Before Jeff left for "The Dessert," I told Jecilyn one day that when he returned we would go to Disney World. She did not let me forger that I told her that...and she kept asking and asking. So, we had to take her. I did some research. I grumbled and grumbled over the prices! Jeff and I went there on our honeymoon in 1997. We returned on our 1st Anniversary. It was expensive then, but now, it just seemed ridiculous. I don't understand how a family can afford a Disney Vacation!
But, we HAD promised...so we HAD to take her. We flew down to Ft. Lauderdale to meet Stella Blue Victoria. We intended to drive up to Orlando and spend a day in the Magic Kingdom. We found a room at a Radisson right outside of the gate for $69 per night (Plus the taxes and a ridiculous $11 per day convenience fee!). We were set! We arrived late at night, checked into our room and went to sleep. We got up early and began our day!
The kids had a great time! I knew Jecilyn would enjoy it. However, I hadn't expected Treavor to do so. He did! He danced and laughed...and his favorite was "It's a Small World." The lines were practically non existent. And, even when there were lines, we used the Fast Pass. What a great feature! They also give Rider Switch Passes. This allowed one of us to go on the ride while one of us stayed with the kids (or Treavor if it was something Jecilyn could go on but he couldn't). Then, when the first person was done, the second could just use the pass to walk right on the ride--NO WAITING!
Disney is such a "well oiled machine." I heard someone on the monorail say, "They should just let the Disney Company run this country." I cannot help but agree. Everything in that magical place is perfect. It's amazing.
We ended up staying for three nights and two days. And, we only did the Magic Kingdom. There is so much to see! We could've spent a month! And, once we arrived, and I remembered how truly special it is there, I stopped grumbling about the cost of things! It was totally worth it! (Plus it helped a little that Jecilyn was only TWO! Hey, I didn't lie. They just assumed ;-))
Anyway, here's some pictures from our trip! A big THANK YOU to my dad for helping us out with the costs!!!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Happy Birthday Me Maw!
Ok. So, I'm a day late...and a dollar short...But, I remembered! Yesterday, "Me Maw" turned 90! She is "Aunt Nettie" and "Aunt Teffie's" Grandmother and "Mom Mom Ginny's" Mother. I helped them plan a surprise party for her a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Wheat Free Wednesday
Wow...Where does the time go!?!? I've been SO busy, I haven't had time to blog! I apologize. I will try to budget my time a little better.
I have been experimenting with new foods and recipes that are "Treavor Safe." I made this dish for Jeff...and he really liked it...so did Treavor. When we were in Florida, I made a "Fiesta" for my dad, his girlfriend Paulette (WHO IS AN AMAZING COOK!), Chris, Rhonda and Jeff. They all loved it! That's always a plus!
This recipe was inspired by Emily Hendrix's Chicken Enchiladas recipe in her book Sophie Safe Cooking. You can link right to her website by clicking here.
I don't have a name for this...I'm trying to come up with something catchy....but my brain is fried....So, for now--it's just burritos. And, unlike Mrs. Hendrix, I am not a measure it out kinda cook. I just kinda throw it all together and hope for the best.....
One can spicy refried Beans (I used Amy's Organic!)
One can refried Black Beans (Again, I used Amy's Organic!)
One can corn--or frozen!
Chicken Breasts
Salsa (I used Newman's Own Medium--b/c it's gluten free!)
Corn Tortillas
Cooked white rice.
1.) Put a bit of oil in a pan and heat it. Add Chicken breasts and about a 1/4 cup of salsa. Cook chicken til done.
2.) Put chicken in food processor to chop up.
3.) Heat up the two cans of beans--in the same pot!
4.) Put the chicken, the corn and the rice in the pot with the beans.
5.) Heat oil in a small frying pan and fry corn tortillas until pliable.
6.) Fill corn tortillas with bean, rice, corn and chicken mixture.
Really simple! How do you know the right proportions? What ever looks good to you! Or, in my case...when the pot was full....I served with the Fiesta Corn Bread Recipe--and Margaritas! It was a big hit!
When I made this for my family--they added cheese and sour cream to theirs...
Try it!
I have been experimenting with new foods and recipes that are "Treavor Safe." I made this dish for Jeff...and he really liked it...so did Treavor. When we were in Florida, I made a "Fiesta" for my dad, his girlfriend Paulette (WHO IS AN AMAZING COOK!), Chris, Rhonda and Jeff. They all loved it! That's always a plus!
This recipe was inspired by Emily Hendrix's Chicken Enchiladas recipe in her book Sophie Safe Cooking. You can link right to her website by clicking here.
I don't have a name for this...I'm trying to come up with something catchy....but my brain is fried....So, for now--it's just burritos. And, unlike Mrs. Hendrix, I am not a measure it out kinda cook. I just kinda throw it all together and hope for the best.....
One can spicy refried Beans (I used Amy's Organic!)
One can refried Black Beans (Again, I used Amy's Organic!)
One can corn--or frozen!
Chicken Breasts
Salsa (I used Newman's Own Medium--b/c it's gluten free!)
Corn Tortillas
Cooked white rice.
1.) Put a bit of oil in a pan and heat it. Add Chicken breasts and about a 1/4 cup of salsa. Cook chicken til done.
2.) Put chicken in food processor to chop up.
3.) Heat up the two cans of beans--in the same pot!
4.) Put the chicken, the corn and the rice in the pot with the beans.
5.) Heat oil in a small frying pan and fry corn tortillas until pliable.
6.) Fill corn tortillas with bean, rice, corn and chicken mixture.
Really simple! How do you know the right proportions? What ever looks good to you! Or, in my case...when the pot was full....I served with the Fiesta Corn Bread Recipe--and Margaritas! It was a big hit!
When I made this for my family--they added cheese and sour cream to theirs...
Try it!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Wheat Free Wednesday
I've been so busy with my new cookbooks that I've not had time to blog! Here's a great recipe for a Fiesta Corn Bread which I got from my book entitled Sophie Safe Cooking by Emily Hendrix. All of the recipes in this wonderful book are free of: wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish and soy. It's a great cookbook! I love it!
Fiesta Corn Bread
1 1/4 cups Corn Meal
1 1/4 cups oat flour*
*You can buy this, or just put oats in a food processor or blender and make it!
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup rice milk (or any other "milk"
4 tsp. dry onion (I didn't use this because I forgot!)
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 can chopped green chilis (4 oz)
1/2 oil
1 can creamed corn (15.5 oz)
Mix corn meal, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add vinegar, rice milk, onion, red pepper, green chilis, oil and creamed corn. Mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9x9 baking dish.
Cook at 400 degrees for 55 minutes.
Fiesta Corn Bread
1 1/4 cups Corn Meal
1 1/4 cups oat flour*
*You can buy this, or just put oats in a food processor or blender and make it!
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup rice milk (or any other "milk"
4 tsp. dry onion (I didn't use this because I forgot!)
1/4 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 can chopped green chilis (4 oz)
1/2 oil
1 can creamed corn (15.5 oz)
Mix corn meal, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add vinegar, rice milk, onion, red pepper, green chilis, oil and creamed corn. Mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9x9 baking dish.
Cook at 400 degrees for 55 minutes.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Feelin' Hot Hot Hot!
Yesterday Jeff went to a bar so he could watch the Patriots destroy Dallas. Liam--a die hard Dalls fan--came over to watch the game at our house. He brought his son Aidan over to play with Jecilyn. I left him in charge while I took Jeff to the bar. I took Treavor along for the ride.
When I came home...I found Jecilyn sitting in the rocking chair with Liam eating an Ice Pop. Liam told me that he thought she got some bug spray and sprayed into her mouth because she was crying that her lips were burning. She finished her ice pop, and began to cry that her mouth was still burning. I washed her face but she kept whining that it hurt. Then, she told me that she's gone over to Mom Mom Maggie's garden and picked something and her mouth was hurting. When she said that, Liam said that she had told him between her tears something about a hot carrot.
Jecilyn took me next door and showed me what she had eaten. She picked "carrot" out of Mom Mom Maggie's Garden. Problem is, Mom Mom Maggie doesn't have baby carrots in her garden. What she does have is Tabasco Peppers. My little Angel, who could exist soley on "baby carrots with dip dip" mistook the orange peppers on the bush for baby carrots. She said she picked two. A red one and an orange one. She ate the red one. She said it was good. She licked the orange one...and said it was HOT! Crazy girl!
And, these peppers are HOT! Liam tried one earlier in the summer and had to drink nearly a gallon of milk before he could speak. To see where the tabasco peppers rank in "Hotness," click here. Then, click on the part about the Scoville Scale.
And, here's a picture of what they look like.
She's fine now! And, she knows NOT to pick things out of the garden by herself!!!!
When I came home...I found Jecilyn sitting in the rocking chair with Liam eating an Ice Pop. Liam told me that he thought she got some bug spray and sprayed into her mouth because she was crying that her lips were burning. She finished her ice pop, and began to cry that her mouth was still burning. I washed her face but she kept whining that it hurt. Then, she told me that she's gone over to Mom Mom Maggie's garden and picked something and her mouth was hurting. When she said that, Liam said that she had told him between her tears something about a hot carrot.
Jecilyn took me next door and showed me what she had eaten. She picked "carrot" out of Mom Mom Maggie's Garden. Problem is, Mom Mom Maggie doesn't have baby carrots in her garden. What she does have is Tabasco Peppers. My little Angel, who could exist soley on "baby carrots with dip dip" mistook the orange peppers on the bush for baby carrots. She said she picked two. A red one and an orange one. She ate the red one. She said it was good. She licked the orange one...and said it was HOT! Crazy girl!
And, these peppers are HOT! Liam tried one earlier in the summer and had to drink nearly a gallon of milk before he could speak. To see where the tabasco peppers rank in "Hotness," click here. Then, click on the part about the Scoville Scale.
And, here's a picture of what they look like.
She's fine now! And, she knows NOT to pick things out of the garden by herself!!!!
Welcome Stella Blue Victoria Castello!
My brother Chris and his wife Rhonda welcomed their little girl on Wednesday, October 10th at 8:59 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces. Everyone is doing well! THey must be busy...because they have yet to send pictures!!! I will post them as soon as someone sends them to me!
Rhonda had a home birth with a midwife--actually two midwives. Her sister, Tammy is a midwife and assisted her friend Tammy O. with the delivery.
Congratulations! Can't wait to meet her!
Rhonda had a home birth with a midwife--actually two midwives. Her sister, Tammy is a midwife and assisted her friend Tammy O. with the delivery.
Congratulations! Can't wait to meet her!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Beautiful Mom-to-Be!
My brother and sister-in-law are expecting any day now! I'm so excited! Hurry Stella!!!! Here are some gorgeous photos that they had done! I love them!
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