One of those days....

Well, today started off pretty good. The weather was nice and cool with a great breeze coming through and I got the kids off to school. Ella and I stopped by my friend Gretchen's house to look at some things and then we went to try to get some early Christmas shopping done. I did get two presents bought which brings our total to 7 family members being bought for. I'm pretty happy with that considering I usually don't get anything accomplished until after Thanksgiving. We're planning an awesome trip to Keystone, CO for our 10 year anniversary. The place has skiing, snowmobiling, ice-skating on the frozen lake!, sleigh rides, and lots more. It's gonna be so much fun! And we're flying home to Georgia for Christmas so needless to say, we're really trying to watch our $$$. Well, my sweet Caleb came home today so excited b/c he had gotten to go to the treasure box at school for being the best table last week. For those of you who know Caleb, that's something we really celebrate around here. So all is well and then, of course, I notice something strange about Caleb's "cool, new, one of his nicest, shirts". It's got a huge hole in the front and in the back. I asked him what happened and he says "an accident". Then he proceeds to tell me it was the type of accident where his mind forgot to tell his hands not to put the scissors to his clothes and cut away. At what age does this get better? I probably wouldn't have gotten so upset except that we're watching the moo-lah and I can't just go out and buy another shirt. Oh, well; one of those wonderful childhood moments that I'm sure I'll have many more of. Oh, and this is not the first time this has happened, just the most scissor damage. Any advice mothers out there?

Forever!

Okay, so it's been forever since I've posted anything on here. I would play catch-up but that would take forever. So to sum it all up, it was a crazy busy summer, but a great one. I thoroughly loved having my parents out to visit (of course it went by too fast) and I enjoyed having the kids home with me. We went to the pool alot! We had out air go out during a heat wave (nice timing) and that was about the end of the summer. The kids are back in school; Caleb in 2nd grade and Abby in kindergarten. They have great teachers and they are really enjoying it.
I absolutely love this time of year. I get into the baking mood and unfortunately, the shopping mood. When it's cool outside, I just can't wait to get out in it. I've actually done really well so far getting some Christmas shopping out of the way. And the kids haven't found anything! Caleb usually comes across all the surprises, but not this year! I tried a new dark chocolate truffle recipe yesterday and it was "delicioso". I'll post a couple of new recipes when I've tried some more new things.

We finally got Abby's zed cards today. She had a photo shoot back in September in Memphis, TN and with our big move, and settling in, we just got around to getting to the next step. We'll be able to hand out the zed cards at any auditions she has and send them in to any agencies. Abby loved the photo shoot and wants "to be in a magazine". If something does come of it, it would be great to pay for college.If nothing comes of this, we sure did get some great pictures out of it and we're happy with that. Abby will probably have moved on to wanting to be a ballerina again and would be okay too. I'll try to upload some of her pictures taken at the photo shoot.
Caleb had a little fall today at school. He tends to get ahead of himself and today that resulted in tripping over someones foot on the way out. I guess he was really excited about getting home.
They said he landed right on his tooth. That's not funny, really, but I've tried to picture what that would look like. (I'm not a terrible mother. You know that's funny.) Anyway, his tooth looks fine and he was acting like normal by the time we got home (all of 30 seconds later) so I think he'll be okay.
Have I mentioned lately that I'm excited about my parents coming to visit?! 4 days and counting! Please pray they'll have a safe trip out and that we'll have a safe trip to San Antonio.
Thanks!

Sleepless Nights

Why am I up blogging past midnight? I just couldn't sleep tonight. Or..... could it be that I'm just being such a good pal hanging out with Alex the hamster while he runs on his little wheel? It's been a crazy few days. Ella has been sick; fever, runny nose, croupy cough, and now Caleb feels sick. My parents are flying in on Sunday morning and we're flying out Sunday afternoon for the convention. I'm so excited about them coming. I'm excited about the convention, but I'm also excited about getting back and spending time with mom & pops. I sure do miss my family. Just knowing we're so far away makes me really sad sometimes. But I know God has a plan for us and we want to be exactly where he wants us. I'm also thankful for all of the wonderful friends we've made in all of the places God's used us. Isn't it neat to think how God has this path for us and if we stay faithful and follow that path, he has amazing blessings for us? I've seen so many in our ministry so far and I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us. I mean, who would have thought we'd be living in southern California one day. I sure didn't.
Well, I guess I'll sign off and try to get some rest. I'll send some new recipes soon. Thanks again for reading!

Humidity

I never realized just how big a part humidity played in the general outcome of a sunny day. The kids had soccer practice this evening and the sun was still high and bright in the sky. I debated just sitting in the car with the a/c on to watch them play. Then I felt like a bad mom, so I pulled out the stroller, baby Ella, and all of the cool drinks I could pack in. Of course, to my surprise (again), I was never hot. The breeze was nice and cool and even though the sun was beating down on me, I wasn't hot. The crazy thing is, if we had been there when the sun went down, we would've needed jackets. I don't know how long it will take me to get used to this. I'm not complaining though, it's much nicer than sweating. For those of you who know me well, you know how much I hate sweating.
On another note, my parents are coming out for a visit in a little over a week. I'm so excited! They've never been to this part of California, so we'll have lots to do and see. If ya'll are reading this, I love you and can't wait to see ya! Bring me some peaches!!! :)

The 66'ers

We had a great time this past weekend. Our church went to the Inland Empire 66'ers game on Monday night. One of our choir members sang the national anthem (she did a really good job) and our Pastor threw out the first pitch. The weather was great, the snow cones and funnel cakes were delicious, and the kids loved it. I felt like a kid in one of those movies where they go to the baseball games together all of the time. Hopefully we'll go to another game soon.
Alex, the new pet hamster, is doing great. He's hilarious rolling around in his little ball on the floor. I'll try to get a picture up soon of him. He's a cutie!
*Also, a quick cooking tip while I'm thinking about it. If you're making mozzarella sticks,
don't use string cheese. I usually use regular mozzarella but I decided to try something different today. String cheese is mozzarella cheese so I thought it wouldn't make a difference, but it does. It will melt all out before it gets done. Not so tasty.
On another note, Jeff is still sick and could use any prayers you could send up for him. The convention is coming up soon and he really needs to be in full voice. Thanks for your prayers!

Alex

Well, we finally did it. We got our first family pet. His name is Alex and he's adorable. He is a little black hamster. Right now, as I'm typing, I hear him running away in his little wheel.
Last night, after Alex was settled into his new house (and ready for a long night full of noisy activity) Jeff laughed and said, "We intentionally have a rat beast in our house." It's pretty funny because we've always said we'd never have any house pets. Oh well, it's amazing how you change your mind when your kids are begging for a pet. I guess a hamster is the easiest of them all.
If any of you have any advice or just interesting hamster stories, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

This is a great recipe of my moms for spaghetti squash. For those of you who have never tried this vegetable, you're missing out. This is a good first recipe to try.

1 (31/2 -4 lb) spaghetti squash
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley, or cilantro

Pierce squash all over with a small sharp knife. Cook one of 2 ways: split in half and lay cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours. OR cook in microwave oven on high power for 6-7 minutes. Turn over and cook until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, @8-10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 min. Remove seeds and use fork to rake out the spaghetti.
Melt butter in small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, @ 1 min. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.
Toss with spaghetti squash and parsley.

*Spaghetti squash is also good with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Hope you enjoy!

Whatever....

Well, I've officially given up on American Idol. I have been an avid watcher since it's beginnings and it has continued to go downhill. The only true winners in my opinion (based on best singing ability) have been Kelly Clarkson and Carry Underwood. The show is not about the best singer or the best performer. It's about little tinny boppers voting for someone they think is cute or someone who has improved throughout the show but is still not the best singer. I also think the show uses subliminal messaging. I know that sounds silly, but they did it even last night. I believe Jordin will win because that's what the show and network is pushing. If you go back and watch the season, you'll see what I mean. They do it every year. I've said from the beginning that Jordin would win (not that I think she deserves it). If Blake wins I'll be surprised. Blake and Jordin are both great singers, I'll agree on that. They just weren't the best. Melinda was by far the best singer and performer they've ever had on the show. I know she'll do great in her career. Well, thanks for listening to my ranting and raving. I feel better now.

Chick-fil-a

Tonight was an awesome night! We got invited by Jeff's ministry assistant to attend a dinner at the new Chick-fil-a opening here in Redlands. We all got to eat for free! Considering that we rarely eat for under $20 anywhere, much less free, I was really excited. We got more than I expected. We not only got the meal, they also had the little chick'n minis (breakfast stuff) for appetizers, dessert, and shakes. They had door prizes and the atmosphere was just really fun. And of course, the kids played in the play area and we got to eat in peace. It was just really nice. Afterwards, most of the worship staff that went came over to the house and we watched American Idol. It was nice to watch it with other people and get their opinions.
I think Blake will go home tomorrow, but a lot of people think Jordan will go. As long as Melinda doesn't go I'll be happy. All of you Idol fans let me know what you think will happen.
Oh....sorry it's been a while posting. Our computer's had some glitches.
Hope to hear from you soon! I'm trying a new recipe this week. If it turns out well, I'll post it. Send me some of your favorites!
Jody

The Haircut

A long time ago, when Caleb was around 3 years old, Jeff took him to get his hair cut. It was not the first time Caleb had gotten a haircut; far from it. But it was the most memorable. The barber obviously was not accustomed to cutting children's hair and everyone who knows Caleb knows that he is not an ordinary child. So, as a result of clippers flying off in the wrong direction, Caleb came home with sort of a "skater dude" haircut. Oh, and the best part is that we had pictures the next day. I was very unhappy and we decided from that point on I would always take Caleb for his haircuts.
WELL......Jeff left last night to go get HIS hair trimmed and Caleb wanted to ride along. Jeff obviously forgot the rule from years before and Caleb came home with a haircut. Was it better this time you ask? Well, it's definitely not a skater haircut. In fact, Caleb hardly has any hair left at all. It's a buzz cut to the extreme. I can actually see his scalp!!
Oh well, at least he has a nicely shaped head.

It Pays To Prepare

Like most busy moms, I've spent many evenings standing in front of the refrigerator and pantry trying to decide what to fix for supper. One good idea is to make those infamous casserole's and store them for later use. The only problem I have with that is that I don't want to trade my one free day with my family in the kitchen preparing food for the next week. So, I thought I'd share some of my quick easy ideas that help me through the week.
*First of all, obviously, we have to think about the week ahead. What nights do we need a really quick meal and which nights do we have a little more time?
*I don't know about you, but I use onions and garlic in almost everything. Well, early in the week, chop extra and bag it. Then it's ready for the next meal.
*If you're having chicken one night, cook a couple of extra pieces for a salad later in the week.
*Like most women, I love pasta. If you always have some on hand, cook up a little following the directions on bag. In a small skillet, heat up 1/4 cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, and 1/4 Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta and mix with sauce. Add some fresh, chopped parsley at the end. (This is also good with fresh basil) If you don't have the cream, omit the broth and just add olive oil and the herbs and it's still very good.
Here's one more quick recipe that's great for a quick night meal. This recipe is from my great friend Gretchen.

Easy Meatball Subs
Take a bag of your favorite frozen meatballs (this plays into the planning part of your week) and put in a crock pot with your favorite spaghetti sauce. You can also add sliced onions and bell peppers if you like. Leave on low temperature and go about your day. When you're ready for supper, put meatballs on sub rolls with sliced mozzarella cheese and heat to melt the cheese. This makes a quick, easy meal and makes very happy kids.
I hope some of this helps during your busy week. As always, let me know what you think!

The Best Chicken Salad

I thought I'd post a recipe today that has been tested over and over and is always a hit. I first had this chicken salad at a baby shower in Tennessee. I was pregnant at the time and had been on a chicken salad kick. I had tried several recipes on my own. They were all good but none were hitting the spot. The chicken salad at the shower was just what I had been looking for. My friend Kelly was gracious enough to pass along the recipe, so I thought I'd pass it along to you. Let me know what you think!

4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed; or 2 cans of all white meat chicken breast (@2 C. chicken)
1/2 C. celery (optional)
1/2 C. sweet pickles, chopped (I like to use bread and butter)
1/2 C. toasted almonds or pecans (sometimes I use both)
1 C. seedless grapes or apples, chopped up
1/2 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. cool whip
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, celery(opt), pickles, nuts, grapes or apples, & s/p in a bowl and mix well. Mix the mayo and cool whip together. Add to the chicken and mix to coat evenly. Try to mix gently so that some of the chicken keeps its shape. Refrigerate and serve.
Tip: This can be served immediately, but the flavors are better when it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
I like to serve the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce with croissants. This works well for a ladies get together with a green salad and your favorite soup served in a small decorative coffee cup or you could go with a fruit salad. I hope you enjoy!

What were they thinking?

Since I had a free minute, I thought I'd post another quick blog concerning something I'm sure all of us parents have dealt with at some point in time. Do you ever wonder what kids are thinking? My son, Caleb, did something yesterday that proves that kids really don't think things through sometimes. AT ALL!
When we moved here, we set up a section of our garage for the kids. It has a couch, toys, TV, board games, everything to keep them entertained while they're out there playing. So yesterday I obviously suspected nothing when Caleb continued to play for quite some time. I decided to go check and see if he wanted to play a board game or something with me. I instead got one of the biggest shocks he's ever given me (and that's saying a lot). Caleb, for whatever reason, decided he wanted the wall in the garage to be brown instead of white. He had gotten an old can of paint that hardly had anything left in it, a paint brush, and proceeded to paint the wall. Oddly enough, he was actually doing a pretty good job. Needless to say, I decided the best thing for him at that moment was to go to his room (and out of sight...) while I cooled down. On the positive side, I was glad it was the garage and not in the house. After a long talk, (although the look I gave him earlier probably sufficed) I don't think he'll ever be pulling that stunt again.
And of course, the first thing out of my husband's mouth when I told him about it was, "What was he thinking?" Will we ever have that answer? I don't think so.

Bow-tie pasta with Chicken and sun-dried tomatoes

The recipe I thought I'd post today is one I discovered this past December. We were having a Christmas party here at the house and the plans were for a full spread. I had been on an Italian kick so I thought about things I had eaten in the past and kinda threw this together. It turned out to be a hit so I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

1/2 - 3/4 bag of bow-tie pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; sliced across in 1-inch pieces
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (packed in oil; this is very important)
basil
oregano
1 - 1 1/2 C. fresh Parmesan cheese
8 oz. heavy cream
fresh parsley
olive oil
kosher salt (I think the flavor is better than regular salt)
pepper

Heat water for pasta and cook according to package. Make sure you add salt to your water for the best flavor.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and herbs. Remember if you use fresh herbs, you will have to use more than the dried herbs. In a hot skillet, cook chicken in about 1 Tbsp of olive oil until browned. Remove the chicken and set aside.
In the same skillet, add about 1 more Tbsp of oil and saute onions, mushrooms, garlic and herbs. The mushrooms have a tendency to soak up the oil so keep a close watch in case you need to add more oil. When these are tender, add the heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes and stir well. Slowly stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is important to use freshly grated. I've made this with the already shredded and it doesn't taste the same. It is worth the effort to buy the block of cheese and grate it yourself. I promise it makes all the difference. This is also where you have some room to play around with this dish. If you want more sauce, add more cream and cheese. If you're watching your waistline, use some chicken broth and less cream.
Add the chicken back to the dish and heat through.
Stir in the cooked, drained pasta and heat in the skillet so the pasta will absorb the sauce. Plate and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a little more Parmesan cheese. Serves 6
This works well for a party, served with nice crusty bread, and a salad.
It also works for an easy dinner at home for the family. It's very quick and very delicious. My kids, who can be picky really like this one.
I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

"The Birds"

Today started off as one of those really fun days. We didn't get to bed until late because Caleb was having a "tummy ache" and, of course, he thought he wasn't going to make it. I woke up after 8 a.m. (which is not usual) and remembered Ella had her 1 year check-up at 9 a.m. I know this gives me an hour, but considering Caleb was late for school and I had to get 3 children dressed, fed, and out the door I was in trouble. Everyone got where they needed to go and we were only 6 minutes late for our appointment. Needless to say, I was very proud of myself.

The appointment took a little while to get going (when does it not?) and we made it back in the room. The visit with the doctor went well. She's very average in weight and height. She's a whopping 20 lbs. now. Anyway, then it was time for her shots. I should have known things weren't going to go so well when Ella started screaming when I sat her down on the table. Remember, nothing is being done yet, just setting her down. So, even though it only took the nurse all of 10 seconds to give the shots, Ella was screaming for about 10 minutes. Okay, not that long, but close to it. She soon returned to her happy self so we decided to run a couple of errands with my friend Gretchen.

We stopped for lunch and ate at a table outside since it was such a pretty day. I tried sushi for the first time....not so bad. I would definitely have to acquire a taste for it. The really interesting part about the lunch was Abby reacting to the birds around us. I really think she thought she was in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" even though there were only 3 I think . She was convinced they were going to attack her. So our meal was spent trying to calm her down enough to eat her food and me trying not to laugh at the people around us watching Abby like she was crazy.

My next blog is going to be a recipe that has had very good reviews so check back tommorow for a quick and easy meal that you've got to try.

It Has Begun

Well, this is definitely a first for me. My husband, an avid blogger, talked me into having my own blog site. I thought it might be a way for everyone to keep up to date on what's going on in the Bumgardner household. The blog name is obviously due to the fact that we're from the great state of Georgia (known for it's peaches) and are now living on the opposite extreme in sunny (although yes, it does rain here) southern California.

Make sure you check back often and leave me comments from time to time. I'll be posting pics of the kids and neat places here. Also, I'd love to swap recipes with you and post them to the site for others to try. I know how easy it is to get stuck in our rut of weekly recipes. I'll also be posting news on great sales I've found and just random thoughts.

Let me know what you think about the site and I'll see you online!