Stylin' Saturday Link Up -- Green Family

We are such a stylin' family; we can't help it.  Our style just happens without effort.

For example, last Saturday morning we all tromped out on a doughnut hunt and found ourselves at the new Dunkin' Donuts on the corner...

and then we realized, as we consumed our ever-so-healthy breakfast, that the boys and I were all wearing...

green T-shirts.

They could not be bothered to pose - well, who would, with yummy frosted donuts in front of them?

Our shirts were not the same shade of green -- oh, no, we could never be coordinated as that -- but all in green, nonetheless.

(I love the word nonetheless, don't you?  I find different ways to use it whenever possible.)

Bryan was the odd man out -- he did not get the subtle green-shirt-memo-vibe that went out from me and the boys.  He didn't mind sitting there in his navy blue T-shirt, though.  

He doesn't need to match everyone else in order to feel as if he's a part of things.  He knows he's a part of things.

He's secure that way.

Also, he was the only one with a healthy breakfast -- a multi-grain bagel and a coffee with Splenda.

He likes to be different.

This was my breakfast:

Cinnamon coffee with cream and sugar...Boston "scream" doughnut and a maple bar.  I just decided that I didn't care that day.  And it was good.  (Why are these last 10 pounds not coming off?  Hmmm...)

Ben, as usual, did not want to pose for a picture, and especially with his mama.

This is as "green" as our family gets.

Linking up with Wendy...check it out!

Pumpkin Muffins

I posted this on my FB page the other day and so many people were interested in the recipe, I thought I'd share the love on the blog, too. 

I found this recipe in a book that a friend gave us for our wedding.  It is so moist -- I think it's the honey (or molasses, if you use that instead).  And what makes them even yummier is baking them in an awesome silicone pumpkin- and leaf-shaped muffin pan.

Yes that is leftover "Pam" on the top. I couldn't scrub it all off and then thought: "Why bother?  I'm just making more next week!"

Here goes:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses (I have used molasses before, but this time I used honey since I didn't have molasses on hand, and liked that better - it wasn't so rich)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg (I used ground and it was fine)
• 1/4 cup currants or raisins (but I used chocolate chips since I don't like raisins)

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Grease muffin pans or use paper liners.
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter/margarine until soft. Add the sugar and molasses (or honey) and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and pumpkin and stir until well blended.
4. Sift over the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Fold in until just blended; do not overmix.
5. Fold the chocolate chips into the pumpkin mixture until just evenly combined.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling them two-thirds full.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched lightly.

**My awesome pumpkin- and leaf-shaped muffin pan makes bigger muffins, so it takes longer for them to bake - about 20-25 minutes. So just watch your muffins while they're baking to make sure they're done (or not burning!).

Enjoy.

And you're welcome.

My Son, the (Non) Hero

Hi dear friends.  I've been in a sort of slump...a writing slump, that is.  We've got so much going on lately (which one would think that this would provide all kinds of great blog material!) and I am...exhausted.  Physically, mentally, emotionally...exhausted. 

However, the boys have not slowed down one bit!  One evening a few weeks ago, the hubby and I dragged our tired selves and our energetic kiddos to McD's for dinner.  (I am SO THANKFUL, by the way, that he does NOT expect dinner on the table every night.  Some days, it just isn't going to happen.  And he's cool with that.  Bless him.) 

So we're at our favorite McD's location, which the boys refer to as "the one with the red slide."  (versus "the one with the yellow slide", or "the dinosaur one" - you Tucsonans knows which one I'm talking about).  It's the parent's favorite because it has the most seating available for the grown-ups, and the one that normally has better A/C...and the one that is usually the most clean.  Anyway, before we even had our food, Ben and Sam had made friends with a beautiful little Hispanic girl, who was about Ben's age.  (By the way, has anyone ever met a little Hispanic girl who was not beautiful??  The long curls, the eyelashes, the gorgeous skin...it is so not fair to this gringo mutt.)

I digress.

These three little ones were having a wonderful time together until Ben and Sam abandoned her so they could eat their dinner.  She was supposed to be eating her dinner, too, but didn't want to stop playing.  My boys, being male, listened to their stomachs.  She kept trying to get them to come play with her, and she climbed higher and higher into the tubes, until she was at the very top, and was either truly afraid, or just wanted attention -- I'm not sure.  So she calls out to Ben, "Help!  Help me, nino!  Help me!"  (Bryan and I are trying desperately not to laugh.)

What does my gallant son do?  He glances up at her, unconcerned, and keeps eating.  Bryan and I tell him, "Ben, go help her!" 

Ben the Brave says, "I just want to eat!"

Sam the Small decides to rescue her.  He begins the climb up the tubes.  (mind you, he's TWO years old)  Her mother is at the bottom of the tubes, trying to coax her down.  She keeps calling out, "Nino, help me!"  Ben keeps eating, completely unconcerned.

Sam reaches the Damsel in Distress, but he doesn't understand what the problem is.  She won't budge from her perch.  So he gives up and goes down the red slide. 

Finally, Ben goes up after Damsel.  However he becomes distracted by his little brother, so just as he reaches her, he turns away from her, quickly telling her where she needs to go in order to get down, and just leaves her there. 

Bryan and I are really laughing now.

Damsel is crying and calling for "nino".

Her mother cannot coax her down.

Ben comes down the red slide, points up at Damsel and says very matter-of-factly, "She's just cryin'!"  His demeanor suggested the idea, "There's a girl for you - what can you do?"  He almost shrugged.

Finally, Damsel gives up on her "nino" and climbs down the tubes perfectly fine without any assistance. 

I wish I had my camera with me that day.  I wish my cell phone took pictures. 

Here is Ben at this same McD's a few months ago...his expression is pretty much the same as it was this time.  "Leave me alone, I'm eating!"

Oh I love this kid.  Some day, he'll be somebody's hero.  But not just yet.

 

"Five Things"...Sunday

So I had a crazy week.  And I didn't get things done like I should have.  But my kids are happy and fed!  so that's what counts.


Here are my five things...better late than never, huh?

1.  The boys have a new "after-bath" game.  I think they call it "hot dog swinging."  Bryan calls it "oh-my-aching-back."

2.  Autumn in Arizona means...planting new flowers!!  Because it's finally cool enough so that the flowers don't shrivel up and die in the blazing heat.  We got our planter all filled up with pretty stuff.  Never mind the barren wasteland behind it.  It's a work in progress!

3.  I got my fall decorations up.  Even though I live in the desert, I like to pretend that I live back in the Midwest and there is a real autumn.  So I fill my house up with pretty fall colors.

4.  Along with autumn comes....holiday coffee cream flavors!!!  This one is my new favorite.  Found it at Safeway.  It is especially yummy in iced coffee!

5.  Another fall favorite...pumpkin muffins!!!  (Post with recipe coming soon.)  My family devoured these for breakfast on Saturday morning.  They were delicious.

That's my five things for this past week.  There were many stressful and heartbreaking things about this past week...I am thankful to have found five positive and happy things in and among the mess. 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

Hometown Visit

I love going back to my hometown of Wichita, Kansas.  I've spent the last week there with my boys.  My parents, sister and nieces all live there, so it's always nice to see them.  And we always have to hit up the favorite local restaurants while I'm there...I want to tell you about some awesome Wichita eateries!!

First off -- and perhaps the favorite -- NuWAY Burgers.  I wish I'd have thought to take a photo of our burgers...but I must confess that I was too anxious to eat mine.  Their slogan is "Crumbly IS Good!" -- their burgers are not regular patties, but the meat is all crumbled up on a bun with mustard, pickles and onions.  (I always omit the onions.)  It's heavenly.  And the french fries are curly -- like spiral curly -- and delicious.  They are also famous for their homemade root beer, and if you dine in, they'll serve it to you in a frosty mug.  I remember going there for my birthday lunch when I was growing up, with my dad.  He also loves NuWAY.  But what is really special about NuWAY is that my grandparents went there often while they were dating back in 1939-1940 (I am not sure about the exact years; I just know they were married in October 1941).  My grandfather loved to go to NuWAY with us when we came to town, and we always went to the original location on Douglas Street, and he would reminisce about how it used to look and what he and Grandma would order.  She passed away in 1998 and he never got over her until his death in 2009.  But that love story is for another post. 

Another place we always have to visit while in town is Spangles.  They have the best hamburgers -- well, they rival right up there with Wendy's, in my opinion.  This eastern Kansas restaurant chain is styled like a 1950's diner, with statues of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and other 1950's figures placed in the different locations.  But what I really visit Spangle's for is their amazing mudslides!  What in the world is a mudslide, you ask?  Well let me enlighten you.  It is a cup of soft-serve vanilla ice cream, with chocolate syrup -- the kind that hardens as it cools -- spiraling down into the bottom of the cup.  You can choose toppings ranging from extra chocolate syrup, or strawberries, or Oreos, Butterfingers, or (my personal favorite) Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  It's sinful.  It's heavenly.  I never diet when in Wichita. 

The last place I'll tell you about is the Taco Shop.  We have been eating there since I was a very little girl.  I remember the Taco Shop way before I have memories of NuWAY or Spangles.  They are far from authentic as far as Mexican food goes, but we love it anyway.  The best thing about Taco Shop, that really makes it stand out as a real MidWestern Mexican food place (to me, anyway) -- is their "tacoburger."  Basically, it is all the toppings of a taco, plopped between a hamburger bun instead of a taco shell.  Amazing!  And delicious.  My favorite combo is the #2 plate -- a taco, a tacoburger, and a tostada.  Dump some mild sauce on top and I'm set.  Yum yum.  Although during my last visit, I discovered the "Sancho supreme."  Since I live about an hour away from the Mexico border, I do know a little about Mexican food.  I have yet to see a "Sancho" down in the Southwest.  (I could be missing it, so if I am, please let me know.)  But it's delicious anyway.  A flour tortilla filled with...basically, taco toppings.  Covered in enchilada sauce, sour cream and black olives. 

Mmmmm...okay I think I know where I want to go tomorrow for lunch, during our last full day here in Wichita.  We'll hit up Taco Shop, where I will partake of a sancho supreme and tacoburger.  Then we'll stop by Spangles, where I can order a Reese's Mudslide for my dessert.  Then home, where I will ingest several Tums.  And next week, back in the Old Pueblo, I shall start my diet.  Again. 

There's no place like home!!