Catch-up Pics

"Look Mom, a 't'" - Good job kiddo!

E loves the turtles @ the Duluth Aquarium

"Fishing" in the canoe

Jellyfish!

Welcome home Gramma & Papa!

Learning to criss-cross & sugar PB cookies

Goodland Days

Grandparents are Fun

Tuckered out after spending a night w/ Gramma & Grandpa Ely. 

Welcome Home Gramma & Papa

 

 

 

April 28th

For my Dad's 66th bday

I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N

Elizabeth & I were singing the other day to a CD & when we got to the part in the song that goes "I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N" my sweetie lets out a hearty "amen!" These are just the little things that makes being a Mom so worthwhile. PTL & Amen!

Pumpkin muffins

Ingredients
2 egg whites or 1 egg
1 tablespoon light margarine, or 1 1⁄2 teaspoons margarine + 1 1⁄2 teaspoons water
3⁄4 cup + 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pumpkin
2⁄3 cup brown sugar
3⁄4 cup skim milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg
1⁄2 cup raisins (optional)
Cooking spray

Preparations

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, light margarine, pumpkin, sugar, and milk.
In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until blended. Fold in raisins, if desired.
Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
Serving suggestion
Serve with creamy orange spread: Mix fat-free cream cheese, orange marmalade, and powdered sugar to taste.

Nutrient analysis per serving
169 calories
36 grams carbohydrate
4 grams protein
1 gram fat

Snow, & lots of it, April 18th

Getting LOTS of snow tonight. Not sure how much & it changes depending on which station you watch. And having furnace/chimney problems to boot. David is on the mission of fixing it tonight.
"Auntie Em, Auntie Em it's a ... Blizzard?"

"Spring" photos

Since spring is going to take its time getting here w/ snow every other day, we're making our own fun regardless.

Swimming

Elizabeth got her first taste of swimming @ auntie's going-away party and has been asking to go again ever since. So we went to open pool night and she was just in her glory. It was tough leaving, but pregnant mommy was pooped out holding up a squirming 2 y.o. after a while. Elizabeth's new favorite phrase is, "I do it myself." Looking forward to going again next wk.

Bacon-Wrapped Maple Glazed Pork Loin - WOW! AMAZING!

Front Room Construction

Looking NW, before construction, living room

Looking SW

2013: Entire project took a little less than the month of March. Hired a great contractor and great carpet guys.  Highly recommend both.  Still doing little touch ups here & there, but am very satisfied. Very cozy & glad we sacrificed to do this project before baby came.

Office, no closet

Mid-construction, demo phase, & baby bump pic

Yea! We now have an office closet

Replaced linoleum w/ tile and expanded it to bigger entry way.

Skip ahead 3 wks: bigger closet, new closet, new ceiling, start painting

Supervisor hard @ work

Break time, "good roads" w/o carpet

A little something for the carpet guys

Ahh, finished. New office, front room, & hallway leading to bedrooms

Pretty

New closet in office w/ pretty bi-fold doors

Happy Easter!

Easter was spent @ Grandma & Papa's. No outdoor egg hunting this year but we had good fun indoors w/ dyeing eggs, playing games, & celebrating Christ's resurrection.

Winter pics

Pics I wanted to post before I forget to journal.

March 22nd

In celebration of my 5th anniversary as a Catholic, & for our new Pope, here's one of my favorite prayers; as it is also the patron saint of my workplace.

Intercessory Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

My Angel's Angel

Gluten-free muffins

Hearty muffins w/ dried fruit (GF)
1 c. Oatmeal mixed w/ 1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. GF flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. salt
1.5 t. xanthan gum
1/4 - 1/2 c. raisins
1/4 - 1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 c. Buttermilk
1/4 c. Canola oil
2 t. Vanilla

Mix. Let rest 10 min. Grease or paper muffin tins. Bake @ 375 20-25 min.
And as you can see, my biggest critic loves them. (Can also add dates or nuts. But since I'm allergic I just double up in the fruit. )