Alfredo Light

Tis the season to put the sugar cookies away, hop back on our treadmills, and make changes for the better.  Here's a recipe I recently tried that might help you do just that.  I actually was searching for a full-fat version (a girl doesn't have to be good ALL of the time!), but this recipe was at the top of the list so I decided to give it a try. 
I used penne regate for the pasta instead of the usual fettuccine and it was delish.  Rachel could not get enough of it  and ate it happily for three meals!  (I think we have a carb lover on our hands--another good German girl!) 
I served the veggies on the side, but as the recipe says, you can boil them with the noodles to save on time and dirty dishes.

Alfredo Light

1/2 - 1 whole onion (I used 1/2)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups skim or 1% milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 T flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or more if you prefer)
16 oz. dry pasta of your choice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until golden brown.  Add a little bit of chicken broth to this and then add the flour, salt and pepper.  Whisk this together and allow this mixture to cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat while stirring.  Then add the rest of the chicken broth and the milk slowly while stirring frequently.  (Add a little more each time it starts to thicken until all is used up.)  After the sauce has thickened, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water. If desired, add broccoli to the pasta for the last several minutes of cooking. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente.
Drain the pasta and vegetables, and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with sauce. Serve.

For more tips, techniques and a photo of this recipe, click here. *I adapted my method after reading the recipe reviews.  The method on the submitted recipe is a little different and may work better for you!

Little Miss Crafty Pants

Would you look at me go!

The kiddos give me a little wiggle room, I join Pinterest and my inner Little Miss Crafty Pants reemerges.

 

At some point during the Great Christmas Vacation Clean Out, I raided the old sweater drawer.  I had almost a whole drawer full of sweaters that I had promised myself I would wear again, but hadn't . . . in a few years. 

I had seen this idea in a magazine somewhere along the line, (it is also on Pinterest), so I put a few coordinating sweaters aside to give it a try. 

I went downstairs to my jar collection and found several of different sizes.  That was not a problem.  From all of the jars I have hoarded in my basement, you would think that I canned a little more than just four pints of apple pie filling last fall.  At least some are now getting used in a re purposed way! :o)

My favorite is the fish bowl I covered using the turtle neck of the light green sweater.  I used the sweater's bottom trim to add a little more dimension.  I hand sewed the sweaters around the bottom of the jars to keep the cut ends underneath, but they could be glued.
These only take minutes to do and would be a great kids' craft, too.
Happy Crafting!

Pages Turning

I'm liking this year so far.
A lot.
I can feel fun changes coming.

Last year was a year of annoying little not-so-fun changes.  First my favorite coffee shop friend Darcie sold her business left for the Hills with her family (I still can't believe she left me!), then our doctor that we loved and trusted for 11 years decided to leave for Sioux Falls (right after diagnosing Rachel), and then my hairdresser moved . . . but just down the block. 
If Stacy had left town, too, well that may have been the proverbial LAST straw.

But, this year feels different.  I felt it when I was shopping--by myself--last week.  I somehow dodged being nominated for What's Not to Wear these past 9 years and my goal is to make sure it doesn't happen!  I wouldn't be nominated for outdated, inappropriate, or outlandish attire (I don't think).  But, I did see one episode full of boring polo shirts and plain sweaters.  I saw myself and it scared me.  Yep.  Time to spice up the wardrobe a bit.  No longer do I have to plan ahead for baby spit up.  (Although Rachel never was a spitter, bless her perfect little baby heart.) 

Today I also learned about my new job assignment for Dakotafire and I am excited to get started on that tomorrow.  It will still be very part time, but more consistent every week.  I find it ironic how I've always loved reading small town newspapers.  I still subscribe to my hometown paper and I'm always one to sit down and read someone's local paper if it's lying around.  Even if I don't know a person in it, I always like to read the names, see who was nominated for the Homecoming court, who is celebrating an anniversary, who found themselves at the wrong end of a speeding ticket. . . . It's kind of weird, I know, but guess what??  Now my job is to take stories from several local papers, copy edit them, and post them to the web site.  Funny how little quirks turn into jobs sometimes. :)

I feel like I'm not JUST surviving anymore and it feels GREAT.  I'm enjoying it while it lasts.


Now. . . . after I get my work done tomorrow, who's up for a day of shopping and a cup of coffee?  I've reverted back to my college days and have become a Red Rooster customer again.  I love their artsy, eclectic vibe.  And they still do make the best cup of hot chocolate in Aberdeen!

Suitcase Shelves

These shelves are on their third display already, and I can't believe I haven't posted about them yet!  After I was so excited about my antique suitcase find last summer (for which I have purchased antique table legs), my friend Rose brought several suitcases from her dad's house! 

This cream colored one was my favorite of the bunch.  It had an angled top, so it wouldn't work for a table, but I KNEW it had potential.  It even still had a piece of an old paper luggage tag attached to it, really cute tan houndstooth lining, and those two neat straps to clip things to. 

Then it hit me--I could turn it into shelves! 

I couldn't get it to come apart, so I had David grind off the hinges for me. I'm not afraid to admit what is a man's job. :) 

Then, I simply nailed the two halves to the wall and filled it with stuff.

Easy as that!

The fall display really was my favorite, but I was a little bit busy last fall and failed to get a picture.  Forgive me. :)  On that one, I used mini clothespins from an office supply aisle to clip leaves to the straps.

 

 I love "junk" decorating which turns old unused things into something new and different!  I'm happy to give this suitcase new life in our home. :)

 

The Best Christmas Vacation Ever

A few years ago, when the big 3 were little and drew a closer resemblance to three fighting cats than my adorable children during their waking hours, I came across a sign that read,

 

"There is harmony in our home." 

 

HA!  Nothing could have been farther from the truth.  Complete chaos?  Perhaps.  Constant discord?  Closer.  Harmony????  Not even a little.

 

But, then came Christmas Vacation 2012-13.

 

We did have a "nightmarish" start to our vacation, but things took a turn for the better soon after that.  In the end, there was so singing around the EdenPure, that is true, but Nathan and Teresa did have many heated discussions over whose turn it was to stand in front of it.  (We actually have two heaters, but what fun is that??) 

That really wasn't part of the harmony, but stick with me . . . .

The BEST part of this break was that the kids' vacation was an "old school" one.  It all started with the bunk beds and creating a new space for themselves.  That excitement really has radiated through the entire time as they find new places to put their things.  The boys used up all of my nails hanging pictures.  Only my boys use nails to hang up a sheet of paper, but I noticed that a bit too late.  Oh, well.  The holes will paint over if we ever need to!  

The next day Nathan found the Nerf guns in the toy room that they hadn't played with all year.  That fun lasted at least two days (except for poor Teresa--she was often the hunted animal). 

After the smaller toy room had been cleaned out, Landen found a stack of unopened blank cassette tapes and they all started recording their voices on my old tape recorder (that I once received from Santa many, many years ago) and giggling at themselves. 

They did play Wii and watch TV, but it was minimal and they didn't even really ask for it. 

Today I overheard Landen say, "Nathan, please move off my chair."

Who are these children????  I don't know, but I like it A LOT!

 

It seems maybe we have entered a new stage in our family dynamic.  A more independent stage.  A "use your words instead of your fist" stage. 

Even if it's temporary, it's one I have been looking forward to. 

 

These past weeks were like being on vacation, a true "stay-cation," I suppose. 

But, you always want to end your vacation before it gets old.

We are ready to take on school tomorrow!

 

 

P.S.  Landen's bus driver (also our neighbor Camille) found the lost gift card.  No more living nightmare for him . . . for now!