She’s back!

Remember this from last year? Our robin is back! Wonder how many gorgeous furry peeps we will have this year. She is almost a month earlier this year, to the day. That goes to show you how much warmer it has been this spring. Thank you global warming. I love you.

 

Isn’t it lovely? I’d sleep there.

 

 

Our humble garden is not cooperating.

 

 

This will certainly not feed our family of four.

 

 

 

So annoying. Think I might have to replant. It’s been 10 days. I went out to water yesterday and some of the seeds were just lying in the open, not covered, NAKED for the world to see and birds to eat. Geez. How does that happen after I painstakingly planted them so nicely?

Tried a new recipe I got from a friend over the weekend.

Key Lime Cupcakes

All I can say is……YUM! You need to try these. Easy to make and super tasty. They do not have the tart super-limey flavor that the pie can have (not real fond of that) but enough lime that they are refreshing and summery. Mike loved them too. I made him take the majority of them to work because we certainly didn’t need two dozen of these thigh-busters sitting and taunting me from the counter.

Recipe for Key Lime Cupcakes or Cake

1 3-oz pkg lime Jell-O

1 1/3 C sugar

2 cups flour   

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of oil

3/4 C orange juice

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 C Key Lime juice (I used fresh Key limes)

1/2 C powdered sugar

***************************************************

Preheat oven to 350

Grease and flour 3 9-in round pans or make about 24-30 cupcakes.

In a large bowl mix Jell-O, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and soda. Mix well.

Stir in the eggs, oil, juices (1/2 cup of lime juice reserving ¼ cup for last step), and vanilla.  Mix well.

Divide into plans or muffin cups.  Bake for 25 minutes for cupcakes or 35 for layers.

While still hot pour a mix of the lime juice and powdered sugar over tops.  (stir together equal parts until you have a thin glaze-like mixture)

Cool completely

Frosting:

1 stick of butter

8 oz of cream cheese

1 lb of powdered sugar

 

* I did not do the step calling for you to make that glaze. To be honest the original recipe did not call for me to reserve some of the lime juice.  I had squeezed until my brain puckered and was not about to squeeze any more limes to get more juice. Plus, I would have had to run to the store because I was out of limes. The cupcakes were fine without this glaze, but I am sure they taste great with it too.

Enjoy! You can thank me later…….

LB

Things

Not much going on here. Life is just chugging right along. I refuse to post another picture of a baseball bat or soccer game so that doesn’t leave me much to talk about since that takes up a lot of our week!

One GREAT thing that did happen….Mike and I have decided to go back to church and start the kids in Sunday school. This is a decision that has weighed heavy on my heart for years. I have talked with many people, questioned many people, heck, I even talk with my students about church and their experiences (or lack there of) with religion. If I am honest, I am not a fan of organized religion. I have many reasons behind it, far too complicated to address here. However, I have always appreciated my parents for giving me the opportunity to decide for myself what place religion would have in my own life and I need to provide that for my children too. I have not been doing that. By not taking them to church and educating them about religion, I have not allowed them the opportunity to make their own decisions. It is MY job to provide them that. And so we will. I know I will have to overlook some things, participate in some things I am not too keen on, and bite my tongue a few times…..but I still feel good about this decision.

In other exciting news…..

We got the garden planted! Onions, two kinds of lettuce, and sugar snap peas are planted. Green beans and basil will come later. Maybe a broccoli plant or two as well. This year we fenced the whole thing (imagine the size of a double bed, not big at all). Mike wanted to double the size this year but I would like to have a couple of years of success before getting too out of hand!

My flowering bushes and clematis that I planted last year came back and the new clematis has tons of buds on it! Can’t wait to see how that comes out. We are putting in two new trees this spring too. We were steered away from the variegated maple with leaves like THIS because of our horrible soil. Looking at a red maple or possible a linden. Not the messy linden’s that drop junk on the ground…one like the one we have in the front. I like the triangular shape it makes. I don’t care so much about how long it takes to grow because I am hoping to not live here in 20 years when it will actually make decent shade.

My dad who has been battling leukemia finished a trial he was a part of at the Mayo Clinic. He’s feeling good and back to himself! I am very thankful for that. He caught a virus while on this trial and was very sick. It was a long month of worry and doctor appointments. He has a bone marrow test on the 6th to find out how the cancer responded to the treatment. Thankfully my sister can join them as I am being subbed out 5.5 times in the month of May. FIVE AND A HALF TIMES! Seriously, who does that to a teacher in May? I feel so bad for my students. And a little sorry for myself too.

Made my plans to go and see my friend Tammy in IN for July! I am so excited. We will see them twice in June and then once in July. I will be so spoiled.

Between Chicago, Indy trip, Mike’s trip to Canada, and he wants to do the Dells again this summer…..we might never be home! :)

There a few more things to tell, but duty calls. Mike is in meetings until late, late tonight so I am on my own and the boys need supper and then I have get Connor off to soccer. McDonalds drive-thru is looking better and better.

Happy Monday,

LB

 

The Machine

 

We found a pitching machine a couple of years back on clearance and snagged it. It pitches at 40 mph and we take it out every once in awhile and let the kids practice. We won’t let them put the balls into the machine, only bat. It’s pretty accurate but every once in awhile the wind takes a ball and sends it sailing in some weird direction. For this reason, Connor got beaned by a pitch last year. His immediate reaction was to blame Mike because Mike was running the machine. That cracks me up…..as if his dad would try and nail him with a ball!

Because of his bruising, he was always a little nervous batting afterwards and would pull away from the pitch.

But Dory must have forgotten about that event last summer because this year (including the batting cages in Florida which were 55 mph) he stuck right in there and had a lot of great hits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noah got in some good swings as well. It’s by far the best weather we have had for spring in a long time so he’s had lots of practice throwing and hitting every night. Try-outs are next weekend so I wonder if it will make a difference. Try-outs just assure that the teams are equal. All ability levels are evened out on each team. Mike will help coach this year and it’s something everyone is looking forward to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the games begin!

Punto’s Post

 

Everyone in my family knows Nick Punto is my favorite MN Twin. I like him for numerous reasons:

1. He’s not a superstar and I never find myself drawn to the obvious.

2. He’s scrappy. How many players sacrifice their bodies and slide into every base? Ha!

3. He’s sneaky. Notice how many throws to first base the pitcher will do when Punto is on that base. They know he’s gonna steal.

4. He’s always talking with randoms; the third base coach, the guy spraying down the grass, the umpire…..I just like that. Says something about his character, I think.

5. He seems like he’d be funny. I don’t know why I think that, I just do.

 

At the second game we went to in Ft Myers, we had seats on the first base line.

 

You know when this kind of conversation is happening, some stealing is going to happen. I got my camera ready!

 

Keeping his eye on that pitcher

 

 

 

Get back!

This happened a few times.

And he’s off! Will he be safe???

False alarm. Foul ball. Notice he’s walking back from what looks like third because he had rounded second THAT fast. Don’tcha love that? I think he might be searching the stands looking for me. Pretty sure…..

 

 

I never did get to see him steal, but there are many more games to catch that happening because Punto was named the third base starter over Harris! Woo Hoo!

Noah and I have a good time razzing each other about our favorite players and who is playing better, etc. He loves Kubel. You can be sure I rub it in anytime Punto makes a great play.

Gotta love baseball!

Go Twins!