Random Recaps, Roast Chicken, and a Summer Salad Staple

As I type this, I am sitting in my sister Megan's kitchen. My beautiful little baby girl Lucy is sleeping in the studio portion of this lovely, gracious old apartment, and Megan is busy making approximately 23,498 frappucinos in 7.5 minutes at Starbucks. I'm...basically...ALONE. Yes, it's true. Lucy and I are celebrating our first girl's weekend with Auntie Meg, and after an incredibly uneventful drive in which I set the cruise control and basically sat motionless for 2.5 hours, I am savoring every single darn moment of this very rare time. *cue a very long, very satisfied sigh of complete and utter contentment*

So what am I doing? Blogging.

What better time to get caught up on some of the happenings here at The Epic Adventures of Skarymop & Co. than right now? Let's not delay a single moment!

First, a small recap of last month's highlights. Our precious Lukie-Loo, Lukers, The Luke, Geeko Geeko, Cool Hand Luke, our sweet Lucas turned two in June.

Lucas after smashing his nose on the bathtub.

Mommy and Lukie.

Wild Man Lucas.

Buzz Lukeyear to the rescue!

Fun with Unky Nate.

Dear Lord, thank You for our platinum blonde, ever-so-toothy, little lad Lucas. Thank You that he is in that wonderful stage of still liking me. I pray for the Holy Spirit to empower us as we embark upon that stage that is oh-so-innocently (and deceptively) entitled "POTTY TRAINING". 

Amen, and Amen. 

Moving on.

Random Recap Item #2: My herb garden is exploding in the most scandalous manner. Now don't laugh; I realize that my herb garden is a bit on the pathetically small side, but as someone who desperately lacks the gift of gardening (why, oh WHY does everything DIE on me??), I am positively thrilled with the immense herbaceousness of it all. I've also learned something about myself: If I can eat it, I will grow it. Practicality prevails!! It all started with a little basil and oregano from my mother-in-law...

...And then a little thyme and some chives from me mum...

We call him..."Spike". 

Put it together and what have you got...Bibbity Bobbity...HERBS!

Hmm. Somehow doesn't quite have the same ring to it. At any rate, I am delighted and yet overwhelmed with the prolificness of it all. What to do with all of this green goodness? Well, basil; that's easy. PESTO PESTO PESTO x infinity. Done. Chives? Snip them into scrambled eggs (the boys regularly request eggs and chives), sprinkle them over potato salad, make a chive dip, munch on them to attract your husband (HAHA)...chives are very adaptable. Oregano? Strip the leaves from the stem, tear them up or coarsely chop them, then sprinkle onto your homemade pizza on PIZZA NIGHT! And then there's thyme...O Thyme of Great Mysteriousness, what shalt we do with thee? Well, I am of the most humble opinion that thyme goes better with chicken than any other meat alive (or dead, for that matter), and so I give to thee (after a heatwave of 100 degrees for nearly a week straight)...

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

- Slightly adapted from the February 2006 issue of Real Simple

1 3-4 lb. roasting chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2  tsp. kosher salt, divided

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

1 large bunch of thyme

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees (I know, I know). Rinse the chicken inside and out, then remove its gross innards (giblets, etc). Pat the birdie dry with a paper towel, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan or a dutch oven (I LOVE my 7.5 quart Le Creuset for this). Tuck the chicken wings behind it (think placing your hands behind your head and relaxing on a sunny beach). Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, then sprinkle it with 1 tsp. of salt and the pepper. Cut the lemon in half; squeeze one half over the chicken, then place the other half in the cavity. Take the thyme and stuff it in the cavity alongside the lemon. Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees, then add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan. Continue to roast, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes or until done. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before carving. 

I know what you're thinking. "She's NUTS. Why on earth is she posting a roast chicken recipe in JULY??" Okay, okay; fair enough. Just bookmark the darn thing for October, and you can thank me later. Believe me, my friends; you want to hang on to this one. The lemon just infuses the entire chicken with such a warm, bright flavor, and the thyme adds a wonderfully bright freshness to it. And prep time? Under 10 minutes. I love to serve this with a rice pilaf and peas, or a loaf of homemade bread. It's just one of those meals that is the epitome of comfort food. And we could all stand a little comfort here and there, couldn't we? 

Thus ends Random Recap Item #2.

Let us end this most prolonged post with something actually fitting for summertime. It is time for...

Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad.

This salad is a summer staple for us at any barbeque, birthday party, etc. My mom made it frequently for us during the warmer months, and I have no idea where she got the recipe. It was probably from a church potluck of sorts, and those are always good places for forgetting where a recipe came from at an alarming rate of speed. Since then, I have added a couple of my own little twists to it. It's ridiculously easy:

1) Slice four tomatoes into wedges.

2) Halve a generous handful of yellow grape tomatoes (it adds such lovely color!)

3) Slice 1 English cucumber into very thin rounds. (SO thrilled with my translucent slices! I'm having way too much fun with my new mandoline slicer.)

4) Slice 1/2 an onion into very thin slices. Wow, that wasn't repetitive at all. 

5) Add 1/2 bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing (DON'T. HATE.)

6) Toss it all together, refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors combine and marinate a bit.

AND THAT'S IT!!

Very fresh, quick, and yummy, although I must admit to growing a tiny bit weary of the extreme sweetness of good ol' Zesty Italian. I've been making my own salad dressing for a couple of years now, so I'm thinking it might be time to change things up a bit and try this for a slightly more sophisticated flavor. If it works out nicely, I'll post it here. 

WOW. If I haven't overwhelmed you tonight, then we'll probably be pals for a while. From my sister's tiny kitchen to yours, have a wonderful evening!

Friday Foto(s) on Saturday

We had ourselves a grand day yesterday. We spent some time with Nana and Grandpa at our beloved Kohl's Children Museum in Glenview, IL. I love this place of exploration and discovery, not just because my kids absolutely love it, but because I get to hear and observe so very many amusing things from other parents..."Sadie, look at Daddy. Daddy wants to take a picture of you, precious! Look at Daddy. Look at Daddy. Look at Daddy, beautiful! Look at Daddy. Sadieeeeee! Look at Daddy. Lookitdaddy Lookitdaddy Lookitdaddy Lookitdaddy!!!!!!" This went on for some time. And then...(my personal favorite of the day)..."Pull your pants up, buddy. Yes, all the way." Boys. What else can I say? Yes, it's awfully nice knowing that I am not alone in this League of Extraordinarily Bewildered Parents. So, here we go. Here's some pictures of our little adventure yesterday. Enjoy your weekend!

And there you have it. Building towering "sandwiches", splashing away in the waterworks room, and gorgeous baby girls. Stay tuned for more adventures soon!

Fab Five Friday Foto(s) !!

Let's start June off on the right foot, shall we? I am painfully aware that this is the first and only time I've posted two days in a row, and I must warn you up front: Don't get used to it. :-) Although I really do want to dust the cobwebs off of this blog and post more frequently, I have to be real and remind myself that I have 4 children ages 5 and under. Phew! So let's get right to it. Here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks that bring a smile to my face, and I hope they do the same for you. :-)

My Beautiful Baby Girl at 7 weeks old. Will the bliss ever stop?

A red Le Creuset French Press. Send help.

New Privos. They're grey, man. GREY.

Making "Spider Webs" from colored tape.

I can't get over how tiny she is in Daddy's arms.

Daniel snapped this. Why I love it is self-explanatory. The face, people. The Face.

Someone saw himself in the front camera. I love this white-blonde, toothy child with all of my heart.


From my little corner of the world to yours, have a fantastic weekend!

It's a link parade!

As I was grocery shopping today at Woodmans (I spend most of my life and all of my money at that place, I'm quite sure of that), I realized something: The month of May is drawing to a rapid close (as in, three more hours), and I have posted only once this entire month. So. Darn. Pathetic. I proceeded to silently berate myself for a few moments, and then I raised my head, set my Jay Leno-esque jaw, and declared to the entire produce section, "It shall not be!!" And then my sweet Daniel asked me if we could try kale this week. How on earth could I refuse? Besides, I've been quite curious to try it myself. So we shall try some kale chips this week, or perhaps try it sauteed. I am only the slightest bit frightened. At any rate, here I am. Tonight I give you...a link parade!!
  I have wonderful friends. Really, truly wonderful friends. My friends also happen to be insanely talented and exceedingly generous with their time and gifts. I appreciate this immensely, and so, I thought it would be fun to share the links to the tutorials for Lucy's beautiful quilt made by my friend Rachel over at "The Life of Riley", and the adorable letter "L" made by my friend Jenelle over at "If I Can Do It, So Can You". Please check out the fine work of these two talented ladies.  The "L" brings a smile to my face every time I look at it, and the quilt just makes my heart sing. Oh! Oh! I also have another healthy lunch recipe to share! Check this out- I do love a good snow pea stir fry, so this was just perfect for a light lunch. Throw a poached egg on it (isn't that the answer to everything in life??), and you've got your protein for a more filling lunch. Try it! You won't be disappointed.

    So take that, May!! You shall not defeat me yet! I have high hopes of June being a slightly more...BLOGGY month, with school being completed and the like. Here's to hoping! Have a wonderful evening, my friends. :-)

On Babies and Salads (what else?)

And just like that, it's May.

It's been quite dormant around here on the Epic Adventures of Skarymop & Co. lately, but believe me, my friends; I have the best possible reason as to why that is. It's because...

We done had ourselves a baby girl!!!!


*fireworks, streamers, fainting porcupines, and other festivities!!*


Yes, indeedy. On Thursday, April 5th, at 11:14 am, our beautiful baby girl Lucy Hannah Johnson made her way into the world after an unprecedented 30 minutes of active labor (7 to 10 centimeters in 1.5 minutes, anyone??). This was after nearly 2 days of early labor symptoms, of course, but let's not dwell on that, shall we? Let us forge ahead to these wonderfully and woefully sleepy days of snuggling this beautiful, blessed little lady who has stolen our hearts in a most precious way.

You must forgive my slight half-crazed expression. As positively glorious as these early days are, they are exhausting, and I must say, the next innocent bystander who has the chutzpa to tell me that they're tired just might get a very loving, fervent, and sincere punch in the face. Did I just say that? At any rate, I am in love. Again. And so here I sit with 6 red vines, a Jazz apple, 16 ounces of ice water, Pandora, slippers with holes in them, and this blog. Which brings me to my next topic...LUNCH (I know; way to  go to a smooth transition, right?).

Any momma who's worth her salt knows that lunch tends to be a bit of an afterthought. After all, who has time to prepare something healthy AND delicious for herself when there are hotdogs rolling across the floor, milk flying through the air, Cheerios crunching underfoot, half-eaten baby carrots being spat out, spider monkeys flying out of the microwave and the like. You know. The usual. Now hear this: there is a way. I shall show you the way. Allow me to introduce to you:

The Simple, Sassy Salad. From My Brain To Yours. 

It's shamefully simple. Allow me to show you.

The Components:

- A handful of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Juice from one lemon
- 2-3 marinated artichoke heart quarters, coarsely chopped
-  Don't laugh- 1 can of chickpeas (or ANY kind of bean you like- Great Northern Beans or white Canellini beans would be delicious in this), rinsed and drained.
- A couple of generous spoonfuls of feta cheese
- A couple of generous spoonfuls of the marinating oil from the artichoke jar
- Kosher salt, to taste. ALWAYS TASTE.

Toss all ingredients together, and EAT, for goodness' sake; EAT!!! This healthy, filling salad takes about 5 minutes to assemble, so no excuses. I am currently researching and trying healthy lunch recipes that I can whip together in 5-10 minutes, so I will continue to post the recipes that I consider to be a success. As God is my witness, I shall never eat my children's sandwich crusts again and deem that to be an acceptable lunch. Amen.

 Well, I consider this post to be a fairly acceptable re-entry into the blogosphere. And now, if you would excuse me, I shall finish the remaining 6.75 ounces of my ice water, print out a few recipes, feed my sweet-cheeked cherub, kiss her 12, 357 times, then tumble into bed. Ah, life. :-)

What about you? Do you scavenge off of your children's plates? Or are you carmelizing shallots and broiling chicken breasts for your lunch? DO tell!

Nursery "After" Pictures- Oops.

I must apologize; this blogging from my phone thing is going to take a little practice! I didn't mean to leave you hanging...I just wanted to wrap up the post by mentioning a few things:
The vast majority of my inspiration came from Pinterest, that most glorious of websites. The embroidery hoops, name canvas, the yarn-wrapped letter (which was made for me by a friend who found the idea on...you guessed it- PINTEREST), and the overall style of the nursery (let's call it "Sweet Vintage")...all the ideas came from Pinterest. Listen to me closely, my friends. You may not realize it, but you need Pinterest. Everybody needs Pinterest. All of these nursery crafts were simple and inexpensive. And I'm
ALL about inexpensive. My one splurge was the Ruby fabric for the hoops, but I wanted that perfect little accent to accompany the quilt, and I absolutely love the results. I have been a nesting...well, FREAK during this pregnancy, and I completely blame Pinterest. And now, with two days left until my due date, I shall now bake granola bars, swiffer my living room, mop my disgusting kitchen floor, make dinner, and fall apart in a million pieces. And maybe, just maybe, complete one more Pinterest project before the baby comes. Somebody please stop me. Please.

Have you caught the Pinterest bug yet? What's your favorite "idea" website? It's always fun to see where people get their inspiration!

Nursery "After" Pictures!

First off, I must warn you: I am attempting to blog from my phone. I downloaded the Blogger app because my precious laptop is currently at the laptop doctor, and I am feeling quite bare these days. So forgive me if this is not quite as stellar-looking as usual. BAH HA HA HA.

Anyway.

The nursery is 99.9% finished!! The only thing that is absent from these pictures is the much-anticipated quilt (long story short- nobody's fault but our own), a coordinating valance, and the canvases that spell out the baby's name (sorry; I'm one of "those" people- you'll find out the baby's name soon enough!) The canvases turned out GREAT, and I can't wait to show you, but in the meantime, all of you will have to be patient. And so, here we go.