Dirty Talk

I think it's about time this blog got a little dirty.

Because I am that kind of mom.

{See Below}

And just in case your mind was filtering to something TOTALLY dirty...

let me just get to the point!

My dear boy found himself a mudhole in our backyard today and proceeded to jump and splash in it like it was his evening bath. He was giggling. And it made me giggle.

I didn't even squirm as he laid back to dip his hair in it.

Instead I grabbed my camera and cheered him on.

Because I am that mom.

Getting down and dirty.

Because you are only a two year old boy once.

Love you Nolan!

Easter Weekend

Attention: Late post ahead!


Did everyone else have a good Easter weekend?

Because ours was just delightful.

We spent Saturday outside.

And most of Sunday as well.

Saturday we planted some much needed plants in the {very naked} bed in front of the house.

And some on the side of the house, since we stripped the old plants there too.

There was no sort of vegetation when we moved here last July.

The previous owners didn't do a thing.

We have actually done more in one spring than they did in the entire ten years that they lived here.

Which sucks for us because that means we have:

1} Spent way too much money on trees and plants and

2} will not see the return for years.

But back to Saturday.
The sunshine was a nice change from the gloomy gray we have been seeing. I met the hub at Lowes and loaded a flat bed cart with ornamental fescue grasses, red peony plants, curly grasses, boxwoods, juniper, and a weathered red planter box for the front porch. We made a couple stops on the way home {steak and shake for afternoon milkshakes, the pet store to play with puppies, and grandma deb's playground so the kids could burn some of their neverending energy} so we didn't get started until after 5pm.

But within just a couple hours, the whole front of the house was transformed.

It still needs some board and batton shudders and I would like to put some architectural details at the peaks. But it is surely making a turn for the better.
Not so bare now.
Or boring.
But I won't post a pic until we stuff the beds full of chocolate mulch, because it looks rather country right now with the grass as the landscape bed.
More like random plantings at a foreclosed house, if I am being completely honest.

Easter Sunday we did not go to church. We woke up later than planned and had to be to brunch with the hubs family by 11:30. It just wasn't going to happen for us. I didn't even attempt it.
But, I was bummed. Because I love the Easter service!

My Lord Jesus has Risen!

There's a loud organ playing.

Everyone is dressed up {those cute little old ladies in their hugely adorned hats and the kids in their Sunday best are my favorite}.

People are just jovial.

Plusthere is usually a good meal afterwards {and of course enough candy to hold you over until Halloween... errr May 1st}.

The kiddos certainly got Easter baskets filled with candy and cute little Easter toys and even a cool $2 bill from the hubs parents.
And they found eggs up at the lake with their cousins. Nolan was a champion at finding tough ones.

Then we ate at Portside pizza with grandma Sweetie Pie, The Bills's, Memaw, and Uncle Nate before driving home.
It had been a long day. But somehow the children managed to keep their eyes open as we crept up the driveway at 9pm. What?!
Then the calamity of the evening fell upon me and I made them go to bed. I was busted. Broken. Tired.

And here is where I bid you ado...

 

#17 Make Bread from Scratch

Crusty French Bread?

Why, yes please!

This adorable little baguette {actually yielded two of them} with her perfect little golden top and chewy warm center was the perfect touch to our Sunday evening meal with the hubs parents.

And, I am pretty proud to say that it didn't come out of a quick bread box.

I didn't throw a couple ingredients into a bread machine and push a button.

I didn't drive to the grocery and pick this up in the bakery.

That's right Sandra Lee. You, semi homemade starlet, you...

I, myself opened a bag of all purpose flour, a package of yeast and carefully added salt and water to my mixing bowl.

I greased a seperate bowl and let the dough rise for an hour and then rolled it out and cut it into two loaves.

I scored the top and brushed an egg wash over them.

Then I stalked the oven as it baked for 35 minutes at 425 degrees.

When I pulled it out, I was pleasantly surprised by it's appearance.

It kind of looked like... french bread!

It didn't have that overwhelming bread smell that I kind of expected, so I was too curious to know if it actually tasted like I hoped it would...

And wouldn't you know it!

It tasted great!

It was crusty. With a chewy center. And had a good frenchy taste.

I slapped some butter on it and called the hub in... he took a bite.
Then he gushed at how good it was.
We, along with his parents, ate one whole loaf with dinner last eve!

Nev just ate the butter.

And Nolan doesn't prefer bread unless it is accompanied by turkey and cheese and mayonnaise...

All in all, I would call it an accomplishment.

I had finally made bread... from scratch.

This is how it happened.

1/4C Warm Water

1C Tepid Water

1 Package Instant Yeast (1/4oz)

1t Kosher Salt

3 1/2C All Purpose Flour

1 Egg White Beaten

1T Cornmeal {optional}

1. Add 1/4C Warm water to 1 package of yeast in a small bowl. Let it sit for a couple minutes to activate. {it will start to bubble}

2. Pour the yeast mixture into a mixing bowl. 

3. Add the salt and the tepid water to the mixing bowl.

4. Using a dough hook attachment, slowly add the 3 1/2 C all purpose flour to the mixing bowl and turn on low to medium speed to combine. {when all flour is added you should have a sticky ball of dough}

5. Spray a bowl with cooking spray and put the ball in it. Wrap the top with saran and let it rise for 1 hour.

6. Dust a surface with flour. Roll out the risen dough to about 1/2 in thick. Tuck the ends of the dough inward and jelly roll your loaf. You can decide to make two seperate loaves at this point, or one large one. If you want two loaves simply divide the amount of rolled dough in half and jelly roll them.

7. Sprinkle the cornmeal {optional} onto a cookie sheet and place seam side down. Let it rise for another 30 minutes.

8. Score the top of the bread with a sharp knife by making diagonal cuts across the top of your dough.

9. Take your egg white and beat it lightly. Using a pastry brush, apply the egg white to the top of your scored dough.

10. Bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until you have a nice golden brown top.

Let the bread cool for at least ten minutes before slicing. And, enjoy!

Next on my to do list for breadmaking is an artisan bread with whole wheat flour.

And of course sandwich bread. Will post about my successes as they happen.

{my pizza dough experiments are still a work in progress}

Interested to know what else I have on my 30 before 30? Go here. 

Until next time...

#29 Redo the Master Bath! Okay... just paint.

I spent most of the day today... inside. {gasp!}

I know. The sunshine is radiant. The wind is mild and warm. It is fabulous outside weather.

Until just a moment ago though we have been indoors.

Why you ask?

Because I was beyond tired of going into my bathroom everyday and seeing the half painted walls I did last year.

 They were left a lovely shade of red {something like terra cotta actually}.

They just didn't go with the rest of the house. And I was sick of seeing them. 

So I found a roller and an angled brush and told the kids to make a morning of playing with the explosion of toys that covers our basement floor.

Which quickly turned into a mid afternoon deal.

They fought. They laughed. They played. Then they had nap/quiet time so I could finish painting what I had started this time.

I didn't take a before picture. {you wouldn't have wanted to see it anyway}

But, here's the AFTER:

 Don't mind the mess!

Yeah it's pretty dull.
But it will be a nice bakdrop to the rest of my ideas.
It needs new counters and flooring. Some decor and pictures. New towels. And the brass and chrome fixtures need a coat of paint and some glazing to mellow some of the classiness they exude on a daily basis.

We would really like to tear out the huge tub we never use and make a gloriously huge walk in tile shower {you know the kind you can literally have a party in}... but I don't know if that will ever happen along with adding a window.
Big ideas.
Little time and money to actually do them all.
I guess I can't cross it off the 30 before 30 just yet, but at least I have started {and finished} something.

So that's what goes down on a Wednesday when the sun is brilliantly shining outside.
Off to bask in it's glory now.

Christmas is officially over...

Yup. The Christmas lights are down!

{insert clapping... or gagging as you feel fit}

The three strands of LED lights that adorned our roofline have been wrapped neatly on their spool and put back into the Christmas box as of April the 10th, 2011. Although we have yet to put the box into the attic, they are at least out of sight as far as the neighbors go.

{we realized it was probably necessary since they just put their house on the market}

I also kind of realized, as I climbed up the extension ladder and tried getting some grip in my Addidas shoes on the very gritty/grainy/slippery surface that was the roof, that maybe it wasn't a good idea to nudge the hubby to decorate our house like a gingerbread last year.

I remember him telling me back in November that it was a lot steeper than even he thought, but I really had no idea how steep the roof was until I crept up the ladder and took that first step on it myself.

I instantly got that weak in the knees feeling like I was going to have some major ass rash from sliding to my death off this thing if I made one wrong move.

My perspiring hands tried to grip anything that felt sturdy.

My feet felt heavy.

{my shoes were caked with mud from putting raspberries and blueberries in the ground earlier} 

I carefully undid four light clips.

Then the hub saw I had gotten up there.

And I got down.

I decided to let him finish pulling the lights off from the ground. {so wise, isn't he?} 

Couple things were learned today:

1. We might be white trash.

2. I do not have any reason to ever get on our roof ever again.

3. The Christmas lights may or may not be necessary for next year.

4. My hub is a macho man.

5. We can now officially welcome spring!

Thinking some board and batten shudders and flower window boxes will soon be a project I will be happy to cross off my to do list. Along with some heavy duty garage reorganizing.

Looking forward to warmer days ahead.

Until next time...

#3 Visit Key West as a Family

I am excited to blog about another 30 Before 30!
This past week I got to visit the beloved Keys again!
As a family.

December 2007 was the last time we took a real {one week or longer} vacation. And it was the last time we had been to Key West in fact. I was five months pregnant with Nolan. The hub and I went down with my whole family and rang in 2008 with about 500,000 {probably more} other people on Duval Street.

Our recent trip went something like this:

Venture Out.
The freshwater hose.
Rock throwing.
Corona Light with Lime.
Spearfishing.
Blimp Road.
Superman Car.
Sand Angels.
Lost Luggage.
Baby.
First Takeoff.
Sunburns.
Granny Glasses.
Fogarty's.
Duval Street.
Flip Flops.
The beach.
Ocean breeze.
No air conditioning.
No paper towels, beach towels, soap...
Hogfish.
Snorkeling.
Flashlight police.
Swimming in the ocean.
Seven Mile Bridge.
Pop a squat.
Taco Bell cravings.
Key Deer.
Security.
Bahia Honda Beach.
Mallory Square.
Getting kicked out of the pool.
Random Dance Party.
Candy Raids.
Sweaty Cheeks.
Airport food.
10 MPH.
Peel and Eat Shrimp.
Storm watching.
Overflow parking.
Butler Basketball.
Apples.
Mad face.
Geiger BBQ.
Mangroves.
6am flight home.
OHare.
Turbulence.
Home again. Home again. Jiggity jig!

And that's how a fabulous family vacation goes down in the history books folks.
Something I will treasure for as long as I live.

Here are just a few of my favorite pics.

Until next time...