[make: The Perfect Playdough.]

So.  It's raining (boo), and Katia's sleeping ... so what to do with the boys?  


Well, we thought making playdough would be fun ... and it was ... except I now LITERALLY look like "RedHanded Photography" *grin*.   I found the recipe online ... and it was super easy and took less than 10min total. I highly recommend it!!


Playdough Recipe


1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
1 cup water
food colouring

Mix first 4 ingredients in a pan. Add water and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes. Dough will become difficult to stir and form a “clump”.  Remove from stove and knead for 5 minutes–add food coloring during kneading process. Play dough will keep for a long time stored in a covered plastic container or plastic sandwich bag.

It made the perfect amount for the boys and neighbour friend.  Siah chose red *duh*, Tias chose yellow and the neighbour friend also chose red.

What else?  Well, I have a lot on my mind ... and with the boys heading to their grandparents for a sleepover, and Katia having a fairly early bedtime - tonight I intend on sitting in my music studio with my piano, my guitar, a pot of tea, a pad of paper and a purple sharpie.  Tonight - I write.  

It's hard to enjoy so many things, like photography, like digiscrapping, like hosting, like cooking, like writing music, like going out with friends, like preparing for a 1/2 marathon (oh.boy.) ... there's never enough time to do it all once the kiddies are asleep ... so.  Today, I just decided WHAT I was going to do tonight ... and writing is what  it's going to be; after my hubby leaves for hockey, I should say *grin*.

Not sure if it's going to be "worship" or just "life" music ... time spent at the piano is something that I've shared with you all before (click "worship" on the right under "filing drawer") ... It calms me and energizes me all at the same time *grin*.

Ok ... well ... as usual, I'm writing more than I have time for.  This was a playdough post, not a "sorting-out-my-schedule" post.  

I hope you have a great one, wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... do it to the best that you can today.  Even if it's "just" laundry and playdough making *grin*.  Because if you love what you're doing, it's NEVER "just".

Have a great one!

[digiscrap: Still Scrappin'.]

It's been a while since I've posted some digiscrap pages ... Truthfully?  I get overwhelmed with all the images I take ... but when I'm able to edit, burn, scrap, delete ... feels like spring cleaning to me *grin*.

I need to do more ... But here are a few pages I've done in the recent weeks.

double click images to enlarge ...

There's a "Weddings: Sam and Lana Part III" on my RHP blog HERE as well ... if you like looking a pics *grin* ... And you can join that blog by simply clicking the link on the right-hand side of the page there ... And here too *grin*.  If you want ... *wink* ... 

Oh right.  The pics.  Ok.  I mean ... how many brides do you know that have a t-shirt bazooka excessable to them??

What else?  Well ... our deck is almost finished.  That's exciting.  Although with this depressing weather, it may have been a waste.  I'm actually regretting taking out my kid's summer clothes out.  I'm regretting BUYING summer clothes, for that matter.  It really is ridiculous.

And I guess, aside from planning a challenging, long run tomorrow *eek* ... leading worship this past Sunday was a highlight for me.  "... My favourite day of the month," is what I always say.  Love God.  Love the people I am so privileged to play with.  Love the music we create.  It's such a life-breathing thing to be a part of.  Now, I just have to wait until next month before I get to be a part of it all over again *smile* ... 

OK.

Enough.

I could type forever.  Well ... not really ... time to pack up the kiddies and head to the market.  I'm making a Mexican feast for out-of-town friends tomorrow night ... blackened chicken fajitas, black bean and corn salsa, spanish rice, guacamole, fresh salsa, lime margaritas ... gotta pick up some fresh fixin's for that ...

Have a great one *smile*!

[make: Old Fashioned Pancakes.]

I am a little embarrassed to say it - but I hadn't ever made pancakes from scratch.  I mean, why would I?  Costco always has a bag of some sort of pancake mix for sale ... add water and poof: pancakes.   The spelt flour brand was our family staple.

But they stopped selling our favourite mix ... and instead, a multigrain one replaced it.  It was full of flaxseeds and whole grains.  I bought it ... and the kids HATED it.  

Boo.

So ... this morning I googled "pancake recipe" and found this.  It had rave reviews and I AGREE.  My kids LOVED them ... and it actually made its way into my recipe box (where only my tried and true recipes live).

Here's the recipe ... go grab some paper *grin*.

Old Fashioned Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla (my contribution to the recipe)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Make a well.  Add wet ingredients; mix well.  Lightly grease  griddle on medium heat ... scoop approx 1/4 cup of mixture onto griddle.  Flip.  Eat.  Be happy.

I'm going to try it with the spelt flour I have ... if the recipe needs to be adjusted, I'll let you know *grin*.  

But these ones?  They were fluffy and most of all ... completely devoured.

AND.

"Weddings: Sam and Lana Part II" is up ... check out my RedHanded Photography blog HERE ...  here's a teaser *grin* ...

Ok ... SO.  I'm in Starbucks as I type this ... waiting for a bride for a 2012 wedding consult ... can't wait to hear what the plans are *smile*!  And then?  Off to a photoshoot downtown at Kits ... eek.  Honestly?  Today is INSANE ... soccer camps, photoshoots, ... I even set the alarm and ran this morning.  Feel good about that ...

Tomorrow?

Another photoshoot at Campbell Valley Park and ... everything else that needs to be done.  Except dinner ... going to my in-laws for some incredible Italian food.  Hmmm.  Better run tomorrow too.

OK.  The bride should be here any minute :-) ...

Have a great one!!

[redhandedphotography: Sam & Lana.]

Summer has been stupid BUSY already ... but I wanted to send you a link to my RedHanded Photography blog HERE because of a post I put up today of Sam and Lana's wedding ... 

It was such a fun wedding ... there'll be three posts in total by the time I'm finished.

And what else?  Oh, the usual ... busy with family, hosting, renovating (well - our backyard is getting a bit of a facelift ...).  The kids are anxious to get to their summer camps next week, then it's swimming lessons and the likes.  I'm leading worship on Sunday morning - very, very excited about that.  Worship grounds me, and having been away last week I literally feel like I'm drowning, trying to catch up on everything with work and household projects.  Sometimes being away means twice as much to do when you get back *grin* ...

But hey - at least I'm not bored *grin*.  And the family time we were able to have last week was really wonderful.  I'll post more on that ... later?  *eek*.  There's never enough time!!  *GRIN*

So ... if YOU have a sec, head over to my RHP blog HERE and leave a comment.  Would love to know you stopped by!  

Have a great one!

[redhandedphotography: Dave, Ann and the Gang.]

We are enjoying a few family-days away together in the Okanagan heat ... It's lovely to wake up knowing that the sun will be shining - although I hear that our friends and family are enjoying some much deserved sunshine back at home too!  I hope it sticks around ... say, until October??  

The boys are avid swimmers - but this is the first summer that Katia is able to ... walk?? *grin*. Yup ... she's enjoying the kiddie pool and her pink tutu swimsuit.  

But  being away doesn't mean I don't have work to do *smile*.   It's all good ... after a day of swimming and sunning and playing and eating ... the kids are wiped and by 9pm I'm able to get in an hour or so of work.

There's a new post on my RedHanded Photography blog.  Do you know Dave and Ann?  Oh, you probably do *grin* ...  here's a preview - 

But why not just head to the blog HERE and take a looksie. It was a lot-of-people-rain-drenched-children-teary-eyed-shoot ... a bit of a challenge, but to see the joy on Dave and Ann's faces ... so great.

Ok ... kids are up now - time to lather on the sunscreen.  Hope you have a fantastic day, and that the sun is shining wherever you are!!

Have a great one!