Put away the bananas!

After reading PW's review on a pineapple zucchini cake posted on her new recipe site, I knew I needed to try it out. It had a cream cheese frosting - I knew it was a go.

So, I'm here today to tell you to put away those bananas I told you about to make last week's Banana Zucchini Bread, grab a zucchini and your arpon - you've got to make this one.

The recipe is posted on my cooking blog, here, and on PW's Tasty Kitchen, here.

Simple Summer Dress

I found the pattern to this "summer sun dress" free at Joanns. It is truly simple with one seam down the back for the dress. And you add trim as you sew the hem.

The pattern includes accessories too - a little purse and headband.

The best part is the fabric is "mock smock." The fabric is gathered at the top already on the bolt - before you purchase it! See what I mean by easy?

The fabric is a little more expensive than a yard of just a cotton fabric, but just measure your daughter's chest before purchasing to make your dress - and if you get on Joann's mailing list (and email list) you get 40% off coupons almost every two weeks.

Don't let the veggies fool you!

I made some modifications on a Taste of Home recipe (mostly increasing the amount of bananas and zucchini) and this turned out to be a wonderfully moist and very yummy treat!

I grate my zucchini (peel and all) with my food processor and believe it or not, the strands of zucchini are 3 inches long. They dissapear into this bread but give it a wonderful texture.

Need a way to sneak more veggies into your kids' diet? Or, just want a satisfying and healthy treat that is quick to make? Try this!

The recipe can be found here, on my cooking blog. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Helping Dad (on a Sat)

The veins in the rock fascinate me.

Beautiful! But I might be in trouble.

We've been having the most amazing summer - some cooler temps than normal and it has been wonderful! Usually, in mid July, the A/C is crancking and we wait until the evening hours to go outside and play - because it is normally HOT and HUMID! But not this year, we are outside so much more.

However, this poses a problem. In previous years, at this point in the summer, we are starting our 3rd week of school. We've always figured why not start early since we are "stuck" inside.

We haven't put a dent into our school work yet. (Not that anyone is complaining!) But, like I told T, if we have a cool fall yet too, we may never get started! ;-D

Christmas in July...

...at the Bit of Whimsy blog.  I have made one of her adorable patterns and there are so many more I'd love to make.  Her patterns are very clear and perfect for a sewing beginner!!

Click on the link above to see more!  Her contest runs through this Friday, July 24 and winners will be announced on Saturday!  Good luck to all who enter!

Friday's Five - Project Edition

1 - Pocket Tote special order for a special friend

2 - SewSensible's Faith Dress Top made for a dear friend's little girl born last October

3 - Test pattern for You Can Make This - skirt sewn onto recycled tank top (I didn't have any to repurpose, so I found this one at Tar.get for $3)

4 - Test Pattern - skirt with shorts underneath made from repurposed adult T-shirt

5 - I had so much fun with the above pattern, I made Elle a second pair with a green Tshirt. I'm also working on another tank top dress (#3).

I'd like to introduce...

my two-wheelin' daughter! She's been jumping on and off our "purple bike" (a $6 bike we don't have training wheels on) since Spring, but Sunday night she decided to really go for it. This video was taken Wednesday morning. I tell ya what, she is a determined little girl. Once she made up her mind to try it, she didn't stop. She was out all morning, afternoon and evening riding on Monday. Tuesday she slowed down a bit and had so much more energy to ride even further. She even learned to start herself! Last night, she was riding around our cul-de-sac and back up the driveway, which has a little bit of a hill to it and just kept plugging away. I think she's doing awesome!!

Wordless Wednesday (kinda)

It can't be wordless when these pictures have a story that must be told!

Sadly, on the way home from the bakery (I've always told my husband he's a reckless driver) the cake shifted.  In the center of the citrus buttercake's goodness is a heavenly layer of raspberry.  Can you see my lopsided cake? Do you think I cared?  Oh my no - it was as good as ever.  This was actually from the bakery that made our wedding cake and is the flavor combo we had at our wedding...well not "the" cake, you know what I mean.

T felt bad that it shifted and it honestly didn't bother me in the least - well, that is until he snapped this last picture.

If you've ever been around the two of us, you know how we love to give each other a hard time  (lovingly, of course).  Having glanced at the cake before leaving the bakery with it, T commented that it really had looked better - and then he added, "kind of like you!"   HAHAHA   So that explains my smirk!  Don't worry - I always get him back since he's a year and a half older than me with more gray hair!  LOL!!!

Lifting Hands

On the parents' prayer blog, I've picked a theme for the month of July.  Following Stormie's 18th chapter in The Power of a Praying Parent, July's weekly prayers are focused on praying through our children's rooms.

"Everyone's house needs a spiritual houseclaning from time to time, especially in the rooms where our children sleep and play.  The Bible says if we bring anything detestable into our homes, we bring destruction along with it.  A holy housecleaning should be done periodically as a matter of principle, but definitely whenever you feel troubled by something in your child.  If he or she is becoming fearful, rebellious, angry, depressed, distant, strange, a disciplinary proglem, or having bad dreams and nightmares, sometimes simply praying through the room can change things quickly.  Singing Christian songs, humns, and worship choruses in the room is also very effective."  Stormie Omartian, ch 18

Enter of the rooms of your child(ren) and pray this prayer:

Crowd out any darkness which seeks to impose itself here, and let no spirits of fear, depression, anger, doubt, anxiety, rebelliousness, or hatred (name anything you've seen manifested in your child's behavior) find any place here. I pray that You, Lord, will make this room a holy place, sanctified for Your glory.


"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil." Isaiah 1:16

May we join our hearts together in prayer, by lifting our hands and raising our voices to the One True God for the sake of our children.

Here's the link.

A + B ≠ C

A. I love wearing these shoes

B. I love walking

Do you see where I'm going with this?

C. I, however, do not love walking while wearing these shoes. Especially since the opera house and restaurant where about 4 blocks apart. But, Les Mis was terrific, dinner was terrific - and an evening out with my man was THE BEST, even if my feet did hurt a little.

Clarification - I can walk in these shoes, but I cannot "walk" 8 city blocks, comfortably in them. 

Congratulations!

I wrote down the names of all who commented and numbered them 1-18 - so for those who left numerous comments, you were still only in the drawing once. But know that you amused me immensely with your multiple comments here and on facebook! I live for that stuff, because as Just Mom pointed out, I'm needy like that!

Using Random.org, #10 was selected. And #10 is - LYNN!! Lynn, let me know if you'd like the CD mailed, or gifted from iTunes. Congrats!! I know you'll love it!!!!

Thanks for all your kinds words and birthday wishes! I even got cards through email and snail mail - Thank You!!

For those curious as to my birthday plans - my hubby scored complimentary tickets to Les Mis and we'll enjoy that after eating at one of my favorite restaurants in the city!!

Oh, and we have a gift card from Christmas to use for dinner! So, you know what this means ... all the more money that can be put into my present - bah hahahahahaha!!!

As a side, my hubby was up at 1am this morning to drive tractor trailer and I had a bad night's sleep - we may be "Les Miserables" tonight!

It's my birthday tomorrow...

So, it's time for a giveaway!!

This past spring I was driving and listening to some new tunes on our local Christian radio station. "Since the World Began" started playing and I fell in love. I couldn't get enough of the song and couldn't find it online since the new cd hadn't been released yet. The cd, Glory Revealed II, will be released this Tuesday, July 14. I've had my copy pre-ordered for quite some time now.

In honor my 34th birthday tomorrow, I'd like to pass along a copy of this cd to someone. I can either gift it from iTunes or send the cd in the mail - winner's choice. Here's a little preview...

To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling me what you've put in the mail as my birthday present - ha! Ok, I'll be nice, just leave me a comment!

I'll pick a winner, tomorrow, on my birthday and post around lunchtime!!!

I'm off to celebrate.

Not really. ;-P

Wordless Wednesday

It's the Little Things!

A few weeks ago, Diana tagged me for a 6 UNimportant Things That Make Me Happy meme.

Like the others, I had to determine what "unimportant" was in my life - and I decided it was the things that made me happy, but it didn't matter one tiny bit to someone else.
Without further ado, I present to you my list of 6 UNimportant things that make me, Momma Roar, happy.

1 - I am obsessed wtih mowing and creating lines in my yard. I know I sound like a nut job, but a freshly mowed lawn with a pattern makes me smile.

2 - Every now and then, when I'm outside mowing or hanging out laundry, I'll catch the smell of honeysuckle and that puts a smile on my face every time. It's like a little present just for me and I was there for the right moment to receive it.  The same is true for lilacs.

3 - I guess I could have grouped 1, 2 and 3 into a category of "being outside" - but then I would have had to think of more. ;-)  I love sitting on the beach, period.  But, the sounds enhance the experience.  I love hearing the ocean waves with the muffled sounds of families playing all around.

4 - I find happiness looking at the stack of papers I typed up last month filled with checklists of 2nd grade standards.  From this, I'm planning 0ur upcoming year and it feels so good to be so organized, realizing it's early in the ball ame and by the top of the 4th, I'll be maxed out on my organization abilities! ;-)

5 - Music makes me happy - especially "my" music.  We have a great local Christian radio station, but I grow tired of the commercials and weather and news.  We recently purchased a speaker for my iPod and now I can listen to my favorite music as well as the podcasts I enjoy...life is good!

6 - Happiness is, finding the gas tank filled when I jump in my truck!

What UNimportant things make you happy?  If you'd like to play along, consider yourself tagged!

Bunny Love

Joy...

Laughter...

Happy...

Running...

Jumping...

Hopping...

Giggles...

Arms flying...

I just stood and watched.  The sheer joy on this child's face as he ran through those dust bunny-filled sunbeams thinking it was all there for his enjoyment and not due to his mother's lack of dusting skills!

A new do for Bubba!

Colin got his first buzz cut Wednesday morning.  He was heard, later in the day, saying, "I love my new hair."  As well as, "Now I look like Dintin!"

We love it too, except I think it makes him look even older...NOOOOOO!!  2 1/2 going on 12!

Wordless Wednesday

Don't let the cute face fool you, the shirt says it all!!!

Itza Pizza

Works for me Wednesday's is hosting a summer recipe edition.

We tried something new last night for supper and it was very yummy. However, had my time management skills been a little better we would have eaten at our normal time of 5:30 instead of almost 7, but it's all good. If there is one thing my hubby can get most frustrated with me (ok, I'll be honest, there is more than just one thing, but I'm trying to take it easy on myself), it's my lack of time management. I'd just like to blame it farkle! ;-D

So, where was I?

Yes, new recipe. I combined 3 different recipes for this one. I used my new favorite pizza dough from Emeril and a new pizza sauce recipe I just googled and tried. Then, to make it even more fun, we tossed the pizza onto the grill.

Backtracking...how did it take 1 1/2 hours to get pizza on the table, you ask? Without mentioning any names, someone forgot to read the directions ahead of time and failed to notice the 1 hour time for the dough to rise.

The finished product:

Click here to get the full recipe.

To see more wfmw's, click here.