So, it doesn’t take that much to entertain children… then again, it doesn’t take much to entertain Conan and Missy either…

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So, Conan and I really want a little girl, so we decided that the only way to be sure we’ll get a girl is to adopt. We just happened into some wonderful circumstances that have allowed us to adopt a little one right away, and she is beautiful. She has black hair and green eyes…

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  OK, so I would totally rather be posting about the great rope swing Conan rigged up in the backyard, or my cute boys, or our home renovation projects, or the video tour I took of our new home (before moving in), or even my cool new shoes… but I am missing a video cable still, and the software that helps me scale down pics for the web is bugging out, so instead I’m posting about some great new recipes I discovered.

  Since our oven is currently approximately about 12" wide, we don’t do as much oven cooking as we once did. These pan-roasted potatoes totally made my day… no need to fire up the toaster oven or use up our one casserole pan small enough to fit in there… just that wonderful roasted perfection. I also recently discovered a new recipe for beans (important with Conan being Vegan and me being semi-vegetarian) which is totally simple, made with things many people would just normally have on hand, and surprisingly delicious. Oh yeah, and it takes ten minutes to make. TOPS. 

Both are adapted from a cookbook Conan’s mom passed on to me compiled by the Comprehensive Cancer center- Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, and Ohio State University Extension. My compliments to the chefs!

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While I was gone in Virginia at a WONDERFUL LDSEHE Conference (LDS Eastern Home Education) I was allowed to borrow Conan’s favorite toy… his ipod. I was able to listen to much of a wonderful seminar about money management, and changing ways of thinking about money so we could discuss it and learn together once I returned. Since I am also the lawn mower in the family, I also borrow it when I mow. Since I’ve started a regular exercise program, I also borrowed his ipod while running. Shortly after I returned from Virginia, with Conan’s ipod in tow, I received a package. To my delight I found…

Thanks, Conan! 

We are constantly discovering new plants in our yard here, like the Peonies hidden in the tall grass along the fenceline, and the roses… mostly dead… but not all dead! Here are a couple of unidentified plants I would love to know more about, but don’t know what they are. Any guesses out there?

   here’s a closeup of the same bush:

And this one is obviously a vine of some sort… my question is, bad vine or good vine? Virginia Creeper or Wild Grapes? I’ve no idea…I guess I’ll figure out if it’s a fruit vine or not if it doesn’t put out any fruits, huh? But I don’t know if it’s something I should be actively persecuting, or just leaving it to make a nice natural fence cover,you know?

Oh, and see the cute barn behind the vine? The one that’s NOT on our property? So sad… But at least we should our own driveway by the end of the week! 

So, Conan and I really like avocados, I mean we really, really like avocados. So, we thought to ourselves, look at these beautiful seeds that come free with each avocado we buy! Lets see if we can grow our own. Well, we started with three, and out of the three one really took off…

Needless to say, we’re sprouting some more. We did some research and found that although many hybridized produce varieties are actually sterile and never will reproduce, avocados sprouted from the store DO bear fruit, eventually; as long as you have more than one to cross-pollinate, that is. They also get to be up to sixty-five feet tall… ah well, maybe ours will stay a potted patio plant, but as long as we get a few free avocados each year, I wouldn’t mind. Guacamole, anyone?