Skillet Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onion

I tried this recipe this week and it was super delicious. My kids weren't wild about all the onions. I am not an onion person normally, but these cooked up nice and were quite tasty with a bite of potato and meat! It took me about an hour to prepare and cook this meal.

Skillet Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onion

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbls vegetable oil
4 pork chops (1/2" thick), trim fat if needed
2 Tbls flour
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 potatoes, thinly sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
3 beef bouillon cubes
3/4 c hot water
1 Tbls lemon juice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pork chops with flour and place in skillet. Brown for about 4 minutes on each side.

In a small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 the Parmesan cheese mixture over the pork chops. Add a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Top with onion slices.

Cover skillet and reduce heat. Simmer 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and pork chops are cooked through.

Lasy Day of School

Today the boys have a half day and then are done for the summer. This brings many mixed emotions for both the boys and for me. I am ready for summer and ready for a little break from all that school brings -- i.e. parties, homework (and of course the fights we have to get them to do the homework), the bedtime battles, then there is the sports practices and games and events that go along with that. The last two weeks have been packed with year-end stuff, awards, parties, banquets, etc. I am ready to relax a little.

Then, there is the flip side of summer. They go stir crazy and drive me crazy. This year though too, we are closing a chapter in our lives. The boys will not be going back to school there again next year. They will start a whole new school with all new friends, teachers and problems! I am feeling a little sad about that chapter closing, but at the same time I know the next chapter brings much more excitement and growth!

Our new babysitter starts tomorrow - should be interesting. I hope the kids treat her well! She will be coming over tonight for dinner for a final tour of the house and review of the rules.

Welcome Summer, sunshine, pools, picnics and road trips - we love you!

Kindergarten Graduation

Lefty "graduated" kindergarten on Friday and it was so well done. The teacher this year did a really nice job putting it all together. After the graduation they served us all subs and chips and cake. It was so fun!

They did it on the playground and they walked up one side, crossed the bridge (Bridging over to first grade) and then posed for pictures and then over to the the slide where the sign said "Welcome to the First Grade". I bawled like a baby!

Weekend In Review

It was a nice long weekend, but I am glad to be back to routine........... who am I kidding? No I am not ready to be back to routine. I want to still be hanging out doing a whole lotta nothin'!!!

Friday I took the day off from work because it was Lefty's kindergarten "graduation". I will be posting some pictures of that either later today or tomorrow.

Saturday we cleaned and unpacked and did some re-arranging of furniture and stuff. I didn't shower all day and didn't even brush my teeth til like noon (i know, kinda gross!) We got so much accomplished and that feels so good! I had a book case in my bedroom that I just didn't like in there, so we unloaded it and moved it downstairs to the playroom and it looks so good down there!

Sunday was the BBQ and it was a perfect weather - not too hot, not too cold. Good food and good company too! I ended up sick in the evening..... Mr. Man was concerned it was the food, but no one but me got sick.

I still don't feel 100% today and yesterday I was cold all day and did nothing but lay around all day. I am at work today anyway, even though I wish I could be back home in bed. At least I am not throwing up!

Craft

I saw this idea over at Tip Junkie and decided to try it out for a friend's birthday. Here are some pictures, they aren't very good because #1: the camera batteries were dying and #2: I forgot to take the pictures at home so I took them in the car (not the best idea!)

I found the Starbucks Frappuccino packs on sale awhile ago and so I bought one and after forcing myself to drink the Frap, I washed the bottles, took off the labels and then ran them through the dishwasher. Then I took scrapbooking paper and covered the box, cutting it to fit and then using double-sided tape to apply it. Then I cut the circle tops from a piece of scrapbook paper and stuck it to the lid using the double-sided tape. Then I had the ribbon left over from another project and I used that to tie around the bottles. Then I filled each bottle with a different kind of candy. It isn't as nice as the ones on Tip Junkie, but I think it turned out cute!

This would make a great birthday gift, teacher gift, secretary gift or a "just-because-I-like-you" gift too

Memorial Day Picnic Recipes

I am posting this week's recipes early and will not be posting a recipe on Friday of this week. We are having a picnic/open house type thing to have our Life Group (bible study) people over to see our new house. Here is my menu and recipes for the things I will be serving.

MAIN DISH:
Hamburgers
Hot Dogs

SIDES:
Antipasto pasta salad
Marinated cucumbers
Frog Eye salad
Baked Beans
Mr. Man's homemade salsa

DESSERTS:
Strawberry Chocolate Pie
Raspberry lemonade cupcakes
Brownies

BEVERAGES:
Iced tea
Water
Lemonade
Soda Pop

Marinated Cucumbers

INGREDIENTS:
4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
*Optional: add 2 T chopped dill

Combine sliced cucumber with all other ingredients; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you. This goes together easily.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb seashell pasta
1/4 lb Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 lb pepperoni, chopped
1/2 lb Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 oz) can black olives, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
salt and pepper to taste
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 oz) package dry Italian dressing mix
3/4 c olive oil
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbls dried oregano
1 Tbls parsley
1 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. Drain and cool under cold water. In a large bowl combine pasta, meats, Asiago cheese, olives, bell peppers and tomatoes. Stir in Italian dressing mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad just before serving.

Frog Eye Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (16 ounce) package acini di pepe pasta
3 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup shredded coconut

In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pineapple juice and eggs. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and cool to room temperature. Bring water to a boil, add oil, remaining salt and cook pasta until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, egg mixture, mandarin oranges, pineapple and whipped topping. Mix well and refrigerate overnight or until chilled. Before serving add marshmallows and coconut. Toss and serve.

Strawberry-Chocolate Pie

INGREDIENTS:
2 c strawberries
1 1/3 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla, separated
16 oz cream cheese, softened
3 Tbls milk
7 oz Hershey bar 1 pie crust

Melt Hershey bar with about 3 Tbls milk over very low heat; stirring occasionally until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Pour into baked pie crust and refrigerate until firm. Soften cream cheese and stir in 1/3 c sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and a small amount of milk. Spread cream cheese over top of chocolate layer. Wash and hull berries. Dip berries into sugar and set close together on cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 oz) box lemon cake mix
2 tsp sugar free lemonade mix
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 c sour cream
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c seedless raspberry preserves (must be seedless)

FROSTING:
4 c powdered sugar
2 tsp sugar free lemonade mix
6 Tbls unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 20 muffin cups with paper liners. In large bowl, combine cake mix, lemonade mix and nutmeg. Add 1 c water, sour cream and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, occasionally scraping bowl. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling halfway. Place a teaspoonful of raspberry preserves in the center of the batter. Spoon remaining batter on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting, combine the powdered sugar, lemonade mix, melted butter and 2 T water in a medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium until blended. Add more water if needed to bring to a spreadable consistency. Spread icing on top of cupcakes, leaving a slight depression in the center. Spoon remaining preserves into the depression.

Daddy's girl - or not.

I am talking about me being daddy's girl, or at least I was for many years of my life. My dad would jump through hoops to get me what I wanted or needed. My parents divorced when I was 7 and they had joint custody. I am the baby of 6 so when my parents divorced there were only two of us still living at home. The joint custody thing worked out fine for my sister, Stephanie, and I. We went with my dad when we wanted to and stayed with my mom when we wanted to. There wasn't a set schedule, but most of the time we spent the weekend at dad's.

My mother remarried and the two of them drank a lot. My step-father would have peppermint schnapps every morning with his coffee. Then he would have bloody mary's or O.J and vodka the rest of the day. My mom didn't start her day that way, but she definitely drank in the evenings.

I remember one time when my mom had promised for 3 or 4 days that she would take me shopping for my first bra. Everyday she would call and tell me she was "going to meet Tom for drinks." and everyday I would cry. I told my dad about it and so one day he came over and picked me up. He took me to the mall and asked a clerk in JC Penney to help. With her help my dad bought me 2 bras. I was so thrilled. I knew, even at my young age, how hard that must have been for my dad.

In the last 5 or 6 years my dad and I have grown distant. Not only in miles, but in emotion too. He moved to a small town about 18 years ago, but the town is about 2 1/2 hours from where I live so he would frequently come up for a visit or for holidays. After I got married he always came for Thanksgiving. The last 3 Thanksgivings he has backed out at the last minute. The first year he backed out he called me that morning and said he couldn't make it because he had an abscess tooth. We felt bad that he was going to be alone and miserable, so, without calling him first, we drove down to see him. He wasn't home. It is a small enough town that we just started driving until we found him. He was on his way home from his girlfriend's house. Instead of just telling me that he had a girlfriend in the first place, he lied to me and spent the day with her. To add injury to insult, his girlfriend was younger than me. (ewww yuck!)

That is sort of when our relationship started to deteriorate. I can't tell you how many times he has called and said "I'm coming to visit this weekend!" then while we are hanging out waiting for him, he will call and tell me he can't come. The last 4 or 5 times he has told me he is coming I just say "great! We'll see you when you get here!" (like I always say) and then I don't tell the kids and we go about our business. If he shows, great! If not, it is no skin off my back. And guess what..... he never shows.

Then there was the time he wouldn't return my calls and I had to call the police to go check on him, thankfully he was fine. That again put a little bigger wedge between us because he was upset with me for calling the police.

So now to the reason I am posting this today. My niece is getting married this August. When I talked to my dad last week he asked if I was going to go. I said that we were planning to and then he told me he wanted to go too. I told him to keep me posted if he was able to go. He agreed to do that.

Last night I got a call from my sister Stephanie asking if my dad could ride with us or if I would be willing to help buy him an airline ticket so he could go to the wedding. I told her no and no. We won't have room in our car to take him and no I will not help buy him a ticket that he may back out of at the last minute. I told her he needs to come up with the money to get there. I just am not willing to help him on this. I stand firm on it. I don't think he has any real intentions of going and I think he thinks it is the right thing to say and knows full well he isn't going. Kinda like all those times he said he would come visit me, 2 1/2 hours away, and never shows. Steph said she may check into airfare anyway. I told her I just couldn't help. She said she understood where I was coming from and that she just doesn't have the same feelings since she lives further away and doesn't talk to him as much.

I am so sorry to bore you, but I just needed to vent.

New look

So what do y'all think of the new look-sy?? I am just so in love with it! Darcy, over at Graphically Designing, did an excellent job and was very patient me as I am a little computer-stupid. Well, maybe not computer-stupid, but definitely technically challenged! She was even more understanding when her emails apparently were being sent to my junk mail and so I never responded to her mock-up of the design and it wasn't until she posted a comment on my blog asking what happened to me that we connected again! Anywhoo, I am so impressed with her work!! Go check out some of her other designs she has done!

Fashion advice

On Saturday, when I was shopping with my friend I was looking at some clothes. I picked up a pair of longer shorts and I said I really liked them. They were a dark jean with yellow stitching. They didn't have any in my size, so I said to my friend "Good thing they don't have these in my size because they are little too expensive."

Without hesitation she said: "Those are ugly."

At first I started to be offended, then I remembered this is one of my friends who has very little fashion sense. I mean, she just doesn't. Let me also say here that yours truly has very little fashion sense so the longer shorts could have been ugly, but I certainly am not about to trust this woman's opinion on it!

I love her dearly -- she is fun to hang out with and she is very crafty so we like to get together and do crafty things, but fashion is not our thing!

Weekend Recap

Nothing extravagant but it was a fun weekend overall:

Friday night Mr. Man had to work so the kids and I went to Wendy's for dinner.

Saturday I went grocery shopping, then after getting all that unloaded and put away, I took the kids to a birthday party. Then while they were at the party I went shopping and had lunch with a friend I have known since I was four years old. When we got home that evening the boys went Disc Golfing.

Sunday we went to church, then home for lunch and a nap (for me and Lady Bug). Then we went to a music concert at my SIL's church. That was a lot of fun but we didn't get home until 10:00 pm.

Oven Fried Chicken

This is a recipe that one of my sisters makes often and it is very yummy! My husband has a hang up with oven fried chicken so it isn't his favorite, but he will eat it when I serve it (for whatever that is worth!)

Oven Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 lbs chicken parts
1/4 c flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 c butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and pat dry chicken. In a pie pan, combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Put butter in a shallow baking pan, place in the oven to melt butter. When butter is melted, arrange chicken in pan in a single layer, skin side down. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes; turn and bake 15 minutes longer or until tender and done.

I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and gravy and Caesar Salad.

Caesar Salad is one of my favorite salads! I've posted this recipe before, but here it is again.

Caesar Salad:
INGREDIENTS:
1 clove minced garlic
1/3 c olive oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
ground pepper to taste
1 head of Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
Juice from 1 lemon
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, mix together garlic, oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, dry mustard and ground pepper. Tear in lettuce. Toss. Squeeze in lemon juice. Toss. Add cheese. Serve right away.

Being helpful

This week Mr. Man has been very helpful around the house. He has been doing dishes after dinner --even loaded them in the dishwasher! (that doesn't usually happen), one day I had to work late so he made dinner and the table was all set and ready when I got home. He has even vacuumed the house a couple times this week too.

I am grateful to have such a helpful husband!

This morning he told me that he would be willing to help with laundry too! The first thought I had was remember the once pink sweater you had that he washed and it came out sort of grayish-pinkish-blackish and 2 sizes too small. Ya, laundry isn't his thing! I didn't say that however, but he may have had the same thought because he said "Well I can at least help with mine." Then we both laughed because 95% of his clothes go to the dry cleaner! He said "Oh. That would be a big help if I wash just my socks and underwear!" I thanked him for his offer to help though and told if I ever get behind I may have him wash his stuff and the boys stuff and I would take care of mine and Lady Bug's clothes. So far though, I have been staying on top of the laundry.

Being a working mommy

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to work, or at least didn't have to work full time. Other times I know that I could not stay home full time because I do not have that much patience.

But that is sort of here-nor-there at this point. I have mentioned on this blog before about our daycare issues and once again daycare is changing up, but I think it is a good move right now.
For the last 2 years we have had a friend watching the kids. In the beginning she also watched two little girls that she brought with her to our house. The girls were 1 year old and 3 years old. At that time Spirit was in full day kindergarten and so she only had the littler ones to watch during the day until she dropped off Lefty at Preschool. Then when the little 3 year old girl turned 4 and started into preschool last fall our friend decided it was too much shuffling of kids from here and there and everywhere so she stopped watching the little girls, but continued watching our three kids.

We have had lots of ups and downs with her. In the beginning she was going through a lot in her personal life which meant my kids suffered somewhat. In fact, I would have to say those were some of Lefty's worst times. He misbehaved so much for her. He threw shoes at her. He locked her out of the house. He colored on my walls. He did anything he could to get her attention and couldn't get it. He is not good at expressing what his needs are (well, plus he was 4 and 5 during those times.) **Please know that I am in no way excusing what he did and believe me he was punished when we got home for all those things he did** Once the personal stuff was cleared up we had hoped it would get better and it did on a small level. Then, her daughter had a baby and she wanted to be able to take care of the baby for her daughter during the day. She told me she would just pick him (the baby) up and bring him to my house and watch him and Lady Bug. Well, she has yet -- 6 months later -- to bring him to my house to watch him. If there is a time when coming to my house to get Lady Bug in some way inconveniences her daughter, she won't do it. I have to meet her somewhere to drop off Lady Bug. It has made life a little chaotic at times.

About 5 weeks ago, our friend told me she was considering not watching the kids anymore because she felt that the kids didn't like her and that I had never really given her full authority so the boys never really respected her. I was so shocked. I have always told the kids that she is in charge and I backed her up on decisions she made to let (or not them as the case may be) do things. So we began a lengthy discussion about it. I told her that in the beginning her life was so crazy that I felt it was hard for her to devote her time and attention to the kids. She agreed. She asked if I thought there was any way for her to earn back the boys' respect? Before I answered that I told her that I needed to get something off my chest. I told her that it hurt me that she had no problem inconveniencing me so that her daughter wouldn't be inconvenienced in any way. She, very boldly, acknowledged that she does that and basically told me that would not change. It is family. I told her I was so happy for her that she was able to spend almost everyday with her grandson, most grandmas don't get that opportunity. I then decided this situation probably needed to be switched up, so I asked her to help me out through the end of the school year and then we would reevaluate. She agreed to do that.

Two weeks ago, she asked me to lunch. I met her and Lady Bug during my work lunch break. She told me at lunch that since we moved it was just too far of a drive for her and she would not be continuing on after the school year ended. I told her it was fine because a college student had approached us asking if we needed a summer nanny. She was relieved and as of the 22nd she will no longer be working for us.

Since we moved almost a month ago, she has only driven to our new house twice. I meet her at the boys' school to drop off Lady Bug and then in the afternoons when she picks up the boys from school she just lets the kids play on the playground or she takes them to McDonalds or Dairy Queen. SHE has been telling me that is what the kids want to do, but last night Lefty told me that she tells them they need to think of something to do because she doesn't want to drive "clear across town" to our new house. **It isn't that far from the boys school, only about 15 minutes** Spirit told me recently that all she does is talk on her phone and read her book, she never plays with them. All of these things have sent the message to the kids and to us that this "job" has never been about the kids. It is always about what is best for her. That makes me sad that she was that selfish. I was telling a friend of mine the other day that I feel bad that I made the kids deal with that for two years. I feel bad too that we dealt with it for two years. We never knew day-to-day whether she would be at work or what mood she would be in when she came in.

Excess family members

Apparently Lady Bug has been doin' a just a tad bit too much cryin' and not enough contributing to the family.


Over the weekend Spirit and Lefty were at a birthday party. We dropped them off and were told to be back in 3 hours to get them. When we arrived to pick them up, one of the mom's who just hung around for the party said that Spirit had told her that he used to have a little sister, but she cried too much so we got rid of her. She laughed as she was telling me this. I was laughing, but thinking "where in the world did that come from?" She said he later went back to her and told her that we had sent his sister to a babysitter (which wasn't true either, she was at a different birthday party!)

Sometimes, I wonder about that boy!!!

Mom's day

I hope every mom had a good Mother's Day. I certainly did. Nothing major, but the family made me the center of the universe all weekend. Sunday morning the kids were so excited to give me my presents (the homemade ones from school!) that they came in at 6:30 in the morning. After I read my cards and opened the gifts Spirit said "I know! We should all tell mom the things we like about her!" so each of them said the things they like and I was surprised by the responses. They really made me realize that I don't go totally unnoticed! Below are some of the ones I can remember off the top of my head:

I like the way you make good food.

I like when you tuck me into bed.

I like that you let us pick out what food we want to eat for our birthday.

I like that you always make sure we have clean clothes.

I like that you make sure everything is taken care of.

I like that you help me with my homework.

I like when you do craft projects with me.

I like that you make sure dad does what he is supposed to. (I especially liked this one! hee hee)

I like taking walks with you.

I was very touched and got tears in my eyes by the comments. I feel like a million bucks this morning!

I love my family!

Gazpacho

When I first tried gazpacho I was convinced I wouldn't like it.... soup is supposed to be hot not served cold. Blahk! Much to my surprise I loved it! I couldn't get my husband to try it for the longest time though. Then we attended a wedding reception where they served gazpacho and he tried it. He loved it. So, every summer we make a big batch of this and it tastes so refreshing on a hot day.

Gazpacho

INGREDIENTS:
1 c tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 c green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 c celery, finely chopped
1/2 c cucumber, finely chopped
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 clove minced garlic
3 Tbls red wine vinegar
2 Tbls olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c V-8 juice
1 c spicy V-8 juice
1 Tbls ground cumin
1 Tbls beef bouillon crystals

Mix all together and chill for at least 2 hours. Remove and let sit for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Can be served with tortilla chips or crackers or crusty french bread too. Some toppings can be sliced avocado, sour cream or cheese (or all three).

Illnesses or allergies or ?

Spirit has had this cough the last couple of days. He tends to be my dramatic one and so he exaggerates the intensity of the cough, but by doing this it makes it worse. I tried telling him to relax and I was rubbing his back. Mr. Man got him a warm blanket (he threw it in the dryer for a few minutes) and then after about 20 minutes of both of our full attention Mr. Man looked at me and said "Maybe this is why he is being dramatic. Look at all the attention he is getting."

Spirit just smiled.

He doesn't have a fever, he doesn't have any other symptoms and the cough seems to be the worst at night. I am not sure what it is, but it is keeping the whole house up at night. I tried Children's NyQuil two nights ago and it didn't work. Now what? We ended up having to move him to the lower part of the house because he was keeping everyone upstairs awake. If it wasn't happening in the middle of the night I would think he was doing all of it to get our attention, but it starts at around 12:00 or 1:00 each night/morning.

Last night before bed I tried giving him a teaspoonful of honey - as soon as it got to the back of his throat he gagged and almost threw up. So I put it in some warm water with a little bit of lemon juice. He drank it and slept all night.

Stuck outside the house

I pulled up to the house, Mr. Man was tied up at work, I loaned my house key to a friend who had watched my kids last week and the garage door opener wouldn't work. No need to panic I told myself and the kids (even though I had too much water before I left work and so I was really hoping to use the bathroom.) I told Spirit to go around back and see if by accident we left a door open. Nope. No such luck. So I called Mr. Man and he said he was stuck at the office for about another 20 minutes. Again, no need to panic .... that is until the three year old in the back seat says "Momma. I gotta poo." Well, isn't that nice timing? I went next door, no one home. I walked across the street, no one home. ARGH. I called Mr. Man and told him my situation and luckily he said he was just locking up and would be right home. I asked Lady Bug if she could hold it and she said yes.

Once we got in the house, I rushed her to the bathroom, but we were a minute too late, there was already poo in the panties - hers, not mine! I managed to hold my tinkle until after I got her cleaned up!!

Later, Mr. Man went out to see why my garage door opener wasn't working. Well, my boys had accidentally flipped a security switch on the main panel on the inside of the garage. Easy fix. No problem. My friend brought back my key and all is well again.

Schedule adaptation

When we moved to our new house the boys actually changed school districts - however, there was only a month left of school and the "old" school isn't far from my office so we decided to just finish out the school year at the "old" school and I would "bus" them in each day. We knew it wouldn't be the easiest routine to get into, but we also told ourselves we can do anything for a month. We used to leave our house 5 minutes before the boys needed to be at school, I would drop them off in the front and then I would head to my office. Piece of cake. NOW, we have to leave the house about 45 minutes before they need to be at school. But, like I said... it is only a month and technically it is only 16 more days of school left. I can do this for 16 days.

With the move, Mr. Man's schedule also changed, because we moved literally 5 minutes from his office. So, as much as I enjoy having him home in the mornings, he doesn't seem to understand that he can not interrupt breakfast with play time and he can not encourage wrestling when the children need to be getting dressed. This morning, after the kids were dressed and I was gathering my stuff to head to the car, Mr. Man wanted me to stop everything and take a picture of the kids. I told him where the camera was. He said he didn't want to do it, he wanted me to. I have to run a tight ship in the mornings or we will be late.

Then my own words hit me and some day I am gonna miss the kids, when they are grown up and moved out. I will miss having photo opportunities in the mornings. So I grabbed my camera and took some pictures. It was fun and guess what.... we were actually early to school this morning and I even had time to unload my dishwasher! ouch ... that had to hurt! I guess my ship doesn't have to be so tight does it??? :o)

To-Do List

I have been meaning to make the kids a dentist appointment and I kept saying things like:



"I need to make the kids a dentist appointment as soon as we find a house."

and

"As soon as this house thing is settled I need to make a dental appointment for everyone."

and

"As soon as we move I will make a dentist appointment for the kids."

and

"As soon as we get settled in the new house I have to make a dentist appointment for the kids."



This morning I opened my day planner when I got to the office and as I started flipping to today's calendar page I saw Spirit's handwritten note (spelling as I found it in my book):

"Make dentest opointment for kids"

Guess I need to make sure I do that so I can get it checked off "my" to-do list!! I love my kids, they make me smile daily!

Best anti-stress product

Earth Therapeutics makes some really great stuff. I usually buy mine at Kohl's Department Stores, but I have also shopped this website for stuff. My favorite is this. It has calming aromatherapy which helps relax your mind and body -- and it just plain feels good kind of tingles a little bit when applied.


After the move into the new house, Mr. Man was having a hard time relaxing at night and then once he did get to sleep he was restless. I rubbed his back with this stuff and he fell asleep right away and slept really hard (I know because he was snoring loudly) all night. Then last Friday I got a nasty knot in my shoulder/back (he told me I was playing too much on the Internet -- why would he say something like that??!!! LOL) He reluctantly rubbed my back and it relaxed me relaxed that knot too. I highly recommend any of the Earth Therapeutics products.

Linguine with Asparagus, Bacon and Spinach

This is one of our favorites when fresh asparagus is in season. It is light, yet filling.

Linguine with Asparagus, Bacon and Spinach

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb linguine, cooked according to the package directions
1/3 lb bacon, cut into pieces
1/3 c olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb fresh asparagus, cut into pieces
1 (6 oz) package baby spinach leaves
1/4 c lemon juice

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain grease. Pour olive oil into same pan the bacon was cooked in. Add garlic and asparagus. Cook, stirring until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). Add cooked pasta and toss in spinach and lemon juice. Crumble in bacon.

**I have also cut up some grilled chicken pieces and put on top of pasta.

Just a random post

I woke up this morning to a gloomy, snowy morning. During January and February I accept this kind of weather. I am more of a sunny day type person, but during winter I accept that I will have gloom. Today, being May 1... as in the first of May... as in May is one month before June, I was sort depressed when I couldn't see any sunshine this morning. Now, all I want to do is climb back into bed and sleep until the sun comes out. I have no motivation to do any kind of productive work, just hang out in my sweats, maybe watch a Natalie Portman movie and maybe even bake these yummy treats I found over on this blog this morning. Ok, now, my spirits are perking up a bit. I could get motivated to bake these! That would be wonderful, bring a little sunshine indoors with the treats! Sounds like a great plan to me!

**I still want to be in my sweats though and come to think of it, if I bake these today when no one else is home I will need to be in my sweats so I can expand as I eat my treats!**