Random Blathering Fall 2013

The beginning of the school year is busy.  I love it, but I almost resent it, as I have a hard time letting my boy being away from me all day.  Also, I feel like the days fly by, and I am making an effort to simplify everything I can.  Oh, and I have to eat breakfast or I am a monster by noon.   (Any of you that know me in person, know this to be very true!)  

One great success I had was making mini quiches, freezing them, and heating them for ONE MINUTE in the microwave.  I can't believe how yummy they are, and they have made life easier.  There are a variety of recipes online but basically this is what I did.

1.  Take Store bought pie crust.  Use a biscuit cutter/circle cookie cutter to cut dough.  Put in mini muffin tin with Pampered Chef minitart maker.  

2.  Mix up eggs, milk, salt, pepper. You can add basil, garlic, whatever. 

3.  Add ham, peppers, shredded cheese, whatever you want.  (Make sure bits are pretty small).

4.  Use a measuring cup with a spout and pour some in each pie crust in the muffin tin.

5.  Bake until done.  

6.  Let cool to room temp.  Put on cookie sheet and freeze.  When solid, through in ziploc.  

7.  To reheat, put on plate, microwave 3 for one minute.  

8.  Eat!

Here is my coffee bar for fall.  Another thing I am going to do for fall is to NOT buy any additional coffee or tea for as long as I can.  I need to use up my stash, and I hope to use it all before we move again. 

I need to clean and organize my craft space...  However, every time I go in there, I end up starting to make something, rather than cleaning.

Have you ever used your vegetable steamer to make boiled eggs?  It works great!! I have been doing this for Tate to have a little protein before going to tennis class. 

And I have also been baking a lot.  I get a daily request from my Little-Ms.-Sunshine!

Lastly, go to crockingirls.com.  They have sooo many great recipes and have made my life easier by using the crockpot.  My recent fave was http://crockingirls.com/recipes/quesadilla-casserole/.  It was amazing. I made quesadillas for the kids, since it was a bit spicy, and I used ground chicken and topped with avocado.

Project 52? How about Project 24 instead?

Soooooo I didn't make it to 52 Projects.  I tried.  But with the move and travel, and I guess, just LIFE, that was as many things as I could make.  It was fun, and I liked having a little goal so that I would actually attempt to set aside time to craft.

And I hope to do that this year as well.  (My year begins with the school year:)

However, I will change the format and I think I am going to set aside one night to make whatever I want.  Tuesdays have always been good for me, since I am not as tired as later in the week and well, it isn't Monday.    I won't focus on the number of things completed, but more so just enjoy the experience.  And if I make nothing, but set that night aside to just rejuvenate, well, that works, too.

I think I will start tonight with organizing my craft area...

Last Day of Summer Vacation 2013

We have had fun, and really, I don't want it to end.  But tomorrow, Tate goes back to school.  It is a new school for him, and it is just a few blocks away.  I am ready for the routine, and to meet new people, but I am used to having Tate with us daily. 

We've done a few projects this weekend that the kids loved. 

Firstly, I put out a set of watercolor paints for each kid, a spray bottle, good brushes, watercolor paper, and salt.  The salt leaves a really cool texture when you put it on the paint when it is still wet.  It absorbs a bit of the color, leaving behind beautiful patterns.  

I bought Model Magic for the first time, (Michaels had a deal!) and we pulled out all of the playdoh toys to use with it.  I couldn't stop squishing it!

Soleil will have a hard time when Tate goes back to school.  She does every holiday break, and she asks and asks for him.  I got a few things for her, and have them in her backpack for morning.  Also (not pictured) I found every book we own about school and put it in a little basket for her.

 I set out what I could to make breakfast easier.

We boiled eggs in the steamer (it works great!) for morning.  I would say for the week, but Tate goes through about 3 eggs in a sitting.

I hung garland in the main living area for the kids to see when they come to breakfast in the morning.

And lastly, I took the time to program my Keurig, probably the most important task!