Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes (in a jar)

In the wide mouth 1-quart jar - packing down each layer before adding another:

2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup dry milk
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Making 10 servings combine:

1 jar
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups water

Cook pancakes and enjoy!

Recipe found in "Gifts in a Jar - One Dish Meals" ISBN 1-56383-136-8

Our Mysterious New Yard

Last fall we moved into our current home and knew only of the sea of ferns in our backyard that would eventually have to go.  This spring we found that there are many more varieties of green things growing.  Many creeping, many spreading and all unknown to us.  Please help us if you can to identify the following.  We'd like to know what they are, if they spread, are they weeds...

(parentheses for updated id or possible id) 

1.  (lily)

2. (mystery lily ?md)

 
3. This I think turns into a bush...

4.

5.  This is a bit furry.

6. (columbine)

7.  May be the same as #3.  

 

8.  (ninebark ?pa)

10. The fern!

11.  Mossy something...

12.

13.  Flowering bush... (flowering almond/rose tree of China)

14. (Iris)

15. (viola ?md)

16. (choelus?)

17. (iris)

18. (snow on the mountain, bishop's weed)

19. (day lilies)

Nursing Shawl in 5 Minutes or Less

I had the idea to make a nursing shawl because a friend of mine had one.  I kept forgetting to ask her where she got it, and then finally, figuring it would be more than $10, I decided to check Pinterest to see if they had any ideas for dimensions or other DIY versions.  I found this idea and another.  So easy! 

Now, the issue was finding the fabric.  I have 3 little ones at home and am very pregnant, so thought I would check my stash and my scarf collection (which isn't too many, but more than I regularly use). 

After folding the scarf in half, I pinned from the fringe up to about 15 inches from the fold.  Then, I sewed with a similar color of thread, tied it off and tried it on.  Done.

 One of the instruction links showed that you could use it for a pregnancy shawl, nursing cover, or infinity scarf.  I didn't try it as a scarf yet.  Maybe another day.  And below is my nearly 37 week pregnant belly. 

Kitchen Progress 3

Above is the picture of my kitchen earlier this week.  The gas stove had been hooked up but the upper cupboard came down over half the stove.  Our plumber said that this was not ok, and asked that we make the necessary changes before using the left side of the stove.  

Kevin's parents and our niece came Friday night.  They started right in after supper.  It seemed as though the project would be finished by bedtime.  It nearly was!!  They make a great team.  

Here they were working on making the cut off cupboard look nice.  Planning what to use on the side...here I was just thinking they were going to make it usable, but they were planning on making it pretty!  

Above, from the front, below, from the side.  Looks great!  Yeah, the "backsplash" area could use a little work, but progress is progress!!  We found a cheap area rug to place over the area where the old island was.  That area didn't have any carpet and also had holes that went into the laundry room.  

After supper I vacuumed and added a bit of "padding" under the rug so you couldn't see the outline of the island as well anymore.  Used a little of the old backsplash, cardboard, and packing tape!  :)  

Green Eggs

Our family was given a nice big box of fresh fruits and veggies this weekend.  A program called Bountiful Baskets.  When I went to check their blog, I found that they had recipes that went along with some of the goodies in the box.  The recipe I followed (a bit), was for Green Eggs.  I didn't have a zucchini, so decided to make it a bit more colorful.

 
Then we made them into "breakfast" burritos using their serving suggestions as toppings.  Worked out pretty well.  L didn't care for it, but Kj had seconds, thirds and maybe even fourths. 

Kitchen Progress 2

We decided to work on the removal of our kitchen island last weekend.  Thursday the plumber was expected to come and finally hook up our gas stove.  It has been sitting unused since November when we moved into our house.  And our electrician friend had worked hard putting in ceiling lights and fans in our bedrooms earning our electric stove in December and we were finally going to be paying him with it!  

So, again over the weekend our kitchen looked quite messy!  But it has definitely been worth it!  

Ta-da!  Our gas stove hooked up, the island removed, the kitchen vacuumed!  Wow!  What a transformation.  Yes, there is much progress to come and many messes to keep cleaning up, but I am enjoying my gas stove again!  We were told not to use the left burners until the upper cupboard was removed/shortened.  So, that will be the weekend project, I expect.  :) 

Kitchen Progress 1

 Above is the picture taken last night for my late night "nesting" activity.  Today, Kevin started to take apart a cupboard so that our plumber could put in a gas line in the right location.  We'd really like to finally get that gas stove hooked up!!  It has been a long time without it (Oct. 31, 2013-Feb. 20, 2014).  We have had an electric stove but it just isn't the same! 

We are trying to keep the remaining cupboards and counters as functional and "pretty" as possible until we actually redo the whole kitchen...so we thought through the tearing out bit and using the random tools that we had we got what we could done.  

I stood on the counter holding down Kevin's square with my foot so that he could attempt to cut in a straight line.  It went pretty well, just one little jog in the line, and I think it was my foot that must have slipped.  Sorry, Kevin!

Don't worry, there were no mobile children around during this process.  The two walkers were off with their aunts and grandparents and the roller/scootcher was napping and when he did wake up, we spent time in the living room.  Tomorrow, Kevin said that we would measure out where the stove would end up and he would scrape out the carpet in that area.  We'll see how much progress we make on that.  Next weekend my dad will hopefully (weather pending) be able to bring a couple of his saws to get the last bits off the bottom board.