Farmer's Market

OK -- this is officially NOT an add for the Black Hills Farmer's Market... and I probably have officially turned into a "city girl" ... (not growing my own, but paying premium prices for home-grown produce).... But it makes me happy... so this is what you get for today!



The kids and I got ready early this morning to make it to Farmer's Market by 9:00 a.m. The sign says they are "open" at 10:00a.m. But another sign says absolutely no sales before 9:00 a.m. A little confusing? We got there at 8:55 a.m. and saw plenty of people lining up at the booth of choice (mostly around the tomatoes). They had their produce in hand, waiting to pay. Not sure what time THEY got there? Seems a little "cut-throat" to me? I'm not used to fighting people over tomatoes. But now that I've tasted one of these... I might be a bit more aggressive in the future.

After last week, I have to limit my shopping to a lone $20 bill in my pocket (plus a little change from my coin purse to pad if necessary). I'm not sure how it happened, but last week I purchased 1 single chicken (Hutterite) for $14.75. I guess the sign that said "Chickens, $2.75 per pound didn't add up to $14.75 in my mind for a 3-4 pound chicken... but the big lug was actually almost 5 pounds... which explains the crazy price of $15 for a chicken! They are really good chickens, but when you buy them from the Hutterites directly, it's more like $7 per chicken. I think I'll stick to that plan for the next chicken. Now I just have to travel east river to find the Hutterite colony!?

Jeannie asked me today what $20 will get you at the market? So, here is how I spent my farmer's market allowance...
Brown Eggs: $3.50
Raspberries: $4.00 (no picture, we already ate them all)
Purple Bell Pepper: $.80
Red Bell Peppers: $1.00
Carrots: $2.00
Cucumbers $1.00
Tomato (HUGE!) $2.25
Beets: $2.00
Chocolate Chip Cookies: $4.00 (also no picture -- yes we ate them too)


Afterward we joined the MOPS moms at Sioux Park -- Liv had a great time wandering and playing. Not sure what she is crying about here? She's not one to sit by mom and look cute (like another sibling we won't mention). It was a lovely morning all around, but now I'm happy to be home in our cool house.

smiles and have a great day!

love my new book

We tried something new this week... the Public Library in Piedmont! With gas prices looking "cheap" at $3.79 our most important summer plan was to conserving gasoline. We are limiting our trips into Rapid City to two days a week, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's been going fine, and the kids have actually found more things at home to be occupied with (adding one small investment on mom's part -- a baby pool for $15)... and neighborhood friends have helped a little too.

Anyway -- the point being... we've been looking for things that are very local (Piedmont, Stagebarn Neighborhood, Summerset, etc.) to entertain us on occasion... and the Library turned out to be a big HIT! They have story time on Thursdays at 10a.m.

I even found a book to read for myself... "French Women Don't Get Fat" It might sound like a diet plan, like the other hundred-and-one diet books out there... but really this has been a great summer read for me. The author grew up in France, moved to the USA, gained 25 pounds... then went back to traditional French principles to get back to her "normal" weight... All while enjoying the high culinary standards of her home culture.

The thing I love most about the book so far is re-training myself to enjoy REAL foods (not processed junk) with full flavor -- sometime meaning full-fat -- but to keep them in moderation. An inch-by-inch piece of very good chocolate is better than a whole box of cheap chocolate.

I've known these principles most of my life... but frankly sometimes I just get too lazy to keep up with them... and kids tend to be a good excuse to "dumb down" the food quality.

This week we made our first trip to the Farmer's Market -- and supper was 95% what we bought from the stands... all locally grown... all organic or nearly.... and all FRESH!! We made BLTs tonight with the most incredible tomato I have ever tasted!! I don't usually like tomatoes plain... but this one was WOW!! (I can highly recommend an heirloom variety for anyone out there shopping!!)

Tomorrow we are having fresh raspberries with yogurt and pancakes!! Can't wait!
smiles
N

Thor is 8!!

Yesterday was Thor's 8th Birthday! We are planning a big family "shin-dig" for all the Moeller-Morrison-Montiel summer birthdays (later in August)... but we wanted to do something on Thor's REAL birthday... especially with one of his good friends from school.

We met Devin and his mom at the Elks Theater for the afternoon matinee. The boys saw "Over the Hedge" while munching on their Jungle Paks (popcorn, small orange pop and small Mike & Ike candy). We came home for an afternoon of playing outside/inside, then a supper of mom's homemade pizza and veggies.

I was quite happy to have my son tell me that he wanted MY pizza, made just by me, since I'm the best pizza baker in the whole world!! After that, who could deny? Even though it was 90 degrees outside!!

Anyway -- we also had an ice cream cake for dessert -- which everyone enjoyed very much. I made it from a 2 pints of Ben and Jerry's: cookie dough and Phish Food (Thor's 2 favorites). Whipped cream for frosting, and we were all set to go!

Next was the most important element... opening gifts. Dirk and I had already given
him part of his gift early -- a Thor (BMX)backpack for school. He did get to open an RC (radio controlled) car from us, and a "finger skate board" (Lightning McQueen) from Anika. His friend Devin gave him $20 to spend at Target!!


What birthday would be complete without a customized card from Grandpa Alan? This one was of Thor on his dirtbike, inside showing him mowing the grass (a new chore this summer) and taking out the garbage... Grandpa letting Thor know he is growing up with all the new responsibilties!

After the fun and games were all done, Thor and I loaded up to take Devin back home. On the way we just HAD to stop by Target (for baby diapers)... and just HAPPENED to hit the toy aisle along the way.... He finally got the Nerf Recon (dart gun) he's been drooling over for about 2 months!! (maybe longer??)

Today we are quite happy and content to be home, playing with all the new toys... maybe showing off to the neighborhood friends just a little?? Anyway, Mom is getting plenty of "work" done (as you can tell by the blog being updated!!).


Couldn't resist this cute shot of Liv enjoying the birthday cake!

Camping at Roubaix Lake

We had a WONDERFUL weekend up at Roubaix Lake! Beautiful weekend... not too hot, maybe just a little bit cool? We made "blind" reservations at the campground... which turned out perfectly... the exact spot we thought would be a great site! (we had a chance to run through the campground a few weeks earlier but couldn't remember the numbers of the sites).

This was an experimental trip in a lot of ways... our first time out just OUR family, our first time out with the new camper without any "hookups" (water, electricty), a new unfamiliar campground, new ATV trails! Everything turned out better than what we could have planned if we tried!

Saturday morning the kids woke up extra early... so we decided to take advantage of the situation and headed out for the trails ASAP. I packed a lunch so we could eat on the trail... we ended up putting on nearly 20 miles! Liv LOVES rides (even long ones I guess!) on the ATV's -- and ended up napping for more than an hour on our 3 hour trip!

This weekend we are looking forward to taking in a little bit of Hills Alive -- specifically Toby Mac on Saturday night... After that, we're hoping to get one more camping adventure in July... and hopefully 2-3 more before the end of the summer season is over...

smiles to you all

Finally a relaxing week!

If there was one unifying factor to our week, it was PJ's! We spent almost every morning this week relaxing in our jammies!! Wow... after two weeks of either camping, being at camp or hosting family and visiting the horse camp, and ballet camp .... we were all ready to be home and relax for a while!!

Another fun development was the arrival of Thor and Anika's (and Kelly and Jacob's) wedding outfits (Bethany's October wedding). I think it's kosher to show Anika in her dress for the wedding... I wouldn't show Bethany's dress of course... even if I did have a picture... Anyway -- Anika had fun trying it on for size, and practicing! It will probably have to be shortened just a couple of inches, but otherwise it fits pretty well.



We're back in Mojito season at our home... Love those minty-lime cocktails!! If anyone forgot the recipe since last summer - here it is:(per drink)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 Tbs. sugar
8-10 mint leaves
2 oz. rum (optional -- just as good without it)
1/2 glass of ice
1/2 can of lemon-lime soda

Muddle the mint leaves in the sugar (squish real hard with a wooden spoon handle, or whatever), add lime juice and rum. Stir. Put ice in a serving glass, pour mixture over ice, trying not to add the crushed mint leaves. I "rinse" the sugar and flavor out of the mixing bowl/tumbler with the soda before I pour it into the serving glass... but you can just add the soda right to the serving glass too. Enjoy!!

Thor is on his last few days away from home... he will be gone a full two weeks when he gets back Thursday night. It's been a quiet home these past days without him... and I still feel like I'm missing something everytime I go out... one kids really throws a mom off!! But he's having a wonderful time with his uncles and cousins "back east" (Rosholt).

Kinship 08!

The 2nd Annual Moeller Family Kamp Kinship weekend was a GREAT success -- AGAIN! It is a wonderful way to spend the Father's Day weekend -- for our dad, Alan... and the individual dad's in the group. I think all the guys love the "action" of the weekend -- us girls love having someone to cook and clean up after us!!

Here are some of our memorable events:
4 wheeling on the trails, loops and roads around the camp
- Thanks to Ted and Jan for bringing 2 ATVs!
- Added to Dirk and Nancy's ATV, Blaster, big dirt bike and Thor's dirt bike,
- Anika INSISTS on riding on the bike with daddy!

- We had enough for a whole group to go out each time
- Tyler learning how to ride the 125 dirk bike
- Thor being able to go 7 miles an hour on the trails!!
- That is an improvement for Thor!!!
- Giving the girls rides
- Taking dad Alan up for a sunset ride Saturday night
- finding meadows of Golden Pea (yellow wild flower) on the trail

Enjoying the Campground
- laying back on the couches being lazy

- singing for hours Friday Night (Moeller Gospel Choir)
- playing games into the wee hours Saturday night
- making smores around the campfire
- playing Basket Ball with the boys
- riding bikes with the little girls
- Uncle Dirk a.k.a. the "monster" playing chase
- little girls screaming just for fun, running from Dirk
- eating to much ... and then eating dessert
- watching the deer from the front deck

Extra Adventure - Climbing Custer Peak
- caravaning in 3 mini-vans and a pick up
- the beautiful open meadows on the way there
- Dirk forgot the trail got to rough for regular cars
- loading us up in the back of the truck for a bumpy ride up
- taking a 2nd load of hikers up to the trail
- hiking up the short but steep trail
- 360 degree view from the Custer Fire tower
- AMAZING view of the hills, for miles and miles

- Perfect family picture op!
- No serious climbing injuries, Thank Goodness
- Brianna might have a bruise after a short tumble, however

The BIG News!!
- Bethany showed up with an ENGAGEMENT RING!!
- YEAH!! Welcome to the family Christopher Fletcher
- We didn't know his last name until this weekend!
- Great proposal story!
- He hid the ring in a book, how fitting for two English grads!
- I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the ring!
- or the happy couple!! What was I thinking??
- Wedding date set for October 11th
- At St. Joseph, with reception at the Community Center
- Thor and Jacob will be ring bearers
- Anika and Kelly will be flower girls
- Other plans still being worked out!!
- Bethany bought a dress Monday morning!!
- It's gorgeous, but I can't share any details, it's a surprise!!

catching up...

I had to put "up" this picture of Anika's birthday cake. We had such a ball putting the cake together as a family... but our camera was "tied up" (Grandpa took it to Rosholt to get some family pics earlier this spring)... so we didn't get the photo's uploaded until this afternoon!

As you can imagine, this is a princess castle cake. It must have tasted OK too -- I think the whole thing, 3 layers, candy, ice cream cones and all was gone in two days!

This week we have been busy at VBS -- at the church where Thor goes to school, Zion Lutheran. Anika was able to attend class also -- so I had my first taste of what it will be like next fall when the two of them go off to school each day! Liv was a little lonely the first morning, but by Friday, she wasn't quite as happy to see them come home! I think she like the one-on-one attention!!

No big plans this weekend (which is nice)... but the following two weeks will be VERY busy. I have plenty to keep up with, finishing Kids classes on Wednesday nights through the rest of June... Kid's Movie matinee at the old theater down town on Tuesday afternoons... swimming on Thursday afternoons... (that is, if it stops raining long enough to warm up for some pool time!!)...

Father's Day weekend we will be with the Moeller "clan" at Kamp Kinship... and the next weekend I'm supposed to be in Sioux Falls for a MOPS Field Leadership meeting. Dirk and I are trying to figure out how to work in an anniversary get away that weekend too?? Grandpa Justin and Grandma Annette... what do you think about having some sleep over guests the weekend of June 21 and 22nd?? (just three kids??!!)