Boots from Joules

One of my birthday presents was to order a pair of boots from Joules.  I was super excited!  They are all so cute, so it was a hard decision on which ones to get.  It would be fun to have one of the patterned pairs, but I'm afraid that I would have a hard time finding something to wear with them.  So, I decided to just get a plain pair, and navy blue goes well with a lot.  They came faster than I thought they would.  I have actually gotten to wear them on some rainy days.  I was afraid that once I got them all the April showers would go away.  (I hope the April flowers bring May flowers though.)

Easter {2014}

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter.  We had relatives down to our house to spend the day.  It was a gorgeous day - warm, sunny, and not windy!

The day started with going to hear my little brother play the trumpet at church.

Relatives came for dinner at 1:00.  Then we spent the afternoon relaxing and of course an Easter egg hunt.

I made this bunny bunting to decorate for Easter.

 We served ham, bbq meatballs, rosemary potatoes, pickles, and pudding salad.

Our relatives brought an appetizer, breads, fruits, and vegetables.

There was a lot of delicious food!!

For dessert we served carrot cake, an ice cream dessert, and sugar cookies.

Of course there was an Easter egg hunt... eggs with money and some candy, but mostly money.

 And, some tree climbing.

My mom was given these beautiful flowers for her birthday.

We like to send our guests home with a little treat - chex mix.

Such a nice day!

Eighteen.

 Yesterday was my 18th birthday.  It seems crazy... I'm an adult!

The day started off with school (of course), then a hard workout at track practice - 15 X 400s.  It was hard and not super fun, but it was kind of nice at the same time.  After track I went home for a nice evening celebrating with my family.

I requested a new favorite of mine, Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice, for supper.  And for cake, CHOCOLATE CAKE!  I have been super hungry for chocolate cake and it was delicious.

I did our usual dollar hunt - 18 $1 bills.

 My brother John picked this magazine out for me.  I am always baking and John and very willing to do taste tests for me.

I got some super exciting gifts!  Most people probably wouldn't find them too exciting, but I did.  It was mostly things for in the kitchen, which is where I always am.  In the picture above I am holding my new Bible.  I haven't had a good one, but now I do!

I had a great 18th birthday!  And,thank you everyone for help making it a great one.

My Purse.

Before I went to NYC, I thought it would nice to have a good purse.  I usually just have used my Nike draw-string bag, but I am getting kind of sick of using that.

I asked my mom if I could get a purse for an early birthday present.  My mom was up for that.  My mom has the Keen Harvest III Mini Messenger and she loves it.  We looked around at purses (on the computer), for one for me.  We mainly looked at other Keen purses.

My mom thought the one she has would look a little too big on me, and there were only two colors - the one my mom has, which I didn't want to have the same color, and a gray that I wasn't too crazy about.

I ended up getting the Keen Emerson Bag Washed Linen.  My first impression was that it was too small. But, I put everything that I would possibly be needing it - wallet, camera, kleenex, a granola bar or two, phone, etc.  It all fit fine.

So, off I went to NYC with my new purse.  I came back loving it!  The size was great for me.  If I was my mom, it would be definitely too small.  But, for me, who doesn't need much, it worked out excellent!

 This purse has lots of pockets!

 

Egg-Salad Sandwiches

Spring is definitely in the air.

Today I had a an early morning track practice.  It was a beautiful early, spring morning.  The sky was sunny, about 30 degrees outside, and the birds were chirping.  We had a meet last night and we didn't get home until midnight (the meet moved along way slower than usual, so it went way later than usual).  Practice was just an easy day.  As, I was running down the streets (extra slowly, for my legs really didn't have any energy in them), hearing the birds chirp and taking in the fresh air was so nice.  I could definitely tell spring is here, or almost (you never know, the weather here can change drastically quickly).

Our chickens have started laying eggs again.  That must mean spring is here.  And, they are laying a lot!

With Easter coming, and spring, here is an egg-salad sandwich recipe.  I haven't tried many (this is probably the only egg salad I have ever had), but it is delicious!  It is really easy to make.  I like to make buns with cranberries and allspice seasoning in them - I love the egg salad on them!  You can add lots of different toppings - spinach or good lettuce, tomato, radish, or whatever you please.  I usually just do lettuce and tomato.  This recipe makes enough for one sandwich, or maybe 2 small ones, so I usually triple it.  Also, I always refrigerate the salad before eating it.

Egg-Salad Sandwich

2 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I do 1/2 light and 1/2 real mayo)
3/4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Place eggs in a medium saucepan with water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes, remove from heat, and let eggs sit in pot with water for 5 minutes.  Cool eggs in a large bowl of ice water for a minute or so.  Peel shells, and cut eggs into large pieces.  In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Gently mix in with the eggs.  Place on bread, top, and enjoy!

My Turtle Collection

When I was younger, and we would go to the Washington D.C. Zoo, my favorite animal to see were the giant tortoises.  My grandma and grandpa used to have a house right outside of Washington D.C. in Virginia.  To entertain us kids, we would always go to the zoo.  I loved the tortoises!  They were huge!

Ever since, my grandma has gotten me little turtles from places around the world that she has visited.  So, I have come to have a turtle collection.

My grandma is pretty much the only person to give anything turtle, besides one or two other people.

My grandma has given me all (besides maybe 2) these turtles from places that she has traveled to.

My friend Tenley knit me this adorable turtle for my birthday!

My grandma was at an art/craft show once and there was a coin purse like this one above with a chick on it.  My sister loves chicks, so she got it for her.  My grandma asked the lady if she could make one with a turtle on it for me.  I gave my grandma one of my turtle napkins (below) so she could show the craft lady what kind of turtle I would like on a coin purse.  And, this is what I got back.  I love this coin purse.  I love the design and the actual coin purse.

 My mom found these turtle napkins and got them just because of the turtles.  I haven't ever wanted to use them because they are so cute.

I have a few bags with turtles on them (all given to me by my grandma).  The one in the back has pretty much the same turtles on it as the napkins above.  But, my grandma gave me the bag and my mom gave me the napkins.  They are different places... kind of funny.

I also have a turtle notepad and I wouldn't be surprised if I have anything else with turtles on it around the house.

























I found this recipe for "Turtle Bread" in a church cookbook we have under the section "Kids in the Kitchen."  I just had to make it!

Turtle Bread

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg. quick-acting active dry yeast
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 T. butter
1 eggs
2 raisins

Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Heat water, milk, and butter to 125 to 130 degrees.  Stir into yeast mixture.
Stir in egg.
Stir in enough of remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
Sprinkle a surface lightly with flour.
Turn the dough onto the surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Cover and let rest 10 minutes.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for a head.
Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls for feet.
Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into a tail.
Shape remaining dough into a ball for the body.  Place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
Attach the head, feet, and tail.
Make crisscross cuts in the body, to look like a turtle's shell.
Press raisins into head for eyes.
Cover and let rise 20 minutes.
Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes.

*I didn't make the pieces exactly the sizes it says to do, just approximately.  Also, I let mine rise a little longer.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs

 I don't have much too say about these, besides that they are DELICIOUS.  They are creamy, but the brown sugar gives them a little crunch.... oh, so good!

You could really do a lot with this recipe.  You could put the peanut butter mixture in mini muffin tins with liner and then top with chocolate to make homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  Or, you could press it into a 9x13 pan and spread with chocolate to make bars.  Or, you could roll  it into balls and then roll them in the chocolate.  But, since Easter is coming soon, I decided to make homemade peanut butter eggs.

They were very easy to make.  If you make the peanut butter mixture into eggs, or ovals, I would suggest refrigerating them a little while before you roll them in chocolate.  An easy way to make "eggs" is to first roll the mixture into a ball and then flatten and make one end a little narrower than the other. 

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups peanut butter
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp, vanilla

Combine.

Form into desired shape.  And, refrigerate shortly if you are going to be rolling them in chocolate.

Melt 1 bag of chocolate chips.  I like semi-sweet best, but you could do milk or dark.  Spread on the bars or peanut butter cups.  Or, roll in the balls or eggs in the chocolate.  *Note:  If you are going to be rolling them in chocolate you probably will need another 1/2 bag of chocolate chips.

Enjoy... and just don't think about what's in them!