Paint Job

Over the past week Mack has been painting apartments in Cincinnati for my dad.  On Tuesday morning, JMS asked me, "Mommy, where is Dada?"  I replied that he was with Grandpa painting.  He asked me, "Is he going to bring his picture home with him to show us?"  I had to explain that he was painting walls and only using the color white, so no he wouldn't be bringing a painting home with him.

(two days later...)

"Mommy, where is Dada?"  I replied he was with Grandpa, again, painting.  He says to me, "Did he remember to take my water paints [colors] with him?"  I laughed...and had to tell him no. 

JMS and the doctor

JMS was diagnosed with an ear infection yesterday.  When we first met the doctor she asked him what was wrong.  He said, "I have a cough.  My head hurts. My nose is running."  She said, "well, it just seems that you are falling to pieces." 

12 hours later...

JMS wakes up this morning and crawls in bed crying, "Mommy, I don't want to fall to pieces like the lady said." 

Precious. 

HOT CROSS BUNS...with the breadmaker

My mom makes Hot Cross Buns all the time...and she uses her bread maker to do the dirty work.  Well, I can't seem to wrestle the recipe away from her, so I found my own.  This recipe was great!!! I don't like raisins, so I left those out...but the rest of the bread is super flavorful.  My hardest part of this recipe was the WAITING.  It was like watching paint dry.  I was a little impatient.  :)  Now, my breadmaker has made it back into my kitchen...I actually had to dust it off.

HOT CROSS BUNS
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter softened
4 cups All Purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons quick active dry yeast
1/2 cup dark raisins (optional)
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Top...to brown
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Break 2 eggs into 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 1 1/3 cups. Measure carefully, placing egg mixture and remaining bun ingredients except raisins, 1 egg and cold water in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Add raisins at the Raisin/Nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends.

2. Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycle. (Total time will vary with appliance and setting.)

3. Remove dough from pan, using lightly floured hands. Cover and let rest 10 minutes on lightly floured surface.

4. Grease cookie sheet or two 9-inch round cake pans. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet or 1 inch apart in pans. Snip a cross shape in top of each ball, using scissors. Cover and let rise in warm place about 40 minutes or until double. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)

5. Heat oven to 375°F. Beat egg and cold water slightly; brush over tops of buns. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet or pans to cooling rack. Cool slightly.

6. In medium bowl, mix all icing ingredients until well blended. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Make a cross on top of each bun with icing. Serve warm.

July already?

I cannot believe that it is July already.  So much is going on in our lives.  I just want it all to slow down.  For those of you who we don't talk to regularly, here is the BIG update....

I'll start with Mack.  Mack turned in his resignation to Amazon.com and started the MBA Graduate Program at the University of Kentucky on July 6th!  We are excited that it is only a 12 month program and that the Post 911 GI Bill is covering most of the expenses.  We felt that it was a perfect opportunity knowing that we would not be relocating, promoting, or doing anything too drastic over the next 12 months (so we thought).  I'm a little bit jealous, but keep reminding myself that I'll get my turn soon enough. 

JMS...well, he is 3 1/2 years old and is completely potty trained.  We are officially out of the pull-ups even when he sleeps through the night.  His favorite toys of late are Mighty Beans (silly little jumping beans); they remind me of Garbage Pail Kids....as far as their names and cartoonish descriptions.  He also is ready to start preschool on Aug 24th.  He is going to go to a half day, two day program to start...sad to say, it was the best fit for my work schedule.  As far as activities this summer...he is trying to get us to read enough books to fill up his library poster so he can earn a free book.  He loves going to the swimming pool. And, despite the weather, still likes to burn energy at Monkey Joe's.  Lastly, he is a great gardener...he let's us know when the tomatoes have turned orange enough to bring in to set on the counter.  And, when there are worms on the tomato plants. 

As far as me....I have been the store manager for 5 months now....can you believe?  The building, despite how old it is...is still standing.  I've had a few quit on me...and I'm on a few corporate "focus" lists...that are not good...but for the turn-around that I've been asked to do...I'm okay with it.  On a personal note...I am now...15 weeks pregnant with #2.  We are very excited, but so busy that it is going very quickly.  We should find out the sex around week 20...and of course, we will let everyone know.  At this point we are just praying for a healthy and happy baby...no talk of names, registries, nursery decor....nothing.  I'm starting to grow out of my regular pants...but the silly bands that JMS collects are holding them together for now.  I bet the designers of those stupid things never would have thought....prego lady uses these to hold her pants together.  Ha ha. 

And for those of you who follow me for recipes...let me not disappoint:

Minestrone Crock Pot Soup...
1/4 cup Italian Dressing (do not over do this...it will make the soup broth greasy)
1 Onion, chopped
1 stalk Celery, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 can (19 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed
2 cans (14 oz. each) vegetable broth
2 cups Water
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups small shell macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and seasoning; stir. Cover with lid. COOK on LOW 6 hours
STIR in macaroni; cook 10 to 15 min. or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Garden Pests...eww

Yesterday while out doing yardwork, my husband noticed these guys (yes, two of them) on one of my tomato plants.  I had to look up on the internet to learn that they are "cartoonish, hornworms...that will eventually turn into moths....the size of hummingbirds."  They eat so much...that in one day they can devour an entire tomato plant...leaves, and fruit!  Well, these buggers got the leaves and fruit on one of my six plants...hopefully, I don't find anymore.  JMS and I plucked them off and drowned them in a cup of soapy water.  JMS asked if we could cut them open and look at their insides....I told him no, but thought..."what a boy!"  So, I know the pictures make them look big...but seriously they were as big as my middle finger...each of them was this large! 

Look at our garden grow...

I'm not sure if it's all the rain we had in the month of May and early June...or if its the dirt....or if I'm just plain lucky...or if I have a really green thumb....but everything is growing like weeds this year.  And, it isn't just the weeds. :)  As you can see my hostas are doing awesome...and the Easter lilies I planted last year....and the tomatoes...and the petunias....

And...in this last picture...while we were in South Carolina...JMS was helping grandma and his cousin Drew water grandma's flowers...I think grandma squirted JMS and this was his reaction....I can't wait to pull this out when he's 18!!!  I call it "JAZZ HANDS." 

June Vacations

JMS left at the very beginning of June and travelled to Michigan with my parents.  They spent the week "exploring" the woods with lanterns, catching minnows, playing with a little white dog, and looking for all the toddler friendly playgrounds in northwest Michigan.  Needless to say, my parents needed three days without JMS to recover from his exploding amounts of energy. 

As soon as they send photos of their trip...I'll share.  Until then, I will talk about the vacation we took with him the following week to Myrtle Beach with Mack's family.  We went to Kingston Plantation again...since it worked so well the previous summer for our families.  So here are the pictures.  

The boys walked out to the very end of the pier and we actually saw jelly fish...alot of jelly fish.  We also saw some variation of sting ray...four of them swimming together.  If he could have his pick, JMS preferred the swimming pool.  One of my nephew's...baby Josh...isn't much of a baby anymore. 

(jelly fish photo that I couldn't get moved up on the page...)