Butter

The leftover heavy cream from an earlier dessert called for some homemade butter.

 

Buttermilk.

Butter.

Then the butter called for toast.  Then the toast called for jam.  The jam called for eggs, which called for basil instead of pepper, which called for a tomato. So I breakfasted for lunch.

Then the buttermilk seemed to be calling for carrot cake, which was unexpected, but when these things happen it seems best to just go with it.  And since I don't (close your ears cupcake making sister!) really like frosting, I whipped some of the fresh butter with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla to spread inside like I would on a muffin.    

 And that was the full and tasty circle. 

baby toes

a new development

I am going to whine for a minute.

none of my favorite baking recipes come out right at sea level.  waah. 

Postcard for Mr. Clean [Fairfax Farmer's Market Spring 2012]

The little guy and I decided we would stop by to see the grand opening of the Fairfax Farmer's Market in the historic district on Saturday.  It was fun, but also made me homesick!  Gardening.  Who knew I would miss it so much?

I have to admit that I came home with a pint of strawberries.  They were flashing little scarlet winks at me and teasing me with their never-been-refrigerated sweet summery scent.  I resisted until the farmer told me that he'd picked them that very morning to bring in.  Then I succumbed.  They were absolutely, positively worth it! 

Miss you!
 
Love,
Your little family.

5 reasons to justify my pinterest account

As a self-imposed check/balance to the bandwidth I expend on Pinterest (which actually isn't all that much), I decided I needed to begin using what I have already pinned before I continued pinning.

Here are some of my results. 

1.  Homemade Laundry Soap.  This was fun to make, but didn't end up being super cost-effective for me.  It was incredibly difficult for me to track down the ingredients for it - I ended up having to get some of them online.  I guess ingredients for making homemade laundry soap aren't high in demand here in DC.  The little man loved watching me grate the bar soap though.

2.  Roasted green beans and mushrooms.  I messed with this recipe too much to review it in its original form. We had it for Easter dinner as a side.  Too bad I don't remember what I did now (other than adding sliced cherry tomatoes and using baby portobello mushrooms).  All I remember is that it was tasty.  

3.  The Piece-y Pony.   Since I don't currently own a curling iron, I did it with straight hair, which was actually pretty cute.  I probably won't use it again all the same because my hair is just to slippery to hold onto a style like this (ok, pretty much any style) for more than a few hours.

4.   Mini Lasagna Cups.  I did not use breakfast sausage. It seemed...weird.  I used Italian sausage instead.  I mixed spinach into the ricotta and upped all of the herb quantities.  They were fun and easy to make and very tasty.  Mr. Clean (after initial doubts when I described the variation on his beloved lasagna) wholeheartedly approved of them.  I even remembered to take a picture.
 

5.  Book of Mormon Page Titles.  Nowadays I am often sleepy when reading scriptures, no matter what time of day I sit down with them.  I did a test run with these and it seems that quick glances at these titles help me keep my focus as I read.

Postcard for Mr. Clean [Ocean City Spring 2012]

Dear Mr. Clean,

The little guy and I sure missed you on our trip with your family to Ocean City.  He did really well on the drive out (minus the two outfit changes necessary from some super blowouts), which, as  you know, I had been pretty nervous about.  We got there in good time and it was a very nice hotel with a beautiful view.  Here is what we saw from our vantage point on the 9th floor. 

 Beautiful!

Your family wished for warmer weather, but for your uber-pale wife, conditions were perfect.  Cool, stormy and overcast.  We even saw lightening out over the ocean before breakfast.  So cool. 

The little man spent a lot of time in the sling and the pack.  Sometimes with me, sometimes with your mom (so I could walk around on the beach unencumbered - so kind of her to think of that).  He did really well.  He seemed to enjoy watching the water and hearing the sound of the waves.  He did not, however, seem to care for the wind. 

He fell asleep while facing in, and looked all around while facing out, as usual. 

I couldn't keep an elastic in my hair while walking the beach.  The wind kept slipping it off of my ponytail, no matter how tightly I fastened it.  That made for some cousin it moments.  Guess I should have gone with a braid.

The little guy wasn't so hot on the bucket hat at first.  Luckily it has a chin strap so he couldn't remove it.  Bwah hah hah.  He warmed up to (or forgot he was wearing) it after a while.   

I couldn't believe how many shells were just lying around everywhere on the beach.  Somehow I had the idea that they were difficult to find.  I (nerd alert) proudly identified some of the varieties of clam, oyster, and mussel shells from prior cooking adventures (I brought you home a razor clam shell).  :) 

I also found something else in the sand.

Hmmm.  How did that get there?  

We walked up and down the beach.  I waded in up to my knees at a few places and your sister jumped in and out of the waves as they hit the shore.   It was a little chilly.  Or very chilly, depending on your perspective. I liked feeling the sand sort of disintegrate under my feet as I walked through the waves.

 

Your dad played the part of the resident photographer.  

This is what the view up the beach looked like. Your mom and dad are the little specks in the distance.

And the other direction - 

We saw a sneaky little sand crab!
 

Your sister and your dad played with him a bit and picked him up while he did his best to pinch their fingers.

I guess I understand now why people love the beach so much.  Though I am pretty sure I will always be more of a beach-in-spring person than a beach-in-summer person. 

It was a lovely trip and I enjoyed spending time with your family, but I missed you terribly and wished you could have been there to share it with us.  The little man missed you too, in his own ways, giving me a crazy look when I dried him off after his bath (because somehow you snuggle him up in the towel the best) and fussing through his bedtime song and prayer.  He is always happiest when daddy is nearby. 

The drive home was ok.  The little guy desperately wanted out of his carseat (you know how he hates that thing) and had a couple of decent crying jags, which gave me anxiety since your family had to listen to him too.  Of course, they were very understanding.  :)  Near the end I pulled up Pandora and played him some music to calm him down.  The song that seemed to do the trick was (of course) Pachelbel's Canon in D.  I thought you might get a kick out of that.  For once I didn't skip it. 

We sure miss you!  Hope you are enjoying yourself and not working too hard in the mile high city. 

Lots of love from your little family.

Postcard for Mr. Clean [Another Temple Trip Spring 2012]

Dear Mr. Clean

As your flight was leaving for Denver, the little man and I were enjoying the temple grounds with your family.

 

Sunny this time, and warm!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of your family on our camera.  Insert annoyed face here. 

 

Though I did get one of this cute, super chill little guy in a stroller.  He hung out with Grandpa for a while in the visitor's center, looking at pictures of the Savior.  Your sister and Mom and I had fun looking through the Books of Mormon published in gazillions of different languages (Ok...  maybe dozens). 

  

Wish you'd been there! 

Love, 

Your little family