Rainy Day Baking

"The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love, for those you are cooking for." -Sophia Loren

I LOVE a rainy day! Unless it's ruining some sort of outdoor plans or something...I'll take a rainy day ANY DAY! Except of course when it's been rainy for a week straight! Coming off of a drought here in our area, if was definitely needed. However, home with the kids during a series of rainy days gets a little, well cumbersome. The girls and I had watched movies, done puzzles, drawn a bazillion pictures, played on the computer, made beaded necklaces, broke out the paint, napped, and even had each girl start their very own scrapbooks. What is left to do? Despite the fact that Nic isn't usually too fond of desserts and had recently gone back into his really, really healthy eating habits (as opposed to just the normal healthy eating habits he possesses), I decided we should bake him and the rest of the fire station some banana bread. I wanted to get a little crazy with the banana bread and scoured the Internet for a jazzed up recipe. I finally found one with peanut butter and chocolate chips. It even had wheat flour and with the protein from the peanut butter, and if I used dark chocolate chips, Nic couldn't resist the "healthiness" of it! Once the girls figured out we'd be doing a little baking, Kristin jumped up and down squealing while ordering Kaylee to go get both stools. Kristin immediately asked if they could wear their baking hats and outfits. What baking hats and outfits? She then pulled me by my hand into the laundry room and pushed back several miscellaneous articles of clothing hanging up to reveal their pink princess "baking hats and outfits" (really just aprons). I had purchased them on clearance at Target at least a year ago and I had COMPLETELY forgotten all about them. How funny that Kristin remembered them! Especially since I let them cook with me often and they've never before been mentioned. So after scrubbing our hands, the girls got all dressed up in their baking hats and aprons and hopped up on the stools. I kept repeating to myself in my head that it doesn't matter about the mess they may make, I was just going to let them have at it! They took turns back and forth with each task, with Kaylee even cracked one perfectly shell-free egg into the mix! We finally finished and we ended up making four mini loaves of peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread! By the time it was done baking, it was dinner time so the girls thought it was even more special that they got to sample their sweet cooking right before dinner! After a girls only dinner date of pizza, we took two loaves to the fire station. Nic couldn't resist our yummy goodness and even shared just a tiny bit with the rest of the guys. I'm definitely filing the recipe away for another rainy day of baking! And this time maybe I'll remember the baking outfits!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

1 cup milk

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease loaf pan(s) or muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.

3. In another bowl, combine mashed bananas, milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 50-55 mins. (give it a check at about 40 mins.) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Old Navy- The Next Generation

Back in 1997, it was the second semester of UF, and my money was getting a little more than tight. I decided to get a job as I knew it wouldn't be long until I'd be living off of Ramen noodles and PB&J's. I applied and got hired at Old Navy on Archer Road. It was here that I met (over the course of the next four years) some great people. You can only imagine the turn over rate at a place like Old Navy in a college town. Due to that people were always coming and going. However, we developed a little group that pretty much stayed together for the duration of our time in Gainesville. We would have THE BEST parties; we would definitely ALWAYS make work fun; and even had a few road trips (one in particular to Key West stands out). Around 1999 or 2000, some of us started to graduate, move back home or to start a job, and soon after that came the weddings and children. Some of us here and there have gotten together through the years, but once the kids started joining our lives, it became increasingly more difficult to schedule a get together. So it had been a good probably six years since anyone has gotten together.

I think the whole Facebook thing got us all back in contact again about six months ago. Jen M. threw out a couple of dates for a reunion and we all picked one and marked our calendars and vowed to make it work!! We all met up at Jen's house in Palm Harbor to have a cook-out and swim and catch up. The furthest family came from the Panhandle, one family from Jacksonville, a few from Orlando, and others here locally. There were a few other Old Navy Vets that couldn't make it (some as far as North Carolina now).

Nic was on duty so it was just the girls and I. When we walked around back to the pool, I couldn't believe how much everyone looked the same like a day hadn't passed in the last ten years! We all picked right up where we left off! What a great feeling to be back with such comforting and fun friends! Everyone has kids of their own now and we had a total of 13 there that day! The kids swam non-stop from about 11:00 a.m. until about 4:00 in the afternoon! They all played so well together and looked like little mini versions of us! The stories and memories we shared were so much fun! Definitely took me back to the good ol' college days.

I hope we are able to keep this little reunion going. Good times and good friends from a great place! It's great to be a Florida Gator! Maybe our next reunion can be at The Swamp!!

Cliff Notes

So when I started this blog I promised myself it wouldn't end up something that I start and get excited about and eventually just let fizzle out. Well I've broken my promise already, what... 3 or 4 posts in?? Life has just gotten in the way. A busy life these days. But I think I'm settling for a slow down pretty soon with summer already underway. Home for the summer with the girls with NOTHING definite on the calendar until school starts in August (well almost nothing...we're going to a mini-trip to Orlando in a few days to take the girls to Sea World).

Remember those yellow and black paperback "Cliff Notes" that would focus on a novel's main points and give a brief summary..the stuff you need to know? So you could bypass reading every detail of the entire novel and still get the main gist of the story. Not that I know ANYTHING about those cheating reading materials, but what follows is the Cliff Notes to our Spring happenings... only the gist of our recent lives.

April

• Kristin ended her soccer season early. Nic and I struggled with the decision on whether or not to make her finish it out or not. We are firm believers in that if the kids want to sign up for something, they are making a commitment to the end of the season or session or whatever. We decided not to push her as she was also dealing with the strange anxiety of her first attempt at preschool. We let her stop going, however just made her think that the season was over for her so as not to let her think she was actually getting her way and being a quitter.
• Easter was a nice and quiet day. Kaylee says this is actually her favorite holiday. She'll even tell you the reason is because Jesus is Alive! The girls loved their baskets and actually got a bit spoiled this year as they received 3 more baskets each... one from Uncle Bill and Aunt Marquel, one from Gramma and PaPa, and one from Millie. After going to church, we went out to lunch with the family before Nic had to go into work. We spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool and relaxing.
• Kaylee had her spring recital at school....her last one as a preschooler. She was in the front row and sang every word with a smile!
• Nic stayed busy with the firestation and pools, but was extra busy with spring baseball and all the games he umpired. He loves to do it and it's great extra money so we don't mind him being gone a little more than usual in the spring.

May

• Nic went to Cape Coral for his annual Firefighter Olympic Games trip with some guys from work. He competed in golf and billards. Didn't place but had a bunch of fun trying.
• I took the majority of my third graders and most of their parents to Kennedy Space Center on a Saturday in early May. We had a GREAT time and I'm sure made many memories for the kids. I was very proud of their behavior...so much in fact that I may attempt to take them on a 2 day trip to St. Augustine next year. Speaking of the students, I am looping up to 4th grade with my same class and am absolutely ectactic about it!
• Kaylee lost her first tooth!! It was wiggly and wobbly for a few weeks until it finally was hanging on by a thread. Every so often, she'd let me touch it, but only if I pinky promised I wouldn't pull it out. Early one Saturday morning, she climbed into bed with me to watch cartoons and as she pulled the covers up over her, she hit her mouth and her tooth went a flying! She looked at me and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I think she wanted to cry but when she saw how excited I was, she started laughing and showing her excitement. We found the tooth amongst the sheets and put it in a safe place until the Tooth Fairy could pay her a visit later that night.
• Photo shoots with Jen and I have picked up and we've done a few handfuls of them this spring. We both have the same eye for photography and truly have passion for it. For as far as we can see into the future, this will probably always just be a thing on the side as we do our other passion, teaching. We are fortunate though that our clientele base has grown as much as it has, and that it continues to grow.
• I went to Orlando for a girls weekend with Jen, Telsha, Nic's cousin Melinda, and her friend Kristy. We had so much fun just being girls and scrapping all weekend long. For some reason, my creative mojo was down that weekend and I was not feeling it at all. I was trying to be creative and cutesy, but it just wasn't working out the way I wanted it to. I started Kristin's ABC book, but have yet to finish it. Despite the lack of creativity I had going, the weekend was still well needed and memorable.
• The month ended with my dear sweet Kaylee ending her pre-K year at her preschool. What a bittersweet time for me! So sad because I'm hit with another reminder that she's growing up in mere instants in front of my eyes; so sad because she will no longer be at her amazing school; so sad because she's starting kindergarten...BUT also so sweet because she's growing up in front of my eyes; so sweet because she's starting kindergarten; so sweet because she's so smart...just bittersweet. We were so blessed that she's had the BEST teachers at her school and that they have done an indescribable job at beginning her academic years with such a solid foundation and have encouraged her and provided her with more than what she needs to love school and be prepared for the school years ahead.

June

• Well school ended for me last week and as much as this was a great school year; I really can't complain about a single thing about this past year....I was SO happy to start the summer. I was just plain pooped!
• Kaylee lost her second tooth. :)
• We just got back a few days ago from a refreshing and relaxing trip to Marco Island. What a beautiful place!! The beach, the pool, the time share we stayed in.... all wonderful! The girls had a blast in and out of the water all day. However, their favorite I think would have to be pushing the buttons on the elevator and going up and down all day. Of all things! We also went down to the Everglades nearby and rode an air boat and a swamp buggy. Awesome! Now mini-vaca number 2 starts in a few days as we head to Orlando to go to Sea World and hang out at our resort for a few days!!

Obviously I skipped the minor details, but I think you get the gist. Hopefully, now that I'm settling for a slowdown, I'll have time to update more often!

We had a ball

It's only a few times a year that Nic's side of the family gets together with everyone. We're all kinda spread out pretty good. So we were all looking forward to Aunt Jane and Uncle Carl's annual picnic and kick ball game at their house near Ft. Myers. The girls were looking forward to the day despite the fact that they don't particularly care for long car rides. Kristin is usually pretty good... it's Kaylee that gets car sick! However, we made it there and back with no queasiness, so all was good! It was nice to make the drive with Bill and Marquel as well seeing as how we haven't seen much of Marquel lately. It was nice to catch up and chat along the way. As we pulled up, we were surprised to see that Aunt Yvonne had made the trip all the way from Indianapolis for the gathering (it also probably helps that she has a new grandson, Max down here to get her hands on too!). The weather could not have been more perfect to be outside. It was gorgeous!! Aunt Jane and Uncle Carl's house is on a huge piece of land where the kids can safely run all over the place and I don't have to worry. They LOVE that freedom!! Soon after we ate, Aunt Jane made sure that every tennis shoe wearing individual was out on the field for a fun game of kick ball. I totally missed this, but somehow, Nic and Bill end up being captains. As expected, most of the men get picked first... Todd... Uncle Mike... Greg... Uncle Carl...etc. then Melinda in her soccer cleats......I'm still standing there.... all the little kids get picked and my own husband has STILL not picked me!! Finally I was picked (LAST) by Bill (thanks for throwing me a bone, boys!). Which is just as good anyways because after I kicked once and made it to second base, I was on kid patrol since Kristin had no interest and wanted to play elsewhere. I was impressed with Kaylee and her endurance as she played the entire game and worked her little legs hard each time it was her turn to kick. After singing Happy Birthday to Grampa Weitzel, who celebrates his 85th birthday this April, we said our goodbyes until the holidays and headed home.

Kristin posing for the camera (which is a rare and unusual occurrence so I'll take it when I can get it!)

My little leprechauns

Here's my little leprechauns after school today. The girls were super excited to go to school today as they knew there were St. Patrick's Day activities planned. Kaylee was looking forward to dressing up in their leprechaun masks and delivering gold coins to the other students and staff throughout the school. Kristin didn't know what her teacher had planned, but was just excited to being wearing green for some reason! However, after school Kaylee was very concerned that a leprechaun could possibly come to our house and make a mess as he did in her classroom this morning. She thought it was very unfair that they had to clean up the toys, books, and other things he left out on his mischievous little trip through her classroom. She was so anxious about the possibility that a leprechaun was on the loose, that I had to escort her to the bathroom when we got home for fear that he may be in the house. I reassured her that he was already back in Ireland and had nothing to worry about.

Today was Kristin's second day of preschool. Her enrollment came sort of last minute. She is actually already enrolled for next school year. She was able to start at age three, but I really wanted her to finish up the year at Gramma's daycare. However, over the past few months, her and Diane have taken a few newborns that obviously require more of their attention. With Kristin being the oldest child there, she has become quite bored on a daily basis. I know how much she loves going to Gramma's each day, despite the fact that she gets so bored, so I figured she could just finish out the school year. However, after the countless day in a row of me picking her up to hear how difficult she was being during the day, Nic and I decided it would be in her best interest and development if we started her at preschool as soon as possible. I called a friend of mine who is in charge of registration and enrollment, and arranged for Kristin to begin on Monday. We both knew she just needed the stimulation, structure, and education that preschool is able to provide. Plus, with Kaylee at the same school, I thought it would be helpful to Kristin while she makes the transition, knowing that her sister is there too. I have to admit it was a bit emotional for me as I originally thought I would have the whole summer to prepare her (and me!) for becoming a preschooler. But in all honesty, she did GREAT! We picked up registration forms the previous day at church so I had everything filled out and ready to go. Nic took her yesterday as I have to be at work earlier than her school starts. He said she went right in and found her cubby and her spot on the rug. Her teacher was anticipating her arrival and told the class she would be coming that morning. Apparently all of the little girls were excited because the new student was a girl. Go Girl Power! When I picked her up, she was standing right there in car circle line with all of the other big preschool kids! So cute!! When I asked her how her day was, she just got all embarrassed and shy. She wouldn't speak at first, but as the night went on, little pieces would come out here and there about her new friends, and nap time, and snack time, and computer time. So I think I was worried for nothing as she has adjusted quickly and I think she truly loves it. I was worried for nothing!

So in this day of luck and rainbows and gold, it's a great feeling to know just how lucky I am and how everything always works itself out! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A free weekend

I couldn't have been happier when last week, around Wednesday, I checked out the calendar and saw that this weekend was completely BLANK! Counting back, it has been a whopping 8 weekends that one of us family members has had something to do, some place to be at, and/or some commitment on the calendar. In actuality, we haven't had a free weekend in the new year yet. Well, what to do with a free weekend????..........Well, cram it with fun of course!!!

Our weekend started right after school Friday with Kristin's first soccer game. Not only was this her first soccer game, but her first of anything as far as being in an organized sport or activity. Did I say organized? It actually was a bit of mad soccer chaos. Kaylee's soccer season ended about a month ago and her impeccable and irreplaceable coaches really set the bar high for any coach we have in the future. So I knew going into Kristin's soccer season, my expectations were a bit too high. I had heard that this league focuses more on fun and is much more laid back than the rec soccer league Kaylee was a part of. However, with Kristin's September bday, it would be another 2 soccer seasons before she would be old enough to play with Kaylee's league. I figured since this league took three year olds, at least she will be playing... something she longed for each and every practice and game of Kaylee's. So my expectation bar dropped a few when I learned that the team "practices" about a half hour before games--NO separate practice nights. So after all players get there (no formal coach introduction let alone player introductions), "practice" begins. Not too bad at first, a little kicking, a little passing, the expected soccer drills. Then the game begins. We started off with 4 players vs. 4 players. These kids don't have a clue, and the coaches don't have much more of one. As the ball goes out of bounds, no game play is stopped and maybe used as a teaching moment to show how to throw back in, a coach picks up the ball and throws it in the middle of the field as if he were playing fetch with a dog. Kids pulling other's jerseys, tackling each other, using their hands... pure madness!! Nic and I stayed back and kind of just took it all in and observed. Kristin ran after the pack and didn't really touch the ball much as I think she was a bit intimidated by the madness. We were okay with that as it was getting kind of rough. We are hoping that the coaches will go back and come up with some sort of plan as to how they are going to make this season a balance of fun, skill, and control all at the same time. Regardless though, she looked darn cute in her uniform (and she knew it too!) and had fun (which is the most important thing). I know she just felt so important because this was the first time it was about HER! She's been a spectator and supporter for her sister in so many different activities, that I know she was beaming inside to know we were all about Kristin for a change!!
She decided to sit and pick the grass as the madness chased the ball down the field. She had had enough already!! So cute...my little soccer player!!

Saturday morning was so beautiful that we had to take advantage of the nice weather and lay out by the pool and play a bit outside. The girls were excited to finally be able to swim! Our sunning and swimming was cut short a bit because we had made plans to visit the Thornbury's for a family play date.

We are always so grateful to spend time with Brian, Sarah, and their daughters Grace and Hanna. Nic and I have been good friends with Brian since high school and have kept in touch as our families have gone through so much over the years. We don't get together as often as we would all like to, but when we do, it's definitely quality time that we all enjoy, including the kids. The four girls get along so well and have the best time together. Every time we get together, it's like we pick right up from when we last saw each other. Good times!! This time, we made the half hour drive over to their house and the girls all played a bit while us adults chatted. We decided to grab a bite to eat at Beef O'Brady's and then go bowling. We've never taken the kids but have been wanting to for ages. Everyone had the best time!! I think I surprised everyone (including myself) at just how good of a bowler I am! Nic claims it is just luck, but I truly think I have skill! I was bowling strikes and spares left and right! I even beat Nic in one of our games!! If you know anything about my husband, you know he hates to loose- especially to a girl!! So I'm definitely not letting him live that one down.

We ended the night pretty late at Cold Stone for ice cream and headed back home for a good night's sleep.

After church on Sunday, we decided to take the girls to Busch Gardens to enjoy yet another beautiful day outside. Since we have passes, we've decided to go for only a few relaxing hours at a time and just do a little something different with each visit. We explored the new area, Jungala today. It consisted on a huge canopy type child area in which you climb on rope nets and bridges. Needless to say, both Kaylee and Kristin decide once we are at the top that they don't like it and start to panic. Add this to the fact that I have flimsy flip flops on that are the perfect size to get stuck in each step of the rope netting. So Nic took each one down individually and came back for the other. They both vowed NEVER to go back to that part of Busch Gardens again. After a quick trip around the Land of the Dragons, we called it a day. Kaylee wants to come back next weekend and stay into the evening when it gets dark.

Overall, a busy but fun weekend with the family. I can somehow always manage to keep us busy even with the rare free weekend that we get. I am just thankful that we have the opportunities that we do and that we are able to spend it together as a family!

What's my purpose here?

So I've recently been intrigued by the whole blog phenomenon... I mean a few months ago I had no idea what the REAL purpose of a blog was. Then I stumbled upon a great blog of a friend of mine. After perusing a few of her posts, I was hooked. Reading each blog post was like chapters in a book to me. Now there are a few things I feel inclined to mention... (1) at the beginning of her blog archive her and her family were going through the process of an international adoption (hence the inspiration and initial PURPOSE of her blog)---so VERY exciting information to read about, and (2) her craft of writing is amazing and alluring... it draws you in as a reader and makes you want to read more. But as I continued to read it, and as her daughter's adoption became final, her blogs turned into scripts and details about their normal day to day family life. I mean we all live it, right? But it was still fascinating to read for some reason.



Well, after a recent conversation with her about her blog, she told me the coolest thing ever. At the end of each year, she gets her entire blog posts and pictures just as they are online published into a coffee table type book. Seeing as how I am literally YEARS behind in my scrapbooking, I thought this was the solution to my problem. When something happens that I want to remember, I can snap, crackle, pop it onto my blog and voila, it's documented with journaling and pictures and all. AND better yet, my thoughts on the event or whatnot is fresh in my mind so it's truly journaling right from my heart. Unlike trying to think back to a moment that happened three years ago with my kids and "fake it" as I write what was going on in the picture. I was SOLD!!



So here I am with my first post and I've come to the conclusion that my PURPOSE of creating and (hopefully!) maintaining this blog is to first and foremost document my family events and day to day life to preserve and cherish the memories because I know it slips by way too fast. And in the process of doing this, I also considered the fact that what better way to keep family and friends that we don't talk to all that often in the loop? So here we go.......The Rasmussen 411 has begun!!!