My Ta-Da! List

Inspired by another blogger I have decided to post a Ta-Da! List today. Instead of focusing on what I can't accomplish I'll focus on what I have done. I have figuratively worked my butt off (figuratively because my butt is unfortunately all still there) today.

1.Washed, folded, put away 4 tall baskets of laundry (Can you believe there is more to do?!)
2. Washed 2 drying rack full of dishes (more of those too)
3. Vacuumed living room, dining room, hallway, kids' room, and office (the living room and dining room need to be done again and I need to take the dust buster to the edges of all the rooms)
4. Picked up the living room and helped the kids do the dining room and their room
5. Reorganized my yarn bins
6. Hung lots of stuff on the walls
7. Made lunch, simple as it was
8. Sorted the clothes for the season change
9. Supervised the kids numerous chores
10. Organized the kids craft area
11. Sorted things for the swap
12. Nursed and diapered the baby many times over, of course
13. Sneezed a hundred times from all the dust (yesterday Shawn and I unpacked the garage)
14. Finally sewed the buttons on two knitted items that have been waiting months

And now Ivy is finally napping. She's been a patient girl, especially since she's teething, and has spent a lot of time cuddling and playing with daddy.

Once she wakes up I want to finish the dishes, clean my own room, and maybe if I have time clean the bathroom. The bathroom will probably have to wait till tomorrow along with the rest of the laundry and the vacuuming.

I do feel pretty satisfied with what I've done but would be a lot happier if my kitchen and bedroom are clean before I go to bed.

Want to post your Ta-Da! List?

To Do List

As the water for the coffee is boiling and thus I'm not completely awake I thought I'd make up a list of what I need to accomplish today.

-Fold 4 loads of laundry (and ideally wash about that many more)
-Wash 2 sink fulls of dishes
-Vacuum the living room and dining room (who the hell thinks that carpet in a room for eating is a good idea?)
-Sew skirts for Julie, 20 or so I think
-Unpack books (yes, we still have lots that is not unpacked)
-Scrub the bathtub
-Turn the pears into pear sauce before they become compost

And of course make 3 meals from scratch, nurse the baby multiple times, do homeschool, break up fights, make snacks, change diapers, etc

And the other things which I would like to do but won't
-Make salsa (but of course I'd first need to clean the food processor that I got for free off Freecycle)
-Bake bread
-Unpack and organize the school box
-Clean the kids' room
-Steam clean the carpets (read about carpeting dining room above)

I just do not have enough time in the day or hands to get it all done. I need a clone.

Update: Right after I clicked "Publish" I heard the water boiling for the coffee. I had to pour it one handed since I was carrying Ivy so I put the French Press in the sink and poured the boiling water in then the press slipped and sent coffee grounds and boiling water across the kitchen. Luckily no one was burned except me but now I have to start the coffee ritual all over again. Awesome.

A Tuscan Meal

This time of year my mind turns to soup and one of my favorites is perfectly timed with our CSA delivery and our garden output. The Tuscan Peasant Soup has been a favorite of mine for years.

Here is the original recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 Italian sausages, mild, about 1 pound
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 onion; small
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dry basil
• 1 salt and pepper to taste
• 1 parmesan, grated or romano

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown Italian sausages on all sides; slice sausages 1/2-inch thick rounds. Use non-stick cooking spray or a little vegetable oil if using turkey Italian sausage. Pour off excess fat. Add to skillet the celery, zucchini and onion. Saute 2 minutes longer, stirring. In crockpot, combine beef broth, tomato sauce, and basil. Add sausage and vegetable mixture; cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve this hearty soup with garlic bread or crusty Italian bread.

I make variations of this in Fall. This year we used tomatoes from our garden to make the sauce, I skipped the celery, and slow cooked it overnight before adding the sausage. We use summer squash and zucchini and added onion. I used ground sausage and made meatballs.

We had this for lunch with sliced Tuscan melon from our CSA delivery.

Each time the soup turns differently each time but I recommend trying it with your own variations during the cool days of Fall.