Evie turned 7...like a month ago.

I've been doing so much with my pictures lately that I forgot to post these to the blog. Well, here they are. It was lovely day of donuts and makeovers.




By all!
J

New pics take two.

Ugly(because of my baking abilities), but tastey gingerbread cookies. At least when the kids decorated them, they got prettier.

This kid is an artist.

Beautiful bride christmas present.

XBox induced state of unconsciousness.

New pics to share.

Decorating the tree wearing his Halloween costume.

Handsome cowboys. Aiden got new boots and jeans.

Souvenirs from Ryan's pre-Christmas trip to Hawaii.

Some really yummy pineapples.

This is for you, mom

We made the leap over the weekend and upgraded our washer and dryer. Since we stack the new ones, I could reconfigure the laundry room to give myself more (much needed) storage. Here's the outcome. (FYI, I hung those shelves myself, thank you very much).

J

50th Day of School

At Evie's school, they celebrate the 50th day of school by dressing like it's the fifties. I don't remember what we did last year, but it was not impressive. With my mom's help (well, she did most of it), we made Evie a poodle skirt this year. It turned out so well. She was proud...and that's what is important.

J

Halloween Party

So, the night of Sadie's birthday party, we had a neighborhood party. Partly to celebrate my neighbors outdoor kitchen, but mostly so we (the adults) could dress up.

In case you can't tell, Ryan was the former dictator, Saddam. I was his 80's rocker chick girl friend. We had a really great time. This party has to be the first annual. I forgot how much fun it could be to dress up. Enjoy!



J

I've been gone way too long

I've been a bad, bad blogger. But, on the other hand, my house has been really clean lately. I need to become better at finding that happy medium, something I've always wanted.

During my hiatus, Sadie turned four. We had a great costume party. Sadie was Cinderella. Poor thing, her hair is too fine to hold a tiara. But, she was beautiful anyway. This year, Evie was Sharpay from High School Musical. Serves us right, she wants to be the flashy, loud bossy character (instead of the good girl). And, Aiden chose to be Jenga Fett (from Star Wars) when we could not find an Indiana Jones hat.

Here's the scrapbook from that party.



J

It might be time

So R and I have had our washer and dryer since right when we were married, and we bought them used from a friend...a guy friend. It's amazing to me that they've lasted this long. They've survived 3 cross country moves, 3 kids and multiple sets of dirty cammies. Well, our washer (which has been repaired a couple of times already) is now making funny noises and I've started looking at new ones just to be prepared. I think I've settled on one of the Samsung pairs (pictured above). Has anyone had experience with front loaders that they'd like to share? This is such a commitment...argh! Now if I can just convince R into one of the pretty colors...yeah right. :)

J

Pretty Baby

This was picture day. Isn't she lovely.

J

I have a new brother

This is Charlie. And he is just as cute as he looks. He now belongs to my mom. He is a compact little powerhouse and quite a funny little rascal. We already love him.

Jumping Muratas

We're thinking of taking the act on the road. What are your thoughts? After viewing this myself, I just noticed that all my children are color coordinated. Such good kids!

Homeland defender in training

Here was Evie's first try at shooting a rifle. No worries. No one and no thing were harmed in the making of this picture. Just please notice how dainty she looks and how fashionable she was that day. Later that day, she told me this was not her thing. Not surprised. But she must know gun safety. So, what's a girl to do?

J

Hardcore Mama

My husband enjoys shooting. He's really good at it and it comes pretty naturally to him. In an attempt to spend some time doing what he enjoys, I have started shooting with him on occasion. Come to find out, I enjoy it, too. Last weekend I got to shoot one of his newest acquisitions. This is an M4 and pretty much what he carried in country (Iraq). Don't you like how I have my blinged out white sunglasses on for eye pro?

Thank you, thank you very much,
J

I have been a bad, bad blogger

I will attempt to offer a peace offering to those of you I've offended by my absence. I am so sorry, for some reason I have found myself rarely at my desk lately. But, I will try to make it up to you with a compilation of photos.



Here, again, are some pictures taken by my budding photographer of a son. Love him!

J

Been a slow week...

At least for pictures. It's actually been a very busy week around here. To make up for the lack of posting, I've given you a gallery of pics taken by my budding photographer of a son. He has quite the eye for composition.

In other news, Evie is now a Daisy Girl Scout. I can't wait to show you a pic of her in her uniform. And, I will be her troop leader, but I will not be wearing a uniform, so don't ask for those pictures. And, something I can't figure out is why everyone mentions Troop Beverly Hills when I say I'm the new troop leader. hmmm...

We're all still a little nutty around here, nothing new there.

Have a good weekend.

J

Sadie, aka Ariel

Here's my little nutty princess. She is wearing a Build a Bear bikini top and wig. And, I believe some chocolate pudding on her nose. She also bound her feet together for awhile for flippers. She is a nutty, nutty little monkey. :)

j

Sadie, the Norwegian?

Ryan commented one of our children looked Norwegian today. Do people from Norway wear braids? I don't know.

Either way, it's been way too long since I posted a Sadie pic. So here you go, my sweet little one.

J

Indiana Jones and the Cowboy Crusade

Aiden is on an Indiana Jones kick and this is his take on the hero. (Not that Indi carries a sword, but a boy has to make do) Earlier, he was also using his winter scarf to lasso me in to kiss me. He really is the perfect combination of boy and lover. He has testosterone to spare, but when it comes time to give love, he is very generous...not that this shot would be any indication.

Have a good weekend.

J

I have a new blog

As many of you know, I'm crazy about nutrition and fitness. It really is a passion for me. I've recently been working on the career side of this, but I still want to share more...share what I've been able to learn. I know that this is a gift that God has given me. In that I can be confident. So, I've decided to start a new blog to cover this passion of mine. You can find it at:

http://healthnutmomma.blogspot.com/

This new blog will really be geared toward busy moms, trying to feed a family and maintain some health for herself. I know that most of my blog readers are exactly as I described. So, I ask you to add one more to your blog reader (or however you do it). Give me a try for little bit. And, please let me know if you have tips to offer.

J

Btw, this was inspired by Ashley's new blog. Thanks Ashley!

I love my husband

While I love my husband for many reasons, I will share one in particular with you today. I've been talking for a year now about getting a Roomba (the robot vacuum). For those of you who don't know, we have all hard floors on our first floor (combo of tile and laminate). We had the house built that way on purpose so we could keep it clean. While it is easy to clean, it is time consuming and the job never seems to stay done with our crazy house (3 kids, 2 dogs).

A couple of weeks ago, my husband put "research roomba" on my to do list. I must say it was ordered 20 minutes later. Maybe he just got tired of stuff sticking to his feet (I know I was). Whatever the reason, it's amazing how happy it makes me to come downstairs to clean floors every morning (we run it at night when we go to sleep).

Thanks for allowing me the moment to proclaim my love for my husband and my robot. I thinking of naming her Sally.

J

Love this face

Not much to say here. Just wanted to mention that I love this face. As tough as he is, he is such a lover. It also doesn't hurt that he is a shrunken, pale version of his daddy. :)

J

The Omnivore's Hundred

Came across this as I was blog-hopping today.

Below is the list of the Omnivore's Hundred. In their words, it is "a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all."

The one's in bold are the foods that I have tried.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk - does cheese count
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky --my kids make me get these every time we go to the Asian market
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

So, I'm lacking 44 out of 100 (if I counted correctly). And, I must say, some of those I will never try (i.e. horse). But, I'm up for some of it. I found it interesting to learn what some new foods are and maybe this will tempt me to try something new if I get the chance.

To my dance show friends

OK, I know at least a couple of my friends out there are fans of the dance shows like me - I mean So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars. Well, the new cast was announced yesterday for Dancing with the Stars. And, while I excited about some of the celebrities (like Misty May, who just one the gold in beach volleyball and Toni Braxton) I am more excited about one of the new pros. She is a crossover from last season of SYTYCD. If anyone else watched that season, it was the great latin dancer, Lacey. I loved watching her and I'll be excited to watch her dance again (this time with Lance Bass). Just thought I'd share the news with my fellow dance show lovers. If you don't watch, please disregard this post. :)

First of day of school

Today is the first day of first grade. Evie sprung out of bed this morning and was getting dressed so quickly, I had to tell her she could slow down. As usual, she filled the morning air with the sound of her voice and her funny little stories. Everyone in my house knows I certainly am not chatty in the morning, so it's her job. She was so excited to get to school, never hinting at a bit of nervousness. Not until I turned to leave her in her class. She looked nervous then, but I know she'll pull through. This kid loves school. Everything about it. I love this girl.

J

What can happen when you leave kids to themselves

They had so much fun they even got the neighbor boy involved. Way to go Murata kids, capable of corrupting a whole neighborhood. Their favorite part was stipping naked in the front yard, I'm sure. At least Evie knew to be embarassed.

J

Another food post

So, tonight I'm making my number one go-to meal. This meal is all-in-one healthy, kid friendly, easy to double or triple batch and capable of making you feel like you've created something wonderful. Okay, this is really nothing that new, but it's my take on classic "spaghetti" sauce or bolognese. I wanted to share this with you today for any of you looking for something to add to your cooking repertoire. I've been making this recipe for about 3 years, so I can say that I've had some good luck with it. Here we go.

Ingredients
2 lbs(ish) ground turkey 97% or 99% lean
84 oz total tomatoes (3 big cans) can include crushed, diced or sauce
1 large finely chopped onion
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 C finely chopped carrots
salt and pepper
1 lb pasta
optional extras:
mushrooms
fresh basil
Parmesan cheese for the sprinkle

Begin by browning turkey in a drizzle of olive oil in a medium hot pan (you'll need a big one if you make this entire recipe). After meat is half-way browned, add onions, carrots and garlic. When I make this recipe, I chop my veggies in the food processor because it is so much quicker and the kids can't pick out the onions. Let the meat and veggies cook together for 10 minutes. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper (remember, there's nothing pre-packaged here, so the salt and pepper are very important).

Once that has cooked together for awhile, add the tomatoes. I use a combination of 28 oz petite diced tomatoes and 56 oz of whole tomatoes which I pulverize in my food processor (it's already dirty anyway). I prefer to use whole tomatoes when I can because manufacturers use their best tomatoes for this packaging. You will also need to add a little more salt now. This is also when I add the mushrooms (I prefer the baby bellas - it's a whole container from the produce section). Bring this to a good bubble. Then turn down heat to simmer and cover.

Now is when it's up to you. If you have time, let it simmer for an hour. If you're rushed, it will still be good served quickly. At least give it the amount of time to boil the pasta. If you notice that the sauce is not thick enough, let it simmer with the lid off for a while (the sauce will reduce). I add some fresh basil just before I mix the sauce and noodles.

Pasta recommendations: To add nutrition, use whole wheat pasta. Remember to salt your water for flavor. Set your time for the time on the box (if I don't do this, I end up with over-done pasta). Don't rinse your pasta after. Pre-mix pasta and sauce before you serve it, you get better sauce coverage on the noodles this way.

I will hope to get 3 batches out of this recipe (if I can keep Ryan out of the extra sauce). But for me, that means feeding 5 people dinner and Ryan lunch tomorrow with one batch. Each batch should easily cover 1 lb of pasta. When we have a busy schedule (like we will starting next week with school), I try to keep at least one batch of this in the freezer. I buy my pasta at Costco now, so I always have a GOOD meal available.

Now I realize that I am not the only one who knows how to cook and many of you already have a tried and true recipe. But, if you're looking for a good, basic and healthy meat sauce, give this a try.

Cheers! J

The tooth fairy has to be tired of coming here

Just two days later and tooth #2 popped out. I believe another sandwich was involved.

The funniest thing was watching her in the backyard yesterday playing air guitar and singing (probably something from the Chipmunks). She looked maniacal rocking out with those teeth missing. Priceless.

Mom, I take a picture with your camera?

Lately, Aiden has decided to become a photagrapher. When he can't think of anything else to do, he's been asking to use my camera. This was not as big of deal with the old point and shoot. Now that I got this, I'm a little more wary. But, I'll still allow him to take a few (which translates into about 200 - digital is awesome). I've posted some of his best shots. I love his composition and how he breaks the rule of having the subject in the middle of the picture. My favorite is of Goosie-boy (the dog). Don't know why, just love it. That pic of me was after probably 20 shots. It was hard to keep smiling. And finally, the gun. What can I say?

I should have called this "Vignette of Boy: his dog, his gun and his mom - and other stuff".

We've been waiting for this

For at least a few months now, Evie has been wiggling those top two teeth. Just recently, the one has gotten VERY loose. She had fears of pulling it, which I understand. I can't even watch her wiggle it. It's kind of like nails on a chalk board to me. I just can't deal. So, we just wait until it falls out.

Well, last night at dinner, she took her first bite of her cheeseburger and it popped right out. We all cheered. She told me later that she was so excited that she was shaking. Little did I know that the gap would make her even cuter.

The tooth fairy did make an appearance overnight. Thank goodness for that. She is now 75 cents richer. And before you ask, yes she has purple eye shadow on in the picture. That's the first thing she wanted to do this morning.

And, Grandpa Steven, if you're reading this, sorry. I know that I am probably not handling these teeth issues appropriately. Oh to have you closer. (FYI, for those who don't know, Grandpa Steven is an endodontist, i.e. very smart dentist guy.)

J

Roasted Eggplant Dish

Roasted eggplant is probably one of my favorite veggies. It just gets the best flavor and consistency when it's been in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. So, last night for dinner, I wanted to roast an eggplant. When I do this, I usually prepare it with a greek style salad including some combination of the following: lettuce, chicken, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, hummus, pita, feta and tzatsiki sauce. Alas, last night I had no lettuce, and I knew that I would get to eat the entire eggplant with Ryan still gone (sorry, the kids will NOT eat eggplant, can't seem to force that issue).

I hashed a new plan. Just had to share it because it was SOOO good. After peeling and dicing the eggplant (I don't like the skin, it gets really hard once cooked), I drizzled it with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Baked it at 400 degrees for 45 minutes give or take.

Meanwhile, I started perusing my fridge. I had run out of my fresh veggies already this week. But, I did have a jar of kalamata olives and roasted red peppers. And, some minute brown rice. I cooked 1/4 cup of rice (one serving) and at the end of the cooking, added the chopped olives and one chopped bell pepper.

I piled the roasted eggplant on a plate (took up most of the plate...and it's a veggie!). Layered the rice mixture over the top. Sprinkled some fat free feta (which is great) and a dollop of tzatsiki sauce (which is the kind from Costco that I could eat with a spoon).

All in all, my favorite meal of the week. And, very gourmet for the amount of time put in. Also, not a single thing in that meal was bad for me.

I would have taken a picture, because is was pretty, too. But, I was too hungry. The pic above is just eggplant. But, let it inspire you.

J