Announcement!

I have news.  No, I’m not pregnant.

We are moving!

Things are moving along to the status of ‘official’ and I thought now would be a good time to tell everyone that we have sold our house.  I’ll be taking some time off at the end of this month for the move, so if you’re wanting to order for Mother’s day, please do so as soon as possible.

Our little story:

Less than 2 weeks ago, we got the phone call that an offer we had made on a new home was accepted.  We had made an offer with a 10 day contingency to sell our house.  10 days!  Freak out mode began for me just 12 days ago.  If you would have been around me the Friday before last, you would have seen a frazzled, excited, hyper, stressed woman.  We ‘staged’ our house in less than 12 hours, listed the house within 24 hours, had 7 people want to see it the first day, a ‘For Sale’ sign and 2 offers by the 2nd day.   We accepted the best offer the next day and just finished up the inspection last week and the appraisal yesterday. Whew!  That’s a lot of information in once sentence, isn’t it?

We had been semi-looking for a new home for a little while but really thought we would do this within a year or two.  But, after seeing our future home, we thought, ‘Hey, why not make an offer and try?’.  And now we are looking at closing dates and moving boxes.  It’s all happening so fast and part of me is excited I haven’t had too much time to think about this move.  We are thrilled to be going where we are going yet sad to leave our neighbors and friends.  This house was our first house, the only house our babies know.   The memories here are wonderful.  The work we’ve put into the house has been a very rewarding experience and we are sad to leave, but excited for change.

I have two really busy seasons with my work.  One’s at Christmas and the other is happening right now.  Not sure what I was thinking moving during this time of year but we believe this was all meant to be.  I will be putting my shop on vacation for the move and plan on re-opening shop once I have internet and have unpacked my work boxes.  Our new house will have a proper office for me, which I couldn’t be more excited about!  No more working under the stairs!  Yippee!

So, if you’re wanting to order for Mother’s day, I highly encourage you to do so now.  This week or next week at the latest.  After that, I’m not sure I can guarantee you’ll see your gifts arrive before Mother’s day.  You can stay up to date on our move on my Facebook page if you would like and I’ll try to update my last day to accept Mother’s day orders on there.

Easter

Happy ‘late’ Easter!

 

Easter Egg hunting was fun.  Picture taking/posing for little ones…not as much.  Hank wasn’t a fan of me telling him to say ‘cheese’ over and over again.

But Jack was all about smiling while looking for those Easter eggs.

 

And as for the whippet…she was busy working on her tan.  Warm, sunny days are her favorite.

Hope everyone had a beautiful weekend and Easter!

 

 

Irish beef stew with Guiness broth

It’s that time of the year.  The most wonderful time of the year.  Time for some of our favorite foods.  I made Irish beef stew with Guiness broth last night and it was delish.  I’ve only been making it a couple months but have made it at least 5 times this year already.  Apparently we don’t need it to be St. Patty’s day around here to eat Irish.  So, if you’re looking for a new recipe to try this week, give this a whirl.  Your man will thank me you.

Irish Beef Stew with Guiness Broth

1-2 lbs. beef (cut in larger chunks)

4-6 carrots – cut in 1″ slices

1 large onion – diced largely

Minced garlic

1 bottle/can Guiness stout

2 cups beef broth

Rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, oregano…whatever you have that’s ‘stewy’ in your cabinet

Potatoes (any mashed recipe will do)

How to make

Here’s the thing, I don’t have an exact recipe and it comes out a little different every time…but equally as good.  We bought part of a cow last year, so the meat I use is usually just what’s on hand in the freezer.  Sometimes it’s beef stew meat, sometimes it’s a rump roast, and like last night, it’s a juicy steak.

1. After you cut the meat in medium to large chunks, season it with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the bottom of a stock pot with oil and sear the beef chunks.  Make sure they get brown on each side.  After they are brown (they don’t need to be cooked through…just the outside), transfer them to a bowl and do the rest of them.  I can fit about 7-8 pieces in the pan at once, so this part usually take about 3-4 batches.

3.  After all your meat is browned and sitting nicely in a bowl off to the side, dump in your carrots and onions.  Brown these as well.

4.  Once your veggies are browned, add some garlic.  Brown that a bit…but don’t burn it.

5.  Next, add your meat back to the pot.

6.  Pour the entire contents of Guiness bottle or can into the pot.  If you’re omitting the Guiness, shame on you.  I mean…oh…ok.  Just substitute more beef broth.

7.  Pour in enough beef broth to cover the contents by about an inch or so.  This usually takes about 1-2 cups.

8.  Next add your rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  You can add more S & P later, so don’t overdo at the beginning.

9.  Cover and let simmer for as long as possible.  I only did an hour and half last night but prefer to go longer.  The meat will just be more tender the longer you let it simmer.

10. When you’re ready to eat this, add about 1/2 – 1 cup of frozen peas to the pot.

11.  Last, add a thickener.  You can do flour and water, cornstarch and water, or flour mixed in melted butter.  I prefer the last part.

12.  Finally, scoop out some mashed potatoes (that you whipped up while the stew/soup was simmering) and then dump you stew on top.

13.  Enjoy.

 

For the potatoes, I just skinned 5 Yukon golds, cut them in large pieces, boiled until soft, drained, mashed, added butter and cream cheese and half & half, and Johnny’s seasoning salt.  Whew!  That was a lot in one sentence.  Really, this dish is more about the stew.  Or as my husband likes to call it…Stewp.  It’s a mix between both and we like it that way.

 

Fire Station Field Trip

Last week we had Henry’s field trip to our local fire station.  Fun!

When you visit the fire station, in the foyer, they have this old engine.  It’s such a pretty red engine.

I was really wishing I would have brought my wide angle lens for this trip but oh well.  It really is a pretty engine.  After all kids had arrived, they lined up and followed one of the fire fighters inside.  They got to see where the fire fighters get their big muscles from (aka. The Gym), they got to meet the Chief, and then they were in the garage where all the engines were lined up.  All the kids did such a great job listening to the firefighters talk about ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll’.

 

As you can see, they were very attentive on the guy squatting in front of them.   Obviously, there was too much to see in that great big garage.

After they taught them ‘Stop, Drop, And Roll’, they then got to go into a dark smokey room and look into a handheld camera to find a person.  That person just happened to be a guy in the back dancing.  We have the best fire fighters in our town.  Such comics.

They saved the best things for last though.  Fire hoses and engine rides!  Oh boy!

Hank got a kick out of turning the hose on, aiming it at the fire fighter, and trying to soak him.

 

Finally it came time for an engine ride.  Henry and I sat in the front and went around the block…honking the horn and turning the sirens on for the way back to the station.

‘Bye Bye Firetruck and Thank you!’

 

 

4 Year Checkups

 

 

Our little guy had his 4 year old checkup yesterday.

He was such a good boy for the doctor, even flirted a little with her.  Of course she loved him.  And we were able to get his 5 year old vaccines yesterday, apparently they can have them at 4 now.  So, Hank sat in my lap, I asked him to look out the window and count the red cars for me.  After the needle went in, he looked at the nurse and said, ‘Ow.  That hurt’.  And that was it.  No crying.  What a big boy.  He got 2 stickers.  Horray for stickers.

Skiing

We took the boys skiing for their first time this past weekend.  Jack was in ski lesson heaven, while Hank was like, ‘What the heck are you expecting me to do with these things strapped to my feet?’

Poor Henry.  He wasn’t himself until he got to take those darn hard boots off and play in the snow like a normal person.

Jack, on the other hand, soaked up everything he could.  He started with Henry and before we knew it he was heading over to the rope tow.  We were in shock.

 

The mom instinct in me was like, ‘No!  He’ll get hurt!  He’s not ready!  It’ll pull his arms off!’.  But nope, his arms are still attached and he loved it.

Loved it so much we took him to Leavenworth Ski Hill on the way home the next day.  Just like his bike, once he learns how to do something fun, he never wants to stop.

We’re so proud of you Jack! 

 

Cold

You may remember my post in August about Henry’s sign language for ‘cold’.  Well, he was at it again when we went out to lunch for his birthday.  They brought him a fruit bar for dessert and the kid was in full clowning form for us.

‘Hank, show us cold in sign language.’

This is what we got.

 

 

Henry, you make our hearts so happy.

 

Seattle

Henry’s birthday was on Wednesday.   Scott took the day off and asked him what he wanted to do.

‘I want to ride the monorail.  And go the children’s museum’.

‘Ok.’

So, this is how his day went.

First…the morning.  The past couple years or so, I’ve gotten up way too early so that I can take a picture of the boys on their birthday.  The first time I see them when they are a year older.  I’m not sure Henry was a fan of coming down the stairs and having his mother standing there with a camera yelling, ‘Happy Birthday Henry!’

 

Presents.  He got over his sneering once he figured out he got to open some presents before we went on our adventure.

 

We made it to Seattle and the boys loved seeing the Space Needle up close.   I have to say, Seattle has some wonderful landmarks.  Love this city.

 

Seattle Center has a lot for kiddos.  Needle, Monorail, Children’s Museum, fountains, the list goes on…

 

And getting to ride in the front of the monorail was quite a treat.

 

 

And if these things aren’t fun enough…there’s always Pike Place Market.

 

Ending the big day with a nap and birthday cake is just want the 4 year old ordered.

Three {a.k.a. ‘free’}

Today’s our last day having a three year old in our house.  Henry’s turning 4 tomorrow.

‘Whhhhaaaa!’.

{deep breath mama}

I was talking to Henry today about how he’s going to be four tomorrow and he immediately wanted me to print out a big number 3, a 4, and the sun.

He took them to the table and started coloring them.  I asked him why he wanted them and he said, ‘Because in the morning, when the sun comes up, I won’t be ‘free’ anymore.  I’ll be four.’

The little cutie pie needs to stay 3 just a little longer…please?

Cousins

My husband’s cousin and his family came down for the weekend.  We had 5 children in our house ages 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 and it was a blast!  I think their favorite thing to do was to get inside their sleeping bags and slide down the stairs.  I’m shocked we didn’t have any injuries, since sometimes there were three at a time sliding at one time.

We dragged them to the train show at the fairgrounds.

We took them out to lunch.

We fed them sugar.

We plugged them into a movie.

We played Go-Fish.

We went to the bouncy house place.

We said things like, ‘Remember when all these little people weren’t around?’ ‘Remember when we could do anything we wanted?’  ‘Remember when our backs didn’t hurt?’  ‘Remember when we could stay up past 11pm?’.

Oh, how things change.

So, we slept.  A lot.

There’s nothing quite like cousin time.