ETA: changed the new blog address... sorry for any confusion (1.14.10)
We have officially moved over to wordpress. There are still things to be changed over there, but we're ready for you. If you have this blog bookmarked, please go here and save the new blog as your bookmark because this one will no longer be updated.
Thanks & hope you enjoy the changes!
http://regesquattuor.wordpress.com/
1.13.2010
UFO's 1.13.10
I'm currently working on the February Lady Sweater so many folks on Ravelry have fell in love with. I started once and it was too small. I got gauge and even though the sizing meshed with my measurements, it would have just barely fit instead of being just right. No sense in spending the time to knit a sweater to have it sit in the closet. I frogged it and am slowly re-knitting. It's taking me a while to get back in the groove, but I feel the motivation headed my way. The yarn (Malabrigo) is wonderful to work with and I absolutely adore the color. My mom is the recipient. She's most deserving :) I hope to be done with the sweater in February.
My mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas - YEAH!!! - and I've done a couple things with it so far. I made a crunchy tag toy for Miles and the front of a quilted placemat. I'm using the placemat size to practice quilting before I dive into a large play mat for M. I hope to get started on his playmat in February. I need a couple feet for my sewing machine and can't seem to find the darning/embroidery foot available anywhere. It's a necessary item for free motion quilting. I've been trying to decide on fabric for the play mat and it's going to be a tough decision. I would like to use Oh Fransson's Map of the States tutorial as a template for my quilt blocks which means I should have a few different color schemes throughout my fabrics. I really like Cloud9 Fabrics. They're wimsical, organic, and I adore the prints. I'd also like to use a linen blend for the sashing and backing of the quilt. I have a great love for linen and if I get to choose what I'm using - I'm going to use it all I can. (Speaking of linen, check out i heart linen if you too have a love for all things linen.) This may be a gutsy endeavor, but that's my style.
My dad and I were going to build a play kitchen for Sydney, but a friend has a wood one she no longer needs so we're going to inherit that one and use the wood for some other project. I'm thinking along the lines of shelves, craft table, craft organization... the wheels are turning. And while we're not going to build the kitchen for Sydney, I do plan on adding some personal touches to it.
My mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas - YEAH!!! - and I've done a couple things with it so far. I made a crunchy tag toy for Miles and the front of a quilted placemat. I'm using the placemat size to practice quilting before I dive into a large play mat for M. I hope to get started on his playmat in February. I need a couple feet for my sewing machine and can't seem to find the darning/embroidery foot available anywhere. It's a necessary item for free motion quilting. I've been trying to decide on fabric for the play mat and it's going to be a tough decision. I would like to use Oh Fransson's Map of the States tutorial as a template for my quilt blocks which means I should have a few different color schemes throughout my fabrics. I really like Cloud9 Fabrics. They're wimsical, organic, and I adore the prints. I'd also like to use a linen blend for the sashing and backing of the quilt. I have a great love for linen and if I get to choose what I'm using - I'm going to use it all I can. (Speaking of linen, check out i heart linen if you too have a love for all things linen.) This may be a gutsy endeavor, but that's my style.
My dad and I were going to build a play kitchen for Sydney, but a friend has a wood one she no longer needs so we're going to inherit that one and use the wood for some other project. I'm thinking along the lines of shelves, craft table, craft organization... the wheels are turning. And while we're not going to build the kitchen for Sydney, I do plan on adding some personal touches to it.
Format
I'm increasing my goals to one post a day. I'm going to try and structure my posts to the following:
Sunday = Fam Bam (Family Updates, etc.)
Monday = Thought Provoking (Inspiration, articles, etc.)
Tuesday = Parenting (the joys, handy items, funny things kids do or say)
Wednesday = UFO's (projects on the docket)
Thursday = Around the Town (what's happening in my community or yours)
Friday = Food Fun (recipes, restaurants, etc.)
Saturday = The World Around Us (nature, science, social observation)
Sunday = Fam Bam (Family Updates, etc.)
Monday = Thought Provoking (Inspiration, articles, etc.)
Tuesday = Parenting (the joys, handy items, funny things kids do or say)
Wednesday = UFO's (projects on the docket)
Thursday = Around the Town (what's happening in my community or yours)
Friday = Food Fun (recipes, restaurants, etc.)
Saturday = The World Around Us (nature, science, social observation)
1.12.2010
blog resolutions or something like that
I've seen many bloggers writing about their new year resolutions and many have included goals on number of times they will post in a week, what they will post about, etc. It's true that the beginning of a year is a great time to reflect and renew. I have been feeling like I need some refreshing on the blog front. I took some time to review the past couple years of blogging and realized that in '08, I had a pretty good thing going here. I would post poetry, city happenings, family photos, articles of interest, etc. I believe I have just gotten lazy. I have been doing a mediocre job of posting family pics, but the rest has gone by the wayside. My resolution is to post at minimum twice a week, idealy 3-4 times a week and to vary the interest of my posts. Hopefully I have something interesting to say and read. Hopefully you will still enjoy my blog.
Happy 2010
Happy 2010
1.01.2010
12.21.2009
Misc. Recent Pics
Miles found his tongue...
I need someone to yell at the TV with!
Miles & Papa :)
I wonder when he'll get sick of me taking pictures...
All bundled up for the tree lighting
Papa & the kids
Kisses for MoNK
My guys
Playing with his handmade toys.
Super lounger weekend
Story time w/ Papa
Brother Bear & Sister Bear
12.14.2009
Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding
One of my new favorite dishes right here! I'm pretty sure I ate it for breakfast, lunch, snack & dessert the other day. It's a staple in our fridge now.
Kheer is traditionally an Indian sweet. You'll find it on the dessert table during celebrations or at the end of your local Indian Buffet. The latter is how I came across it. I have tried a few different recipes of Kheer and though I'd like to remain modest, I happen to like the kind in my fridge just a bit better. Everyone has their preferences and I suggest you cater this recipe to your own liking. Add a little of this and that, change the rice, get the milk consistency as you favor, adjust cardamom to your preference, etc. It's all an experiment, right?
Here's a recipe I've concocted:
Ingredients:
4 C whole milk
1.5 C water
1 C Basmati Rice
3/4 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C sugar
handful golden raisins
handful slivered almonds
pinch saffron
1 tsp. freshly crushed cardamom
Preparation:
Cook milk, water and rice in heavy bottomed saucepan until liquid is reduced 50% - about 10-20 minutes. During this process, take a spoonful of hot liquid from the pan, put in a small bowl or cup, add your saffron and let bloom. I also use this time to crush my cardamom using a mortar and pestle.
Add sweetened condensed milk and sugar to saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add saffron, cardamom, almonds and raisins - stir gently. Chill.
Notes:
* Some people like to eat their Kheer warm - I find it to be too sweet when it's served warm and think the flavors are at their peak when it has been chilled for a couple hours.
** The most important part of this recipe IMO is the freshly crushed cardamom. First, it does a number on my nose. Every time I smell cardamom it warms my heart. And second, it really makes this dish takeoff in the flavor department.
Kheer is traditionally an Indian sweet. You'll find it on the dessert table during celebrations or at the end of your local Indian Buffet. The latter is how I came across it. I have tried a few different recipes of Kheer and though I'd like to remain modest, I happen to like the kind in my fridge just a bit better. Everyone has their preferences and I suggest you cater this recipe to your own liking. Add a little of this and that, change the rice, get the milk consistency as you favor, adjust cardamom to your preference, etc. It's all an experiment, right?
Here's a recipe I've concocted:
Ingredients:
4 C whole milk
1.5 C water
1 C Basmati Rice
3/4 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C sugar
handful golden raisins
handful slivered almonds
pinch saffron
1 tsp. freshly crushed cardamom
Preparation:
Cook milk, water and rice in heavy bottomed saucepan until liquid is reduced 50% - about 10-20 minutes. During this process, take a spoonful of hot liquid from the pan, put in a small bowl or cup, add your saffron and let bloom. I also use this time to crush my cardamom using a mortar and pestle.
Add sweetened condensed milk and sugar to saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add saffron, cardamom, almonds and raisins - stir gently. Chill.
Notes:
* Some people like to eat their Kheer warm - I find it to be too sweet when it's served warm and think the flavors are at their peak when it has been chilled for a couple hours.
** The most important part of this recipe IMO is the freshly crushed cardamom. First, it does a number on my nose. Every time I smell cardamom it warms my heart. And second, it really makes this dish takeoff in the flavor department.
Divine Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
mmmmmmmmmm mmmm mmmmmm
You heard it: Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Now see it:
Wanna make it?
Ingredients:
Crust
9 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (oreos w/o cream, teddy grahams or fancy wafers - my preference)
1 T sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling
10 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups + 2 T sugar
1/4 C unsweetened (Valrhona) cocoa powder (super important to use high quality cocoa powder)
4 large eggs
Topping
3/4 C whipping cream
6 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1 T sugar
Bittersweet chocolate curls
Preparation:
** Recipe adapted from Bon Apetite
*** The staple of this recipe is high quality, high cocoa content, dark chocolate. You shouldn't make this cake if you aren't willing to find the right chocolate or aren't a dark chocolate fan.
**** I added some raspberry sauce when serving - it went over well.
You heard it: Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Now see it:
Wanna make it?
Ingredients:
Crust
9 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (oreos w/o cream, teddy grahams or fancy wafers - my preference)
1 T sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling
10 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups + 2 T sugar
1/4 C unsweetened (Valrhona) cocoa powder (super important to use high quality cocoa powder)
4 large eggs
Topping
3/4 C whipping cream
6 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1 T sugar
Bittersweet chocolate curls
Preparation:
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Blend cookies in processor until finely ground; blend in sugar. Add melted butter and process until well blended. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.
Filling:
Stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour filling over crust; smooth top. Bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Chill overnight.
Topping:
Stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over center of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.
Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.
Notes:
** Recipe adapted from Bon Apetite
*** The staple of this recipe is high quality, high cocoa content, dark chocolate. You shouldn't make this cake if you aren't willing to find the right chocolate or aren't a dark chocolate fan.
**** I added some raspberry sauce when serving - it went over well.
11.24.2009
11.05.2009
Miles' New Toy
This is a video of Miles playing with his new toy. Hope it works.... first video post.
Halloween 2009
Father Time. Mother Nature. Rainbow Girl. Baby Earth. King Halloween 2009.
We spent the day working on costumes, going Trick or Treating in Downtown Winslow, picking up cousin Megan and going to the Baumgartner Halloween Party. It was a great day. MoNK's costume lasted all of 5 minutes - to be expected ;) And we traded candy in for cookies for SydMo. I'd call it a successful Halloween.
We spent the day working on costumes, going Trick or Treating in Downtown Winslow, picking up cousin Megan and going to the Baumgartner Halloween Party. It was a great day. MoNK's costume lasted all of 5 minutes - to be expected ;) And we traded candy in for cookies for SydMo. I'd call it a successful Halloween.
Father Time & Rainbow Girl @ Home
On our way to Trick or Treat
Excited Rainbow Girl
Mother Nature
Mama & the kids
Mama & MoNK
Out & About
Filling her bag
The street giant
It's getting dark SO early!
Pic from G-pa
Stroller Excursions
MoNK's first trips in his stroller. He still loves being outside. We'll have to put the raincover on this weekend and get him back out there.
Sounders FC Playoff Game
Ugh, a 0-0 draw.... not what we were aiming for, but a fun time despite the outcome. The officiating still sucks. I wonder if they'll ever come up with a solution there.
Mama & MoNK just before the game
My happy little man
The South End Crazies
We Three Kings
Sleepy Baby mid game
The crowd
Defense
Midfield
Papa & MoNK towards the end of the game
Rockin' his Sounders Tee from G-ma
4 Generations
G-Pa, Miles and I visited Great Grandma a couple weeks ago. We snapped some photos of the four of us while we had the chance. I miss seeing her more often.
10.18.2009
Autumn Day at the Park
Syd and I went for a walk yesterday. We checked out all the leaves changing color, played at the playground, and channeled our inner Andy Goldsworthy.
Leaving the house on a beautiful Autumn day
Leaving the house on a beautiful Autumn day
Miss SydMo
& her cool boots
She got some air!
Posing @ the park
We found quite a few mushrooms
Slides are definitely her favorite - even if they're painfully slow
Mama L's project
Syd finding leaves for her project
It's fall!
Sydney's "Campfire"
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