A new canvas

When Hadleigh wants to draw she asks to "Color pics." Lately, the request has been: "Color pics outside."

She has had sidewalk chalk for several years now (the picture above was her first attempt about two years ago, age 1.5) but until recently, it has only held her attention for a few moments. These days, between her tricycle and her sidewalk chalk, she could very happily spend all day long outside.

Brent and I were delighted to return from an overnight trip last weekend to a driveway that was completely...entirely covered in chalk drawings. Hadleigh enjoyed "starting" a drawing and then asking her "Mimi" to finish the drawing(...very creatively, I might add, Mom!) I wish I had a picture to post but after two different chalk-filled driveways, the rain has washed it away. I'll try again this weekend...but I am loving the rainy forecast!

One thing I love about watching her draw is how original and free and un-taught her drawing style is...it makes me want to be more creative and less contrived! So I'm off to scrapbook!

Spring is Here!

There are little signs all around us! My favorite is the white bud tree in our backyard...so beautiful...it reminds me of the dogwoods I loved outside my window growing up in Asheville. Some spring mornings, it almost seemed like snow had fallen and rested on the branches. I always got my hopes up for a snow day, but of course, only the dogwood flowers!

The city is slowly starting to turn green...which is such a welcome sight! And today it has rained off and on all day! Rain showers might be my favorite part of spring!

I'm looking forward to Easter...decorating cookies, dyeing eggs, enjoying a long weekend visit from my sister Katy, and our first Easter service at church with our new pastor! I'm really looking forward to it! The kiddo's Easter clothes came in the mail today...can't wait until after naptime to make sure they fit!

If you want to try out the egg dying technique I talked about here last year, make sure you start to collect some old 100% pure silk ties now! Flea markets, goodwill, and consignment stores are a good place to look! (Although I was at Jos. A. Banks with Brent over the weekend...and I would LOVE to see the results of eggs from those gorgeous ties...but that would be way out of my budget for a tie to cut into pieces!)

Have a wonderful spring day...and I promise not to be gone so long next time! Recipes will resume this week!

By the way, I checked the old Martha link for the egg dyeing technique, and it has of course moved. Try here.

Chicken in a Basket

This is an old family favorite that I remembered about a year ago! It is so good, and I have yet to find a child that doesn't like it...after all, it's got a very fun name!

I have tweaked the recipe a little from my mom's original (though neither she nor I use the mushrooms, but I left that in just in case some of you are mushroom fanatics.) I add chopped pecans...and I don't have a set measurement for them, I just add until I feel it's enough, kinda like my scones :) And the pecans are a great addition...they give a little extra crunch and nuttiness to the chicken.

I think I'm going to have to suggest Brent pick up the stuff for this on his way home, because it sounds so good. And he will be so happy that we're not going out or getting take out...

Chicken in a Basket
3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 oz. mushrooms, optional
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans, to suit your taste
2 packages crescent rolls (I like Pillsbury)
1 to 2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix chicken, mushrooms, pecans, and cream cheese together in a medium bowl.
3. Unroll crescent rolls and divide along perforated lines. On each triangle, place a large spoonful of the chicken mixture at the bottom of the triangle and roll it up.
4. Place all rolled chicken crescents on a baking sheet and bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown.
5. While crescents are baking, pour the soup in a saucepan and heat. Gradually add milk until it is the consistency of gravy. Pour sauce into a serving dish, and serve over each chicken in a basket.

Mischief Maker

That would be my little girl.
Today while watching Sesame Street (and while I was catching up on some emails) Hadleigh decided that she was hungry. So she opened the pantry and got out two cups of applesauce. Then opened the silverware drawer and got two spoons.
I suppose she figured that if she was hungry, so was her little brother.

So of course, I discover them eating applesauce in the living room. Ummm...applesauce is a food that needs a table, in most cases, which must have been why Nathanael's cup was on the couch. Nice.

I must admit that I was {pleasantly} surprised at how well Nathanael was doing with his own spoon. But I do prefer high chairs. With buckles.