And So it Goes...

Time seems to be passing even more quickly now than it was before. Working full time outside of the house is certainly making things interesting around here. My strict 7:00pm bedtime for the kids seems to have fallen by the wayside. Oh well...everything will settle in time, I am sure.

Paco's grandmother has continued to rally each day. I haven't had the chance to see her in over a week, but I hear she is actually sitting up and feeding herself.

We watched Transformers last night. I didn't get it. I mean, I got it, but don't really understand why it was a movie. The story took *forever* to unfold. The acting wasn't all that great. Josh Duhamel is in it, so that at least made it somewhat fun to watch. But, I really don't recommend watching it unless you really like robots or something.

That's all I got...

Weekend Update

The MAC use is going really well. I am actually very confident and the transition has been very easy.

My job is swell. I love it.

Paco's grandmother is not doing well. We were told the end is here, only to have her rally and get better. Then, she got worse. Then better. Then worse. I think you get the idea. It has been a slightly stressful few days. The one upside is that we got to see my sister-in-law and Paco's aunt. His cousin may come tomorrow.

My New Computer

This is my new computer for my new job! While I am a bit nervous since I haven't worked on a Mac in while, I have been assured by many people that the transition will be easy. Even more, I have been told that I will *never* go back to using plain, old windows. I am SO excited!

Need Help Planning a Garden Party?

Then click on the question to get some answers!

I Am Such a Good Mom! (No, really!)

The elementary school kids had a half day today for parent-teacher conferences. So I have my three kids as well as two other girls for most of the afternoon. For lunch, we had sausage and green eggs. Aren't I clever? The kids loved it. Now they are all playing with paper dolls and some elaborate game that involves hand-drawn bedrooms and stores. At least they are all happy. I am trying not to fall asleep, as my corned beef simmers on the stove. Today, this is a happy house!

In Celebration of Easter

This morning at church, Paco reminded me how funny church was last Easter. To be more specific, it was the moments before church that were funny. I thought it would be nice to give you all a laugh in preparation for Easter 2008.

So...

...I am now employed! Thanks for all of the well-wishing and prayers! I am very excited and can't wait to get started.

In the meantime, I am working on a large print job for my local political friends and am getting *extremely* frustrated. The printer keeps jamming and the postcards keep ripping and there are roller marks all over the place. Why do I do this again?

My Inner Geek

I just came home from a job interview. Please say a prayer for me...I really want this job! It is a great combination of writing, marketing and technical stuff - my dream come true! I am fighting the urge to email the guy right now (roughly 1 hour since the interview ended) and let him know just how badly I want him to hire me. I realize this is a bad idea, but I *really* want to.

Princess turned 8 yesterday. I have an 8 year old! Crazy. If I were feeling more motivated, I would post a picture. However, any second two kindergarteners and two second graders are going to burst throught the front door - I have no time for play!

And Yet Another

Another article here!

Associated Content Article

Tea Party Games

And Here It Is...

Okay, so it took me a little longer than I planned to post TBell's "after" picture. But, here it is!





She is still very excited about the style. I am getting used to her with shorter hair, although I do really miss her long locks! At least they went to a good cause. (Sorry for the darkness of the photos; I am not sure what is wrong!)

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the big event in Pirate's life: he got "spenders" from Grammy! He is more excited that a person should be about suspenders, but at least he's cute enough to pull it off right now. It's only a matter of time, though, before he turns into Urkel!



PS - Please excuse the very messy floor you can see in the picture of Pirate. I am simply not a very neat person!

A Wedding Story

My grandmother got married on New Years Eve. (Yes, I am aware of the many jokes this statement can generate!) I took the kids on a road trip (along with one sister and her two kids in my car) while Paco stayed at home. (He could not get the day off to go...don't get me started!) While I have proven many times that I am not a great photographer, I am very disappointed this time to not have many great pictures to post. I am putting two here, but I think my sister has some better ones on her blog.


This is the happy couple, along with most of the great grandchildren on our side of the family. The groom has a young great granddaughter and, at the time of the picture, one arriving any time.


This is TBell and my father. I just love this picture.

I have a great picture of my niece, but should probably get permission before I post it. Sadly, it is WAY too early for me to call and ask. (You may note the time this is posted...I have been up for a couple of hours and can't seem to get back to sleep. Ugh!)

Hair Today

TBell had her hair cut last Saturday for Locks of Love. Her hair was down to the small of her back and is now just past her chin! Princess also had this done when she was in Kindergarten, but it was much harder for me this time. (She does look cute now, although all of you have to wait because I just realized I don't have the "after" picture yet!) However, much more importantly, TBell is very excited to have donated her hair and she also loves the cut now. She listed a few people in her class who have all had their hair cut, so it was clearly time for her to have hers done! I like the idea of donating for obvious reasons. But, this time was even more important to me because we have a very close family friend who is in a battle with cancer and I think this was a way for a very young TBell to feel like she is helping.







I suppose it isn't really nice of me to post these pictures without a final one, but at least now you'll come back for more!

'Nothing that's Necessary is Impossible'

That is a quote from a book I recently finished. It kind of made me stop and realize that I had very often, as of late, been feeling sorry for myself and had been thinking that perhaps I didn't want to keep working my current schedule. Never mind that it works for our family and the kids are settled and happy. I was miserable and mean. However, after reading that sentence and thinking about it for a while, I realized that my schedule isn't impossible and shouldn't make me unhappy. It's necessary and therefore doable.

In dinner news, my sister gave me and my kids a mix to make our own hot pretzels. So tonight, we had a "ballpark meal" that consisted of hot dogs, pretzels dipped in cheese and caramel popcorn. Definitely not the healthiest meal, but it was a lot of fun and the kids had a great time. I will post ordering info for the hot pretzels as soon as I figure out what Paco did with the bag; they were GREAT! I was a little apprehensive about them, but they were really easy to make - even the kids were able to do it. And, the taste was wonderful. I highly recommend them.

Fantabulous

Christmas was simply wonderful here. I would love to post some pictures of the children, but I haven't uploaded them yet. Plus, in a wonderful show of intelligence, Paco and I didn't make sure the camera was charged. So, there really aren't that many pictures anyway. Rest assured though, Pirate was THRILLED with his Darth Maul double-bladed light saber. Princess and TBEll LOVED their High School musical things as well as their other gifts. Each one got a new Webkinz, which was also very exciting. Princess did have a momentary moment of sadness when she realized that even though she told Santa every time she saw him (news to me) that she wanted clothes for her Webkinz, she didn't get them. But, I did point out that she has a birthday coming and all was well.

Possibly even more important, the girls were in the pageant at church. They did a great job, of course, and had a lot of fun. (Princess was Gabriel and TBEll as the Inkeeper.) Both sets of grandparents came and had a nice time. Right now, all three kids love going to church...I really hope I can encourage that so it continues!

Come again soon...I am actually going to post a recipe! (I got a Rachel Ray cookbook for Christmas. I modified a recipe tonight and it was GREAT!)

Kindness

There have been many times that I have been lucky enough to benefit from the kindness of both friends and strangers. While I do try to contribute my share of good deeds with the world, I do not believe that I have come close to reciprocating enough. Today, I was told by a friend of mine that he has managed to get the one toy for me that Pirate has asked for this Christmas. This particular item is not made anymore and is going on eBay for around $150 to $200. (I would guess it's original price was somewhere around $25.) Paco and I have been brainstorming different ways to come up with a homemade version, all the while telling Pirate that Santa called and said that the elves were really struggling and that the stores just didn't have one. I have been sad because this is the first Christmas that Pirate really understands things (both religious and commercial) and he was just asking for a stupid toy and I couldn't do it. We say no to our kids a lot and it was killing me that I couldn't indulge him this holiday. But, it goes against every fiber in my being to spend $150 on a gift for a 4 year old. So, anyway, my friend has found one for me, through a friend of his, and they are giving it to us. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for friends like this and I really do hope that I can someday return this wonderful gesture.

Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! I hope all of you can experience the magic of the season as I have!

Culinary Frustration

My kids are pretty good eaters. In fact, one of my proudest accomplishments as a parent is that my kids are accustomed to eating (mostly) whatever is put in front of them for dinner. I really like the fact that I don't have to serve chicken nuggets or fish sticks in order to get them to eat. They have each been known to ask to finish the vegetables from the serving bowl at the end of dinner. Princess counts sushi as one of her all-time favorite foods. So, it is with great dismay that I announce the following: My kids hate homemade macaroni and cheese. They prefer processed cheese and noodles. It doesn't have to be powdered cheese, they will also eat processed cheese log melted over noodles (i.e. Velveeta). I haven't tried to serve them the homemade kind in a while, but felt inspired today. See, Pirate just returned from a 1 1/2 week trip to Disney World with my parents and brought Mickey shaped noodles for TBell as a gift. I thought it would be so neat to make "Mickeyroni and Cheese" as a welcome home dinner. They hated it. Where did I go wrong? I mean, if I can serve BBQ ribs and deviled eggs to my kids, why won't they eat homemade mac and cheese. It is days like this I feel like total failure! (Okay, that's a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean.)

Here is the recipe for my mac-n-cheese. For the record, Paco loved it.

Melt 2T of butter in a saucepan. Add 2 cups of milk and 2T of flour. Whisk together. Let milk bubble then thicken, maybe 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup shredded asiago, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella. Melt cheese in milk mixture. Add almost-cooked (1 pound package) noodles to cheese mixture and combine. Pour noodles and cheese into a baking pan or casserole and cover with handfuls of shredded cheese as well as about 1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 3T olive oil. Brown top under broiler and serve. This could also be made into a meatier version by adding bacon bits or pieces of ham.

Catching Up

I can't believe it is already November. Time really does fly...especially when everyone is so busy. I have posted some pictures from last month. I have been meaning to get on for quite a while but just haven't done so.

The girls each designed pumpkins after their favorite book characters and entered a contest at school. While they didn't win, I am very proud of them because they came up with their own ideas and had very little help from me. The pumpkins that did win were amazing, but certainly not done by an elementary school student.


This is TBell's pumpkin. She has always loved 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' so immediately chose that book when she found out about the contest.


Princess chose 'Swan Lake' and made a two-sided pumpkin.


Last but not least, a picture from Halloween.



Election Day is coming, which always keeps me busy. Then Pirate leaves for a 1 1/2 week trip with my parents. UGH! He just turned 4 this week and now he's heading off for a Disney vacation. My baby is leaving! Oh dear.

I went to a wedding the other night as a fill-in guest. (My sister-in-law was standing up as a bridesmaid and her husband was unable to make the trip.) The night was filled with fun music from Corey Hart, Heart, Asia, Madonna and more. Well, I at least thought it was fun. Anyway, I really, really, really loved the cake. Once again, I don't think my camera phone is did any justice, but I thought you should all see it anyway.



My head is hurting way too much to say anything else. I have been sick for a few days and can't seem to kick whatever it is that I have. I saw the MD this afternoon, and he is going with a kidney infection or a kidney stone. I have had a stone before and I don't think that's what it is. But, he seemed to be leaning more toward one. At any rate, I am not really in the mood to say anything else.

"She's a very sweet and helpful girl; she just talks too much."

Tbell came home from school yesterday with a note from her teacher that I needed to sign. The note said that she had gotten in trouble for talking too much and was given several warnings about it before having to take down a picture. (The kids have three small pictures of themselves up on a wall. Similar to 'three strikes and you're out,' they have chances before a more serious consequence happens.) Now, she only had to take one picture down but she also lost 5 minutes of play time. When I asked if she was sad that she had lost a picture for the day, she just shrugged and said no. Then she told me that there was better stuff in the papers underneath the teacher's note. Now, I wouldn't ordinarily call the teacher about something like this, but I happened to have another issue to bring up so I decided to try. We spoke about the other thing first and then I brought up TBell's indifference to being in trouble. Mrs. P laughed and said the quote above. I noted that TBell didn't speak for quite a while - no sounds at all. In fact, the pediatrician wanted me to have her evaluated for speech therapy but I never got around to it. Then, she turned three, and she hasn't shut up. Mrs. P said that she was the same way and that her teachers must have felt the same way. I told her that we would try to work on being quiet at home, but that TBell is either talking or asleep. Happily, she got a good worker award today and proudly told me that she did not talk too much. Too funny. (I had a very hard time keeping a straight face while discussing this with her. She really cracks me up.)

Crock Pot Happiness

I made a roast in the crock pot today, with a recipe courtesy of my friend Ellen. All you do is put the roast in (mine was 4.5 pounds) and add the contents of one or two jars of peppercinis (juice and all) along with some garlic. I used one jar of sliced of peppercinis and one jar of sliced banana peppers. We sliced the meat and served it on rolls. My friend served hers on pita's with a cucumber and dill salad. Paco wouldn't eat that, so I just served mine with a side of cheesy rice. Mmmmmm! So good and easy.



I don't think the picture really does it justice, but it was taken with my cell phone and my cell phone is really a piece of crap.

WARNING: It Hurts to be Hit in the Face With a Rubber Dinosaur

You may not think so, but it really does! It also hurts to be kicked in the shin by a four year old boy doing an unauthorized cartwheel. I suppose it would have hurt even if the cartwheel had been authorized, but you get the idea. Other than those two events, the class went very well. I really did enjoy myself and think I will survive the year.

My First Day

Today is my first day teaching preschool. I can't decide if I am nervous. I mean, the knowledge I will be handing out isn't that difficult. But, will I have the patience for a crying three year old who misses his mommy? Or, will I deal correctly with the little boy who bites and hits his friends? I have no idea. We will all know soon, though!

Last night I realized that I am not completely in school mode yet as far as parenting goes. As I was going to bed, I saw the piles of paper I had removed from the backpacks on Friday afternoon - untouched for the weekend on the back of the computer table. It turns out that TBell needed to wear yellow today and Princess needed a form filled out. At least I noticed it last night instead of on my way to the bakery this morning at 5am. But, things would have been much less stressful had I remembered before bedtime on Sunday!

I Have No More Babies

I am not one to cry. Well, at least not during crisis situations or things like that. But, all three of my kids went to school. Now I was fine when Princess and TBell got on the bus (TBell started kindergarten) and I was fine when I dropped Pirate off at school. It was when got home that it started - it was then that I realized that I have no more babies and it kind of hurt a little.

Here are pictures of the big day!


Princess is very proud of this outfit - she finds it to be very fashionable. I think she looks like she is going to school in the 80's! I remember my mother forbidding me to wear stretch pants under my skirts and shorts. I imagine she will kill me when she sees Princess get off the bus today!


This is my absolute favorite dress. I just LOVE polka dots. Isn't she too cute?


All grown up. He kept saying things today like, "Don't tickle the school boy!"

All three, smiling.

Fudge

I tired to make fudge today, using an easy microwave recipe I found online. It has not set. I just let TBell, TBell's friend, and Pirate eat a "piece" with a spoon. I have put it back in the freezer to try and force it to set. It's pretty though, with marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. Tasty and disappointing all at the same time.

Also, I spoke to Paco's grandmother, and she has agreed to can with me. In addition to what I wanted to make, she is going to teach me how to do potatoes! I am SO excited!

In other random news, we got a new bathtub today from Bathfitters. It looks very much like a hotel shower/tub now - all clean and white. However, anything is better than the stained tub we had before!

"HUGH Sale"

I saw that on a sign over the weekend. Sadly, I was unable to stop and see how much a 'Hugh' would cost. Perhaps next time.

Canning and Me

My sister cans a lot. In fact, she called me yesterday to tell me that she was getting together with some friends to can quite a number of things. (One of which was vodka cherries! I am *really* hoping to get a jar or two of those!) I haven't canned anything in a long time. I helped my mother with tomatoes last year, but I was only helping and ended up with just four jars. I have decided this year that I want to do tomatoes, apple butter, and hot pepper relish. Of course, there is a financial investment with the food and jars, so I need to find a way to make that happen. But, I will be so happy when it is all completed! I have to admit that I am a little nervous since I have never done it by myself. Stay tuned for updates, although the actual day probably won't be until the beginning of September.

Taking a Break from Work

I didn't go to work at the bakery today. (That's a long story.) So, when I woke up today I decided that I should work on some proofreading and other projects that I have been putting off. However, after 40 minutes, I am already in need of a break! My ability to stay focused can be severely limited at times.

We went to a dinner party yesterday to which I had to bring a side dish. The other day I had watched The Food Network and decided to make this. I used apples instead of pears because that's what my local farmer's market had. It was pretty good. I should have taken a picture for you, especially since I assembled it in my never-before-used trifle dish from Pampered Chef and it looked SO pretty! The curry flavor isn't that strong, so I think most people will enjoy it. To be honest and fair, I don't know how often I will make it since the curry won't go with all foods. But, it was good enough to share!

Coffee and a Smile (and a Recipe)

Ahhhhhh. I am sipping coffee and sitting at my desk while the children play happily behind me. I do love days off!

I went to our local farmer's market last weekend and bought an eggplant. I had never prepared eggplant before and was quite anxious to try something with it. Paco is pretty much a meat and potatoes guy, but was willing to try it in our quest to lose weight. (I am down 10 pounds. He has lost roughly the same.) I looked around on the internet for some good recipes and asked around, but couldn't come up with something that great. We were planning to just brush it with olive oil and season it with salt/pepper and throw it on the grill. However, I ended up looking at a recipe called 'Poor Man's Caviar' and was intrigued. I went to a friend's house on Monday and decided to make it for that gathering - it was GREAT!

Cut slits on top of the eggplant, then roast it on grill rack at 500 degrees for about 20 minutes. Take eggplant out of the oven and scoop out the flesh. In a food processor, combine eggplant, drizzle of olive oil, coarse salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you would like. (I used a parmesan/oregano blend from my friends pantry.) Serve with a baguette or other bread/cracker.

WARNING: The consistency looks like green baby food. It got rave reviews with my friends, though, so try it anyway!

Excitement Comes in So Many Ways

First, excitement comes in the form of DVR, which Paco and I finally got this afternoon. I haven't really had time to play with it, but it is currently set to record all episodes of Friends on TBS (I still really like that show) and all episodes of Kim Possible on Disney Channel. I think I am really, really going to like it.

Second, excitement comes in the form of martini's and Chinese food and sushi with friends. I think it's going to be a good night!

Could I Have Felt Any Worse?

I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. In fact, immediately following the births of each of my girls, I was thrilled at the prospect of possibly doing it again. Today, however, I was crying uncontrollably on my couch with a headache that hurt worse than most things I have ever felt. (I still remember the pain of a particular surgery I had and I do admit that this headache was not that bad; possibly close, though.) Princess was taking care of me and all three children behaved pretty well considering I was completely out of it for most of the day. I finally called my mother to bring me more medicine, which helped immensely. It sucked for her, though, because my three year old niece is staying with her for the week and had just thrown up in the car when she arrived at my house. I was barely able to help her and only had three napkins to give her. I was in so much pain that it didn't occur to me to give her rags or anything. I don't really get headaches like that and sincerely pray that it never happens again.

Dinner

I made the most amazing pizza for dinner tonight. I suppose it won't sound all that extraordinary, but let me assure you that it was FAB! I used dough from the bakery - the kind that you have to let rise and then punch down and rise again. I do have a great recipe to make my own, but I chose to buy with my discount today. At $1 a bag, it's hard to resist. I brushed it with olive oil, sprinkled oregano, then spread pizza sauce. On top of the sauce, I put cut up meatballs, jalapenos, and mozzarella cheese. I really don't think that I can tell you how good it was. The kids had a plain cheese version that was also very, very good.

TBell fell off a swing after dinner and smacked her head on the very hard ground. I was worried that she may have a slight concussion, but Paco insists that she is fine. I suppose she probably is okay, but I am watching her very closely anyway.

Things We Go at the Fair Today (Old Home Days)

1. 4 pieces of pizza, two orange soda's and one red Gatorade - $14
2. 1 (amazing) taco and a Coke - $6
3. 1 sword - $5
4. 1 can of silly string - $3
5. 1 purple stuffed fish, won at a game - $2
6. 1 box of snappers - $1
7. 3 all-you-can-ride bracelets - $39

A grand total of $70 worth of fun! (I am kind of hoping Paco doesn't read this.)

Well, I'll Be

I had no idea that it has been over a month since my last post. Crazy. There have been many times that I have thought of things I would like to say, but then never got around to them. So, with not much written, and two of my most loyal readers not employed by a company that allows them to play on the internet all day, I am left to wonder if my blogging is coming to an end. Sigh.

Princess is at sleep away camp this week. It's actually only a few days, Sunday to Wednesday. She has been away from us before, but we can always talk on the phone. This is the first time that she has been away with no contact and it feels strange. It's not too bad, I guess, but I admit that I will be glad when she gets home.

TBell is anxiously awaiting Kindergarten. She also has her first loose tooth. (I lost my last tooth in high school, so she had better get used to the feeling of loose teeth...it's going to last a while!)

Pirate is now really Jack Sparrow. My mother bought him a pirate costume from Disney World and he basically hasn't taken it off for a couple of weeks. It's funny and annoying all at the same time.

Paco and I will be married nine years in just over a week. Just after that, we will have been together (including dating) for 13 years. I am almost too stunned to think about it.

That's the update from here. I definitely need to consider my blogging future!

Good Times

I rode in with my parents, which was a little stressful. Dad was stressed, mom was tired and there was a lot of bickering and snapping. I was also bored, which didn't help. However, once we got to the church (my mother is doing a reading in the wedding) for the rehearsal, things got better. Afterward, I found out that my grandmother and her boyfriend were planning on riding with us to the dinner, so I managed to swing a ride with the bride so as not to have to deal with grumpy parents and grumpy grandparents! (I do love them, but I am here to have fun!)

The rehearsal dinner was great. It was so nice to eat and drink while other people had to watch their own children and all I had to do was have fun! (I do think that one of the groomsmen, a much younger man, was trying to pick me up. I guess I shouldn't be too excited because he has a girlfriend and two children, but still...it's nice to be wanted!) The bartender poured very liberal glasses of wine, of which I had two. My cousin bought me a shot of vodka, which sadly took me two gulps to finish since it was so large. I was never a good drinker when I was younger, and age has just made it worse. But, it was fun nonetheless. After the dinner, I met Paco at the hotel and actually slept all night and was able to wake up this morning without a care in the world! We went down to have breakfast and are thinking of walking over to the mall for a little bit just for fun. Now, don't get me wrong, I do miss my kids. But, it is so nice to not worry about anything and just hang out. The wedding isn't until 5pm, so we have all kinds of time to just have fun. I hope all of you are having a great weekend, too!

My Weekend

Since our children were born, they have spent the night with grandparents if Paco and I had a wedding or party or something. Also, the girls have each gone away from us on there own for various trips or overnights. Paco and I have each taken trips individually without the children. But, never before have we both been gone at one time for any length of time...until this weekend - and I can't tell you how excited I am! Paco is away on business and I will be meeting him there tomorrow night, in a hotel room paid for by his company! Then, on Saturday, we will be going to my cousin's wedding. We will spend another night away, go to a family brunch on Sunday and then come home. I have been busy packing tonight, in the ridiculous heat, and generally stressing because I have so much to do. (Luckily, a deadline was changed so I do not need to spend the entire night compiling grants in Adobe Writer since I just got the software and am not entirely sure how to use it yet.) I am still doing laundry but have gotten a lot more done than I expected to. Wait...have I mentioned that Paco and I are going away?

Various Tidbits of Information

I have no idea how so many days occur between my posts. I very often intend to write, but then get lazy or busy or something and the moments passes. However, I am currently sitting at my computer while the rest of the family is outside and I decided that it is the perfect time to write a mixed bag sort of post.

I worked at the bakery this morning and I have to say that it was my most enjoyable day there so far. Sadly, it was enjoyable because I was having completely inappropriate conversations with my coworkers, but for some reason we couldn't stop. And the conversations were funny. I think I laughed for an hour straight. Isn't it nice to do that sometimes? I don't think that the perfect environment will occur for that type of conversation to happen again (such as those two coworkers with me, no customers, strange moods, etc.) and it really shouldn't since we talked about things that would absolutely offend some people, but I kind of hope that it does happen again because it was just plain fun.

In cooking news, I found out something about crock pots. Now, it may be something that all of you know. However, I most assuredly did not and I was stunned - you do not need to add water/liquid when cooking in a crock pot. For some reason, I was sure that you did. The other day, I was looking online for a crock pot/pork tenderloin recipe because it was too hot to turn my oven on and we had no gas for the grill. I didn't feel like my normal recipe with beer, so I looked for a new way. I came across several recipes that did not involve liquid. So, I tried it just coated in a rosemary blend I have along with some pepper. IT WAS FANTASTIC! I have to say, this opens up a whole new world for me!

Travel Nightmare

As you read, we are just recovering from the travel disaster which occured on Princess' way home from Disney. Now, we are dealing with another one! Paco was in Denver for business and was supposed to be home last night. After arriving in Philadelphia with enough time to make his connecting flight (they arrived at the gate with 20 minutes to spare), they were told that the flight had left early! EARLY! When does a flight ever leave early? There was a huge line of people waiting for what was *supposed* to be a full flight that had already left. USAir didn't seem to care, though. They said that the pilot was about to lose his flight time (something to do with the number of hours a pilot can fly before being grounded for rest) so the plane had to leave. Paco tried two different hotels with no luck. I think he is on his way home now. I had to call in to the bakery because I had no sitter for 5am. My sister was supposed to come over at 8 when Paco would have normally left for the office, but certainly couldn't leave her own family to come be with mine. What is really frustrating is that I am sure USAir won't do a &%*# thing about it!

Updates and More!

For those of you who are interested, I am enjoying my work at the bakery. We don't do any baking at our location - it is all trucked over from another (larger) location two times a day. (Someone does come in to make sandwiches and some of the pizza we sell.) So, as an opener, I am mostly responsible for setting up the store with the yummy goods and serving the few customers who are there between 6am and 9am. (My actual shift starts at 5 - the store opens at 6.) I was told in my interview that I can eat as many doughnuts and as much pizza as I want while I am working. I told the manager that this was a terrible thing to tell me! But, in fairness, doughnuts are not really my downfall. Pizza can be bad for me, but typically not that early in the morning. I have tried some yummy desserts that I have never had before, but overall I don't think my eating is too bad considering the circumstances.

My job at the grocery store is actually over before it really got off and running. I was able to quit because a woman I work for out of my home heard that I was working two jobs and guaranteed me enough hours to be able to quit at least one. Woohoo!

We ate the friendship bread, discussed in my last post, before I could take a picture of it - TBell and Pirate LOVED it! I have some other starters, but I think I ruined them because I forgot to take care of them. So, the project may be a bust now.

Princess just arrived back from a week in Walt Disney World with my parents. (My sister and her children joined them as well.) She had a wonderful time and was full of stories today. You could really tell that she was glad to see TBell and Pirate and that they were thrilled to see her - it warmed my heart! Airtran really (*$(^*$(% up the traveling, though, with a VERY late flight home and lost luggage. It seems that every time my parents travel via Airtran, their flight home is a disaster. It is to the point now that I highly recommend that no one use them at all!

I have some great pictures to post, but I am way too lazy to upload them right now. (They are still on the camera.) I promise to take care of it soon!

Happy Mother's Day!

Tension

I am very tense and tired. I don't want to be tense and tired. I have tried to will myself to be a bit happier and light of heart, but to no avail. There is a lot going on right now and I really just need to wait it all out. But, it's frustrating to do that. One major thing is a dinner which I am co-chairing - this event has caused a lot of annoyance and I will be very glad when it is over tomorrow night. However, I did get a new dress for the occasion and am excited about that.

In baking notes, I recently received a starter for 'Friendship Bread.' I LOVE this bread and haven't had it in so long. A grandmother who drops her grandson off at TBell's preschool gave it to me and I can't wait to have it. I will post a picture of it when it's baked. Does anyone want a starter bag?

Early Morning Message

It's 4:20 in the morning here and already I am showered, make-uped, and ready to go! Today is my first day at a local bakery where I will be on the opening shift. The idea is that I will be home in time to spend the day with the kids but still bringing in some money. This is not the only new job I am starting right now, but the plan is to work most of what I am doing around the kids. I think it should work out pretty well, but even if it doesn't...nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Paco and I watched Heroes last night. It was okay, although certainly not as good as other episodes have been. I am actually not interested in next week's at all because it seems to be more of a 'what could be' based on the previews, but isn't actually what happens at all. What's the point? I think there are only three new episodes after that, so I hope they have some secrets up their sleeves to make watching worthwhile!

In cooking news, I now have an electric griddle. I am so excited! I have never had one before and can't wait to start cooking pancakes, grilled cheese, and other such things in abundance! While I realize that I won't be creating exotic recipes with it, my kitchen has desperately needed one for a long time and will love the new addition!

Disappointing Pork

I rely pretty heavily on pork in my kitchen. While pregnant with TBell, I developed an aversion to chicken that even 5+ years later I can't seem to shake. So, we have pork whenever I am in the mood for a white meat. Tonight, I adapted a recipe that I found to include items I currently have, rather than going to the store. I dipped the pork in an egg, soy sauce and orange juice mixture, then coated each one in crushed croutons. I drizzled melted butter over the top of each and then placed them in the oven at 250 for about 20 minutes. (Note: these were extremely thin chops, if yours are thicker, you will need to cook them longer.) While they turned out nice and tender, I was disappointed that I couldn't taste either the soy sauce or the OJ. I do think I will make them again, but I will add more of those two things in an effort to bring out the flavor.

In other news, I am in the midst of planning a brunch for one organization (happening this weekend) and a dinner for another. I have an MRI tomorrow. I have countless phone calls to make and envelopes to stuff and mail. However, I am playing on the computer and listening to the Sabres game, which Paco is watching behind me. Will I ever stop procrastinating? It seems very unlikely...

Easter Fun

The dress I wore to church yesterday ended up making me feel very self-conscious. I was showing more cleavage than I thought was appropriate and was constantly tugging at the neckline to make it cover more. Paco said it looked fine, although the pastor's wife questioned why I would listen to my husband about matters of my cleavage. (For the record, she also thought the dress looked fine.) Here is a conversation with my pastor before service:

Me: Are we kneeling for communion today? (Note: We normally do kneel, but occasionally we take the bread and dip it into the wine. If we dip, we stand.)

Pastor: You are.

Hysterical laughter.

Pastor: No good can come from this conversation. (exit pastor to get ready for Easter service)

My First Ever...

...quiche! I don't know why I have never made one before. Paco loves them. I had a lot of eggs that I needed to use, so I decided to try it. I looked up a few recipes and then did a modified version of my own. I think my pan is a ten inch pan, but I am not sure. For the crust, I just used a box mix that you add water to and lined the bottom of the pan with it. Then I added fresh, chopped broccoli and shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese. I put enough in that the veggie and cheese were completely covering the bottom of the pan. Then, in a blender, I mixed 9 eggs, salt, pepper, 2 cups of half and half and about three tablespoons of flour. After it was all well mixed, I poured it in the pan. I baked it at 375 for about 50 or 55 minutes - just until the entire top was starting to brown. It was so good! And, for the record, it is vegetarian!

My Latest Addiction

I have SO many things I should be doing right now. Paco is at a hockey game, so I even have the house to myself while I get things done. The kids are asleep, all is quiet. However, instead of doing the many things I really should be doing, I am watching an eBay auction. A while ago, I tried to sell something (I can't remember what), but it didn't work. Last week I saw that eBay was having a special for people who had never sold anything before - 3 free listings! So, I decided to try it. We listed an old game system that belongs to Paco and a set of glasses that belong to me. Well, within a half an hour someone had bid on the glasses. I didn't think anyone would bid on the game system, but just this afternoon someone actually did. The game system auction ends in less than an hour and all I can do is refresh my screen to see if anyone else is going to come in at the end. I am obsessed. I have actual work to do, with a deadline of tonight, and I am still just watching the silly auction. I am kind of surprised that I am taking time away to write this post. But, I feel like writing about it may help me deal with my behavior! Ah, the dangers of the internet...

Did You Feel the Earth Shake?

I cleaned my house. I mean, I really cleaned it! I am sure that there are those - like my mother - who would find more that needs to be done. But, I really did it! I mopped, I scrubbed my stove...I even vacuumed! In fact, I even look like I cleaned my house - there are spots all over my shirt from the cleaner I used on the stove.

Below are some pictures taken of the girls last weekend. I know that I mentioned sharing birthday pictures. But, I just love these - taken last Sunday before the American Girl Fashion Show. My mother took both Princess and Tbell along with their cousin M.

Stress

1. TBell has lice. I believe we got all of the adult lice but have to do the egg/nit treatment for several days. We also have to do daily bed stripping/sheet washing until this is all over. It is very annoying.
2. Our half-bath sink is clogged because one of the kids stuck toilet paper in it. I can't seem to fix it. I have been plunging and plunging to no avail.
3. Pirate just stuck a gem in his ear. I couldn't get it out so I decided to call the MD. Pirate freaked when he heard me say something about the MD so I tried one more time with a toothpick and managed to get it out.

This is all with me recently being diagnosed with a heart condition that causes my heart to suddenly beat out of control and is thought to cause sudden death in athletes - I am supposed to avoid stress and avoid being startled. (Please, don't honk or say 'boo' to me as I am so fragile!) Luckily I am not an athlete and very rarely do anything that raises my heartbeat!

Okay, I think that is it. As long as my children behave for the rest of the day, I should be okay. Stay tuned for birthday pictures!

Happy 100!

Folks, this is my 100th post. I can hardly contain my excitement! I am sure that you are all equally as thrilled that I continue to amaze with my wit and recipes.

Okay, maybe there was a little sarcasm there. Anyway...I have to make cupcakes for TBell to take to school tomorrow. She picked a red velvet cake mix and chocolate frosting. I really didn't think anything of it, but my mother was HORRIFIED and said that red velvet cake should only have cream cheese frosting. Now, my mother is the type of woman who would know these things. She has made countless wedding, birthday, and other occasion cakes. So one would think I would listen to her. However, this is the same woman who REFUSED to make a chocolate wedding cake for me because she said that not everyone likes chocolate cake. She didn't listen when I pointed out that not everyone likes yellow (or other) cakes - including me! She doesn't like chocolate, so no one else can. So, do I make red velvet cupcakes with chocolate frosting and assume that she just doesn't like chocolate frosting? Or, is she actually right? Should red velvet cake only be served with cream cheese frosting? I don't want to traumatize the preschool!

Sorry for the Delay

Okay, I have been told that my absence has been felt across the internet world. Well, that may be an exaggeration. But, at least two people have mentioned that they miss me. Things have been crazy here and my computer time has not been fantastic. I am here now, though, and will try to make the most of it!

First, there has not been much cooking my kitchen lately. I am not especially proud of this and am hoping to fix that soon. I did make a warm dip the other day for a party that turned out really good. It wasn't terribly difficult or anything, but I got a lot of compliments. I spread 8 oz. of cream cheese on the bottom of a small-ish, round baking dish. I then added about 1/2 jar of spicy black bean dip. (I used an organic version for this, but you could use any black bean dip you would like.) Next I added some pre-cooked spicy chicken. Lastly, I covered the whole thing with grated cheddar cheese. I heated it through and served. For something so simple, I received a lot of compliments. And for the vegetarians out there, you can obviously not add the chicken.

In other news, Princess is turning 7 on Saturday. We are going to Red Lobster for dinner because she is in desperate need of crab legs. I realize that Red Lobster isn't the best place in the eyes of many people. But, remember that we live in Western New York and the seafood is not plentiful here! On Sunday, she had TBell are having a joint party. (TBell turns 5 next Thursday.) We will be playing Radio Disney and making glittery faces and dancing. The party favors are CDs of the girls favorite music. I will be sure to take pictures and include some here.

Not Really in the Spirit

I am trying to help the girls with their Valentine's and am not feeling all that joyful and lovey about it. I mean, TBell had to make 20 and Princess had to make 40 (some for Brownies and some for her class.) They used my stamping paper, which I cut into the annoyingly small pieces that Valentine's usually are, and their own washable stamp pads. I let them use any of my heart-related stamps they wanted to use. I spent $8.48 candy for them to take into their friends. I have to tell you, though, I am not feeling the love. I am feeling very annoyed and stressed and just can't wait for the whole thing to be over with!

(I assure you that I am not conveying my feelings about this to the kids...that's what all of you are for!)

Toys and Frustration

I intended for this post to have pictures of my kids playing with my Lite Brite (which is something like the link here, except with a light bulb and plastic pegs) and my Weeble Wobble Disney Castle. However, my stupid digital camera is not working, so I can't upload the pictures. I cannot tell you how annoyed I am. I really did want all of you to see how cute they were playing with my toys. In fact, these were two of my favorite things to play with. I think the next favorite would have been, in no particular order, my wooden blocks, my smurfs and my Benji board game. Those were the days...

In other news, Paco and I bought a season pass for Heroes today so we could just watch the episodes anytime we want. Also, we are taking a class at our church on Monday nights, so now we don't have to worry about taping it. (No, we don't have DVR...don't get me started!) I would really like to be able to buy The Class and How I Met Your Mother, also, but they are not available. I do like Studio 60, but we are home in time to watch that. There is a thing that iTunes is coming out with that you hook up to your TV that allows you to watch the shows/movies you have on iTunes on your television. I am very interested in hearing how it works and what people think.

Well, that's all folks. If I can get my stupid camera working, I will upload those pictures.

We May Think a Bit Too Much

Pirate's birthday is October. As it happens, so is mine. When I was younger, my parents gave no thought as to when I would attend kindergarten; it was assumed that I would start the September before I turned 5. Nowadays, there is a school of thought that it would better to hold a child back who is not 5 within the first few weeks of school. This is even more true, people say, when the child in question is a boy. Paco and I (okay, probably more me) have been struggling with a timetable for Pirate. He will be 4 this year, so should probably start preschool in the fall. (This is another issue, for another time...if you don't send your kids to preschool these days, they are behind before they even start.) The question is, should he be in a 3 year old program or a 4 year old program? Because he is a boy, there is the matter of maturity to take into consideration. There is a concern that he just wouldn't be mature enough to be with other 4 year olds. However, will he be too advanced for the 3 year old class? Then, what about the next year? Should he go to kindergarten the year he is eligible? I have gotten more opinions about this than I care to share and was starting to lose my mind.

Anyway, the preschool that we utilize took Pirate in for a trial class with the current 3 year olds; these are the kids that will be in his class next year if he were to go into the 4 year old class. He was a little hesitant when I dropped him off, but finally did walk away from me and went to play. They did not call for the entire 2 1/2 hours of the class and he was so excited about everything when I went to pick him up. The teachers both said that he should absolutely go into the 4 year old class. (I think a lot of this is due to his many years of therapy - his arts and crafts skills are exceptional ;) )

So after a lot of pointless thinking, Pirate will be entering the 4 year old preschool program this September. TBell will be in kindergarten. Princess will be in 2nd grade. I will be old.

The entire reason I wrote this post was to show this picture - here is Pirate before leaving for his trial class.

Yum!

A few weeks ago, TBell wanted some muffins. I didn't have a mix or anything and wasn't sure that I wanted to make any from scratch. I remembered that I had some Jiffy baking mix so I went online to see if they had a muffin recipe. It turns out that they have several different muffin mixes on their site and I was able to come up with a way to make chocolate chip muffins. Anyway, a few days later I decided that I wanted cinnamon rolls. So, I went back to Jiffy and they had a recipe for those, too. Now, if you make them from scratch, there is a lot of waiting and rising and punching. If you make them with Jiffy, they are way better (and cheaper) than the canned ones and aren't nearly as difficult as the cookbook variety.

He Did It!

In April-ish of 1998, I sat down to watch the NFL Draft with Paco. Paco watches the entire thing each year and for some reason I joined him that year. As it happens, that day was the start of my love affair with Peyton Manning. I watched the human interest story about him while waiting for the draft to start and decided he was the Best Football Player Ever. I have followed his career - Paco always updates me with the Colts goings-on. I wouldn't say that I am a huge Colts fan, as I don't watch every game. But, I do like them and always want them to win. During the current play-off season, the three main men in my life (Paco, his father and my father)all said that there was no way Peyton was going to do it. The sports announcers said that he had to make it to the Superbowl in order to continue his amazing career. I remained faithful, though, even when my precious team was losing 21-3 last night to the New England Patriots. And....they won! I think I am actually going to watch the Superbowl this year instead of just eating the good food. I think the game last night could have gotten even a non-sports fan excited...what a great comeback! I am just tickled that Indianapolis won and went to bed with a *huge* grin on my face.

Woohoo!

Another One

Here is another article. Enjoy!

Is it Too Much to Ask for a Snow Day?

There was a lot of promise last night - lake effect snow warnings and and words of caution regarding the morning commute. Upon looking out my window at 6:30 this morning, it was discovered that there was only enough snow here to cause some annoyance. It was enough snow to blow up into my pajama bottoms when I took Princess out to the bus. It is enough snow that I have to start my car early and allow several minutes to brush it off so Meghan can get to school. It is enough snow that the girls have to wear boots and take extra shoes to school. It is enough snow to make me incredibly crabby. Was it too much to ask for it to be enough snow for school to be canceled?

Update

As I figured, I posted too soon. Paco is fine, although I have not spoken with him directly. I spoke to someone who spoke to someone - I promise that is more reliable than it sounds! Anyway, I can rest easy knowing that Paco is traveling again and is not deemed to be a terrorist. (All of this did cause me to wonder if our lawyer, who handles traffic issues for us, is well-versed in the laws surrounding terrorism allegations. I am glad that we don't need to find out!)

Frustration

I am writing this entry a little prematurely and may end up regretting it. But, I decided that my internet friends were the people to turn to...

Paco travels a lot for work. A few years ago - I can't remember exactly when - he was given a slightly hard time at the airline counter because his name is apparently one that terrorists use quite a bit. In the end, they apologized for the inconvenience and sent him on his way. Today, he left our house at 4 in the morning for a business trip. When I woke up at 7 and turned my phone on, there was a text message that said he was going to need me to fax his birth certificate to a yet to be named location. I have not heard from him again. Now, he was flying to Chicago and it is possible that they let him on the flight and are just waiting for him to land so they can continue. But, that doesn't seem likely, does it? UGH! I am more frustrated at the process than the actual problem. I suppose it is fine that they research people that they *think* may be a problem. But, now I am sitting at home, sad and worried while trying to act like nothing is wrong while I get our children ready for school. I have no idea where he is or what is going on or when I am going to hear from him. *sigh*

Frustration

I am writing this entry a little prematurely and may end up regretting it. But, I decided that my internet friends were the people to turn to...

Paco travels a lot for work. A few years ago - I can't remember exactly when - he was given a slightly hard time at the airline counter because his name is apparently one that terrorists use quite a bit. In the end, they apologized for the inconvenience and sent him on his way. Today, he left our house at 4 in the morning for a business trip. When I woke up at 7 and turned my phone on, there was a text message that said he was going to need me to fax his birth certificate to a yet to be named location. I have not heard from him again. Now, he was flying to Chicago and it is possible that they let him on the flight and are just waiting for him to land so they can continue. But, that doesn't seem likely, does it? UGH! I am more frustrated at the process than the actual problem. I suppose it is fine that they research people that they *think* may be a problem. But, now I am sitting at home, sad and worried while trying to act like nothing is wrong while I get our children ready for school. I have no idea where he is or what is going on or when I am going to hear from him. *sigh*

Refreshed?

I have been on a vacation from writing for a while. The problem is, however, that I don't feel all that refreshed. In fact, every time I have thought of posting an entry here or submitting a new article, I have become slightly annoyed. Becoming annoyed does not entertain my readers, though, or pay the bills (or buy me Tim Horton’s coffee!) like my articles do. So, I am back. Perhaps with some *forced* writing under my belt I will get back into the swing of things.

I had intended to write about our Christmas celebration but that seems so far away now. The kids did have a good time and seemed happy with the gifts they received. I gave Paco a fake Tag watch that I purchased on a trip to NYC and he gave me this iPAQ. All in all it was a nice holiday and I am sad that life has to get back to normal now!

Because I am always getting myself into more and more, I have decided to accept the presidency of one organization I belong to as well as join a new board within the structure of our town government. I am exited about the board position as it seems to really have an actual impact on policy and budget in the particular department it is part of. It does add more meetings to my month, but I think that it will be time well spent.

Anyway, that is the news here. I will try to write more so that I will again be entertaining you with the details of my life!

Accidental Fudge

I have been a mad baker this Christmas Season. My [non-blogging] sister and I have spent many of the recent days making multiple batches of cookies to be given to various recipients. After she left yesterday, I made a batch of chocolate thumbprints because she didn't want any. Now, the finished product is fine, although I don't think I would make them again. But, because I lack some major housekeeping skills, I left the unused chocolate mixture out on the kitchen table last night when I was done. This morning, the stuff in the bowl resembled fudge. I stared it for a few minutes, then offered it to Paco. He took one spoonful and said, "Why did you make so little of it? Can you make more today?" I tasted it and it does indeed taste like fudge. This has to be the easiest fudge I have ever made. I think it may be easier than the spoon fudge I made in 7th grade in Home-Ec. I am going to make a much larger batch of it today to be sure that it works and will then post the recipe here for all of you to use. Mmmmm - I can't wait!

I didn't realize that I have not posted in so long. It really seems like just a day or two ago that I posted my rambling thoughts. Hmmm, I guess not! Anywho, I don't necessarily have too much to say right now. We are spending a lot of time working on the first verse of Joy to the World (the girls are singing it in the Christmas Pagent at church) and getting ready, then recovering from, various holiday parties.

Here are a couple of pictures from Mimi's house. Mimi is a [80 year old] friend of mine who wanted to do something special for the kids. So, she had them over for a lot of frosting, cupcakes, candy and reading. It was very nice, if a little messy and sugar-high-ish.





That's about it, folks. I will check in soon to offer more mind-numbing excitement!

I Don't Even Know What to Say

This story cracks me up. As a (so I've been told) strict parent, I sympathize with the mother. I mean, children need to face consequences for their actions. I am really more amused that the story was picked up by the Associated Press. Will they find out that I made Princess stand at the dinner table one night while eating because she couldn't stop jumping around in her chair? In just a day or two, someone in Little Rock, Arkansas may be fuming at the injustice of my six year old having to stand while eating spaghetti.

I think I need to go to bed.

More and More Writing

I don't write as often as I should. When I started spending the majority of time at home with my kids instead of in an office, the plan was for me to write in the evening after the kids are in bed. I believe this lasted for about one week. Then, for some strange reason, Paco and I became way too involved in nightly television. For those of you who have known me a while, you will think this is odd behavior for me. Until this year, I have very rarely been "addicted" to a TV series. Not to say that I don't appreciate pop culture or anything...I just had other things that I enjoyed doing more than watching a show. So far, in this television year, we spend 3 1/2 hours on Monday night watching TV; 1 hour on Tuesday; 2 hours on Thursday; 1 hour on Friday. THE MADNESS MUST END! I need to pay more attention to my writing (which I was hoping to improve!) and less attention to sitting on my couch.

To that end, please visit my new blog at http://buffalo.yourhub.com/~michelejohnson. This does not mark the end of the blog which you are currently reading, however. My new blog is dedicated to events or happenings that will directly interest people living in my town. My recipes for Life will still contain whatever content I feel like writing about!

PS - If I start having symptoms of withdrawal, please help me through my difficult time of television-separation!

General Happiness

I have been intending to update for a few days now and keep getting sidetracked. As I write, the family is getting ready for Sunday school and church - it is the Season of Advent! - and I am squeezing in a few minutes of computer time. There are several things that I wanted to write about and, if I remember correctly, none of them are really related. (Not surprising, I know.) So, for this post, I am going to pass on the recipe that my sister posted a few days ago:

Crazy Easy Beer Bread

3 cups Self -rising flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 bottle (12 oz) beer

Mix the ingredients together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

I tend to add things to this bread, like spices or cheese or bacon, to add to the flavor. You can experiment with different types of beer, also, to change the flavor a bit. This bread is somewhat dense and goes really well with soup. I recently served cheesy potato soup for dinner with thick slices of beer bread...mmmmmmm!

Random

I only have a little bit of time, so I thought I would just mention a few small things.

1. The Pinot Noir I bought for Thanksgiving, on recommendation from my friend at the liquor store, was horrible. I had spent more on the bottle than I normally would, but figured that it was for a holiday and that my father and I would be sharing it so I wanted it to be special. Blech!

2. We had a wonderful holiday. My sister came to visit just prior to the holiday and we had a great time visiting. (There was a even a formal portrait taken of all seven grandchildren with their my parents...so cool!) Then, we traveled to my aunt's mountain house in PA for a family-filled weekend of food and fun. Woohoo!

3. I am almost done Christmas shopping. I am not sure why I was able to finish so soon this year as I didn't really start much before the middle of November. But, it's nice to know that there isn't too much pressure now...I can just enjoy!

How was your Thanksgiving?

Wine and Turkey

For those of you out there who are wondering what wine to serve on Thanksgiving, I thought I would give you my picks for a great pairing. Sometimes, a wine can make the meal - wouldn't you like to be the hero who brings the best bottle?

The absolute best wine to serve with turkey, in my opinion, is a Gewurztraminer. This is a slightly sweeter wine (which I would ordinarily never choose) that has a hint of effervescence (or bubbly). It most resembles a Riesling but has a great flavor of its own. Paired with turkey, this wine tastes incredible and is a must at your table.

If you prefer red wine, then go with a Pinot Noir. This red is mellow, so its flavor won't get in the way of the great food you are eating. Pinot Noir is also nice by itself, so you can sip it longer after you have left the table.

Happy Turkey everyone!

Thanksgiving Side of Fabulous

While I haven't made this dish in a very long time, I thought I would share it with you in case you would like to add it to your Thanksgiving table. (I realize that I am again not sharing a vegetarian recipe and I am very sorry, A. I *am* trying!)

Chop and cook 1 large onion in 1T of butter. (You can use cooking spray, also.) When the onion is about halfway done cooking, add 1 package of chopped bacon. (It's much easier to chop frozen bacon so you may want to stick it in the freezer prior to making this.) Completely cook the bacon and onion mixture. Then, add two jars of completely drained red cabbage and mix/heat completely.

This recipe is very easy, although it does take a little bit longer than you would think to cook through; don't be discouraged if it's not done in 10 minutes. The completed dish looks very pretty on a table and tastes INCREDIBLE!

Insomnia

It is 4:00 in the morning. I have been up since 2:30. AHHHHHHHHHHH! I have been productive, however. So far I have finished my Sunday School lesson and almost finished my Christmas shopping for the kids. I love the internet! I only need two other items and those can be easily purchased at a store at some point. Actually, I am almost completely done with everyone - I am amazed! I only have a few more gifts to buy and then the wrapping can begin!

Princess had her cheer leading extravaganza last night. She was very cute. (We used a new camcorder to record the event and take pictures. I will try to hook it up soon so I can post one or two here.) She also had a complete meltdown afterwards which she attributed to being sad that the season is over. I think she is a bit too sensitive and really have no idea what I am going to do with her when she is a teenager. Honestly, I am often surprised when I realize that she isn't a teenager yet based on her behavior.

My sister is coming this weekend and is staying with me for the first part of her visit. My house is a mess and is in no state to have 4 more people (my sister, her two kids and her au pair) in it. I have been so busy, though, that I just haven't had time to worry about it. I also have so much to do in the roughly 12 hours I have until she gets here that I have no idea how I am going to get it all done. I should probably be doing dishes or something now, but I am afraid I will make too much noise and I would really prefer that the kids sleep. Even more frightening is that we are going away for Thanksgiving and I am not at all ready for that. I am normally so excited for these kinds of trips. This year, I am lucky if I remember that we are going half of the time!

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Holiday Yums

Here is a quick recipe that is really delicious and easy to make.

Crush 5 candy canes into small pieces; set aside. Melt two bags of white chocolate chips in the microwave or double boiler. When melted, stir in 2 tsp. of mint extract and all of the candy cane pieces. Combine. Spread mixture onto baking sheet lined with wax paper and freeze. The candy is done when it is completely hard. After it is set, break into pieces. This looks really pretty in cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon and an ornament.

I will try to add more holiday recipes as they come to me. Let me know if anyone tries this one - I know that Paco really likes it and am interested to know who else does!

Election Hangover

Well, election season is officially over in WNY. I am exhausted from the whole experience. There was a lot of work to do to this year, which is scary because I know that next year is going to be even worse on a town-level.

I want to share an interesting tidbit that came to my attention last night while attending a meeting. Now, I am not necessarily interested in discussing the politics surrounding this event, just the media portrayal associated with it. Congressman Reynold's was given a hard time, to say the least, about his involvement in the Mark Foley scandal involving a young man. There was a media circus, really, with accusations, press conferences and articles. In WNY, the press wanted Reynolds to be a villain. The interesting part is that in Florida, where Foley is from, Reynolds is a hero. Apparently, the media there credits Reynolds with saving Florida from Foley. What is my point, you ask? It is this: aside from my good friend who works in television, I *HATE* the media.

Enough politics. Coming soon: holiday celebrations!

Tagged...I'm It

My sister tagged me; here I go!

a) Four job I have had in my life:

- Copier Salesperson
- Event Planner
- Proofreader
- Relevancy Administrator (prompting my father to exclaim, "Is that anything like a Knowledge Manager?")


b) Four movies I would watch over and over:

- Father of the Bride (with Steve Martin)
- The Princess Diaries (1 and 2)
- High School Musical (that's for you, Colleen)
- Clue


c) Four places I have lived:

- Buffalo, NY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Sorry, folks...that's it!

d) Four TV shows I love to watch:

- Heroes
- How I Met Your Mother
- Studio 60
- Sports Night (I know, it's not on anymore. But, I LOVED it!)


e) Four places I have visited:

- Grand Cayman
- Jamaica
- Bermuda
- Mexico


f) Four websites I visit daily:

- weather.com
- wgrz.com (which is stupid, because I am often annoyed at them)
- google.com
- My bank


g) Four of my favorite foods:

- Melted cheese on bread (40 seconds in the microwave)
- Anything Mexican
- Sushi
- Seafood


h) Four places I would like to be right now:

- Disney World
- That 5 star hotel in Dallas
- Camping in South Gibson, PA
- Getting a massage


i) Four bloggers I'd like to tag:

- Law Fairy, because I would like to know more about her

- Thought Runner because he can make me laugh

- Longnoodle because I would like to meet her someday

- Pastor Steve, because he is a cool guy

Storm and Chaos

If you think that it's been forever since I have posted, it has. The (stupidly named) October Surprise Storm 2006 really gave WNY a beating. So many people went without power for days - some are still without it and it has been over two weeks now. I was lucky enough not to lose my electric or heat, so we ran a sort of mini-shelter and on the first weekend had 18 people in our small house. But, there was a lot of drinking and game playing and only moderate stress between me an my mother-in-law.


This is a picture taken early the next morning - can you see the line down behind the van? So many lines were knocked down from the heavy limbs that fell off of our trees.


This is my neighbor's house right afterward.

I could really go on and on about all of the damage this storm caused. Interestingly, the snow melted within two days, leaving trees and limbs everywhere. We were told that the weight of the snow on the still leaved-trees is what caused the problem; the trees were just not strong enough to hold all of that weight. There are still areas that look like a war zone. Clean up may take up to two months. The kids had nine days off of school. The whole thing has been incredible, really.

Okay, I will stop...for now! I am just glad to be back online! (I just got internet service about an hour ago. Woohoo!)

Autumn = Delicious

We had sliced apples for a snack the other day. Now, apples are pretty good on their own (although I admit they are not my favorite food) but are even better with additional sugar! So, I also provided two dips to enhance our snacking pleasure - caramel and peanut butter caramel. Now, if you have never had the peanut butter caramel sauce for apples, you must stop what you are doing right now and get some...it is incredible! You can warm it up right in the tub and start snacking in about a minute. I realize that this takes away some of the nutritional value that apples have, but I guarantee that it is totally worth it!

I also love autumn because the meals get heartier. The other day, I made a sort of mock-jambalaya that was out of this world. I sauteed some chopped, smoked sausage with cut up shrimp in just a little bit of butter and white wine. At the same time, I prepared two packages of Lipton Rice and Sauce (I think I used the Cajun flavor, but you can really pick whatever you want) in a separate pot. When everything was done, I mixed it all together and served it. The whole meal probably took about 15 minutes to cook/heat and everyone loved it. Even better, you can use whatever type of meat you want. I happened to have shrimp because my grocery store had a great sale. But, you could also use chicken, pork or any type of sausage. I guess you could try tofu, also, but I have never prepared anything with it so I can't really say.

Last but not least, I got a new crock pot! My in-laws gave me one for my birthday last week since I have been using their original one from my mother-in-law's bridal shower. This thing has so many options and settings that it may require an additional degree just to operate it. I am hoping to try it soon, though, and will keep all of you informed on my (*hopeful*) successes!

More Food

I have absolutely no patience. None. I am making pork in the crock pot today and it smells too good...I had to try it before dinner. IT IS SO GOOD. This time, I have a 2 pound boneless sirloin pork roast with one bottle of Caribbean jerk sauce and one bottle of Saranac Octoberfest beer. Amazing. We are having it on big rolls. Mmmmmm!

The other day, I made a red potato casserole with ham and cheese. I thinly sliced the potatoes first and cooked them in a pan coated with butter. In another pan, I had 1/2 of a red onion, chopped, with 1 chopped green pepper. Once the onion and pepper were pretty much cooked, I added a chopped ham steak and cooked that through. Now, I did not cook the potatoes completely because I thought they would get too mushy once I put them in the oven. As it turns out, red potatoes are a bit more durable than that. So, if you decide to try this, cook them all the way through in the pan first. After the potatoes are done, add the onion mixture to the potatoes and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (if you are making it ahead of time) and then put 1/2 in a 13x9 pan. Then, pour 4 tablespoons of cream (I used half and half, but you can probably use fat free half and half if you would like) over the mixture and cover with about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Put the rest of the potato mixture on top and repeat the cream and cheese over top. Cover and refrigerate. When ready, bake at 350 degree oven for about 1/2 hour. Let it set for about 5 to 10 minutes and serve.



The nice thing about this casserole is that it can be adjusted in so many ways. You can add other vegetables or omit the ham. I think I would use a little less fat by cooking the onion and pepper in a sprayed pan rather than using butter there. I would also use fat free half and half. However, I would absolutely add more cheese than I did last time.

Food

I had a birthday brunch for my mother yesterday. The menu was quiche, sausage, melon and crescent rolls. The crescent rolls were adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe (30 Minute Meals) I saw the other day; they were SO yummy! Just take a can of crescent rolls (probbaly found in the dairy section of your grocery store) and open them up. Break the rolls apart at the perferation. Heat up some orange and apricot preserves or jam just enough to make them a little more like liquid than gel, then spread onto the dough triangles. Next, roll the triangles into crescent rolls. Brush each roll wiht an egg mixture and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake according to the crescent roll package instructions. I cannot tell you how delisicous they are! (After lunch we had a pumpkin-praline cheesecake!)

Today, I helped my mother can tomatoes. I had actually decided not to can this year, but ended up helping her anyway. We managed to get things done pretty quickly, although she ran out of jars. So, she had to refridgerate some of the stuff until she can get to the store. I am kind of hoping that she shares some of the finished product. (Although, to be fair, I didn't plan on having any this year.)

This weekend has been super busy which means I am not ready for the week yet. I feel like there are still so many things left to be done - I don't feel like getting back into school and everything already!

Yet Another...

Check out my recently published content on AC:
Women and Weight Loss

Life Continues

You would think that I would be around more since I am not working in an office anymore. For some reason, I feel like I am even more busy. On a positive note, I have been following my "orders" and have been getting the kids out of the house and (for the most part) have been keeping everything picked up. However, being good means that I am very rarely sitting at my computer. NO FUN! Pirate and TBell are playing right now, so I thought I would check in and post some pictures.



Princess started cheerleading this year. I think it's an awful big commitment - especially for someone her age - and am not sure if she is going to do it again next year or not. But, she loves it and is having a great time.



TBell had to wear her UB cheerleading outfit so she could be just like her big sister on game day.

Last weekend we drove by a garage sale and bought this bike for only $40! Since Pirate is turning three next month, we bought it for him as an early birthday gift. We could never afford one at full price...Power Wheels start at $180 and just go up from there. He absolutely loves it!

More

Another article on Associated Content:
The Top(Cheap)Places to Take Children in Buffalo

Moving Right Along

Paco sent me an email right before I stopped working and said that he really wanted me to keep the house clean (which I admittedly don't do well) and be sure to get the kids outside rather then playing inside all day. Now, this is kind of a touchy subject with a lot of women, I think. I know he wasn't trying to be mean or chauvinistic. But, why doesn't HE keep the house clean? I did tell him that I refuse to do the laundry. (Our tubs don't empty automatically. We have to empty them every time they fill, which is twice a washing, by turning on the pump. So, until that pump is replaced, I will not run down to the basement every 20 minutes while doing laundry.) So, I guess I should be able to keep the rest of the house clean. Or, at least picked up. I have managed to keep the dishes done. And, I have picked one project everyday to make the house look better. I am so proud of myself! The house is almost in a state that I wouldn't mind if I have uninvited visitors! Maybe not completely...but very close!

Now, to address the "getting outside" business. I admit that I am prone to staying indoors. And, if I have a book to read, I tend to do that before anything responsible like parenting or cleaning. But, everyday this week we have been out and about. I have drawn pretend streets on the driveway with stores, restaurants and a park so the kids can ride their bikes "around town". TBell has had a friend over twice this week.

In addition to being a very good wife and mother, I have been proofreading like a mad-woman for a client and writing articles for Associated Content. So, every night after the kids are in bed, I am at my computer working away.

The hope now is that I can keep it up!

It Begins...

Check out my recently published content on AC:
Raising Respectful Children

Morning Happiness

Princess started back to school today. She was so excited. In fact, she kept coming downstairs last night to find out if it was morning; she was too excited to sleep. I can only hope that this excitement lasts the whole year...I have heard that even 1st grade has a lot of homework and is generally much more work than kindergarten.

I am enjoying quite a bit of peace and quiet this morning as I blog and drink my coffee. This is partly because Pirate would not sleep last night; we ended up bringing him downstairs so he would not keep Princess up with his screaming. And, this is what happens when Pirate is up too late...he turns into a monster!



I guess TBell must have known what I was thinking, because as I type she is walking down the stairs. So much for peace and quiet!

Jam

Princess and I made pear jam today with pears picked at the house of Paco's Godmother. It was a rather messy experience, but fun nonetheless. I am actually disappointed that we only have 6 containers, as I was hoping to have some for myself and some to give away at Christmas. I think we are going to get some more pears and make several more batches. Princess seemed to have a great time; TBell had started to help us, but decided that playing on the computer sounded like more fun.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I am taking advantage of blogger moving to Google to make some changes to my blog. I will probably not stick with any one thing until I find something I really like. Let me know what you think!

In addition to my blog changes, I am making some life changes as well. As of yesterday at 3:30pm, I am no longer employed. This decision was not made lightly, but took a lot of thought and consideration about my family and all that goes with it. Paco and I encountered so many issues with childcare, finances and family harmony that we ultimately decided that my being "at home" was the best for all of us. I admit that I am a little nervous about the way I am going to handle this...I really liked working - both my job and the people I worked with - and am afraid that my self-worth will plummet. However, I am looking forward to being with my kids a little more and being the one to help with homework, go the the MD and so on. Also, some wonderful people have given me some advice as to how to become a freelance writer. I have already submitted an article for consideration and have started an application for another site. Say a prayer for me that all of this works out! (I may actually have time to cook again, too, which means I may even post recipes again!)

Another change is a physical one in Princess. She is starting 1st grade this year and is growing up so fast! While my other two children tend to have growth spurts, I am pretty sure Princess just grows continuously. I took her clothes shopping for school today and am absolutely stunned at how big she is.