A morning at the farm...

This morning we visited our pastor's farm to see

their new baby goats: Twister, Oreo and Toby.

E had a blast! And so did we!

Under the table...

E always makes a point of telling me the whereabouts of our cat, Victoria...Mommy, kitty is in the hall...Mommy, kitty is on the couch...Mommy, kitty is eating her food....Mommy, kitty is under the table (this one is a big deal for some reason...

So, I guess E had to find out what is so exciting under the table. She took Snoopy, Tad, Elmo and her baby doll with her on this research expedition...apparently Elmo got thirsty in all of the traveling, and they had to stop for a drink....

I love it!

Little reader...

I always love to find E taking a break in the middle of a big pile of books...that's one mess I don't mind! (And if you do this while wearing Elmo slippers? Even better...)

What we did this morning...

There's nothing like a haircut to make you feel refreshed. E's getting used to the routine, too. The sweet gal that cuts my hair trims E's bangs and fuzzy ends for free (I always give her a big tip!) E's getting used to sitting on the "kid board" in the big chair and really thought she was quite "the stuff" this morning!

Playdough time...

What do you do when it's so cold outside (it got down to 18 here last week) and the little one is sick -- so you really don't want to get out? Break out the new playdough set that Gramma bought for Christmas! E had a blast with this -- and I did too! Love that new playdough smell!

Mealtime prayers...

This is so sweet, and I finally caught it on video!

Domestic Diva Experiment: Sugar and Spice nuts

These are SO good and SO addictive. I could see tweaking this recipe in many ways. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg white
1 cup salted cashews
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and cayenne; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the egg white; add nuts and cranberries. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 300° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring once. Cool. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

This recipe is courtesy of our family friend Pat Minter, but I've also seen it on the web and in T*ste of H*me magazine.

Domestic Diva Experiment: Tortellini Florentine Soup

Mmmmm.....I made a big batch of this in the crockpot earlier this week....we've been eating it all week. So good!

Tortellini Florentine Soup

9-oz. pkg. refrigerated 3-cheese tortellini (I used cheese mini ravioli instead, it's what was in the pantry)

2 14-oz. cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

(I crock-potted a whole chicken for use in this recipe and made my own broth in the crockpot instead)

1 10-oz. container refrigerated light Alfredo pasta sauce

2 cups shredded deli-roasted chicken (see note above about cooking my own chicken...)

1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomato strips, drained

3 cups lightly packed packaged fresh baby spinach

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded (optional)

1. In 4-quart Dutch oven cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. 2. In the same Dutch oven combine broth and Alfredo sauce. Stir in chicken and tomato strips. Heat just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. 3. Add cooked tortellini and spinach to chicken mixture. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through and wilt spinach. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (For crockpot cooking - I had my broth going all day and added the rest of the ingredients about 2 hours before dinnertime to heat through -- I added the spinach right before serving. Yum!)

Recipe and photo courtesy Better Homes and G*rdens magazine

Not a very gentle Mommy...

E's been having a blast playing with her babies lately....but her method leaves a lot to be desired! The first video is sweet...the second? Not so much...

He's coming....

...and we got tickets! E is going to flip! I think hubby and I are as excited about this as she will be!

(And thanks, R, for the heads up...)

Overheard...

E has been quite the blammermouth lately, really cracking us up with her words...a few recent "good ones"...

.."OH NO, MY MONEY!" (Said rather loudly in church after she dropped her quarter on the floor before putting it in the offering plate...)

..."Oh Mommy, look at the cute baby!" (Said rather loudly as we were waiting in line at the front of the church to step up to the communion rail...)

..."AMEN!" (After the pastor blessed her at the communion rail after the adults had the Lord's Supper...)

..."AMEN!!" (At the end of the service, right after the blessing...)

Well, at least she's been paying attention in church, right? She cracks us up!

Domestic Diva Experiment: Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Oh my, these are good! I've seen this recipe a few times and got up the nerve to try it. Who would believe that these little guys are so tasty?

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper onto a baking sheet and toss sprouts with a spoon to coat evenly. Place on center oven rack. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning (I didn't shake that often...got busy with a toddler!). Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

(We added a dash of lemon juice for extra zip upon serving. I'm sure balsamic vinegar would be tasty too!)

Overheard, part two...

...C'mon, kitty, let's watch a show!
(namely Curious George...and no, the cat was not interested)

...Mommy, I need a hug!
(when Mommy was being "mean" and making her eat a dinner of ham, green beans and peaches...)

...Help! Help! I need my Elmo slippers!
(a popular Christmas gift that she's been wearing often!)

...Mommy, thank you SO much!
(After I vacuumed the house...who know it deserved such thanks! Hey, at least someone thanks me!)

...Oh no, what happened?
(After she actually went in the little potty...)

...Mommy, get broccoli - I LOVE broccoli!
(As we were grocery shopping last week - this one warms my heart!)

Overheard...

A lesson in E-speak...for those "outsiders" who don't understand toddler language!

sunny school = Sunday School
wa-lay = water
co-lay = color
plig = pig
brock-ee = broccoli

Of course, E says plenty of things we do not understand, no matter how hard we try. But it sure is cute!