a list.

A few weeks back I finally got around to making these grilled burritos....

They were so good.  Even without having meat (because you have the beans for your protein- which doesn't bother me in the least, but Geoff did comment....and to his surprise he really enjoyed them , as well).

We are actually making a big batch of them this morning.  The plan is to freeze the leftovers, but I am really thinking we won't have any.  Geoff also made our homemade salsa 2 days ago and we have an avocado to make up a little guacamole.  Yum!

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Meet She (perched on the top of our house).  She is our dove that loves to visit our house every morning....and sometimes at various times throughout the day.  The 'discovery' of She happened weeks ago....at some point while I was sleeping during the day.  I had heard Geoff and Parker talking about She before....but it was always at a busy time where we were trying to get out the door or something....and so I'd get the answer of....She is the dove that visits....blablabla.  But it's been over the past week that I realized how it's actually almost routine.  And Parker is so into it....

Looking for She

Yesterday morning I caught a better picture of her.  She sat their for a while even with the girls standing outside watching her.....

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Our cucumbers are growing.  There are lots of baby ones out there.  In a week or three (because I really don't know what I am talking about)....we should have quite a few to pick!

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We have lived in our home almost 3 years and I have yet to hardly put anything on the walls.  I've talked about it before.  I have this issue with commitment.  I think I'll like something- then do it- then won't like it.  So I really have to mull over things (it's starting to get annoying how I am like this....it also feeds my procrastination and I am really trying to work on this!) until I decide exactly what I like.

And we are almost there!  At least in the kitchen!  ;)  Geoff hung up the things that fill those paper space savers a few days ago.  The fact is, though, that the top 'frame' is still basically empty.  I can't figure out what to put there.  So still mulling.  ;)

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Spent some good quality time with my girls yesterday afternoon.   The clouds covered the sun and there was a nice breeze.  We played outside for almost 45 minutes, until I made us come in to eat.

Grace wanted SO bad to put her hands in the water-filled sand cart (and she did) even after me telling her no.  Repeatedly.  She ended up in time out.  But the funny thing is (and not really funny)- when it was time to get out of time out....I asked her if she was ready to listen and not play in the sand cart and she said....'No.'  Not defiantly.  Just matter of fact- 'no- I'm not ready to listen to you.'  So she stayed in time out a little longer and didn't mind at all...as if she knew it was the consequence for what she would be doing if she were to get up.  She is a mess.  A sweet mess.  And the crazy, soft curl head fits her perfect!

Parker had me count as she tried to climb the slide in record time.  1 second! haha

Monkey see, monkey do.

This and That

Over the weekend we went to my dad's to have a little father's day gathering.  I didn't get very many good pictures, but wanted to document the day anyway.  (Kristin got some better pictures.)

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A little garden update:

We have quite a few cherry tomatoes on the vine....but they were well hidden under the leaves.....so Geoff decided to put them up on the fence like this.  He didn't consult me on this.  :)   We just aren't sure if it is normal for them to take this long to turn?  They are getting so big, it just seems like they should be red now?   We'll see how long they last before the birds get them.  Haha.

Our tomatillo plant is thriving....in the sense that it..... is growing.  But no blooms.  ;(

Our 2 sunflowers have bloomed!  I think it's time to cut them off and enjoy them in our home.

This one is 'normal' in size.

Parker said, "It's sticky, Mommy."

And this is our giant sunflower.

This stalk is so thick!

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I love these girls.  And Grace's smile.  I can't get over it.  From the day she was born, I knew she was completely different than her sister.....and each day she proves it to me more and more.  I can't really put it into words.  Another thing I've said since she was born....is that she is been my 'easy-going' baby.  Well....I think she tricked us all.  ;)  She is still good and sweet, of course, but a mess!

Then again.....maybe they aren't that different.

Looking forward to having the next 2 days off!

Our Memorial Day

Better late than never, right?

We had a pretty relaxing day this past Monday.  I worked over the weekend, so on Monday we tried to squeeze in some good family time.

I wanted to do something 'special' for breakfast......so I decided to make 'homemade' donuts (the term 'homemade' is used very loosely here as they are made using a can of biscuits).  (I also just noticed that I bought reduced fat, and I did not mean to do that.  Not that there is anything wrong with reduced fat, but seeing that I am making donuts.....in grease.....why would I bother with the low fat?)

Although my grand plans of making a special breakfast were a little thwarted when these 2 girls could not wait for them to be done, and had to have a small bowel of Rice Krispies to hold them over.

This is the face she made when I asked her to smile.

So I opened up the biscuits and used an old medicine bottle to cut out the hole in the center.

I threw in a donut hole to see if the grease was ready.  This oil is a little yellow because it is actually sunflower oil.  Geoff uses this for grilling instead of olive oil because it supposedly has a little less fat.....but my reason for using it was simply because we were out of canola oil.  The directions also say that you should heat your grease to 350 degrees, but I could not find our thermometer (and we may not even have one).

So it really only takes about a minute and a half on each side to make them lightly golden brown.  If you try this....I highly recommend making sure you don't get the grease too hot so that it can have time to cook through.  Ours were cooked a little too fast, and although they look a good golden brown color, some of them were not quite cooked through.

Then I mixed up some powdered sugar and milk for the glaze and dipped them into the bowl.

This little missy loved hers.  Surprised?  ;)

Believe it or not.....this is her smile......

Parker wanted sprinkles.  Why not?

So she would sprinkle a few on while I was watching.

Then after she thought I was gone she would open them up for more.

And she did this about 4 times before I actually let it sink in and finally put a stop to the madness.

Parker's donut.  She ended up only eating the sprinkles. 

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Then Geoff made our first batch of cucumbers for the season.  I am the most excited about these.  I also need to find some good squash recipes.  Any suggestions?  On Monday- he only had enough for 1 jar....and now we have enough for another jar.....but am hoping that they will start to pour in at a faster rate so that we he can pickle several jars at a time.  Even at this rate, though, I am thankful.

You really have to move and and mingle them to really fill the jar.

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I couldn't help myself.  Parker was sitting at the table coloring.....and Grace about had a conniption.  She really really wanted to color, too.  And when I saw her little feet standing on her very tippy tip toes, I could not resist.

Now trying to climb up with the other foot....

She really thought she was so special to be up there coloring....and with a marker (for a short time).....and right beside her big sis.

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Later that afternoon we went over to some friends' house for swimming and visiting.  I tried to get a picture beforehand because I know how good I am about taking pictures while at outings.  And this is what I got.   ;)

I took 2 pictures there.....and in one, nobody was even looking at them camera.


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On our way home, we got the girls guacamole and rice from Chipotle, then ran by the grocery store to pick up a steak for Geoff.  I was a little full from snacking so I just snacked some more.  :)

The girls played outside a bit.

Grace and this big shovel just makes me laugh.

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Another garden update:

This is Geoff's newest 'creation.'  He just used a milk carton and I think that is a tomato plant in there.  If you are not gardening, and want to, but don't want to have much hassle- this really is a great and easy idea.  This gardening thing has been so much fun for us.  I was telling my granny earlier today how I really have some fond memories from when we lived in the country when I was little,  and we would snap the green beans, and shelling (is this the right word?  I am drawing a blank) black-eyed peas.  We'd sit and do it for hours.  Anyway- I really wanted beans this year, but then forgot.  So I guess I didn't want them that bad, huh?

The cilantro and jalapeno plants in the Lowe's paint bucket.

And that's it.  I guess I didn't take a picture of anything else?  We do have one corn coming in, so that will be interesting to see.  No okra yet, but we planted those late and they are growing.   We have a 'surprise' vine-ey plant that I am hoping is watermelon-- we shall see. Our sunflower plant......is ENORMOUS.  And I want to just pull it out because it is so huge, but it will be really neat when and if it ever blooms.....and we'll read Mortimer's First Garden and show Parker how it all came from one tiny little seed and how God provides.  We have read this book before, but I am excited to think that doing this will bring more meaning to her.