Thursday, March 31, 2011

Photo's etc.

Oh my goodness.  I haven't developed pictures since December....2009!  This past week developing pictures was on my "to-do" list, and I am proud to say after a year of putting it off, I have finally developed some pictures! It feels good to be able to see in print how much Ingrid has grown over the past year.  The total number of pictures developed: 400!!  So I tallied it up.....400 pictures per year over 18 years equals 7200 pictures!!  And that is just for ONE child.  Then I realized......I have only sorted through half the pictures in my computer organizing system.  That's right, i probably have another 200+ photo's to "send to the presses".  Yikes.  My goal was to have my pictures organized and printed by the time I get busy with my photography this sping and summer.  I have some work to do......
























Currently I am a picnik premium package user.  It has worked great for me and I still like it, but I don't like to do a lot of editing (anymore).  I mainly just touch up exposure/contrast, sharpness, and make a few little tweeks here and there, but I really love what my new software has to offer.  That's why we bought lightroom 3.  I am super excited to get started!  We have to upgrade our computer as well, and as soon as we do I will have lots of learning to do!  I have spent the past couple of months researching and learning, so hopefully I will have a head start once it gets installed.  I can't wait...and hopefully with the organization tools Lightroom offers I won't be waiting another year to develop photos!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Days like these......

Sometimes you have days like these....
and other times you have days like these....

....when the entire day is spent smiling and giggling....







































when you are doing dishes in the kitchen, and you glance in the living room and see this....

























when she just HAS to eat lunch with her baby, and takes turns feeding herself and then her baby, and you think....wait-isn't SHE the baby??
























when she finds a new way to "do her puzzle", and you both think it's hilarious...
























when she takes out all the pots and pans and sits in them, because it's funny....










when her toy camera says "SAY CHEESE", and she does this....
























and when you look into those BIG brownish, greenish, blueish eyes and think, Wow, I co-created that.  She's amazing, and I'm pretty sure that if I loved her anymore my heart would break into a million pieces....




































Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Creamy Potato Soup

I made this for dinner last night, and for how quick it was I would say it turned out pretty good.  I forgot to take a photo......but here is the recipe!

Ingredients
*1-2 T butter
*1 small onion, chopped
* 1 clove of garlic
*2 lbs. of potatoes, peeled and chopped
*2 14oz cans of chicken broth
*1 cup of buttermilk
* 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
*S &P to taste
*bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions
1.  Over medium heat, cook onion & garlic in butter until soft.
2.  To your pot, add chicken broth and potatoes and simmer, partially covered, until tender.
3.  Once potatoes are tender, carefully spoon mixture in to a food processor.  Add the rest of your ingredients and puree.  Season to taste.  
4.  We topped the soup with extra bacon and cheese...because that's how we do.  

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Ingrid Faces



















































Friday, March 18, 2011

Springtime: Part II

I feel like such a Minnesotan talking about our recent warm weather.  But when you are a stay at home mom trapped inside for the long winter months, spring time is a big deal!  I can't wait to go to the park this year and watch Ingrid run around and play with the other kids.  Yesterday, after lunch, we headed outside to walk around and explore....

Ingrid is usually an adrenalin junky, but she was very skeptical of the cars....which makes her mama happy!








































I just can't get over her cuteness....she walked around with her hands up like a little princess who couldn't bare the thought of getting dirty....







































I am so blessed!




























































Thursday, March 17, 2011

Wall Paper

Have you ever tried to take down 20 year old wall paper?  For your sake, I hope not!  Here is a "work-in-progress" shot of our past week.  We were able to use my cousin's wall paper steamer, which by the way-is the ONLY way to go.  It looks like whoever put this wall paper up was trying to cover up an equally as ugly color of paint.  We have our work cut out for us!


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Play dates with Ingrid's BFF's.

I was messing with the settings on my camera, so these top two photos of the kid's came out pixelated.




Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Hints of Spring...

If you're from Minnesota, then you probably agree with me that 39 degree's means springtime, rain boots, and morning/afternoon/evening walks (because we can't get outside ENOUGH).  We had a little family walk after dinner last night, and though it was short lived, it was amazing to get outside and just move!  It wasn't quite 40 degree's, so when the wind hit, it was still a little chilly for Ingrid.  Actually, I don't think she gave a rat's tushy, I just didn't want her to get too cold (since it's next to impossible to get her to leave her mittens and hat on!).  It was so cute (and sad), as soon as we turned around to go home, she just cried!  She loves being outside.  I can not wait until the snow melts and I can run around outside with her.  I've been looking everywhere for size 4 rain boots, and have yet to find any....so maybe a Sal. Army trip is in order.....Here are some photo's that my husband took of me, Ingrid, and my mama.  Now affectionately known as "Kee-Kee" (Yes, that is kitty, and she is known as Kitty to Ingrid...."you know what they say about chips..")


Monday, March 14, 2011

Lemon Raspberry Cupakes






































This recipe is too good not to share.  Lemon cupcakes with a Raspberry filling.  Let me be more specific.  Lemon cupcakes (made with squash) with a raspberry (made with beets) filling.  In the words of Gob Bluth, "C'MON!!!"  You would never think it!!  As if I haven't talked about Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook enough......but seriously-these are delectable.  Here is the recipe....

FILLING
* 1/4 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
* 2 Tablespoons beet puree (I used canned beets, drained, and pureed)
* 2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar
* 1 Tablespoon butter

BATTER

* 1 cup granulated sugar
*1/2 cup nonfat milk
* 1/2 cup yellow squash puree (I cheat and use baby food)
* 1/3 canola oil
* 2 large egg whites
* 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

FROSTING
* 1 8oz package cream cheese
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degree.  Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

2.  For the filling, puree the raspberries, beet puree, sugar, and butter in a blender or food processor; set aside

3.  For the batter, beat the sugar in a large bowl with the milk, squash puree, oil, egg whites, lemon juice, and lemon extract until smooth.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then mix until incorporated.

4.  Using about half the batter, fill each muffin cup 1/3 full.  Dot each with raspberry filling, then cover with the rest of the batter.

5.  Bake until tops of cupakes are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool.

6.  For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon extract.  Spread the frosting over the cool cupcakes.

a few things crocheted....

I finished these items a few weeks ago, but I am finally getting around to posting them.  I got the idea of this newborn onesie and sweater shell from Bobbi, and here is the onesie pattern I used.  These items were a little outside of my comfort zone, but I think they turned out pretty cute...and with the abundance of pregnant women I know right now, I shouldn't have any problem finding someone to give them to!

Now on a side note.....it's supposed to be in the mid 40's today...who's up for a WALK!?!?!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Days like these......

I'm going to preface this post by saying this:  There is nothing that I love more then staying home and being mom to my precious baby.  Ingrid is a joy, who, most of the time-is really well behaved.  I would say most of our days are filled with cuddles, laughter, snacks, Corduroy, kisses, playing catch, flash cards, and probably a few more snuggles.  It's not a bad way to live.  For some reason, every day after lunch, as I clean up dish's, sweep and vacuum- it hits me.  Like clock work.  I am so lucky.  This is what I am meant to do.

Having said all that....

Sometimes you have days like today. 

The morning started off good enough.  Ingrid slept in, which is usually a sign of a happy well rested baby. I showered before she woke up, and once the morning dish's were done, and we are all "put together" for the day, I decided we needed to get out of the house and do something fun, something different.  Mistake #1.  We packed up and left for Cabela's.  Ingrid loves anything having to do with animals, so what better on a cloudy winter day then to go look at some stuffed and mounted ones.  It started by the stupid stroller not fitting in the car because the stupid latch wouldn't fold.  Ingrid is in her car seat crying while I try to quickly stuff the little stroller in the trunk.  I get in the car.  Deep Breath.  Off we go.  We arrive at our destination and as I am putting Ingrid in the sroller I ask her "Are you going to be a good girl and behave, Ingrid?"  She replies with a sweet "YES!"  Good.  As soon as she is confined in her stroller with the straps that I can't loosen, because they're still too tight from last summer, she is upset.  I try to take off her jacket.  The zipper is stuck.  I finally get it to unzip.  Deep Breath.  We look at all the stuffed and mounted animals when I realize Ingrid probably can't see them very well from her stroller...so I decide to take her out and hold her so she has a better view.  Mistake #2.  And she's off!  Ingrid took off like a bat outta hell, running to explore.  When I finally caught up with her to put her back in the stroller she sat down and had a full blown melt down.  I look around, are people starring??  I finally get her strapped back in her stroller to go look at the fishies.  Deep Breath.

































  




I think her face in this picture pretty much says it all......






















































She enjoyed looking at the fish.  She kept saying "Hi fishies!"  Maybe we will be okay.  Time to head upstairs to look around, I take off towards the elevator.  Mistake #3.  Ingrid LOVES elevator rides.  She will do almost anything to ride that elevator over and over and over.  I tell her, "Okay Ingrid, once we get to the 2nd floor then we are all done with the elevator"......we get to the second floor.  Full blown melt down.  Deep Breath........

The rest of the trip went pretty similar to that.  I felt like I had a pretty good work out.  My heart was racing, sweat pouring from my brow.  But on our way home I glanced in my rear view mirror to see Ingrid looking around, as she sang her heart out....and I ask myself once again "what could be better?"

Later this morning I felt that our day needed some redemption.  I think I have a major case of Spring fever coupled with an intense desire to provide exciting, fresh, entertaining activities for Ingrid.  I want to show her the world.  Hard to do mid March in Minnesota.  Anyway, we decided to play outside in the snow, since we finally had a warm day to do it!  Yes, there were a few meltdowns.  But over all, it was a blast watching her excitement to be outside again.
















































































 



























































I have to admit, pieces of me welcomes difficult days like these.  It almost feels good, in a very "I-am-woman-hear-me-roar" kind of way.  I can handle myself, a house, and a child who is having a bad day with confidence that tomorrow will be better.......and that I can soak up the rest of the day appreciating that I am so very blessed to be Ingrid's mother.  The afternoon ended with a bunch of little things that made me happy....



Really Ingrid.....still chewing on your toes?? :)























Jumping UP high!






















Her growing locks....























Holding hands....





































and lots and lots of Corduroy....