Monday, September 14, 2009

Birth Announcement


I sent this out last night.  I LOVE photoshop.  I also LOVE email, and digital stuff.  Sure it's no in your hand announcement... but it's created and sent.  More than I can say for Jocelyn's birth announcement.  FYI on that... I'll probably make it this week and post it here... she'll never know her mom procrastinated that one for 3 1/2 years... oops!


How to make Pepper Spray.


We have a bounteous garden this year.  I'm getting SUCH satisfaction from harvesting and canning anything I can.  One of the wonderful items that has far exceeded our expectations is the three little jalapeno plants that almost died in the last frost.  Instead of dying though... they thrived.  This would be such an amazing thing if I could actually eat any.  Turns out (when nursing) hot flavors travel through your milk where they reek havoc on poor babies tummies... not to mention the funny flavor going down.  You should have seen Lenore gaging and spitting. Well, since I'm not touching the things, Ben's been left to his own accord to consume the lot.

So on Saturday the kids decide to have a potato bar, complete with all the fixings.  Ben thinks at this point "hey, I'm gunna fry me up some peppers".  He cuts out the seeds (because he discovered for the first time recently that these are the HOTest part lol...) and thinking he's avoided all evil, he plops his jalapenos into the very hot oil waiting in the pan.  Ever heard of dry roasting??  Ever heard of pepper spray?? well let's just say, one avoids the other.  Before long that pepper had aerosolized all over the house and we had a lovely dinner on the lawn.

It was really quite funny.  Ben started hacking in the kitchen... then Tanner comes down and starts coughing.... then Rylie....  when Jocelyn joined in I must admit I was getting irritated.  I thought they were all just copying him (as they sometimes do) and I was worried they would wake the baby who was sleeping near bye.  Well when I got up (from a near bye room that wasn't effected yet) to go give them all a piece of my mind, it hit me too.  It's hard to even describe... but I know all my less than law abiding friends out there know exactly what I'm talking about.  It's a blast of nasty strait to the throat that makes you cough somthin' fierce.

So... there you have it.  How to make pepper spray.... bottling the stuff for your late night inner city walks.... ???  you've got me.  That will be another post for another day.  I'm pretty sure you can't use a hot bath... maybe the sturdy pressure canner?  lol

Oh, I almost forgot.  A funny side note.  Ben put this small bowl outside on the grass while we were eating... you know so the house could air out and all.  Well, in the middle of dinner he tells the kiddos.. "be sure you put on some veggies".  No one notices as Jocelyn grabs the bowl off the grass and dumps a big spoonful on top of her potato.  Soon we hear shrieks of hot, hot, toooooo spicy!!!  Luckily we had a tub of yogurt on hand that did the trick.  Of course, this just made Rylie and Tanner want to try a bite, after all if Jocelyn could do it so could they.  Secretly I know they just wanted some yogurt though.


Sunday, September 13, 2009

Blessing Day





I can hardly believe it's been a week already.  On Sept. 6th our little Lenore Eileen Marchant was blessed.  Ben's dad and step-mom Laurie as well as his Mom were able to make it.  We also had his two sister's Maggie and Helen and his brother Geoff with us.  We were so glad to have all the family in town to see Lenore.  Sunday we had a big lunch... how happy was I to use up a few of those cucumbers that have been running us out of house and home.  It's finally feeling like we're getting settled into our little spot on earth.  I think I must just be turning into a homebody... but it's just so reassuring to know we won't be moving "again" anytime soon.  I'll actually be able to watch the fruit trees grow... 

Here's a few highlights of the day.  I actually made her dress (no, I'm not usually a sewer...) and I knitted her booties.  Those booties are my new favorite pattern and if anyone ever needs a pair let me know, and I'd be happy to oblige... (yes, I'm an avid knitter)


Friday, September 11, 2009

She's a keeper all right!


Lenore Eileen Marchant






Sleeping Beauty

Jocelyn is our little Sleeping Beauty.

Lately Joce has been falling asleep in the middle of the day.  She must be going through quite the growth spurt (something long in coming) and it seems to be taking a lot out of her.  I'm wishing that we had taken a picture of all the events... but really the list is getting longer every day, and that would be too many pictures.  Usually she succumbs to the exhaustion in the midst of being shy and hiding when someone comes by for a visit that she doesn't know very well.  This is unbelievably cute *AFTER* we've spent 30 min or so searching for her.  During which time my postpartum paranoia has already pictured dredging her out of the deep canal that runs through our back yard.... it's just what happens to me now a days.  The saddest occurrence was when Ben and I went out the other night and the kids had a sitter.  I know she hadn't been there long because Rylie and Tanner had just seen her in her room, but when I found her.... she was wedged between the shower and the toilet in the master bath with her pants at her ankles, fast asleep.  Apparently she had wet herself and didn't want to show the babysitter.  Besides that time (which was kind of sad to come upon) we've gotten quite a kick out of her "hiding" aka napping spots.  I also can breath easy knowing that if anything this child is consistent and she sticks to 4 or 5 spots which I regularly check first now... instead of the canal.






Morning Moo does not a good yogurt make.

Well, I was hopeful, but alas, you can not take morning moo (a dry milk) mix in a little cream and have a good concoction for making yogurt.  The other day my friend Whitney tipped me off to a wonderful website:


The lady who created this site spent entire year of 2008 cooking a different dish in her crock-pot.  One of these recipes was for yogurt.  I LOVED finding this because I've been eyeing a yogurt maker for quite some time.  BUT! if there's a way to avoid adding yet another appliance to my cupboard, I'LL TAKE IT!  Here's the link to the actual post:


I'll be trying this again very soon with the CORRECT ingredients.  Wish me LUCK!

yummmmm.... fresh yogurt with home made jam!  I can't wait!!!