food bank day

today I had a first ...
I went to the local food bank.


I kind of wanted to take a picture, but thought maybe it could have been offensive somehow.
it was a smaller one.  I'd say under 100 people there.  everyone had their box, bag, basket, wheelbarrow; anything to carry food home in.  it was kind of a sight to see.


you could tell the people there had been there many times before.  it was nothing new.  nothing to be ashamed of.
people saw friends, neighbors, and their other family members.  it was a kind of get together.


it was simply a way of life.




I felt funny.  a tad out of place.  I had never been before.
I never needed to go.


I always knew "the system" was there, for those who needed it.  I'm for it ... for those who NEED it.
I am also aware that there are people who take advantage of their no/low income status and get freebie after freebie after freebie.  in my opinion, its a bit discouraging.  I mean, why change anything if you get things handed to you over and over again?  and I have to say, its relatively clear that people here do just that.  sad.


Hawaii is so far, a VERY easy state to deal with.  after living in CA for so long, I now expect a thick packet of paperwork to fill out for every little thing, along with providing proof of everything.  In CA, even if you're standing in front of them, you still need proof of not just being human, but being alive too.   its beyond ridiculous!!


- here, you don't have to be here for a certain amount of time before you're a resident.  just go get a license, and when you do, there will be no line.  AND the people working there, will smile and mean it.
- when I registered Sam for homeschool, it was 1 piece of paper to fill out.  even the lady at the DOE said several times "Hawaii is a pretty hands-off state."
- at the food bank, I just gave them my ID and my current address, and that's it.


it must be all that sea air ...




the food I received is not ideal, as in, its not ever what I'd buy at the store.  I did get produce, but it is all on its way out.  the bread is all enriched white bread & rolls.  2 big bags of frozen french fries.  4 bags of frozen precooked pork patties ... there's always next week.


BUT if its this or nothing, this will do ... and I'll remind myself this is only temporary, but more importantly, I'll be thankful for it.

sweet tooth

fresh from the oven

he cannot resist

it's ok Elliott ... we've all been there

thanks for visiting

hope you are now smiling

a wish come true ... sort of

have you read this book?

I bought this book for 10cents at my local thrift store.  I do try to get these kids to the library because they love getting new stories and pictures in their brains, but I do think its important to have a home library too ... I'm not saying Annie the Apple Farmer will complete your collection, but you know what I'm sayin'.

there are sooooo many cute kids books out there.  there are some really talented people that know how to communicate with kids about any subject and also, create illustrations to stir the imagination.


this girl Annie gets so many apples from her orchard!  she bakes and bakes and bakes; pies, muffins, cookies, applesauce, and then takes all her goodies to the farmer's market.

ok, so you will probably get nothing from this book, but for whatever reason, I love it.  the first time I read it, I said to myself, "self, wouldn't it be great to be an apple farmer?"  and suddenly I wanted to be an apple farmer.

here's what I imagined ...
apple season is in the fall, my favorite time of year.
the beauty of an orchard and being outside in it, plus Annie has a house there too.
I love to bake sweet things.
I love to eat apples.
but the best part -
to have your own business that includes all these things you love.

you think she's sick of apples?
too many apples is a bad thing, I understand.

my point is this coincidence ...

this last week we bought apples from Costco.  they're big, juicy, and my kids love them.
this week we visited a food bank and received lots more apples, but these, were the last of the bunch and are all bruised and not ideal for snacking on ... and then the light bulb hit ... but they will be great to bake with!

and so I found myself with more apples than I knew what to do with.  in a strange way, I found my secret wish of being an apple farmer coming true ... no, I don't have the orchard, or the house, or even fall ... but I have my own business (cooking for my family), lots of apples, and a love for baking.

I love this recipe site, and so far I've bookmarked this, this, that, and this.  I have used apples in a pork dish before, and it is yummy, but I don't have any granny smith's, I have all galas's ... I think.  what else should I do with these apples?

I'm usually the one to read to my kids ... sometimes we'll read throughout the day, but we always, always, always, read books before bed.  I'm glad that Elliott is now old enough (2 1/2) to sit and pay attention, and Samuel is now 6, so sometimes, he'll read to me.  I know they both love this tradition, and I do too.  don't just read the book to your kids, let it inspire you too.  thanks Annie! :)

Costco freebie

what is not to LOVE about Costco?

aside from the fact your home better have lots of storage because you just get 6 rolls of toilet paper, you get somewhere closer to 100 ... ok, maybe more like 30.

- AND -

if you have to REALLY like granola bars, because when you buy those, you'll have one everyday for a year and still not get rid of them.

luckily, I have 2 boys & 1 husband that LOVE to eat.

and eat.  and eat.

and then eat some more.

you could say Costco works for us!

my point to this post ...

Costco is giving away Smart Cooking: The Costco Way for FREE all weekend long ... or as supplies last.  its a cookbook with recipes using ingredients from Costco + some easy stuff you probably already have on hand ... that's what the foreward says anyway.

go get it, and then tell me what you make from it.

I don't know where to begin; ALL the pictures look delicious!

bon appetit!

22 of 30

I love my coffee ... from my french press ... with my vanilla creamer. yummmmmmmmm.

this is my exact french press; from Starbucks. I got the funky green one because its the one that was on sale ... go figure. ha! ps. yes, I know its ugly ... to me, it qualifies as being one of those items that is so ugly its cute. do you have anything like that? wait, can a kitchen "appliance" be ugly? yep. ok then. moving on ...

I've been told that coffee from a press is yummier, however, the only reason why I use it because 1) no ongoing purchases of coffee filters, and, 2) it makes 3 cups which is the max I'd have in one day.

the occasional bonus: I can drink a cup before children wake up

21 of 30

FRUIT!!!

I am continually amazed at how much food we go through, especially fruit. I have been blessed with children that literally eat everything.

ok, well, Sam doesn't eat everything. I know he doesn't like brussel sprouts ... but that might be it. Elliott on the other hand, does eat everything. definitely something to be thankful for because I've heard the stories. my sincere condolences to those moms out there dealing with that.

I think our fruit intake has increased since we've been here in Hawaii. its always summer here, so what is more perfect than a perfectly ripened piece of fruit ... oh, and when its cold too, yum!

I think we go through bananas & strawberries the fastest ... its more like true love.

even though you could grow strawberries here, I don't think many farmers do. you can see it in the price at the store. like everywhere, summer is the best time to get the yummiest, and cheapest, kind of strawberries.

on the other hand, bananas do grow here. LOTS in fact, year round. I will intentionally buy the biggest bunch I see, knowing we'll go through them, which is always faster than I intend. let's just say, there is NO WAY I will have bananas long enough to make some banana bread.

Elliott is so anxious to eat a banana, that he wants to go for it while its still green. so one day I let him. ew. have you ever bit into a banana that wasn't ready? ew. but when they are ready, watch out. these boys will run for them, eating 2 or 3 in a day.

I'm always worried what eating that many bananas will do to their bodies, as in "will there be enough tp in the bathroom?" as usual, my random mommy worries amount to nothing ... does this mean they need that much?

I can never remember which fruit has what nutrients. I remember that bananas (along with broccoli) is a super-food that has LOTS in it. that's enough to remember, right? I just know you get what your body needs when you eat a rainbow of fruits and veggies.

so that's how I serve it around here, as rainbows. :)

11 of 30

my sore throat is ... sore.

coughing ensues.

please don't recommend I gargle with salt water.

I did that once, and I will NEVER do that again.

safe to say the grossest thing ever.

ever.

thank you Tazo for yummy tea, especially for my today.

7 of 30

whoever put peanut butter and chocolate together, you are my hero.

and know that I think you're a genius.

and thank you.

1 of 30

I intend to be thankful everyday, even if its not November, but having Thanksgiving to look forward to helps to motivate ... ya know what?! let's just stop there.

I am thankful for Thanksgiving ... the delicious food of course!

I hope that doesn't make me too shallow to be thankful for this first, rather than, say, my God or my family ... I'm going to assume they will both understand.

me shallow? never.

Join us in 30 days of thankfulness!

I am not a rabbit

usually one of the awesome things of traveling is the food ... if you have brave tastebuds that is.

I lean more to the whimpy side of bravery ...

although Hawaii is a part of the USA, its pretty different than anywhere I've lived. out of all my moving (and you know I've done my fair share of that) its the only place we've gone that has another culture attached. for the most part, its good, but I wanted to talk about the food for a sec ...

locals here are either VERY tone and gorgeous from being daily beach bums, or they are VERY ... not. there are not many in between-ers here.

I want to be one of the tone ones ... but I digress.

you would think Hawaiians would eat tons of fruit and fish. some do, but it seems more eat McD's and other fast food ... seriously, the McD's in our neighborhood almost always (and this in no exaggeration) will have a line of cars in the drive-thru coming out of the parking lot, literally blocking a lane of traffic into the road. we were told by the manager (yes, we were there once ... ok its been a few times) that this particular McD's is the busiest one on the entire island. crazy. every time I see it, I want to take a picture. I don't think I've seen anything like it before.

there are also tons of rv-converted-retaurants along the side of every road ... are they still called "roach-coaches?" this food is good if you would like an instant heartattack ... if you can imagine, more instant than a Big Mac. EVERYTHING is covered and smothered in fat and salt (as in, you can plainly see it) and always comes with more white rice than you know what to do with.

now I don't claim to eat right, or even healthy on some days. I am no nutritionist. I think I'm just venting ... yet amazed ... and disgusted ... its like that car accident that you have to slow down and look at no matter what has happened. wow ... and ew.

my theory ...

I have figured out why most people here are overweight. yes there are tons of things to do outside here, but just like summer anywhere, who wants to cook when its already hot outside?! not to mention, many of these apts/condos/house do not have air conditioning and rely on breezes alone ... sometimes that breeze just isn't there, and sometimes your fan just isn't enough ... who wants to cook in that? plus the humidity here ... sigh.

using the oven is the worst. who wants anything from a crock pot? I certainly don't crave chili or soup anymore. is it me, or isn't dinner usually a hot meal?

ok. so. I am in need of non-hot meals. help me. please.

but I insist, rule #1 I will not be eating salad every night.

go.

and thank you.

food donation

Land O'Lakes is donating $1 for every person who clicks on their web site.

Go to their website (listed below) and click on the top right side of the

screen where it says: “You Click, We donate. It's that easy.”

Please feel free to pass this on to all of your friends. Food shelves need our

donations more than ever this year!

http://www.landolakesinc.com

lunch

did your mom ever put notes in your lunch at school? a kid remembers that kind of stuff.

Sam only goes to school 2 days per week, but I insist he gets a homemade lunch rather than whatever school is serving. for a few reasons -

1. I'm cheap

2. I'm paranoid about what the school serves; extra preservatives and such

3. he's got the cutest lunch bag; a dinosaur no less!

4. I can give him a note on his napkin :)

here is a link to help a kid get a lunch. lunchables is giving away lunches, with your promise of adding a special note to your childs' lunch. it's too easy. thanks to Robyn for this!

food drive

my friend Jennifer is the perfect example of how we ought to be helping each other. and not just during the Christmas season, but anytime. she is dejunking and giving it away for free ... sort of ... in exchange for an item to donate to her food drive

if you are in the Colorado Springs area, check out the free catergory on craigslist.org. you will easily find her postings. she is going above and beyond, to help people she doesn't even know, throughout her community.

Avon and I are helping too. for every sale made in Campaign #25, I will be donating 40% of my profits to her food drive. if you'd like to help while purchasing Avon, just contact me saying you'd like your order to be put towards Jennifer's efforts. You don't have to live in the area for this; online orders included too.

Thanks and feel free to pass this on!

diy

I was making dinner last night and realized I didn't have any bread crumbs. It's just one of those things that you assume is always there in the pantry, right? and of course I'm so far into the recipe that I have to keep going, but going to the grocery store here is a 1/2 hour venture, so what to do?

google it! this is always my answer, and I was surprised at what I found. if you are in need of some bread crumbs, here's what you do -

take any bread (rye, wheat, white, sourdough, anything will do) all the same kind or not, and throw it in your cuisinart until you get crumbs. for whatever reason I thought it was much more difficult than that!

it will not work if it is fresh and moist; you need bread a few days old and a bit dried out. if it's not dry, place slices on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for 10 or so minutes, then put in your cuisinart.

just thought someone else out there may need the same enlightenment about bread crumbs that I got last night! happy cooking!

the time is now

today Elliott is done nursing, well he didn't have a choice, today I am done nursing.  another bittersweet day for me.

on the one hand, I'm very happy to have my body be my own again.  no more nursing bras, nursing pads, soreness, or bite marks.  no more awkwardness feeding in public or taking time out of any social get-togethers to deal with it, no more interruptions.

the other day I made 2 pb&j sandwiches, one for Sam, one for Elliott.  I thought that was awesome!

the other hand of course, it leaves me a little sad.  Elliott is my last baby (out of my body anyway!) so my nursing days are officially over.  yes I know there are other ways of bonding with your kids, but breastfeeding is as close as you can get with your baby. there is a level of intimacy, and vulnerability on both sides, and when you do anything that makes you feel that way with someone else, it strengthens that relationship so much.

it feels good to have used my breasts for what God intended.  that may sound silly, but I'm serious.  the world portrays breasts only in sexual ways; no, breasts have an actual purpose!  it sort of feels like I've completed a mission God wants all mothers to accomplish ... if that makes any sense. 

I had him stay up a bit later than usual. normally he's eating and in his crib by 830-845, but tonight I waited until then to feed him that "2nd dinner."  I don't remember how or what I did for Sam, so I was guessing on what to do.

I made him some rice cereal with whole milk and bananas.  we finished around 9 and I tried to hold him a bit but he wouldn't have it, so in his crib he went.  he started crying, but it lasted less than 1/2 hour which totally surprised me.  I was expecting something similar to the night when we "taught him" to sleep through the night; he fought it for at least 1 hour, screaming.  I think it helped that we started later, so he was already tired.  bedtimes we can fix much easier than bedtime nursing, so I'm not too worried about what time he goes to bed.

if anything, I'll get to sleep in a bit tomorrow!

sweet vegetables

being a mom is fun & frustrating, busy & boring, smiles & cries, but above all a blessing to focus on.  it's easy and expected to get wrapped up in whatever activities you and your family are up to, especially during the summer months.

I say that to say, many discoveries I make are so often past due.  I find an idea, and activity, a recipe (could be anything) that has originally happened so long ago and I think "where was I?" or "I'm just finding out about this now?"  

I take my boys to the library regularly.  The storytimes are great, there are books, books and more books, videos, the summer reading program; all kinds of goodies.  This last time I went, I visited a couple "Katie-sections" and found a few things.  one I'd like to tell you about, my latest (late) discovery.

Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld ... yes, Jerry's wife.

It was published in 2007 ... I did have a child then, so why didn't I know about this?!

It is a full cookbook with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts.  Her deception is hiding veggies in EVERY dish.  She stocks up on veggies, steams them, blends them into purees, and adds them to everyday dishes.

Veggies like carrots, beets, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash.  Fresh is always best, but you can use frozen or canned veggies too.  Some call for fruits such as apples, bananas, and avocados (that's a fruit, right?).

Once blended, fridgerate the ones you'll use sooner than later and freeze the rest.

These recipes are truly easy, recipes that your children will actually eat, and recipes made with everyday ingredients you probably already have, so no need for specialty stores to eat healthy.

I can't wait to try these ... and I will let you know. 

For whatever reason, when I think of libraries I don't think of cookbooks.  but they're there, a whole huge section!!

I wanted to spread the word about this cookbook ... in case you're living under a rock like me!  I encourage you to go to your local library and check this one out.  

anyone like me?

for anyone who loves to save a buck

and

for anyone who hates clipping coupons because you always forget to use them

and

for anyone who eats ... yes you!

along the lines of TJ Maxx and Ross, there are grocery stores that do that too.  they buy in bulk items discontinued, or items about to expire, or can with dents ... they buy imperfections with perfectly good food inside!

check out his link and find a store near you!

I went to one near me and saw cake mixes for 50 cents, salad dressing (full, normal sized bottles) for 60 cents, bottled water was 6 for 1 dollar, lots of spices, candy and snacky things, but I also found toys, diapers, and paper goods.

now these are stores you do not go to with a list.  you have to go and shop for the good deals.  their stock changes constantly, so you have to take it while you can get it.  it's a great way to save on your grocery bills!

C is for cookie

girl scout cookies that is.
I love, love, love, girl scout cookies! why are they so delicious? and why are they not available year round?! actually, I'm better off because they're not. you are too, I'm sure!
if you want some girl scout cookies but don't know where those girls are hiding with them, check out this cookie locator.
yesterday I bought thin mints, somoas, and those peanut butter ones. YUM! they are $3.25 per box, which is more than I would pay for cookies in the grocery store. as you know, they're well worth it! YUM!

enjoy!

hungry?

Denny's is giving FREE breakfast from 6am-2pm, February 3rd only.

now I know some of you dislike Denny's, some of you with a passion!
my hubby will go there only if it's the last resort; their food usually makes him sick. so as a family, you will rarely find us at Denny's.
personally however, I don't mind it. it's average, ok slightly below average, but it has the potential to hit the spot.

anyway hubby is out of town, so off to Denny's we go ... and it's FREEEEEEE! and I do love freebies!