Eat Your Veggies (and Cookies Too!)

Rocky think I am a little strange, but I am so proud of our garden!  I have to post pics of it for you to really appreciate it.

These plants were supposed to be bell pepper plants.  After they started producing peppers, I noticed that they are NOT bell peppers.  After some internet research, I decided they were banana peppers.  Then we ate some.  They are NOT banana peppers.  I have now decided that they are Hungarian yellow wax peppers.  They are spicy.  And I have six of these plants that are starting to produce peppers like crazy.  If you want some, let me know!

We also have TONS of tomatoes.  I, personally, hate tomatoes.  I am apparently going to be making lots of salsa this summer.  What else can I make with tomatoes to can?

Caden insisted on being in a picture.  Next to him is our gigantic zucchini plant.  This monster started out as a sickly looking leaf-looking thing.  I had no idea it was survive and get so big!  I have spotted 2 zucchini so far, with many other flowers budding. 

Our lovely broccoli plants are huge!  We have enjoyed eating our fresh broccoli.  I will be sad when they are finally done.

A sample of they broccoli we ate from the garden.

Caden really wanted to take a picture of his sunflower.  He grew this himself from a seed.  He is very excited to see it get taller than daddy.

With all the veggies starting to produce, I have been thinking of recipes and cooking a lot lately.  I have heard it said that you are either a baker (cakes, cookies, pastries, etc.) or a cooker (main courses, etc.).  I have decided that I am a baker.  I do enjoy cooking, but I do that because I have to.  Baking I do because I really enjoy it.  We would survive if I didn't bake, not so much if I didn't cook.  Rocky is complaining that I am making him fat with all the baking, but I can't help it!  There are 3 three-layer chocolate cake recipes that I am just dying to try my hand at, but I am waiting for autumn and cooler temps.  (I can't really bake in the summer, and I am missing my hobby!)  Does everyone identify themselves as a baker or a cooker?

Slacking

Yes, it has been so long since my last post.  I always think of great things to write about, but then when I finally get on the computer, I forget it all! 
I am enjoying being a homeowner again, however not enjoying all the money that needs to be spent on the house.  I had forgotten how expensive houses can get! 
Our garden is doing quite well.  Although the plants that were supposed to be bell peppers are producing some other kind of pepper.  At first I thought it was a banana pepper.  Then we ate some.  They are definitely NOT banana peppers.  They are WAY too spicy.  Now I am thinking they are Hungarian Wax Peppers.  Still don't know what to do with them all . . .
We have planned a Utah trip at the end of July!  I am very excited to see everyone!  The kids are excited too, and ask everyday if we get to go on the airplane today.  We have 27 days to go!
I have been reading a biography of Queen Victoria.  It is very interesting.  Unlike many royals, she did marry a man she loved, and mourned him for the rest of her life after he died.  But how strange to give birth to children and hand them off to other people to raise them!  Victoria was never a fan of pregnancy and birth, or babies for that matter, but still managed to have 9 of them.  After the first one, she was told the only way to prevent more babies was abstinence.  Apparently, they couldn't do that so they had many children! 
I also watched The Island last night.  It is about a world in which people pay to have clones made.  All these clones live together, but they don't know that they are clones.  One of the reasons people clone themselves is to have babies.   I understand pregnancy is not a piece of cake, but would anyone really clone themselves just to not have to give birth?  I couldn't imagine someone else (even if it were my own clone) giving birth to my children.  It was an interesting movie, a little creepy though. 

Single Mom

Lately, I have felt like a single mom.  Rocky has been working so much.  Here is what the past week has been like:
Last Saturday-work until around 5pm.
Sunday-at home.
Monday (Memorial Day)-work.
Tuesday-home for dinner, but back to work until 1am.
Wednesday-work until midnight.
Thursday-work until about 2am.
Friday-HOME!
Saturday-work (all day, until 7pm)
Sunday-HOME!
Monday-work until how knows when.
Tuesday-work again, probably until 2am.
I am glad there is work, because that means he has a job, but seriously??  I am afraid the kids won't recognize him anymore!  I am just really tired of this.  We never have any time together.  Yes, it can be nice to be able to do whatever I want after the kids are in bed, but usually what I want to do is spend time with my husband.  Believe it or not, after almost 10 years of marriage, I still love him and want to be with him!  Most of all, I want to just talk with him.  He is still my best friend, and I rely on him so much more since we have moved.  In short, I miss my husband.  I just needed to vent for a bit.

Memorial Day Weekend

What a busy weekend!  We had some friends over for dinner Saturday, had the missionaries over on Sunday for dinner, and went to 2 picnics on Monday.  I am exhausted.  The weather here in PA has been way too hot and humid for me.  It really hasn't been that bad, but when we live in a house that is almost 100 years old that has NO air conditioning, it is just too hot. 
We have been feeding the missionaries and lot more lately, basically because the 1st time we had them over they told me horror stories of the places they have had to eat around here (2 week old asparagus, brown floaties in water).  I do feel bad for them.  We have a very small ward.  I counted in sacrament meeting one Sunday, and there were 45 people (including kids).  In relief society, there were 10 (including the presidency), and in primary there are about 9 kids (junior and senior combined).  There is 1 young woman (but she attends the other ward where there are more girls) and no young men.  It was a bit of a shock.  To be fair, we were warned about this when we decided to purchase this house.
On a different note, I watched Little Women last night on TV.  I do love that movie (and book).  I still cry when Beth gets sick, and then again when she dies.  But what a beautiful story of strong women, and the bond between sisters.
I am going to end this post with pictures of the newest member of our family, Tyzon.  Caden discovered him at PetsMart (where they have a spot for shelter animals).  He is the cutest little kitten, and I just love having him.  The kids are also thrilled.  Rocky, not so much.

Shoe Love

Since there is no Nordstrom around, I have been saving a lot of money.  However, I am still drawn to the online shoe department where they have thousands of shoes for me to browse.  Ahh, to dream that I would win the lottery and have a chance to purchase shoes until my heart is content.  As a substitute, I am going to show you pictures of my favorite shoes that I found on their site. 

First: the Fergie Rusher Wedge.  SO fun in green!  These are not too pricey, perhaps I can find a way to get theses . . .



Now the MICHAEL Michael Kors Sycamore Wedge.  I have a couple pairs of Michael Kors shoes, and do like how they fit.  These are a little pricier, so chances are I will not be wearing these any time soon.  But I can look, and picture myself wearing them around the house while vacuuming, or cooking. . .

Last, but certainly not least, I have discovered these gorgeous shoes that I will dream about for a few weeks.  This is the Sam Edelman Quinly Sandle.  I am totally in love.  I know it is wrong to love a "thing" so much, but I think these shoes are gorgeous.  And so practical!  I am sure they would look great while making the beds in the morning, or in front of my new washer and dryer . . . I think the red would really accent the color of these!   I am sure that these shoes would be equally at home in the park chasing my  kids around, or on the red carpet. 

Again, it is a good thing that the closest Nordstrom is about 3 hours away. 

Single Ladies Controversy

I know this has been on the news, and it popped up on my AOL news.  I just can't NOT comment.  Here is the video for those of you that haven't seen it:



These girls are INCREDIBLE dancers, I don't think you can dispute that.  But they are about the same age as my daughter.  There is NO WAY I would have allowed her to wear a costume like that.  Even some of the dance moves I found a little inappropriate for 7 year-olds.  Do we really need to teach them to bump and grind?  Won't they learn that for themselves at some college party when they are 12 years older?  Perhaps the dance moves wouldn't have seemed so provocative had they not been dressed like Lady Marmalade.   
Have I become ultra-conservative?  Would any of you be comfortable letting your 7 year old perform like this?

Too Far Away

This last week has been the first real demonstration of how far away we are.  My grandmother died on the 3rd.  This wasn't a surprise, she was old and not in the best health.  But I was not able to make it to the funeral.  I have felt just horrible about this.  I know that there isn't anything I can do, and it isn't like me being there changes anything.  But I still wish I were able to go, and it just reminds me that I don't live close to my family anymore, and I can't just be there. 
Since I couldn't go to the funeral, here is my small tribute to my Grandma Gilmore:
As a child, I didn't really look forward to going to her house.  Her and my grandpa smoked constantly, and all they wanted to do was sit and talk.  For a kid, that is really boring.  As I got older, I began to appreciate her more.  I still hated the smoke filled house, and how it would take days for the smell to come out of my hair.  But I began to enjoy her sharp wit and humor.  Her laugh was always the best!  It would sound like she was screaming.  I am sad that my kids, or even my husband, never really got to hear the full sound of her laugh.  I loved how she thought my dad was the best.  It was so funny to see how much she favored him.  He was the golden boy and we all knew it.  Even in her final days, she made sure the nurses knew that Ron was her best son.  She also always had candy out in little jars around the house.  As she got older, so did the candy, and in the last 10 years I stayed away from the candy because it was almost petrified.  We also loved how she pronounced certain words.  "Rouge" and "Garage" and "Charm" and "Whoopie" were some favorites.  She was a great story teller.  I will never forget her story of when she was younger and she thought that "a queer" (her word, not mine) was coming on to her.  She also told me about "pitching the woo" which apparently means making out.  Goodbye Grandma Gilmore.  You will be missed.