The Ballet Meatloaf

We have a long-standing tradition that revolves around what we eat when there is a ballet performance approaching.

Performance weeks are full of long hours and lots of rushing around...

After a couple tries with 'fast food' (which I have nothing against) I decided that I wanted something else for the girlies during those busy weeks.  And the Ballet Meatloaf was born.  It is easy to make, can be prepared ahead, and can be served hot or cold and be equally delicious.  Thanks to Colleen it has it's special name...we were describing what we do to her one day and she said...oh, the Ballet Meatloaf...and history was made!

To make your own Ballet Meatloaf...or Soccer Meatloaf, or Gymnastics Meatloaf...you will need:

(This recipe made three...which can all be cooked at once or cook one and put the others in the freezer or cook them all and put some in the freezer or well... you get the idea)

• 4 # hamburger meat
• 1 yellow onion diced (med. to lg.)
• 3 slices whole wheat bread (or any bread you have or want)
• 3 eggs
• Catsup
•  Salt and Pepper

So throw your hamburger meat into a large bowl, tear up the bread and toss it in...add the eggs, onion, salt and pepper, and squeeze a bunch of catsup in there too - maybe 1/2 a cup or so.  Mix it all up really well and you are ready to go.

I usually use my hands - it seems to be the easiest way to get it all mixed together.  Then I wash them really well about 6 times because truth be told raw hamburger meat grosses me out!

Grease some baking dishes and put equal amounts into each one...now for the part my mom taught me - the part that makes it really yummy...

More catsup!  Squirt a good amount on the top of each meatloaf...it really makes them taste great.  I think that originally my mom used to put Chili Sauce on them.  It comes in a sort of roundish jar and should be in with the condiments at the market.

Stick them in a 350 degree oven for at least an hour and Voila!  Ballet Meatloaf!

This last performance while the Ballet Meatloaf was cooking I did a little Valentine project for my girlies. Which come to think of it goes right along with the ballet performance theme I have going on here.  Being a ballerina there are certain aches and pains that are unavoidable...and sometimes you need a little something to make you feel better....(of course chocolate works well also!)  I made each of my girlies a little bundle that they can put in the microwave and heat up if they want to apply heat to various body parts.

I got out some of my felt and made four rectangles (remember I am making two) about 5" by 20"

Next I found some decorative fabric I thought my girlies would like and cut some pieces to sew onto the front of the bundles

I love this batik fabric!

and some cute, funny monsters!  I sewed these to the right side of two of the rectangles of felt.  Taking one rectangle with a decorative fabric and one without I pinned them together and sewed around three sides (leaving one of the small sides open for adding rice)

I filled each bundle about 2/3 of the way with rice...adding in a tea bag for a little fragrance when they are heated up.  This used not quite 5 # of rice - and just my luck rice was on sale at the market!

Here are the finished Ballet Bundles...ready to pop into the microwave for a tiny bit and be cuddled around a sore neck, knee, ankle - what ever needs a little TLC.

So with the project finished and the meatloaf cooked to perfection...

We moved right on to enjoying our Ballet Meatloaf!  When it comes out of the oven there is liquid in the baking dish...this can be left or poured out - I have done both and the flavor is good either way.

Well, the next time you have a ballet performance, a soccer match, or maybe you just don't want to have to think about cooking...try the Ballet Meatloaf.  I think you'll like it!

xoxo     Elizabeth

A Valentine For My Sweetie

Just want to share the valentine that I made for my hubby with you...I saw some fun things on various blogs and kind of put them all together to create a little something.

First I cut out some hearts from papers that I like - the ones up above.

Then I printed some words and a little title for my card and cut them out...

I arranged them on a piece of card stock and stuck them on with a little bit of tape so they wouldn't move around.

I put the words on top of the hearts...

and added some stitching to hold everything in place...

Simple and Fun!!!!!!!

Now, here is a Valentine present from my Madison...she has been having such fun with her new camera and took some wonderful Valentine's Day photos.

Some hearts...

Some words....

Some cute couples...

Pretty great don't ya think!? 

Sending some special Valentine's love out to you!

xoxo      Elizabeth

I Hate Painting!!!!!!!!!!

Let me clarify that...I love water colour painting...in fact I would love to be doing that right now - it's house painting that I am not fond of.

Have you ever started a project and then wished with all your might that you never had?

Here is my pantry...I know that I am very lucky to have a pantry (thank you Daddy!), but right now it is the bane of my existence!!!!!!!!!

I had a little idea to sort of rearrange this pantry - and my hubby said well as long as you are rearranging take all the stuff out and I will paint it for you - this is where I heard warning bells but ignored them...

I really didn't need a big project right then...(the ballet studio has a performance coming up, the house is a mess, I have sewing to do, etc. etc. and so forth...) but  I unloaded all the stuff that had been jammed in there over the years...

why do we have at least 8 boxes of cereal ???  Well everyone likes a different kind...then rice krispies (or the cheap imitation) went on sale and you need those around for rice krispy treats and Brian went to Costco and couldn't resist the HUGE Box of corn flakes...

I found three boxes of candy canes!?  I think I was going to make peppermint bark and never did.  

There were some things in there that I didn't even remember that we had...like the very cool back pack picnic set - planning a picnic right now to use that!

So, all the items were out and Brian began the painting...but what we didn't think about is that it is a very small area and he has a bad back - you can see the writing on the wall here I am sure...

I painted the rest of the pantry - and I hated it!!!!!!!  Because it hadn't been painted before it took tons of coats to get it to look nice (yes we should have used a primer) and it truly was uncomfortable painting in that tiny space!  My mood just kept getting worse as the days of our kitchen filled with food from the pantry went on and on.  What should have been a few hours was turning into days and days because there were other things that needed to be attended to - like school, meals, ballet, life!

Any way enough whining (I am really good at it though)  it is finally coming along and I want to show you something I did to make it a bit cuter.

I bought some funky little boxes at the $$$ store and decorated them!  If you go in search of this for your own pantry project these boxes come all folded up.

I got some garbage bags and printed up some vintage labels I found in 'images' on Google...

I cut a piece of the paper bag to fit the front of each box and cut out a label to decorate it with...

then sprayed glued the brown paper to the front of the box and the label onto the brown paper!!!  So for a dollar each I have these cute boxes to put crackers, chips, marshmallows and such in!

Not bad huh?  As I write this that pantry is still not finished...but my girlies have taken pity on me and they are helping me reorganize.  I became a bit overwhelmed upon seeing all those piles of food and trying to decide just how I wanted them to go back in.  And of course there are the things that I am not sure I want back in there...and just where will they go?  That my friends is another story for another day!  I will take a few pics of the finished project to show you...should be soon....I am hoping...fingers crossed...

xoxo   Elizabeth

A quick little post...

I wear a special little necklace that I got from one of my favorite stores online...

In fact we all have them in one form or another...

Madison took these pics and one got mentioned on their website.

I just love their jewelry and that it can be personalized makes it that much more special.  Their newest piece is just up our alley...

and, they are having a give away - so now is a perfect time for you to check out their blog and enter for this beautiful necklace and a $50 gift certificate!

The Vintage Pearl

From the blog you can get to their shop if you want to see more of their designs.  Along with custom pieces they also have some ready to ship pieces. 

Enjoy and good luck!

xoxo      Elizabeth

Outside...

We just don't get out enough...we want to...we say we are going to...and then we do a craft.

So the other day the girlies and I took a little walk in our neighborhood...

We live in a nice old (I mean that in a good way) neighborhood.  There are lots of trees, (but they prune them all wrong...and I've tried to tell the city workers, but for some reason they don't want to hear it!?) quaint older homes, our neighborhood pool and friendly people.

Madison and I both brought our cameras...

This is her new camera!!!!!!  She saved up and with a little help from a savings bond treated herself.  Someday when she is a photo journalist for National Geographic you can say "I knew her when!"
I always take a picture of her...

 and she always takes a picture of me!  Do you like my style - with the pinky up? 

We headed out to explore a little and get out the oogly booglies.

Sisters...what a wonderful thing!

I read a story once (a true one) about a mom whose sons always brought her heart shaped rocks...and even as grown ups out on their own they still find them and send them to her...how sweet is that!?   Well, I found something along that vein on my walk...

the cutest little heart shaped patch of grass in the sidewalk.

Down at the end of our street is a very unusual house and gardens.  The house actually backs up to the creek and from the road on the opposite side of the creek there is a great view.  There are beautiful rock walls that go down to the water and the house actually looks like it belongs in ancient Rome.

This is what we can see as we walk by... 

The walls are so pretty and the bright green shrubs are pruned in interesting shapes.

I just love rock walls...and I have always wanted to go into these gardens and wander around. 

We had our little outing (the oogly booglies were at bay) and I am determined that we will do this more often...and maybe even venture out farther...

I am going on a search for wonderful 'nature' places not too far from us - I will keep you posted on my findings.

xoxo    Elizabeth