Procrastination

You know the old adage "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can get done today?" Yeah, me either. From what I can recall, it goes like this "Put off until tomorrow what you don't want to do today." Some may call it being lazy. I say, that's the spirit! Some may say procrastination is a bad word. Not me! I embrace it. I prefer to call it an art. A skill if you may. Not all can successfully procrastinate. Some put off until tomorrow but don't do it tomorrow. And then they fail. I procrastinated my way through college and somehow managed to bang out some pretty amazing work and grades for that matter. And when I say that, I mean all the years after my first two. Those were the days I procrastinated and failed. Then I fine tuned the art and honed in all the skillz to successfully procrastinate.

Most of the time this strategy works. Sometimes it fails miserably. I'd say it's 75% success, 25% fail.

For arguments sake, let's start with the fails. This is for all you hard workers, those of you who put your nose to the grindstone, who make a huge effort. Here is a list of times procrastination and waiting until tomorrow have failed me:

1. My garden. I had all intentions of having a successful garden this year. But, it was hot. I don't like sun all that much and despise humidity. I loathe humidity. So, when we were under a heat dome for what seemed like 800 days, my garden suffered. Hardcore. Not only did it suffer, it was tortured. First, the sun had it's way with my garden. It burnt it to a crisp. Next, gale force winds from massive storms blew my produce over. Mostly, Japanese Beatles ate their way through all the leaves and blooms before they could turn to vegetable. And finally, weeds moved in like a bum on a bologna sandwich. They took over that plot of ground like locusts during the second coming. There were weeds. But there were also Morning Glory vines that wove their way around every stalk, stem, or leaf. So, during this first week of August, I am winterizing my garden. One could say that I procrastinated at maintaining and developing a glorious garden, but BUT I am one step ahead of the rest of you! My garden's already cleaned up, ready for the snow. So take that you eager beavers!

2. Painting of bedrooms. We spent an entire day painting Avery's bedroom before we moved in. Trust it needed it. But we didn't finish. I said, I will totally finish that. It will be NO problem. Pshh. Those walls haven't been touched in exactly four years. The base boards still need a coat of white. Touch-ups aren't finished. And now, we are about a year or less away from the girl's joining forces and sharing rooms, which will result in a new paint scheme. So, yet again, maybe my procrastination of four years has paid off. Since I didn't waste my time painting then, I don't feel like all my efforts are pointless when I must re-paint. And when it does get a shiny new coat, we will just pull off the unpainted base boards and start fresh with new trim. When that happens, and the new trim gets bought and not installed, the blame falls off me because that does not fall into my list of duties. Anything involving power tools gets handed to the man of the house. I like my fingers. I don't want to cut them off. And I totally would.

3.  Painting of kitchen. Refer to number 2 but replace bedroom with kitchen. Only two full walls are painted in my kitchen. The other two are all ready to be painted but are not. AAAAnd again, yes, procrastination happened. Paint was bought and sits unopened. It's destiny was not filled. But in my defense, I don't think I want those colors anymore. I think I want to head in a totally different direction. Just like with the bedroom, no time was wasted painting when I could have been doing nothing or something cool.

4. Random other procrastination fails: bought canvases for artwork yet to be painted, a few ideas for books that have slipped my memory now, various sewing projects that have a step or two left, and books that I have started never finished.

BUT...but there are many times that procrastination is a great thing.

For instance, I have no problem leaving a sink full of dishes for tomorrow to do something fun today with the girls. Last minute trip to the zoo? Sure! I don't care if the laundry needs to be folded. A few wrinkles add character. A walk to the park? Absolutely. The dog is just going to keep shedding hair anyway, so we can just vacuum later.

Also, I work best under pressure. I create my best work at the last minute. If I have too much time, I obsess over whatever it is I am creating. Whether it was a paper in college or an art project at home, I need to make it/write it and be done. Totally done. Otherwise I pick out every flaw, I question sentences, or just redo the entire thing. And I have learned that that is the WORST idea ever.

If we recall Avery's Dorothy dress from a few months back, I decided to start early. It was the death of me. I should have waited until the week before and pounded that bad daddy out and never looked back.

There are somethings that I am a hardcore early bird for that makes up for my lack in preparation in other areas. Christmas presents are always bought ridiculously early, mostly because I just get so excited. Much thought is put into birthday presents and the party that accompanies. I have been planning for the girl's ladybug party since March. Gifts were bought last November for Avery and in April for Kendall. I meticulously plan the decor, cake/cupcakes, and food. The Easter Bunny's got nothing on this girl. I will beat him in awesomeness any year. Who really wants a hollow chocolate bunny anyway? Not me. Geesh.

The lesson here is a simple one: do what you want when you want. You never know when procrastination will be worth it or turn into an ultimate failure. Practice makes perfect when it comes to procrastination. And better time to practice doing nothing than right now. And go.

Pretzel Fudge

I bet you are wondering what that is, huh? Well, if you have any sort of deductive reasoning skillz, you probably realized from the name of the post that this is, indeed, pretzel fudge. If I really wanted you to guess, I would have named the post something like "Mysterious Goodness" or simply "Guess What I Am?" But because I am nice and because I don't want you to have to think too much when viewing this amazingly awesome blog, I make things easy. Maybe it's not so much "easy" as it is "breezy." Like when Monica Geller called Richard's answering machine over and over again to make sure the message she was leaving was "breezy" but, we all know how that turned out! You don't know, you say? Well, then check out season 3, episode 2 of Friends. And yes, I have that memorized. I don't. I am lying. I have to reference my greatest ally on the Internets, my dear wisdom filled friend GOOGLE.

ANYWAY. Enough of the nonsense. Let's get to the good stuff. So, those little morsels of yumminess up there are courtesy of Martha Stewart, domestic goddess. They incorporate all that is right and good in the world: sweet and salty, smooth and crunchy. All that's left, really, is world peace. And free cable T.V. I mean, for real. Does it really need to cost that much for me to watch some Real Housewives of Anywhere  and everything else that the Bravo channel has to offer? I think not. I think I should just be able to pay for the 4 channels we watch outside of the locals. I digress.

Since I have kept you here long enough, wasting your precious time, I will now share with you the secret recipe that Martha has shared with the world via Everyday Foods. You wanna hear it? Well, here we go.

Pretzel Fudge

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels

Combine all the ingredients up the pretzels in a heat proof bowl and melt over a double boiler. Heat until just melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups of pretzels. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cups of pretzels on the top and push in to secure. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Slice and enjoy. These can be kept up to 2 weeks if covered tightly.

Firsts

This has proved to be a weekend of firsts. Some of the firsts were good firsts. Others are, well, not so great.  But, in the spirit of optimism, let us begin with the good firsts first.

1.  We finally took our boat out on the water for the first time this yesr. What have we been waiting for? Well, that's a good question that has no good answer. It was so much fun.

2.  It was Kendall's first boating experience. She was skeptical at first but warmed up by the time we were almost done. It might have something to do with her level of comfort. It was blazing hot and she was stuffed like a sausage in her life vest. She struggled to maneauver but eventually figured it out. She also voiced her concern anytime we sped up or the boat turned. She is the safety patrol. And she made sure she let Daddy know her dislike with a piercing "DADDY!"

3.  Avery discovered the sheer awesomeness of jumping off the side of the boat into a crisp lake for the first time. And how fun it is to float around in a life vest.

And on a total sidenote, every time I say "boat" or even think it, for that matter, I find my self calling it a bo-at like Dr. Doofenshmirtz does on Phineas and Ferb. Which by the way, if you have never seen it before, you must. It is on the Disney channel all the time. It is hilarious!

One first falls into a sort of neutral category and is a borderline extremely hilarious first. Backstory: I got my hair cut last week. I must have sparked some inspiration in Avery.

4. We had our very first self-haircutting situation. Avery decided that she needed mohawk bangs right in the middle of the front of her hair. I seriously almost wet my pants when I discovered her handy work. She promises never to do again, to herself, her sister or her dog.

Now, we head into the bad first.

5. Avery stepped on a bee and got her first bee sting on the bottom of her foot by her pinky toe. Owwie! She was a champ though. No stinger so we were good.
So that is that. There's never a dull moment. And in case you were wondering, I am almost ready to start painting the dresser project from this weekend. A boat ride sounded more fun than painting! I will totally show you when I'm done. Enjoy your day!

Weekend Inspirations: Borrowing Ideas from the Internets

This is happening to Kendall's dresser this weekend. I am making some minor adjustments, but the basic concept is there.

http://aturtleslifeforme.blogspot.com/2011/05/dress-up-headquarters.html

Leftover drawers from dresser project? Why yes, yes I do have some. Looks like she will have some under the bed storage!

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/accents/easy-decorating-projects/?page=14

Well, why not? Avery has suggested we use her foot and Kendall's hands. This is hilarious, if you ask me. And it makes me hungry for seafood.

http://www.crafty-crafted.com/animal-crafts/hand-and-footprint-lobster/

Snacks are always needed for the little ladies when we go for a boat ride. Looks like this is what we are taking this time.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/peanut-butter-and-jelly-sushi-2460494/;_ylt=Av5XybEtjeD0JCGR2LyfEPFrbqU5

For real? Hearts in cupcakes? Seems tricky, doesn't it? Well, after you read the instructions, you will discover that it appears to be a simple process. Avery is beyond giddy for these little treats. I think I will need her little hands to help with the technicalities of this nugget of goodness.

http://madewithloveby.me/

So, there's what I found around the Internets this past week. Oh, the Internets: a glorious expanse of creative influence. What would we do without it?!?!

Heat Dome, Shmeat Dome: How to Survive Summer Cabin Fever

1. Prepare an oasis. Ours was a sleeping bag opened on the living room floor covered with all the couch pillows and butterfly blanket. But before you even get started, get yourself in some comfy clothes. For Avery, this was a too small ballerina tutu/leotard ensemble and Kendall still sported the outfit picked out by her sister.

This type of oasis has it's own risks and benefits. Whilst you get to be all cuddled up in one comfy, cozy place, you will also be subjected to a few possible dangers residing in such close quarters. These include but are not limited to kicking, face-slaps, pinching, climbing, kneeing, nose-picking, flatulence, head-butts, and stinky feet. But the cuddling kind of trumps all the risks so I say, go for it.

2. Pop some popcorn and fill some cups with water. You must have sustenance working this hard.

3.  Turn on a movie. In our case, it was Tangled. And then repeat, repeat, repeat until you are singing all the songs in your sleep and quoting Flynn/Eugene. "You broke my smolder." And this movie has made it officially OK to say, "Mother knows best." Not that I ever would. Just like I would never say, "Because I said so" or "Because I'm the grown-up, that's why" or ever mumble curse words under my breath as I am calmly walking away from a hostile situation. Not me. I would NEVER do any of that. I would never need to because my kids are angels, all the time. Oh, sorry, I was day-dreaming. I'm back.

4. Surround yourself with books and book enhancing materials, i.e. a Leap Frog Tag.

Now this is where we start getting technical.



5. Make monster cookies. I cheat. I make them with a bag of chocolate chip cookie mix, peanut butter cookie mix, and two bags of M&M's candies. Why? Mostly because it's a lot of work to make monster cookies and this is just easier. This is also great to keep on hand, in the cupboard in case we ever get a craving. Fast, easy, cheap is the way to go. To do this, just dump all four bags in a bowl, add whatever each bag of cookie mix tells you to add, stir, bake, and devour. 

6.  Lounge. If you are two years old, feel free to remove your pants or skirt in this instance. And always, ALWAYS make sure your Curious George close by. 

7.  Paint your nails. Miss Avery requested white nails with GIANT polka dots. 

8. Stay fabulous. Even though you are in the house, cut off from the outside world you still must put together fashionable duds. 

9. Ponder life's big questions. Or agonize on why the people at Oxford want to get rid of the Oxford comma. It's a travesty is what it is. I personally like the Oxford comma. I will not bore you with the specifics mostly because it is not that big of a deal but I like it, I use it, and I just demonstrated it in this here sentence. If the suspense is killing you, you can go read the story here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/06/30/137525211/going-going-and-gone-no-the-oxford-comma-is-safe-for-now

10. Do mindless research. I chose to spend my time on this glorious website my friend Kristin posted on her facebook: http://surisburnbook.tumblr.com/.  It's totally a blog in the voice of Suri Cruise, where she makes fun of her fellow celebritots. It is hilarious. And a huge waste of time. Perfect thing for a heat dome day. That, and facebook stalking. But you don't need an "appropriate" time to do that for it is acceptable ALL the time.



Unstuffed Peppers

When I was growing up and my mom made stuffed peppers, no one ever ate the pepper. Well, they might have eaten a bite or two but not the entire thing. And they took forever to cook. Like, literally, forever. AAAAAnd there was a lot of clean-up. So let's recap: uneaten peppers, an eternity of cooking, and loads of dishes. Sounds like this trifecta of waste needs an overhaul. Well, you are in luck, friends. I have just the thing you need: unstuffed peppers. They are the trifecta of awesomeness. Here is why: only one pepper for the entire dish, only 15 minutes until you are ready to eat, and only one pan to cook in. Too good to be true, you say? Nuh uh. Don't believe me? Well, check it out!

Here it is. These unstuffed peppers have everything a stuffed pepper has. First, there's, well, peppers. There's tomato sauce, rice, and ground meat of your choice. I add some onion, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes just to jazz things up, and a dashity dash of granulated garlic. It's simple, easy, and tasty.

The best part is it can get put together very quickly. An easy way to always be prepared for a last minute dinner is to buy your pepper whenever you see a good one or a good deal on one, chop it up, and freeze it. That way, you don't have to make a special trip to get a pepper. You probably have everything else in your kitchen.

As far as kid friendliness goes, Avery requests this and tacos on a daily basis. If it was up to her, we'd eat pancakes, unstuffed peppers, and tacos on a rotation day after day. If it were up to Kendall, we'd have pickles. And the occassional pancake. And lots of milk. Anyway, unstuffed peppers are good for all.

Unstuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 lb of ground meat of your choice (I use turkey, but beef is just as delish)
1/2 an onion, diced
1 pepper, seeded and diced
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each)
1 cup uncooked Minute rice
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

 Brown the ground meat until cooked and drain. Add onion and pepper, stirring for a few minutes until the onion begins to become translucent and the pepper softens. Add tomato sauce, rice, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then eat, eat, eat.

P.S. We are in a massive heat dome...not a heat wave but a heat dome. We have not left the house in three days. I am reverting to my winter time tricks to keep the girls occupied and entertained. It really feels like winter being in the house so much, except there is more sunshine, less clothes, and tanner skin. But on a brighter note, we have been finding out all that our grill can do. We baked monster cookies and spinach dip bread bowls on it yesterday. I also discovered it can brown the heck out of a breaded pork chop and crisp it up right nice. I will share those recipes with you later this week. It doesn't like look we will get any relief for days and days...and days.

I also let the girls wear what ever they wanted since we aren't going anywhere. Here is what Avery picked out for Kendall:

She is dancing with her elbows, by the way. And she is sporting a coral colored shirt with a pink, yellow, and green skirt. Gorgeous! I love it. Oh, and see that monkey laying on the floor behind her? That is Kendall's new monkey courtesy of her Gma, aka, my mother. She loves it. It scares me. It's eyes are HUGE. I think they follow me.

And also, just one last observation about this here photo. Remember how I told you it was a billion degrees here and that our air conditioner has been on nonstop for days with no relief in sight? Yeah, I remember too. So why in the world are we all sitting her covered up in blankets? I mean, that blanket on the couch is being used as we speak by Miss Avery and I am also covered up. Seems a little off, doesn't it? My mom used to get so mad when I was younger and was covered up when the air conditioner was on. Hey, I get cold at 72 degrees, hot at 74. I need to find a land where we live in a perpetual 73 degrees of bliss. Alright. I will stop blabbering now. Stay cool peeps! Stacy, out.

P.S.S. My mom sure made a lot of appearances in this post. She's on the fast track to stardom!

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

It is no secret that we are fans of all things breakfast here. So far, the girls aren't bored with the same 'ole buttermilk pancakes but I came across this amazing recipe for cinnamon roll pancakes. Knowing that cinnamon rolls are never frowned upon by anyone in my house, this seemed like a win-win situation. And what better day to make such a glorious breakfast than Sunday? So, while the little ladies slept in, I fired up the griddle.

And this is what we got:

To say there were a hit is an understatement. They were hugely successful tasty disks of cinnamonly goodness topped with a luxuriously sweet icing. Were those enough descriptive words for you? I hope so because I don't know if I could have fit any more.

Kendall was beyond giddy at her breakfast.

Avery was all business.

These pancakes are a winner. It's a super easy way to get the taste of a cinnamon roll without having to make cinnamon rolls. I found the recipe at bakedbree.com. She took much prettier pictures than I did, but I am so not a photographer.

I dare you to make these pancakes. I double dog dare you. And if you accept this challenge, here is the recipe for you:

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing Drizzle

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons milk

To make the pancakes, combine all ingredients and cook on a preheated griddle or pan. I used my cookie scoop and it made 24 4" pancakes. Combine all the ingredients to make the icing drizzle and then drizzle it over the hot pancakes. If the icing seems too thick,just add a splash of milk.

A Fish Sandwich, Pictures, and a List of Random Awesomeness

Today, I am going to give you a quick run-down of what in the world we have been up to since I obviously have not been on this blog FOREVER.

1.  First of all, we have been eating here. A lot, actually. But one thing I made recently that was a big, huge, ginormous hit with all my peeps were these fish sandwiches:

I did not take any pictures mostly because they literally take 5 minutes to make. They were beyond amazing.

I used buns, not bread. I also used a yellow onion for the tartar sauce, not red. I also omitted the tomato from the tartar sauce because I did not have one. AAAAnd instead of the chili powder, I just used a pinch of cayenne pepper.

They are so scrumptiously delish. IT was a nice light, easy dinner. Here is the link to the full recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/pan-fried-tilapia-sandwich/detail.aspx

Eat your fish! It's good for your brain...and heart...and taste buds.

2.  I got the girl's pictures taken this past week by a friend name Krista. She is a photographer by hobby but is amazing and talented beyond belief. She took approximately 300 pictures and has given me a little sampling of what she captured. So I will share with you!

I was, and still am, breathless at how incredibly beautiful these pictures are. Speechless is not something I am very often, but these left me in a wordless state. I think I will be covering every square inch of my house with these pictures because I am not going to be able to choose.

3.  I am addicted to pinterest. If you have never perused pinterest.com, I suggest you do, so long as you have time to waste. It is a glorious collection of all things creative and pretty that followers can add to. It is a great way to collect all the images found on the Internets that may be of inspiration and pin them up for later reference. If you haven't already opened up a new web page, I demand you do. What are you waiting for? Get sucked in like the rest of us!

4.  So, this blog is pretty G rated. Sometimes, I may push the envelope and get to the PG level, but for the most part, this is blog is non-offensive or inappropriate. But, my friends, I can also be PG13. A lot of the time, especially when my kids are in bed, I can be rated R for adult language and inappropriate content. Being a lover of language, I do appreciate all forms of adjectives, even the colorful ones. This leads me to a post on my friend, Kara's blog. If you are looking for something a little more, shall we say, grown-up, head over to her blog and read a post we wrote together and then stay for the entertainment and read the rest of her blog posts. But I do warn you, they are not for the faint at heart, the easily offended, or those who do not like swear words. Alright. All warnings aside, I hope you check it out and don't think too poorly of me after you do.

http://theother98.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-love-you-like.html

5. I am starting to read this book for a newly created, two person book club consisting of myself and my previously mentioned friend Kara. Trust me, with us two, other voices need not apply. We can and will overpower any other person and any conversation. I feel sorry for anyone who was ever in an undergrad class that contained the both of us.

 

6.  I have discovered the most awesome app on my phone. It is called ColorNote. It fulfills all my desires to write lists. If I don't write lists, I just keep reading my multiple lists over and over in my head. So what is better than having my lists right there at my fingertips so I can add to them or check off from them at whim?!?! Nothing is better, is what. I can make a grocery list in yellow. Then I can make the list of people I have to invite to the girls' birthday party as I think of them. Then there is the school supply list in purple, the list of supplies needed for the ladybug birthday party in red, and "random crap" in grey. It is glorious and ridiculous at the same time.

7.  I have always wanted these shoes:



I, unfortunately, do not wear heels. For one, I am already tall. Secondly, they aren't really all that functional in my backyard. And really, mostly, because they hurt.

But, don't fret. I found these little gems that are my suitable to my needs and glamorous lifestyle:



They are from Target. Tarjay. They are comfy. And sparkly. I dig 'em.

Alright. So that's what's what. Nothing too exciting or thrilling. We've been battling through way hot weather, rainy weather, a sick toddler while enjoying the swimming pool, experiencing T-ball, and going on mini adventures. But most importantly, I will be seeing Harry Potter tomorrow night and I am giddy with anticipation and saddened by the finality of it.

It was nice visiting with you again. I promise I won't take so long next time. Enjoy your summer, y'all!

Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Pizza

Sorry for the absence, friends.  Between amazing weather, Father's Day, and a sick baby, I haven't had much time to make this blog happen. But today, I started off the day right with an early nap time for the littlest nugget and some mozzarella sticks for breakfast. Yup. That's right. At 9:30 this morning, I found myself alone and hungry. What's a girl to do? Fire up the deep-fryer and make some mozzarella sticks, that's what. Now I find myself with a full tummy and some time to kill. I could be doing laundry, but where is the fun in that?

Alright, well let's get to it.

There's really no reason why this picture is here. She's not really doing anything all that amazing, except for being cute.

Discovering new ways to utilize the hammock.

Alright. To the food. We had a rainy, rainy week last week. It was the perfect time to cook up some yummy grub. I could eat pizza every day of the week. I love me some pizza. But, that is not the consensus in my house. The girls and I happen to live with a man who despises red sauce of any kind. He just is not a fan. This includes but is not limited to pizza, spaghetti, and lasagna. Pretty much my three food groups are not eaten by the biggest eater in the house. So, I compromise and adapt recipes to be made with Alfredo sauce instead.

I made this pizza before but this time, I thought I would show you how to make it.

First, you need a base for your pizza. I use this. There are many reasons why I use a boxed crust, and I will share a few with you:

1. I usually decide what we are having for dinner just about the time I need to start making dinner. I'm not much of a planner. I fly by the seat of my pants. I'm a rebel like that.

2. I have yet to find a pizza crust that is just right.

3. It takes 5 minutes to get this crust ready to go and it has never failed me yet.

4. It's cheap.

Back to the 'za. Cut up four slices of bacon.

Cut up two chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.

Cut up half of a large onion.

Mince two cloves of garlic.

In a skillet, crisp up the bacon. Drain the bacon and set aside. Pour out all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon drippings.

Cook the chicken in the bacon drippings for approximately 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Say "hi" to the cute little girl watching. You don't have a cute little girl watching you? Well, I am sorry to hear that.

Toss the onions in the pan and let them soften up and get to a delicious golden caramel color. Add the garlic and stir for a minute. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and set aside with all the other toppings.

See my crust in the bottom right corner? Get your crust all ready too. Then you need an Alfredo sauce. I use this one. It's in the refrigerated section of my grocery store by the packets of pasta and other sauces. It's creamy and all sorts of yummy.

Spread some sauce on the crust and top with the bacon, chicken, onions, garlic, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizza at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and bubbly.

Like that, right there.

You could go even a step further and toss a little grated Parmesan cheese on top. That's pretty hardcore, for sure. Hardcore, and delicious.

Alrighty then. Here's how to do it:

Chicken and Bacon Alfredo Pizza

Ingredients

1 pizza crust

Alfredo sauce

4 slices bacon, cut into pieces

2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1/2 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Make It

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet heated to medium-high, crisp the bacon. Remove from the pan. Discard all bacon drippings except one tablespoon. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes or until it is cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Cook the onions until softened and caramelized, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

Assemble the pizza: start with Alfredo sauce and top with bacon, chicken, onions and garlic, and mozzarella cheese. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Slice it up and chow down!

Sorry...Just More Randomness.

That's Kendall's mouth. We were sitting outside, chillin like villains, when she takes my hand and tries to spit something into it. What could it be, you ask? Well, look very closely. See it? It's right there on her left back molar, or to you, the back tooth on the right hand side. It's a chunk of something reddish-orange. Figure it out yet? Girlfriend took a bite out of a crayon. How'd that taste? And by the way, we colored BEFORE her nap that starts at 10 a.m. and this was now 3 p.m. So that little chunk of waxy deliciousness was there for a long time. She just thought this was hilarious. When we came in the house for dinner, she went and found the crayon, ran into the kitchen with it, and laughed her little butt off showing it to me. Just another day! She is such a funny kid. And she's all mine! And I'm not going to share! Muah ha ha!!

Here's Koda. I didn't want anyone to forget about him. In the summer, his devilish antics decrease due to increased attention and outdoor activities. In a nut shell, he doesn't have cabin fever anymore so he is not destroying my house. Now, don't go getting the wrong idea. He is still annoying. He still barks at everything and knocks little people over if anyone comes in the door.

He is so cool that he doesn't find sticks for people to throw. He takes logs off of the wood pile. Logs. Who in their right mind is going to throw a log? What a dillrod. And he is all mine.

This is the only rose I have successfully grown. If my dog was a true guard dog, that would not be the case. Instead of gnawing on logs, he should be catching Squirrel Hussein. Squirrel Hussein is a sneaky little guy. No fence can stop him. He has been eating the buds off of the rose and our sunflowers. Not cool. Not cool at all. He is a weapon of mass destruction. I have heard squirrels like to eat strawberries right when they turn red. Well, that is not going to happen here, my friend. You have been warned, Squirrel Hussein. And I will win.

After months and months and months...and months of trying, homeskillet can now reach her arms across the doorway. It has been a goal she has been striving for and working hard to reach. It was an exciting moment for all who got to witness it.

What is more fun than watching the ice cream making in action? This was strawberry sorbet. It was just strawberries, a splash-o-la of berry juice, and a smidge bit of sugar.

There it is. Oh la la.

As we speak, mint chocolate chip and vanilla bean are hardening in the freezer. Not together, separately. Those two flavors together would be flavor overload. I can not wait to taste them. This morning, I found a recipe for Blue Moon ice cream. It is next on the agenda.

Also, I will put up the ingredients for all of these ice creams and show how you can make them without having to have an ice cream maker if you just can't live without them. Which, I really don't know how anyone can live without homemade ice cream. It is so fantabulous and scrumdidelyumptious.

And I promise, promise, promise to show you what we've been eating around here really soon.

Chocolate Ice Cream Rocks

It rained yesterday. It was cold. And wet, obviously. So we puttered around. I decided to take another gander at the plans for the girl's birthday party and examine what materials I still need. I have been planning their party since, well, probably March. It's not until August. I like to plan. I like to write lists. I like to buy supplies as we find them on sale. I like organization. I sat down with my trusty mechanical pencil and scoped out the situation. Next thing you know, my two little shadows both had notebooks in hand and a writing utensil. Avery went for a pen but Kendall opted for a colored pencil. She knows her limits. Avery started writing the names of all of us. Her writing and spelling skills are at a rock star level of awesomeness. Kendall did some quantum physics and wrote a few haiku's:

I like my Mommy

She gives me milk in a cup

And hugs when I cry

Koda is my dog

His big paws smell like Cheetos

He barks when I sleep

I like to eat nuts

Pistachios are so good

I can't crack them though!

Swinging is the best

I like to go way high up

I pretend to sleep

Alright. I will stop now. I could go on for days and days with the haiku's she wrote. Man, I have one talented kid. At just one and a half she can write some mean poetry.

Back to the day. Avery was suppose to have her very first game of T-Ball yesterday but good 'ole Mother Nature decided that wasn't going to happen. The rain moved in and the game was canceled. What better thing to do on a rainy day than to test out the new ice cream maker?!?!

Chocolate was our mission. Hey, go big or go home, that's what Shrek always says. Or is it, better out than in? Either way, both are sound pieces of advice. Live them, people.

I threw some cocoa powder, sugar, half-and-half, and a touch of vanilla in a bowl and called for some back-up. I mean, I'm not going to do EVERYTHING around here. This was Kendall's first culinary adventure. She is usually just a passive observer but today she took the whisk by the horns and went to town. If you haven't noticed it already, I would like you to direct your attention to her mouth and spot her tongue hanging out. That is some fierce concentration there, folks.

Avery's turn. She has wielded more whisking hours than her sister. She's has good wrist action. Chef Avery at your service.

I know this is blurry but it is the only shot I got of the epic meltdown that happened when the whisk was handed over to the other co-chef. Girlfriend was NOT happy. It's her whisk and she will cry if she wants to.

So the whisking led to a creamy chocolate mixture which led to a soft, icy treat in a mere five minutes. That's right. It only took five minutes to get enough ice cream for two little girls and a sampling for me.

So good! I asked her to smile big. Instead she actually did "So Big." Silly girl.

Mmmmm. Get in my belly!

So far I would say that the ice cream maker is a hit. We are going to try some vanilla today, I think. Next is a strawberry sorbet and mint chocolate chip. Watch out Ben and Jerry's. Avery and Kendall's is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

No T-Ball and full bellies from a yummy supper and delicious treat led to a viewing of The Wizard of Oz. We sang, we danced, we laid on the floor, and we stopped watching after the Scarecrow sang. That's how we roll here: we fast forward to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, then through to the colored part, we watch the Munchkins sing, and then the Scarecrow and we pretty much stop paying attention until they get to the Emerald City. I told you all that because I really know you all wanted to know.

This is just because it was darn funny. Before bed and before she would let me change her and get her jammies on, she decided to dress herself back up. And that's her shirt. Upside down. Leg through an armhole and neck hole. She was as proud as a peacock.

I will leave you with this:

Rain ruined T-Ball

We really like the Scarecrow

Chocolate ice cream rocks.