BROWN: TEN Pineapple Garden

After visiting the Pineapple Plantain several times I decided to grow my own pineapple! We live exactly 3 miles from the Plantation ( I know this because I have biked there and back a few times).  Although it is one of the tourist attractions on the island, I still like going there and enjoying the pineapple ice cream (which is the only flavor they make:) and it is delicious!)

After riding the train, walking through the garden, or finding your way through the worlds largest maze, there is lots of shopping to do inside the plantation.  Its not what you would think of a typical plantation, but it's very nice for a "day date" or lunch. 

So first things first, to grow a pineapple you must buy one. 

 Make sure the pineapple is a good shape, and that the eyes are all even around the fruit.  Color does not matter when it comes to a pineapple. No matter if it's green or yellow, once it is picked it is at its ripest so the sooner you  eat it the better it will taste.  Unlike bananas that ripen as they sit on your counter, a pineapple is picked at its ripest and will get no riper, only start to ferment, so eat up!

Instead of cutting off the top like you make have done in the past, simply TWIST off the top, do not cut it off that is where the roots will start to grow for planting.

Then tare off a few layers to expose more of the bottom of the pineapple top.

Then put it in a warm sunny place in water. ( you can add water, but don't change the water)

Three weeks later you will have roots like these!! WOW!

Then all you have to do is plant and water every other day.


Pineapples like it really hot and sunny, so if you are trying to gown one on the mainland, start in the summertime and bring your potted pineapple inside when it starts to get cold. My dad is trying to do that in Nashville, so ill update on how both of ours are doing.  The only bummer about this process is it takes 18 months to grow a pineapple, but each plant produces three pineapples.  Here is a picture of a baby one!

So eat up!!!!!!!

Love, BROWN

BROWN :NINE Our first THANKSGIVING!!!!!

( Andrew cut off my head in the picture...how dare him!)

Thanksgiving means lots of people and lots of food....right? Andrew decided to invite his Platoon over for Thanksgiving at our house.  He figured the break is too short for people to go all the way home and most of the guys are young single guys......so instead of them opting for Taco Bell or McDonalds we decided to have them over for a good traditional Thanksgiving dinner (which if I actually told Andrew we could eat there for Thanksgiving he would most likely run around the our loop screaming with joy). I got all the recipes that I love from Connie, and Andrew and I went shopping for everything....and then I started cooking!!
 Here is our table setting for the big day.

The menu:
      Turkey (My dad says it usually takes a few Thanksgivings to get your turkey good and I have to say this was the best turkey I have ever eaten...the white meat was just as juicy as the dark, and the dark just fell of the bone!)
      Ham
      Stuffing
      Cheesy potato casserole
      Sweet potato casserole
      Corn casserole
      Green bean Casserole
      Cranberry sauce
      Gravy
      Rolls
Dessert:
Apple Pie
Fudge Pie
Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache (which was gone by the end of the day)

Everything was homemade and everything was delicious.  They guys came hungry and left full...they were all very sweet and it was a great day!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, BROWN

    

BROWN is so proud to be an army wife.

I have to brag on my Andrew for a moment.  Here in Hawaii, he completed RSLC. Here is a short description of what the course entails
                           https://www.benning.army.mil/usmc/courses/course_rslc.htm

The Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader Course is designed to train leaders of the Army Long Range Surveillance teams that conduct reconnaissance / surveillance at the Division / Corps level.  The course develops the technical, tactical, and leadership skills of selected officer and enlisted personnel assigned to LRS, SF, and heavy/ light division scout and reconnaissance platoons by requiring them to perform hands on tasks, as well as several written examinations.  The RSLC student performs as a team member in a realistic tactical environment under mental and physical stress, approaching that found in combat.  It provides the student the opportunity to refine his leadership and tactical skills to a high degree of proficiency so that he can return to his unit and train his team members.

The course lasts 33 days and pushes the student physically and academically.  The training day lasts an average of 16 hours, 7 days a week.  It is divided into major instructional blocks consisting of Long Range Land Navigation, communications, intelligence, vehicle identification, survival, and operational techniques (planning E & R, hide/ surveillance, photo imagery, airborne, air assault, Fast Rope, and special insertion/ extraction operations).

At the beginning of the course, students will take an Army PFT, Combat Water Survival Test (CWST), and a written land navigation test.  Students should be proficient on written and practical application skills for land navigation prior to arrival.  During the first week, students will conduct their day / night land navigation exercises.  PT is conducted regularly and includes a circuit course and a ruck run.  Students should prepare themselves academically and physically. 

Needless to say, Andrew was amazing. I am so proud of him for getting through this course and all the other ones he has completed.

Signed, BROWN

Brown: EIGHT How to make a cushion

Let me just tell you I am a bargain hunter just like my mother!! ( But to tell you the truth, Lily and Claire are super bargain hunters as well).  I knew I wanted a wooden outside bench for my little front porch but being in the army, not knowing what your next house will look like, it would be silly to buy a new bench only to have to get ride of it for our next move.  Sooooooo, I found a bench for 25$ at a thrift store and all I needed to do was make a seat cushion for it....super easy! So I got my fabric to match my house (green) and used burlap for my accent pillows ( Lily and Claire know my love for burlap).

So start by measuring the seat of your bench and give yourself extra room because when you go to stuff your cushion, it becomes becomes shorter.  Sew the fabric like you would a pillow inside out, leaving some room for your hand to stuff with.  Then turn your cushion right side out and make some stitches where ever you want your cushion to be sectioned off or break, but remember your have to get your hand in all the sections to put stuffing, so leave room:)

Then stuff your cushion section, by section, making sure they are all even.

Then sew up the back part that you left open. I attached ribbons so I could tie it to my bench for wind.

Make some accent pillows and enjoy!  You could also do this for a desk chair or even your dinning/kitchen table chairs!

Love, BROWN

Brown: SEVEN How to make fabric Napkins!

There are SO many ways to make napkins, but I am going to show you how I make mine.  First of all I must share with you my trouble with the fabric stores here on this island.  I have found one fabric store, and although it is very large and well priced, it is hard to get away from the "aloha" patterns :)  So I have found a website that is WONDERFUL! Its fabric.com and that is where I got my fabric for my napkins, curtain, and many other little projects.

So to start I cut my napkin to size.  Standard napkins sizes are 12, 14, and 16 inches, I made mine 16 because that used the most out of my yards of fabric.  So first you must cut your fabric in to a perfect square. Make sure to use a straight edge:)

Then pick a color of BIAS TAPE that compliments your napkins( which is just fabric cut and folded perfectly....you can always make your own) .  You can find bias tape at any craft store.

Simply pin the bias tape over all four edges of your napkin.

Sew.

And place on your table.  As each holiday occurs, make a new set of napkins so in a year you have napkins for every holiday!

Happy Sewing!
Love, BROWN