An apparently bi-montly update

I mean to update this more, I really do.  It just doesn't happen.  Maybe someday I can be like my friend Lydia and post several times a week.  Until then, you can enjoy this update.

Here are some highlights of what's been going on lately:


Travelling
In the past month we went to the Creation Museum up by Cinncinatti one weekend, my parents came to visit the next weekend, then we went to Chattanooga following that to visit some college friends, and then we headed to Missouri to visit with Caleb's side of the family the weekend after. It's been great just to get out and enjoy going places (mostly because I didnt have to do any of the driving) and getting to see family and friends, but it sure was good to stay home this past weekend and not have any plans.

Plants.  I have a flower in bloom!  And two more on the way! (It's actually neon yellow) It's been years since I have grown flowers and had them bloom.  Last year my plants kind of all died off in the whole 4-day moving process.  Also, I've been growing Cilantro and Basil.  The Cilantro isn't doing too hot, but the basil is taking off like crazy.  I started by just putting a few seeds into two mason jars, and I now have 7 individual basil plants that are quite abundant with their leaves.  Caleb used some of the fresh basil leaves in some roasted potatoes the other day and oh my were they delicious.  I'm planning on taking some of these leaves off soon and putting them in our dehydrator to have some dried basil on hand. 


Bread. 
Since we were home this past weekend and having friends over for dinner, I decided to make some bread.  So Friday night I went to make some dough and when I went to get the flour to add in (which I always add last), I had no flour.  Actually I did have some in my cannister, I just thought it was empty.  I went out Saturday morning to buy some flour but I knew I wouldn't have time to whip up some of that yummy sourdough that I was planning on making the night before. Fail #1. I got out my Better Homes and Gardens cook book to find a faster recipe. I found a potato bread recipe and decided to give it a shot...only I didn't read the recipe immediately and I ran out of time to finish the bread before dinner because I still needed about another hour.  Fail #2.  The bread ended up turning out fine, but since I went ahead and made the sourdough bread as well, we now have 2 loaves and 2 dozen rolls at our disposal.  Next time we have dinner and want homemade bread, I'll just check the freezer.  I'll have plenty.

Garage Sales

Not the wow factor. 

Garage sales are so much better here than they are back in St Louis.  They don't usually start until 8 am (instead of 6 am) and you can still go out after lunch and find some.  In the past month I also got to go to garage sales in Chattanooga, TN with my friend Leah while our husbands did boy things and then again in Missouri with Caleb's side of the family.  We've found some pretty sweet deals.  Nothing real big (Caleb is still looking for his "wow factor"), but we've still managed to find a few things that were worth paying a quarter for.



Summer classes

Caleb started one of his possibly three J-terms for the summer today on C.S. Lewis.  He was pretty stoked about it because he's quite the C.S. Lewis fan.  I'm glad he finally gets to focus more on subjects that he likes now that he has both his greek and hebrew out of the way. Yay  Caleb!  :-)



Coupons
Another thing I enjoyed about this weekend was being able to go shopping.  Caleb has been so gracious in doing the grocery shopping here lately since he's home a lot more than I am.  I've missed that thrill of being able to walk in with a handful of coupons and be able to cut my bill in half.  I'm still stepping up my game and was only able to save 1/3 of my bill this weekend, but hey, I still bought a ton of food for $30.  Tonight's menu: Shrimp fettuccini alfredo.  Every ingredient was bought on sale.  Woo hoo! (Oh, and probably bread too just because we can.)