Fun Food Fridays!

I'm really big on themed food days. You'll notice that as I upload pictures and recipes. My friend Jill and I joke about us being neurotic all the time since she too, has theme days. Haha. Fridays are our 'Fun Food Fridays', and who doesn't love that? We typically have a Family Fun Night of movie watching or board game playing, though tonight is a bit of an exception. Tonight all three boys went out to a Friday Night Magic (the Gathering) at our local games store, Goodsell Collectibles. This leaves Rhianna and I at home to have our own mother-daughter time.

Tonight we ate... drumroll please... pizza! ;) Nothing fancy at all. I will share my crust recipe (a crust that my son Tiernan actually eats - AMAZING!) because it's easy and super fast to make. I love it! On it I put my own pizza sauce (tomato paste, olive oil and a pizza spice that I get from Bulk Barn... love Bulk Barn!), mushrooms, lots of spinach, green peppers, pineapple, mozzarella cheese and feta cheese. Simple, but oh so yummy.

Pizza Dough

(for one good sized crust - I double ours so we have lunch for tomorrow)

2 1/2 tsp dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

2 cups bread flour

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let it stand until it's creamy, approximately 10 minutes.

In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients. Add the yeast mixture and combine. Beat well with hands until a stiff dough forms. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise until it has doubled in size (about half an hour).

Preheat oven to 350.

Turn the dough onto a well floured surface (with well floured hands). Roll out and shape into pizza shapes (we do rectangular).

Bake the crusts for 8-10 minutes, top with toppings of your choice and cook it again until it's brown and everything has melted.

This is my new favourite cooler. Wow, it tastes just like rootbeer! My sister Carole even suggested trying it as a rootbeer float, and I am sooo there with my next bottle. Sinful!

We brought in a nest that some robins made on our electricity meter last year. I had become very attached to the papa and the three perfect blue-green eggs that he was sitting on. I visited everyday, anxious for the hatching of his babies. Sure enough, three awkward looking babies were born. I felt so protective of them - like a mama bear. I checked on them a few times a day, making sure to chase away any squirrels and big birds that ventured into our yard. I was so happy that nothing had eaten the eggs. And then, one day, my worst nightmare happened. I went out to check on papa and his babies, and they were gone. Not only were they gone, but the nest was upside down on the ground without a feather in sight. The parent birds were in the trees crying, and that sound will always stay with me. I admit, I cried for a good long while over these lost birds, and didn't have the heart to remove the nest. That is, until today. I saw my first robin of the season - helloooo, Spring! I started thinking about the bird family from last year, and I know no other birds will take over their nest again, so why not use it for our altar for Ostara later in the month? For me, it's a good way to remember those babies.

Obviously, our cats liked the nest, too! I had to put it up high because they just wouldn't leave it alone.

Today was my children's last day of school before Spring Break, so they had a spirit day... PAJAMA DAY! They were so happy to go to school in pjs this morning. They were so cute, I had to take some pictures, of course! ;)

And as for Tibby-guy... well, he's just so doggone cute. He was a good best buddy today when I was feeling headachey and blah. My loyal boy.

Time for me to go hang out with my daughter. We're going to watch 'Nanny McPhee Returns' and eat some snacks. I love nights like these.