Holy Zucchinis!

I am a novice gardener and this year I decided I should plant two mounds of zucchinis. Well, they essentially have taken over my garden -- and I'm not even that fond of them! I don't mind occasionally eating them stir fried and I have found a Zucchini bread recipe and a zucchini soup recipe (not as bad as it sounds) that my whole family seems to like. However, I definitely need some new creative uses for zucchini...if you have any ideas please send them my way.

The weather this summer has been ideal for gardening and everything is growing in abundance. I have two rows of green beans and while I was out harvesting my first pick this week, I filled three ice cream buckets full. I tried to capture in a photo just how many beans this is -- but I'm not sure I did. For a little perspective -- they are in my largest mixing bowl -- you know -- the one you use to make monster cookies! This is after giving some away and eating a meal. If you like green beans and live in my area -- let me know -- I'm sure I can part with a few more. I really should learn the art of canning food. What do you think?

I do find great joy in going out to my garden and picking veggies and raspberries -- every time I pull back a leaf and find 7 full beans hanging there or a handful of juicy berries, it's like discovering gold. I get so excited. (I obviously need to get out more :)). However, my romance with zucchini's has ended -- there is no longer any joy when I pull back a zucchini leaf and find yet another zucchini the size of a pumpkin.

Now I'll admit I got a little caught up in taking photos of my vegetables just now. I am beginning to consider a career in Vegetable Still-Life photography. I am going to title this one:

"Peppers and Zucchini's"

And this one is "Green Beans in a Yellow Bowl."

If you would like to hang my artwork in your local coffee shop -- let me know! But it's going to cost you (Ha-Ha).

Well, just in case you also have a plethora of zucchini -- here's my soup recipe! Enjoy!

Sautee: 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 T. Olive Oil

Add: 4 Cups chicken broth, 3 cups cooked chicken, 3 small sliced zucchini's, 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes w/liquid, 1 can corn, 8 oz tomatoe sauce, 1/2 c. salsa, 2 t. cumin, 3/4 t. pepper

A Diva in the Making

Oh...my precious baby girl. She is as sweet as sweet can be and so incredibly full of love. Yet I think I see a Diva in the making.

Taryn's always been a girly girl -- into princesses and dress up, purses and lip gloss. But lately it seems to be rising to an all new level -- then throw in an opportunity to be a flower girl in a gorgeous dress with her hair done up and well ...we got ourselves a diva.

I had noticed "diva-like" tendencies early on. For example...she's always been into shoes, but lately she tends to pick out shoes with a one-inch wedge heel rather than the cute flowery little girl shoes. She has also always seemed to know what's appropriate to wear to what occasion. At the ripe old age of 4 -- she had us all waiting to go out to eat as she changed out of sweat pants (which would have been totally appropriate for Applebees) into a skirt and matching shirt. She came out of her room saying "this is much better." Lately though -- she desperately wants a strapless dress like many of the high school girls are wearing. I'm sorry -- I draw the line at strapless on a 5 year old.

For a whole year before she turned 5 (on March 5 -- her golden birthday) she started inviting everyone to her "golden birthday party with the princesses at Disneyland." She came home from pre-school one day and told me that Katie, Emma and Tyson could all come with us to Disney (even though Tyson doesn't like princesses). We did end up going to Disneyland and did meet some of the princesses in the pouring rain, however, sorry to say, the friends stayed home.

And boy, does the girl like crowns. We enrolled her in a dance camp this summer -- she was so excited on the first day...I helped her with her leotard and dance skirt, put her hair in a bun and I thought we were ready to go, however, she stopped me and said -- "Mom, don't you think I should wear my crown?" Luckily, I was able to talk her out of that one. Then last week we were headed to visit the grandparents. Again she needed to take a crown along. She opted for the crown that says "Princess" right on it because, to quote Taryn, "That's what they always call me."

She has also always had a "boyfriend". I was mortified one morning as I was driving Taryn to daycare when she was 3. She was telling me that Tyson broke up with her (this was not the part that mortified me -- I thought this was probably for the best). It was her next few statements..."So now Cody is my boyfriend." I asked her why Cody was her boyfriend now and she responded "Well Mom -- I can't not have a boyfriend." Well this resulted in a lecture from Mom that was way above her three-year old head about how a girl doesn't NEED a boyfriend and can do just fine on her own and how a young girl should not find her worth in a boy but should be confident in who she is. I'm sure that sunk right in.

Just a month ago I was having a conversation in the car with Paige (who turns every shade of red at the mere mention boys) about our nephew who was getting married. It led me to say how I already pray that God will lead the right man into her life at the right time who will be a strong Christian and treat her well. Paige is about crawling under the seat just thinking about this, however, Taryn pipes up from the backseat -- "Mom -- you don't need to pray for my husband. I already know I'm going to marry Tyson...or maybe Derrek." (Apparently, things are back on with Tyson. All I have to say is Tyson or Derrek -- beware!)

And then came the wedding...she was in perfect form. I can't help but brag a bit here...she was absolutely perfectly behaved. This was so up her ally -- wearing a beautiful dress, having her picture taken, being on stage, all the attention...she was brilliant :).

She has put the dress on at least 5 times a week since the wedding. She often pretends she is getting married. She lays out my Yoga mat as an aisle (good use for it, since there is very little Yoga happening) and asks me to be the pastor. Often her name is Taylor Swift and she is marrying one of the Jonas brothers.

We did let her wear the dress to church one Sunday and on our drive to church that morning she says to the family, "I know I am going to be the prettiest person at church today." We all just laughed.

I have to tell you there was a moment at the wedding where my mind jumped forward 20 years to her own wedding day. Of all the places for this "fast forward" to happen it was when I was helping her go potty. I was holding this big puffy white dress up around her face and and looking into her innocent eyes and I asked her "Is this one of the best days of your life?" Her response was "I think it is the best day of my life, until my own wedding." Oh, I can see it now.

You better treat this precious girl right -- Tyson or Derrek or Cody!

Trust me -- I'm praying already!