Lovely lovely kids

I thought I would try a different format and see how I like it. What do you think? Pictures first and words second. I find the transition from words to pictures difficult sometimes, so I thought why not pictures first. Everyone likes pictures anyway. Ashleigh likes to help Rian with his homework, but sometimes she takes over for him and then I have to intervene. She is a good big sister though and they both really love eachother most of the time. We had some spaghetti earlier this week or "Pusgetti" as Rian calls it. That is one of their favorite meals and it was a rare just me and the kids night. There has also been a lot of lounging going on. My energy levels have been pretty low this week, so the kids and I have been enjoying "Wild China" on the nights when I don't have school. That is our dog, Molly, lounging on our bed and Rian in his favorite position watching some TV. Oh I do love that position, he is just so stinkin cute. I promised Rian that we would make muffins together...he always asks to do this when I am home at night, it doesn't always happen though, so he got really excited that we could do this tonight. I have been seriously craving banana chocolate smoothies recently, so I thought why not make a Banana Choc Chip Muffin. I even ate one after I made them. They are super duper yummy and just a recipe that I got from AllRecipes.com. I just modified it by adding chocolate chips. Delicious. I cherish these moments in the kitchen, creating together. Both of the kids love to be in the kitchen...I guess that is normal since we as culinary professionals spend so much time in the kitchen.
I hope you guys are creating yummy things in the kitchen too.
Night, Yasmin

Busy busy life

Yep, so I think on the last post I talked about how time was flying by so quickly and how it had been a while since I had been on this here blog. Well the same thing happened again and I know I had said I was going to post pictures of birthday fun and whatnot, but now that it has been quite a bit of time since "her" birthday, I think I may just post some pictures on facebook for friends and family. So what have I been up to? I am taking care of myself...I know it is a bit selfish, but I have to take care of me first. Year after year, I am getting older and it is time to get a handle on my health...especially after the nasty health year I had last year, or I guess nasty unhealthy year would be the more appropriate thing to say. Towards the end of last year I purchased a groupon for 5 weeks of 5 days a week bootcamp fitness. I started last week Monday and it has been tough. I am so out of shape, boo. I should also mention that I go to the bootcamp at 5:50am. Phew. It has been a bit tough waking up so early in the morning, but I love love love getting the hard workout done and over with first thing in the morning. It really is quite a lovely way to start the day...even with the frigid cold air we have been having recently. I have also been really really busy with school. This semester is in full swing now and taking quite a bit of my time and attention, but this is going to be all good for the future (our future). Sometimes I do think that maybe this is all too much and that I am not giving enough of me to my kids and husband, but the reality is that if I wasn't going to school I would be working like a dog to keep up with our bills. This schooling and change of career will give me a better work/ life balance and that is what is really important. So I keep trudging along, I just wish it would go a bit faster. Other than that, my time is filled with work and spending as much time as possible with my family. Oh I do have some exciting news...I signed up for the Asheville Citizen Times Marathon which is in September of this year. One of my resolutions was to sign up for an event and so I thought that might be fun. I have never run a half marathon or full marathon, so this is going to be a new one for me, but I was on the cross-country team in high school and have run many 5Ks during and since high school. I am pretty stoked to have something to motivate me. When it comes to exercise, I like to have a goal to keep me motivated. So thats it, that is all the news I have to share with you today. I have no photos to share and I can't promise that I won't take another hiatus from this blog, but I will try to check in a bit more to share what is going on in our lives. Ok back to homework now.
Peace, Yasmin

A Frittata Kind Of Night

So, I have not been on my blog in a bit. I knew time was flying by, but I didn't realize that my last post was on January 2nd. That is quite some time. We are all trying to get back into the rhythm of school, work, life. I am taking a lot of classes this semester as well as my Nursing Aide program, while supposedly working part time. This part time thing has not really worked out so far though. For the past two weeks I have worked around 36 hours per week. Don't get me wrong, the money is nice, but working that much while taking this many classes and tending to the household is just too much at the moment. Thankfully this week I only work 3 days, so maybe I will finally be able to catch back up with the enormous amount of housework I have to do. Ok, just breathe...no stress, no stress. I think I just need to get my rhythm/routine going and all will be fine. So, there is actually so much I want to share about our January going-ons, but it would be crazy to put 80 pictures in one blog post, right? I am going to tell you about some of our highlights of January and I think I will just jump all over the place with past dates in the next few days, so that I can share some of those pics and experiences.
January Highlights:
My baby girl turned 10 years old.

• We celebrated by going to Greenville for the zoo and some other fun.
• We also enjoyed dinner with family and a few of her friends back here in Asheville.

Hubby and I enjoyed a date lunch before we both went back to school, woohoo.
There was lots of cooking, duh of course.
And lastly, just a whole lot of schoolwork.

I probably shouldn't put schoolwork as a highlight, but hey I am in school and that is kind of awesome. Today, feeling the effects of lots of school and the 36 hours I worked last week, my energy was pretty darn low by the time the kids got home. There was a lot of laziness going on until about 7:30pm, when I realized I better get dinner going. We typically like to get the kids in bed by 8, so that we can actually get them up in the morning. I am pretty sure they are both nightowls. Anyway, I had to figure out a quick dinner and I was kind of craving breakfast for dinner...especially eggs. So, I whipped up a yummy frittata and served it with a salad. It was a hit with everyone and if my cast iron pan were larger, there would have been second or even third helpings for the kids.

I made it with vegan chorizo, garlic, onion, baby bellas, spinach, 4 whole eggs & 3 egg whites, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and just some salt and pepper for seasoning.

"Mmmmmm Mommy that looks good, stop taking pictures so that I can eat now."

A little inside view of the yummy frittata.

I also bought this book today at my local food co-op. It is chock full of pie goodness and I think I may have mentioned in the past that I do believe everything should be in pie form. The recipes look so good and the first one I am going to make is the Chocolate Mint Pie. I also am a fan of Ashley English and her beautiful homesteading ways...and she happens to live here in/around Asheville. I am always for supporting local people and I can't wait to try many recipes from this book. Ok off to fold some more laundry.

Peace, Yasmin

 

 

Yarn Along

Joining in today with Ginny in "Yarn Along". I have decided as part of my resolution to get this house organized, I would finish all of my ongoing knitting projects. Oh and there are quite a few of them. As much as I am eager to get started on new projects, I think it would do me some good to free up some of my knitting needles from my "UFO"s...in knitting lingo that is UnFinished Objects. So, for a while you may see some familiar pictures and this one today is of no exception. This one though is a particularly special project for me and I think instead of giving it away to someone, I am going to cherish it for myself. I started this scarf a very very long time ago. It was meant to be a Christmas gift for someone two Christmases ago. Unfortunately, I did not finish the scarf in time and have had a hard time holding it in my hands or even looking at it until now...a new year, a new beginning. This scarf is called Susan, because I think very special things deserve names. Susan passed away a week after Mother's day last year after struggling with the "Big C" on and off for a couple of years. We think about her every single day and I truly wish she was still with us today. I think it is time for me to finish this scarf and hopefully with every knitted stitch my heart will start to slowly heal itself from this tragedy.

Just a plain old knitted scarf filled with lots of love. There isn't much reading going on recently, so no book to share.

Peace, Yasmin

On New Year's Day

Last night we let the kids stay up to watch the Ball drop in NYC on TV of course. I think sometimes about how it might be neat to be there in person with all of that crazy energy, but when I think about the amount of people in Times Square that particular night, my want for it disappears. The kids were excited about staying up so late and all I wanted was for us to be together cuddled in bed going into the New Year together as a family, so I had no issues with this staying up business. After working a ridiculous amount of hours every day since Christmas, ,I had today off. In fact, I did not get off work until about 10pm last night as well, so as you can imagine I was quite exhausted this morning...actually pretty much all of today. We spent most of the day appreciating the stillness of being home, while it rained outside all day. This morning though, I had to make an hour drive to pick up something very very special in deed. I am so excited about starting off the New Year with my new to me Ashford Elizabeth spinning wheel, after three months of layaway type payments to the owners. So, on to some New Years resolutions...oh yes I do make some and I believe that telling as many people as possible about my resolutions will make them more likely to actually happen.
Yasmin's 2013 New Years Resolutions

1. I want to work towards being a comfortable spinner.
2. I will adopt Vegan only Mondays.
3. I want to visit my sister in Colorado.
4. I want to get only As or Bs as my grades in school.
5. I will only buy Local Small Farm Organic Eggs. (I got vegucated the other night and was opened up to the fact that these large organic corporations that you see normally in grocery stores, really are not any better with the way that they treat their animals. I mean think about it, how else can they provide to so many stores throughout the US, unless they are cramming their chickens into very confined spaces.)
6. I plan to sign up for atleast one Sporting event to compete in this year.
7. I want to get this household organized.
8. I want to concentrate on spending more quality time with my family.

For now that is all I have and if I think of anymore, I will let you all know.

I received a new camera as my Birthday/Christmas present from my mother. I was finally able to set it up and play with it a bit.

The gloomy day outside and rain droplets on branches of trees.

 

A tea kettle for Christmas from one of my sisters...I have been drinking tea practically everyday.

Just having some camera fun.

A Black Eyed Pea stew over quinoa for our dinner and for good luck.

A little bit of bread baking since the kids go back to school tomorrow.

My beautiful Ashford Elizabeth wheel...yes I realize the Christmas decor needs to come down.

I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Yasmin

These Days

These Days there is a lot of cooking going on, but I guess when isn't there a lot of cooking going on in this house...right. We have been making curries, cookies, cinnamon buns, pasta, pizza, and so much more. I think I mentioned that I am trying out a new thing where we buy our dry goods only once a month on the 5th, when our local co-op gives an extra 5% off to members. We do still buy eggs, almond milk, and produce on a regular basis. Also looking at my cereal stock, I may have to buy some more cereal...these people eat a lot of cereal, and for next time I will take stock of this and buy even more cereal and also make sure there are enough oats available in case we do run out again. The thing I love about this new way of grocery shopping is that we are forced to be creative and I do think in the long run it does save us money. Anyway, on to the food.

 

 

1. An Omelet with mushrooms, spinach, and feta.
2. Vegetable Korma.
3. Cinnamon Buns.
4. Pasta with a sun dried tomato, portabello, smoked gouda cream sauce.
5. Chickpea Curry.
6. Cheese Pizza.
7. A White pizza topped with leeks, garlic, feta, mozzarella, and smoked gouda.
8. Pizza and beer...sometimes that is all you need in life.

Just a couple notes...as some of you may have noticed, there is a recipe section on this blog and a shop section on this blog. The shop section is still very much in development, but I thought it was about time I utilized the recipe section, especially since I cook all the time. Later on today I will put two posts in there for the pizza dough recipe I used (it may be the best one we have made so far, a great sturdy, tasty crust) and also for the Chickpea Curry I made. Also if there is ever a recipe I don't post about and you would like it, you are more than welcome to e-mail me at YasminKirkwood@gmail.com or just leave a comment on the blog.

Also I am linking in with Nicole over at Frontier Dreams for "Keep Calm Craft On {Crafting On}" I have been thinking about multiple projects that need to be done and in the stressing out about it all, I decided to take a moment for myself late last night to do a bit of spinning. I am still a very novice spinner, but I do enjoy it quite a bit.

Ok off to do some last minute Christmas shopping and other errands.

Peace, Yasmin

Grateful

I watch the rain outside. The chickpea curry simmers in the kitchen, while I listen to Radiohead and the Pixies. I think about how incredibly lucky I am to have a wonderful family that loves me. I am reminded of this constantly when my kids tell me they missed me or when my husband hugs and kisses me. I have been reminded of this a bit more this past weekend as some families in a little town in Connecticut come to terms with not being able to spend just one more second with their loved one. Yes, I am truly blessed to have the life that I have. I hope these families can find peace in their hearts over time and know that we grieve with them. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight, I know I will be.
Peace, Yasmin