So, today a nice salesman came by the house and offered to set up an appointment to shampoo the carpets of two rooms of our house for free. Free? Yes. Absolutely free. He said they would only set up an appointment when my husband could be home (because they are two guys) and they don't work on Sundays (because they go to church that day). Great.

So this evening we were at the church and mentioned this to a couple of our friends, and our friend Craig told a big long story about his experience when a salesman came to his house and offered to "clean a spot" on his carpet. When I got home I saw that the guy was indeed from the same company that had visited Craig. His experience sounds a lot like the experience described here. I think when you check it out for yourself you'll understand why I'm going to cancel our appointment.

Mother's Day at The Flower Farm - my favorite local greenhouse.

Here are a couple of cute ones from the past couple of months. Top: "I'm definitely getting away with something."
Bottom: Helping her baby-doll to walk.

It's time for another recipe.

Today's easy and delicious dinner...

Violet's Crock-pot Lasagna

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

1/8 c. water

4 oz. can sliced mushrooms

15 oz. ricotta cheese

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

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1. Break noodles. Place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.

2. Brown ground beef in saucepan. Drain. Stir in Italian seasoning. Spread half over noodles in slow cooker.

3. Layer half of sauce and water, half of mushrooms, and half of ricotta cheese over beef. Repeat layers.

4. Cover. Cook on low 5 hours.

Here are a few pictures of our Easter "EGG". Once Esther figured out how to open the plastic eggs, there was no stopping her. She had a great time with everything in her "basket" (which was actually a wrapping paper covered box).
I just barely got her sweater finished in time. I knit it from a free pattern off the internet that I found and used a yarn from Knit Picks called "Comfy". The whole time I was knitting the sweater I kept on thinking, "Wow, this yarn is so comfy." I just couldn't help myself. The name is perfect.

What a snuggle-bug. She just loved her little Easter lamb.

Esther's ladybug cake. The birthday girl... in a little bit of a sugar daze.

Mom made this adorable matching outfit for Esther and her new baby-doll. We got a couple of pictures before heading off for church.

This is her flirtatious look. She had just been looking at the camera and then quickly tucked her chin into her shoulder with that little smirk... "I'm so cute and funny..."Some big smiles for Daddy.

I thoroughly enjoy recipes that are both very delicious and very easy. So today I'm going to share one of the recipes that has been given a "star" for both categories by all in our household. Today's recipe is for

Cuban Bread
5-6 cups flour (2 c whole & 3 c white works great)
2 T. yeast
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt

Mix ingredients together. Pour 2 cups of warm water over dry ingredients.
Mix in your mixer for 5 minutes.
Let rest 5 minutes.
Form into a loaf. Place loaf on greased cookie sheet.
On bottom rack, place 9x13 pan half-full of boiling water.
Put bread into the cold oven. Turn oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 40-50 min.

The result is a terrific tasting bread with a great crust - it's a little like french bread. One of the things I really love about this recipe - besides the fact that it's super fast - is that it's also super versatile. I halved this recipe and made two soup bowls for dinner last week. Yum. Last night for the super bowl I made half the recipe to go with our hot spinach dip. Super yum. The possibilities are limitless.

A pretty frost pattern from the other day.

Combing her own hair after a bath.
A special Saturday morning breakfast - pancakes her very own size.

Esther has started snuggling her "baby". I knit this doll for her before Thanksgiving, and just recently she's started picking it up and hugging it and patting its back. It is unbelievably cute. Eating out of her own spoon.

A funny family picture from our Thanksgiving weekend at Walawa Lake, Joseph, OR.The deer in that area are not at all afraid. This buck was one of three that were placidly standing in the same little area.

Baby Silas' hat. I made this hat for Paul and Becca's latest little baby boy. It's knit out of wool and lined with soft fuzzy fleece. That outta keep his baby head warm in chilly Wisconsin winters!

We got our first snow of the season last Thursday! Esther was fascinated by the strange white things coming out of the sky.

What fun!

The snow has not been back since then, but we're looking forward to it's next appearance.

After Mom helped me make Esther's cheerleading outfit, I got a serious bug to sew and create! So just days afterwards I made Esther this little sweatshirt. I did use a pattern, but I modified it just a bit.

We took these pictures at a pumpkin patch over in Washington a couple of Sundays ago. The first pumpkin patch for all three of us! It was really fun.

Culinary Delights

These muffins are a fabulous way to use zucchini. I mixed and modified two different muffin recipes that I found. The result was fantastic! Try them out for yourself and tell me what you think.

Lemon-Raspberry Zucchini Muffins

3 eggs

1 c unsweetened applesauce

2/3 c packed brown sugar

2 c grated zucchini

2 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 c fresh or frozen raspberries w/o syrup

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, sugar, zucchini, and extracts. Mix well. Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir to combine. Gently fold in fresh or frozen raspberries.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Jolynn's Birthday Cake

My friend Jolynn had a birthday recently. She likes lemon cakes, so I made her a Double Lemon Streusel Cake from my Pillsbury Bake-Off Cookbook. It was a spruced up box mix and it was delicious. I would be happy to pass on the recipe if you'd like it.

I frosted the cake with cream cheese frosting and topped it off with a gumdrop rose.

Gorgeous.

Esther has discovered the joys of climbing. This was a box of things "to go" (like the air popper that I've had for two years and used twice...). Esther just climbed right up and perused the contents of the box.

The results of her findings:

1. The paper stuff that's used inside Easter baskets is delicious.

2. The plastic tops of air poppers are fun to bang on.

3. It can be a challenge to get down again.

That evening Esther fell asleep in my arms. That almost never happens, and it was a sweet time to treasure.

Esther the Curious A couple of days ago she discovered that she can work the bathroom drawer. Now its back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
Caught in the act.

The end table is super fun - the only problem is, How do I get out?
This bandaid must have fallen off the couch or something. I looked down and she had it in her mouth with an expression like "What?"

What's new in the life of Esther:

Taking baths in the big bath. Eating rice cereal. She is doing smashingly well. These two pictures are of her first tastes of "other food".
She loves it.
Saturday was her 6 month birthday. Wow. Already.
She's trying very hard to crawl. She's just getting the idea that if she gets her knees completely under her, then lays down, she can get a little foward motion.
Also, today she rode "big-girl" style in the grocery cart for the first time. (That is, no car seat.) A sweet older woman at the store stopped us so she could look at Esther. Esther looked up at her and the lady said, "Oh, what gorgeous eyes. What a handsome boy you are."

Next time she's wearing a bow on her head. :)

Two cute ones from my birthday on Sunday.

Cute teether.We know that you can't get enough of that adorable watermelon outfit.

(and the girl in it...)

So here you go.