When life gives you Apricots . . .

We have a very healthy apricot tree in our backyard. For the last two years we have had VERY bountiful crops. Last year, we made LOTS of yummy apricot things including dehydrated apricots and LOTS of jars of jam. This year we have been making dehydrated apricots but with Ashley's graduation party and being the resident dessert person in our family I decided to give a cobbler a shot. I had never made a cobbler so I wanted to make sure I documented the process.It was REALLY Yummy!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (I didn't have nutmeg, so I used all cinnamon)
1 cup water
45 oz of apricot halves, (drained if canned) I used fresh
1 tablespoon butter


You can use canned apricots but I used fresh


You will need to half the apricots if you use fresh, canned apricots already come halved


Because I used fresh apricots I needed to weigh them to get the right amount.


In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in water;


Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil and stir for 1 minute; reduce heat. (This activates the cornstarch with acts as a thickening agent.)


Add apricots and butter ; heat through. Stirring to coat apricots with sauce. Then pour into baking dish. You will need one that holds at least 2 quarts.


Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients into a bowl


cut butter and place into dry ingredients


mix butter into the flour (I used a pastry blender) until crumbly


Add milk and mix


Mix until moistened into dough. Spoon over hot apricot mixture


One thing I realized this morning when uploading my pictures, was I didn't take a picture of the cobbler completed. So hopefully I will get enough apricots to make another cobbler and then I will post a picture.

Meeting Buzz again

Buzz Lightyear is one of Cameron's favorite Disney characters. I am trying to be more of an effort of making video's of Cameron, Lord knows I have TONS of still shots. Cameron showed Buzz his Woody autograph book that I made him (the Buzz one is already full), I like Buzz's reaction!

A Fish Called Cameron

Cameron takes private swim lessons at the indoor Aquatic center in Hemet. He is really starting to become a good swimmer. Water safety is SO important to us. We hope that with in a year or so he becomes a strong swimmer so we can take him to do the fun water activities Larry and I enjoy like kayaking and someday white water rafting. But hey, you got to start somewhere.

Wordless Wednesday

A moment to brag

Jessica and I come from a very close family. This year, our cousin Ashley is graduating from High School. She is such a good kid with such a thirst for life! Her number one passion is Theatre and this passion has provided her much success in high school. Ashley sent out a little letter with her graduation announcement telling people what had been happening as her high school career finished up. She also discussed the awards she received for theatre. I will take this information from her own words,

At the theatre banquet I was awarded with Best Supporting Actress for my role as Marmee in Little Women the musical, Best Female Performance for my lead role as Eleanor/Milady in Starmites, plus Honor Chords and an Honor Medallion to wear at graduation. I was also voted Best Thespian by my peers which was an honor that now words can describe. Then the Murray's, my theatre teachers, awarded me Outstanding Theatre Student which is the highest award given to a Senior. On top of all of this I received a small scholarship of $250

Tomorrow is another awards ceremony, for academic achievements as well. We took Ashley's studio senior pictures today. We took her on location last summer and took some of her pictures on the beach and in Balboa Park. We, as a family, couldn't be more proud of the woman she has become! Congratulations Ashley!! We love you!!! And to the entire class of 2009, good luck in the future!






My FAVORITE with the cap and gown!


All of her theatre awards




Jessica made Ashely this scrapbook for her birthday, you can't see it on this small picture, but the tag says "it's a passion thing"

First Bloom

Back in April, Larry transplanted 20 rose bushes from our neighbors yard. They had moved to NC 6 months earlier and after the tenants who were renting their house moved out, the roses and two flowering plums started to look sad. Not knowing what would become of the house, we contacted them and asked them if we could transplant them so they could have a chance at survival. Well after transplanting on the HOTTEST weekend of the year and careful pruning, we are proud to report that ALL of the rose bushes and both of the trees are THRIVING! We even got our first blooms on one rose bush! Several other bushes are ready to just explode with roses!! We are thankful they let us take them, because they would have surely died (the house is still empty) but they will also make our yard very beautiful!

Go Mets!

Cameron started T-ball in May. I don't think there is anything cuter than him in his baseball uniform! He is on the Met's and his coaches name is Toni. So far we have been VERY blessed when it comes to teams and coaches! Opening ceremony's for the baseball season were on May 2nd.

Jessica, Keri (the other team mom) and I made the banner


SO CUTE!


Waiting to be announced

Kahoona Cameron

Cameron LOVES Turtle Talk with Crush at Disney's California Adventure. He especially loves it when he gets to talk to crush himself. This time I had the video camera ready. Make sure you have your sound up and enjoy!

Soccer Blessings!

Cameron as you know has been playing indoor soccer this year. I had prayed that he would get on a great team! God more than answered my prayers! Our team dynamic was AMAZING! I mean all the parents got along, all the kids got a long great, the coach was SO good with the kids and patient! All of the kids we're either home schooled, private schooled or lived within blocks of us. Several were business owners and the similarities went on and on. Needless to say, we all had a great time! The team was unstoppable as well! We went completely undefeated. Now let me interject here, in small kids sports like this, they don't keep official score . . . but after the first game it was obvious we had an amazing team and some parents took it on themselves to keep score. We only were scored on probably 3 times the whole season! But our team of 5 year olds made 67 goals in 10 games! I would say, in sports averages, that's pretty stinkin good! Cameron had a great time and we look forward to playing with this team again next season. Valley Wide will allow you to choose your team :) which makes this mama's heart happy! So for the last time for 2009 Go Stingrays!

Cameron & Gabriel, in their new soccer shirts


Cameron & Kniko


Pizza party




Coach Nester handing out awards


Cameron and his supersized trophy


The Stingrays


Cameron and Coach Nester

Dang that's a long time

This May 2 marked Larry and I's 10 year anniversary! We have been together more than a third of my life! That's crazy to think!! We met shortly after my 18th birthday started dating a few weeks later, then engaged 5 months later and married 11 months after that! 10 years! We often talk about how quick it went. How it hasn't seemed like 10 years could have passed. What's even weirder is that I'm old enough to have been in a relationship for that long. We will have our 9th wedding anniversary here in September . . . and that just blows our minds! So in honor of our 10 years together, here are a couple pictures from 10 years ago. Dang we looked young . . . oh wait, that's because we were!

Almost 2 years ago

Larry got a VERY important phone call today. One that will undoubtedly change our lives. It has been almost 2 years since Larry went to the COA academy. The engineer academy, if you will. Today he got called for a job. Not like in the past, where there was rumor that he was going to get a job, but he got the call for an ACTUAL job. As of Monday May 18th at 8am he will be officially working in Battalion 3. It's kind of hard to believe. I mean, when most people go to COA, they go because a job is waiting for them upon their return. We have been waiting patiently (most of the time) and we know that God had control of the situation . . . but it was still frustrating to see other people go to academy's after him and get placed into jobs. We are in a state of disbelief right now, the good kind. But excited all the same! I mean Larry will finally be able to use the training he received almost 2 years ago! There will be some additional financial compensation (a pay raise) and for the first time in 5 years he will be with in a 25 minute drive from our home! The downfalls are there also. This is a job on a schedule B engine, so he will probably be gone a great deal over the next several months, because they go anywhere the fires are. His schedule will change. For the last 5 years he's been a Mon, Tues, Wed shift, which meant he was off Thurs-Sun. But we know that God is in control and we look forward to what he has in store for us next!

pinning on his badge




ringing the bell


his class






Larry in his "outfit" striking a pose


My parents and Larry at his graduation

Wordless Wednesday

I have several friends who blog regularly and they do something called "Wordless Wednesday". I think this is great . . . because sometimes, you have nothing to say. I have plenty to say, it's time I'm lacking! So today I'm just going to post a picture. I think I will dig deep in the archives of photobucket! And in the future if I feel the pressure to blog about something, but don't have the words (you all know me and being witout words isn't really my style) or the time I may institute a "Wordless Wednesday" and just let you enjoy the quiet. Quiet is good!