Okay...okay...I know. It has been nearly a million and a half years since I was here. But...life happened really, really fast! Faster than I can type...and I can still do that sort of well, even with a mostly dead hand. So, I'm sorry. If I could greet all of you with an "I'm Sorry" batch of cookies, I would. You'll just have to pretend you have a nice ooey, gooey, warm out-of-the-oven cookie.
Currently I have my kleenex piled up beside me and am honking my nose while my eyes water and swell beyond the size of baseballs. Spring is here - and with it a glorious allergy season = misery. The little superheroes aren't feeling too super, though. We're all a little meh while Mr. Yeti is holding strong.
He has been kicking some tail (and trail!) this spring on his NEW bike. He joined a new team and has stars in his eyes over his new baby. I haven't seen him so excited to ride a bike, ever. It makes me really happy that he is loving it so much. I adore seeing him have so much fun and hearing him come home so thrilled.
I think (?) the new bike's name is the Honey Badger. Because Honey Badger don't care. (youtube it). I will have to confirm. I will be sure to let you know for sure...and I will let you know what the names of all his previous bikes have been. (Now, just to fill you in, the running joke here is that his bikes are his 'mistresses'. He goes and spends his extra time and money on them, has wild adventures with them, does things with them that I would never dream of doing, and they all have wild/raunchy names, just as you would expect from one ... haha).
We are starting to work on our backyard a bit... I cannot wait for it to be done! I think I am looking most forward to our little garden, and hoping it actually survives. This year has been so warm already and I have been anxious to plant, but nervous that it would just dump snow again. We shall see...it is only Colorado, after all. I can't do much outside because everything physical and heat wise aggravates my health and makes me look like a 90 year old woman, so Mr. Yeti is working really hard. I can't wait to see the finished product, then show it off a little(meaning, when it is done...come over to our house and play, friends!) Oooh it is so exciting I just want to work on it right now, allergies and all. I guess my Dad did rub off on me after all and I didn't even know it! : ) It just took me owning my own home to realize it I guess!
The boys are in full inside-outside a million times a day mode. It has been interesting because last year we didn't have a pet, and this year we do. Leia is an inside kitty, and she is de-clawed. She loves to look out the screen and watch (and bark...yes, bark, at the birds. I have never seen or heard a cat do it, but sure enough my quirky cat in my quirky family barks at the birds). The boys are mostly good at closing the door, but sometimes it is just too exciting (or too time consuming) to close the door and she tries to lunge on out. I am just waiting for the day that she actually makes the big escape. Yikes. I'm so glad she is chipped and I hope she just gets scared and comes back inside. Little Transformer makes sure she stays in, or he tells on Captain America when he leaves the door open...you know...whatever gets the job done. It will make for a long summer of babysitting the cat.
Something the ease the pain of long spring/summer/anytime of any day is this. We just got an ice cream maker and are in love with this recipe. We didn't do the toasted almond topping, though I'm sure it is a great addition...but my kids don't do toppings so it is a waste of time. We have made it in the basic strawberry form, and then also peach. Last summer I got an entire box of Palisade peaches from the western slope. Truly the best peaches ever. We ate some and I made some pies, and then I sliced, sliced, sliced, sliced, and sliced some more and froze them for events such as ice cream making or random peach pies in the middle of December. I think I actually like the peach variation better. This recipe is pretty generic and you could use pretty much any fruit (I think blueberry would be really good, myself.) I think you could probably use Splenda with it and make it less sugar as well.
Strawberry and Cream Cheese Ice Cream (or any Fruit Variation)
from BHG
2 C Strawberries, hulled and mashed (you can do more..we did!)
1/2 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 C Milk
1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 C Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
Red Food Coloring (optional)
Finely Chopped Toasted Almonds
-Puree strawberries in blender until mostly liquid, with a few chunks remaining.
-In a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth, then add half of the milk. Beat until just combined. Add the remaining milk, whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, almond extract and strawberries. Beat until well combined.
*The cream cheese will probably create some harder chunks in the bottom of the bowl, and may even stick to the beaters a bit but that is okay!*
-If desired add food coloring to desired color and beat until combined.
-Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions.
We put ours in the freezer in a tupperware afterwards for a while to let it firm up a bit more, but it is delicious soft! Great in a waffle cone! : )
Alright, I'm off to sleep now that it is late and I can't hardly stop itching my nosey. Night night, all.
xoxo
