Wordless Wednesday...Braves Game Edition.

Daybook for October 3rd

Outside my window: It's dark (it's late) and crisp (the way fall should be) outside.

I'm hearing: The Amazing Race in the background...thank you DVR.

I'm thinking about: My game plan for the week...I need to finalize it after I finish this post. We leave Thursday for Virginia...I've got to clean the house up after the chaos of Mtn. Day, tackle the mountain of laundry, get us packed, pick up last minute supplies, and finish my To Do lists.

I'm praying: That I can get everything I need to do done so that we can have a great week with the Edwards family. Also, that we have safe travels and great weather.

I'm thankful for: A fabulous weekend with family and friends. I'm also thankful our upcoming vacation.

From the kitchen: Not much this week since we are planning to go out of town. Last week, Kroger had a great meat sale. I stocked up and cooked 9 different meals to put in the freezer. I'm not going to lie when we were driving back from the Braves game tonight I was relieved because I didn't have to worry about what to cook this week!

I'm reading: I'm looking forward to having my nose stuck in several books in a few days once we are on vacation.

One of my favorite things: Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Besides how gorgeous it is, it's been voted the world's most beautiful theme park 20 years running, it has some of the best coasters I've ever ridden. Alpengeist and Griffon...along with the late Big Bad Wolf. And the food is INCREDIBLE. Andy's favorite food at Busch Gardens is the brisket at Trapper's Smokehouse in New France (Canada). We'll be frequenting Trapper's this weekend I'm sure.

I'm creating: A game plan for the week.

Around the house: Cleaning! Packing! Laundry!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Not much that I haven't already stated...just prepping for our trip. This week I don't have to teach at Model High School because they are fall break. Which I'm grateful for because it gives me time to get us together to get out the door later in the week. If I had to teach Tuesday/Wednesday I'd be stressing more than I already am. :o) But at the end of the day it will all get done and we'll be on our way. It'll be great.

I feel like this post is scattered. Eh, I'm guessing it's because I'm wiped from the weekend and I have lots to do between now and Thursday. I feel like my mind is racing in 10 different directions. I'm off to finalize my game plan...if I don't check in between now and Thursday I will once we are on vacation. I'm hoping to get caught up on my backlog of recipes plus record the highlights of our trip!

I am with the band...

Andy pulled out Guitar Hero last night and AG wanted to play. He insisted on doing drums and bass.

Excited about finishing his song and a 1 note streak. Yes, my 20 month old managed a 1 note streak for his first try. Ha. I'm betting it won't be long till he has this figured out.

Guess all there is to say is that I am with the band...

New faces and family pictures...

Here's our family picture from May. 

Here's our newest one with lots of new faces. 

(I'm sure the new faces were like why in the world are we doing this?! And what have we gotten ourselves into?!)

So, we take family pictures. I find them humorous. Dave started this tradition last year by sitting in the big leather chair and pretending to read a story to everyone at Christmas. I am not sure if it was the humor in the moment (Dave reading in a thick Russian accent) or having a picture of the whole group goofing off but either way a tradition was started. So, while not everyone can make it month to month we still try and snap one. This month we had several faces missing but not to worry...October Family Dinner will be here before we know it. Pumpkin carving, anyone? And Dave, I hope you have plans to read a Russian Christmas story once again this year...

Daybook for September 26th

Outside my window: Rain! Glorious rain! It hasn't rained here, at our house, in a month. Maybe even longer. My allergies have been in an uproar...so we've been laying low and staying inside. Thankfully, it rained all night and today. We are expecting more tonight and tomorrow. With this rain we are suppose to get some cooler weather...finally!

I'm hearing: Andy working on projects in our bedroom, rain outside, and the Falcons vs. Saints on the tv. AG is taking a long Sunday afternoon nap.

I'm thinking about: All we need to do this week around the house before Mtn. Day company arrives. I'm also thinking about doing a series of posts showcasing all of the work we've done on our house. Stay tuned for "This Old House..." series.

I'm praying: That Mountain Day weekend would be a wonderful time with family and friends. Safe travels. Wonderful new memories.

I'm thankful for: My hard working husband. I'm grateful for all that he does. I'm also thankful for this rain. Our area is desperate for it.

From the kitchen: A new recipe for breakfast casserole this week during family dinner with our college students. Along with a huge batch of cinnamon rolls. I'm also making some treats this week for Mountain Day.

I'm reading: Recipes. Lots and lots of recipes. Also, reading several blogs on meals that freeze well.

One of my favorite things: Mountain Day Weekend.

I'm creating: Packing lists and To Do lists for our upcoming trip. Also, I need a new background for the blog and a new family picture for the top...need to put that on my To Do list. :o)

Around the house: Projects. Always something to do around here. Andy's working on doing the final touchups in our bedroom and finishing his chest of drawers. Pictures to come. I'm reorganizing AG's room and closet. We pulled out AG's clothes from last fall/winter and there are several items that he can still wear...so I've washed everything and need to put it all up. (I had to buy stuff big last year due to AG's belly and we had to roll everything up. He has slimmed down and grown taller. Things actually fit the way they are suppose to this go around! Ha.)

A few plans for the rest of the week: Grocery shopping and the library tomorrow. Lots of quality time with our college family this week: CFA Tuesday, Family Dinner and Game Night at our house Wednesday, and Girls Night Thursday. The rest of the week is full of Mountain Day activities and spending time with my family that is coming up for Will's college visit.

Laying a foundation for learning...

As a mom with a background in Early Childhood Education I am very passionate about laying a solid foundation for my children when it comes to education. My teaching philosophy and classroom management style go hand in hand with how I parent and raise my child. It is my hope and desire to provide my children with spaces within our home that they stake as their own. Spots where they can play, experiment, and grow. These spaces also have to adapt and change as they grow. For awhile now I've been looking forward to creating a new space for AG to "learn" in. So here are some new areas in the Edwards household that our geared towards AG...

First up, is his play space. (Which we created over the summer in a corner of the den.) This space now contains two bulletin boards that will most likely change with the seasons for right now. As AG gets older these will be come more detailed and interactive. For now, less is more. Learning at this age is all about exploration and at his pace. My goal right now is exposure to different pictures, texts, and vocabulary. The first board contains calendar photos from my collection. Three are taken from Williamsburg and the top right is taken from Berry. All relate to the fall. And AG has had experiences at Berry/will have experiences at  Williamsburg this fall. The next one just contains the vocabulary word "Fall" at the moment. As we do different things this fall we will put pictures of AG up on this one. The first big thing that will be highlighted will be Mountain Day next weekend. I'm also thinking we'll put a collection of leaves collected from Berry around the edges. (Once they change!) 

Second, is a space dedicate to "art/writing". This would be a very early version of what an elementary school teacher calls "the writing center". The small, white, magazine stand is the perfect size for AG's "writing center". It's a separate space from his play table. It contains his materials. As he grows this will be expanded to contain a variety of materials but for right now Color Wonder Paper and Markers are perfect! And they make Mom very happy because they are mess free. Ha. The space for magazines is the perfect spot to keep AG's books from the library. This is in addition to the book basket on the floor in his play area that I fill with books from our personal library.  His writing center will be getting a coat of fresh paint in the coming weeks. Along with his Mom's old toy chest from when she was little. The toy chest contains different manipulatives that are in individual containers.

Third, AG's having his morning juice while pondering what toys he sees out. We rotate his toys in and out. Every couple of weeks we pull stuff out of the attic and put stuff up. I do this for several reasons. One, it cuts down on the space looking cluttered, it provides variation, it gives AG time to appreciate what he has, he gets excited to see something he hasn't seen in awhile, etc. I try and put stuff out that are similar in nature. In November, I'll probably go ahead and pull out his Little Drummer Boy set and Nativity set so that he can get two full months to play with them since they are seasonal.

The last space that has become an "AG space" is the fridge. Right now I'm doing things seasonally. So, here are calendar photos representing "Fall". The top space on the fridge will always contain a picture of a real piece of art. I love Norman Rockwell and this is one of my favorite pieces by him. The spot below will always be a picture of art taken from a children's book. We currently have checked out the book that this picture is taken from. I showed AG the picture in the book and then pointed to the fridge. He smiled, laughed, and pointed with me. He totally connected the two things and it was fun to watch his brain process what I was showing him. I have quite a collection of calendar photos to pull from and am always on the hunt for new ones. I look forward to changing these out every few months.

That's my biggest project from this last week. Next up, I'll be showcasing the shutter now hanging in the back hallway. Stay tuned. :o)

52 Recipes. Oven Fries. Recipe 13.

These oven fries are pretty much the best oven fries you'll ever eat. Period. I kid you not. Spuds are serious business in this house and when I discovered this recipe I thought we'd give them a try. They are perfectly crunchy on the outside and well seasoned...yet still fleshy on the inside. Mmmmmm. 

I, being a lover of all things Rachael Ray have been slowly converting all my cookware/bakeware to her line of pots/pans. The main reason for this is that I LOVE the way her products cook my food and how easy they are to clean. This summer I found a deal on her Oven Lovin' Crispy Sheet and purchased it for my collection. This recipe was attached on the sheet and we tried immediately. These are perfect when paired with something off the grill or toasted sandwiches. 

Herb and Cheese Oven Fries

By: Rachael Ray

3 Large baking potatoes cut into wedges

3 Tablespoons EVOO

1/2 to 1 Teaspoon each of  oregano, thyme, and parsley (I eyeball it depending on the size/volume of my batch of potatoes)

Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees

Scatter potatoes and drizzle with EVOO. Toss with seasonings. Spread out in a single layer on baking sheet. I grind fresh sea salt and pepper on them right before they go in the oven.

Roast potatoes for up to 50 minutes. It'll vary depending on how thick/big your potatoes are. I set my oven timer for 30 minutes and then rotate them. Depending on how they look I can gauge how much longer they need to go. The last 5 minutes of cooking sprinkle cheese on the wedges so that the cheese melts.

Serve immediately. Yum-O!

While you don't have to have her Crispy Sheet to make this recipe I will say I think my potatoes crisp up better on this sheet. I've cooked oven fries for years and never had my fries turn out this well every single time.