A preview of my spectacular photography..

So, I know you can't see this guy very well due to my inablity to zoom with my camera phone.. but he has been popping up on my swing set lately (the swingset came with the house.. don't jump to any conclusions!) and yesterday he even brought a buddy.. who flew away before I could get a picture. Pretty amazing to see. I am slightly perturbed thinking about the fact that he is probably scaring away/eating all my beautiful cardinals.. and also that he could easily eat Scoot. But it is still pretty neat. Here is another picture I found on google that shows you a better view of what kind of bird I think he is.. the closest thing that I thought he looked like is a red-tailed hawk. But the images of google look like a smaller bird.. the two birds I saw are HUGE!

Life in Coon Rapids is so exciting!

Bad Blogger!

So I have been a bad blogger.. but I have an excuse, kind of. I blame it all on my irresponsible nature.. which I'd like to blame on someone else.. but I have all very responsibly minded influences in my life.
First, I lost the charger to my camera.. so all my pictures I had taken with that.. I can't blog with until I find one of my two chargers for my camera.. I know, I know.
Second, I somehow managed to drop my phone in a cup of water.. and lost all the pictures on there.. Again.. I know how ridiculous I am.
So, I am out of pictures to blog with..but I have a new phone.. so I will catch up soon.. maybe. :)

Little things

Listening to this

Watching this, surprising I know.

Eating this.

Reading this

and this.

Enjoying these.

What are you enjoying right now?

Last Resort Taxi... at your service!

If you are ever in need of a ride back from the airport, I would love to help! But, be sure to check with your friends, neighbors, local Target cashier.. and if all else fails, call me! And maybe for your own peace of mind.. don't check my driving record.. you will feel so much better if you don't! :)

Tuesday Naphtali and Aidan came home from the East coast!
Aidan was a very lively passenger!

The ever-lovely Naphtali, with her equally lovely hat!

GILAD

How can you resist this face?
I discovered Gilad last year when I was living at home for two weeks before I got married. Apparently, this is who my mom works out with every morning.. Dad did you know this? Anyways, I was hooked and bought this, and I am amazed at what a great workout it is! I always feel so motivated, which I think is due in part to all the winking and " Let's get rid of all this MUSH-MUSH on our thighs" and " You LOVE this exercise, you WANT this exercise"... etc. And all the winking. Eric is absolutely scandalized by Gilad. Nothing like a man in 80's spandex to motivate you. Ha!

Farmer's Market, Oh how I love thee, let me count the ways....

We found the most amazing gelato ever, at the Farmer's Market.. you are probably fully aware of how great it is, by the entirely too happy look on my face! We ended up choosing salted caramel and raspberry rhubarb, a winner for sure.

After Eric took the picture of me, he asked to "borrow" the gelato, and I never saw it again.. I have a rough life.

More beautiful flowers.

Dan, you must come visit me and we will go to the Farmer's Market and buy cheese, they had so much delicious cheese! All locally made and aged like you wouldn't believe.

I love kohlrabi with a little salt, and I have been eating it like it is going out of style.

I bought a beautiful bunch of carrots, and have been waiting for my lovely mother to come visit, so I can make her favorite cake!

My Dad always says, "I like pictures of dogs", I happen to like pictures of beets. I also thought Naphtali would appreciate the beets.

Last but not least, Snappy Dog Salsa, extra spicy. So incredibly delicious, and it lives up to it's spicy name. It has Eric's eyes watering when he eats it, and he's an Indian!

All in all we had a wonderful time at the Farmer's Market in St. Paul. I had never been to any farmer's market before, and it exceeded my expectations. There are so many beautiful displays and fun people to watch. We have also suddenly become very healthy, with berries every morning, and squash and kohlrabi coming out of our ears along with every other vegetable!

Rhubarb Muffins

I recently have become obsessed with rhubarb.. I know I am a little late to catch onto the trend, but I cannot get enough of it! These muffins are wonderful, but they get even better if you toss in some raspberries!

Rhubarb Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with paper cups.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla and buttermilk with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix by hand just until blended. Stir in the rhubarb and walnuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling almost to the top. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, white sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of this mixture on top of each muffin.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for at least 10 minutes before removing. Makes 24 muffins.

Credit: here