You remind me of someone...

The last few times I've taken the kids to the doctor, I've gotten the feeling that I'd seen our new PCM (Primay Care Manager- military jargon for the family practice doctor we're assigned to) before. His laugh seemed familiar too.

And then it hit me. Martin Short's character on SNL, Ed Grimley. THAT'S my doctor!

Now, tell me, could you keep a straight face if your doc looked like that?

*Of course, our doctor doesn't have the crazy Alfalfa-inspired hairdo, because that wouldn't be in military regs. But you get the idea.*

Mmmm Mmmm Monday (Yes, I'm a day late.): Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

This was so yummy! All the kids loved it, which hardly ever happens in this house!

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 lbs top sirloin, sliced 1/4 in thick
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium heads broccoli
2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot
Cooked white rice

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon juice, constarch, dark brown sugar, galic and pepper. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until almost cooked through (about 2 minutes). Transfer beef to a plate/bowl and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet/wok used for the beef. Add onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Cut broccoli into florets (should make about 4 cups) and add to skillt with 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Return beef to skillet with soy sauce mixture, add ginger. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens (about 2 minutes). Serve hot over cooked white rice.

Genetics can be so cruel.

My kids got the super-athletic gene from their daddy. Unfortunately, they got the "I'm clumsy as all get out" gene from me. Combine the two, and this is the result.(He's sure got that pitiful look down pat, doesn't he??)

Life's a beach!

Hooray for nice weather!

It's been absolutely GORGEOUS here the last few days, so when the hubby got home from work this afternoon we headed to one of the many parks in base housing.

Hubby and the boys played some b-ball...

...while the Princess had a blast on the swing!

I tried to play some ball with the boys but was abruptly told by my oh so precious Jonah that I was "too old". Thanks son, thanks a lot.

Friday Finds on Etsy: Jen's Craft Corner

While I was in the shower this morning I thought to myself, "Self, you need to figure out a way to show off some of the great stuff you've found on Etsy." Then it hit me...Duh! My blog! So on Fridays I will have the Friday Finds on Etsy series where I highlight stores or items that I cannot live without.

Since today is Friday and I just thought of it this morning, I didn't have a chance to email my favorite stores and ask permission to use their photos. So I will be tooting my own horn a bit and featuring my own store, Jen's Craft Corner.

I have lots of different things to offer in my shop. Mostly it's items for babies and toddlers, but I am also branching out into cool stuff for moms, called the Hip Momma line. I've got things like key fobs, reusable (and therefore eco-friendly) coffee kozy's, and flip flops. There's also some new clips that are more geared towards the older crowd as opposed to the little ones.

Of course there's lots of stuff for the kiddoes...Onesies, hair accessories, and lots more. And it's not only stuff for little girls, either. This is one of my favorite things for the boys:

I also have lots of items that can be customized, too. There's monogram items (onesies, shirts, bibs, burp cloths) and then some You Pick hair accessories like this headband:

There's a color chart listed in the You Pick listings so you can choose your own ribbon color.

So go take a gander, and then let your friends know about it too. I love custom orders so feel free to ask!

Ok...enough bragging about myself. I promise that I will only resort to showing my items if I have no other option. Cross my heart.

*Unless I add something super cool that I just have to show off. Then I'll just do it.*

Mother's Day Gift Idea

The other day while I was cutting up strawberries in the kitchen and trying not to stain my shirt, I had a realization.

I need an apron.

But not just any apron. I need this apron. It's from SassyAprons on Etsy.I told hubby that I wanted it for my Mother's Day gift, and he laughed and said "Yeah right! If I buy you an apron as a gift I'd never hear the end of it!"

Now, normally he'd be correct in his assumption...husbands should not buy their wives household items (i.e kitchen appliances, vaccum cleaners, etc) as gifts. But this is what I want. Desperately. I want to be a hot housewife in my sexy apron!!

*Heavy Sigh*

I guess I'll just keep drooling over it until I get a few more sales on Etsy so I can buy it for myself!!

No thanks.

Sophia has gone from my sweet little princess, to this.

A scary, temper tantrum throwing monster.

HELLLLLLOOOOOOO terrible two's. We have NOT missed you. Please go away.

Fashion In The South: Smocked Clothes

This is another style I've seen alot of since moving to Charleston. My sisters & I used to wear smocked dresses when we were kids, thanks to the store my mom & Grandma loved, Polly Flinders. But these puppies are a little different. They're more boutique-ish and have cross stitched designs on them. My gram says that I should start making them becuase I'd sell out right away living here. And these dresses run rampant on all the fashionable little tykes at our church.
But don't for one second think that these precious little numbers are just for girls. Ohhhhhhh no. They make smocked outfits for the fellas too. My friends, I give you the Jon Jon!
What's that you say? Oh! You want to match your son & daughter in smocked goodness?? No problem! Just check out places like Shrimp & Grits Kids - they have lots of brother & sister matchiness. (If that ain't a Southern sounding store, I don't know what is!!)

Now, don't get me wrong. Some of these dresses are absolutely adorable. And if I ever win the lottery I will buy one for Sophia. But I have to say, I'm glad we live here when my daughter is little, not when my boys were. I really don't think I could've put them in a Jon Jon!

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Strawberry Bread

Inspired by our trip to the Strawberry Festival and all of our yummy, fresh strawberries, I searched high and low for a quick & easy recipe to utilize some of our juicy red berries. There were so many to choose from, but being the instant-gratification loving momma that I am, I picked this bread so that it could bake while we were eating dinner. That, and I already had all the ingredients on hand.

Well, almost all.

Halfway through my preparations, I realized that I only had one egg, and none of our neighbors were home to borrow from, so Hubby ran to the store to grab some for me. Thanks Hubby- you're the best!

Anyway, on to the recipe! Hope you enjoy this bread as much as we did!

Yep...that loaf is history now.

Strawberry Bread
2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter (or shortening)
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts *we excluded these because I'm not a big nut person*

Crush strawberries. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cook for one minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350*. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter together and then add the eggs and water, mixing until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well to blend. Stir in the crushed strawberries and walnuts. Spoon the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove loaf and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

Cut into slices and serve topped with softened cream cheese and strawberry slices.

Strawberry Pickin'

Today, the kids & I met up with some good friends and headed out to Boone Hall Plantation for their annual Lowcountry Strawberry Festival. We picked strawberries, the kids went on some rides, and we all had some deee-licious freshly churned, homemade strawberry ice cream.

As you can see, the kids were pretty worn out by the end of the afternoon, and fell asleep only minutes after we got into the car.

Dinnertime with a toddler

*Just so y'all know, this was COMPLETELY unprovoked. We were sitting at the table having a nice dinner, and all of a sudden my almost 2 year old decides it's time for some booty shakin'.*

Hazards on the golf course

Everyone's heard of the water hazard, the rough, and the sand trap, but what about the alligator?? Hubby sent me this while he was golfing at Patriot's Point today.I drew a red circle around the gator, becuase it's a little hard to see. But that means the hubby decided to take a picture from a distance...and that, my friends, is a very good thing!

A little self promotion.

I have some fun, new items in my Etsy shop that I wanted to share. Some of my favorites are these adorable headbands.

They're perfect for any occasion and can even be made to match outfits.

A little girl from my mom's pre-k class down in Florida has one with a flower on it, and she says that when you flip them down and wear them like sunglasses, they're pefect Pirate eye-patches!

Fashion in the South: Bowties

Having lived in Charleston for over a year now, I have noticed some things that I've never seen anywhere else. I grew up in Florida, but that's not really considered "the South". Charleston, on the other hand, definitely is. There are things that are uber popular here that I thought went out of style a very long time ago. Apparently, though, I was wrong. I am not sure how long this series will be, but there are definitely some things I want to share with those of you who haven't experienced the culture that I'm immersed in here.

The first instalment is something that whenever the hubby & I see it, it takes all of our willpower not to start giggling. We've noticed at church the last few weeks that the bowtie is back with a vengence. And it's not just on the older men or toddlers like you'd think. There are college boys and 30-somethings that sport these suckers as well. Last Sunday, the hubby & I counted five bowtie-clad men in the short time it took us to walk from dropping Sophia at the nursery, to Jonah's Sunday school class one hallway down. And there were hordes more in our contemporary service. To me, it's just funny to see men around my age wearing these blast-from-the-past accessories. Bobby jokes that he's going to channel the fashion stylings of Orville Redenbacher and get one as well.

(Yes, we've seen the suspenders too!)

Mmmm Mmmm Monday: Swedish Meatballs

This recipe is super easy, becuase it uses frozen meatballs!

Swedish Meatballs
1 pkg frozen meatballs (about 24), thawed
1-16 oz pkg egg noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine meatballs, soup, milk and nutmeg in a large skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover & simmer for 15 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, cook noodles according to package, remove from heat, drain. Add back to pot.
Stir the sour cream into the sauce and cover, cooking for another 2-3 mintues. Add sauce to noodles and stir thoroughly to coat noodles.
Add a little more nutmeg if desired, and serve warm.

Happy Easter from the Shearer Family!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16

The thrill of the hunt

Eggs

One of my favorite parts of Easter is decorating eggs. It's so much fun and the whole family (hubby included) gets involved. I love to watch the creativity flow from my kids fingers, and their personalities definitely shine through in their color choices. This year we bought a fun Easter egg tye-dye kit, and I have to say that these are some of our best eggs ever!