Zoe Cummings

Zoe

Today we said goodbye to our friend and companion for the last 12.5 yrs.

We weren’t looking to get a dog as big as her that long ago July, we were going to get a Terrier like the one Mike grew up with. But as fate would have it we walked into PetSmart during an adoption weekend and fell in love with a pair of big brown eyes attached to a pretty little 1.5yr old boxer mix who needed some love and fattening.

She was the sweetest girl and took care of all of us. She loved our girls like they were her own puppies and would let them do anything to her without complaint and we have the pictorial evidence to help us keep the memories fresh.

Zoe and her human puppies.

We love you Zoe, we’ll miss you….

 

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Eggless Pumpkin Doughnuts…..

This recipe came about due to kids decimating my Halloween decorating supplies and my needing to make something for my youngest daughter’s PK class.

I had just got my doughnut pan from King Arthur Flour so thought why not doughnuts.

Eggless Pumpkin Doughnuts

2 cups All-purpose flour | 3/4 cup white sugar | 2 tsp baking powder | 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice | 1 tsp salt | 3/4 milk | 2 tsp vanilla | 1 Tbsp shortening | approx 3 Tbsp pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Lightly grease the doughnut pan. In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients. Then still in milk, vanilla, shortening and pumpkin puree. The reason I say approximately 3 Tbsp on puree is that I judge the amount needed by the look of the batter. This is a thick batter but if you feel it is too thick you can add more pumpkin to thin it a bit more. I have also found that different brands of pumpkin puree contain more water then others. I used Libby’s for this recipe.

Back for 8 to 10 minutes until doughnuts spring back when touched. Longer is better when it comes to doughnuts I am finding. All to cool slightly then remove from pan.

The orange glaze I made for the ones I sent to Tara’s school was made with 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar, 2 Tbsp of Hot Water and each parts of Wilton golden yellow and red-red Icing color.

Recipe makes approximately a dozen.

One last piece of advice, put parchment paper down under your wire rack when glazing. Otherwise you could find yourself cleaning up a mass of soft sugar at 1am like me. :)

-Kim

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Eek! Has it really been 1.5 mths…

As often happens with the start of the school year, I neglect the blog. I really do need to get better about that. :)

So the girls are back for another year of learning. I am the proud Mom of a 4th grader, (really where has the time gone), a 2nd grader and Tara is going to Pre-K all day this year. In fact I just had my first conferences for all my girls last week and they are doing quite well so I’m a very proud Mama!

The brace seen in the photo on my oldest finally came off a few weeks after this photo was taken and the Dr has declared her break healed. She was very happy to have full use of her arm/hand once more!

Girl Scouts have started up once more and I have my very own mini troop with a Daisy, Brownie and a Junior! We are currently selling nuts and earning money for my oldest and I to travel to Savannah this Summer with the older girls of the troop. In fact we have busy weekend of Costume parties and face painting at Belvedere Plantation this weekend. The girls are looking forward to the annual picking of the pumpkins after Girl Scout duties are done.

That is pretty much it for the girls. Full days and weekends but enjoying every minute of it.

-Kim

 

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Happy Fifth Birthday Tara…

Hard to believe my youngest has gone from this…..
to this…

Yesterday my baby turned five. We celebrated on Sunday with cake, presents and a trip to one of her favorite restaurants, Friendly’s where she got to indulge in ice cream twice in one day!

I miss the little baby she was, but we are enjoying the smart, funny and energetic little girl she’s become.

Love you Tara!

-Mom

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Polymer Clay Creations III…

Third in my ongoing series dedicated to one of my favorite mediums, polymer clay.

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Tara’s words of wisdom…

Dogs should not chase cars. Werewolves can chase cars because they are bigger and will be more careful.

-Kim

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A good day…

Yesterday was a good day, a fun day. Mike took the day off from work and after morning swim lessons for the youngest we took the family to the local Agricultural Fair. Our adventure started by meeting the sweetest camel, (who apparently was a lap dog stuck in a camel’s body) at the Petting Zoo. After we left our camel friend followed by a quick trip to see some chickens, rabbits and sheep, we rode practically every ride in the place including Katy who for once didn’t have to sit out with her broken arm. One pony ride and a quick dinner at Friendly’s the girl’s and Mike ended their day with Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension!

A near perfect day!

-Kim

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Checking in and catching up…

The last couple weeks have been filled with swim lessons, errands, trying to stay out of the heat and Dr visits. In between all that I’ve attempted to sleep and get a bit of work done.

So all in all, pretty normal for us, just busy. :)

Katy is adjusting to her cast well. Disappointed that it won’t come off in time for an end of summer pool party but she’s going to spend that dad geeking out with her Dad.

As if the cast isn’t enough though, she had her first Orthodontist consult and we’ll be getting retainers in the next month or so. Ah the joy! Let the pool start now on how many retainers get lost before treatment is done.

The Cummings Family Vegetable Garden is growing nicely even if Anna’s cucumber plant is threatening to take over the kitchen. We have buds though so we might actually start seeing baby cucumbers in the next couple weeks! What we have learned so far. Cucumbers need space and like to creep out and about. Should probably plant outside next year. :)

-Kim

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The countdown has started…

Seemed like yesterday Summer Vacation was about to start and now we have less than 30 days left til the new year starts. Girls are actually getting pretty excited by the prospect of new clothes, new teachers and seeing their friends again.

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It was bound to happen…

With three young girls, two of whom take great pleasure in trying to climb trees, wrestle and do cartwheels in the house that we would eventually see our first broken bone. I didn’t expect it to be from our bookworm oldest Katy.

The poor pumpkin was playing a game at our gym’s kid center when she apparently tripped backwards and landed on her wrist. She is currently enjoying the high flying affects of codeine for the first time and getting to watch whatever she wants as we wait for tomorrow and her ‘real’ cast.

For now this Momma is working on finding fun things for my one handed pumpkin to do to make up for the loss of the pool and art classes. :(

-Kim

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