Fresh

It all started with a perfect date with my Husband. What does a perfect date entail you might ask. Free babysitting (thanks to friends), Costco, Trader Joes, and a beautiful Park. Yes running errands was part of our perfect date. We dreamt about things we wish we could buy at two of our favorite stores. I was wishing for the Spanish olive oil at Trader Joes, while Jacob dreamt about frozen egg rolls, and commercial size bags of cheetos. Of course being practical about our cash situation we bought things like 3000 square feet of saran wrap, 6 months worth of wipes, 1 bag of wheat flour, rice milk, and some chocolate for our treat. Can you guess how much being frugal cost that night? $60.00 my friends. For boring stuff. Boo. Anyway, the date gets better. We found an amazing park to hang out in where we could dream some more while we ate said chocolate. This park over looked the river and had an amazing look out. A look out that we didn't even think was possible in our flat mid-western state. So, the ambiance was romantic, the chocolate delicious, and my husband refreshingly wonderful (as usual).

The lettuce in my garden is fresh, our Stromboli dinner tasted fresh, and our bag full of cherries in the fridge are also fresh. This is why I love summertime.

Stromboli

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:
Adapted from All Recipes

• 2 1/4 teaspoons SAF instant yeast
  
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in kitchen aid. Add oil and water and mix with dough hook until smooth and elastic. Adding more flour if needed. Let dough rise in bowl covered with plastic wrap for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Roll out pizza dough in cornmeal. Shape into a large circle about 1/4" thick (thicker if you so desire). Over half of the surface spread toppings like Hard Genoa Salami, sliced turkey, tomatoes, bell peppers, vidalia onions, Anaheim peppers, banana peppers, fresh basil, etc... Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese of choice. Fold over the dough and pinch the edges. Bake on a pizza stone, or pan, for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Buonissimo!

For Your Entertainment

Have you ever seen a one year old that loves salad? Let me show you one...

8:59 AM

It's overcast and muggy today, surprisingly I am loving it. We had waffles for breakfast as Jacob hurried out the door for work. Luci waved with both hands saying bu bye Dada. I read and pondered while Luci played wonderfully by herself until 8:15 when we set out for our morning walk. I love our little neighborhood. Every yard is kept immaculately. The birds chirp wildly, really, I feel like we live in a forest sometimes with how wild they are. Other than the birds it is oh so quiet...all the time. Would you believe that we live just 15 minutes from the city?

Anyway, on our walk I decided to maybe try a little jogging. I haven't been running since I hurt my knee last summer. I jogged for about 7 minutes and it didn't hurt! That is good news folks.

So we've returned from our walk/jog, and Luci is supposed to be napping. But alas, she is jabbering away in her crib, making airplane noises, and probably doing the hand motions to go with it. She loves airplanes these days.

On my list today:

• Finish Monday's laundry
• Mop kitchen floor
• Make something delicious for the S family (thanks for babysitting yesterday!)
• YOGA tonight!!
• Read new books from library while Jacob plays basketball

So, now it is 9:18. And I'd better hop to it! Luci can only entertain herself with airplane noises for so long you know.

YMCA!

Banana's require concentration. How do you like the new car seat?