Rachel Ray...I am not

I am not great in the kitchen.  This is a fact everyone is well aware of.  However, I have decided after visiting my sister in law that I could make more of an effort.  Travis and I want/need to start eating healthier and it would be what is best for Parker and Carson too. 

On Tuesday the boys were taking an especially long nap so I got to watch Rachel Ray, (not something I normally do even when I do have the time).  Travis came up from down stairs in time to watch the cooking portion of the show which featured a relatively easy looking recipe, plus it was pasta so we were in!

I decided to make it for dinner last night.  I printed the recipe, did the shopping for the things we didn't have and set off to work.  As I had 3 out of the 4 stove burners going and the oven full of garlic bread I felt like Rachel Ray herself!  I thought, this isn't bad, I could do this all the time!....

As I dished up the spaghetti onto eveyone's plates there was a piece that fell out of the pan.  I ate it and WOW!, my mouth was on FIRE!  I thought whooo, I guess that piece didn't get fully mixed.  So I had another bite and imediately told Travis to pull Parker's plate (if he eats anything spicy we are in for a looonnnng night).  

Travis and I ate the spaghetti which was UNBELIEVEABLY HOT!  As I was drinking a large glass of milk and cottage cheese to try to put out the fire in my mouth I was trying to figure out where I went wrong...Rachel herself said nothing about this being a spicy recipe...

hmmmm...

perhaps I put in too much garlic, sometimes that can make stuff seem spicy...no this was HOT.

perhaps it's because I forgot to put in the salt/pepper to taste until too late...

perhaps it's becuase I put in too much black pepper...no, this was like RED HOT.

Red hot, Red hot...hmmmm, it did call for some red peppers, but I know I didn't have any to put in...

The recipe calls for: 

1 red chili pepper, such as Fresno chili, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, lightly crushed

Yeah, I did that...but I didn't.....

When I went back into the kitchen to pull out my red pepper flakes this is what I found...

GROUND red pepper...so although I "followed" the recipe and put in 1 teaspoon...it was probably more like many, many teaspoons since it was completly ground up!

Thus, we ate Spaghetti Caliente...and the leftovers, by the way, get hotter after they sit for a night...which is why Grandpa Vancil is getting a big bowl of Rachel Ray pasta tomorrow night for dinner! :)

The recipe, by the way, we think would have been really good and we will probably try it again!  Here is the link:

spaghetti-cherry-tomatoes-oil-and-vinegar-sauce via Rachel Ray

Happy 4th of July

This 4th of July was HOT!

So hot that we didn't get to go to any fireworks...so hot that we didn't get to go swimming, so hot that we were trapped inside for all but 20 minutes in the morning...

Which is when Travis and Parker worked on a father/son project my dad brought back from the Ozarks for them.

 After 20 minutes it was too hot, so we left Daddy out baking in the sun and we came into the air conditioning to do some baking of our own...

We used this new electric griddle thing I found hidden in a cupboard and made whoopie pies with cake mix and cool whip (died red, white and blue of course!)

 We went to Grandma Vancil's for a cookout....which ended up being a cook "in" because its soooo hot.  We had lots of yummy food and enjoyed being out of our house for awhile.  

Maybe next year we can stay up late enough to go to some fireworks...

Super Reader!

Parker is enrolled in the summer reading program at the library.  Each time he listens "reads" for 15 minutes he gets to fill in an item on his food menu.  Once all the items in each course are filled, he gets a prize.  

Usually he fills in one spot a night while reading with Travis.

Since it has been so hot and we have not been able to be outside for very long, Travis decided to bring down a bin of his old books from the attic.

I am pleased to say that this is how I found them AN HOUR after they started.  Parker was engrossed!  He loved it!

  

Travis said he was quite "parched" and needed a water break! 

We are pleased to say that Parker filled enough for a Lakeside pool pass and is into the dessert category!

Way to go Little Reader!

Swimming at Grandpa's

After much waiting...mostly on my part ;)...

we finally got to go to Grandpa Vancil's to go swimming on July 1st!

This was Carson's 1st time in a big pool..and 1st time with an ear bandit (to protect his ear tubes)...he wasn't quite sure if he was going to put up with it or not.

Parker reassured him it was OK!

After some beginning apprehension both boys had a great time. 

We are looking forward to going back sooner rather than later!

The Birthday Party

Ahhh...the birthday party.
As some of you know, we haven't had much luck with birthday parties at our house.  For both of Parker's B-day parties it rained...I mean RAINED.  It has become a bit of a joke...if we need rain have Trav and Misty plan a birthday party.

Well....we need rain...and Carson's birthday party was planned for Saturday.

What do you know ?!?!? We woke up to thunderstorms and torrential rain!

Alas, 

by 4PM when the party started it cleared up and we were able to be outside. 

Travis was thinking and put some fans on the patio and it really helped the air flow so everyone wasn't miserable...at least they said they weren't :)

This was and idea from Pinterest.  Blow the balloons up and thread a string through them.  I wish I had made the string tighter, but it still turned out good.   

Carson slept until shortly after his party started so he was able to make a "Grand" entrance.

And I got a little extra cuddle time ;)

Start you engines...this "Cars" turning 1!

YUM!

Kim, trying to get Carson to actually "eat" some cake...

After dinner, cake, presents, we were able to just hang out for a while and visit!  Travis got out the "Stomp Rocket" and the kids...and adults...had a great time!

Playing in the water

Parker and Renee

The Stomp Rocket

Grandma Stecher with Carson and Kannon with Carson