Showing posts with label Walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walking. Show all posts

Thursday, August 6, 2009

A Little Bread, Flowers, Squirrel & Bird

Well, as you all know, life continues especially when errands abound! Yep! Errands do not take a day off or asks to wait when you don't have a car. Our day started out slow, but after a great breakfast of pancakes and milk, I baked us a loaf of white bread for some sandwiches! *thanking Michelle for finding recipe online*

Our friend Michelle made a loaf of this the first week she was here, but hers tasted different and came out smooth on top. I followed the recipe exactly, up to the point where it said, "stretch to a rectangle then roll to roughly the size of the pan." Mine came out rough, but I buttered the slit top and it's definitely a white loaf of bread!
The kiddos loved eating their plain cheese sandwiched against two warm, soft slices while we walked to Kroger's.
On our way there, we used the neighboring complex to walk through and since they have more mature oak and other trees, small climbing animals and birds are everywhere, but what caught my attention enough to take pictures, is this cute little squirrel who looked at us first before scampering off on this tree. It was rather humid so I think he's trying to "relax" and cool off. J-Pony said, "Mommy, he's probably dead or dying because he's flat." LOL
When we crossed over to the parking lot of the church on the other side, we couldn't help but notice all these bold yellow and orange lantanas. I love these, we have them in the Philippines and I love trying to grow them along with moss roses. *reminiscing*
So we reach Kroger and fulfill our errand. We bought some Dreyer's Dibs "Nestle Crunch" Flavor" ice cream, bigger but cheaper than the other tub we bought inside Blockbuster, a few weeks back.

On our way back to the church parking lot, I told the kiddos to stand in front of this tree for some pictures. (We always take pictures when we go out). I noticed some birds flying near it but hesitated so looking closer, this bird was relaxing on shaded branch! When I tried to have the kiddos stand in front of it, the bird twitched then flew away...
So they didn't get to have the bird on the background. Oh, well... Don't they look cute in their shades?
Further on, we took another route and noticed these great looking big trees and the little corner garden so I had them stand behind it. More lantanas!
At the other end is the sign for the other complex and it was flanked by two cool fountains. So I had J-Pony and I-Dude stand in front! Look at that garden!
Once inside our own townhome complex, J-Pony notice birds coming in and out of this small tree. So she looked and saw this nest! Albeit, it's empty, but what a great find!

For dinner, we knew we had everything we needed to make a great satisfying meal. We made Jasmine rice and I thawed the beef stew meat we had (1.33 lbs), sliced each piece smaller, halved it and the other half, I sauteed with onions, canola oil, garlic powder and pepper.
Added some frozen veggies, soysauce and water. Simmered on low for 10 minutes and "voila!"
... dinner is served! We made our own "Beef, Veggie & Rice" Bowls, for less than $3 for all four of us!

How you ask? Simple. We already had all of the ingredients, but remembering all the good deals we stumbled upon like B1G1F for the meat-$7 for two, veggies-$1, onion (1/2 lb-15 cents). The soy sauce and the rest we've had for at least two months. And I halved the portions, plus 4 of us ate, there you go!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Walking,that's What we Do!

Well just because it's just the three of us for half the week until August, it doesn't mean we have to stay put right? *wink* Especially on a Friday! No, siree! After we slathered on uber amounts of sunscreen and found hats, we were off!

So once again, we walked because we wanted to...

have lunch at...
at Cici's Pizza place! Afterwards, they played on this pinball game and won these...
...very bouncy balls! They were so happy to win a purple and orange ones- mine and Mr. Man's fave colors... Gotta love our kids for being so excited about our colors.
Then we're off to Kohl's, but first we just had to take a picture on this great big cement hippo!
Over at Kohl's, we found some undershirts (normally $10) for J-Pony, Sunday shirts (normally $24) for I-Dude and the Fall iron "bird on leaves" tealight/candle holders that I saw last September (normally $25) all for 80% off!!! Yay for patience!

And oh yeah, look at these shades the kids found there, for 60% off!
On the way back, we rested on this pony in front of the now closed down Carvel Ice Cream shop... A sad, sad day for us...

Then we went to Blockbuster and rented "Over the Hedge" and indulged in some Dreyer's Nestle Crunch "Dibs" on the way home. We had a great day!

Now, I'm off to do another tablescape for my other blog!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Cattails & Cookies

Early this morning, Mr. Man and L-Infinity took off for Chicago so the two smallish kiddos and I just chilled all morning. We read, did chores and had a brief visit with our friend Cori Adams and her baby, A-Cutie. They came by for about an hour. Love her! We even played three rounds of UNO and after she left, I even raced I-Dude on Mario Kart but of course, I couldn't steer to save my life!

After lunch and more "chill time", I watered my own plants and checked on the "budding" herbs more. And when the heat died down a bit (NOT!), we walked to our neighbor's to water the plants. These are what we saw along the way...

A bird in flight on a beautiful blue sky...
A pretty in pink Crepe Myrtle tree...
Cattails marking the path of the creek...
Two cute kiddos trying to endure the heat...
And a bunny hiding under a rose bush!

Glad I brought my camera with me! LOL

We also visited my friend Heather and made a playdate for tomorrow. I let J-Pony bake another one of her cookie mixes from the "grands" but since it was getting late, I finished mixing, scooping and baking it for her. But boy did she choose wisely! These are good!

GREAT, the very first batch of delectable, moist choc chip cookies I ever baked in the oven and it wasn't even me who made it. (A bit of a slap in the face huh? LOL) Want one?
Hope you all stayed cool today!

Friday, June 12, 2009

A Little Walking & Cool Clouds!

Since it's also the Philippines' Independence Day (Spanish American War 1898), we decided to make some pansit. But first, we had to get cabbage... Easy enough right? WRONG!

We have no car; Mr. Man drove it to the airport, and our neighbors weren't available, so we walked to the store.

First, I decided to treat the kids to Sonic. Big mistake! It was over a mile away! By the time we got there, to take advantage of the "Happy Hour" 1/2 priced slushes and drinks, we were so tired, we didn't even enjoy it! I for one, kept getting brain freezes. The kids just kept playing with their slushes and we eventually had to combine the two and of course, throw it away though it was still over halfway full! Even bribing them with tots didn't work. (Cost; $3.28)

Now I know not to go there on foot anymore! Our poor bodies... Then we hit Albertson's for some cabbage and found a great deal on raspberries, but the sharp packaging sliced through the bag and one dropped!

(On the way back, I-Dude found this concrete elephant and

he just had to "ride on" him and even stand up!)


I had to go back and grab another one! Man! Good thing, the CS at Alb's was so nice, that she even got me a bag for my raspberries. As for the pansit, it'll have to wait til' tomorrow... My arms and legs are killing me! (serves me right... LOL)

J-Pony thought that it was rather "yellow" out in the patio, so we went out and investigated. These are what greeted us outside!

Some bright orange thick cloud formation over our complex! After a few minutes and to our right...

Peach clouds over blue-gray across the carports, and ...

Pink clouds at our front door! This all happened within 5 minutes! Isn't it amazing?!

I so love where we live!!! Never a dull moment in our little clearing!