In My Kitchen {The BEST Tortilla Soup!}

Tonight I made Rick Bayless' Sopa Azteca.

My friend Jill, had shared that this was her favorite soup recipe, so I thought I would give it a try.

It truly is so delicious, and easy to make and tasted like it was made in Rick's Chicago restaurant!

Definitely a must try!!

Lucy bakes♥ {28/365}

Carmel Corn {27/365}

Yesterday~

Yesterday was an exciting day for my Lucy!

Her "little" fashion video was featured on one of my (and Lucy's:)  FAVORITE designer's blog....Tracy Porter!

Tracy is a designer of fashion and home goods living in Santa Barbara CA.  Her blog has quickly become a favorite to so many...on it she shares cooking, decorating, and fashion posts and videos.  Lucy enjoys going back through the archives and watching many of her cooking videos, but it seems a quick snippet Tracy did on scarves really "spoke" to her :)

You can visit Tracy here

You can watch Lucy's videos here and here :)

My friend Virginia has also done a very sweet post on Lucy HERE!

{25/365}

Well....Lucy has made it!!

One of Lucy's fashion videos has made it to the big time!

Designer Tracy Porter enjoyed Lucy's video so much, she asked if she could share it on her blog!!!

So head on over and check out Tracy's blog today, with a little "splash of funky and jazzy" Lucy!!
( you can also see Lucy's videos HERE)

Bennett & Delaney {24/365}

Bennett & Delaney

Delaney & Bennett

that's just the way it is!

Weekending~

LOTS of pretend cooking 

baking bread

Candyland

fresh air

playing at the park

5 games of Go Fish

Luch with Aunt Deanna

Homemade Mac & Cheese

a game of memory

a game of Sorry

crafts

lots of tea

no rain

Toby worked 

Boys took down the Christmas lights...finally :)

playing eye doctor

a quick walk before dark

football

In My Kitchen {Pam's Herbed Baguette} {22/365}

Today I made Pam's recipe for this bread...it is delicious!!

The boys came downstairs because they could smell it in the oven, and then waited until it was done.  We all stood around the cutting board eating warm bread!

Blake told me not to bother buying french bread from the grocery store anymore...I think it was a hit!

Candyland {21/365}

(I like how Mr. Yellow is in focus and the others are not :)

(this one was Bennett's favorite)

In My Kitchen {Sweet Potatoes} {20/365}

mmmm, I love sweet potatoes.
 I just peel, slice, drizzle a little olive oil, add some fresh ground pepper and roast until tender....they are so sweet and delicous.  

My Sweet Girl (again) {19/365}

Lucy with her new orthotic

you can read about it here

this sweet Girl.....

Lucy is feeling better today...we had an appointment to pick up her new orthotic, so we went.  She was actually looking forward to picking it up because SHE had custom "designed" it herself :) 

You see, when she got her first one, I had no idea what to expect, so we were very conservative when it came to color choices....I have since "learned" that it really isn't seen once it is in the shoe, AND I am not the one who has to wear it everyday ALL day.

So...you see that we spared no expense on COLOR!  Lucy went for HOT PINK straps, with an accent of LEOPARD on the main strap, and not to forget her favorite color, the lining inside is PURPLE!!

We now have to spend some time finding the right shoes that this will fit into...I am sure they will be fabulous!

Lucy Joy, I am in awe of your sweet spirit.  You take everything given to you with nothing but courage and that special smile.  You make us all see things in a new and wonderful way...YOU are a blessing...xoxo

Poor Little Lucy~

My sweet Girl is not well.

She came home sick yesterday from school, vomiting non-stop.  After a trip to Urgent Care, some anti-nausea medicine and a urine sample it seems she has a kidney infection.

This comes right after her little "ordeal" last week.

She had her first serial cast removed on Thursday, and since she did so well, and her foot was not quite at 90 degrees, another cast was put on for a few more days.  

By Thursday night she was in EXTREME pain, and could barely function...we stayed up all night trying to keep her comfortable...which was SO painful to watch..all I wanted to do was the cut her cast off myself.  Friday morning we met someone at the "casting office", and cut off cast #2...it was instant relief!  She has been wearing a temporary orthotic, and this week her very "funky and jazzy" (really...just wait and see :) orthotic will arrive.  

She is an amazing little trooper who NEVER complains, so to watch her in so much pain, just breaks my heart.

Blake plays b-ball!

 Blake is playing high school basketball again.

He didn't "make" the team he had hoped, but he is getting lots of playing time on this team, and for a Mom sitting in the stands...that is good :)

 I love watching my Boys play sports...it seems Powell's days are over, and I am not sure what high school will hold for Bennett athletics wise, so right now, we watch Blake.  

It's funny, Blake was my biggest baby, my chubby little guy, and to see him today, I truly do not think he has an ounce of body fat...he is so lean and muscular, the body of an athlete.

Lucy is sick :( {18/365}

the best I could do today...

I spent the afternoon at Urgent Care with little Lucy, it seems she has a kidney infection :(

praying her antibiotics are just what the Dr ordered

Blake {17/365}

Weekending~

Lucy's first "real" bath since getting her cast off!

Cleaning

Lucy went to Camryn's to play

rain

Blake had a basketball game in Olympia

running errands

homemade split pea soup

rain

Toby worked...both days

yummy baked french toast

homemade cinnamon rolls

rain

boys hung out with friends

running errands

Seahawks lose 

cleaning the shower...yuck

out to dinner with Grammy and Papa

In My Kitchen {Homemade Cinnamon Rolls} {16/365}

Today is a wet grey day and what is better than staying in and making yummy comfort food.

I got my recipe from my friend Lori~

Lovely shade of Grey {15/365}

The sky has been this grey all day...

Kickin Back {14/365}

Smokey {13/365}

What a good dog!

Texas Pinecones {12/365}

I received these lovelies yesterday from my friend Cindy

Lucy Joy {11/365}

In My Kitchen {Garlic butter rubbed Chicken with roasted oranges and onions}

I made the most delicious roasted chicken...my whole house smelled amazing!

The last time I made roasted chicken I made this one and it was delicious too!

I love dinners like this on a cold winter's night~

You can find the recipe in the January issue of Martha Stewart Living

Lucy's "treat" on cast day! {10/365}

{9/365}

This is a great Christmas gift we got this year...it's called TableTopics/Family.

Each card has a question on it to spark conversation with your kids

Lucy's First Fashion Video

(if you go to YouTube, you can make the video full screen:)

In this video, Lucy gives you her "funky and jazzy" tips on wearing scarves...I think you're going to like this!

(fyi...it IS almost 8min long!)

I must also add, that this little video was all HER idea, she asked me if we could do this on the day she had her cast put on, what a little trooper...I was just the camera woman :)

Hummingbird {8/365}

Lucy's Cast {7/365}

You can read about the cast here.

Lucy's Cast

Today, Lucy got her "serial cast".  

She has a mild form of Hemiplegia on her left side which causes her left foot/ankle to have very limited range of motion...she has never felt a "heel strike" on her left foot.  She had outgrown her orthotic, and so before putting her in a new one, her therapists have decided to cast her for 2 weeks to give her muscles time to stretch and bring her heel down, before she starts wearing her orthotic on a regular basis.

She was such a trooper today, especially since she really wasn't sure what she was in for...there is some discomfort as her muscles are being stretched beyond what they ever have been, but really she just doesn't like that she can't wear a shoe on that foot :)

(and, yes, her favorite color is purple!)

Our Paperboy {6/365}

Our local paper went back to having youth carriers

We thought this would be a great job for Bennett...he does not "love" his job, but he does "love" his paycheck, and we love the responsibility it teaches him :)

BlueJay in the Backyard {5/365}

Lucy's Shopping Cart {4/365}

This little shopping cart is a permanent fixture in our family room :)

Lucy loads this baby up with all of her cooking supplies and pushes it into the family room and does cooking "videos" for any and all who happen to be in the same room.

Her specialties are chocolate ganache, chicken, bread pudding, sauted shallots and mushrooms...the list goes on!

Her favorite cooking shows are Giada and the Barefoot Contessa!

Personalized M&M's {3/365}

So...day 3 and time got away from me...so this is all I've got :)...NOT a good sign for the other 362 days!

but really...how cool is it that you can order M&M's for any occasion, in any color??

These just happen to be an order mistake, so we get to eat them!!

Books I'm Reading {2/365}

On my bedside table, I keep of stack of books that I am reading or planning to read.  This is what I have there now....

Emma...my friend Candy gifted me this book for Christmas to start my collection I shared about here :)
My friend Pam, loves Jhumpa Lahiri, this is the second book from her I will have read, and I do like her writing
Revolutionary Road...honestly, I just found it on my bookshelf, and thought, why not
One of my New Year's goals is to read the Bible through this year, so far so good :)...Kim inspired me to do this!

Last year, I kept track of all the books I read on my sidebar as a way to stay accountable and watch the list grow.  Here is what I read in 2010

~Little Bee (loved!)

~Three Cups of Tea (loved!)

~The Help (LOVED!) 

~Twilight (good)

~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (LOVED!)

~Notes from the Underwire-Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life (good/funny)

~Museum-Behind the scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

(fun read/interesting)

~Dominque Browning's - Around the House and in the Garden (love her!)

~Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri (good)

~New Moon (good, still working on the series :)

~The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (yuck...NOT my style at all!)

I hope to see my list for 2011...MUCH longer!

Happy Reading!