Zucchini for dinner!

Too much zucchini floating around in the garden?

Need a different spin on it?

Try this for dinner:

Sloppy Joe Rotini

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup water
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 can (15.5 oz) sloppy joe sauce

Cook beef, when browned, drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boil, reduce heat to medium. Cover & simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Done when pasta is tender. Serves 4.

And for Dessert:

Zucchini Brownies
(my family didn't even know there was zucchini in them!)

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup oil
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix and place in greased 13x9 cake pan. Bake @ 350 for about 25 minutes. Let cool. Frost with chocolate frosting (no recipe for this...I buy mine premade!).

And for breakfast the next morning:

Zucchini Muffins/Bread

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp. baking powder
3 cup flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda

Mix and placed in desired pan. For muffins, bake @ 350 for about 20 minutes. For 2 large loaf pans, bake @ 350 for about 45 minutes.

NOTE: You can make these into brownies as well. Spread into a cake pan, bake, let cool, and then frost with cream cheese frosting! YUMMY!

Oregon Coast

We have been anticipating our closing day for quite some time. We show up to signing and due to a few circumstances, we postponed our close date a few days. My parents were already on there way up to help us move when I made the phone call telling them we weren't closing for a few more days. "Then let's go somewhere," my dad says. So, we hopped in his truck and started driving...ending up in Oregon.

We went to the Evergreen International Air and Space Museums. The kids liked the "space park" the best.

Yes, that is me in the background. Funny thing about this picture...I am not posing...I am STUCK! No laughing...the slide was narrow...sort of...maybe....you'll never really know....

Jaxon LOVED the shuttle ride the best! The nice lady drove us around the outside of the museums so the kids could have a ride.

We made it to the coast. Funny thing is we were dressed in shorts and t-shirts...and it was a cool 63 degrees. We still had fun running on the beach, watching the kites, picking up sea shells and climbing on the rocks.

We also made it to the land mark below:

...and hiked to the falls

Aren't they cute...especially when they get along!

Truth: I made them hold hands so I could get a picture!

BONUS: I hiked (rather crawled & bawled) up to the top of the falls...a whopping 1.2 miles. No big deal right...whatever....1.2 miles of steep mountain terrain that hated my flip flops!

Interior Sneak Peek

One of my favorite's of the house....KITCHEN!

And to answer the number one question: YES, we are still in the Boise area!


Stay tuned...more pictures to come soon.

F.A.T.

First American Title

That's where we are headed today....

I think I need/want to....

....SCREAM!

Explanation to come soon...hopefully!

Princess turns 4

Princess has been counting down her My Little Pony birthday for quite a few months now. Everything she would see in the store or on t.v....."mommy, I need that for my birthday!" Shopping for her this year was a piece of cake. I just went down the girly aisle in Toys-R-Us and threw a few things in the cart. She LOVED everything. Good job Me! (mom in charge of presents...dad in charge of cake...which you will see how well he did later in this post!)

Whoops...a little spoiled...but hey, I only spent $62 on her whole birthday because half the toys I got her were 50% off!

Good job on the cake dad! His great effort included going to Fred Meyer's, ordering, paying, and then picking it up the next day! Atta boy!

It took her a few minutes to blow out her candles. Yes, there are candles. This pictures looks like the pony's mane is on fire.

Happy 4th Birthday Princess! We love you!

I thought I was going to get away with not having a REAL birthday party with friends...and Princesses favorite....GOODY bags. But, when I asked Maycie what her favorite part of her birthday was she said..."not yet, when my friends come and we get a baggie with treats and prizes." Rats!

To all our friends....when life slows down a bit...it is party time...My Little Pony style!


And, a picture of our Buddy...because he is too cute not to share!

Empty Vase

I bought this vase MONTHS ago at the D.I. for $4.

When I bought it, I had full intentions of spray painting it. Then, I seen an idea where you paint little dot flowers on it. I kind of like it...maybe...we'll see.

It has been an empty vase sitting on our end table. What to put in it?

Duh, flowers!

Just haven't made it that far yet!