Well, I had a rather interesting night. And that has forced me to take a little unplanned vacation. 3am last night I awoke really sick to my stomach. Passed out. Came to. Realized my heart was out of rhythm. Like a good "patient", I took a quick bath, cleaned up the kitchen, woke the baby and nursed her, called 911 and then woke my husband to tell him I had just called a squad for myself. The medics arrive. I hush them warning I didn't want to wake my kids. They hook me up and took me for a ride to the hospital. I was in atrial fibrillation. Which means my atrial valves of my heart were just kinda hanging open causing my heart to beat out of rhythm. I got some meds. Felt better. Converted. Begged to go home to my baby and they let me. Now I'm dealing with a massive headache. They said from the co2 buildup in my brain. But I'm home. Laying on my living room floor next to my baby. And my heart is fine. A little r&r will be good for me.
Oh fresh food, how you sustain me!
If you know anything about me, you know, I LOVE food. LOVE IT! More than going to movies or doing anything else, 
give me a great meal with great fresh foods and flavors and I am satisfied.
Lately, my wonderful husband has been quite the domestic diva. I think he's in training mode for retirement already which is just a short 4 years away (:>) He'll be 49, started his career early as a park ranger and in law enforcement so we are so excited to have him home full time at that point. My "day job" at THE local university has me working most Monday evenings and my hubby is on his own to cook that night. Last week, I made the stuffing for cabbage rolls and to my surprise...he made them and again...to my surprise they were good. Now mind you, most of the time, when I tell him what to cook, he has an idea on how to improve it and doesn't actually follow my directions. Results are still wonderful - and so appreciated.
On Monday, I told him how to make a chicken pot pie, and for those of you out there who don't cook, and you know who you are, ahhh...jen...this is a recipe so easy even my 7 year old twins could make it. I was so impressed that I took a photo of what was left of his masterpiece. The funny thing is, the next morning, I told him I had taken a photo of it and he started laughing...because, he too had taken a photo of it on his iphone so that he could share his "work" with his buddies.
Here's the recipe...so easy:
Refrigerated
pie crusts, 10 oz. of canned chicken, a package of frozen mixed vegetables, can of cream of potato soup, sage, rosemary,and thyme to taste. Mix. Pour into crust, put another crust on top and bake. Could it be easier?
For a better taste, boil some chicken breasts and shred them instead of the canned chicken. Add some cheese and / or sour cream...that makes it yummy too.
We just started our littlest one on solid foods. So far she has had carrots, beans and sweet potatoes. Today was carrot day and they were so pretty after I poured them from the pot, I had to take a photo of them. I am a BIG supporter of shopping local, buying organic and eating whole foods. Our family, most especially my kids, do not like a lot of processed foods and the like. My husband and I like them more than our kids - we've been so strict with their eating that even when we try to give them junk, like pudding in their lunch box, I get the "NOOOOO! I HATE pudding! I want tomatoes, no dressing!" REally? Tomatoes over pudding? What have I done!
So today, I boiled up some carrots, added some water and pureed them. She loved them. Of course, organic. Here's my philosophy on that...since the industrial revolution where we went from small local farms supplying the local community to huge farms who ship foods all across the country, we have had a huge rise in the incidence in cancer. Why would you want to fill your body, your kids body with all those chemicals that could trigger environmental influenced cancers. A good read, Rachel Carsons Silent Spring...still relevant today.
Now I don't go all the way here...I typically shop from the dirty dozen list. I purchase organics of the foods that have the highest percentage of pesticides, etc. Plus, just like our company name, Two Peas in a Pod HOMEGROWN designs, we have a huge garden. The husband does a good job at supplying us with our own fresh yummies for at least half the year. And I buy local if I can. We buy our milk in glass jugs from a dairy in Wooster. Just good for the environment when your food doesn't have to travel so far. I'll get off my soapbox but - Go Green! Buy Local, buy organic! AND...then, come visit my shop for some great recycled vintage market bags to carry home all your great fresh foods! Print a copy of the dirty dozen list from the link below! Happy eating everyone! Eat to sustain your body - fill it with healthy good stuff! YUM-O!
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/Dirty-Dozen-Foods
Halloween Greetings...
As promised...a few photos 
from my house and a few of my Halloween decorations. Over dinner tonight, my husband and I were discussing our annual party - we host the kids first and then invite their families to come back later for s'mores and a campfire in our backyard. We decided this year that we would also do a night hike to look for "things that go bump in the night" through our back pasture and into our woods. I like Halloween because it's just a lot of fun!
I love the vintage Halloween stuff best. I told my girls that when they grow up someday, I'd give them parts of my village (oh yes, there is an entire Halloween village) and they replied that in fact no, they had planned that when I die, to bury me with my favorite village piece. I thought that was pretty funny...at least they know how much I LOVE this holiday. So, you'll hear me say this many times this month...Happy Halloween Greetings!
Danger! Warning! I repeat...I am NO GOOD at paper crafts!
OK...so I find out yesterday that my twins will have their first Holy Communion in...gasp!
three weeks!! I take them out for ice cream after our class and head over the scrapbooking store to see what ideas I can get for making invites for their big day.
I am clueless. I have no idea what the stuff is for, how to use it, nothing! So I buy some plain brown paper and head home. I had some cool Amy Butler papers already, some ribbon, a few tags and here's what I came up with in one hour. I have to say...I can be pretty darn crafty at times, eh?
And for all those Moms who don't want to spend $150 - $500 on a communion dress...oh yes, you heard right. Seriously, check out prices on line for these dresses. SHhheez! It's crazy...I found some great ones under the special occassion dresses for Gymboree. For under $40! Cha-ching!