Today I became a Soccer Mom

My mom is probably cracking up somewhere as I’m writing this. Yep, today I became what I swore 10 years ago that I would never become, a Soccer Mom. I signed up Thade for youth soccer at our local community center. It looks like it is going to be a lot of fun for the kiddos, and Thade is thrilled. We need to get some cleats, and he receives a T-shirt with his team logo soon. The coach should call soon with the practice schedules too. Its too bad David Beckham isn’t a local and the Soccer Coach 😉

We still have a month before the games start, and then they are played on Saturdays. I’ll be taking lots of pictures of our Soccer Star, and I bet Dylan will have fun getting to go to the games too.
Hmmm, Nico the Soccer Mom, I can smell a Mini-Van in my near future 😉

More Treats from Nico’s Kitchen

The last few weeks, I’ve been attempting to make Homemade Pies from Scratch. My Great-Grandmother was the World’s best Pie Maker. She would make these amazing Coconut Cream Pies piled high with Meringue. Sometimes she would have to make 2, because I would eat all of the Meringue off of them, but she didn’t mind.

I have a love of Apricot pie, which I’ve just learned that my Great-Grandmother loved to make also. She was also a cook at the high school that my Mom went too, my Great- Grandma would make enough Apricot Pie to feed 500 kids. It was one of her favorites, I guess that is why I love it so much too 🙂 It is hard to find though, and expensive when you do find them. So I have been on a quest in my kitchen to make Homemade Pies just as good as my Great- Grandmother’s.

My First Attempt: Homemade (crust and all) Peach Pie

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O.k. so it wasn’t the prettiest Peach Pie, but oh my goodness it was so tasty. The crust was perfectly flaky, and the filling was Peach Perfection. That pie completely ruined me on ever purchasing a store bought pie, or even a trip to our Local Tea house that serves really expensive pie. Yep I was hooked, and ready to bake again 🙂

Second Attempt: Nico’s All-Time Favorite Apricot Pie (from scratch)

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All I can say is WOW this one was definitely the winner! Even my hubby (who isn’t a fruit pie fan) loved this one! I used my Mom’s Longaberger dish to bake the pie in. I was a little nervous about baking in someone else’s pottery, I have a big fear of breaking dishes. The Deep Dish Longaberger Pottery did just the trick, and the pie turned out perfectly. Even the crust was prettier, and the filling was Apricot-tastic 🙂 I’ll be baking this one again soon.

Mine were pretty close to my Great Grandmother’s, but her’s will always be very favorite. My brother has a birthday coming up soon, and I’m going to attempt the Coconut Cream Pie with Meringue for him. I might just have to make two, its a tradition after all 😉

Nico’s Daily To Do’s

I’m a big list maker, and having a set schedule really helps me out (thanks O.C.D.) I’ve been working on my daily to do list off and on, and I think I finally have a pretty good list together. I’m still revising my weekly and monthly to do’s 😉 So here we go:

Nico’s Daily To Do List:

A.M.:

  • Make Beds
  • Make Breakfast for everybody
  •  Feed and Water Cats (Thade’s chore most days)
  • Wash Dishes
  • Empty Upstairs Trash Cans
  • Clean High Chair
  • Wash at least 1 Load of Laundry
  • Make Lunch for everybody
  • Clean Kitchen Surfaces

Afternoon:

  • Sweep Kitchen, Dining Room, Foyer
  • Swiffer/Vacuum Living Room
  • Fold Laundry
  • Empty the Downstairs Trash Cans
  • Take out the Trash
  • Put away Clean Laundry
  • Dust and Windex Downstairs
  • Bills, E-mails, Nicostuff Orders, and Phone Calls

Evening:

  • Make Dinner and Dylan’s Nighttime Bottles
  • Sweep Kitchen and Dining Room
  • Wash Dishes
  • Make Coffee for Tomorrow (very important)
  • Feed and Water Cats

I’m pretty sure that I forgot a few things, and I know there will always be something new to add to the list. I hope that having my new list will keep me on track with all of the daily housework 🙂

 

Are you a list maker too? What are a few of your daily To Do’s?

Party Clean Up

I’m catching up today, and cleaning up from the party. We all had such a fun weekend, and I greatly enjoyed the break from the kitchen 🙂  Everyone visited yesterday to watch the Daytona 500 and celebrate the big 28 with me. We had lots of yummy cake too. I have lots to get accomplished around the house today, and dishes and laundry to catch up too 🙂

Who Will Win?

Are you watching the Daytona 500 today? I’m hoping for a Matt Kenseth (#17) win, and the boys are all cheering for Kevin Harvick (#29)! It would be nice to a see Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88) win too 🙂

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If you are watching the race today, who are you cheering for?