In your mouth - or on your face

That title sounds a wee bit dirty, but it was all I could think of to describe my children eating spaghetti. Why is that kids love that food yet it is so incredibly messy? Event the baby does not mind that he only can get 1-2 strands at a time, they love it.

I am as shocked as you that they are wearing shirts.

Why is she friends with me

That is a very valid question for many of my friends, but especially my-friend-Sonia. I seem to only call her my-friend-Sonia like people don't' know by now that I have a friend named Sonia and she knows everything. And gives excellent advice. And knows when I am being totally cra-cra.

Anyway, when I was planning James' party I had the excellent idea to give away Make Your Own Ice Cream packs complete with wooden spoon, ice cream cup and recipe. Adorable, right?

It was adorable until I realized I should have ordered the cups with lids online as I was having trouble finding them. 

 This was totally my vision. Not going to happen. Insert hyperventilation here.

Which is where my-friend-Sonia comes in. I was going on and on and on about my terrible misfortune when she suggested that I just "put them in a bag".

If looks could kill she would be dead.

I am sorry, do I LOOK like someone who would just put something that darling into a bag?  Seriously. It was like she didn't even know me. She immediately begin laughing and apologizing when I turned on my heel and left.

After more research and visiting all craft stores in the greater Houston area this is I ended up with:

Yep, it's a bag. Granted, a bag with a cute tag and sticker that matched the invite, tied with the ever so trendy bakers twine and filled with the fixings for ice cream, a wooden spoon and two ice cream cones.

But still...I do owe her an apology. Sigh. I am really a piece of work sometimes.

I am Smitten

Do you read the blog, Smitten Kitchen? If not you should; right now. I will wait.

I love Deb. First I love that her name is Deb and second I love that everything she makes is delicious. While that may seem just like another one of my sweeping statements, it is also the truth. Now, some of her items are a bit out there, I will give you that. For example I have no desire or time to make Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas, mainly because I don't know what those last two things are.

BUT I have made a variety of her more normal dishes and my favorite is Buttermilk Roast Chicken. It is my go-to chicken dish on busy weeks. All you do is mix sugar, salt, pepper, garlic and paprika into buttermilk pour it over chicken, let soak and bake.

Delicious and so, so easy.

 

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

adapted only minimally from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups regular milk with 1 tsp white vinegar, wait 5 minutes then use)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts (we used all legs)*
Drizzle of olive oil
Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish

Whisk buttermilk with garlic, table salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Place chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour buttermilk brine over them, then swish it around so that all parts are covered.
Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours. (This is key. Don't try to forget and make it the same day. Mix it all up on Sunday and bake it after work Tuesday. Or have your babysitter do it like I do.)

When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil (totally necessary - super easy clean up)
Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and arrange in dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste.
Roast for 30 minutes (for legs; approximately 35 to 40 for breasts), until brown and a bit scorched in spots. Serve immediately or later. It is great reheated and in lunches. 

* I have tried it with the skin on and skin removed. Alex and I like it better with the skin off, but when I am lazy I leave it on and remove it before I serve it/eat it.

2 out of 3

Alex has been getting home earlier as of late and all of us are glad to see him. The boys are glad as the wrestling and sword fighting can begin. I am glad as the wrestling and sword fighting can begin and I can slink off and hide.

I don't even know how this reading time happened  They are in our living room (where we never sit), James is not wearing a shirt (incredibly odd in our house) but is apparenlty wearing hot pants and Alex looks like he has not showered in days. My little family in all their glory.

Nailed It

I spotted this on Pinterest and knew it was happening for Halloween. We still all go together and I thought the neighborhood kids would like this.

So the boys and I set about making it happen on Halloween night. I drilled holes in our pumpkin and Zach stuck in the Blow Pops and Carmel Apple pops.

Yes, we are white trash, my child is shirtless with a tattoo  Why, you ask? Oh he already spilled water on his Spider-Man costume since he was wearing it when I got home at 5pm. I had to cross my fingers and put it in the dryer. I insisted he at least put on pants to be in the driveway. I do have some standards.

Finished product:

Nailed it.

Scenes from a party

Way back in July when my baby turned one I threw a party. Remember? In typical Kinsey fashion I was very proud of myself and made my dad take excessive photos of the decorations because I know everyone would just be dying to see.

You are welcome.

Naturally the idea was spawned from Pinterest and my Granny making cupcakes in ice cream cones. I actually did not go THAT overboard, but we had fruit in ice cream cones, rice crispys shaped like popsicles and on sticks (technically a total fail as the heat kept melting the marshmallow) and wooden spoons.

How did this photo of a child get in here? 

Oh yes, to show that Caroline was a HUGE fan of my wooden spoons and ice cream cups. 

Isn't she darling loving my theme?

And this photo I just liked of three dads "watching" the children. At least Matt was holding a child while drinking. Wait...that might make him the bad guy.

Angry German

Last weekend we made our annual trip to the Houston Zoo Boo. You know who was there?

An angry German.

Ah James. My darling 15 month old pain in the....This is his standard face. He is angry all the time (I don't know why either, Tim McGraw). We put him in the lederhosen purchased in Austria and sported by his brother here and here. He filled it out perfectly and looked adorable. But he might cut you if you get too close.

People would ask what he was and I would reply, "An angry German.". They all shook their heads as if that made perfect sense. Being German myself I take no offense.

Spiderman was also in attendance, shooting his web and being too tired to walk.

This was the first year we actually decorated a mini-pumpkin. Usually we just pop in, take a photo and a pumpkin and leave. But Zach was into coloring the pumpkin with the paint pens they had for them. It is currently on his nighstand.

What is this?! A smile out of James? I know. I am as shocked as you. Alex snapped this in one hot minute of him not being angry and right before he threw that pumpkin at my head. It is serious over here people.

But then, look at this. Doesn't he look just like a 60 year old German man?

I am pretty sure if he knew some German cuss words he would be yelling them at you right now though. Or any cuss words for that matter.