Project Pie: Week 11

We’re back at the beginning of the book and where I started: Fruit Pies. Being as it’s Fall everywhere else in the country except Florida, I thought I’d make an apple pie.

I chose to go with Gala apples, after of course consulting with mom on which apples where best.  I made the crust following the books recipe for a double pie. I’m still not sold on it. It just doesn’t roll out nice for me and I find it kind of flavorless. I might have to go back to my tried and true recipe.

To cut the apples I used my fancy schmancey apple-corer-peeler machine. Charlie wasn’t as impressed as her daddy had been when he first saw it, but in her defense she was sick and mommy was making her help make a pie.

I mixed all the dry ingredients first then added them to the apples and it all went into my first crust.

The top crust was a hot mess and I really need to take a class in fluting. And not the kind you play-I mastered that in High School.  For some reason (I’m blaming the crappy crust) I can never get my edge nice and pretty. But in the end I guess all that matters is if it tastes good, right?

The pie was tasty,not as good as moms, but it was good.  It might have been the apples (they are so flavorless down here!) or maybe it needed more cin/sugar. 

I think there is room to improve, but in the mean time…Apple Pie for breakfast!

Fifth Year in Pictures

Wow. Five Years. I can’t believe how fast time has flown! It has gotten a little harder to find pictures of Adam and I since Charlie has taken over the end of our lens, but here it is…our 5th year!

September

Our 4th Anniversary-We snuck out (thanks to my Aunt forgetting her keys in Michigan) for dinner and a Movie!

October

A family night out in the park!

November

A Fun weekend in Orlando with my mom and dad.

December

We all got Christmas Jammies! (And 3 out of 4 the flu)

January

Charlie’s first Ultimate game!

February

A Fun night out at the Wings/Lighting game.

March

Enjoying a Sunday of Zip lining!

April

Easter (and a playoff beard!)

May

Charlie had her first weekend away at grandma and grandpas!

June

Vacation in Michigan

July

4th of July on Marco Island

August

At Jason & Aimee’s wedding in Illinois.

September

5 years! We didn’t officially celebrate due to work schedules, but when we finally had an afternoon together we all went to an Oktoberfest in st. pete.

Welcome!

Our entry door is at the top of the stairs and while it’s fully covered Florida rain still gets in and pools outside our door. (don’t even get me started on the numnuts who redid the concrete and forgot about a proper slope!) So with all that rain all summer long our door mats get a beating and don’t last very long.

So when they recently painted the building, and the stupid painters just tossed our mat on the ground at the bottom of the step I looked at the sad bristles and decided it was time for a new one. But this time I didn’t want to shell out another $40 for one that wasn’t going to last. So I recruited my favorite handy man to make one for me based on some I’ve seen.

We went to the Depot one Friday night and purchased 2x2 wolmanized posts (for railing) @ .95 a piece and had them cut down to size.  Then we found some threaded rod, nuts and acorns and washers.  Lastly we picked out a stain. (In hindsight now I wish I would have remembered that they just painted the concrete dark brown-it used to be light gray)

Adam Drilled three holes in each piece of wood.

Stained them over the course of a few days.

Then we began assembling the door mat.

Even Charlie got to help! She LOVES her tool box and can now properly identify hammer and wrench. She also thinks her nails are hammers.

After all the pieces were on Adam cut the rods down to size and capped them off with the acorn bolts.

I love it! I think it will be great and hopefully last a  long time! Dirt can fall through and so can rain. And when there is a puddle there this will lift us up 2” so that we’re not always standing in a pool of water before we enter the house.

In total I‘d guess the project cost us around $30 and I’d love to do another one (when we have more doors) and play with stain/paint/pattern. Hmmm maybe this would be a nice gift…let’s see…who just bought a house

5

It’s our 5th year anniversary today. We both can’t believe it’s been five years. We’re happy, healthy and still in love. Not much more we could ask for without being selfish.

No big plans for our anniversary. Adam is working tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. But we don’t need a big what to do to celebrate. We will do something special when we have the time. In the mean time we’ll just keep enjoying life!

Project Pie: Week 10!

This weeks Pie post is going to be kind of light. Adam made his Ice Cream pie over two day late in the evening when I was engulfed in season 5 of Weeds.
For his choice Adam chose Alaska Lemon pie.

First he made a typical crust.

The moved on to melting stuff:

You add melted ice cream, cooled filling, freeze then top with meringue then bake.

Cooling fully, I think, is key. (something he didn't do) I think it’s best to add the melted ice cream, Freeze, then add the cooled filling, freeze, then the meringue. But hey, we’re still learning.

It was difficult to cut. And kind of taffy like. The flavors were all there-think lemon meringue with ice cream.

It is not in Adam’s top favorites, but I think it has promise.

City Mouse-Country Mouse

It’s no secret that I’m not happy with our living situation. And this was the case long before Charlie came along.

I bought my condo when I was in school and never expected to stay longer than 3 maybe 4 years in it. Well it’s been 11.

We have two dogs in our condo. I have always been a believer in that dogs need a yard. They do not belong in apartments. Well unfortunately Adam didn’t share these values and when we got married…the dogs moved in. But they’re used it having lived in apartments for most of their lives.

I grew up in a house that had 4 acres of woods to play in. I played outside a lot. I went for walks and climbed trees and played on my swing set and in the sand box. I ran circles around the house with my dog Ginger.

It’s probably no surprise that I want the same for Charlie. I want her to be able to go outside and play. And recently she wants the same thing and the other day she asked for it.

“Pay Ousigh? Pay Ousigh” As she motioned toward the door my heart about broke in two. There really is no place for us to go out and play at our complex and it’s 5 million degrees outside.  And I was tired and not feeling good. But I looked at her sweet face and rallied.

“Ok, I said “let’s go. Let’s go see the fishes at the aquarium” (bad choice of words…note to self don’t say fishes unless you have goldfish to provide)

So I loaded up my girl and headed to the air conditioned aquarium that is free in the month of September for Zoo members. She loved it . She ran from tank to tank, oo’d and ah’d and I enjoyed watching her explore the beauty of the oceans.

When we got home and were headed up the stairs to our condo I looked my happy girl and thought: You know, there are benefits to being a city mouse. I may not have acres of grass and woods for her to play in, but I can take her to an aquarium, a top rated zoo, multiple children's museums, splash parks and city parks any day I want. Growing up I only got to do those things on family vacation or class trips. They were BIG deals. The things I took for granted growing up (and wanted to get away from) are the things she’ll look forward too and what she takes for granted will be what some children only get to do once a year. Heck I could take her to Disney World every weekend (if I fell on my head and knocked my brain loose!)

So yes, I may long for the childhood I had for her, but I have to realize that what she’s getting is what I dreamed for as a little girl.

Hopefully someday I’ll get to give her a yard to run in, but in the mean time the city of Tampa will be our playground and it’s a pretty cool one!

PeePee Time!

Last Thursday Charlie started telling Ms. Jones when she had to go to the bathroom. Thursday and Friday she had only one accident after her self proclamation of going to the bathroom. Ms. Jones said “let’s do it!”
I tired all weekend.
“Pee Pee Charlie?”
“No”
“Charlie let’s go potty”
“No”
I set timers, I rushed her to the bathroom at the slightest crotch grab, I even went on the little potty myself!
Nothing worked.
All weekend long she SOAKED PullUps, training pants and diapers. The girl would not go in the potty.
On Monday Charlie had no accidents at daycare. She went all day on the potty. She told Ms. Jones "Jones! Pee Pee" and ran to the bathroom.
When we got home…she pooped in her pull up, which then fell out on the floor when I took her potty not knowing she had went.
Then she peed through her reusable swim diaper.
She soaked her training pants (and piddled on the floor)  I made her wipe it up, which she loved since she loves to clean.
Finally I packed up all her diapers and told her no more diapers and replaced their spot with her training pants.
She went commando until bath time.
I had to get her soap from my shower so I told her to go pee pee while the tub filled and I set her on her potty.
I came back in and she was trying to climb into the tub.
But….
there was pee in the potty!!!!!!!!

I high fived her, I cheered and clapped and gave her a sticker.
She looked at me like I was nuts.

But she finally went for me! (kind of..i wasn't in the room to witness it.)

Maybe she just doesn’t want to go in front of me. Or maybe she’s just defiant and likes to disobey her mom. (I have no idea where she’d get that from )
I’m just happy she finally went at home.
I’m glad she is so successful at daycare.
And I’m hoping that she will continue to progress at home. Fingers crossed she’ll go again tonight!
But secretly there is a part of me that was so sad to pack up her diapers. My baby is growing up! NOOOOOOOO! But I guess this is just the first of many moments I’ll have to go through. That’s life! And I’m sure there are many more exciting adventures I’ll get to go through with her!

Project Pie: Week 9

Wow, 9 weeks of pie. I honestly can’t believe we’ve kept it up! This week I got to pick a refrigerator pie. If you recall the last time we made one of these pies I wasn’t to impressed. Luckily this week was different. I chose a French Silk pie. And let me tell you, it is to die for!

The recipe uses raw eggs so Charlie doesn’t get to enjoy it, even though I’m sure it’s fine, I just don’t want to take any chances. Plus we’re not really letting her have any chocolate.  But in my research to see how long the pie would last with raw eggs in it I came across another blogger who made the pie with a, wait for it…pretzel crust! OMG it sounds so amazing and I really wish I would have found this before because I totally would have done that. Next time. Because I will be making this pie again! And it was really really simple.

My crust isn’t improving. I think my nails are a part of the problem when I flute. might need to try a knuckle.Melt chocolate (in micro)

Cream butter and sugar.

Add in chocolate and vanilla. then eggs (one at a time) and mix mix mix.

Pour in cooled shell.

Make pretty (spread it out)

Refrigerate then eat!

Later we added fresh whipped cream. so so so good.

Ok. Go make it. You can thank me later!

Humpday Photo dump!

Happy Wednesday Internet! Here’s what’s been going on in with the FunYoungs…iphone pic style:

Modeling her Aunt Jen’s designs at TargetGetting ready to go on an airplane!Naptime in the camper at Gr. Grandpa Rays.

Boxes are FUN!Already stealing her cousins shoes!

Handsome Wesley!Mr. & Mrs. FunYoungEnjoying the pool with some cousins!Looking up to her big cousin.Feeding her baby.Serious shopperABC Sampler is done!She kind of looks like Crazy Eyes from OITNB…Yes, we have beer.Loves her Bru BruThat queso is too good to waste!One active girl!!

While I was making this weeks pie, she was changing diapers (and emptying the bottle of powder!) FYI it’s cornstarch-so it’s safe.Sweet girl sitting still…for a hot second.New project in the works!!

Have a great week!