Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 76
June 7, 2015
Just Around the River Bend
Getting started!Remember the Disney version of Pocahontas where she warbled about whether or not to keep exploring around the river bend, but always as a solo act (Kocoum was the safe, boring option who would squelch her dreams)? Well, Pocahontas had it all wrong.
Our pre-breakfast visitor.Friday night, a few coworkers of Jack got together for a camping and canoeing excursion on the nearby Sugar Creek. After nearly running out of gas (I thought there'd be fuel closer by!) and then stopping at...
June 5, 2015
Progress
Progress.(Hooray for gas-powered wood splitters!)
(Thanks Bergesens for lending it to us!)
June 4, 2015
One Pan Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Think of this as a grown up version of hot dogs and mac 'n' cheese. It's easy and hearty and even though the adults liked it, the kids did too.Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage, sliced
1 cup diced onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (about 8 ounce) tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces dry pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese
1/3 cup chopped green onions for garnish
Heat oil in large skillet with lid. Add sausage and onion, cooking until brown. Add g...
May 31, 2015
Any Given Weekend
Kate waiting her turn to practice before her first horse show.Weekends are especially precious to us. They're not only a break from the work week but a chance for us to have (usually) uninterrupted family time. Of course, we still work and get things done but there's an added element of enjoyment when we can work together. That being said, we still have a lot of fun. Any given weekend, we can be found...
...watching ant turf wars...
...chopping more wood for winter...
...running road races....
May 30, 2015
Snake in the Grass
Our new friend.It's not often that Claire is scared by things so when she comes running to me, crying and whimpering, I take her seriously. Yesterday, she asked to go outside to the playground and retrieve a ring she'd left near the swings. I gave her permission and about two minutes later, she was back at my side, trembling and telling me not to go out. When I asked why, she didn't mince words: "There's a long snake out there." I got right up and went to investigate.In two years of living in...
May 29, 2015
Homemade French Onion Dip
Dip isn't one of those things I ever remember to purchase at the store so when Jack casually mentioned he'd prefer to have something to dip the leftover potato chips we had from a party in, I decided to whip something up. Easy and I had all the ingredients on hand...and delicious.Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream1 teaspoon onion powder1 Tablespoon dried minced onion1 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon parsley1/4 teaspoon pepper1/4 teaspoon tumeric or cumin (optional)1/4 teaspoo...
May 28, 2015
Happiness Is...
Kate running back after feeding the horses an early morning carrot.Happiness is going out early in the morning, while your kids are still in their jammies and the sun is still rising to go give your horses, who live in the back yard, a treat.Among many, many, many other things.
May 27, 2015
Darling Evelyn
Evelyn and her birthday cake Belle.Evelyn recently celebrated her sixth birthday--how time has flown! It seems like only yesterday, we were over the moon, finding out we were expecting her after a few years of trying to have children while at the same time, it seems like it's been hardly any time at all. Children have a tendency of doing that to their parents.
Evie helped pick out a perfectly ripe watermelon for her birthday.We had a small gathering of friends come over the previous week...
May 23, 2015
Leadline
Kate headed to the show ring.We're hot, tired and spent the day in the sun and on our feet, but we're all incredibly happy...
Getting Stoney groomed and ready.Since finding out I was expecting another baby, my riding has taken a back seat. However, I've had my eye on fulfilling another goal this year: taking the girls to their first leadline classes at a horse show.
Waiting their turn to ride.Lucky for us, there's a facility and a horseman's club that has such classes for the girls, and&n...
May 19, 2015
Indoor Bouncy House
We had a small gathering of friends for a pre-birthday party for Evelyn. Of course, just about everything we'd planned was going to be outside until it decided to downpour all day. Solution? Indoor bouncy house!
Take that, Mother Nature!
(There's at least one benefit to having a giant great room!)
