one pot a week

Have I mentioned I love a little house by the big woods blog?

I am obessed with her soup. 

I will sheepishly admit that I have made a huge pot every week for the last 6 weeks.

It is my go-to meal.

I love it for lunch but would eat it for breakfast.

I eat 1-2 bowls a day.

It freezes and tastes fresh when thawed.

I can't stop eating it.

You won't be able to either.

MINESTRONE

source

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks chopped celery
4 carrots, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1-15 oz can tomatoes (diced or stewed)
1-15 oz cans northern beans, drained
1 large fistful fresh or frozen green beans, chopped in inch long pieces
1 handful baby spinach fresh or frozen
2 small green zucchinis, quartered and sliced
2 small yellow zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup brown rice


DIRECTIONS
In a large stock pot, over medium, heat olive oil and saute garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and pepper until softened, 5 - 8 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, stewed tomatos and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach, zucchini, oregano, basil, rice, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 45 minutes (until rice is done and vegetables are cooked through).

Serve topped with parmesan cheese and buttered whole wheat bread for dipping. :)
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It's great after a day of chalking...

or concert Play-Doh.  Have you ever played?  You should.  I will explain it later.

fashion tuesday--dirt dress

You know the dress.

The one from Grandma White that Ida has worn nonstop since she got it for her birthday last year.

I found her playing in the garden with Emerson today wearing her favorite white church dress.

I wasn't surprised a bit.

I did almost have a heart attack.
I had seen enough.

Introducing the dirt dress.

They are perfect for my girl who loves wearing a dress while fully discovering every possible avenue of how to play in a pile of dirt.

I collected Daddy and my old T-shirts and did some shirring.

There are tutorials all over the internet.  Here, here, and here.  I found my machine pulled the tread too tight if I cut between each sewn row, so I would recommend leaving the elastic thread intact. 

  

 

Honey Girl likes them.

 

 

In other non-dirt dress news, aren't these beautiful?

(Source, I can't remember, but somewhere on Flickr)

better

Wall art for my bedroom.  How can I not smile?  Ida draws the best people pictures.  She made sure they were just right on the wall.  She was so proud.

Here is a close-up of the picture of mommy sporting a George Castanza cut.

Emerson lost in nature.  He is happiest here.  When I watch him play, it reminds me how fun it was to be a kid.

I re-prioritized my life this weekend.

I remember what matters most.

Ida's house

I want a house, right?
Really bad.
Oh, I'm thinking a brick ranch on a little land.  What could be better?
It will happen.

Ida has a house, lucky girl.
Santa brought hers.
This is Ida's.
She loves it.
Um, I love it.

Come in.

 

Entryway

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Hallway

Kid's Room

Bathroom

The Floor Plan

I saw it on Craigslist and drooled looking at the entryway and broke out into a sweat by the time my eyes reached the dining room.  Guess the price.  Really, just try.  Would you believe me if I told you that Jolly Old Saint Mom and Dad paid only $20 for this dandy?  Gosh, Criagslist makes life beautiful. 

I can't wait to give her the vintage wooden dollhouse furniture we found in my grandma's attic for her birthday.  A little cleaning rag and a few cans of paint are going to spiffy it right up.

Also, if you want to read the sweetest, most devoted family-love post, read this post by NieNie.  I could read if 12 times over and still need the tissues.  I will probably read it again tomorrow. 

a festivus

I think God had Emerson in mind when He made dirt.

It just plain makes him happy. 

To celebrate the awesomeness of dirt, we had a festivus.

A dirt festival.

Every single last tupperware in the cupboard was honored with holding a pile of dirt.

I was honored to wash them all when the festivities were finished.

I will do anything for this guy.  I really will.

I think God had me in mind when He made Spring.

It just plain makes me happy.

cottontails

Easter is my tied-for-first favorite holiday with Independence Day.

It means Spring.

It means my birthday is around the corner, and Emerson's and Daddy's.

It used to mean Spring Break and going to Grandma's for a feast.

So, it means good memories.

It means Spring tornados, which I HATE, but used to hate more when I was younger.

It used to mean corn nuts.  I don't know why our Easter Bunny always brought corn nuts.  I thought of following tradition, but I think the kids will freak out if we give them anything "nut" related.  Emerson barfs when he eats peanut stuff and Ida follows suit with soy stuff. 

It means fun decorations.

The kids and I made bunnies.

I saw bunnies in HearthSong yesterday that made me want bolts of striped fabric.

Where did all the striped fabric of this world go?

Not at JoAnn.  I loooooooooked.  

Meet our gingham friends.  

Aren't they so cute?!  They turned out just how I thought they would.  Of course, I added a little Fraker twist.  I'll show you what I did, but first more pictures.

Here's how I made 'em.

one after another

It is complete birthday madness in our family between March and June.  Between friends, cousins, children, each other, and extended family members, we celebrate 3-6 birthday's a month during that time.  Timing people! 

My dear college roommate celebrated her birthday in March and she got a little handmade goodie from me.  Her gift was inspired by the wallpaper in this cute little room in Ida's vintage dollhouse.....(Perhaps a dollhouse tour tomorrow?)........  

....and the bright red hen I got from my great grandma that sits on the windowsill above my sink.

These are the fabrics.

This is what I made.

 

It's reversible.

 

I thought it would be fun to do a tutorial.  So I did. 

If you are an apron lover, look here.  But be aware that you will want them. All of them.  They.are.pretty.  This is my favorite.  Okay, and this one.