R.I.P Troy

Well, Troy, Mason's dwarf hamster, has crossed the little hamster rainbow bridge. It was sad. He was a pain in the little furry-hamster-butt (both of us will readily admit), but it is still sad to lose part of the family. He got a proper burial and now we will never sign up for hamster ownership again ;)


                                            


Moving forward..

I seem to have quite the aspiring chef on my hands! Mason has really enjoyed learning new recipes, recreating some, and inventing his own this summer! Last year at the Potato Fest he indulged in a pirogi (here we go with that word again!) sandwich. Ever since his first bite he has wanted to make his own. So, a year later I managed to pull together all the ingredients (hey, I'm busy) for him to make this "amazing" sandwich. And this is what he came up with..

He enjoyed it. I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. I was SO happy, though that he had the desire to get into the kitchen to cook and create!! I am so proud of him!

I found bananas!! Lots and lots of bananas!! Years ago I used to find these bags of overripe bananas at the grocery store all the time, then they just sort of disappeared. I picked up a few items today for the week and I spotted the "old ripe banana" cart sitting right in the middle of the produce aisle!! I screamed a little and darted straight for it as if I had competition (obviously these bananas have been around for so long, no one wanted them, that's how they landed themselves into the sad looking cart!). No worries, I wasn't fighting off any sweet old ladies to score this deal (sadly, I admit I have used my ability to speed walk to my advantage when I see a good produce deal. Shamefully, it has involved the elderly). I wanted so bad to take all the bags of bananas but for fear of being looked at as a "banana hoarder" or a "crazy banana lady", I refrained. I know that I would use them all, but..I guess I would let others have a chance at baking some amazing banana bread or cake or enhance their own smoothies. I don't want to be greedy, now!

So, here is my big deal:

Ready for the cost?? $.99 a BAG!! For $1.98 I got 24 bananas (.8 cents a banana!) Some of them are still fresh enough to last a few more days. The others, I peeled, cut in half, and froze. Mason drinks a lot of smoothies (I do, too), he can whip them up in a flash for a quick, healthy snack, so this makes the smoothie dollar stretch that much further!

All in all it was a pretty good weekend. I have been daydreaming about Maine so much lately, I really want to be there right now! Check out this photo that was posted by an amazing photographer from Maine:

That has to be the most perfect picture, ever!!