Waiting for a baby...

Today is officially my sister, Susanna's due date...yep, her 3rd little baby will be here soon...and we are waiting patiently!
Until June 20th, you can see a wonderful exhibit of butterflies in Cincinnati...we plan to go within the next 2 weeks, so we can see the cherry blossoms. If you're interested, more information here: http://www.butterflyshow.com/pdfs/General_Event_Release_2010.pdf
Olivia reading with her Aunt Karena on Sunday afternoon.
Rob got a charcoal Weber grill for his birthday, no more propane for us...although propane is quicker, it's not the best...and I got a bag of Cowboy charcoal for him:No need for lighter fluid...this stuff is 100% natural and works nicely! Great flavor. I love the packaging...reminds me of our vacation last summer, out west to Yellowstone. I wish I'd been in a better mood and not so tired while we were in Cody, Wyoming...it was my birthday and we had driven 9 hours that day from the Black Hills of South Dakota, all I wanted to do was set up the tent and get dinner fixed, instead of going to the rodeo.
I'm sure we'll go back there again...
Have YOU made plans for a summer vacation?

Carrot cake

* see below for recipe

Rob got 5 bags of sand for our sandbox...and then we got some shovels & buckets from ACE Hardware (made in the USA).












Yesterday, Bethany came over and we scrapbooked...along with our girls...little Anna, Olivia and Hannah.
We made carrot cake last night and ate it today (after I got home from work and before Rob left for work), for Rob's birthday. He even helped himself to a second slice... It's pretty healthy, well for a cake, it is:

Carrot cake

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 c. shredded coconut
2/3 c. chopped nuts (I used raw cashews)
2/3 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350'F. Combine sugar, oil, carrots and pineapple. Sift dry ingredients together, then add to wet mixture, add coconut, nuts and raisins. I baked (for a bit longer than 30 minutes) this one in a bundt pan, then sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar over the top, when it was done...

Wool, kittens, my husband's birthday, karate and 250 blog posts...

We went to experience the WOOL celebration at Turner Farm this weekend. This guy making knitting needles. There were about 30 sheep and they were all being shorn. The man said that all but the 2 males were pregnant, due in about 2 weeks! A woman was spinning wool into yarn. We saw a puppet show by the Waldorf students...who made their own puppets using wool and fabric.
It was super sunny. Hannah got to make a little scene using tidbits of wool...that was pretty cool, poking it with a needle, we tried to do it at home with a regular sewing needle and it didn't work.
I loved these brooches that were felted, now to try to make some...any ideas? Julie, you've felted some...I enjoyed reading your blog entry on using your Kitchen Aid mixer to felt wool!

We went to see the kittens at Lenora's house...aren't they so cute? They had a pregnant stray cat follow them home one day from the park! Lenora's dad is allergic to cats, but they've camped out on their back porch. Lenora's mom has found homes for these 2 little guys.
We had fun playing around with them...they scampered here and there. We tried to get them to catch a stick or a leaf...the kittens love games.

My dear husband will be celebrating his birthday in a few days. Today we got a sweet card in the mail from my 87 year old grandfather, addressed in shake-y handwriting to Rob...made my heart melt. He lives in New Jersey. We need to go visit him. I love my family.
* * *

Pretty soon, you'll see 2 little girls with new karate belts. They've been working hard on their kata!
250 blog posts later: I remember when I realized blogs are free...and fun and thought it would be a good way for me to journal...that was two and a half years ago! Trader Joe's doesn't sell that coconut sorbet anymore...bummer.

Lots of colors...

We have so many flowers blossoming around here...I love it. In that pink tree, we discovered a robin has made a nest...we can watch it without disturbing her from dining room window. Rob gave me a lilac bush a couple of years ago and it's got quite a few purple blooms this year!!! Smells lovely.
My sister is expecting her 3rd baby in a couple of weeks, a friend from church is expecting her baby next month, and one of the teacher I work with is also pregnant... I made a diaper cake as a gift. I put a 32 oz. Santa Cruz orange mango juice bottle inside...they're on sale here for $1.00. Mmmm...love those juices.
We went to the Kite Fest on Saturday...and it was awesome.
So sunny! I got a bit sunburned though. Next time, I'm going to pack a picnic blanket and a basket full of water, raisins, nuts, cheese, etc. to snack on...
Graeter's was giving out coupons...for a free cone.That's the mini-cone. Just a tease.

I just ordered some yarn from Purl today...they have FREE shipping all week! They also have fabulous fabric...some Liberty of London stuff that I'd love to get. So, I am going to knit something next week...while the girls are in karate class or during piano lessons. Maybe something for Mother's Day?

Christ is Risen!

My husband's parents came over to our house and they gave the girls gifts, then we ate brunch together. Hannah played piano for Grandma. It was a nice visit, but short, because Rob's little brother is not well.

We celebrated our Lord's Resurrection later that day, by going to my parent's house. My parents on the left and all 4 of their daughters, 4 husbands and the 5 grandchildren so far... It was sunny and warm, perfect weather. We ate, chatted, the girls climbed trees, hunted for eggs, took turns on the swing and in the Radio Flyer wagon.

While sitting on the back deck, we heard a barred owl hoot in one of the large pine trees, then another respond, then we saw them swoop and fly over to another tree...it was amazing. God manifested Himself in the beauty of His creations. Nature. Mom's daffodils are blooming, their neighbors have a pink magnolia and Bradford pear trees...all full of blossoms!

Preparations

Looking for a way to naturally dye your eggs, still?
http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekcookingtips/ht/redeggs.htm

My dad was given a beautiful jeweled cross recently. I love my parents.
Last Sunday we celebrated the Lord's entry into Jerusalem and took home palms and pussywillows from church. This week, we are preparing by reading the gospels that lead up to the Passion of Christ and the Lamentations and then shout "Christ is Risen!" on Pascha.

This is a photo I took of my Pascha basket last year....I'm sure it will look much the same this year. I made lemon cheese last night and will use that to make cheese pascha.

I actually used 1/2 gallon of raw milk, juice from 3 lemons to make mine, minor differences from the recipe in the above link.

Cheese-pascha

3 lbs farmer's cheese (instead I used the homemade lemon cheese)

1/2 lb salted butter (softened)
1/2 c. raisins (I didn't put any in my cheese-pascha, just decorated it with them after)

1/4 lb finely chopped almonds (didn't use them this year)

1 3/4 cups sugar
3 egg yolks (I made macaroons with the left over egg whites)

1 whole egg

1 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla extract (scraped the seeds from the center of a vanilla bean instead)

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Combine with cheese (adding nuts and raisins, if desired) and cream. Cook in large pot over medium head until mixture bubbles, stirring occassionally (about 1/2 hour). When cool, add vanilla, place mixture in mould lined with cheese cloth. Refridgerate and allow to drain, unmould and decorate! Spread on top of kulich (see previous post for my mom's recipe that I use) and enjoy!!!