Will They Ever Learn

The Dad is at band practice.

The kiddos are all asleep.

I was going to clean up our kitchen and finish up some of the kids' chores...

WAS GOING TO

But, then I went to the fridge to pour myself a glass of tea.

This is what I found.

I probably don't need to tell you that I am not cleaning our kitchen, I am not finishing up some of the kids' chores. 

I am planning my next move. Hope they're hungry but, only expect a bite.

Help Your Neighbor, Help Yourself

It’s that time of year. Local Farmer’s Markets all over Northwest Arkansas are in full spring (ha ha). Yummy! I love shopping at the Farmer’s Markets. You can get so much more for your money, plus you’re supporting your neighbors and your community as a whole.

Did I mention you get MORE for your money? Well, you do.

Farmer’s Markets became a second home to me once I was in college, and could no longer simply run over to my Godparents’ garden for dinner. You see, in addition to taking me to the Cattleman’s Associations’ pie auctions, they also tried to teach me early on how to nurture and grow a fruitful garden. Well, in my case, how to work in their big oh vegetable garden. Every year my Godfather worked the land just to the side of his house into the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. I honestly don’t know a vegetable he didn’t plant and successfully harvest. One thing I wish he could’ve given to me was his green thumb. I’m somewhat lacking in that area. Lucky for me though, some people aren’t and those people bring fresh produce to the Farmer’s Market every week. I take full advantage of them. Oops I mean "that." You should as well. I promise they won’t mind.

A favorite vegetable around here is asparagus. We love it; can’t get enough of it. This year the asparagus is early and in demand. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. (Thanks Mother Nature.) Knowing there will be large amounts of asparagus now, I decided I’d share a recipe with you that might take it from being on the side, to being the main dish.

Ever thought about an asparagus pasta salad?

　

Kitchen things you need:

A stove top

A pot large enough for cooking the pasta

A large saucepan

Some water

A strainer as I call it but, I guess most call them a colander

A stove top and a kitchen sink

A cutting board

A sharp knife

A large bowl

A serving spoon

Ingredients wise you’ll need:

1 pound fresh asparagus from your favorite Farmer’s Market. You want to cut it into 1-1/2-inch pieces.

1 package (16 ounces) Rigatoni. I like to use the "garden style", cooked and drained.

1 cup of cooked chicken diced up.

1 cup of cooked ham diced up.

2 medium tomatoes; you can get these at the Farmer’s Market to. You want these seeded and chopped.

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives (This is optional. I’m not an olive lover, but the rest of family members are, and they say you can’t have a pasta salad without olives. Plus they out number me.)

1-1/2 cups zesty Italian dressing

1-1/2 teaspoons dill weed

Once your pasta is cooked and drained and your veggies are washed and cut up the fun starts.

You want to put your fresh asparagus in a large saucepan with just enough water to cover it.

You’re just going to cook it until it’s a crisp-tender. Drain and then let it cool.

Once the asparagus has cooled, grab that large bowl and serving spoon.

You want to combine the asparagus with all the remaining ingredients; then toss to coat. (If you happen to have one of those lovely salad bowl/lid combos I recommend you snap the lid on and shake it about to really mix it up.)

This isn’t a salad you can serve immediately. You need to cover it and refrigerate it for at least 3-4 hours; overnight is even better.

Remember, if you kill everything you try to grow, it’s ok. Some people out there are lucky enough to have green thumbs. Others, like us, are lucky those green thumbed neighbors bring their produce to the Farmer’s Market weekly.


(This story and recipe was written for my column "Madison County Cooking" published by The Madison County Record, May 2012)

You Did What?!?

So, Sunday while I was gone being a superstar in Listen To Your Mother and the Dad was along to support me, our daughters stayed home with the younger kids. They are 16 and almost 13 and they are pros at helping out with the little ones so I wasn't really worried.

Plus, are neighbors are awesome and always keep an eye out without letting the big girls know.

I checked in with the girls while I was backstage waiting for LTYM to start and just like I thought Daughter 1 said everything was fine. The littlest one had just woke up from a nap so she was going to make him a peanut butter roll up. (It's one of his favorite things) Alright I said and reminded them all, through her, that I loved them.

The Dad checked in with the girls multiple times via text before the show started and after. Each time he got a reply about how great things were going.

No need to worry right?!?

WRONG!!

When we got home, I walked through the door and was greeted with several high pitch squeals and hugs, and then I noticed my baby's hair.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" I questioned. "WHY?" "Why is your baby brother's hair?" "Why is your brother's hair PURPLE?"

Yes, you read that right. They dyed my precious baby boy's hair purple!!

Now, before you go and call anyone, it wasn't permanent. It wasn't even semi permanent. It was the kind you brush in with a mascara brush that comes out without even washing the hair.

Still, the dyed my baby's hair purple!

I bet they were hoping I'd freak out and say something crazy like "You're never babysitting again." Boy, were they wrong. I see a lot of diapers in their future. :)

A Field Trip Worth Taking

This morning while I was working the calendar up, and listing out all the school trips and events our girls have in the next couple of weeks, Boy 1 says to me, "Momma, when do I get to go on a field trip?"

Hmm, I thought to myself. This is harder than it seems. Here is this sweet and inquisitive little boy looking up at me with these huge puppy dog brown eyes; watching me write his sisters names over and over again on the big family calendar wondering if I'm going to ever write his name on a square.

He wasn't whining when he asked, he wasn't complaining, or jealous. We haven't taught him that level of selfishness yet. He was genuinely asking.

I said, "Well q-pie lets see what we can find. All these trips are for your girls, that's how he refers to his sisters, and they go while they are at school, so we can't go to any of these"

"Well, we should play school and go somewhere to" he says to me.

Yep, I'm raising some pretty quick kids around here.

Luckily for me, I know a few people, most of those people know a lot more people, and most of us have Facebook. I've seen a couple of my friends had "joined" a " Touch A Truck" event, meaning they were planning on attending, but, I hadn't really thought much about it.

I was busy being a superstar in LTYM remember?

But now I was thinking about it, so the FB stalking commenced.

While stalking my friend Lela's page I saw a post she had shared highlighting the Touch A Truck event. Turns out the event is THIS Saturday, May 5th, 2012, well before any of the girls' school trips. I also found out this is the 6th annual event here, which means these people know what they're doing. Plus it's right down the road from Grandmother's house, it's at the John Q. Hammons Center. I'm thinking WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!

So, I kept on reading and discovered this event is so much more than just climbing in and out of big trucks. Some of the vehicles kids can explore include construction trucks, emergency vehicles, motorcycles, tractor-trailers and boats. Not everything has wheels.

Also, there will be an awesome Tonka Play Center setup right next to the BIG construction equipment, filled with sandboxes, trucks, play tents, balloons, fun photo ops, and goodies they plan on giving away. It's every little kids dream "field trip".

Plus, Tusk, the Arkansas Razorbacks hog, will travel from his home in Dardanelle for kids to see, and that alone deserves a WOOOOO PIG SOOIE!!

There will be face painting, bouncy houses, a Home Depot sponsored building project, Daisy BB Gun target practice, performances by other local kids, AND safety demonstrations so kids can get to know more about the public workers that serve and protect them, and are there to help.

Strike the Arkansas Naturals Baseball team mascot will be there, plus other Razorback mascots, and even the Chick-fil-a Cow. All ready and waiting to pose for pictures with the kiddos.

AND, as if that's not enough, they even thought about food! There will be a full concession stand offering hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and all the other yummy goodies you're hoping for.

BONUS!! Tickets are only $5.00 a piece or $20.00 for a family and proceeds benefit the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

I think we just found our Field Trip. How about you?!?