Scavenger Hunt/ Sleeping Beauties

...I was supposed to post these yesterday, huh?

Cheese weighing more than 10 lbs.= The Moon:

Something foreign:

Something LOUD:

Something with the word "Ultimate":

Something that smells like oranges:

A TWO FOR ONE! Something geriatric + green underwear:

Something covered in chocolate/caramel:

...and my sleeping cuties with their strange sleeping habits:His feet were hanging over the end of the bed. I don't know how that can be comfortable.

Qiana is a really light sleeper. At any slight noise, she sits up abruptly and then flings herself back down and however she lands is how she will continue sleeping.

This picture, well, it speaks for itself. Have you noticed that we have given up on pajamas this summer? It's too HOT, even with Central Air! Siena is one crazy girl, though, because she insists on sleeping with a large fleece blanket. After she falls asleep, I usually sneak it away from her sweaty body so she can cool down.

It's All Here

Juan's Nose: Yes, he was playing softball when his face got in a fight with the ball. The ball won. He was one of three people in the E.R. when we got there at 8:00 pm, so we thought it would be an easy in-and-out stop. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm............. not so. We waited for an hour and a half, all the while Juan was spitting out blood in a bucket, until the nurse told us to move to the "Fast Track Waiting Room". (Rather than making this a sardonic blog entry, I will just tell it how it was, and let the reader add the intonations.) We then waited for another 45 minutes or so before they called for the "nose bleed", then were led to a tri-patient room. Around 11:30, I walked up to the nurse's station and asked about Juan's treatment plan. They didn't have one, but a doctor overheard me and said that he would be in to see Juan shortly. He did come in and had a quick look; unfortunately, the swelling was too much to do anything about it, so he asked Juan to wait in the chair until the bleeding stopped and then sent us home. 12:00 wasn't so bad, considering that when our friend broke his arm, he was there until 6:00 am. Juan got some heavy meds and slept with an ice pack on his nose. Wednesday is the big day when he gets to visit the Ears, Nose, Throat doctor. Wish him luck!

E.R. Waiting Room: 9:00 pm.

After Patient/Doctor Consultation

Yep, it's broken all right.

He went through about 5 of those ice packs

Tornado Town: That same day, there was a micro tornado that landed all over Philadelphia and the suburbs. Both of the girls slept though it! There are fallen trees EVERYWHERE! Our neighbors up the street had a tree fall on their houses (about 4 in total) and cars (2.) In our friends' neighborhood, a huge tree had fallen right on a car and crushed it like aluminum foil. It is actually a scary sight.

There are at least two cars under those trees

Bored: We have to get a little creative sometimes when it comes to going on dates. It rarely happens without the girls, but we like them along for the ride most of the time. We were sitting on our sofa Thursday night... just sitting... when all the sudden we decided to go out and do something. The options first at hand were 1: (can't even remember now) and 2: Scavenger Hunt. I'll admit, I knew it sounded a little juvenile, but we decided to go for it. Both Juan and I made the rules: We each would write a list of 5 things to find and they had to be found within a 5-mile radius, but we could use pictures and the Internet if we got desperate; after that, we conglomerated the lists and were off to find:

Juan's list

• A block of cheese weighing more than 10 lbs.
• A black and white giraffe
• Something with the word "Ultimate"
• Green underwear
• A Christmas tree
  

My list

• Something geriatric
• Something that smells like oranges
• Something that is loud
• Something foreign
• Something covered in chocolate and/or caramel

We piled in the car and made our way down the list. It was pretty tough; we never did find a Christmas tree or a black and white giraffe. We justified the MOON as being a block of cheese weighing over 10 lbs. and the rest of the objects are documented via camera phones. (When Juan gets home with his phone, I'll post pics.)


Sleeping Habits: They all have their own way of falling asleep. (Pictures from Juan's phone to come.)

What's up in Philadelphia?

We're here. Pictures will come. Stories will be told.

Just not tonight.

....but, I knew you were begging for teasers:

• Juan's nose + Softball = Hispanic Owen Wilson
• We're not in Kansas anymore, but it still looks like it
• What our family does when we are bored...
• Sleeping habits, and more!
  

"Little Baby Monkey" Poop

Fair warning: the title of this post is a very accurate description of what you are about to read.

And so the story goes... Siena has been identifying and naming her bowel movements. One day she looked in the potty and said, "Es una galleta!" (It's a cookie!) Um. Okay. I tried not to encourage it and just acknowledged what she had said; then we proceeded with the ceremonial flushing song, "Flush-ed-y-flush-ed-y-flush" in an arpeggio style. (Incidentally, any time she hears an arpeggio, she starts singing about the potty. You wouldn't believe how often arpeggios are heard in our house on a daily basis because of sound toys + Siena's singing.)

Then it happened again. And again. "A salad!" "A cake!" "A late-Renoir painting!"..... The tipping straw for me blogging about this came yesterday when she (pardon the following:) squeezed out a little poop. She was so excited that she got a "baby poop" and continued to say that it was a baby monkey and that it needed to go with it's family. Then she flushed. Little baby monkey poop was gone. "Bye Bye baby monkey." As Siena's mother, the one who should be a guiding influence and steer her into a proper rearing devoid of unbecoming behavior, I laughed. Today's B.M., well, let's just say it was a similar story but I was a little more prepared to keep my laughter in check. It seems like I've said this before, but I'm going to say it again.... "Ahhhh, the joys of potty training."

Hot Air Balloons

Last weekend, we met up with some friends at the West Chester Balloon Festival. We got there just as the balloons were leaving ground and stayed until the end of the fireworks. So fun... loved it!

Cape May Weekend

Around the campfire, making ice cream:

P.D.A. at the Lighthouse:

Last weekend was awesome! Some friends suggested we get a group together to spend the weekend in Cape May. We all rented cabins and pretty much spent most of the time at the beach. Friday night we got there, went straight to the beach, then unpacked, and started dinner. YUM! Once it got dark, we all convened at the campfire and roasted mallows for s'mores and...would you believe it... Starbursts. (They are not too bad roasted, actually.)

The next morning, we went to the zoo (which was free and amazing,) then straight to the beach; there we stayed until late afternoon. What kept us entertained for so long? Burying Siena in sand, beachcombing, and boogieboarding. It was too relaxing for words. No pictures, even.

That night we got stuff to make homemade ice cream in Ziplock bags (after a long trip to Home Depot for rock salt,) and had fun doing that around the campfire. Despite Qiana tumbling out of the lower bunk, I think the girls really liked sharing a bed while we were there.

The next day, we left Cape May and started for home. On the way back, we visited the largest annual garden in the United States, Leaming's Run Gardens. It was hot and humid, but beautiful. It was another wonderful trip before we leave the East Coast....

(I'm still messing around with Photoshop Actions... don't mind the in-continuity of the pictures. Most of these are running on a "Seventies" theme.)


Leaming's Run Gardens

...our potty-training history lesson.

u

Hot and Humid!


Siena really took this picture all by herself. She was struggling to even keep a good grip on the camera, let alone trying to find the button to push. It is amazing that it actually turned out!

We came back to a rainy Philadelphia at 95 degrees Fahrenheit!

Beautiful Blah.

*
It's
raining
right now.
Some people
hate the rain.
I am not that
type of girl.
Love it.

Ocean City

We decided last minute to take a day trip to Atlantic City and Ocean City yesterday, and it ended up being a blast. The reason for the whole trip was to visit the Ocean City Flower Show (which was a bit of a letdown) but we ended up spending most of our time at the beach. Thanks to the Blandons, we were able to land a nice, sandy spot on a free beach--plus free parking... a rarity in the area. We hit the outlets in A.C. for some shoes for Siena in the morning, went to the beach in the afternoon, and hit the boardwalk and Flower Show in the evening. The day went off without a hitch until dinnertime, when some seagulls caught sight of our pizza as Juan was delivering it to his starving family on the boardwalk bench. Needless to say, he was attacked by a hoard of gulls and the next thing we know, we are left with two slices to share between us all. It's okay, though, because the victim slice really didn't look appealing from the get-go. After dinner, we took Siena on a carnival ride because she is just so darn cute when she gets that thrill of excitement. It was a fun little trip and I'm glad we did it.

Traps and Guano

We have a pest problem. And it definitely qualifies as a problem.

Two Saturday nights ago, around 11:30, I walk into the kitchen for a drink. There, all over the kitchen counter, are mouse droppings. Yeah-- yuck. So we start sanitizing EVERYTHING and in the process find more and more signs of rodents. It grosses me out just to think about it because we are in the habit of cleaning up after ourselves. Anyway, we pull out the fridge and oven, and find the hole. Juan makes a quick pre-midnight run to CVS or somewhere and gets some Epoxy to fill in the hole. We then spend the next two hours completely sanitizing the kitchen. Well, we set traps that night and eventually caught two mice.

However, we are still finding droppings on our COUNTERTOPS on a daily basis. It's so disgusting. We thought if we moved the traps to stovetop and under the fruit bowl, we would eventually catch the little buggers. Nope. I personally think it's just one little mouse that keeps taunting us with the poop he leaves right next to the traps. I hate his little games! He actually has de-baited the traps twice now without setting them off. We are getting more and more desperate for solutions, but are not quite to the point of getting a cat. (By the way, the ultrasonic sensors DO NOT WORK! Don't waste your money like we did.) The next plan of attack is through a rat zapper as well as a heavy dousing of peppermint oil throughout our entire house.

Okay, so the beginning of that battle was two Saturdays ago.

Well, exactly one week and 10 minutes after we discovered the mouse problem, we were watching a movie in bed when I saw something moving in the hall. I thought I had just imagined it and looked back at the TV screen. Then, all of the sudden, there really was something in the hall... and it was flying.

We had a bat. A real, live BAT in our house.

Of course, I lost all control and screamed, slamming our bedroom door shut. Juan was a little bit more calm. Unfortunately, I didn't think ahead. All the sudden, I realized that the girls' bedroom doors were both open and that the bat had complete access to them. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: What do we do-whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo?!!

Juan (laughing): I don't know, but we've got to do something. (Just then the bat flew into Siena's room.)

Me: Okay, so I think we need to close the girls' doors first.

(Juan then dashed across the hall into Siena's room, which, luckily, scared the bat away, and closed the door until there was just a crack to speak through.)

Me: I have an idea. I have an idea. I have an idea! (I go through our closet and pull out two heavy hoodies, Juan's pants, a hat, Juan's shoes and some socks for gloves.)

Juan: WHAT are you doing? Socks are not going to stop the bat. We have to use something else. (The bat had come back and started flying at the door, over and over again, like he was charging at me.)

Me: Okay, I'll use this big basket then. (I'm such a nerd.)

Juan: Not going to happen. Just use those big towels and we'll try to capture it underneath. And let's open the windows in case he decides to leave on his own.


...the following 25 minutes or so were spent doing just that, all the while wearing the winter clothes that I had coordinated for the event. By the way, it was about 80 degrees in our bedroom.

Eventually, I had to leave the room before I woke up the entire neighborhood with my screaming/laughing. (I had already woken up both of the girls.) As I was closing the door on my way out, I asked Juan if his feelings would be hurt if I left him to fight the bat by himself. He said he was a grown man and could handle it, so I let him finish the dirty work. Minutes went by, but it seemed like FOREVER! Finally, he was able to trap the bat on our windowsill with the towel; he then threw the towel, bat and all, out the window and there it lay for two whole days. (Eventually, the only way I was able to pick up the towel was with a stick, and only after Juan had examined it for bats. Gross!)

The rest of the night was spent searching every inch of our house for guano (bat poop), which we did find... on all three floors of the house. Again, GROSS!

Luckily, we able to see the humor in the whole scenario at the time and took a picture of our vampire-slaying getup. (This was taken after we won the battle, so I don't quite know why I chose NOT to smile for the picture.)

Three large cans of LYSOL Disinfectant now have a permanent spot in our cleaning supplies cupboard now and the assumed place of entry in the kitchen vent has been stuffed with aluminum foil. Mice and Bats-1: Juan and Stacia-1

More Actions

I found a combo of actions I really like and the good news is that they are all free! Pioneer Woman Photography has two sets of free Photoshop Actions HERE (Thanks Lille!) I learned the trick to brightening eyes from Danica, and it really does enhance them.

Pillowcase Dress- The Sure Sign of a Poor Economy

I wish the Dollar Tree had a "Frequent Buyers Card" because we go there so often. They had a random selection of end-of-lot pillowcases the other day, so I got a few. Since I had never made a pillowcase dress before, I thought I'd give it a try.

This is the end result of the Pillowcase Dress Project.

Any ideas for the rest of the pillowcases that don't involve a skirt/dress??

Dog & Mallow Roast

Ridley Creek State Park is one of the most beautiful, lush places we've been to out here. It's a dense canopy of deciduous trees and bushes with the occasional park or campsite. We went for the first time last Friday and after seeing this Eden for myself, I couldn't believe we had waited this long to go. The hot dog and marshmallow roast was fun, especially for the kids, but I think my favorite part was watching Qiana chew her heart out on a watermelon rind. Siena also made me laugh because she kept stealing juice boxes from the food table, thinking nobody could see her. It's a wonder she fell asleep that night.

There's something about a campfire that makes me really miss our days in Utah.

Another Recipe: Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango

1 cup + 3 Tbsp. water
1 cup sticky rice
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (opt.)
pinch of salt
Sliced ripe mango

We use the microwave method because our hankering for coconut sticky rice usually comes on suddenly and we have no patience for the traditional method of steaming rice. So, to start, put the water and rice in a microwaveable dish and cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let soak for ten minutes! Then microwave in three-minute intervals on High power, stirring completely after each, until the rice is cooked (about 9 minutes.) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the rest of the ingredients at a full boil for three minutes, stirring frequently. After the rice is cooked, pour hot coconut milk mixture on top and let seep for about 3 more minutes, if you have the patience. To serve, add sliced mango on top.


This dessert brings a flood of memories to me. It was the dessert that Juan and I ate on our first post-mission date at Thai Siam in Salt Lake City. Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango is so easy, fast and satisfying that we have cans and cans of coconut milk and a big bag of sushi rice in food storage.

There are lots of types of coconut milks out there, and the only way to ensure you get the right type is if you look at the fat content. The higher the fat content per ounce, the better. (Don't worry too much, coconut is a healthier fat like extra virgin olive oil.) Warning: do not get coconut juice because that is literally the juice in the hollow of the coconut. Coconut milk is actually the flesh that has been boiled down and thinned with water.

I hear that you can purchase sticky rice at any Asian market, but when we went to our local Asian market they had no idea what we were asking for under the name "sticky rice". So we ended up buying sushi rice, and it turned out just fine. It's probably the same thing. I hear that it is sometimes called thai sweet rice, too.

Mexican Food, Iron Chef Jose Garces-Style

So, it's been almost two months since we went to Distrito, but the memory of the food has been making my mouth water today. I have to share the phenomenal chef's tasting menu we got.

Appetizers
Ceviche de Camarones (Really, it was a shrimp cocktail that was almost exactly like the kind Juan and I make with his family except there were plantain chips adorning the top, and an avocado puree at the base.)
Chilango Chop (A light salad of watercress, baby arugula, green apples, cranberries, spicy candied pecans, and honey-lime yogurt dressing.)
Traditional Guacamole & Chipotle Salsa (Juan and I have only liked chipotle salsa at two places: Distrito, and another tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C.)

Main Course
Taco de Hamachi (A light taco with yellowtail fish, a chipotle remoulade, avocado, and pickled red cabbage.)
Huarache de Ongos (Recipe below tells all.)
Carne Asada (Strip steak with adobo, fried tomatillo, with sides of Creamy Poblano Corn Rice, and traditional rice and beans.)

Dessert
Pumpkin flan (This was a little bit larger than the size of a silver dollar, but all 2 bites were creamy bliss. Juan was quite the sleuth and found a recipe almost exactly like it. Delicious!)


I was really excited to try the huarache when we went because I have wanted to try huitlacoche ever since I learned about it in my Science of Plant and Pest Control class at BYU six years ago. What is it? Simply: corn smut. It's a type of fungus that is really considered quite a delicacy. For the record, it's delicious. It's been a while since I've posted a recipe. So here's my deconstruction of Chef Garces' Huarache de Ongo, thanks to a waiter who was patient enough to tell us all the details.

Photo taken from MainLine Today

Huarache de Ongo

• plain flat bread- slightly toasted

• 1 can huitlacoche (cooked on stovetop until blackened, then pulsed in blender with 1 Tbsp. olive oil until smooth)

• Black Truffle Oil, for drizzling

• Shredded Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, and Manchego cheeses (may also substitute other mild melting cheese)

• assorted fresh or canned mushrooms (Garces' restaurant uses canned chanterelle and black truffles)

• fresh corn

• crema, for drizzling

• corn shoots (so amazing!)

Just layer everything in order and you will have a taste experience that will leave you speechless.

Having Two Kids Has It's Perks

The older kid can be very useful at times....