Month: September 2011

Cowboys

On Sunday when Ajax was napping (and Dave) I turned on the movie Secretariat. It’s a cute Disney movie about horses … I wanted something on in the background.  As soon as Ajax got up he insisted on Dave carrying him around and then sat, angrily, on the couch.   He was angry because he wanted to watch “real cowboys.”  Dave explained that I was watching a movie and that they could watch real cowboys when I was done watching my movie.  Ajax then said, “I don’t wanna watch what mama wants to watch.”  Honestly the nino woke up on the wrong side of the bed and just wanted his dad and cowboys.   Ajax is quite into his cowboy movies lately.  This is good because Dave and I have also been in a cowboy kick.

Helping me make pumpkin muffins.  It seems all I have are photos of the kid cooking.   It just seems that lately when I remember to grab the camera we’re cooking.

Pigs in a Blanket

Today was another lazy day (excellent).

Both my guys are currently napping at the moment and I have the TV all to myself.  Ajax has been pretty tired today, as he was extremely active yesterday.  He insisted on sleeping with his new truck that my mom bought him on Friday.  He wanted to sleep with two, but the second was too large to fit on his bed, so we compromised and I pushed it up next to his bed.  He seemed content with this arrangement.

He also helped me make lunch, pigs in a blanket, such a little helper.  When we ran to the store this morning I tried to find him a little apron, but no luck.  I think I’m going to keep an eye out for one.

This recipe is from – Heavenly Homemaker – and it is quite enjoyable.

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup melted butter

1 cup plain yogurt

16 beef hotdogs, cut in half

32 small pieces of cheddar cheese (optional)

Mix flour, salt, butter and yogurt together.  Knead ingredients together on a floured countertop until the dough is ready to be rolled out.  Use a floured rolling pen to roll the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.  Use a knife to cut the dough into 32 rectangles.    Place one piece of cheese (if desired) and one hotdog half on each rectangle.   Roll it up and place it on a well buttered baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.    These warm up great as leftovers and can be frozen.  (I’d bake them first before freezing, then pull them out and rewarm them in the oven for a few minutes.)

Rolling out the dough!
He kept trying to eat the dough.

Bounce House and Weddings

Today was a nice day.  It was a relaxing day.  It was perfect.   We’ve been so busy lately that we were all exhausted.   We bummed around the house all morning.  We watched TV and Ajax played with his trucks.  Ajax also helped me clean the house a bit, he loves to use the swiffer and did the floors in the kitchen and bathroom.

After our lazy morning we headed out for my cousin Kim’s wedding.  Actually, her wedding was up north last month, but this was the reception in town.  It was held over my Grandpa Nader’s house and was so much fun.  It reminded me of the corn roasts we used to have when I was young over my grandpa’s house; playing with my cousins, running wild all over the yard, and eating lots of food.

The reception was a blast.  Her family did an excellent job putting it together.  There was even a bounce house for the little kids.  This was Ajax’s first time in such a bouncy house and he loved it.  He was basically in it for about 4 straight hours (on the way home, he kept whining – where’s the bounce house? the house!).   He played so well with his cousins.  It was so cute.   He was to busy to eat, so his dinner was pretty much popcorn and cotton candy.  Yea.  Oh well, it was a party.

First time trying cotton candy. I tried to prevent it.

My grandpa and all fifteen of his ninos. lol. My mom is #9.

 

Surgery cancelled

Quick Note:  I took Ajax to the ear specialist on Wednesday for a quick check up before our scheduled surgery and the doctor noted that Ajax’s ears were perfectly healthy!  The nasal spray the doc put him on has worked wonders and Ajax is now at 100%.  We did another round of tests and he came out fine.  No hearing problems to report.   Because of this turn the doc advised that we cancel the surgery and just keep him on the spray.  We have another check up in Dec. to be sure the spray is doing its job.  The doc did note that if he does start to have ear problems we’ll go straight to tubes.  So that’s where we are!

Waffles

Lately Ajax has become a waffle monster.  I’m not sure when it happened.  Our general morning routine has evolved into Ajax proclaiming loudly (from his bed) that he is done sleeping and ready to get up.  He will sit in his bed until either Dave or myself go in to get him.  We then change his diaper and get him dressed before he tears off into the living room and throws himself onto the couch, the whole time yelling- bring my milk to me and I want a waffle, too.  He generally phrases this request in some type of command.  Dave or I then yell back – what do you say!  Ajax will then scream – please!  WAFFLE! MILK! PLEASE!  What a polite little boy.

Well, my son’s waffle kick has gotten quite out of control. Not only are Eggos expensive, but they are also loaded with sugar and poor ingredients.  With Dave, myself, and Ajax eating them in the morning, I couldn’t reasonably keep my family in Eggos.   So today Dave stopped at the store and bought us a waffle maker.  I am now making a double batch of whole wheat waffles.  Ajax may go into shock in the morning and decide he no longer wants waffles, lol.   We shall see.

Apple picking

Today was a lovely 70 degrees and sunny, so we headed out to the Apple Orchard!   I have great plans at canning apple sauce and therefore needed a bushel of apples to make that dream happen.  Dave and Ajax were great apple pickers.   It took a while for Ajax to get the hang of it, but after a while he was hooked.  He actually ate about an apple and a half while we were working through the orchard.  We also went on a hayride and saw some barnyard animals.   Ajax of course loved the hayride and immediately wanted to go on another one.  We only got him off by distracting him with all the animals.  He heard some other kids saying the pigs were “stinky.”  So, although he thought the pigs were cool, he kept saying- they’re stinky@!

Home from the Farm

My parent’s picked up Ajax from the babysitters on Friday, which gave Dave and I the opportunity to have a nice date night for Dave’s 31st birthday.  My parent’s said that Ajax did wonderful for them; however, when they were driving out to the farm Ajax said, I want to go home and I want you (grandma) and grandpa to come to my house.  After some discussion Ajax finally agreed that he did in fact want to go out to their house.

Dave and I headed out to the farm Saturday morning and helped my parents take down a large tree, about 35 feet.  We planned to take down a second but of course the chain saw died.   On Sunday we all worked together and stained the barn’s massive porch.

Ajax of course had a ton of fun at his grandparents and got to spend some quality time with my sister who is still home from Alaska.   Emily took him on multiple Mule rides and did some general exploring.  My parent’s also got two new barn kittens and Ajax had fun playing with them and chasing them around.   On the drive home on Sunday he was a bit of a pistol (as he was so overtired) and kept demanding that Dave and I stop talking with each other and only talk to him.  He now feels slighted whenever you engage in a conversation that does not directly include him.

Ajax playing with his "colors."

Granola

I’ve wanted to make my own granola for a while now, but all the recipes I came across contained about 12 to 15 ingredients.  Not only were there a ton of ingredients, but they were things that I never kept in my house.  When I found this recipe I was instantly won over by its simplicity, as it only contains 8 ingredients!   I got this recipe from Kitchenstewardship.com and highly recommend it.  Dave and I have been using it in our yogurt and it is wonderful.  Ajax helped me make it and kept sneaking almonds.  He’s my little kitchen helper.  I wonder if he’ll enjoy cooking as he gets older?

On a side note: I was also able to put up over a dozen jars of diced tomatoes and about seven jars of homemade red sauce – all from my garden!  I even put up three jars of jam with some fruit that was ripening a little too quick for us to eat it.

Onto the recipe!

Ingredients:

Mix well:

  • 3 c oats
  • 1/2 c sunflower seeds (I omitted these because I didn’t have them)
  • 1/2 c nuts (I used sliced almonds)
  • 1/2 c coconut
  • I added a healthy dose of wheat germ!

Mix well:

  • 1/4 c oil (melted coconut oil)
  • 1/4 c honey
  • 1/6 c water
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Method:

Combine already mixed wet and dry ingredients together and stir well.  Pour into 9×13 pan or a cookie sheet.    Toast in a 350 degree oven.  Stir after 10 minutes, then more frequently until browned (every 5 minutes). Make sure to mix it well and evenly.  Store in an airtight container.

Add ins:  ground flax , wheat germ , sesame seeds , dried fruit (after baking) , cinnamon.

Running circles

Tonight after dinner Ajax had an excessive amount of energy for some reason and insisted and running circles around his high chair.  He loves his little cart and pushes it all around the house.  He was singing an actual song before I picked up the camera, but it seems as soon as I got out the camera he was only yelling.   We’re very proud.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd3HbWFHdK4?hl=en&fs=1]

Best friends

Yesterday Dave and Ajax were playing in the living room while I was cooking in the kitchen.  I believe they were playing with Ajax’s trucks.  All of a sudden Ajax says- Dad, you’re my best friend.   He then said- You’re my best friend too mom.   I almost died.  It was the cutest darn thing I have ever heard in my entire life.  Ajax then just continued on his way playing with his trucks.