Sick Day with Rain

Well, it was pouring rain outside. And inside my little Mara was so sick she hardly got off the couch all day.

Since I had made a ham over the weekend, I decided to make it a cooking day. . . I made Ham and Potato Soup for lunch (and another dinner meal later in the week).

For dinner I made a pasta salad with chopped ham, tomatoes, cucumbers, grated carrots and ranch dressing. Unfortunately, I had to cook the pasta twice–since the first time I was changing a diaper while the timer rang and I overcooked the pasta to the point that it was mush! I will eat (almost) anything. But that pasta was nasty. People that know will be proud of me: I threw it away and started over. And yes, for me, that IS an accomplishment.

In the crockpot I made a ham/lentil soup for weekday lunches for the kids and me. I also chopped ham for Garlic Potatoes & Ham later in the week. (At the end of the week when the rain lets up, we’ll also have Honey Mustard Chicken on the grill. I love summer! and I love that Daniel is happy to grill dinner for me any night I ask!)

And finally since I had two cups of grated carrots leftover (thanks to my amazing cuisinart food processor!!!), I decided to make Carrot Muffins with cream cheese frosting. I’d never made this recipe before, but I was looking for something other than a cake, since that sounds soo unhealthy. I’m not sure the muffins were really any healthier though.

The muffins themselves were very good, but they were not too sweet and somehow (Daniel & I agreed) that the super-sweet cream cheese frosting didn’t really complement them. Even Mara said it was too much and asked if I could scape the frosting off hers! I think I would make them next time without the frosting. 🙂

At the end of the day I went to let the dogs out–in the rain–and discovered a praying mantis on the inside of our screen door! Praying mantises are among the most intricate, complicated insects. They are another reflection to me of God’s [transcendent] creative genius. I caught the little guy in a vase and rubber-banded a lightweight cloth over the top.

I can’t wait to show the kids in the morning! I love learning! and watching the children learn! I can hardly keep myself from going to Micah’s room and waking him up so he can see it! . . .