My Birthday @ The Children's Museum

Frank hadn't been to the Museum Center with us yet, so for my birthday we all went as a family!
We had a great time and we went to the Omnimax and saw Hubble also with Lia!
So much to do there.
On the way home Lia requested that we go to Whole Foods for olives! Here is a magazine that she was having fun with.

Early Valentine Cookies!

We had our friends Tory and Lily (Lily pictured with Lia above) over to make cookies! We had a great time together!

These 2 shots are of the cookies Lia and I made together.
Now for the 2 pans I made at her naptime :).

Our backyard hens are SAFE!

Tonight was the 3rd reading of the ordinance change to allow backyard chickens in Norwood.  At this reading they are able to vote on approving the newly written ordinance.  Frank & I went (with other friend supporters) prepared and I spoke, as well as 3 of our friends, in support of our hens.  A woman wrote a letter to council and was signed up to speak at the meeting in opposition to this ordinance, and ACTUALLY called Channel 12 so they were there for the meeting awaiting her opposition (and they came out and interview me before the meeting looking at our set up).  However, when we got to the meeting we learned that she would not be there.  So all in all we are extremelly happy and thrilled with the outcome (they approved the ordinance change), but I"m sure for Channel 12 they were left with a bit of a anticlimactic feeling.  We were featured on the 6 o'clock news and they finished the story at 11.  They had planned to film live at 11 in our backyard, but I think that since the woman who was suppose to be there to fight us on this issue was a no-show, they decided to cover a more exciting story!  Congrats to us and our hens and thank you to everyone who was there to support us throughout this experience!

Lia helped me make dinner tonight

 Lia's first experience working with phyllo...she did amazing.

Here's the finished piece - phyllo wrapped around some salmon.  Look how proud she is!  She enjoyed eating it also!

A NEW favorite family meal!!!

Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese!  This was DELICIOUS!  Honestly, a new family favorite.  One of those meals that when it's gone...you're not really happy. You wish you could have 1 more left over serving...and it made a lot!  I think I have told everyone about it that I've talked to recently.  And sent out the recipe to countless friends.  :)

Shrimp and Scallop Cakes with Gingered Soy Sauce

This appetizer was suppose to be served at a party we were having, but we were all a little sick so the party didn't happen.  It was one of the things I had made that I think would best be eaten vs. frozen for the rescheduled party.  Good thing too b/c it made part of a delicious dinner for the 3 of us.  Lia loved it and so did Frank and I.  I will definitley be making this appetizer again!!

Special Sunday Roast Chicken

This really was special, and it WAS Sunday!  I got the chicken from our milk farmer.  It's roasted with carrots, potatoes, yams, and parsnips & a garlic sage butter and then served over a bed of mustard greens with shallots.  Very different and very good!

Waffles - FINALLY

I bought a waffle maker from Craig's list a few months ago for $5.  I FINALLY  made them today!  These are multigrain waffles with oats, ww flour, cornmeal and buttermilk.  They were really yummy and I'm not even a huge waffle fan.  Lia enjoyed them also and I like offereing another healthy option for breakfast.  I would also like to make some savory waffles to go with dinner.

Back into Knitting!

 I've really gotten back into knitting over the past several months!  Above is a dish or washcloth, 100% cotton.  These have been perfect for wiping off Lia's face & hands!  :)

 I knitted Frank another pair of Sweedish Lovikka mittens this Christmas.  I knitted his first pair over 10 years ago in the late 90s.

The next person I wanted to knit a pair for was my friend Martha in Canada.  I knew she could use them b/c it's so cold up there.  Plus I felt like she would be the perfect friend to knit these for!  :)  Hers are special, 1st b/c I have never made them in this "opposite" color design before and 2nd b/c they have Pom Poms on them (Frank's idea)!  ;)  I also knitted my friend Karla a pair b/c she's busy on her farm and I wanted her hands to be warm!

I then got a new shipment of different yarns and decided to knit myself a pair like Martha's, but in purple!  I am currently in the process of knitting myself a pair of black & cream ones.  They are looking very elegant!  After that I am going to make Lia a pair of mittens, but I am still searching for the perfect pattern!

Our FIRST Welsummer egg!

So here are 4 of our hen's eggs (thank God that they've started laying again, and I think it's a lot to do with how much Frank's done to change the time the light goes on and off for them and how much he's keeping them warm).  The bottom tiny spotted brown egg is the 1st we've seen from our newest hen, Ms. Welsummer.  She is the smallest and youngest hen we have.  The larger green/blue egg on the left is from Marita, our white Ameraucauna.  We have no idea why SHE lays larger eggs than her sisters. The top brown is from our Black Jersy Giant.  Yummy eggs, thank you for supplying us ladies!

Italian Escarole & Bean Soup

This is a soup I first had up in Rochester at an Italian Market. Colleen was told about the place so Frank, Lia, and I went with Colleen and Andy in search of this market.  We all ordered some type of Italian sandwiches and when I was ordering my food I saw this "beans and greens" and thought it looked good. I first thought it was a side dish (and it can be made like that) but it really was a soup. It was really good and hearty.  I thought I'd find the recipe and make it at home.  It's the most simple soup I've ever made.  I also added some bacon to one bowl and that was really good.  I might just plant and grow some escarole this spring!