It was Flan-tastic

So my flan wasn't a flop. It worried me though. It didn't look like the one I made while in high school but I guess that is probably a good thing. I got this recipe from a Seattle Mariners cookbook that Jeff bought while he was working there years back. The recipe is from Stan Javier that used to play in the outfield. If a baseball player makes it, it's got to be good right?

4 eggs, beaten
1 14 oz can sweet condensed milk
2 8 oz cans evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl combine eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla. In a saucepan make caramel with water, sugar and cinnamon sticks over medium heat. ***This is a long process. If you have carpel tunnel syndrome or a lack of patience I don't recommend it. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish pour milk mixture and then top with caramel mixture. Bake 45-60 minutes ( I cook it for 60 minutes)Serves 8.

In other news. Greta is back to normal Greta and Fieldin loves a party. As for me and Jeff, we hear there is a Sonic Burger coming to town. I will need to work on my self -restraint.

Sick Greta Soup

So Miss Greta woke up with a bit of a snuffly nose this morning but she never stays sick for long. She is actually already on the upswing running around the house hyper as usual. The longest I have ever seen her ill was about 2 1/2 days. I can count on one hand the number of times she's been under the weather. When sickness hits we start the morning on the couch, me giving her cups of water after water, then we eat Sick Greta Soup and by afternoon she is already back to normal Greta. This may change since we have entered the realm of pre-school germs but I hope it doesn't. I made this soup for Greta the first time she was sick at age one. She has always liked it. I am posting my sad recipe for Sick Greta Soup so next time I know where to find it..... besides the groggy cobwebbed corners of my brain. P.S. Mom & Dad you sound like you need this too. Get Well Soon!

My Sad Recipe For Sick Greta Soup

Take a large soup pot. Fill half the pot full of half water & half low sodium chicken stock. Add 3 diced carrots, 3 diced red potatoes. Boil. Then add egg noodles and boil for about 8 minutes. Then I add Herbs De Provence to taste (thats not very much in our house). Then add frozen peas and corn. Let simmer for a few minutes.

At some point today I need to make Flan for 16 people for a party tomorrow. The dessert needs to be wheat/flour free so Flan was suggested. I hope it comes out Flan-tastic...I know, I know.

The Caffeine Killed It

My apologies for being so quiet this week. All four of us have changed our schedules in some shape or form the last few days so we are working out the kinks. So far no one has been late, lost or left behind so I would say we are doing pretty well. Greta is still enjoying pre-school. She comes home daily covered in pounds of sand from head to toe. I am wondering if there is a sand oasis hiding behind the pre-school building because I am sure no sand box could hold the amount of sand she brings home each day. I honestly think she skips pre-school and heads to the river and lounges at the beach. Especially since when we ask her what she did at preschool she says "Nothing, just played in the sand".
I also have some sobering news to share this morning. I am in mourning. Our coffee maker died this A.M. without any warning or signs of illness. We tried resuscitating it by plugging poor Mr. Coffee into different outlets. Nothing brought him back. I am taking my moment of silence now....

I Didn't Cry Like a Fieldin

Today Greta went to pre-school for the first time. It went great. It didn't phase her. It was just another day. Oh, to be like Greta. To have nerves of steel and to be able to walk into a room with such confidence, boy Greta, you have such strong qualities about you. She wasn't nervous or worried about herself. Just worried about me. "Mommy" she said. "Don't worry, I'll be back. Don't cry o.k. mommy."Just between you and me, it was hard not to. After meeting her teachers(awesome by the way) and finding her cubby she was off playing and meeting new friends. After a few minutes noticing her poor parents hadn't left yet she came over and said"You can go now" and was off again.

After pre-school we took a trip to Ferdinands for a First Day treat and I guess her favorite part of pre-school today was the sand box at playtime. She is looking forward to going back tomorrow.

Today is also a great day of political change which Miss Greta seemed interested in while we watched anxiously on T.V. this morning. "Is that the President of the United States?" she asked. "yep" I said. " So he's moving in and the other guy is moving out? she asked. "Yes, it's an exciting day". "Yes" said Greta. "There's alot of police cars"......

Mommy's Painting On The Walls Again......

Those words aren't muttered very often are they? Usually it is the opposite problem, kids drawing on the walls. Not around here, Greta paints neatly on proper painting paper while I shoot for the bigger canvas. That's a benefit of being a grown up I guess, writing on the walls without a timeout....Today I finished Gretas bedroom. I started painting in her room a year ago when she staked claim on the larger of the two bedrooms (8 months before baby brother could get to it). I was done except for one request. A painted pig. "Hmmmm" I would say. I really thought she would change her mind on the pig, not sure why, but I gave her a year to think on it. If she still wanted one, I would paint it for her. Two months ago the "pig" started coming up in conversations like this one, "I can't sleep because I don't have a pig on my wall, I would REALLY like a pig on my wall". So coming through on my promise I painted not only a pig but a flying pig for more 3 year old whimsy. She likes her pig but she said she would like it better next to a cow. Here we go again......

So That's Where My Penny Came From....

Sorry...No photo today. Taking a day to let me and the camara recharge. I did learn about money distribution today from Miss Greta that I wanted to share. After running errands today, Greta asked for all my money, which I'm very used to, so I gave her some coins. Then she asked where coins come from. Admittedly being off my game today, I started droning on and on about the US Mint... I know. How Boring. After some silence I looked at Greta who was looking at me blankly like "Is that all you got for me, come on" and started telling me the real story of coins. They come from the desert, are loaded onto trucks. The trucks drop the change onto our streets. Then we pick up the pennies and change off the street and put it in our piggy banks. Ingenious! I think the trucks keep passing up my street because my piggy bank is getting low.....

While He Was Sleeping

Little Fieldin took a long nap today, which rarely happens so Greta and I acted fast decorating for a lunchtime party she wanted to throw. Trust me this girl knows how to throw a party. She pulled out a "party dress" and got to work making butterfly streamers, nameplates and making sure everything was just so.

I was very underdressed with my sweatpants but made up for it by doing the cooking. We made Grandma Harrisons recipe for scalloped potatoes and the house still smells wonderful........

While I cooked Greta read some of her "theme of the week" books from her bookshelves. Of course this weeks theme is "Going to School" Her favorite so far, "Froggy goes to school". I also have some favorite quotes of the day from Miss Greta...."Big Humans (adults) don't like that word do they? and while chatting with Fieldin "Were you scared in mommy's tummy? Did you eat all her food?"