Jam

There is nothing that tastes better on bread than homemade jam.  I had no idea how fulfilling it would feel to put my own jam on a loaf of homemade bread until I was introduced to this obsession art 3 years ago.  I haven't purchased a single jar of jelly since.

If you have never made jam before, there is no time like the PRESENT.  It is a very easy process.  There are two types: freezer jam and cooked jam.  I prefer to do strawberry jam in the freezer (so I get the fresh flavor of the strawberries) and raspberry jam cooked so it can stay in the pantry.  Both are VERY simple.  All you need are canning jars, CERTO or SureJell, sugar, and fruit.  To make cooked jam you need a canner, but they are very inexpensive and can be found just about anywhere (grocery stores, drug stores, etc).

The entire process takes less than an hour... and the results last a whole year!

This is living

After music and movement class today the boys and I walked around the river.  We brought a picnic lunch and sat on a blanket.  It was a beautiful day- not too hot and not too cold.  They LOVED all of the activity.  We saw buses, birds, and lots of people.  I just LOVE the enthusiasm they have for all of the little things.  It makes ME enjoy life so much more.  My oldest took off his shoes and went hunting for sticks and rocks in the river.  He had so much fun that his brother and I had to join!  We had so much fun splashing around that we decided it will be our weekly activity until it gets too cold outside.  Love looking at the world through a 3 year old's perspective  <3 .

A Love Affair

Dear Fall:
I miss you dearly when you are gone.  I love the feel of change that is in the air when you are around.  You paint my world with beautiful colors, and bring me fond memories of years past.  I love to watch the squirrels play in your falling leaves and rake mounds of them up so my boys can leap into them and watch them fly.  I love the sound of laughter that is carried on your wind and the feel of a warm mug of apple cider or hot chocolate on cold fingers.  I love snuggling up with my babies and a blanket above a heater to warm up, and dressing in layers that include scarves and mittens.  I love the look of rosy cheeks and seeing a puff of air when I breathe out.  I love waking up to the patterns Jack Frost paints on my window.  I love sweaters and wool blankets, pumpkin bread and hot mochas.  I love lazy Saturdays spent watching football and eating chips.  I love nights cuddled up under blankets watching the stars.  Welcome back!
Love:  Me

Dancing in the kitchen

One of my favorite things to do is dance in the kitchen with my boys.  They love spinning and dancing to the music, and it INSTANTLY cheers me up!  <3

Here's a song to get you started:

Project: Playroom

My boys are 3 and 2... it's about time they had a more 'put together' playroom!  My budget was $65, and I stayed under it!  I have worked on it for the past month, and here are my results:

Found this dresser for FREE on Craigslist... after paint and supplies I ended up spending $50 refinishing it-

BEFORE:

 AFTER:

 This was my first painting project (my husband usually does it for me ;) )  I am proud of it!
I LOVE how unlike the shelves and baskets I have tried previously, this does not look cluttered... and every type of toy has it's own drawer!

 I used the 'road' part of their old train table to make their chalkboard.  Just added chalkboard paint and WA-LA (my youngest was too excited to draw to let me take a picture....):

 I got the bookshelves for free off of Craigslist as well (LOVE Craigslist!)  Just spray painted them black and they were as good as new!

 I 'decorated' using their current toys to save $$ but also so I didn't have MORE 'stuff' in the room.

It is still a work in progress, but it is coming along nicely!

To.Die.For.Apple Crisp

No.  Joke.  I HATE apple crisp.  A dessert should NOT have the name of a fruit in the title.  A dessert should be rich, indulgent, and include chocolate.  My husband professes not to like dessert (although, mysteriously 1/2 of the cookies I bake disappear when my back is turned....).  He DOES however admit that he has a weakness for 2 desserts.  TWO.  Seriously?  I couldn't even pick my top TEN.  Anyway, those two desserts are Tiramisu (EW.  seriously: who eats coffee drenched cake?)  and apple crisp.  In the 5 years I have known him, I break down and make tiramisu and apple crisp at least 4 or 5 times a year for him.  After 5 years, I have FINALLY come up with the prefect apple crisp.  Yes, we both LOVE it.  I may even make it MORE than 5 times this year ;)  .

Without further ado:
To.Die.For.Apple Crisp

Toss together in a dish:
5-6 apples, peeled and sliced (I used fuji)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2/3 cup brown sugar

In a separate dish, combine:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup softened butter
crumble together then pour over apple mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 min.  Then drizzle with caramel sauce.  Serve with ice cream.  YUM.

A lazy summer afternoon

It doesn't get much better than this!  Sitting on the back porch in warm- but not hot- weather.  Listening to a lawnmower, children playing, and a barking dog in the distance.  Content just to sit after a productive day spent playing at the park with the boys, cleaning and doing laundry, and work meetings/ reports.  Bliss.

A lovely weekend morning

Last weekend my boys and I got to see this up close:

It is an annual event and we look forward to it every year!  Maybe one of these years we will have to try to talk someone into taking us on a hot air balloon ride :)

*Whew*

We have been looking at houses.  There is SO much to buying a house!  I had no idea!  This is my first home purchase (the house we are currently living in my husband purchased before we met) so it is a bit overwhelming to me.  FIRST you have to find a house you like (um... not really having this problem lol).  THEN you have to find the lowest rate, best bank, least fees, etc.  That is the part I am on right now.  It is so frustrating!  I HATE salesman-y people and refuse to do business with someone who isn't 'real' with me.  Dear US Bank: this means you.  I am currently working on getting rates from local credit unions and banks... wish me luck!  Hopefully everything goes smoother after the loan part gets crossed off our list!

j'adore

This dress!

Next on my list of sewing projects:  I love how elegant and graceful it looks!  Ahhhh.... <3 

credit: Patterson Maker

10 goals for the rest of 2011

Fall is coming... school is starting, the morning air is chilly, the autumn winds of change are in the air.  My husband is currently in college so with his courses, part time job, and my part time job; we spend very little time together during the school year.  That makes me feel bored and alone.  I have decided that rather than sitting on the couch watching tv (you know... the girly shows; bachelorette, grey's anat, private practice, etc) eating chocolate and drinking wine at night after the kiddos go to bed, I will DO something.
Here is my to-do list for the rest of 2011:
- Keep a clean house (this will be hard.... as my only 'free' hours are between 8:30 and 10:00 pm this may take some serious energy)
- EXERCISE daily (walk the boys to the park, do some sit-ups... just get MOVING)
- Sew (this should be interesting... it looks fun, but the thought of threading a sewing machine SCARES me to death)
- Weekly girl time (hey, a girl needs friends.  whether this takes place in the form of nights out or playdates, I am up for either.  the important thing is to talk to another adult)
- Eat less dairy (ugh.  this one will be hard)
- FOCUS on my boys while I am with them.  No computer or phone, just US.
- Complete at least 3 garage projects (i.e. refinish that piano that has been sitting in my garage for the past month....)
- Start to learn a new language (I want my boys to be fluent in at least 3 languages.  I am thinking 30 minutes of study time before they go to bed each night)
- Weekly BALLET classes (dear ballet: I have missed you)
- Last, but not least; DATE nights weekly with my husband.  I NEED that alone time with him.... that means I will have to put aside my paranoid Mama fear of babysitters and FIND one.

Wish me luck.  I will keep you updated ;)

The Key to Paradise

It is not a place... it is spending uninterrupted time with the ones you love.  Vacations are my favorite times because I get to spend time away from work, away from grocery shopping, and away from my computer to just BE with my family.  Love them.

  

 

 

Glorious summer vacations!

Summer... a time for sun, bbqs, sno cones, and vacations!

We are headed here next weekend:


to the beach we were married on just 3 short years ago:

Can't WAIT!  

My Darlings

I dread the day when I no longer step all over legos and pretzel crumbs.
I dread the night I do not get awoken at 2 a.m. because someone is thirsty or lost their bear.
I dread the morning that I do not wake up at dusk to a little boy who wants to cuddle.
I dread the night I do not tell a bedtime story or sing a lullaby.

I am in awe at how fast my boys are growing up.
I am in wonder at how smart they are.
I am captivated by their innocence and beauty.

I am overcome with gratitude and amazement that I get to experience such a precious and treasured (although fleeting) time in their lives.
Although I look forward to seeing them grow, experience life, and mature; I value this time with them and will dearly miss it when it departs.
Each day is so wonderful that I can't imagine the next day being better.
Yet somehow it always is.

Planning Ahead

We are trying to decide where to go in January or March of next year.... about the time we usually get island fever ;)  Where is your favorite sandy spot?

The art of Espresso

I love espresso.  White Chocolate Mocha.  YUM.  But, I think more than I love the taste of espresso, I love to MAKE an espresso drink.  There is just something creatively unique and satisfactory about the mundane process of grinding beans, the drip, the steaming, and the pouring that makes me feel joyful.  Anyone else?

Wishing time would stop right in its tracks

Ah, youth.  Even though I am a mere 28 years old I feel like I am growing older by the day.  What do they say? Living to Die?

A bit depressing, but not my intention of this post.  I have 1 and 3 year old boys.  They are growing so fast!  I feel like the sand from our hourglass is slipping right through my hands as I madly try to grasp it.  I have loved every (well, ALMOST every) second spent with them since the moment they were placed in my arms.  Even though time has just gotten better I still wish I could feel the weight of a newborn, and smell my babys' breath again.

I love how animated and full of energy they are.  I love how they sing at the top of their lungs and dance in the kitchen with me.  I love the passion and energy they feel for something as mundane as helping me put the laundry into the washing machine.  I love how much fun they have going on a car ride and the joy the experience when they see a concrete mixer or dump truck.  I want to remember each and every moment.  I wish I could pause, rewind, and play back moments from my life whenever I wished.  Or maybe, just maybe, it is fleeting moments that make life so treasured.   

WOW

I HAD to share this recipe with you.... it was so delicious!

Black Bean Cocoa Quinoa Recipe

On my husband's 'to-do' list:

are these beautiful projects:

(http://theletteredcottage.net/painting-dressers-and-planning-a-pocket)

(http://www.housetweaking.com/2011/02/04/pardon-me-your-barn-door-is-open/)

Seriously?  How could you NOT love them?  Thank goodness my WONDERFUL husband likes to do my projects for me ;)

ah-maze-ing

I am not a big drinker.  I like red wine, amber ale, and the occasional martini.  However this drink has rocked my WORLD ;)

Here is how to make yourself a LEMON MERINGUE PIE:

2 shots Lemoncello Liquor
1 shot Absolut Citron
2 shots freshly squeezed sweet and sour (recipe below)
1/2 shot of heavy cream

Shake w/ ice and serve.  Enjoy!

Freshly Squeezed Sweet and Sour:
Heat 1 cup of water on stove, stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup squeezed lemon juice and 1 cup squeezed lime juice.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

June

ah the simple joys of summer.  Sun kissed faces, the sound of a lawnmower, the ice cold feel of a sprinkler, and the smell of outdoors on my boys.  Oh summer, how I have missed you.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles....

I am so excited to be planning next week's vacation!  It is going to be a whirlwind of travel... flying to Boston, driving to Buffalo, NY; then driving cross country.  One of my anticipated stops: we will be staying at a hotel on the banks of the Mississippi river!  I am so excited to see the countryside of the land we call home.

Perspective

We live, then we die. We make no real impact on the world; just those around us, particularly our family. In 200 years from now, the only people who will even know or care that I existed will be my great great grandchildren (hopefully!).

Our existence is so mind blowing to me.... we are living organisms (or so we suppose). Just the mechanics of our bodies is so extensive, that it is easy to get caught up thinking about that. Then you take it one step further, to the mechanics of society, communication, and human interaction. Yikes. Now, go even further. The planet, the solar system. Did these things just occur? If so, how many more are out there? Where; really, is 'out there'? I feel like a tiny ant that is unaware of the big picture.

It is about now that I start to get overwhelmed with the hugeness of this train of thought... and then determine that it doesn't really matter. Even if I AM an ant, could I really ever be anything else? Is it worth the time and effort to extensively try to figure this out? Or is it a good possibility that it never will be figured out? Will we all just march in and out of our existence?

I plan on one day marching right out of mine... and hope that I have lived a long, happy, healthy life. I hope to spend it with the people I love the most (my husband, children, and family), and hope that I accomplish one thing during my existence: that they are without a doubt aware of how much I love them and how much they mean to me; so much so that my entire existence is devoted to them. That is the meaning to my life. They are why I WANT to be here more than anywhere else.... wherever that may be.

Dessert Addiction

Hi, my name is Ann, and I have an addiction. No, it is not smoking, drinking, or gambling. It is DESSERTS. Yes, chocolate, caramel, cookies, cakes, ice cream; you name it, I love it. Here is some eye candy for you....

(http://www.bakerella.com)

(http://www.womansday.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Malt-Ice-Cream-Cake-Recipe)

(thecheesecakefactory.com)

YUM. Now excuse me while I go eat millions of calories ;)

Breathe

Today's world is so fast paced. Everything is going a hundred miles a minute and I feel like a frazzled woman standing on the train tracks trying to stop a locomotive. There are so many things to do. Clean the house, spend time with the kids, have one on one time with the husband, take care of the yard work, maintain a job, run errands, make doctors appointments, pay bills, do the grocery shopping, make dinner, and on and on and on. You get the idea. It makes me long for a simpler life. So I am writing this in hopes to remind myself to stop and smell the flowers. Watch the rain. Enjoy cuddling with my precious babies. Put my feet up, and just BE.

In Celebration of Earth Day.....

Hope you enjoy!

The little things

Each day I try to focus on a small moment that makes me happy. It might be cuddling with my children, laying in the grass with the sun on my face, or watching the satisfaction my toddler gets from a chocolate muffin. Whatever it is, those small daily moments make me happy. I recently heard a very inspiring quote: "Don't get caught up so much in making a living, that you forget to make a LIFE." (Unknown author) Love it.

Coupons.... need I say more?

Coupons seem to be one of the lastest fads. I will admit, I am partially on that bandwagon. For me, it is an addiction.... ugh. It is SO much fun to go to the store with a handful of coupons and walk out spending only a few dollars on several bags of items. But it is so annoying to go to 5 stores just to save money. I LOVE the daily deal sites online. LOVE them. I don't have to leave my house to get a great deal... AND I have all day to decide if it really IS a good deal for me or not. Also, I never leave the house to go to a store before googling to find out if there is a printable coupon. But for now, I think that is going to be the extent of my couponing... Are you into couponing?

Oooh, how great would it be to start a couponers anonymous? Talk about a successful business lol!

Currenty Loving...

This beauty.... which can be seen (and purchased) at:
http://www.starfish-project.com/engravedmiaosilverbangleconcave.aspx

Garden

To till or not to till.... to fertilize or not to fertilize.... mostly sunny, or full sun... peas or squash... upside down tomato plants, or potted tomato plants... There is so much thought to put into a simple garden! I can't wait to watch my lovely little plants grow though. Such a great way to feel connected to your food and the Earth. Looking forward to sunny days spent weeding; remind me I said that when I complain about it in the near future ;)

Introduction

Hi! Welcome to my blog! I am going to use this as an outlet for my thoughts, feelings, and objects of affection.... enjoy!