Tuesday, June 7, 2011

"Doubled" Eggs, etc.

These boys make me laugh. Sure, my life before kids was way more quiet, way more relaxing...but also way less funny.

Lately I've been eating a lot of eggs for the baby. My birthing instructor gave me an "intake plan" that includes 2 eggs a day. Scrambled eggs got real old real fast. I'm always trying to think of some new way to eat them--often with no luck. But, last week I hit on a favorite. It's one the kids (especially Samuel) like too, and keep asking for...

Samuel: Can we have some more doubled eggs?

Me: Some more what?

Samuel: Dou--bled? Eggs?

DSC07093

DSC07098

Also, Happy Memorial Day!
We celebrated by heading over to Grandmother Beth's house.

The "men" celebrated like this:
DSC07072

The women celebrated like this:
DSC07071

It was a good time!

Man, there are so many great things about summer. We have been enjoying one aspect in particular around here lately: Cake.

I'm not sure what made Tim think of it, but when I asked if he had an opinion about what dessert I should make for a recent Bible Study at our house, he suggested Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake. He knows it's one of my favorites, but it's not really one of my standbys...

Well, after bible study there was about enough cake left for each of the kids to have one piece, and they loved it. I was thrilled that they loved one of my favorites. Then last week, Sharon brought by some zucchini from Chrysta and Beth's garden so I whipped up some more cake. It lasted 2 days, and we were all sorry when it was gone. So I made another yesterday. :) I wanted to take pictures for the blog, and as with my pound cake, I just kept forgetting to take that last picture.

DSC07091

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup veg. oil
2 eggs
1-3/4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. milk
1/2 T. vinegar
2-1/2 cups flour
4 T. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cloves (mmmm!)
2 cups grated Zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and set aside. Make sour milk by adding the vinegar to the milk in a separate dish. Let that stand about 5 mins, or until you are ready for it. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the sour milk and the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix until smooth. Fold in the grated zucchini. Spread in a greased 9 x 13 pan, and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 mins, or until it tests done with a toothpick.

Repeat as necessary. :)

I had a helper, which is always nice. My helpers are actually getting big enough that they really are a help, instead of a hindrance. William did a good bit of grating on the zucchini, and Sam loves to help with the mixer.
DSC07086

An expert helper will always wear pajamas while mixing...
DSC07088

A really good day for the boys is one where they don't have to put on pjs at bedtime, because they are still wearing them from the night before. I can sympathize. Tim cannot.

I actually have been getting out of my pjs in the morning, even though it is summer break. I may have mentioned that Tim and I go walking early in the mornings...just a 10-15 minute walk, to keep my pregnant body active. It is a very pleasant part of my day. When we are done I water my plants which, to my surprise, I enjoy.

I tried taking pictures to show you why I enjoy watering my plants. I took maybe 50 pictures...and less than 10 came out. I was using that big zoom/micro lens that Tim has, and I guess I just wiggle the camera too much. I gotta learn some tricks to get better pictures with that thing.

Here's some of what I did get, though. These are a hallmark of my obsession with the minutia in my life. The littlest details sometimes thrill me the most.

For starters, here's a certain spider (I H-A-T-E spiders) that I see on a different leaf every day. He's about the size of a dime--legs included.
DSC_0096

And look at this...some sort of egg about a millimeter big.
DSC_0151

There were maybe a dozen of of them scattered one by one on each of my pepper plants.

Or, how about these?
DSC_0120

They are about the size of a peppercorn, and are on my asparagus plants. Apparently that one is a female plant?

I think they are so beautiful...
DSC_0128

Also, our miniature Venus Fly Traps have sent up some new healthy shoots that are very intricate. They are about the size of a lima bean.
DSC_0144

It all delights me. I took those pictures Saturday, and then today I noticed this little guy chillin' out on the trellis Tim made...
DSC_0158

He was there for hours. Once when I looked out the kitchen window, I saw him showing off...flaring his little chin frill and bobbing. I hurried outside, followed by William, and waited. After a long time of waiting, William noticed another little lizard just inches away from us...a little chica lizard? Hope Mr. Lizard is not bothered that Chica's tail is falling off!
DSC_0177

No wonder he quit showing off...we were right in the way. After we moved, he started up again.
DSC_0200

Do things like that give you a thrill?

Well, this post has taken 4 days for me to finish. Start...stop...start... If it feels like a run-on post, it is. Oh well!

No comments :

Post a Comment