mesc: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tuesday Cooking

Javie, Ayva and Sheala came over to cook. Sheala and Ayva made dessert. Javie and I made fettuccine. Both turned out yummy.

2# stewing beef

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS garlic paste

1 TBS parsley paste

Make sure the dry herbs look right! Cover the entire surface so all the meat is falvorful.

1 TBS Oregano

1 TBS Mrs. Dash

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups water

1 pkg wide noodles

1/4 cup Parmesean cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella shredded cheese

Heat oil in dutch oven. Pat stewing beef dry. Add to hot oil. Add everything but water. Brown meat. Add water, cover and cook on low for one and a half hours. Remove meat from pot and boil juices until reduced in half.

while reducing sauce cook noodles

put noodles on large platter

Add cheeses and mix well

Top with meat

pour reduced juices over all

Sheala and Ayva's

Mexican cheesecake on Pinterest

Lunch with Friends

I went to lunch with friends from work yesterday. I sure do love seeing them. Two still work at the City, one retired and started working somewhere else and two of us won't ever work again!!

It was fun catching up and laughing with them. Finding out what their kids are doing - what travels there have been. How things have changed and how some things will never change.

You are all precious to me - what a great time.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

MADONNA DELL'UVA

Pierre Mignard is the artist of

Madonna of the Grapes

I love the playfulness of Jesus playing peek-a-boo

with the Blessed Mother's veil

Tuesday Night Cooking Lessons

Javier said when we were camping, "Nana you are the best cook, I wish you would teach me." So, Tuesday we started lessons. We picked up Javie and Ayva at school.

We also invited Sheala to come over to bake.

First on the menu was meatballs. We had to hurry because religion classes would begin at 4:15. So after a quick snack they donned aprons and followed my directions for meatballs.

Now little miss Ayva HATES blood. So mixing those meatballs with her hands was a BIG thing. She did it! Javie had a blast. We formed about 60 meatballs for me to bake while they were at class.

Thankfully their classes are at St. Stephens so we only had a few blocks to go. While registering the kids Sheala called to say she was at our house.

When Pat and I got back Sheala and I made pumpkin cupcakes. Then after those were baked we put the meatballs in the oven. After those were baked I put them in the sauce and ran to the car to go get the kids.

I let the kids play on the playground for 10 minutes. KIDS NEED TO PLAY! When we got back everyone was there. Caroline, Jessie, Romeo, Tino, and Joanna. No one had started the water for the pasta. Now to be fair I didn't ask anyone. So we had to wait for water to boil. I made a salad - adding blueberries and raspberries after Ayva asked for fruit. At the last minute remembering to put the garlic bread in the oven.

SUCCESS. Everything tasted yummy. The meatballs were spiced exactly right. The pumpkin cupcakes were moist and soft like pumpkin pie. The kids and Sheala loved spraying on the whipped cream from a can (much more than if we had learned how to make whipped cream - we'll leave that lesson for another day!)

I will be pinning the recipes each week. CLICK HERE.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Romeo is Two

Romeo blowing out the candles

Ayva laughing at Javier

Cookies his Mom made and the cake his aunt made

Friday, September 19, 2014

Monarch Butterflies

Phil Odum took this picture on Wednesday

at Tawas Point State Park

It was posted on Facebook

That day we saw a butterfly go past our campsite

at least one every 15 seconds

it was an amazing afternoon.

Up North

We are enjoying the crisp cold evenings and some of the days have been sunny. Yesterday was a bit cold. But we drove around a bit on the two tracks and when we got back we had a big fire.

We went to the lighthouse and the lightkeeper gave me some information to put in the next book. I can't wait to weave his stories with mine.

It has to do with this door leading to the staircase to the tower.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Rainy Days

Best plans sometimes get changed and we have fun anyway! Javier and Ayva spent the night. We tried to go to the balloon festival in Midland last night, but it rained. So we took Sheala with us to eat in Freeland. Then we took Sheala home and played in the living room.

Javie slept on the love seat and Ayva and I slept on the couch. Then this morning I made cinnamon roll cake for breakfast.

Now we are playing school and making tents.