blueberry rolls

Sorry, life is crazy busy and I haven't had a chance to post the recipe. The other problem: I don't have a recipe. These came about when I was making whole wheat bread the other day and was craving something sweet so I decided to turn half the batch into blueberry and cinnamon rolls. I'm sure they would come out much better if you used your favorite sweet roll dough recipe. Anyway, for the blueberry sauce I just put some frozen blueberries (sorry I don't measure) into a sauce pan with a tiny bit of lemon/orange juice and some sugar. I cooked it until it started to thicken and then added a little cornstarch (you have to dissolve it in cold water first...but not a lot of water) to make it thicker. You could probably use blueberry fruit spread (TJ's has a great one) instead. I put a little (vegan) butter on the rolled out dough and then spread on the blueberry stuff. Frost them with glaze or your fav sweet roll frosting. Here is someone else's take on it.

food

Food is on my mind. I had to teach a class on healthy, low-budget cooking last week. I spent a whole day in the kitchen preparing samples. Max spent a whole day in the kitchen "cooking" and making messes.

"I just making hot chocolate mommy. I put onions and sugar and cheerios in my hot chocolate mommy. I working so hard mommy. I such a good worker mommy. I cooking just like you mommy..."
I planted round four of our garden this morning (with plenty of marigolds to scare the bugs away). I also planted stevia for the first time. I've never used it before, mostly because it's so expensive. Fingers are crossed that we will have better luck this time than we did last fall. While outside I was also very surprised to discover our first orange ever hiding under some branches. Hopefully the limes and lemons aren't far behind.
In trying to get as much use as possible out of my wheat grinder, I have been baking a lot. Bread, muffins, and a new personal fav: blueberry rolls.

dance party

This video is a 'get well soon' shout out to Ian's fav singer Rihanna. Whenever he hears her music he stops what he's doing and starts dancing. His dancing skills aren't bad for a 15-month-old. Max can dance too, but gets camera shy.

click HERE for video

Outside

We have been outside lately. And for a good reason. When we stay inside disaster happens. I end up cleaning red paint off of my curtains, walls, and children. I end up cleaning bodily excretions (both types) out of the carpet. I end up sweeping entire bags of crushed tortilla chips off the floor. I end up losing my temper when Max finds my laptop and pulls four of the keys off. In short, I end up losing my mind.

Outside the fresh air clears my head. I can read uninterrupted while the boys bury themselves in dirt. Sarah came over on Saturday and documented our typical day HERE.

And yes, a typical day includes Jane Austen and leggings. I am ADDICTED to leggings. When I asked J-P if it was appropriate for me to wear them in public (public as in to the gym) he replied "Uh, well, you do know that...uh...they show parts of your body that are...uh...well...not quite as uh...toned...as other parts of your body?" Cracks me up.

embarrassment

I rarely get embarrassed. I can remember two specific times in my 30 years that I have been truly embarrassed. That's all.

This past month, feelings reminiscent of embarrassment have been abounding.

I am embarrassed that I have read the twilight series three times (the 2nd and 3rd time were during long road trips). I am more embarrassed that I have seen the movie four times. Yes, four.

I'm embarrassed to admit I had never read a Jane Austen book before 2009. After watching Pride and Prejudice three times over the holidays, I sent J-P to the store to buy me the 5 hour mini-series. Still unsatisfied, I thought long and hard about how I could get more details about the story when the thought FINALLY hit me--"oh yeah, there's totally a book". I took it off the shelf (yes I even own it) and read it in two days. I also read Sense and Sensibility and Emma in January, and started Mansfield Park yesterday. I am thoroughly addicted.

This is perhaps the worst account: My sister-in-law Sarah came over a couple weeks ago and told me (with marked enthusiasm) that the Cardinals were going to the Superbowl. My immediate thoughts were "Aren't the Cardinals a baseball team? Why is Sarah so excited? Who cares?" Trying to be polite, I replied "Oh. Was that like unexpected or something?" To which she replied that it was very unexpected. I didn't think about it again until I was walking through Walmart and there were pictures of the Cardinals everywhere. The whole store was bleeding red with Cardinals memorabilia. "Why are the Cardinals so popular here? I don't get it...oh, wait...that sign says 'Arizona Cardinals'. Oh. Whoops. I probably should have known that. That's embarrassing."

Even more embarrassing was that I shoplifted for the 127th time on my way out of the store. A gigantic rubbermaid storage bin. After loudly repeating "NO, THIS ISN'T A RETURN, I JUST FORGOT TO PAY FOR IT" to the hard-of-hearing walmart greeter, I finally made it past her to go pay. She started laughing hysterically as I lugged the giant thing back inside with two cranky toddlers in tow. "This is so not funny", I said under my breath as I passed her.