Memory Keeping...the old and the new.

When going through pictures lately, I've come across some sweet pictures of Natalia and her cousins. Even though these are imperfect snapshots, I really want the memories behind the photos.  Plus I get to use the girly colors and flowers and ribbons and all of those fun things that I love to use on pages, since I have three boys, who prefer that I don't use flowers and ribbons on their pages, and my one girl who just prefers I don't even have pictures of her at all.

But I"ll let you in on a secret; there are flowers on the layouts I'm going to post tomorrow, the ones with the boys,  I just have to be a little more subtle about where they are and what they look like.  So come back then to take a peek.

This layout is Natalia and her cousins, and I've used some of my favorite things, that I use ALL THE TIME!  First of all is the hidden journaling tag.  For some reason I have a hard time figuring out where to put the journaling on most of my layouts.  That's why I use a tag in (what seems to me at least) 50% of my pages.



Something else about this layout that I like to do; even though the colors are in the same family, they're not too matchy-matchy.  I've got a blue-green in the flowered paper in the banners, and a green-blue on the background paper.  A coral to orange in the background, and a light rust orange of the velvet rick rack, the very orange zippers and the almost pink heart and pinky-pink frame.  And then there are the greens.  You get my drift.  It's not an exact science, and yet it all comes together just fine.

Did you spot the book page in the background on the right?  I love the patina of a well-worn book, and even though it is not front and center in the layout, it adds a little bit of depth.

And the zipper flowers?  Just a cheap, plastic zipper pulled apart and glued into a circle.  It makes me happy.  Even though I kept with the design theory of three, I added another flower to the right.




So, a doily, scallops, banners, and lace all make me happy.  As do the colors pink, brown and green together.  Again, it's a cousins photo and journaling on a tag tucked behind.

Sometimes a page is not a page without a banner.  What's better than a banner with flowers AND scallops?  A little bit of brown ink sets them off.

These girls had so much fun together.  Now they're living in three different ends of the country, and never see eachother.  Just the occasional chatting on the phone, or more often than not, on facebook.  And like I said, even though these pictures are less than perfect, they bring back fun and precious memories.




Remember, come back tomorrow for more pages with a more neutral/less pink theme, and I even changed up the journaling!


I'm linking up here:  WIP Monday at ScrapScene

What's for Dinner, February Weeks 4

Monday:  Salmon, Risotto, Roasted Asparagus-Orange Salad
*The trick to frugally feeding a large family some fish is to make the portions small, keeping the cost low, and serve with something filling, in this case the risotto.

Tuesday:  Bean and Cheese Burritos made from homemade whole wheat tortillas and these pinto beans in the crockpot from the beginning of the month.  I froze them in 3 1/2 cup containers and labeled with masking tape.  I spooned out some regular pinto beans before mashing and cooking the remaining beans into "refried".
This recipe actually made 5 of these containers (I used one up for chili last week) which was over 15 cups of pinto beans for CHEAP!

Wednesday:  Fried rice made with leftover brown rice/wild rice/shiitake mushroom and carrot medley from last week that I froze with some leftover peas.  Eggs are an inexpensive protein, so making a large batch of fried rice and adding some egg rolls is something a little different than our usual dinners.

Thursday:  Gone All Day Stew, made like this Hamburger Stew, but using some roast instead of hamburger, and bread from the bread machine.  We have basketball and meetings tonight, so having something to eat that is ready when we are lessens the stress.

Friday:  Pizza.  Keeping it easy.  Might try these Mini Pizzas if there's time.

Saturday:  Apple Pie Pork Chops, salad and potatoes.   We do love our pork chops with apples.

And for a treat -- Chocolate Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.  Instead of the chocolate ganache that is used in the recipe, I made a peanut butter frosting using two ingredients:

1 cup of Peanut Butter and 1 cup of Marshmallow Cream
Beat together until combined and spread on the cake.

Now the cake can officially be called a Monkey cake.  This recipe was quick to put together and made a moist, chocolatey and not too banana-y cake.  Thumbs up from all of the tasters.

I'm linking here:  Menu Plan Monday,  Tasty Tuesdays

What's for Dinner, February Week 1

This week I decided to try some pinto beans in the crock pot based on this video by The Greenbacks Gal.  (If you're not following me on pinterest, you can find me here.) 

Here is the recipe.  I found that they needed quite a bit of salt after they were cooked.  Don't add salt while cooking or the beans will stay hard.


Pinto Beans in the Crock Pot
2 pounds dried pinto beans
2 onions
1 large green pepper
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

Soak picked through and rinsed beans overnight in bowl with enough water to cover by several inches.  The next morning drain them and put into a large crockpot.  Put peeled and quartered onions in the food processor with a blade attachment and dump in with beans.  Do the same with the green pepper.  Then add the diced tomatoes and stir it all together.  Cover with water and cook for 12 hours on low.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

*I tried cooking just for the 8 hours, but my beans needed a full 12 hours to cook.  These were tasty, but the beans that I made just using water and chopped onion and some cumin and garlic were tasty, too. So the jury is out...if I want the extra step of the food processor, these will be fine, but if I just want to toss everything in the crockpot and walk away without the extra dishes, I'll make my usual beans.

Monday:
Leftovers Buffet- We have hot wings, homemade pizza, homemade pinto beans with tortillas, and Thai beef cabbage rolls in the fridge, and I'll make some veggies to go with.

Tuesday:
Apple Pie Pork Chops, roasted red potatoes and carrots

Wednesday:
Pasta with pesto, bread sticks, salad, veggies

Thursday:
Chicken and dumplings to use up extra veggies and the chicken from last week that's in the freezer

Friday:
Pizza?  Middle school dance and basketball game, so maybe even hot dogs at the game for the boys.

Saturday:
I'm thinking about going scrapbooking.  :)  Something easy, like eggs and toast is called for.

Our compute spontaneously combusted yesterday, so if no one hears from me from a while don't send out the search party.  Hopefully I'm being very productive instead of sitting on pinterest all day.  :)

Linking here: 

Menu Plan Monday

Tasty Tuesday

What's for dinner, January Week 5

Monday:

Vegetarian Divan~Just made this recipe pictured above, without the chicken, used just broccoli (filled the pan) spooned the sauce over and topped with cheese.  It was still yummy!

Tuesday:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Florentine Casserole
I'm going to trade out ham with turkey bacon and leave out the Gorgonzola cheese, since it's not something I keep in the fridge. :)

Wednesday:

Brian's Birthday!  He wants Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, we'll have chips and salsa and salad, too.

Thursday:

Crock Pot night, trying out a new recipe~Mexican Lasagna using Morningstar crumbles instead of the chicken

Friday:  

Thai Beef Cabbage Rolls and Brown Rice

Saturday:

Birthday dinner for Brian and Mario

Sunday:

Super Bowl Sunday, so we'll have some Hot Wings, Layered Dip (maybe these individual cups?) and some fruit and veggies.

I couldn't find a BAKED recipe for the Hot Wings, so here is the loose-y goose-y way I make them.

Dump the wings into a 9x13 pan or two and bake in a 400 degree oven until halfway done.  Coat with 1 cup or so of hot wing sauce, like Franks, and bake until done.  We like ours more on the chewy side, less on the gooey side, so we bake for an hour or so total for fresh wings, longer if you're using frozen drumettes.

I'm linking here:  Menu Plan Monday

A letter to my son before he gets his driver's license...

My oldest child will be getting his driver's license soon.  Not only does that make me feel old, but it also tests my limits on how much control I am willing to give up in his life.  Right now he is mostly a captive audience; he can't go anywhere beyond the small town that we live in without a ride from someone.  But that will change soon.  I'll have to trust that he will remember the things I have taught him and forget the things that I have done while driving that I'm not so proud of.  So if I can write down some tips here for him, maybe it will make me feel a little bit better.  I hope.

Dear Brian,

Pretty soon you will be getting behind the wheel of the Yukon XL without your dad or I climbing into the passenger seat beside you.  (If I am crying, just hand me a Kleenex and pat me on the shoulder.)  I knew that this day would come sooner or later, and there are some things that I want to share and/or reinforce with you before that day comes.

Driving is a privilege:  Carrying a brand new license with your sparkly-eyed, excited picture in your wallet will not entitle you to using the car whenever or for wherever you feel like going.

Driving is a convenience:  Having your driver's license will (hopefully) be helpful to your dad and I.  You can drive yourself to meetings, friends' houses, the grocery store, and wherever else that will save us some time.

Driving is a responsibility:  Getting into a car and driving it as a law-abiding, sign-watching, responsible teenage boy will take forethought and maturity.  Remember to put your seatbelt on as soon as you get in the car.  Practice doesn't make perfect, Practice makes Permanent.  Keep your eyes and your mind on the road.  There are so many distractions when driving, so even fiddling with the radio, checking out a cute girl, rummaging around for a piece of gum, taking a drink of your Gatorade, or talking to someone else in the car can distract you enough to make a mistake.  And do as I say, not as I do.

Driving takes practice:  Even though you have a shiny new license burning a hole in your wallet, that doesn't a professional driver make.  You will constantly be improving and learning as you are behind the wheel.  Take it slow.  Watch for pedestrians, especially kids.  They are short, and don't show up in your windows and mirrors.  Check behind you, beside you, and in every mirror and out every window, and then check again.  Try not to be in a hurry, and leave with plenty of time to get to where your going. And most importantly; beware of other teenage drivers.  Don't try to show off to or one-up any other drivers on the road.

I know this sounds like my usual lecture, but I'm only concerned because I love you.  And because I want you to learn from mistakes experience.

Love, Mom

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.