Monthly Archives: June 2012
Peach State says: It’s Finally Here!
The packing of the family car…”Boy does that hold memories.” There were 6 of us and we were taught the “Art of Packing” for that extended beach vacation. We packed linens and groceries…clothes and grill…we were not packing for a vacation but moving. Those were the good old days before there was a chain grocery store and a grill that stayed at our home away from home. Those methods of placing and stacking have come in handy before and will come in handy today. It’s Finally Here!.
There are only a couple of things on my list of things to do today…
Pack mine and hubby’s clothes and toiletries
Buy a case of bottled water
Oh and Pack the car!
I am fortunate to have two strong backs today for this important task…I think I zigged when I should have zagged last night.
#Pack the pain meds
I packed a few grocery items…pop tarts, popcorn, instant oatmeal, snack cakes and paper plates, paper bowls, plastic spoons and forks…”You expect me to wash dishes or run a dishwasher while I am on vacation!” I also packed some laundry detergent and softener sheets…yeah I know! You can quit laughing! I will wash a load or two so we will not have to take as many clothes.
#Pack some garbage bags for the paper products and snack wrappers…
Wow…it is a little after 8 AM and in less than 9 hours we will be on the road. “No! It is not going to take that long to pack…my hubby had to work today but is getting off a little early.” I will use my time wisely today and rest this wicked twinge in my get-along. [Translation: Pain in my lower hip.] Don’t forget to tell me about your vacation with family and friends… And don’t forget to check out my pics! This time tomorrow I will be waking up in the mountains over looking a river. It’s Finally Here…and I can hardly wait! Have a great day!
Peach State
Peach State says: Mr. Sandman Plays Whack-A-Mole
Finally in bed and as I close my eyes the events of the day parade through my mind. The techno color floats, the bands, the vicious and in-your-face clowns all reminding me of the ever changing landscape I call my family. Where are you Mr. Sandman? I only ask for a small release from the hectic day…he answers (insert sneaky giggle) “Not tonight!” Mr. Sandman Plays Whack-A-Mole!
Over and over, events raced through my sleep. They popped in and out as I fully relived each trying episode. “What happened to the calm, relaxing pace of dreaming?” I toss and turn hoping to sink into a peaceful slumber…Whack! Whack! I can’t even close my eyes without cleaning or resolving issues that bubble out of the molten center of the earth.
The alarm sounds and I rise to fulfill the duties of the morning. I anticipate the first sensations of my warming companion. Needless to say…I’m Sleepy! At least I feel like the drowsy little dwarf who could not keep his eyes open.
I reach for my Heavenly Brew, in dazed fashion, fighting the urge to close these sleep filled eyes. I have toooo much to do today!
To-Do List:
Wash the last load of clothes
Pack the clothes
Pack the few groceries for trip
Can the pickles
Take care of 2 issues for one of my sons
Create something from nothing….translation: cook dinner!
But…the good news is I do have a few…just a few!…minutes before my day really begins it’s frantic hustle and bustle. “Can you say Power Nap?” Please do not judge me in my time of weakness! You know me and how I thrive in the “revolving door lifestyle” of being a mom.
I know I am not alone in this dreadful scenario…How do you cope with the lack of sleep? How do you muster the energy needed to face the fun-filled, activity-packed day after being Whacked all night? “Don’t worry…if I find the answer you will be the first to know!” Have a (YAWN!) great day!
Peach State
Peach State says: Easy Cobbler…Easy Yum!
I was fixing dinner about two weeks ago when my dad called…the first thing he said was “Do you like cobbler?” I chuckled and said yes… “Do you make cobbler?” I told him it was never convenient to make and never turned out the way I wanted it to… He told me to grab a pencil and paper and you may want to do the same for an Easy Cobbler…Easy Yum!
“You Ready?”
1 stick of butter
1 cup of self-rising flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of vanilla
About 4 cups of sweetened fruit
Prepare your fruit…slices or bite size, peaches or berries and sweeten
Take the butter and slice it in the bottom of a baking dish and place it in the oven on 350 degrees till sizzling. While the butter is in the oven mix the self-rising flour and sugar together then add the milk and stir well. (check the butter) When the butter begins to sizzle take it out of the oven. Add the vanilla to the sugar and flour mixture and pour over the butter…pour the fruit on top. Bake for 40 minutes.
This is absolutely the best and easiest Cobbler Recipe I have ever tried. I have used it four times now, with all the fresh fruit in season…peaches, blackberries, and raspberries. I combined the peaches and blackberries last night and my family loved it. “I wonder if this recipe could be placed in the freezer!” This cobbler is wonderful alone or with ice cream.
Well there you have it “Easy Cobbler…Easy Yum!” I hope you have the chance to try this recipe. I will be submitting this recipe to our new cookbook at church! Let me know what you think. Have a “Peachy” great day!
Peach State
Peach State says: But I Don’t Really Like Lemonade! Part One
Ever have one of those days…I know!…stupid question. We all have those days where everything just goes downhill…faster than a speeding bullet! I just wanted your average run to the mill day but Life was not going to let me. When life gives you lemons…make lemonade! But I Don’t Really Like Lemonade!
Here is just a peek at my day yesterday. It started out normal…if you don’t count the waking up early due to a nagging-all-night-will-not-go-away-cough from a Summer Cold. Only one of my sons had to work yesterday and he began to get ready about 10:30am. My youngest has been bitten by the sleep bug and does not rise from his dream-filled-peaceful-sleep until 11:00 am the past few mornings. [back to the story] So the day was running it’s set course of varied departures and schedules. “The world is as it should be…for this home!”
My youngest missed breakfast and ate the cereal bar that replaced his bowl of cereal in the table. I sent him outside to play and he just sat on the steps. I told him to come in when he was hungry. “Who knew he had never heard that and did not understand that meant in about 45 minutes to and hour!” He just sat there looking like he was the last human in existence. The proverbial lemons were starting to fall from the sky. He walked in, with his shoulders raised almost equal to his ears, and ate something all the while looking as if he was trying to balance the world n his back. I decided to keep him home from TKD with that non-to-favorable attitude. His temperament spirals out of control all day. The day was turning to evening as I looked at the clock and saw it was 5:45 pm.
My 19 year old son plays softball on a church league and prepared to leave. Within 40 minutes of his departure I got a phone call from my working son…”Mom have you seen my brother?…he will not answer his phone!” I told him about the ball game and asked, in true loving mother style, if he was on his way home from work. “No! My brakes gave out and I am sitting in the auto-parts store parking lot.” I convinced him that I could help and I would bring the tools he needed. “Remember…these are the two sons that replaced the brakes n this truck before!” I gathered the jack and the tire-iron along with the attachments in a slender tool box and placed them in the car. Off I went, mom to the rescue. I drove down the road, just under the radar, and reached my destination in no time. The tire was removed and upon closer observation it was not the brakes…it was the lack of a bolt. “Of course the bolt holds the brake pad against the shiny disk…”. I don’t know the name of that part…I am just a mom! My 19 year old showed up and told us about the home run he hit before he left…and tensions rose…”This is not about a game but my truck!” bellowed from my 21 year old. Long story short…the store did not have the bolt and the boys have just left to run to the local Ford Store to get the part and try and fix the brakes before my 21 year old needs to go to work.
The 21 year old had taken a watch cleaner, a large bulky machine, to be repaired and it was brought home last night. Yep! It works so now those three watches can be fixed and returned to the customers. They went to clean one of the watches last night, after I had gone to bed and were given a shock when the machine decided to spark as they turned it on. If I had know this I would probably dream about fires all night instead of coughing all night.
I know you probably are laughing at the insignificance of my lemon-filled day but these inconveniences all occurred while the unsatisfactory-behavior continued spewing from my 11 year old as well as just not feeling like myself. I have taken something for the cold this morning and the effects are kicking in. I can hardly keep my eyes open…as soon as I hear something about the brakes I will let you know.
I guess I will drink the proverbial lemonade and be glad it is not mud, I will sit back and close my eyes until the youngest comes down for breakfast and/or the boys need my help. Have a great day!
Peach State
Peach State says: Bored? Dinner Time Experimentation
There is nothing wrong with a little experimentation in cooking…it leads to great recipes and opens the floods gates to creativity. A little bit of this and a dash of that, stir in a pinch or two of these spices and “BAM!” a new recipe is formed. The above pictured item is one of my new favorite items for my kitchen. It is a Manual Food Processor from Pampered Chef! No plugs and incredibly easy to use…even my boys use it. One evening I was planning dinner and wanted something different. My youngest was just sitting there watching a movie…so I, being the mom I am, said Bored? Dinner Time Experimentation!. He perked up when he hear experimentation. “Don’t all boys?”
We headed to the kitchen and I began pulling things out onto the counter…including my Manual Food Processor. I will now give you the recipe for a great side-dish.
Layered Broccoli and Potato Quiche’
2 Cups of broccoli florets
1/2 of large onion
3-4 eggs (I used 3) mixed with a touch of milk
1 cup of grated cheese
6 slices of cooked bacon ( I used a lower sodium bacon)
5 diced potatoes
I started the preparation by dicing 5 potatoes and cooking the bacon. I then began cutting the broccoli into smaller pieces to place in the Manual Food Processor with the onion. (the onion should be in about 4-5 pieces) and chop until desired blending is acquired.
I let my youngest do this while I combined the eggs and dash of milk.
I grated the cheese (sharp cheddar was the choice of the night) and placed it into a bowl with the broccoli and onion and eggs and mixed together.
I placed the potatoes in the greased 9×9 baking dish and crumbled the cooled bacon on top.
I added a touch more milk to the broccoli mixture and poured it over the bacon and potatoes.
“My son was so excited about the next part…he took the picture while I made sure liquid was getting to the potatoes.”
I placed it into the microwave and cooked it for about 12 minutes…or until the potatoes were done. I grated a little more cheese on top for color and served with Chicken. It was a hit! “I think I will use this recipe in our church’s cookbook.”
I have made my fresh Spaghetti Sauce and some Salsa with this marvelous kitchen wonder along with chopping some ice cream toppings. My boys love using it for the ice cream toppings! We had fun and my youngest has been asking to use it again…”I think we will experiment some today!”
I hope you like this recipe…and please share some of your favorites with me! It is summer and well…even parents get tired of the same old thing. Have a great day!
Peach State
Peach State says: Happy Facebook Funnies Day!
Good morning my friendly funny-bones! I have a few of my friends Facebook status updates…the ones that made me chuckle out loud. Are you ready to have a Happy Facebook Funnies Day!
Some are a bit edgy and off the cuff humor…let’s start with these!
The not-so questionable humor: Lifestyle and Aging!
I used to practice my vibrato while singing into the fan!
Here kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty,kitty….oh and anyone else who may want to eat.
The Big-man says it and it s so!
Reality TV proves to have a positive influence!
She must not taste the food as she cooks…that’s always even my problem.
We know there are certain concepts in what we wear…well…you decide for yourself!
I am glad someone finally heard my advice and is educating others!
I will close with a couple of the cute leftovers not able to fit in the previous categories:
My parents called this sleeping!
Hoping something tickled your funny-bone today! Share your favorites and let me know. Everyone needs to laugh! Have a great day!
Peach State