Cafe Cappuccino

This is one of my favorite breakfast places in the world. It has the best pancakes ever. They are the size of your plate. You only need one. And it is almost too much to eat. (Their omelettes are good too, but I can't go without a pancake.)

Cafe Cappuccino is in Waco, TX where I went to college. I have fond memories of going here with a group of dear friends after a morning final exam...of waking up to a rainy Saturday morning, discovering Steppin' Up was cancelled (it's a huge Baylor service project within the community) and getting pancakes with my best friends...fun memories of taking Brent there for the first time!

I have gotten to go a few times in the last few years when I visit my sister, because she always remembers how much I love it and we work it in to our visit! Those have been some of my favorite times there...just spending time with Katy and enjoying breakfast together. We love to order two different of pancakes and then split them in half to share! My favorites include the banana pecan, mixed berry and nut, chocolate chip...but by far, my favorite is their gingerbread pancakes!

This recipe doesn't quite meet my Cafe Cappuccino expectations, but it's still yummy!

Gingerbread Pancakes

1 1/3 cup flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup dark amber beer (stout)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 Tbsp. molasses



1. Whisk together dry ingredients. Combine liquid ingredients in a separate bowl; whisk until slightly frothy. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just blended.

2. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. batter onto lightly greased griddle. Cook over low, even heat to avoid browning too quickly. Cook until covered with bubbles and edges turn brown. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown, about two minutes.

Yields 1 dozen four-inch pancakes

Just so you know...

The next time that you wake up to a thunderstorm (oh how I miss the days when that meant I could stay in bed and be cozy and linger over a book)
and you get the kids all dressed and ready to go and one by one take them to the car
and you set off to run some errands and then go to the children's museum/playspace in town

make sure that you also call a friend to ask for a recommendation for a dry cleaner since you're new in town; and mention what you're planning to do.
That way, she can let you know that the children's museum/playspace is usually closed on Mondays.

And when you're driving in the pouring rain and you hear a funny noise
and then think it's probably just the rain.
and then the noise goes away so you forget about it.
And then you go to Sonic to buy cinnasnacks for a fun rainy drive to distract your four and two year olds from their disappointment that they can't play at the museum/playspace.
Make sure to ask for plenty of napkins because the cinnamon part of the cinnasnacks is really messy (that's why you ignored the frosting in the bottom of the bag in the first place.)

And then when you drive by the mail box at the Post Office, be careful to not run over the curb like you do EVERY time.
But make sure that if you do, there is a nice older gentleman nearby to tell you that you have a flat tire. But not the tire you ran over the curb with, so who knows how long you have been driving on a flat.

Then be very thankful that due to the thunderstorms, your husband's flights have been cancelled so he can come and change your tire.
And that someone could fix the tire very quickly for $10 since your baby is 45 minutes past her scheduled feeding and it's also lunchtime now.

Then, go home (forget about the dry cleaning this time) and stay warm and dry.

And enjoy the peace of having three (I know THREE!) sleeping children who are sleeping at the same time. (That's two days in a row for your oldest!!!)

Hope your Monday has been wonderful but less "eventful" than mine!

An appetizer to share

I was trying to think of a fun recipe to share...but since Jan. 1, we've been in the TLF (temporary living facility) on base while we wait for our house to be completed. (We're still waiting, by the way!) There is a full kitchen which is nice, but without a stocked pantry, it is hard to cook much. It's amazing how many recipes call for flour or chicken stock or dried parsley or balsamic vinegar. And there is just not much pantry room.

It was great to discover "The Speedy Gourmet" when we arrived. It's similar to Super Suppers or any of the other chains that feature assemble-your-own meals. Since everything is prepared, I can just thaw and cook. It has been a lifesaver while we're between homes.

Needless to say, I haven't done any fun cooking since Christmas. But I'll share a favorite appetizer that I grew up having on New Year's Eve. (I've recently begun to make it more often!) It's really easy and so yummy. You really have to resist eating it all by yourself. At least, I do.

Gouda Croissants

1 package refrigerated croissant dough (Pillsbury)
1 round Gouda Cheese

1. Separate croissants into triangles. Arrange four triangles to form a four-pointed star, sealing edges together. Repeat with remaining four triangles.

2. Cut gouda in half, so that you have two circles. Place each circle in the center of dough. Fold and stretch dough to cover cheese, sealing all edges tightly.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes, until golden. (Usually this cooking time will leave the croissants a little doughy. Cook for a few more minutes until the crust reaches desired crispness.)

Snacks and other random stuff...

It's almost 3 pm and that is when the afternoon munchies hit me. I love an afternoon snack. My all time favorite is hot tea and scones. I love nutella on graham crackers. And if there is any kind of leftover cake/muffin/cookie/pie/cobbler, well, the more leftovers, the better.

As you can see from the picture above, my children LOVE ice cream. I'm guilty there too. Very guilty. Especially at night. Moose Tracks. Yum. Mocha Mudslide. That was last night.

But, I am trying to be better at being healthy. Trying. I've been eating dried fruits...I really love dried apricots. (They're so good dipped in white chocolate...but I digress.) And if I just drink a big glass of water, my appetite is curbed...but not my tastebuds.

And I am so much more laid-back with Nathanael than I was with Hadleigh. Seriously, she just recently started playing at the park without me hovering near all the "open" areas. But if you look at my buddy in the picture above, he is climbing a ladder in a climbing wall that is at least six feet tall. He did great all by himself until he was almost at the top and declared he was "stuck". And I just sat to the side and watched him. Of course, Grampa was close at hand...and able to get him unstuck. But I must say I am becoming braver.

(These are pictures from our time at the beach while visiting Mimi and Grampa. More to come in the days ahead!)

Don't forget to share your snacks!

A Huge Blessing!

It's one of those days when I haven't blogged since the middle of January and feel like there is so much to say and share that it would be easier to never blog again rather than just jumping in. But that would be no fun...so here's a short post to get me started again!

While we were in Asheville (more on our trip soon!) we sold our house! A huge answer to prayer...we are so thankful, especially since we're about a month away from our new house being ready. We just finished packing up our stuff today...okay, not us but the nice moving company. A perk of the Air Force. We are back up to OK tomorrow. We're having dinner with good friends tonight and then leaving in the morning. I'm so ready to be settled...living out of suitcases is never fun, but I am hopeful that we only have one more month to wait.

And here's a picture of Madeleine with me while in Asheville...cause posts are more fun with pictures!

P.S. And it was SO fun to go over to Joanna's blog today and see pictures of some special friends from our church when we were stationed in NC...what a small world! Those boys sure do have beautiful eyes...

Words like empty.

For the last six to eight weeks, this guy has been making us laugh (and perplexing us) with the things that he says. For instance,

• "No-o. It's empty." This is basically how he tells us that he doesn't want or like something because it wasn't his idea. Example: He says: "No, yogurt's empty." when we are offering a very full container of yogurt. Now, you must understand that as soon as we say that he doesn't have to have the yogurt, he starts crying for yogurt. He really likes things to be on his own terms. (He's got lots to learn, huh?)
  
• "It's yuk." Followed by wiping of his hands on something (usually his face) in a "wipe it off" manner. This means that I don't like this right now. Example: "Mommy kisses is yuk." "Ice Cream is yuk." Typically, we hear this when he is either needing food or sleep.
  
• "Like dis. Like dat." He is oh-so-particular when putting things in place. It's fun to observe him saying this as he puts his cars in place on his road mat.
  
• "My blue." "My red." He lately likes to refer to his things by their color. Especially his sippy cups.
  
• And he will consistently repeat what he is saying until you acknowledge very clearly that you have heard what he has said. "Good" does not suffice. You generally have to refer by name to what he is talking about. Example: N: "Mommy, I see airplane. Mommy, I see airplane." Me:"Good, buddy." N: "Mommy, I see airplane. Mommy, I see airplane." Me: "Oh, I see that airplane too!" (followed by a finally content smile or nod.)
  

It is so fun to be at this stage in life with him...and his grandparents are about to enjoy it too! We are driving off tomorrow to Asheville to visit with both of our families for a little over three weeks. It will be a great break to not be in temporary housing while we wait for our house to be finished! I'd love to see "Asheville friends" while there...we'll be there until February 14, so get in touch with me!

Ya'll must be starving

because it has been ages since I've shared a recipe with you. Not much other than toast and soup and hot drinks sounds good to me right now because all three kiddos and I are sick...but I've been wanting to share this recipe for awhile now.

This one is fabulous...I made it for our Christmas breakfast. It only lasted three days in our house...and that's only because we showed some restraint! I hope you enjoy it too.

Brown Sugar-Pecan Coffee Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

1. Stir together flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 forks until crumbly. Press 2 3/4 cups crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.

2. Stir together sour cream, egg, and baking soda; add to remaining crumb mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour sour cream mixture over crumb crust in pan; sprinkle evenly with cinnamon mixture and pecans.

3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
Makes 12 servings

These things...

have been so helpful with a third baby! Thought I'd share!

Sara Bear Diaper Caddies...these lined baskets (I have the paisley one shown below) holds a bunch of diapers, a standard box of wipes, and much more! Since Madeleine doesn't have her own room (this is our first time without a devoted nursery) it has been nice to have a portable diaper changing station that goes from our room to the living room to vacations SO easily. The liner is divided into five main compartments and then has little pockets on the side for smaller items. Check out all their fun fabrics...but I think mine is the best!

Hoohobbers Moses Basket with rocking stand. The rocking stand turns a moses basket into a cradle...Madeleine has been sleeping so well in her basket. It's very portable and so sweet! There are tons of adorable fabric options, whether you are traditional, whimsical, or eclectic in your decorating style!
In the picture below, you can see Madeleine in her Moses Basket, as well as my third most helpful item...

her Swaddle Designs receiving blanket. This blanket is the perfect size for swaddling...Madeleine is our first baby who really loves being swaddled (except for her left arm...she loves that thumb!) and this blanket is perfect. Madeleine is almost 3 months old and at least 14.5 pounds...and we're still using this blanket with plenty of room still to go. Aunt Katy bought Madeleine a second one (white with pink dots) for Christmas because it is our favorite blanket...and it's great to have another to alternate with...for when one is in the wash! This will be my new baby gift of choice...it's really terrific!

These are just some of the options for the blanket.

And one of my favorite clothing items I discovered while looking for something to bring her home from the hospital in: a gown that snaps all the way down the front. But it also has convertible snaps in the back to form pants when you want them. Which is great for car seats and daddy's who don't particularly care for gowns ;) Sadly, I don't have the brand name with me because Madeleine has outgrown the gown, so no link...but look for them! They're great!

And this one I've used with all three children, but we still love Burt's Bees Diaper Ointment. I love having a baby that smells like lavendar instead of the medicine cabinet!

Hope you can enjoy or share one of these things with a baby that you love!!!

Before...

and after...

Welcome 2008!

As of January 1, 2008, we are officially residents of Oklahoma! Talk about a fresh start for the new year, huh?

We arrived here last night...Madeleine and I enjoyed a quiet drive while Brent towed the trailer with Hadleigh and Nathanael sleeping all of 30 minutes out of the 5-6 hours we spent on the road and making stops to eat and feed Madeleine. It's not often that I drive around, listening to music and enjoying the quiet time where I can think. I spent a lot of time thinking about this new year, our new home, making new friends, and what new things I want to focus on this year.

Here are a few of my thoughts.

1. I want to be the person who remembers to send a birthday card in time for the recipient to actually read it on or before their birthday. I'm usually good about getting cards out...but rarely on time. Brent's mom's birthday is in a little over a week, so I'm already planning a card-buying trip :)

2. I want our home to be a welcome place for Brent, our children, our extended family, and our friends. I'm excited about starting fresh (come March, when our home will be finished) and thinking of ways to make people feel welcome from the moment they first set foot on the doorstep. A lot of this has to do with attitude...I want to make sure I always have a welcoming, hospitable attitude...not just on the outside, but from the heart.

3. I need to find a balance with my time: time with Brent, time with our children, time to keep our home in order, time to seek God's Word, time for "me".

4. I want to make time to exercise...so that I can better do number 2 and 3! Okay, okay, and so that I can actually wear the clothes in my closet.

5. I want to be a better reader. Reading has always been an important and enjoyable part of my life...it's been awhile since I've read something cover to cover other than some magazines! I've got a few books on my list but I'd welcome your suggestions!

6. I want to be more purposeful in all that I do. (Is purposeful a word? I know, I know, I'm the English teacher...I think it is. Or at least should be.)

7. I want to stay in touch with friends, old and new.

8. I want to be more gentle, loving, kind, warm, compassionate, sincere, and more of a servant...especially to these people: