hang out at the farm

We headed over to the farm yesterday.  It was so good to see the Vaca family again.  Vaca momma was pretty sick this winter- spending time in the hospital, but the latest excitement- a CALF living in the basement.  Ask Hermano about watching the calf being born- it is a unique view into how the 4 year old mind works. 

The boys were excited to see the calf- named "Tiller" by hermano. 

The mommas were ok until the boys starting throwing the sawdust all over the place- nothing like cow poop  possibly being on clean boys and on mommas to really set the tone at the farm.  Tiller will be in the basement a few more days and then is moving out to the chicken shed- just like the 2 calves from last year.

I must say the more we visit with hermano and the family, the more I realize I am happy to just grow veggies in my backyard.  I am not sure I could take a cow in the basement, even a little cute one like Tiller.  She is very docile and very cute. But, I certainly appreciate my food much more seeing all the work, effort and pain that Vaca Daddy goes through.  Farmers rock!!!!

The boys had a great time playing- the sit-n-spin was hijo's favorite- again.

But defintiely the favorite thing, was tipping over their chairs and ending up on the floor.  Silly boys. 

We had homemade pizza for dinner along with watermelon. I thought the boys would help, but they were too busy playing.   It was a good dinner and good time with our friends.

The boys ended the night with some spinning and some hide-n-seek and some plushy toy playing.  They had 5 hours together and enjoyed it.  We need to get over to the farm more often, or have them come over more often.  I am trying to convince Vaca Momma and hermano to come over for the flower show at the zoo- flowers for us mommas to enjoy and animals for the boys.


For Popi, Mireya and the girls- I have the last item for the package for you guys.  I am going to pack it up this week and I will send it on Monday.  I will email you when I ship it, along with the contents.  I am hoping it arrives in time for Easter.

Love and hugs,
momma

Home and garden show 2010- the unofficial start to Spring

The unofficial start to Spring was today for our family- the Home and Garden show.  We got up at 7:30 this morning, headed out to pick up Mam at 9:00 and were downtown by 9:30.  The H&G show did not open until 10:30, but the annual St. Patrick's Day parade was also today and streets in the downtown area were being closed starting at 8:30 am, so I wanted us parked before all the streets closed.   We walked through the mall downtown- all the stores closed at the time, but also, lots of empty retail spots.  The mall has not done well for years and the sconomy recently has not helped at all.

Since we had time, we took time to look at the exhibits outside the event- the mini van was a huge hit.  No pictures, but we spent a good 20-30 minutes looking at it.  I am considering getting one this year- toward the end of the year.  Hijo liked it, my parents used to have one.  It definitely gives us more room if our family changes but also for vacations and hauling things around. 

Once the show opened, we were ready.  We saw the solar panel guys- they are coming out to talk to me- though there is no way I can afford solar panels at this time and I would prefer to wait until I have to replace the roof onthe house first and then add solar panels- that way I know it will be another 20-30 years before the roof needs to be replaced and the panels need to be moved.

Hijo liked the door displays- he had great fun showing me how the doors worked and how the doors lock one side.  Of course, the fountains were a huge hit with him too.  I think he had to touch every one in this location.

Hijo reffused to be in the picture with me.  So it isjust me beside the water feature. He was mad becuase I told him to leave the plants alone- he kept lifting them out of the water and moving them.  He found another fountain- a rain barrel.  He was happy.

I liked these tiles.  They would be great even as outside wall decorations or painted on to my concrete patio. 

So if you remember, Hijo refused to touch any character at Disney last summer- well, 8 months have sure changed his perspectivie on characters.  He RAN to see Clifford, the big red dog.  I mean, he jumped out of the stroller and ran down there.  He was so happy.  he told Clifford that he watches him every day (or at least every day that he is at Mam and Pap's house).

Hijo had to try out some cars too.  He refused to let me open the door to take his picture, sorry for the bring glare.

Home Depot sponsors the show, or is one of the main sponsors, so they had a kids area set up.  Hijo got to make a display for his cars- AKA victroy lane.  He was loving it. 

And then we had to ride the riding lawn mowers- AKA tractors.

We entered the H&G show through the wrong doors this year and ended up right by the kids playsets- which the kids are encouraged to try out.  it took some convincing, but Hijo finally accepted that we would see the show and then come back to the play area at the end.  True to our word, we came back. 

Hijo spent some time jumping on an enclosed trampoline.  Which he loved and the sales guy tried to convince me that we had room for in our back yard.  We don't have room and I am not going to pay increased insurance rates becuase we have one, so we are not getting one.

Hijo played on the playscapes- this one was huge.  It was twice the size of the one he has at home.  But he was overwhelmed by it too.  But he liked it and he enjoyed playing on it.

The afternnon was spent at Costco, the mall up north and Chick-a-fil.  After chick-a-fil, we headed to Mam and Pap's house for some more playtime.  Hijo was full of energy after a 20 minute nap in the car on the way home, while the grown ups all were tired.   Hijo ended up with his building blocks and making towers to be knocked down.  He was happy.  We got home at 7:40 this evening.  11 hours out of the house- a long day.

He had his camera today- but stopped taking pictures after we got downtown.  here are some of the pictueres he took this morning- he especially wants the girls to know that these are for them so that they know he loves them.

Momma driving- he was taking pictures of the turns to get to Mam and Pap's house.  I think this is at Blue Rock Road.

Proof that he puts his feeet up on the back of my seat.  I know he does it, becuase I can feel it, but this is proof.

Some of the tile work in the mall downtown- it is also an office building, I used to work on the 6th floor.  The building was built when my grandfather was a little boy and is decorated in the art deco style.  The tiles and details are incrediable.

That was our day.  The time changes tonight- we Spring forward one hour.  Which means we actually loose an hour of sleep tonight- I hate this change.   We are heading out to the farm tomorrow afternoon to visit with Hermano and his parents.  It is going to be so much fun to see them and hang out with them.

Love and hugs,

Momma

Cooking time- "mashed" potato soup

Hijo and I cooked potato soup tonight.  He is great helper- stirring the pot and helping with the blender.   Since I love my carbs, we also had biscuits.

Hijo gave the dinner 2 thumbs up and then only ate the biscuit.  I expect he will be hungry later- thank goodness we have gogurts in the house.  the thunder is rolling through the area and I am loving it.  Hijo is not loving it but he will be fine- although there is no way he will go to bed tonight, so he'll be sleeping on the couch tonight.


The "Mashed" potato soup reciepe
6 large potatos (I use 4 since it is jsut hijo and me)
2 med onions (I use 1/2 an onion)
3 stalks celery
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 T margarine
1 cup half and half (I use evaporated milk)
1 cup cheese - I use mozarella cheese

dice the potatos, chop the clery and onions- sautee these 3 ingredients in the margarine for about 5 minutes
add the chicken broth, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer until the vegatables are tender.  Put the mixture in the blender and blend until smooth- I usually have to add the evaporated milk at this point so that the mixture has enough liquid to blend.
Once blended, if you have not already added the evaporated milk, add it.
add the cheese, stir until the cheese melts

Serves 4 (but I find it serves 6).

This soup freezes nicely for up to 6 months.  It will be a little watery if you freeze and then reheat- I usaully add a little more cheese or some instant potato flakes to thicken it up.

enjoy!!!!!!

Love to you,
Momma

Walking in the rain

We took a walk this evening- potato soup making was delayed for day due to hijo going to my parents mid day.  Since I don't pay them for watching him, I take them to dinner when they watch him.

So we had dinner with them and then took a walk thru the neighborhood. 

We saw the squirrel eating a nut on the tree.  The squirrel was not even concerned that we were less than 10 feet from it.

Hijo was disappointed that there were not more puddles, but we only had gentle rain part of that day.  I think with the rain over the next 2 days, we should have enough rain to give hijo the puddles he wants to play in.

We have a busy weekend planned including, hopefully, seeing hermano.

Love to you,

momma

Gardening- ar at least doing something outside and other various things from today

It was a gorgeous day here.  it was supposed to rain, but by noon, the sun was shining and the rain clouds had moved out.  LOVE IT!!!!  I am so happy, so absolutely happy.  I know that I have SAD (seasonal Affective Disorder)- which basically means winter and long times without sunshine make me depressed and affect my mood and outlook.  Apparently I was a bit more affected this year then I thought as someone commented to one of my bosses that I "was a bit snippy last week".  Snippy is probably an understatement, but that has more to do with the situation then my mood in reality.  But being told that it was said about me made me realize just how bad I had gotten with the weather.

My goal this year is to work in my yard/garden as much as I can.  To help with that, I am using my lunch time (one benfit of working from home) and working in the garden.  With the weather this week, I have gotten 2 days in the garden, preparing for the planting season. Today's task was Spring clean up.

I cut down the butterfly bush- this is a plant that you cut back each year and it regrows. 

This is the pile of branches I cut off and below is the pile from past years that I want to get rid of.  I think I am going have Hijo come out with me and we are going play break up the sticks for a few days.  That should get the plie to a managable size.  Then I can compost the broken up sticks.  I also took the time to trim up the neighbors bushes that are coming through the chain link fence we share.  The bushes are Rose of Sharon bushes and while I like them, the branches hit me in the face while I am cutting the grass.  So the pile of sticks got larger due trimming them too.  I really think the neighbor needs to rip out the bushes,- they are planted right on the fence line and the bushes are always going to grow to my side of the fence since my side faces the sun.  But since the roots of the plants are on the neighbors side of the fence, I can only trim the branches on my side of the fence.

I had to check on my strawberry plants- THEY SURVIVED THE WINTER!!!!!!!!  of course it is still too early to uncover them, but I was so happy to see them all green and alive under the covering I put on them in October.

The daffodils are peaking up in the front of the house too.  I really want to plant more daffodils and tulips this fall.  They make my heart happy when I see them in the Spring

After work today, hijo and I headed out to the park.  Note he has rain boots on as I thought that it was going to rain and gave him the choice of rain boots or tennis shoes this morning.  He will always choose rain boots when given a choice.

Hijo spent most of his time trying to find someone to play with him- I am no longer the favorite playmate at the park.  he walked up to 3 kids and asked them if they wanted to be his friend, which translates into "do you want to play with me".  I asked 2 more kids that hijo suddently became too shy to talk too at the last moment.  No one wanted to play with him.  I felt sad for him, but at the same time, I kept explaining that it was OK.  I think he got it becuase toward the end, he asked me to play with him.  That is a big change for him- 1. to ask a stranger child to play with him and 2. to ask me rather than demand that I play with him. 

Hijo of course had to swing.  he stared with his boots on and right after the first picture, they flew/dropped off his feet.  So I set them off to the side an hijo continued swinging  in his sock feet.  He was very concerned about his boots not being his feet and how was he going to get out of the swing without them.  Not to worry, Momma saved the day by putting the boots right under the swing and lifting him out of the swing and into his boots without his sock feet every touching the ground.

Pretending to be a grey fox sleeping in his log- just like the one we saw at the zoo over the weekend.

Hijo was my taxi driver when we playing- after being my boat captain and my fisherman. 

He is busy telling me that my house is over there. it was the cheapiest taxi ride ever- $1.00 was the fare to my house.  I got to be his taxi driver- I got pulled over by the police for being too fast, I over charged him and he was still happy.  Too much fun.

After the park- we headed to the grocery store.  Hijo likes to pick the apples and to push his cart.  We had to go to the store my parents house as it is the only store close to use with the child size grocery carts.  Hijo loves them.  He wants all the food in his cart all the time. This is a great thing when I want to tire him out, I fill his cart up with heavy things and we walk up and down every aisle- he falls alseep on the way home after all that effort. 

Tonight was not one of those nights- we were going home to make pizza for dinner.  So he had about half the things we needed and I had the other half- but more of the heavy things. And we only walked up the aisles that had things on the list.

Tomorrow night we are making potato soup for dinner.  Fingers crossed that helping to make it  means he will eat it, though he ate potato soup with Pap one day and proclaimed that he liked it alot.

That's all for today, it has been a busy day.  I am off to get some rest.

Love to you,

Momma