Adventures in Mommyhood

{this moment} {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

My posting has been pretty pathetic lately.  Not that there hasn't been anything to write on, it's just that there has been to much to do! Also, my camera is acting up, and I can't download pictures, so and I hate to blog without pretty pictures (or pictures of food).   I am really trying to not over-do it with Christmas-preparations this year.  Instead of baking my usual  amount of baked goods, I am instead reading to the kids, going for a run, or turning in early.  I have made a few favorite things that we simply can't do without: -Spritz (2 batches) -Sandboekles (using the tins from my Grandma Larson) -Pretzels dipped in almond bark (so simple, but sooooo goooooood). - Aunt Pat's Chocolate Mint Cookies Instead of taking my usual cranberry or pumpkin bread to our neighbors, I am going to intead bring them a jar of the apple butter I froze this fall (I am so happy I did that!).  The kids are also getting fewer presents from us this year, and they are things

I found  THIS recipe on Pinterest and made it Sunday night. CRISPY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN WRAPS - from Mel's Kitchen Cafe They are now the latest addition to our meal rotation.  The recipe makes 8 large burritos, which is more than our family of 5 needed, but I reheated the leftovers for lunch by wrapping them in foil and sticking them in the oven for a few minutes.  My husband was very pleased to this alternative to his usual noon sandwich! Since I had to make rice for the burritos, I made quite a bit extra to have on hand for the week.  My kids love rice warmed up in the morning with milk, cinnamon and sugar.  This afternoon, I made rice pudding, another huge favorite around here. RICE PUDDING - from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook 3 eggs 2/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups milk 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup cooked rice 1/2 cup raisins cinnamon and/or nutmeg Preheat oven to 325.  Beat eggs and sugar till light and fluffy.  Mix in milk and vanilla, then rice and raisins.  Pour into cass

This morning I woke up and realized that I didn't know what we were going to eat today.  I had breakfast covered with cold cereal and bagels, but beyond that- what were we going to eat?  Fisher needed a sack lunch, the girls and I needed lunch, we didn't have any snack food in the house and then there was supper.  I didn't want to spend time or money at the grocery store.  I was really determined to make it through the day making-do with what we had on hand.  So...this is what we ate today: Fisher's sack lunch:  Cheese, turkey pepperoni, crackers, an apple and honey-nut cheerios for "dessert." Our lunch:  "Toad-in-a Holes,"  bananas and milk  Toad-In-A-Holes are simply buttered bread w/ a hole cut in the middle and an egg fried in the hole.  They are delcious and the fun name makes kids more likely to eat them ;) For supper, I scoured my upstairs freezer and cupboards and couldn't make anything work with what was upstairs.  I took a

Our family celebrated a really wonderful thanksgiving this year and here's why: WHO:  We had everyone in my husband's family around the table as well as my brother-in-law's mother and her husband, who through their frequent presence in Sioux falls, feel a bit like relations to us too. WHAT:  Turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn casserole, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce and my Christmas Salad.  It was all so tasty- just as it should be. WHERE:  My sister-in-law's beautiful home.  They just moved in this Spring and was the perfect place for a large family gathering.  The first of many, I know. Little H had to have a modified Thanksgiving feast at a more todler-approprite time.  She loved the cheese, grapes and corn muffin and enjoyed a 2 hour long nap while the grown-ups prepared, ate and cleaned up the meal. Ready to dig in... Fisher and his best buddy, cousin Gus.  There was definitely more Pokemon talk than eating going on in the