Reading in style

I found a pattern for bookmarks online using scrap fabric. I thought they were really cute. I am just getting started sewing so I don't have much scrap fabric. I used the scrap fabric left over from my sewing class yesterday. I have lots of ribbon so I didn't have any trouble coming up with coordinating ribbon. :) I think it would be more cute if I use pinking shears on the edges. I do not have a pair so I will have to watch the sales. I am working on a couple projects so hopefully I will soon have some more scrap fabric & can make a few more.

Apple Bread

We had some bananas there were turning brown, so I made a couple loaves of banana bread. They went into the freezer for a later time.

David LOVES fruit! He lives for Summer so he can eat fruit nonstop! I had bought him a bag of apples from the grocery store a few days ago. I was worried that they might be getting a little old. I had four apples left in the bag & didn't want to have to throw them away. Since I was making banana bread, I was inspired to make bread out of the apples. I found a recipe online that sounded good & I had all the ingredients in the house. The apple bread turned out very yummy. The recipe made two loaves of apple bread so we put one in the freezer & the other we decided we needed to try. I'm very happy to have another bread recipe!

Apple Bread
**I found this recipe online at allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Bred/Detail.aspx. I left he walnuts out.**

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 cup broken walnuts

1. In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples.
3. Stir apple mixture into flour mixture.
4. Add walnuts and mix.
5. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bred pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done.
6. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

Daddy Fun Day!

The kids got a special treat today! Mommy was taking an afternoon sewing class at Joann's Fabrics so the kids got the whole afternoon with Daddy to themselves! Daddy certainly kept them busy!

The kids were very silly this morning. I was able to get some cute pictures of them playing.
The morning started a little lazy.

Playing ball in the hall way!

Riding!

Cooking up a storm!

My Mom left today. :( We had lunch at Schlotzskys with Justin. Mom then left for Montgomery, I left for Joann's Fabrics & Justin took the kids to Mcwane Science Center.

Splash Splash!!

Bubble Fun!

Pretty Grace!

After the Mcwane Center, Daddy took the kids to the Birmingham Zoo's splash pad.

Running for the Merry Go Round!

Wordless Wednesday: Nap Time Sleeping Friends!

New Craft Project: Art Supply Bag

Mom & I stayed up until 1am, yes I said 1am! I am signed up for a sewing class at Joann's Fabrics on Thursday. I sat down with my sewing machine myself a few days ago & could not figure some stuff out. Mom helped me this evening.

After showing me how to thread my machine, she taught me how to read a pattern. I found a simple pattern I wanted to try at the fabric store a while back. I bought all the materials for it. Mom went through everything with me. By 1am, we had the project finished! It turned out so cute. It was pretty easy. I am excited to try the project on my own completely. I think I can get through it on my own but we will see.

New Recipe: Baded Ziti

Justin normally has church softball Tuesday nights but it has been raining here all afternoon & it looks like it will continue for much of the week. Whenever Justin plays at 6:30pm, the kids & I have dinner at Schlotzskys & then watch him play. There is only one 6:30pm game this season. :( All the rest of Justin's games are later in the evening (too late to attend with kids). His game got rained out tonight so that was sad. I hope when they reschedule his game, they will make it a 6:30pm game or else, the kids & I won't get to watch Justin play softball.

When I got the phone call late afternoon from Justin telling my his softball game was cancelled, I kind of panicked. I was planning on having dinner at Schlotzskys & didn't have anything out of the freezer thawing. I started digging through the pantry & refrigerator. This last week at Publix, I was able to get 2-15oz containers of Polly-O Ricotta Cheese for $1 each. There was a recipe on the container for Baked Ziti. Luckily, I had everything in house to make it! Yay, I'm saved! Not only, was I lucky enough to have all the ingredients in the house to make dinner, it was delicious & a BIG hit! The kids had a couple helpings as well as Justin! We will be making this again!

Baked Ziti


**I found this recipe on the container of Polly-O Ricotta Cheese. I like this recipe not only because it tastes so good but the ingredients are all things I usually have in my house at all times!**





1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce


1 container (15oz) Ricotta Cheese


1 pkg (16oz) ziti pasta, cooked, drained


1 pkg (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese





1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sauce and ricotta cheese in large bowl. Add ziti and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese; mix lightly.


2. Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese. Cover.


3. Bake 30 minutes; uncover. Bake and additional 15 minutes or until heated through.


**Makes 8 servings**

Nanny's Here!

Grandpa has gone to Mexico for a business trip. We invited Nanny to stay with us for a few days & she arrived today!

When Nanny got here, David was telling her how he wanted Santa Claus to bring him a slinky dog (like the one from Toy Story). Both Nanny & I thought this was a tough request. Neither or us had seen a slinky dog before.

We went out for lunch at Chick-Fil-A & then made a run to Publix for some goodies for the week ahead. We rounded the corner of one of the aisles & what did we see?! A BUNCH of slinky dogs! It seems Publix has the market on slinky dogs! There were little dogs, big dogs, dogs that blew bubbles, etc. Nanny got both the kids their own slinky dogs!

For dinner, I made a baked chicken with mashed potatoes & gravy. It, of course, was so yummy & I look forward to chicken sandwiches for the rest of the week! I will cook down the chicken carcass later & hopefully get some good chicken stock from it!

Cooking Dinner

We told David Grandpa was in Mexico

David got stuck behind the couch!

Guardian of the Wagner Castle!

WOW!!!!

Grace's new favorite word right now is WOW! We have heard "Wow!" all weekend! :)

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the Daddy's!
A special Happy Father's Day to David & Grace's Daddy!

We spent the day at the YMCA swimming.

Snack Time!



For dinner, we cooked steaks on the grill. It was a nice end to a fun weekend with Daddy!

Celebrating Daddy!

To celebrate Daddy, David & I made Justin cinnamon rolls. This is another recipe out of my now favorite cookbook, Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations.

Working Hard!

Adding the cinnamon & sugar!

Yummy!

Jiffy Cinnamon Rolls
**This recipe came from the Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations cookbook. The cinnamon rolls turned out really good!**

4-5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 pkg (9oz) white cake mix
2 pkgs (1/4 oz each) quick-rise yeast
1 tsp salt
2 cups warm water
2 T butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, cake mix, yeast, salt and warm water; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, abut 6-8 minutes. Roll dough into a 9-in. x 18-in. rectangle. Spread with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough jelly-roll style, starting with the long end. Slice the roll into 1-in. circles; place on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 15 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Frost, if desired.

Yield: 18 rolls

We had a very fun filled day with Daddy! We started the morning by giving Daddy his Father's Day present. Every year since David was born, we have given Justin a Daddy t-shirt. This year we also gave him a gift certificate to play a round of golf at a golf course here in Birmingham. I also found some cute shirt for the kids to wear letting Daddy know they love him!

My two favorite guys

We took the Daddy bowling. David has never been bowling before so it was a lot of fun for him!

The scores for the first game. Daddy=164 Mommy=122 David=37

Even though Grace is too young to bowl, she had a good time watching. She was our cheerleader!

Bowling Fun!!

Cute Bowling Shoes!

Sometimes it takes a while for the ball to get to the pins so it's best to sit & relax! haha

For dinner, we grilled hamburgers & hotdogs. After dinner, we made smores. The kids had never had smores before. David was more excited about being outside to play. He took one bite of his smore & spent the rest of the time in the sandbox. Grace loved the smore. She took forever to eat it but she enjoyed every bite! She only ate one & made a huge mess!!

Butch says thank you, he likes smores also!

Grace asking for a kiss!