Before and After

I was very excited when I put a load of laundry in the washer and looked in my bathroom....
No LAUNDRY!



Then I recalled the pile of sheets that Vinnie (the dog) has been sleeping on upstairs in our bedroom. So, to make sure I do my chores I put three sets of sheets, pillow cases, a blanket, and some towels on my kitchen floor so that I wouldn't forget.


I put Owen down for a nap and looked at the week of mess in our livingroom.

So I cleaned it up.

My work is not done, but I'm getting there. It's one in the afternoon I've been up since 10 this morning (Owen and I took a nap after his morning bottle at 8) and I haven't showered, but I feel accomplished!

Quick Week-end Escape (click the photos to see them larger)

Rockland & the Reception

We have been planning on attending a wedding in Rockland over the week-end. The plan was to drop Owen off Saturday morning, drive the 2 or so hours to the town that the wedding was in, walk around for a bit, go to the wedding, stay long enough to eat at the reception, then hightail it home, sleep, and pick Owen up before church Sunday morning. Jason's parents and several of his co-workers were planning on staying in the Rockland Area Friday night and Saturday night, but we couldn't afford it.

Mount Battie, Camden, Maine

Reception

I had Owen all packed up and ready to go Friday morning before our bi-weekly grocery shopping trip. I didn't want to pack sleepy either that night or the next morning for fear that I'd forget something. We decided that since we were already going to be in town, why not stop by my Mom's and have supper to and why not leave Owen?


Saturday morning I wake up and Jason says "I have a surprise for you."
"What is it?" I ask
"I can't tell you it's a surprise."
"Where is it?"
"I can't tell you that either. Get up and go downstairs and shower."
"Is it downstairs?"
"No. Well. Sort of. It's outside."
Sleep-addled I take a shower.
In the shower I wake up.
"Are we staying down there?"
"Yes!" he says beaming, "And I've already packed!"

Mount Battie
(this is not Owen)

We went to Rockland for a few days. It was a lot of fun. We went to the breakwater and walked the 7/10ths of a mile to the lighthouse, we attended a very beautiful wedding, got to view the gorgeous Maine coastline. And then collasped into a hotel bed for the night. In the morning we went up Mount Battie (by car), walked around Rockland, and headed for home to see our boy (who we missed very much!).

 It was great to get away, but I am happy to be home!

For More photos check out my Facebook Album (no need for a profile/account to view them)

Strawberry Bread Pudding

At our house when we get to the end of a loaf of bread and all we have left is ends we save them. We pop them in the freezer in whatever bag they were in and there they sit. Every week or so when another loaf is polished off we add it to the others on the door of the freezer. When we have enough of these unwanted pieces of bread we know it is time to make some Bread Pudding. We toast the bread in the oven until it is dry, that way it will soak up all the milk and eggs, but not browned.

My Grandmother Blidberg made her Bread Pudding with raisins, but since Jason doesn't like rasins I'm trying it a little different today.


Fruit Bread Pudding:

• 12-20 slices of bread dried in the oven but not toasted.
• 3 cups of milk
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup of sliced fruit (try peaches, blue berries, strawberries, apples) or 1/2 cup raisins

1. Break up bread into chunks and put in 9x13 pan. 
2. In a big bowl combine milk and eggs and beat with whisk. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Dump over the top of bread and stir, making sure all the bread is sopping wet.
4. Bake 350degrees for 45mins or until top springs back when lightly tapped.
5. Serve hot with milk, maple syrup, whipped cream, ice cream, and/or strawberry sauce

Strawberry Sauce:

• 1/2 cup whole strawberries
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 2Tbs water
• 2Tbs sugar
• 1Tbs maple sugar

Simmer for 45mins or until thick while Bread Pudding bakes.

I hope to post pictures, if it lasts long enough for me to buy some batteries.

No Wheels, No Problem

We are with out a vehicle at the moment. No Impala (how I miss that car!), no truck, not even a bike, or a train, or a bus, nothing.

We now travel at the mercy of family.

I am thankful, grateful, and blessed by and for our family! 

I am so thankful that God blessed us with loving parents and relatives and extended church family who will let us borrow their wheels or scoop us up or bring us back when we need them.

With any luck By God's grace and mercy the truck will not be broken too bad and it will be an easy and cheap fix. And if it is not an easy or cheap fix then I know that God has something planned. He knows the balance in the checkbook and where we need to go each week, it will all work out.

4/15/2011

Truck is fixed. It took $200 and the garage owner said we can pay him when we have the money.

Thank you God!