Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

This is so easy you probably know how to make it already, but just in case you're still buying the boxed kind, here's how we do this.

1 bag penne (or whatever kind you want really)
8oz whipping cream -hey you want it to be good right?
2 egg whites
16 oz shredded sharp cheddar
4 oz unsalted butter

Boil your pasta as directed; drain and put back in the pot. Add your butter and stir till pasta is covered. Then over super low heat slowly add the cheese and whipping cream and egg whites, mixing until the cheese is melted before adding more. You'll know when it's ready. It'll be all creamy and fantastic. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Fresh photos

That lettuce meets it's maker tonight with our eggplant parmesan. My recipe is under Mama Cooks if you want it, btw.

And I made this little fly-away top for my niece, Brooklyn. Gina had shown me two similar tops that miss B already has that she likes but don't fit quite right and I was pretty certain I could eyeball it and whip one up. And here's the result! So now I'm praying that it fits her. lol

Make 5 dinners in 1 hour?!

Really? This might be the most helpful thing I've read in a while. I downloaded the sample menu and am pretty excited to try it out. If it works the way she describes, I'll be ordering several menus to prepare and freeze for after Declan is born. Here we go....

self loathing

Uggh. I am so selfish and unmerciful and not helpful. It's makes me angry at myself. I see someone I love bending over backward, straining other important relationships, taking excessive time off from her job to help someone who may or may not be in as bad of shape as they say and all I can do is stress her out about it. I'm sooo convinced that she's thrown all "healthy boundaries" and the concern of her family out the window that I've probably hurt her feelings and added more stress to her plate than she was already dealing with. I totally suck. I don't think I'm wrong or even feel bad about what I said to her. But I feel bad that it went this far and that in expressing my concern for her, I was heartless towards the one she cares enough about to go all out for. I'm not helping her in anyway. Just making things worse...... gahhh! I'm going to keep my mouth shut from now on. It's her life and whatever she wants to do with it is up to her. I love her with all my heart and I will not say anything else to bring her down. Please pray for my family and that God will heal what is broken and build a hedge of protection around my Mom who is the most wonderful, merciful, self-sacrificing and long suffering person I've ever met. I hope to be half the woman she is.

mmmmmm

I picked three beautiful eggplant today which means eggplant parmesan tomorrow night. It would be tonight but we're headed down for a bbq at my brother- in- laws tonight. Should be a great time. :o)
This morning's message was great. I love it when a pastor isn't afraid to teach difficult verses in scripture. Like 1 Cor 14:34-35
Well done.
And even more exciting, we have our first meeting with our EF (educational facilitator from the Charter school tomorrow morning and we'll get all of our curriculum for the year! Woot woot! It's like Christmas when the boys open their boxes and get to see all the fun stuff we get to "play with" all year.
After that, we are having some friends from church over to play and stay for lunch. Should be a fun day!

In very sad news, a very sweet friend of mine confided that they've miscarried a second time yesterday while trying for their first child. Please keep them in your prayers. Thanks.

Photo Day!

I make curry a lot. A lot a lot. All different kinds and ways. Last week before our vacation started I made this and it was delicious.

Chop chop

Boil your potatoes

This is the curry I used this time. I definitely recommend the medium because it
s still not spicy.

Serve with basmati rice and naan and you're all set.
We also took the boys to Mulberry Park and had some fun to hanging out together.

Then we decided to take advantage of Matthew's time off and ran out to Las Vegas for a few days before our camping trip.

We noticed a chip when we stopped in Menifee at the Super Target and by the time we finished shopping it looked like this. :( Matthew had the insurance co send out a chip repair guy who turned out to be someone we knew (!) and he did his best but before we left Vegas we had to get a new wind shield. Lame.

In an Auntie Anne's pretzel trance

If you're ever in Vegas, go here. Killer.

After Vegas, we came home, unpacked, washed clothes, repacked and went camping. I'll post camping pics later. Too many to go through right now.
Today I drove up to Menifee again but this time I got to hang out with my bestie, Delane, and finally deliver Scarlet's birthday presents. A full two weeks late, geez. I made her two dresses and a reversible skirt. (And knit a beanie with built in pigtail holes that turned out poopy, so I didn't give it to her.)

Whew.... I think that covers it for now. I'll post the camping pictures asap.

Pure Beauty

Hey all, I am so excited and honored to be the first featured blogger in Amy Jean's Pure Beauty feature! I hope you'll head over there and check her out!

Not a Toy!

I forgot to post a pic of what Autry cut his finger with. Tin snips are not toys. Now they know why I said, "don't touch!" Don't touch seems like a simple enough command, doesn't it? But no. They needed to find out why. And now they know. Handled.

note: these were in a box of irrigation pieces and mending supplies that somehow got left in the backyard. hmmmmm....

Today started out pretty normal. Things went awry right after snack time when I was laughing at myself putting out basically a party platter for the boys for snack,

and then within 4 minutes it was gone! lol The little jackals. Geez louise.
It was funny enough to me that I thought to take pictures, obviously. Then while I was cleaning up the boys went out back to play and I checked my facebook to see if the pictures had posted. Suddenly I hear Autry screaming bloody murder and Milo is running towards me yelling "Autry got cut!" I could see the blood dripping from his finger from far away and my brain started freaking out. As I was washing it and the blood just kept coming and coming, I decided "ok, this is going to be our first ER run."
So, I wrapped it in a dish towel and had him pinch it while I got all the kiddos dressed in record time. Yes, they were still in jammies at 10:45. Don't judge me. And we rushed over to the urgent care at Kaiser(thanks to a call from my ever calm Hubbs.) Of course, urgent care didn't open till noon. Of course, right? Well, fortunately the bleeding had stopped and he was just wimpering at this point. We waited for almost an hour for it to open but then got right in. All in all, he got an expensive bandaid.

Because he's fine... That's right. His finger's life flashed before my eyes for naught. He's fine. lol
But during the wait I was texting with a good friend and sister in Christ about how ridiculous it's going to be to feed these boys when their teenagers and she confided about their current financial hardship. She is so on my heart and I've been praying for her and her sweet family. After we got home, the boys and I were just hanging out and I was reading my new Above Rubies magazine

and there on pg 5 was this encouragement:

Do you feel poor? Can't pay the bills! Your house is too small! You are in the very situation to make many people rich (2 Corinthians 6:10.) You can make your husband rich by making your home a sanctuary of love, joy and contentment. You make your children rich by showing how to have a joyful attitude even in trials. You make them rich as you impart God's Word richly into their lives (Colossians 3:16.)
- Nancy Campbell

This is both challenging but hopeful. I think we can all apply this no matter our circumstances.
That's all for today.
Much love!

Tuesday- Today

This is how we roll at the beach... lol
Matthew and Milo were too far out in the waves for me to get a clear picture of them but they were there having a great time, too. We plan to go back next week!

And today we had quite the harvest party in the back yard! We've been harvesting deliciouseness for the last 2 weeks but never as much in one day as this. Then I blanched and froze the beans and peas and we'll be having those tomatoes in salads tonight and tomorrow.
Some sad news, for me anyway, is that my bestie, Delane, and her family are moving about 45 minutes away. But it's a good move for their family, so, who am I to complain about a 45 minute drive. Selfish selfish.