delivery and sales guy said if you choose one I may be able to work you in as the last delivery today. And then the angels starting singing and the skies parted and a ray of sunlight shown... anyway, I picked a bed (Stearns and Foster if you care) and paid the nice man and went home to strip the old one and clean all the panties off the floor. (the girls panties, not mine, they apparently need to change them every 45 minutes and throw them everywhere, at least it's not poop on the wall)

The delivery guys came and I showed them where they had to go. This was the hard part. When they saw our staircase one of them shook his head and the other guy had a "I'm a gonna make this here mattress go up them there stairs" kinda look. First they took off the railing. Then they tested the outside stairs up to the landing to make sure they were sturdy. Then they grabbed the old mattress and started shoving. This was not good. In order to make the mattress go down the stairs they would have to fold it in half, or take the roof off. Of course that meant folding my brand new mattress in half to get it in.

That will be enough of that boys. What other options do we have?

So "shakes head guy" was still shaking his head. I could see in his eyes that, "you're screwed lady" look. But the other guy starts walking around and assessing other options. Options that kind of terrify me but he seems completely ok with.

Option 1. Take the railing off of our second floor balcony, get the mattress on top of the truck, back the truck up to the balcony, heave the mattress to awaiting men on balcony, then heave it through the office to the master bedroom

Option 2. Get the mattress on top of the truck, take out a window in the master bedroom, back the truck up to the front porch, heave mattress onto porch roof, heave mattress through window into master bedroom.

Option 3. Change our names to Lucy and Ricky and go the twin bed route.

Tonight at 6 we'll hopefully have a comfy new bed to sleep on and no one will have gone to the emergency room. Stay tuned...