it's early and

I'm in the middle of breakfast so I'm going to share a couple of food things with you.  For breakfast I'm having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I really don't see a problem with that.  Sometimes I have peanut butter toast and sometimes I have jelly toast.  Today I'm having a slice of each, but cold and pressed together.  I do love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Eric knows it.  Since he was little, he's known.  If I was having a bad day or in a grumpy mood, Eric would walk in, delivering a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  If he'd gotten in trouble and felt bad, he'd walk in, delivering a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  That started when he was about 5.  Luckily, he hasn't had to deliver too many.  Now that I've established my fondness of peanut butter and jelly, let me tell you about this

Cosme and I stopped at Crave for cupcakes and I'm all about the vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting.  What can I say?  I like to walk on the wild side.  It is my favorite anywhere though.  White on white BUT... When we walked into Crave and I saw Peanut Butter & Jelly on the menu, some sort of alarm went off in my head.  When I looked at the case and saw there was only one left, I wanted it more.  So I ordered the peanut butter and jelly cupcake... with a vanilla/vanilla for backup, of course.  (I have some sense, you know.)  So I bit into the pb&j and it was great.  I think the cake was actually a vanilla cake but the frosting was peanut butter and then there was that dollop of grape jelly in the center.  It was awesome and Cosme thought it was disgusting.  (Here's where my smarts kicked in.  I put the pb&j down to start on my vanilla.  Now that I knew Cosme hated the pb&j, it was safe.  That vanilla on the other hand, well, let's just say Cosme's known for liking to "sample" whatever I order.)  Anyway, I saw a recipe on Pinterest the other day for cherry cupcakes with what looked like a cherry preserve in the middle, much like the pb&j.  I can totally see how that could be altered to my pb&j liking and one day I just might try it.

Now for some rather disappointing Pinterest news.  I've tried a couple of recipes from one girl and the first needed tweaking.  It was some sort of beef stir-fry or something.  The other day I decided to try her recipe for zucchini bites.  It was little pan fried zucchini pancakes.  The recipe didn't need tweaking at all, it needed to be thrown out.

But not wanting to give up totally, I found another recipe from someone else and tried to tweak it.  I added more ingredients to make it more like the second recipe.  This was supposed to be like tater tots, made into little blobs and baked.

At that point there was nothing left to tweak so a pound and a half of zucchini when into the garbage.  It was not good.  It was horrible.  That's what I hate about sampling the recipes I find online, I never know.  On that note, I need to get a list ready for the grocery store.  Maybe next time I'll have more success stories to share.

we've talked about

getting a pool for a few years now.  We got the above ground and have been trying it out to see if an in ground pool is what we really want.  Guess what.  We're having second thoughts.  Now we're thinking the above ground pool is for us.  The more we think about how easily it would be to get rid of the above ground if this pool phase ever wears off, really has us thinking.  Sure we'd love to sink it into the ground 2-3 feet and make a less awkward entry and exit but so far we're really enjoying it and the thought of a permanent pool taking up our backyard scares us a little.  Anyway, that's where we are with that.

As for everything else going on around here, it's a busy week with the animals.  Archer just went for his last set of puppy shots on Friday, Maggie goes her her yearly shots on Thursday and the cats are going to get groomed tomorrow.

Yesterday I tried a new recipe.  I have blueberries that need to be used and I didn't feel like making muffins (but I probably will today) but I came across another recipe.  It was blueberry oatmeal with a crumble topping.  First off, I'm picky about my oatmeal.  I don't like a bunch of extras, not even milk.  I like cinnamon and sugar, the end.  I actually prefer instant.  So I made this oatmeal yesterday and really liked it.  First the oatmeal is made and divided up into ramekins and then each ramekin is topped with the crumble topping.  These are baked for 10-15 minutes and then you have a bowl of goodness that tastes like a blueberry muffin.  These are fresh out of the oven.

Cosme and I each had one last night, he took one to work today and I'm tempted to eat one right now... but I'm not sure how well the whole reheating thing will go over.  I'm thinking the oven might be necessary.  I'm also trying out another recipe for a skillet focaccia.  I can't wait to see how that turns out but I might need to go through Eric's stuff to see if he has a larger skillet.  Last week I made this skillet cookie and my skillet was a little smaller than called for so I just lowered the temp and left it in the oven a little longer.  I don't think I want to play around with bread like that though.  Oh, here's the cookie I made... that disappeared almost as fast.

And just like that I walked away from the computer and got sidetracked with laundry, garbage and other stuff.  So a few hours later... I guess I'll just post this now.

boo

Did I scare you?  It's been a while since I've been on my computer and I'm almost positive this post was a little unexpected.  I've been busy.  Last week was a busy week, this week is a busy week and thankfully I don't think next week will be.  And there's no time like a busy week to be burdened with sneezing, itchy watery eyes and all the symptoms allergies has to offer and little to do about it.

The past two days I was helping out at church.  The receptionist is on vacation so I was helping out at her desk.  I think I only lost two phone calls.  I learned one thing with my first job when I was 18.  I don't do well with those crazy, multi-lined phones... or the talking.  It was all fine though.  Then I started thinking.  When I worked for the county, I started having all my skin and stomach issues.  When I quit, everything (for the most part) went away.  I jokingly announced that I was allergic to work.  Well, last week, about the time I said I would help out, these allergy symptoms kicked in.  Today is the day after and I'm feeling a little better.  I think it's true and proven.  I am officially allergic to work.  Wonderful.  Now I have to go and update it all with my doctors on all those forms they require...

Any known allergies: _____WORK_____________________

I don't really think anyone will believe me but you know what they say when you have hunches about something being wrong with your health, "nobody knows your body better than yourself".  So there.  I'm claiming it. 

On that note, I need to call Antonio to come mow my yard.  I'd hate for the work to get my allergies flaring again.  (I'm serious about that one though.  If I look at poison ivy I'll be covered in a rash.)