Its time for another new adventure!  This time, I have taken up knitting.  Yep.  Knitting.  Me!  People who know me are now rolling their eyes and checking for gray hair.  (Not gonna find it, I have a wonderful relationship with my hair dresser)

I've been wanting to learn for quite some time.  While perusing the craft section at my local StuffMart, I ran across this nifty kit.  The title just screamed "YOU NEED ME!"   It is called "I Taught Myself Knitting!" and comes with several little gadgets that I still don't understand.  They also have one for crochet, which is another skill I'd like to learn.

After a couple of weeks debating over whether or not to spend the money on myself, I got a StuffMart gift card for Christmas!  I used my card to buy the kit and some yarn.

Now, the angel in the yarn department who helped me pick out the very best yarn for a beginner, that would also give me a beautiful scarf, is a whole other story.  Thank you, whoever you are!

So, guess how I spent my New Year's Eve?  I was rocking in my rocking chair, knitting a scarf.  My hubby sat on the couch reading a book on building your own log cabin, while my crew played video games.  Talk about a wild and crazy bunch!  LOL

Today the joints in my hands are sore and swollen.  I was worried about that. I've been so much better lately, I was hoping it was a thing of the past.  That's ok.  I am still enjoying it.  Soon I will have a picture of a gorgeous purple scarf that I knit my very own self.  :)

Here is to learning new things in a New Year!  Happy New Year everyone!

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Remember when I had my first Adventures In Hair Color?  I went white blonde over black.  Well, DH has decided that it is just too expensive to keep up as often as it needs it.  So, I went yesterday to have it changed.  Now I have a honey color on top and black underneath.  I personally feel like this color is better on me.  I didn't care for the white so much, it made me look pale.  But that's ok, I was doing this for my DH and he loved it.  :)  DH likes this one, too.  It is lighter than my natural color, but isn't as drastic as the white. 

Besides, my hairdresser (is that what they are called??) said that one must go darker for Fall.  So, see, I'm fashionable and didn't even know it!   LOL

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In our family, when a young lady marries, we collect recipes from friends and family to create her very own personalized cookbook.  There is such an amazing array of recipes that it is often overwhelming to a new cook.  At least, I was overwhelmed with mine.  I was afraid to try many of the dishes because I thought baking from scratch was supposed to be hard.  I flipped right on through to the easier items, items I knew how to make.

Yesterday I was digging through my recipes looking for Thankgiving ideas.  While flipping through that battered old Friends and Family Cookbook, I came across one for muffins.  It was a base muffin recipe and the author had added amounts for add-ins at the bottom.  It had what to add for apple muffins, blueberry muffins, pecan muffins, etc.  Why had I not noticed this before?  I was enchanted with the idea of making blueberry muffins from scratch.  (Yes, I hate to admit it, but I have never made muffins from scratch.  Betty Crocker is my friend.)

So, yesterday, in the mad rush to buy groceries for Thanksgiving, I searched for canned blueberries for our blueberry muffins.  (No,there were no fresh ones in the produce department.  Amazing, huh?  No fresh blueberries in November?  LOL)  I finally found my canned blueberries, the last item on my list, and made a mad dash for the check-out. Lines were backing up and I had my in-laws waiting in the truck outside.  I was in a hurry to get home.

So, bright and early this morning, I excitedly grabbed my cookbook and started my very first from-scratch muffins.  As I drained my blueberries, I thought they looked a bit odd.  A bit off-colored.  And lumpy.  What is up with that?  Blueberries are round, not clumpy.  I grabbed the can and checked the label.

I had blackberries.

Thinking my crew would never eat PLAIN muffins, I added them anyway.  Sure, we'll have blackberry muffins.  They'll never notice, right?  riiiiight.

So, 20 minutes later, my crew hovered over me as I gently buttered the first muffin.  I gave each boy half.  They loved it!  Of course, that one had no real chunks of berry, just small pieces that broke off while stirring.  They each dove into the next one.  Uh-oh.  There were actual berries in this one.  Whoa.  They backed off a little bit and gave me quizzical looks. 

C said "Mom, I love the bread part, but these blueberries are...well..they are, like, crunchy or something"

Sigh.

I had to fess up.  We have decided that next time, if I buy the wrong sort of berry, we want just plain muffins.  Blackberry muffins are NOT a favorite of my crew.

However, the muffin part was a huge hit and I've been told not to lose the recipe.  Just be sure to have someone double check me when I buy canned blueberries in the future.   

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I just returned from a wild, wonderful, and wacky work week.  (Ok, sorry about the alliteration.  I just had to!)  I have been down in the Smoky Mountains for my first TOS staff meeting.  It was such an amazing week; I had to share it with you.

First of all, the Suarez and Igarashi clans are just amazing.  Or, as we grew to call them, the Su-igarashi and Iguarez clans.  Their children are the most well behaved that I have ever seen.  The parents are the kindest and most generous that I have ever met.  I was touched to be treated like a pampered princess the whole time. 

Here are a few little tidbits for those of us who were there, to keep that feeling going:

• I’ll hold your hair
• Ducks in Room 2
• The Party Girls
• The Loser Room (or not)
• Jess’ bubbles
• Girls like boys with skills
• “Frodo is freaking me out”
• Mari Maury’s raining stars
• “Ba-less Yo-er  Ha-ert!”
• BEAR!
• Paulie, Vinnie, and Guido
• “Don’t edit my picture taking”
• Fruit drink, friends, and Christmas lights
• It was a good mountain
• Poor Frodo
• Mark’s bath products
• The coffee pot is snoring
• Batteries
• MUST.  HAVE.  CHOCOLATE.
• “Bair hairbair”
• You want some cheese with that?
• Plan of Action
• Share the Vision
• Are you finished with that?

 And most importantly….

• What happens in Dandridge…..

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Its time for another installment of "Adventures In---"!  That's right, I've done it again.  I've entered unchartered territory and lived to tell about it.

This time, I taught my 10 year old son, S, how to fry an egg.

Yes, its true.  I had not let him cook before.  Not *really* cook.  Oh, he's helped me for years.  But never before have I handed the spatula over and let him take complete control.  Not until last Saturday.  And let me tell you, I think I've created a monster.

I had just finished frying the bacon and had put DH's eggs in the pan when S asked me to teach him how to fry an egg.  So, I walked him through it.  After DH's eggs were finished, S wanted to do his own.  He did a great job, and wound up cooking my eggs as well.

The next morning he got up and made himself a fried egg sandwich.

Then later for a snack, he made himself a grilled cheese sandwich.  He did this completely on his own.  I never showed him how, he just took what he knew from frying the eggs. 

Then this morning, when I was making our traditional Saturday morning big breakfast, here he came, lickety split.  He wanted to fry the eggs.  So now, he is the official egg fryer of the family.

That very same morning, C built the fire for us for the very first time.  DH said that at this rate, he and I will having nothing more to do than lay in bed and eat bon-bons all day.  Sounds like a plan to me!

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Classes start tomorrow for DH and me.  I decided to get my hair done before school started.  So, I made an appointment for a trim and some highlights.

Last night we were in StuffMart when a woman walked by with 2 toned hair.  White blonde on top, black on bottom.  DH has wanted me to try that for about 3 years but I've never had the nerve.  When she walked by, DH spun around and said "Hey! I REALLY like that hair!"  I nearly busted up laughing and told him she was my hairdresser!  The one I was going to see this morning!  His reply?  "Well, why don't you see if she'll do that to your hair!"

Um.

Ok.  Sure. 

So I got there this morning and asked her about it.  Between the two of them....

I DID IT.

I can't believe I did it.

I have naturally brown hair. 

Now I'm white blond.   And black.

I told her I felt a little silly, being a Sunday School teacher, homeschool mom, etc.  She said "Aww. Nonsense.  You can still be all that stuff.  You'll just look cool doing it!"

And you know what?  She is right.  This is what my DH wanted of me.  I don't have to change my entire life just because I changed my hair.  But you know what else?  I think this hair will inspire me to make other changes that are for the better.  I am inspired to lose weight and dress nicer.  Not "hipper" mind you...no matter how much weight I lose, my body is for my hubby's eyes only.    No short shorts and skirts and belly shirts for me!  But it makes me want to put forth an effort to make the rest of my body look nicer too.

I can't wait for the crew to come home.  They won't believe their eyes!!

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Friday night was our Great Feast to wrap up our Kings and Queens unit!  The crew had a BALL! 

Baking medieval bread from scratch was interesting.  The crew loved it....at first.  C simply would not even begin to knead the bread.  It grossed him out.  LOL  S wanted to shape it rather than knead it.  That's ok.  It turned out just fine.  In fact, MIL liked it so much, she asked for the recipe!

Our tourtes parmerienes (the meat pie thingy, as we called it) turned out to be the favorite item of the night!  It was yummy!!  I have to confess, though, we cheated a bit on that one.  (shhh, don't tell )  We used frozen crust and the meat for the inside was actually a prepackaged pork roast that I cut into pieces.  But we did the rest as the recipe called for.  Too fun!  I can't figure out how to post pics, or I'd share.  ;)

The apple pie turned out very nice, too. In fact, I wound up doing that one all by myself.  The crew needed a lunch break.  So, while they ate, I peeled apples and made my very first pie crust.  There again, though, I cheated for the bottom crust.  I did make the top crust, however!  I'm proud of me!  The only problem was that it was runny.  What's up with that?  MIL suggested I add some cornstarch next time.  Perhaps.  I love trying these new things.  :)

The crew did very well with their performances. C refused to dress up (!!!!!), so he was just in shorts and a Tshirt.  S felt silly dressing to the hilt if C wasn't, so he only had a few elements.  It was ok, the key was that they learned a lot and showed off for us.  I was so proud of their reports, they did a great job.

Now they are visiting grandparents in Missouri for our planning week.  I still haven't decided what unit is next.  They have each picked one, and it is up to me to chose.  Hmmmmm.

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Today I decided to try another cooking adventure.  C and I are suckers for pizza.  We could eat pizza 3 meals a day.  I have run the gamut of homemade pizzas...Pizza crust in a box, prebaked pizza dough, etc etc etc.  We loved them all.  :)  However, I'm trying to find healthier versions of our family faves.  I found several recipes for homemade pizza crusts.  I chose one with whole wheat flour and several spices.   Here is the recipe I used.

I dusted off the old bread machine (literally!!) and set it up on the dough cycle. Oh, it smelled so good!  The crew was fascinated.  I know its been a while since I used the poor bread machine because C didn't even know what it was! After a quick lesson on how it all worked and the promise to bake bread very very soon, he went on his merry way.  He and S both kept coming back and peeking in the window at the dough.  They kept a running countdown of how much time was left.  It was a hoot.

2 hours later, the dough was ready.  I have never done the dough setting before, I have only done bread.  I decided to cut the dough in half and make 2 pizzas out of it.  HA!  I couldn't get half the dough to cover the pizza pan.  Well, ok then.  I will only make 1 pizza.  I still had a hard time spreading the dough over the pan, it kept shrinking up on me.  I finally gave up and tossed it in the oven.

WOWZERS!  It turned out really really thick!  I prefer a thin crust, so I was a bit nervous.  However, once I got the toppings on and baked it again, the crew DANCED for joy!  They LOVE thick crust pizza. 

The only concern for them was that it was "a funny color".  "Mom, is that WHEAT?"  I explained that there was *some* wheat in it, but it is that color because of the spices.  I was terrified they wouldn't eat it.

I served up 1 piece for each of them.  They looked terrified.  C took the first bite, eyes closed.

He liked it!  I was so excited!  We all wound up eating 2 pieces each.  It was really good!  S was thrilled that the crust was so thick.  This is a definate keeper!

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Whew!  I had no idea hanging out clothes was such work.  LOL  It would be almost relaxing if it weren't for the heat!  Oh my goodness, it was 98 degrees yesterday.  I had sweat pouring down my face and legs by the time I got it all hung.  And because we live in an upstairs apartment, going up and down those stairs all day wore me out.  Every time I'd come inside, I'd flop down in front of the poor little window AC. 

I'm happy to report that I got ALL of our clothes washed with a single roll of quarters!  There is still a pile of sheets and blankets that need washed, but those are not pressing and can wait.  Even DH was impressed.  :)   I did dry a couple of loads, such as socks and undies.  I simply can not allow these wild college kids access to my undies, or the undies of my crew. 

My homemade fabric softener seemed to do wonderfully.  I was a bit nervous, because sometimes MIL uses straight vinegar and occasionally I can smell it.  I didn't want to run around smelling of vinegar.  But, I'm pleased to say, this didn't smell at all.  The clothes felt soft as I took them from the line, they were NOTHING like those horrid towels the night before.  I will list the recipe I used, and you can also find it here.  

2 cups vinegar

2 cups baking soda

4 cups water

I mixed these all together (which was an amazing science experiment for the crew, I might add!), then poured the mixture into the empty vinegar bottle.  The website suggests using your empty Downy bottle. I didn't have one of those, and I had just used all my vinegar, so I improvised. 

Add 1/4 cup to the rinse cycle or a Downy ball.  I dusted off my long lost Downy ball and used that.  1/4 cup is just barely over the line on the ball, so I used that as my gauge.  My only advice is to be sure you SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE!  The baking soda tends to settle to the bottom of the bottle.

I have to say, I'm a bit proud of myself.  I also have to admit, I have been a bit of a snob in the past.  Make your own *insert item here*?  Why on earth would you bother?  You can just run down the street and buy some!  It is so much easier!!  Well, I have learned my lesson.  It really isn't any easier, I mean, I just had these ingredients on hand anyway!  How much easier can you get?  And it does my heart good to know that I helped my family out in a time of need. 

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In my struggle to spend as little money as possible, I have considered many options dealing with my laundry.  We live on campus and have to use coin operated machines.  The cost quickly escalates into unbelievable amounts.  Quarters are like gold around here.  They are no longer tossed into the "pocket change" piggy banks.  Oh, no!  They are gathered lovingly into neat stacks of $1.75--the cost of washing and drying one load.

With very little income right now, we had to go without doing our laundry for over a week.  I was out of both laundry detergent and quarters.  DH got a check for a KARtoonz drawing, so he quickly bought the detergent and 1 roll of quarters.  Hmmm.  I have $10 to do how many loads?  Oh dear. 

In order to stretch my roll of quarters, I washed a load and brought them all inside to hang.  We have an open closet that I normally use to hang my "do not dry" items.  (No door, we have hung a curtain on it, however)  I used my shower curtain rod to hang what wouldn't fit in the closet.  Don't want to crowd them, they'll never dry.

Seeing I was out of room inside, I looked around the apartment buildings and noticed a clothes line.  I've never seen anyone use it, so I decided to be brave.  I have not hung laundry out to dry in my entire married life.  I remember helping my mother hang clothes as a small child, but that was a few days ago. 

I quickly ran to the dollar store and spent $1 on clothes pins.  S was such a dear to help me hang the towels on the line.  A few hours later, I went to retrieve said towels.  Oh dear.  I never realized how ROUGH fabric gets hanging out to dry!  I didn't use any fabric softener, I was out of that, too.

So, then I was in a quandry.  Do I spend more money and dry all of my loads, leaving half of the laundry to sit until we get more money?  (which could be anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks)  Do I spend more than I would on drying and go buy liquid fabric softener? 

I had it!  I remember reading ClassicalMichele's blog about making her own laundry detergent.  I had saved it, so I followed the link she provided, rummaged through that site, and voila, a recipe for homemade fabric softener!   I just happened to have those ingredients on hand, so I mixed up a batch.  My first load is in the washer now.  I'll keep you posted on how it works. 

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I had a request to post my spaghetti sauce recipe.  GULP.  I didn't really use a recipe.  I'll just throw my method out there and you can adjust however you want.  (Because, trust me, I'm sure anyone out there knows more about this than I do!  LOL)

I took 10 tomatoes and put them in boiling water for a minute, then put them straight in cold water.  Then I cored, sliced, and peeled them, removing the seeds. 

Meanwhile, I browned 1/2 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb sausage.  (I'd normally use 1 lb ground beef, but I had this left over.)  I added finely chopped onion while it cooked.

When the meat was browned and drained, I started the LONG process of chopping the tomatoes.  I could only put 2 slices in my handy chopper at a time, so it was ridiculous.  As each set was pulverized, I would pour it into the meat, which was now turned on low. 

After all the tomatoes were added, I turned the heat up to medium and added oregano, basil, garlic, and Italian seasoning.  No particular amount, just sprinkled it all over, to taste.  I let it simmer for hours, stirring occasionally, until it reached the consistency we wanted. 

Clear as mud, huh?  :)

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Today I took on a huge challenge.  I created spaghetti sauce...from scratch.  Not scratch as in canned tomato sauce, scratch as in from tomatoes!  (See this afternoon's post for the full story)

After several hours of simmering, the sauce was ready to go.  It recieved almost unanimous approval.  S even ate 3 helpings!  C was the only one who didn't love it.  He said it was "sorta sorta".  Which is better than clamping his hand over his mouth and running out of the room in tears like he did when I tried low carb spaghetti! 

Now I just need to figure out how to make it more saucy.  It went from watery to almost the same consitency as sloppy joes.  But it was still delicious.  DH wants me to add more spice next time.  So, sign me up for the new food processor! 

By the way, who had the dishes fairy today?     She forgot to come help me out! 

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My family and friends think I am crazy.  (Stop laughing!  This time its serious...)

In an attempt to get my family eating healthier, I decided to make my own spaghetti sauce.  As in, from tomatoes.  As in, no cans involved. 

I have been met with everything from raised eyebrows, to laughter, to an incredulous "WHY?".

Let me explain why this is causing such a ruckus.  I don't know how to cook anything from scratch.  Well, except banana nut bread that my grandmother taught me about 20 years ago.  Which I haven't made in almost that long.  I am all about speed and convience.  The faster, the better.  Have it prepackaged?  GREAT!  Heat and eat?  OH YEAH!  I don't have a clue what to do with fresh veggies.  Give me a can anyday!

Don't get me wrong.  I love to cook.  I really do.  I just HATE clean up.  Washing dishes is the bane of my existance.  I dread that activity more than anything else in this world.  (No, I don't have a dishwasher.  How can someone build apartment buildings without dishwashers??)  So, I try to avoid mess as much as humanly possible.

That is why everyone I know thinks I am nuts.  (Well, except vegiemama, who gave me pointers.  )

I have learned a few lessons through this experience:

1)  10 tomatoes makes a lot less sauce than I ever imagined.  Enough for 1 meal, just as vegiemama said.  It just sure seemed like a lot of tomatoes!

2)  Little handy choppers are not devised to pulverize tomatoes.  My family hates chunky sauce, which is another reason I wanted to make my own.  If this turns out to be a common practice, I will have to look into a blender or food processor!  The poor thing had juices leaking down the side and would only chop about 2 tomato pieces at a time.  It took ages to chop all those tomatoes!

3)  Making homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch makes a BIG mess.  sigh.  I am currently turning my back on the waiting mess in my kitchen.  I keep hoping the dishes fairy will have them all finished by the time I finish typing this.  Let me look over my shoulder...nope.  She isn't here yet.  Maybe I'd better visit some more blogs to give her time to get here....

I am hoping that my sauce turns out delicious.  I really want us to like this.  I would love to make a large batch and can it for later use.  (of course, I haven't got a clue how to can anything.  That would be a whole other adventure....)

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