Easter on the Farm

Happy Easter!!

Jack and Pam at the Lake had a wonderful day, enjoying a delicious spread at the farm with the whole family. Chris' mom, Grandma Vernon, drove up from Georgia to join the party.

Mom got barbecue from the fine folks at High Roller Smokers in McMinnville - those people know how to cook a pig!!

Our contribution to the menu was potato salad, and it was delicious, even if I do say so myself. I've shared this before, and I'll share it again right here, right now, the perfect dressing for potatoes, deviled eggs, or macaroni salad is: 1 part dijon mustard, 1 part sour cream, and 2 parts mayonnaise (the real stuff, not Miracle Whip). Whisk those things together, maybe squeeze in a touch of lemon juice or give it a splash of vinegar, and you're in business. Whether you need a little or a lot, this is the trick, and it's an easy one. If you make more than you need, sling it on some iceberg or Romaine like "regular" salad dressing. Seriously. You'll love it.

Lucia was in a super-big way today - the Easter Bunny had been for a visit and left some things for her and Beatrice, including the Disney Princess Cupcake Game, which had small pieces and was a source of great disappointment when Lucia wasn't able to play with it before getting photos taken and eating lunch.

By the end of the "shoot", all was, once again, well with the world...

After we ate, and the little table was cleared of dishes and whatnot, it was "game on".

Lucia preferred Papa's way of playing, without consideration of the instructions, and once again declared Papa her best friend forever --

 -- even though she and Mom are two peas in a pod...


We sent Martha on her way --

Beatrice has smiles and smiles...

...and smiles some more.

Sis and Lucia tried out some cool dance moves...

I got some good photos -- here's a link to the whole album:

Easter 2013 at the Farm

A Different Dog Cookie

Today I decided to make a different kind of dog cookie, because variety is the spice of life. That, and we were out of peanut butter. I'd bookmarked a recipe for cinnamon-applesauce dog treats several weeks ago and had a jar of applesauce in the pantry, so today I gave them a spin.

Much less complicated than the Peanut Butter Biscuits I've been making on a weekly basis for months now, these have only a few inexpensive ingredients and make for a hard, dense cookie, which our dogs have deemed an acceptable treat.

Apple-Cinnamon Snaps
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup applesauce

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix egg, water, and applesauce together and knead into the flour. Once incorporated, roll out the dough 1/3 - 1/2 inch thick and cut into nuggets. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 45 minutes. Voila!

I always use wax paper or plastic wrap on my board when I'm rolling out dog treats, because it keeps things a lot neater. I used wax paper this time, and it slightly stuck during the rolling out process. Next time I'm going to do two things differently. I'm going to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the dough, and I'm going to use plastic wrap to see if there's less sticking when I roll the cookies out.

This dough is dense, and if you don't have a stand mixer or food processor, prepare for a mighty upper body workout!!

If you decide to give these a try, let me know your results and any "tweaks" you make in the recipe --

Peach Blossoms

Jack and I made a visit to the farm this afternoon, and the peaches are starting to bloom!

As we were leaving, the afternoon light was perfect for snapping a few photos.

With freezing temperatures in the forecast for the evening, I hope they make it --

Love this, too --

03/19/2013 A Visit to the Baby House

03/19/2013 A Visit to the Baby House, a set on Flickr.

There's nothing quite like spending time with little girls, and I had a blast filling in for NanNan at the Baby House on Monday and Tuesday.

Lucia and I worked on several art projects, including some awesome "Space Jewelry Design" and "Adventures in Water Colors". Both Nan and Papa ended up with brand new, original works of art to display, and Lucia and kiTTen both have fabulous new bling to wear.

Beatrice and I had some good bonding time on Monday when she sprawled out for a super-sweet, extra-sweaty two and a half hour nap on my chest. Lucia grabbed her blanket and climbed up onto my legs, and before I knew it, both little girls were snoozing, and I was caught in a sticky-trap with arm and legs going numb and no possible way to get comfortable enough to catch a nap myself, but it was still wonderful and a special moment I'll always remember.

Please enjoy these photos from my visit with them!

Happy St. Belated Birthday. Or Something Like That.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody! I hope you're all wearing your green and avoiding pinches; unless you want pinches, and if that's the case, well... go for it. And give yourself a big ol' pinch from Jack and Pam at the Lake.

The Ides of March came and went, and Mom played the part of Julius Caesar this year, suffering a painful pinched nerve in her back. The Soothsayer wasn't whistling Dixie with that "Beware the Ides of March" stuff back in 44 A.D.

Mom's on the mend - she needs some rest for a few days, so this week I come off the bench and get some game-time taking care of Lucia and Beatrice. And yes, that's a basketball reference for all of you who are keeping up with the March Madness stuff.

She was feeling well enough that the whole family got together to belatedly celebrate Sis' birthday on Thursday evening with some tasty take-out barbecue.

Our good buddy, Shelli, created a gorgeous, WAY delicious cake for the occasion - chocolate with chocolate frosting, decorated with a "runner girl" and Vera Bradley-inspired flowers to celebrate Sis' love of running and flower gardening. And bags.

Lucia was in a fantastic mood and kept us entertained with her tales of the V4's recent trip to Disney World - that's where they were when Sis' birthday really rolled around... She ran in the Disney Princess Half-Marathon, and they surprised the girls with a fun family vacation. When Lucia described their dining experience on Sis' actual birthday, she said, "On Mommy's FIRST birthday -"

So cute. SO funny...

Beatrice is starting to go blonde on us -- every time we see her, she's more of a cotton-top than she was before. And that child has the bluest eyes I think I've ever seen.

Love those girls.