easy homemade noodles

 Chicken pot pie is a favorite meal here in the cul-de-sac . Today I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand (love when that happens)! Making homemade noodles is really very simple. This recipe has been handed down through the generations in our family. The hardest part is carrying all the noodles to the pot! It goes faster if you have a few extra hands! I tend to roll my dough a bit on the thick side, that's just how we like our noodles.

 My version looks like this. I made chicken stock earlier in the day, throw in some cut up potatoes, carrots, celery and what ever seasonings you like. Bring it to a rolling boil, add the noodles and continue to boil until noodles are cooked (about 20 minutes or so). Ladle into a bowl and enjoy! A slice of apple butter bread on the side and you've got a stick to your ribs dinner! Love it!!

 

Here's my mom's handwritten recipe handed to me many, many years ago. Her handwriting has never changed. Now I just need her to write down her coleslaw recipe, it is to die for! Seriously good stuff! My mom has so many dishes that she is famous for, I wish she would start selling them! (Mom, are you reading this?!!)

buying stock in TIDE!

We've been having A LOT of rain here in Pennsylvania lately. It makes soccer games and practices a very messy ordeal! The pictures from this game show just how sloppy it got! But boy did these guys have fun!

The other team was wearing white, unlucky for them.
Can you guess what I did the minute we walked in the door?
Surprisingly, the uniform came clean and yes I really did use TIDE!

These little nine year old boys would like to travel to Ireland to play in a tournament in 2014. We were hoping TIDE would become our team sponsor.I'll be waiting by the phone for that call!

walking tour - part 2 (finally)

Let's finish this walking tour of historic downtown Lancaster, PA that I started like two weeks ago! I had the best intentions to post part 2 the day after part 1 but..........funny how life gets in the way. So here we go, just a few more blocks. The architecture just continues to amaze me!

I have always enjoyed stained glass windows, not sure I would have picked grapes but I'm sure it's lovely on the inside. Wish I knew why and how they picked certain elements to adorn the outside of these old buildings. The creature in the picture below looks like a cross between a dragon and I don't know what. Anyone have a clue?

Such interesting detail! Love the fleur-de-lis design in the bottom picture. That's my favorite symbol!

How amazing is this door! Love the bubble glass at the top, so unique!

Well,  that wraps up this walking tour. It's amazing how much we miss by always driving around in a car. I would never have seen half of these sights if it wasn't for the walking tour. I definitely want to do this more often! Drive to a different town, park the car and just walk. You never know what you might see. Do you have a favorite town to stroll through? Give me some ideas!

walking tour - part one

You've probably figured out by now that I really enjoy looking at homes and appreciate history. I love old cities and towns and all the eye candy they have to offer.  I will always stop to take a picture of  something I find fascinating.  My recent walking tour of downtown Lancaster, PA did not disappoint. All this incredible architecture just makes my heart beat faster. So many buildings, so little time. Let's start walking...

All this detail just fascinates me

I can imagine having a really cool apartment in this building

   

Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Italianate, Queen Anne, Beaux Arts, Art Deco to name a few. I love the sound of all of the styles! 

They sure don't make buildings like they used to. 

What's your style?

interesting places

I recently had the opportunity to chaperone my daughter's confirmation class on a road trip. In all honesty I was not looking forward to this trip, the main reason......it started at 7:15AM on a Saturday! Despite the early morning it turned out to be a very pleasant trip. My car was filled with moms and daughters and off we went to a nearby historical place.

Ephrata Cloister

This place is OLD! 1732 OLD!
It was founded by German settlers seeking spiritual goals rather than earthly rewards.
Sleeping on wooden boards and using a wooden block as a pillow is not my idea of fun, but that's what they did here. One meal a day too! Yikes, I would never make it in this cloister! But it's a great place for pictures.
We had a fantastic tour guide who was very knowledge and really made this place come to life for us. So worth the $8 admission price. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area!

Doesn't this look like a little hobbit house. 

All the kids wanted to know was...... when is lunch. Good kids just not digging history as much as me.

Wonder if today's youth would be able to survive without all the comforts they have grown accustomed to?

 After some nourishment it's off for a walking tour of downtown Lancaster.

 To be continued........

someone new in the neighborhood

They call him Tucker

I call him something that rhymes with Tucker (wink, wink)

I'm not going to sugar coat this friends, puppies are a pain in the ass. They bite, they cry, they pee and poop on your carpet. I'm not liking this stage so much. I know, everyone says it gets better but tell me WHEN exactly will that be. Thank God he is cute! And my children are soooooo happy, they think I'm the best mom in the whole world....for right now anyway.

Cavalier King Charles by the way, small dog who likes to sit on laps which is fine except when I have to get up and get something done around the house.

He's so small right now that he can't be left out in the fenced-in yard unattended because he fits through the slats. So guess who needs to stand outside in the cold and rain every hour during a school day?

That's right, the best mom in the world!!!

My amazingly talented teenager made this no-sew doggie bed.  She took two small pillows and duct taped them together and then hot glued a large piece of fabric around them. Isn't she crafty! So far it remains undestroyed by the pup, only time will tell.

So friends, any advice to help me cope with this canine and all the crazy behavior that comes with a puppy? It would be greatly appreciated!! He's 10 weeks old if that gives you any clue.

walking - talking -laughing tour - part 2

 As Beth and I continue to walk off the equivalent calories of an avocado (yep, that's what we burned off-it's what the app on my phone said anyway) We picked streets with lots of great eye candy. 

Red brick, always a favorite of mine!

What a great front porch on the cape cod above. 

I recommend flower boxes on #50 . Can't you just see them.

 This little American flag flying house really speaks to me for some reason. It just says QUAINT!

 Cute little side entrance.

 Beth

wants everyone to know this is her favorite house! 

It was huge, she likes 'em big I guess. 

 It's always good to dress your garden gnome in the appropriate holiday apparel. 

It's officially spring! This yard was full of crocus. 

Happy Monday! Big news from the cul-de-sac coming soon!