tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26291548732362118412012-01-29T20:41:52.773-05:00family life in the hollarsOut in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.comBlogger2401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-24629665429876113302012-01-29T19:51:00.001-05:002012-01-29T20:10:03.480-05:00

Today was a bit of a "cheat" day for me.  We like to go out once a week to a restaurant of some kind and to be honest, I like that part of the week!  We love Qdoba because the kids eat free on Sunday and we get out of there cheap and the food is fresh.   We actually tried Chipotle in town first but the line wrapped around so long and there were no tables available.  So on to Qdoba we went. The

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-49039274021485304482012-01-29T08:19:00.001-05:002012-01-29T20:41:52.783-05:00

Before this lifestyle change I would often go meatless on fajita night, so that is nothing new. I even went with the whole wheat tortilla.  The only thing I'm not doing differently is not adding sour cream and cheese and salty seasonings.  I'm also now adding mashed seasoned (little to no salt) beans to the fajita to help add dimension and flavor. I made some fresh homemade pico de gallo in a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-54192827251561310772012-01-28T15:49:00.006-05:002012-01-28T17:20:43.449-05:00

I already eat a low fat diet with a decent amount of veggies.  I was half veggie when I met my husband.  But Nick could never go for meat free anything and over the years we have incorporated meat into just about every meal except weekday breakfasts.  That said, the guy is way more open to food then when I met him.  He didn't used to like tomato sauce, pasta, chili, squash, etc.  He's come a long

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-50286521315774432942012-01-28T14:17:00.002-05:002012-01-28T18:38:04.776-05:00

When I was pregnant, towards the end my body didn't like the strain of the extra 36-42 lbs I put on and I had pre-eclampsia every time.  It's not shocking... my mom and sister both had the same ordeal, though mine did seem to be less severe (which I attribute to a lot of exercise, like jogging).  By 4 weeks post partum my blood pressure would go back to normal except this last time it didn't!!!

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-48362412836223708992011-12-31T21:58:00.002-05:002011-12-31T22:02:34.612-05:00

Wow, what a wonderful few weeks!  I'm both sad the holidays are over and happy that things will resume as usual again.  Happy New year to all!  May this year be the best one yet!! We had a beautiful, peaceful Christmas.  The big kids were really into santa this year (though I'm still torn about it).  The joy in their eyes was absolutely wonderful.  Ladybug got a dollhouse and GreenEyes got some

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-52046709214746825162011-12-16T06:30:00.007-05:002011-12-16T06:40:45.805-05:00

Believe it or not, the pic below was taken in mid-October.  We've long since completed the tree house (phase I).  Sure, we still need to paint and add some accessories, but it's pretty much done.  I've just been plain ole lazy when it comes to posting about the project. Nick putting on the roof.  All the windows have been put in (well, except the cutsie arc window which is a bit of a story).  The

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-44903885759722297752011-12-15T15:41:00.000-05:002011-12-15T15:41:39.344-05:00

I'm so excited for tomorrow.  I'll be helping out at my daughter's preschool Christmas party.  I am in charge of drinks and dessert.   I went through a million different dessert ideas on Pinterest before I settled on this one.  These Christmas tree brownies seemed REALLY easy and yet super cute.  GreenEyes decorating his own.  Notice the glob of sprinkles in the middle. We had a good ole time

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-8621016999588025982011-12-05T21:34:00.021-05:002011-12-06T10:10:56.279-05:00

It's almost 13 years now since my mom left the Earth.  The anniversary of her death is just days away.  She died on Dec. 8th, the day before my dad's birthday.  I can't believe it's been so long.  Thirteen years.  It was such a tough time for me (and still is) but I remember getting a bit of comfort from her side of the family.  My aunts and uncles assured me that they'd still be there for us and

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-76489231594631881342011-10-09T09:33:00.000-04:002011-10-09T09:33:59.183-04:00

The tree house became semi-functional for children as of yesterday!!!! It has primitive railings (they still need to be finished), a ladder, and the kids can use the slide, and deck. However, there are a million other things yet to be done including windows, doors, rope climb, roof, climbing wall, and a gate of some sort to keep kids from falling out the bottom, probably not the least of which

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-27541119917798012952011-10-02T20:52:00.006-04:002011-10-03T07:53:19.486-04:00

All the framing is up!!!  I can hardly believe it. Starting to see it come together.  From the front.  We are going to go with a metal roof so you can hear the rain go ping when it hits the roof.  It's our family's favorite sound. From the rear.  The larger back wall has the largest window with the best view of the woods.  You don't realize just how limited your time is until you try to do a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-1624737377149500662011-09-10T23:24:00.000-04:002011-09-10T23:24:05.093-04:00

As it has been weeks since the last post...  I suppose we need a tree house update. Nick finished the joists and I helped him secure in the railing posts.  This process took a good weekend and a half to complete.  Mind you we had family obligations and guests in town so that didn't exactly speed up the process. Once the posts were in, Nick began laying the floor boards.  Nick is just shy of

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-17560439029289669212011-09-10T16:19:00.006-04:002011-09-10T16:30:44.363-04:00

Well, it's been a crazy couple of weeks and I've been consistently inconsistent with my blogs of late.  Since my last blog post we've had a lot of exciting events, not the least of which was an awesome earthquake.  In retrospect, it was a neat experience though I hope to never again feel one.  We live about 40 miles from the epicenter and felt quite a jolt but nothing to cause major damage.  Our

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-53391734548346530192011-08-14T23:01:00.002-04:002011-08-15T07:45:06.030-04:00

It's been another busy week here at Out in Them Sticks, albeit quite pleasant and wonderful.  Our Wisco relatives came for a much anticipated visit late this week and we had such a great time!  How I wish they lived closer to us and we could make visits more frequent.  We had a wonderful time chatting and even doing a little hiking up on the old AT. After our guests left for their 17 hour

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-65435878431484416822011-08-09T20:08:00.005-04:002011-08-09T22:37:56.546-04:00

With little work to do in the garden, the good news is that we finally got started on the playhouse project.  We were hoping to have our tree house built back 6 months ago when Nick had some paternity leave but it was cold outside and there was barely enough time for him to build new shelves in the pantry and re-do our closet. Both have been wonderful and I've been enjoying them quite a bit but

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-82461103607307854582011-08-09T14:16:00.001-04:002011-08-09T14:18:19.792-04:00

I know the last garden update was a bit of a downer.  While it has been a tough year for our garden, not all is lost!  We have not given up.  Our tomatoes are doing amazingly well and I'm on Vat #3 of pizza sauce.  It's the best year yet for our tomatoes! Pizza dough rising (left) and the 3rd vat of pizza sauce reducing on the stove (right) We are expecting guests in town later this week, so I

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-89987062439773951222011-08-01T09:42:00.000-04:002011-08-01T09:42:25.222-04:00

As I have no garden post (the tomatoes are doing well and I made a giant vat of homeade pizza sauce on Friday so that's good), I'll thought I'd give you an update on our cloth diaper experiment.  Hubby set up a line in my laundry room for year round diaper drying  LOVE it! I couldn't be happier with cloth.  Wow, what a difference it makes on the pocket book!  I was nervous about it with all

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-48124280459813247982011-07-26T11:22:00.002-04:002011-07-26T14:47:07.808-04:00

Well, it's been a while since our last post.  I meant to post after the last leg of our Wisconsin/Chicago Trip but it just never happened.  We spent the week after the last post in lovely Chicago so in total we left our garden unattended for two weeks.  Yikes.  Photo taken from Hancock Building I figured things wouldn't be too bad.  I kept eyeing the weather in our area and it appeared as

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-11605790773614954312011-06-28T12:57:00.003-04:002011-06-28T21:58:00.366-04:00

Monday has come and gone and I have no garden update because last week we were in Wisco and a little preoccupied visiting family and friends. We made the trip in two legs.  On the first day we drove about 10 hours and made it to Lafayette, Indiana where we were blissfully unaware as to what time it actually was.  The clocks in the hotels were on eastern daylight time but I thought we had made it

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-64316726927653863642011-06-15T11:31:00.000-04:002011-06-15T11:31:17.489-04:00

Healthy lunch in 5 seconds flat... Homemade Pita Bread and Hummus with Carrots Yeah, that pita bread and hummus is proving to be really handy around the house.  I might have to make it more often!

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-88303573164774201262011-06-14T19:11:00.009-04:002011-06-14T21:14:00.395-04:00

Don't these look yummy?  Did you know that hummus sandwiches are the PB&J of the Middle East?  At least that is what I heard on Oprah. I don't know what possessed me...  maybe it was because I was missing Oprah, or maybe I was missing all the delicious restaurants like Lebanese Taverna  my hubby and I used to visit in fancy pants Northern VA...  but out of the blue today I decided to make my

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-6413641493530479492011-06-13T21:25:00.000-04:002011-06-13T21:25:36.523-04:00

It's Monday again... Is it me or did last week go REALLY fast?  Time goes by so much quicker in the summer.  Guess we were all too busy having fun. We harvested the last of the peas and the broccoli and tilled those babies down.  We replanted with some summer squash.  We should have squash all summer long this time with this planting. I'm dry curing our first few onions.  You may remember we

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-51827526618911914022011-06-07T10:43:00.004-04:002011-06-07T10:58:16.304-04:00

It's Monday...err make that Tuesday and you know what the means, time for a garden update! We were nervous to leave the garden last week.  Temps were in the upper 90's and humid and we had noone to water the garden.  I wasn't sure what we'd be coming back to. To my surprise everything did well despite the heat and lack of water.  We still had some ripe strawberries to pick and we have new blooms

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-29616168783420927762011-06-05T21:26:00.003-04:002011-06-05T21:41:40.601-04:00

Wow, what a wonderful break!  We just got back from the Outer Banks and I admit I've been a little grumpy pants.  After a week of amazing weather, the skies poured down on us on the way home and I was exhausted because the babe decided that she no longer wished to sleep through the night during vacation.  Last night she woke up at 2 AM, 4 AM and 6 AM this morning and I was bone tired.  It's a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-34651739087783097872011-05-23T09:25:00.002-04:002011-05-23T11:44:11.738-04:00

Well, it's that time again... and a lot is going on in the garden!  :)  This part of the garden season is my favorite because there is no need to water or weed.  The garden just takes care of itself.  Apart from the initial effort, there isn't much to do.  I like this time because I guess I'm lazy.... or maybe just really busy with 3 little guys. We are just days away from some awesome fresh

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-42506842836121779152011-05-22T21:36:00.001-04:002011-05-22T21:40:21.097-04:00

We've been in the area of VA for almost 3 years now (hard to believe) but it hasn't quite felt like home.  You see, we are BBQ connoisseurs and despite all our efforts and many tries at restaurants all over our area from Scottsville to Madison, we hadn't found our BBQ home yet.  It's not that there aren't plenty of restaurants selling BBQ in our area.  It just that unfortunately most of them just

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-26772580107501891582011-05-18T21:46:00.003-04:002011-05-23T09:28:28.660-04:00

Those who read this little blog may remember a post a while back about poulet a la moutard.  I just love that recipe.  It's incredibly easy to make but it does take a while to bake.  Some days I just don't have the time.  But I love the flavor profile so much, I was hoping I could find something similar that didn't require so much time. I found a great recipe by Ellie Kreiger on the FoodNetwork.

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-10546455509088038502011-05-15T21:54:00.001-04:002011-05-15T22:00:51.833-04:00

It's been a while since my last garden post.  Unfortunately, my 4 year old computer caught a virus and the old hard drive died.  All is resolved now that we have a brand new computer. So much has gone on the garden since the last post.  For one, we are already enjoying broccoli though it's technically the result of a huge blunder.  Nick forgot to add soil ammendments prior to planting the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-59018650910208817402011-04-03T20:27:00.000-04:002011-04-03T20:27:23.182-04:00

Well last week things were a little busy, so I never got around to posting about the garden.  I think I'll be posting these on Sundays because Mondays are just too crazy at my house.  As of this moment I have a giant pile of laundry calling my name but I have ignored it all weekend so we could go hiking and do other fun things like grilling out and enjoying the gorgeous weather.  View from our

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-78043847113181443162011-04-01T19:39:00.004-04:002011-04-01T20:52:23.551-04:00

When I saw the recipe for chicken in mustard (poulet a la moutarde) showcased on Melissa d'Arabian's Food Network show 10 Dollar Dinners I knew I had to try it.  I faithfully DVR the show every week.  My favorite episodes are ones where she makes french recipes doable with american ingredients and budgets.  I just love french flavors; they just aren't that easy or practical to make here with our

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-60290033329177709752011-03-21T16:42:00.000-04:002011-03-21T16:42:57.599-04:00

Gardening is a practice of trial and error and with only a few years experience under our belt there is still plenty to learn.  It was hard to admit we had failed but we gave up on the broccoli seedlings underneath the house.  We set mouse traps to kill those pesky broccoli eating varmints, but time was not on our side.  We needed the broccoli in the ground to get a good footing well before the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-28302708031263913352011-03-12T20:40:00.002-05:002011-03-12T21:04:01.839-05:00

We've had a mixed bag of successes and failures the last two weeks.  Let's start with the failures.  Mice have eaten all the broccoli starts underneath the house.  The tomato plants look terrible and the eggplant and peppers never sprouted.  Basically, the whole system underneath the house isn't working.  Great.  What a waste!  Also, the peas we planted washed away with the 4 inches of rain we

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-80900608911160840252011-02-27T18:04:00.001-05:002011-02-27T18:20:42.965-05:00

Disclaimer:  When I mention "we" in the post below, I really mean my husband.  I must give credit where credit is due.  I've been a little preoccupied and haven't been able to take an active roll of late... A week and a half ago we started our seedlings. We planted broccoli, cauliflower, squash (but a more reasonable number this time!), tomatoes (a bunch MORE this time), eggplant, peppers, and

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-1940271472610789292011-01-29T20:10:00.001-05:002011-01-29T20:16:15.216-05:00

I made the switch from white to brown rice long, long ago for it's whole grain fiber power but I only recently mastered how to prepare it.  Prior to finding the perfect recipe, I usually bought the ready made stuff by Mr. Uncle Ben.  You know, the microwaveable stuff.  But, if you look at the exponential cost difference to the bagged stuff, it has become hard to justify. The main problem with

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-249728529885900752011-01-24T10:26:00.002-05:002011-01-24T10:34:24.379-05:00

Baby #3 is due any day.  In an effort to get back to my normal self, I'm going to spend the next few months focusing on getting my diet back on track in areas it may have derailed during the pregnancy due to sickness and frankly, necessity.  Getting my diet on track will be all the more crucial to get right if I am going to lose this baby weight yet again as carving out the time for a two hour

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-86267281596075031582011-01-17T15:14:00.000-05:002011-01-17T15:14:34.553-05:00

My girl is a bit of a tom boy but that doesn't mean she never plays with dolls.  She does love to play with them from time to time.  Lately, this is the first thing she does to them.

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-16336709766408552692010-12-27T16:38:00.006-05:002011-01-17T15:48:23.419-05:00

First, I just wanted to wish all our Out in Them Sticks readers, friends and family, Happy Holidays and a prosperous, healthy New Year!  I apologize for the lack of posts lately.  The hustle and bustle of the holidays combined with the exhaustion of the third trimester has meant that I haven't really gotten much other than the absolute must-do's complete and unfortunately, the blog just hasn't

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-70085249987506061832010-12-14T14:04:00.003-05:002010-12-14T14:11:43.494-05:00

Every year I give away some sort of homemade gift to the neighbors and those who provide services for our family.  I do this mostly because I want to show appreciation for them but also because I love getting my hands elbow deep in some project or another.  It gets me in the spirit of the season. This year, I saved up some of my pasta sauce jars and in lieu of throwing them in the recycle bin I

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-51320608809925289882010-11-15T15:31:00.007-05:002010-11-15T16:18:58.491-05:00

I love this time of year when it's easy to get my hands on a cheap turkey that I can then use the receipt to submit an awesome rebate on.  I paid $3.42 for a 14 pound bird this year that I will receive a $10 rebate on.  That's a $6 money making turkey!   Yeehaw.  I'm sure Micheal Pollan (author of Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) and others of the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-68161690357970550462010-11-01T11:53:00.003-04:002010-11-01T12:21:16.271-04:00

I thought there wouldn't be much going on in the garden after the last post but there is.  We had our first frost on Saturday night so we had to go out and get the remaining eggplant and peppers before they all shriveled up. After Nick mowed down the garden last month some interesting things started to pop up when the plants didn't have a foot of grass to compete with.  Apparently, I failed to

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-40016792511985312382010-10-31T14:03:00.004-04:002010-10-31T15:47:55.940-04:00

We are getting into the Halloween Spirit over here.  Yesterday we got in some early trick-or-treating at Nick's work.  Then, we spent this morning carving pumpkins, toasting seeds, and even baking some pureed pumpkin for baking purposes down the road. I have never EVER roasted pumpkin seeds but after reading the recipe here I figured we'd give it a try.  I vaguely remember our family trying to

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-10969386265044866532010-10-29T22:17:00.010-04:002010-10-31T17:09:23.021-04:00

It's time for a cloth diaper follow up.  Most of you will find this post too detailed but I'm offering this out to other moms who want an honest oppinion on cloth diapers and what is working best for our family.  **Disclaimer - I am a newbie!** Flip Diaper I have to say I'm so disappointed in myself for not having made the switch to cloth sooner.  I've had a week to try cloth diapers on Green

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-44362670313196130412010-10-19T19:58:00.002-04:002010-10-19T20:05:20.782-04:00

My sister requested that I share the tandoori chicken recipe I have been using lately.  It's the easiest recipe EVER.  It requires only four ingredients.  You can find the recipe at Penzey's Spices here.  To make tandoori chicken you'll need to: Mix 1-2 TB. [of Tandoori Seasoning] with 1 Cup plain yogurt and the juice of ½ lemon. Pour [the mixture] over a cut-up skinless chicken, cover and

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-20928551633701849882010-10-19T14:40:00.004-04:002010-10-19T20:13:17.706-04:00

It wasn't until I met my husband that I was introduced to Indian Cuisine.  Back then we didn't have kids and going to an Indian restaurant was doable.  Taking the kids for Indian these days is slightly stressful, not to mention costly so it's not something we do very often.  That doesn't mean we don't occasionally have cravings so I've resolved to making some of our own dishes at home. An

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-35439444424187294092010-10-04T11:34:00.006-04:002010-10-20T09:07:52.982-04:00

It is hard to believe it's October already.   I spent two of the last four weeks sick so it hasn't helped me get back in the garden as I had hoped.  Nick mowed the weeds down in the garden (that's how bad the weeds were) so I wouldn't be embarrassed when the neighbors went by.  When mowed, it at least looked a little tidier.  Things are getting back to normal, thank goodness.  I was inspired by

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-3524190735290212692010-09-07T20:27:00.002-04:002010-09-07T20:31:19.328-04:00

We are just past peek for peaches here and I finally got off my but to make hubby and the kids some seaonal peach crisp.  I know I posted my MIL's recipe for peach cobbler a while ago here.  While it can be used with fresh fruit, it really shines when using frozen or canned fruit.  That is exactly what I needed when I was dealing with morning sickness and first trimester fatigue... something easy

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-41206792308717522332010-09-06T21:28:00.004-04:002010-10-20T10:44:34.432-04:00

We started our morning off really early today so that we could tour local farms as part of the Meet Yer Eats Event.  The first tour started at 8:30 in the morning so we rushed out the door to learn a little about sustainable farming in our area.  I thought I'd share what I gained from the tours.  Please note that the highlights below may or may not be entirely accurate as my memory is less than

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-53725299432988015532010-09-05T19:53:00.003-04:002010-09-05T20:16:36.892-04:00

With the recent harvest of green chiles and New Mexico on our mind, hubby mentioned how he has been craving Carne Adovada since we left New Mexico.  He's had the dish at numerous reastaurants on the East Coast but they weren't the same as the kind you can find in Albuquerque.   I don't know what posessed me (maybe the crazy human currently habiting my womb), but I decided why not try to recreate

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-91856180213857584722010-09-03T17:03:00.006-04:002010-10-20T10:45:12.732-04:00

There was no garden update or any posts last week because we left for Hatteras Island for a family vacation.  Unfortunately, there was a mandatory evacuation on Wednesday morning so we were forced to cut it short.  We were disappointed but we are making the best of it!   Since then, we've been back home doing a few day trips and enjoying the rest of hubby's time off. When we got back, it was nice

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-42778036447657462492010-08-24T19:13:00.003-04:002010-08-24T19:28:51.821-04:00

I've had eggplant only a few times in my life.  I think the last time I had eggplant, it was at one of my favorite vegetarian restaurants in downtown Orlando.  Unfortunately, the dish was not well prepared and I got a fried eggplant sandwich that was way too greasy and soaked with oil.  Yuck.  It must have been an off day for the chef.  I never ordered it again. Having only recently researched

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-9073944914402757872010-08-23T13:48:00.004-04:002010-08-23T14:09:13.279-04:00

Sorry for the lack of a post last week.  I have no real excuse, it just didn't happen.  :) In Season Now: Carrots, Parsnips, Tomatoes, Peppers & Eggplant I do have garden news to report.  The eggplants are finally in!!  I think this will likely be the last exciting bit of news for the year as we wind down the garden.  We "pulled the plug" on the broccoli under the house because I just don't have

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-38532044440156602232010-08-10T16:21:00.014-04:002010-08-10T18:35:45.487-04:00

So the other weekend I was at my mother-in-law's and I got the most amazingly simple recipe to pass along to you.  It's so easy and yet so delicious.  I've nicknamed it Lazy Cook's Cobbler.  It's one of those recipes that makes you think, "What world was I living in before this pie?" (obviously, a very deprived one.)  Most of you probably already have something like this in your repertoire

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-86328777756065996622010-08-08T20:23:00.001-04:002010-08-08T20:32:40.050-04:00

First, I would just like to thank my awesome husband for clearing out the weeds from the asparagus patch yesterday.  This pregnancy has reduced my heat tolerance considerably and it has been so hard to just watch my asparagus patch get covered and smothered by weeds. It took him half a day in the heat and I'm so grateful, you just have no idea.  While he weeded, I opted to complete a less 

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-72897250385416695132010-08-02T16:52:00.003-04:002010-08-02T17:09:35.157-04:00

I'm feeling a tinsy bit better these days though evenings are still pretty rough and that has meant that I've been able to spend a little more time doing the things I love again, i.e. cooking and some very modest gardening.  This week, it's all about the tomatoes!  Though I only planted 3 tomato plants this year, they've been very productive so I've been working on preserving the harvest for

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-67326718724462541592010-07-26T15:53:00.000-04:002010-07-26T15:53:24.487-04:00

It's been a rough couple of months for me because I've been near crippled with nausea from the pregnancy of our 3rd.  I have not tended the garden in so long that when I look at it now it sadens me frankly!  I wish I could just till over the entire thing and start over from scratch that's how crazy the weeds have taken over in my absence!!!  I seriously don't know where to start.  The weather has

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-71564371788512149032010-07-19T22:22:00.000-04:002010-07-19T22:22:13.276-04:00

Over here, it's been another crazy week.  My garden continues to look sorry and in desperate need of attention.  We recovered from our illnesses just soon enough to spend the last several days in Charleston, SC on a mini-vacay.  Needless to say, no one has really touched the garden in a solid two weeks.  I still haven't planted the peas, but I WILL do those this week and I WILL transfer the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-58987053496722767522010-07-13T19:41:00.003-04:002010-10-20T10:49:12.349-04:00

First the Garden Update: I haven't done much at all in the garden this week.  I was supposed to put the broccoli underneath the house in jiffy pots, plant the peas, weed the strawberries... but none of that has happened.   I was busy last week with my neice and nephews coming in to town.  The fun must have compromised my immune system because I came down with a nasty chest cold coupled with

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-51979437982382435972010-07-05T13:49:00.003-04:002010-07-05T14:00:04.075-04:00

We finished harvesting our shallots and potatoes this week and we had quite the bounty.  I'm shocked and delighted by the results.  We will be definitely doing both again next year for sure!  The plunder has left the garden looking a little bare though.   It doesn't help that none of the brussel sprouts I planted in the lower level have srpouted either!  Oh well, we aren't big brussel sprout

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-19865395175193096942010-07-05T07:50:00.003-04:002010-10-20T11:56:12.080-04:00

Now, before anyone accuses me of dressing my kids over-the-top like I used to do to my pug Olive, I'd like to note that I did not purchase the outfits the children are wearing.  Their outfits were gifts from the grandparents and there is really on a few occassions where these outfits are appropriate so I was obliged to dress them up for the fourth.  Blame G-pa and Papa for their Texan outfits,

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-81127670716581813052010-06-29T19:51:00.004-04:002010-06-29T20:26:52.671-04:00

It really pays to scan the wine and beer aisles for coupons and rebates because sometimes you can combine the offers for amazing deals. For instance, today I bought: Beautiful X-Large Wild Caught Shrimp on sale for $6.99 pound at Harris Teeter I bought 1.5 lbs. for  a total of $10.50. then I used a wine tag for $1 off seafood (instant savings) which doubled because coupons double this week =

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-57846688048416887962010-06-27T16:23:00.003-04:002010-10-20T10:55:16.991-04:00

There wasn't much going in the garden this week, mainly because we were a little busy preparing for an extra special GreenEyes celebration weekend.  He turned two last week! G-ma came down to celebrate on Friday.  Then Saturday, we had a few good friends over for some debauchery...  a.k.a. some slip n' slidin' and barbequein'.  I'd include pictures here but I promised no posting of pictures

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-73441365712817801312010-06-23T16:59:00.002-04:002010-06-23T17:06:05.447-04:00

Some Hanging Shallots in My Pantry I just couldn't wait for my shallots to come in this year just to try this delicious recipe for a roasted shallot vinaigrette dressing. Nothing beats fresh, homemade salad dressing.  This particular recipe has only 5 ingredients, olive oil, pan roasted shallots, vinegar and salt and pepper. The simplest recipes are almost always the best.  Shallots have such a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-70056132257318744282010-06-21T18:41:00.004-04:002010-06-21T22:17:24.659-04:00

So, in my previous post I thought the potatoes were dead but apparently I just lack experience.  I knew they were going to die back eventually but I was thinking this would occur sometime in August, not mid-June.  I had begun to prepare myself for no potato harvest this year.  Dead-looking Potato Plants After some nudging from a garden friend (you know who you are), I quickly referenced  the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-23315456983665009512010-06-20T21:28:00.002-04:002010-10-20T10:56:47.109-04:00

I thought I'd start this update with some family fun.  GreenEyes got in the garden this week to help me pick some green beans.  pic removed It was a scary proposition and he did step on a few plants but he did a good job as helper.  Of course, he loves dirt so we had to bath him twice when the water became so dirty and there was a nice ring around the tub to scrub down afterward. pic removed

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-72835530219718605402010-06-17T14:00:00.001-04:002010-06-17T14:23:56.980-04:00

Well I'll be!  Nick found this wild blueberry bush in our woods.  Crazy.  This little bush tells me that if I can't get the blueberries to work in our yard than there is something wrong with my gardening. In a way, it's taunting me.  This is just today's harvest!  I think it may be the last of the purple cauliflower and the broccoli though.  We have two more purple cauliflower plants out there

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-77385675884553973602010-06-13T20:33:00.002-04:002010-06-13T20:51:22.571-04:00

A lot has happened in our garden last week.  As mentioned in the previous post our blueberries are starting to ripen.  Our bushes aren't very large as they have just been planted this year but we've been able to get 5 to 8 berries a day.  Next year will be the true test of whether or not they will work where we've placed them. Our wild blackberries are starting to turn black.  I'm so excited

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-17136447720130332922010-06-13T19:31:00.002-04:002010-10-20T12:28:55.711-04:00

Well, it's been another fabulous summer weekend here.  I had noticed that our own blueberry bushes were starting to turn ripe so I called the local patch and it turned out they were already past peak season!  So, we headed out Saturday morning at the crack of dawn to pick some of the last ripe blueberries and some raspberries at the nearby patch. pics removed This was the first year GreenEyes

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-23351200934500364492010-06-11T19:02:00.002-04:002010-06-11T19:09:56.901-04:00

The vegetables overfloweth!  Tonight we ate our 1st purple cauliflower.  Sadly, there are only 4 more in the garden.  I'm almost tempted to spring for purple cauliflower seeds (Graffitti) online and have them shipped.  Picked This Morning!We ate a couple florets raw and they were fabulous but we ended up lightly steaming a broccoli-cauliflower medley for dinner. I served it with some

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-91295931563188630562010-06-07T11:05:00.001-04:002010-06-07T11:09:43.277-04:00

Picked this today out of the garden.... Peas, broccoli, patty pan, and zukes.  We are still getting mesclun mix too!  So exciting!!!

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-51629723208017450382010-06-06T14:32:00.004-04:002010-06-07T10:56:58.447-04:00

I made a controversial decision today and ripped out all but one of our pumpkin plants.  We had 6 plants in the garden and even the one I left may die because I still had to obliterate parts of it entangled in the other plants.  My husband and kids love pumpkins and I do too but they were on their way to COMPLETE GARDEN DOMINATION and had started to climb my tomatoes and green beans. I simply

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-74023394808090784412010-06-02T08:56:00.006-04:002010-06-02T09:13:54.068-04:00

I read somewhere that you should take off ripened peas as soon as possible to allow the rest of the peas to ripen.  I found this on some obscure forum, like Yahoo answers or something so I don't know how true it is.  I figured it couldn't hurt so I got to pickin' yesterday and we enjoyed our first batch of peas last night along with mesclun mix salad and broccoli.  Good eats! Shelling peas is a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-90389012027162199262010-05-31T14:22:00.001-04:002010-10-20T11:01:03.817-04:00

I really, really didn't want to do our long run this weekend, but I finally ran out of excuses today.  First, it was rainy all day Saturday and then Sunday we just *had* to go to cherry picking.  Well enough was enough come Monday, so we got up early and hit the road.  We hoped the early run would help us escape the heat and humidity.  I hate to even imagine what it would have been like if we

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-50983651724442298462010-05-30T21:02:00.001-04:002010-05-30T21:28:37.694-04:00

So, according to my insane nifty plan I need to start my broccoli and cauliflower seedlings sometime soon if I want a fall harvest.  Pretty much all of the plants I grew from seed this Spring did not grow as strong as I wanted (with the exception of the squash) thanks to a lack of light.  As such, I had Nick build me a set up similar to Feet Off the Table's in our crawl space.  Just like Ali, I'm

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-64973862374738775622010-05-30T19:54:00.001-04:002010-10-20T11:03:32.049-04:00

Apparently cherry picking season started last weekend here.  The season is only expected to last another two weeks so it was a perfect excuse to get out today and enjoy some of this humid, hot weather we are having.    I don't mind excessive sweating or even greasy sunscreen running into my eyes.  I love the hot weather and I LOVE SUMMER!!! Road Leading to the Orchard pic removed Greeneyes

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-72821878752694016932010-05-24T19:27:00.006-04:002010-10-20T11:04:54.884-04:00

Life is delicious these days at Out in Them Sticks, that's for sure!  We harvested a bunch of broccoli today. Between the broccoli and the salad greens we haven't had the need for many grocery store vegetables lately! pic removed Home Grown broccoli is milder/sweeter in flavor than grocery store versions and absolutely fabulous !  Below are 3 broccoli heads I harvested today.  We have at least

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-24367260997450562602010-05-23T21:54:00.002-04:002010-10-20T11:05:45.962-04:00

We didn't have a lot of sunshine time this weekend but when we did we were outside.  We managed to fit both a long run in (10 miles) and a little leisurely biking despite the on and off showers. pic removed I also stuffed myself with an unbelievable amount of strawberries.  You wouldn't belive how many strawberries didn't make it to the bowl! 

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-42966192998172379042010-05-23T21:29:00.004-04:002010-05-23T22:09:53.683-04:00

We have been getting a lot of intermittent rain showers recently so it has been a bit of a lazy week as it's been too soggy to do much gardening.  It's been great for the broccoli so we harvested our first couple plants this week and it was delicious.  We have plenty more too.  We are thrilled! The peas have been going crazy and started to crowd out the parsnips so we had to do something.  Nick

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-4734651969343827912010-05-22T23:09:00.004-04:002010-10-20T11:07:13.025-04:00

Per our last post, we've been coping with the loss of oven function.  It's been rough but we've been surviving by doing a hell of a lot of grilling....  OK, so maybe it hasn't been so rough.  Nick has been doing all the cooking the last day or so and I've been enjoying a nice break.  Nick must have gotten tired of it quickly though because as of today we no longer have an oven issue.  I had

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-57879443499610230212010-05-18T19:24:00.005-04:002010-05-18T20:18:44.427-04:00

I'd like to preface this post by mentioning that Nick used to work in a frozen pizza factory when he was in high school.  He wanted me to let you all know that little factoid, in case you already didn't (he only mentions this as every opportunity given to him). As you may remember in previous posts, I'm a bit of coupon freak and I've been able to get Tombstone pizzas for around $.50 or less a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-63610474961800078272010-05-17T06:41:00.001-04:002010-05-17T06:52:53.173-04:00

It's Monday and you know what that means: it's time for Monday Garden Club at Feet off the Table! We've been enjoying salad greens for some time now.  My favorite greens to grow are musclun mix (i.e. a rainbow of everything).  The flavor is phenomenal and they are so easy to grow.  I do think greens season is coming to an end here but I am going to sow two more short rows tomorrow for

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-64946965896640630532010-05-16T16:49:00.010-04:002010-10-20T11:10:28.724-04:00

It's been a packed weekend here at Out in Them Sticks.  The garden chores would have to wait until the work week because we had big plans! Saturday we went for a wonderful hike on a portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT). pic removed Nick and Ladybug on the AT It was just one of those days that would be a sin if you weren't outside.  We hiked up to a small overlook and had a small picnic lunch

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-52465160971833896502010-05-14T11:25:00.011-04:002010-10-20T11:11:38.577-04:00

Nick mentioned to me last week that he needed to take a business trip up north for a conference.  It was located at a drivable location so I had the option of actually attending this time.  It took me a millisecond to weigh this decision:   Option A:  Stay at home in isolation with two little terrors OR Option B: Hang out in a hotel for a week of no dishes, no garden chores, no kiddos to

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-58457876003031195232010-05-09T20:31:00.015-04:002010-05-11T21:04:34.139-04:00

As you may have seen in yesterday's post, we are done with the landscaping around our house and we couldn't be more thrilled. It was the most amazing mother's day present to have it DONE!!! On Mother's Day we actually found the down time to do a long run (9 miles) as well as do some tiding up.As for a Garden Update, we have a lot to report. First, we have broccoli people! No, not enough to

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-78204562943735854122010-05-08T15:23:00.006-04:002010-05-08T16:13:35.454-04:00

We've come a long way in the the last two years. Whereas, once you only saw the side of the house when you got to the driveway, this is what you see now: a lot of gorgeous forest surrounding our humble home.When we bought the house it had absolutely no landscaping, just grass and weeds.Now we have just enough landscaping to make it feel like home. Everything looks small right now but in time

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-32292254176429515852010-05-07T23:11:00.010-04:002010-05-08T00:26:10.495-04:00

My life revolves around food. I pretty much go to bed and wake up thinking about it so my favorite part of gardening is letting my inner foodie get its fix without breaking the bank.The key to a indulgent, varied, and flavorful harvest are great seeds. There are so many awesome seed companies on the web, it is a little overwhelming to a newbie such as myself! Last year we mostly ordered from

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-50765272936139075492010-05-02T19:33:00.018-04:002010-05-03T13:57:26.703-04:00

I'm really busy on Monday mornings so these posts may have to come Sunday night.We were elbow deep in dirt all the weekend getting in our landscaping. I wish I could say we are done, but we still have quite a bit of groundcover plants to get in the ground. I love the outdoors so anytime spent outside is a real joy but I have to admit, I spent more than just a few moments fantasizing about

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-15541059034996937002010-05-01T12:34:00.010-04:002010-05-05T12:53:58.025-04:00

First, I apologize for the boring nature of this post, but I am enthused mom and can't help myself.I am very pleased to announce that GreenEyes has made it 3 days without diapers (with the exception of course to sleeping hours)!!! After several weeks of repeated Potty Power DVD watching, he started showing some initiative (i.e. ripping off his diaper and sitting on the potty on his own). The

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-80714401909054588842010-04-27T20:00:00.006-04:002010-10-20T11:16:12.394-04:00

The kids like to get a hold of my glasses when I'm not looking and break them just about as soon as I get them home so I decided to find some cheap pairs of their own to wear instead. I found these at the dollar spot at Target. Funny how long we have had these glasses. My last pair lasted all of 5 minutes. We've had these for two weeks and counting! pic removed

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-66427048776176590022010-04-25T19:03:00.022-04:002010-04-25T21:58:25.091-04:00

For a little background on our site improvement projects you can check out these posts here, here, here, and here.Nick using the loader.We poured our hearts out this weekend getting our yard screened in and things are really starting to take shape. I ordered 12 large pine trees last week from a local wholesale nursery and had them delivered on Friday to fill in the wide swath of forest the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-23884270377953954302010-04-19T02:38:00.016-04:002010-04-19T16:56:18.186-04:00

There is so much to report this week!I'm happy to say that Spring has indeed sprung here and the trees are beautiful and green. I think the foliage arrival occurred earlier than usual thanks to our 90 degree weather a few weeks ago. Most everything started to come out big time last week but now all but the Oaks are holding out. It's good to see everything out of dormancy again!Yay! (taken

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-70522722590096766502010-04-17T18:29:00.007-04:002010-04-17T20:22:58.852-04:00

Nick left out some sewing needles he had used to sew a button on his shirt. It was not one of his best parental moments. Anyway, you can imagine my surprise when I found Ladybug doing this to her beloved babydoll. Poor babydoll.

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-73444982729993334282010-04-14T17:04:00.027-04:002010-05-12T09:57:25.334-04:00

Earthbound Farms is giving away their reusable bags again in honor of Earth Day, April 22. They are giving them away all throughout the month and lucky me, I just won a bag. I won one last year also (it's not difficult).I loved it so much that even when the handle broke because a special grocery employee put one too many 2-liters in the bag, I took the time to sew the handle back on. I felt so

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-11419500395954281192010-04-12T09:48:00.014-04:002010-04-13T13:28:02.312-04:00

I'm in bit of a daze today. I'm still under the weather and a little loopy on cold medication. At one point this morning I thought I was about to lose it. Tired, sleep deprived and aching to the core, my kids got into their closet for the 40th time and had taken every single piece of clothing out of it while I made breakfast. Really kids?! I just don't have any energy for this sh*t today!?!!

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-24111791214790144452010-04-11T20:58:00.016-04:002010-04-12T05:43:06.907-04:00

Isn't it ironic that when you need sleep the most, it's the most elusive? Everyone in our family came down with a nasty cold this weekend. My kids are miserable and I can't seem to sleep myself. So, here I am, up at 5 in the morning waiting for the sun to come up.Despite how terrible I feel, I'm am just loving that there is so much going so early this year in the garden. It's nice to be a

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-62842211967308390952010-04-09T13:03:00.008-04:002010-10-20T11:21:23.294-04:00

Above are some of the grape hyacinths (Muscari) that I planted in late October. Unfortunately, they look tortured because Nick tilled over them this Spring when we were trying to clear the beds for some foundation planting later this month. I tried to save what I could but they aren't what they were. I think my friend Ali can sympathize. Such is life... or well intentioned men, lol. :)

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-50530318897040989172010-04-06T09:25:00.006-04:002010-10-20T11:22:02.323-04:00

Nong, my brother's wife, made Ladybug a beautiful traditional Thai outfit that we received at the end of the season last year. It was a little too cool at the time to use it so I had to stash it in the closet until warm weather was upon us again. With the temps in the low 90's, it was time to get it out! I have to say, she looks adorable!! pic removed Ladybug in her traditional Thai outfit

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-5071350722729818492010-04-05T07:29:00.011-04:002010-04-05T22:05:48.516-04:00

Amazingly there is a lot to report. The asparagus has sprung out of the ground. I highlighted it with some fancy Photoshop tricks for your pleasure. I assure you, it is even more amazing in person. Ta-da!We buried the spears a couple inches deeper this weekend. Apparently, we are supposed to do this every 2 to 3 weeks until we fill a 6" trench. The deeper you bury asparagus the thicker the

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-8024150685555784062010-04-04T09:59:00.021-04:002010-10-20T11:24:40.987-04:00

Below are the pics of our Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday as promised in the last post. Words can not express how tired and sore we were that day but we managed. G-ma was limping along as well as she was nursing a leg injury. It was a good thing we had a 3 to 2 adult-kid ratio that day to keep up with the kiddos! pics removed After that we took a brief siesta and then got dressed up for dinner

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-6036001444665441722010-04-03T22:07:00.009-04:002010-10-20T11:25:16.563-04:00

Above: Easter egg coloring we accomplished earlier this week What a glorious day!! I'm happy to report that Nick and I finished our 10 Miler. Nick did really well again achieving a 8:00 minute mile pace. He said he felt like he was going to puke at mile 3 but managed to overcome it and hit it hard the rest of the way. I wish I was such a masochist, but alas, I am not. I did not push myself

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-63340431227389501852010-03-30T11:07:00.011-04:002010-10-20T11:26:33.358-04:00

So, last week I was a little obsessive about what we were going to plant and when. All the planting times were jumping around in my head and I couldn't stand it. I had to get it on paper, so I did. Personally, I'd rather have put it in Microsoft Project but I don't have that software on my home computer so this will have to do. When my husband looked at it, he said, "Congratulations on making

Out in Them Stickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632500899922541593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629154873236211841.post-76704226119715005572010-03-23T08:27:00.019-04:002010-10-20T11:28:13.073-04:00

I haven't felt like doing a lot of posting lately. Winter was especially wicked this year and I just haven't been up it. That is not to say that we haven't been hard at work. We've been busy training for our Half Marathon that we completed last week (adding a full five minutes onto last year's time, lol... but a lack of training thanks to bad weather will do that). We've also been hard at

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