Back On The Block

Hannah and myself did some lovely artwork this morning to hang on the front door in honor of Geoff coming home TODAY!!  A month ago we were saying our goodbyes...and today we get to have him back..for awhile...

Time For Take Off

Now I know the secret to what my husband has been up to all these months (kidding..he isn't a Marshall)..

http://youtu.be/tOISlJ-dEgM

Although dancing lessons isn't a bad idea! 

Two more days till we are back to normal (for a month)..and then ONE MORE training adventure before our first family posting!!

A Lesson In Lasagna

I attempted to make four lasagnas with no idea how to make one. The thought of multiple different layers, intimidating noodles that curiously fits into a pot forever stumped me. 

Spaghetti or macaroni and cheese always won over the pasta war. I have eaten lasagna oodles of times, but never been the chef behind them..until now!

I'm okay using recipes, but I love being free of rules in the kitchen. Since Hannah and I are the only human eaters in the house at the moment, I decided to forgo an over-sized casserole dish and do more conservative portions so we don't have to eat only lasagna until Geoff comes home. These foil tins were perfect and allowed me to make four perfect sized lasagnas to freeze until ready to consume. 

I began thinking about making lasagna awhile ago. I only bought the tins and noodles. I had to start somewhere. They sat in the cabinet for ......... My next step involved shopping for the remaining contents so my lasagnas wouldn't be compiled of just tin and noodles. After a visit to the store and a phone call to my mom in the dairy section, I was ready to attempt the lasagna. 

I researched the basics of how to layer the ingredients from the internet. Everything else was left up to an experiment. Makes cooking fun. I cooked vegetables and added them to tomato sauce for the bottom and top layer of lasagna. I combined ricotta cheese, 2 eggs and included some pesto sauce for the middle layer to put between the successfully cooked noodles. To finalize the four lasagnas, I grated a whole lot of cheese to cover the top. 

I am one happy cook. I have three left in the freezer and had one super easy night where all I had to do was cook an already prepared homemade lasagna. I enjoyed my slices and Hannah caught licking her plate seems like a ditto. 

Two Peas In A Pod

The past two days, Hannah and myself have both been sick! 

My half of the survival kit was our full (not anymore) bottle of laundry soap to be on top of the laundry piles caused by the little one's flu. I have also been fully dependent of cepacol tablets and halls cough drops for my infected throat. Hannah's half of the kit was the children's gravol and advil to help her through her sick patch.

Geoff will be home next weekend, don't want to be sick! 

Hopefully we can just sleep it off!

A Hairy Situation

Having a daughter is an amazing day to day journey. Some days are instinct, and some days require a bit of

research.

Before Christmas, there wasn't a doll in this house who had (life-like) hair. Now with two in the house..

Meet Princess Belle..

..with the worst case of dreads I have come across..

And "Katie" or as Hannah calls her "Dora.."

...a repairable case of bed head..

After finding a cure for these doll hair woes online, my night (should have started with wine) shifted from mom to hairdresser. 

With a spray bottle full of water/few drops of liquid fabric softener and a wig brush (wishing I had a glass of wine..) I cured the dolls of their bad hair days!

Mission accomplished with the added attempt to prevent another hair fiasco - or at least minimize their future torture by giving them a pathetic updo..these dolls join in on grocery shopping, walks, and sleeping so they have to look good, right?

Feedback Karma

Ages ago, I posted about my project of emailing companies and giving them feedback about their products. I'm still gradually going through my list of relevant corporations who were going to receive a personal email from me about how their products rate in our household. 

I began to feel happy and satisfied sending out good karma to these companies. A whole lot of thank you emails. The squeaky clean shine we get on our floors from this, thank you. The softness and refreshing fragrance that comes from using that, thank you. The delicious quality food you distribute here, thank you. I was having a blast. 

I have been getting some responses via email of their gratitude for my message to them. Your very welcome. But, one day I got a little more than bills from our mail lady. I got this!

A snail mail letter, and a whopping five dollars in savings for my next vegetable grocery outing. We like "Fresh Express" and the variety of salads (and salad kits) they offer, so sent them an email. Score on the personalized letter and the coupons I got back!