I'm pretty sure there's an 80's song with that title.
But I'm actually writing to promise all of you dear friends and family who actually take the time to check my blog with a frequency greater than once per month ... I will blog a good entry (with pictures) ... as soon as my Christmas cards are done.
Cheers to you all!
julie
P.S. Most of you who read my blog have your own blogs, and although I checked most of them tonight, I didn't comment on any except for one. But I have to say that I love reading them. And I'm honored to have you all as friends and family. You're good people doing good things, and it's a pleasure to bask in your goodness. Although the holidays have me bustling about (just like everyone else), it has been a joy this season to reflect on treasured friendships. Thanks for blessing my life.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
No Fond Memories
Okay, so some of you may have noticed that the menu on the right hand column has stayed the same since April. I would like to let you know why it's not been changed.
The tasty dish listed for Saturday is "Basil Pesto with Chicken and Peas." I actually did stick with the plan and made it. And that was a big accomplishment because the last time I made it (April 2007), I literally thought I was having a heart attack.
As it turned out, I was not having a heart attack. It was just a gallbladder "flare-up" ... thanks to the three cheese pasta and the estrogen coursing through my body brought on by carrying a large infant in utero ... back in April 2007.
So, skipping ahead (April 2008), there's no action on the gallbladder front, even after eating the pesto. So, I decide to really test my gallbladder and make a cheese ravioli dish with browned butter and asiago cheese. (It's actually embarrassing when I say it out loud ... I mean, it really is a miracle that I haven't had that heart attack yet growing up the deep-fried, Krispy Kreme South and with my penchant for high-fat pasta dishes.)
So, I make the ravioli and chow down ... although really not that much because I was on my way to get Jake's hair cut. But it was clearly enough to make me wish Italy and its pasta would disappear forever. I had another nasty flare-up, and a few weeks later, my gallbladder was removed.
Anyway, the pesto pasta was a catalyst to a very busy time of life for our family ... surgery for me, visit from Grandma and Grandpa to take care of boys and me, buying a new house, remodeling house, 10-day trip to Utah, starting new preschool, and lots of other fun projects that have prevented me from changing the menu.
Don't worry ... we are still cooking and eating. I have since made the basil pesto, but anything with browned butter is off the menu.
The tasty dish listed for Saturday is "Basil Pesto with Chicken and Peas." I actually did stick with the plan and made it. And that was a big accomplishment because the last time I made it (April 2007), I literally thought I was having a heart attack.
As it turned out, I was not having a heart attack. It was just a gallbladder "flare-up" ... thanks to the three cheese pasta and the estrogen coursing through my body brought on by carrying a large infant in utero ... back in April 2007.
So, skipping ahead (April 2008), there's no action on the gallbladder front, even after eating the pesto. So, I decide to really test my gallbladder and make a cheese ravioli dish with browned butter and asiago cheese. (It's actually embarrassing when I say it out loud ... I mean, it really is a miracle that I haven't had that heart attack yet growing up the deep-fried, Krispy Kreme South and with my penchant for high-fat pasta dishes.)
So, I make the ravioli and chow down ... although really not that much because I was on my way to get Jake's hair cut. But it was clearly enough to make me wish Italy and its pasta would disappear forever. I had another nasty flare-up, and a few weeks later, my gallbladder was removed.
Anyway, the pesto pasta was a catalyst to a very busy time of life for our family ... surgery for me, visit from Grandma and Grandpa to take care of boys and me, buying a new house, remodeling house, 10-day trip to Utah, starting new preschool, and lots of other fun projects that have prevented me from changing the menu.
Don't worry ... we are still cooking and eating. I have since made the basil pesto, but anything with browned butter is off the menu.
Friday, November 7, 2008
A Quick Tag
From my sister's blog ...
1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Where is your significant other? work
3. Your hair color? Blond
4. Your mother? angel
5. Your father? outgoing
6. Your favorite thing? sleep (am I lame for not leaving my sister's answer ... kids?)
7. Your dream last night? friend
8. Your dream/goal? goodness
9. The room you're in? messy
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? dogs (big ones)
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? tomboy
15. One of your wish-list items? furniture
16. Where you grew up? Memphis
17. The last thing you did? rocked (baby, that is)
18. What are you wearing? pjs
19. Your TV? off
20. Your pet? peeve
21. Your computer? slow
22. Your mood? good
23. Missing someone? usually
24. Your car? packed
25. Something you're not wearing? jewelry
26. Favorite store? last chance... really, I couldn't narrow it down to one word.
27. Your summer? year-round
28. Love someone? deeply
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? morning
31. Last time you cried? Tuesday (happy)
Tag to anyone who wants it!
1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Where is your significant other? work
3. Your hair color? Blond
4. Your mother? angel
5. Your father? outgoing
6. Your favorite thing? sleep (am I lame for not leaving my sister's answer ... kids?)
7. Your dream last night? friend
8. Your dream/goal? goodness
9. The room you're in? messy
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? dogs (big ones)
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? tomboy
15. One of your wish-list items? furniture
16. Where you grew up? Memphis
17. The last thing you did? rocked (baby, that is)
18. What are you wearing? pjs
19. Your TV? off
20. Your pet? peeve
21. Your computer? slow
22. Your mood? good
23. Missing someone? usually
24. Your car? packed
25. Something you're not wearing? jewelry
26. Favorite store? last chance... really, I couldn't narrow it down to one word.
27. Your summer? year-round
28. Love someone? deeply
29. Your favorite color? purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? morning
31. Last time you cried? Tuesday (happy)
Tag to anyone who wants it!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Goal!
Jacob has played soccer this fall. And it's been fun ... mostly ... except he hadn't ever scored a goal, and I think it was wearing on him a bit. Well, yesterday, he made up for lost time and scored two goals during his game. I don't think his team ended up winning the game, but he was still pretty pleased with himself. And truth be told, we were pretty stoked too! Thanks aunties for coming to support him. Maybe you are our good luck charms!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
A few funnies ...
Some of my blog posts are to share funny or insightful things (at least things that I think are funny and insightful ... maybe this stuff is only profound to me), and some are just to document life. This is a "document life" type of post, but I think you'll enjoy the humor anyway. :)
Jacob's Funny Statement #1: Scene: Eric babbling to himself and anyone that will listen. Jacob offhandedly makes the following statement to my friend Pam. "Eric speaks Spanish all day long. I don't understand what he's talking about."
Jacob's Funny Statement #2: Scene: Riding in the car on the way home from the dentist. Eric is again, babbling to himself and anyone who will listen ... in this case, he's just babbling to himself. Jacob is repeatedly asking me, "Guess what?" And then giving me some statement of fact. I'm just trying to navigate some serious traffic at 4:45 p.m. "Guess what, Mom?" "What?" "In Georgia, that's where W. Bush lives." I started to laugh, and Jacob started hysterically laughing. The kid cracks himself up!
Jacob's Funny Statement #3: Most of you who read our blog know that we're Mormon. As such, we pray several times a day. In the morning, Jacob was being a little unruly during the prayer, and Matt asked him to try harder to concentrate on who we were praying to. So at dinnertime, I said the prayer on the food. Matt wasn't home, just Jake, Eric, and me. So, after my prayer, Jacob says, "Mom, I concentrated during the prayer. pause. "In fact, I felt the Spirit." This was impressive as this dinner prayer was one of my less inspiring prayers. Oh well!
Then, today while we're at church, Eric pulled a funny one on me. Matt tried to hand off Eric (who clearly prefers Matt) to me for a minute. Eric screamed as loud as he could and clung to Matt. So, Matt just takes Eric with him and goes on down the hall. Immediately after that, a friend's sister (I had only met her a few minutes ago) asks, "Who was that little boy?" I replied that it was my son. She says, "Really?" She thought I was trying to be nice by holding the screaming little boy ... only it was MY screaming little boy. :) These crazy kids of ours!
I realize that the key to a good blog is pictures, and I promise to post some soon. Maybe of the Halloween costumes. Eric is a Jester and Jacob (drumroll, please) has finally decided to be a knight. (Note: This decision came after he realized that he'd have to have his face painted to be a vampire -- too scary -- and after he realized that he'd get to wear a hand-me-down costume belonging to his best "7-year old" friend.)
Have a great week everyone!
Jacob's Funny Statement #1: Scene: Eric babbling to himself and anyone that will listen. Jacob offhandedly makes the following statement to my friend Pam. "Eric speaks Spanish all day long. I don't understand what he's talking about."
Jacob's Funny Statement #2: Scene: Riding in the car on the way home from the dentist. Eric is again, babbling to himself and anyone who will listen ... in this case, he's just babbling to himself. Jacob is repeatedly asking me, "Guess what?" And then giving me some statement of fact. I'm just trying to navigate some serious traffic at 4:45 p.m. "Guess what, Mom?" "What?" "In Georgia, that's where W. Bush lives." I started to laugh, and Jacob started hysterically laughing. The kid cracks himself up!
Jacob's Funny Statement #3: Most of you who read our blog know that we're Mormon. As such, we pray several times a day. In the morning, Jacob was being a little unruly during the prayer, and Matt asked him to try harder to concentrate on who we were praying to. So at dinnertime, I said the prayer on the food. Matt wasn't home, just Jake, Eric, and me. So, after my prayer, Jacob says, "Mom, I concentrated during the prayer. pause. "In fact, I felt the Spirit." This was impressive as this dinner prayer was one of my less inspiring prayers. Oh well!
Then, today while we're at church, Eric pulled a funny one on me. Matt tried to hand off Eric (who clearly prefers Matt) to me for a minute. Eric screamed as loud as he could and clung to Matt. So, Matt just takes Eric with him and goes on down the hall. Immediately after that, a friend's sister (I had only met her a few minutes ago) asks, "Who was that little boy?" I replied that it was my son. She says, "Really?" She thought I was trying to be nice by holding the screaming little boy ... only it was MY screaming little boy. :) These crazy kids of ours!
I realize that the key to a good blog is pictures, and I promise to post some soon. Maybe of the Halloween costumes. Eric is a Jester and Jacob (drumroll, please) has finally decided to be a knight. (Note: This decision came after he realized that he'd have to have his face painted to be a vampire -- too scary -- and after he realized that he'd get to wear a hand-me-down costume belonging to his best "7-year old" friend.)
Have a great week everyone!
Monday, October 20, 2008
interesting article ... food for thought
I read an msn article today about whether you could feed a family of four for under $100. Here's the link if you'd like to read:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/RaiseKids/CanAFamilyEatOn100AWeek.aspx
It sounds like the author included eating out with the $100/week. Our family lumps "eating out" under the entertainment umbrella in our budget, but grocery-wise I "think" we regularly eat under $100 a week.
What do you guys think? Is eating under $100 a week more than doable (i.e., you're doing it), or is that dooming you to a life of rice and beans?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/RaiseKids/CanAFamilyEatOn100AWeek.aspx
It sounds like the author included eating out with the $100/week. Our family lumps "eating out" under the entertainment umbrella in our budget, but grocery-wise I "think" we regularly eat under $100 a week.
What do you guys think? Is eating under $100 a week more than doable (i.e., you're doing it), or is that dooming you to a life of rice and beans?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Musings about Halloween Costumes
First of all, I would like to congratulate myself on not buying a bit of Halloween candy yet ... ordinarily, I would have been through a whole bag of candy corn by now and half a bag of fun-size twix or peanut butter cups. But I have withstood temptation and have not purchased anything yet.
But I'd better kick it into gear on the costume front. Our church is having a trunk or treat party this week, and so we've got to get rolling on the costumes. Jacob has changed his mind daily about his costume, but I've committed him to being a vampire ... and if by Saturday he doesn't want to be a vampire, too bad!
But here's the question. Eric could fit Jacob's old costume (an adorable jester costume), but I keep wondering if Eric should have his own memorable costume. Should I just bite the bullet and by him the super-cute baby darth vader costume (the one that I believe Jake secretly wants), or should I have him wear his brother's hand-me-down costume? Thoughts about hand-me-down costumes in the same family??
Last thing I wanted to post. My friend Shauna has been telling me for some time now about a terrific web site that all of you who read my blog probably already know about, but it's called the Picky Palate.
I needed to bring a dessert somewhere on Thursday night. I'd had a plan earlier in the day, but naturally, at 3:30, I realized that I was missing one critical ingredient. So, I go to a few of my cookbooks, but am inspired by nothing. So, I go to my recipe file on my computer, and nothing turns up that I either a) have ingredients for or b) have time to make. Since I have so much time on my hands (not!), I start searching blogs. I found a few really good ones, but this one, The Picky Palate, has the best pics and the most appetizing looking stuff. I truly wish this lady could come live at my house. Check it out sometime!
Glad to be blogging again! I really don't think I have an interesting enough life to blog everyday, but I will be more frequent than every 4 months from now on!
But I'd better kick it into gear on the costume front. Our church is having a trunk or treat party this week, and so we've got to get rolling on the costumes. Jacob has changed his mind daily about his costume, but I've committed him to being a vampire ... and if by Saturday he doesn't want to be a vampire, too bad!
But here's the question. Eric could fit Jacob's old costume (an adorable jester costume), but I keep wondering if Eric should have his own memorable costume. Should I just bite the bullet and by him the super-cute baby darth vader costume (the one that I believe Jake secretly wants), or should I have him wear his brother's hand-me-down costume? Thoughts about hand-me-down costumes in the same family??
Last thing I wanted to post. My friend Shauna has been telling me for some time now about a terrific web site that all of you who read my blog probably already know about, but it's called the Picky Palate.
I needed to bring a dessert somewhere on Thursday night. I'd had a plan earlier in the day, but naturally, at 3:30, I realized that I was missing one critical ingredient. So, I go to a few of my cookbooks, but am inspired by nothing. So, I go to my recipe file on my computer, and nothing turns up that I either a) have ingredients for or b) have time to make. Since I have so much time on my hands (not!), I start searching blogs. I found a few really good ones, but this one, The Picky Palate, has the best pics and the most appetizing looking stuff. I truly wish this lady could come live at my house. Check it out sometime!
Glad to be blogging again! I really don't think I have an interesting enough life to blog everyday, but I will be more frequent than every 4 months from now on!
Friday, October 17, 2008
I've been shamed into posting ...
Okay. I've noticed that many of you have added these delightful little features to your blogs that track the last time a blog was updated. At last glance, someone's blog said that my blog was last updated 4 months ago. As I scanned the entire list, I realized that I won! Of the entire list of blogs, mine was the least recently updated.
But I have some good excuses ... I mean, reasons. Since my last post, we've celebrated every birthday in our little family. We've gone on a few trips. And we bought a new house (new to us), did some extensive revamping, and moved in. And in the meanwhile, Matt changed departments at work, Jake started 3-day-a-week preschool and soccer, and Eric has turned into the cutest little munchkin ever.
So here are a few little anecdotes that I could share so I don't forget they happened.
Eric's favorite song: U2's "Vertigo" ... particularly fond of the line, "Hello, hello, hola!" Cracks up everytime he hears it.
Eric's favorite parent: Matt, hands-down. :)
Eric's first temper tantrum: On his first birthday, he opened a gift from Grandma Jane ... a universal remote. (A toy one.) Jake thought this was a pretty cool toy and grabbed it out of Eric's hands. Eric crawled over to Jacob, got up in his face and screamed as loud as he could. I believe the day of reckoning has arrived in which Jake is not going to be able to push Eric around with the ease to which he is accustomed.
Jacob's favorite number: 61. Here's an example of him using his favorite number in a sentence: "Mom, are you 61?" Anytime he asks about time or about how much something costs, he refers to the number 61.
Jacob's future job: As evidenced by the following example, Jacob has a promising career as a preschool teacher. About a week ago, Jacob was trying to teach me how to say the letter "d" properly. (I don't think he thought I was doing it wrong per se ... I think he was just mimicking the lesson his teacher had given his class earlier in the day.) Anyway, as he was explaining that you put your tongue behind your teeth, I looked away to load a dish into the dishwasher. All of a sudden I hear, "Eyes on me, please."
Jacob's favorite movie: Earlier this week, he played at the home of a little girl from church and preschool. Apparently, they watched the fine cinematic creation that is "Barbie and the Diamond Castle". Clearly we haven't seen such excellent animation and riveting story lines before as it really made an impression on Jacob. Later in the day, we're driving in the car and listening to the radio. There's some overly-dramatic song about love sung by some squealing soprano on the easy-listening station, and Jacob tells me that it's the same song that Barbie sings in the movie. Then he runs down the list of good characters and bad characters. Then, three days later, he says to me, "Barbie and the Diamond Castle isn't my favorite movie anymore. I like Star Wars now, and The Power Rangers is my most favorite movie." I can't tell if this story would make Matt happy or sad? :)
Okay, I'm about to turn into a pumpkin ... so I have to go to sleep. But I'm back to blogging, I think. I've really enjoyed catching up and reading so many blogs of friends and family. You all seem to make the daily mundane seem entertaining. I love it!
But I have some good excuses ... I mean, reasons. Since my last post, we've celebrated every birthday in our little family. We've gone on a few trips. And we bought a new house (new to us), did some extensive revamping, and moved in. And in the meanwhile, Matt changed departments at work, Jake started 3-day-a-week preschool and soccer, and Eric has turned into the cutest little munchkin ever.
So here are a few little anecdotes that I could share so I don't forget they happened.
Eric's favorite song: U2's "Vertigo" ... particularly fond of the line, "Hello, hello, hola!" Cracks up everytime he hears it.
Eric's favorite parent: Matt, hands-down. :)
Eric's first temper tantrum: On his first birthday, he opened a gift from Grandma Jane ... a universal remote. (A toy one.) Jake thought this was a pretty cool toy and grabbed it out of Eric's hands. Eric crawled over to Jacob, got up in his face and screamed as loud as he could. I believe the day of reckoning has arrived in which Jake is not going to be able to push Eric around with the ease to which he is accustomed.
Jacob's favorite number: 61. Here's an example of him using his favorite number in a sentence: "Mom, are you 61?" Anytime he asks about time or about how much something costs, he refers to the number 61.
Jacob's future job: As evidenced by the following example, Jacob has a promising career as a preschool teacher. About a week ago, Jacob was trying to teach me how to say the letter "d" properly. (I don't think he thought I was doing it wrong per se ... I think he was just mimicking the lesson his teacher had given his class earlier in the day.) Anyway, as he was explaining that you put your tongue behind your teeth, I looked away to load a dish into the dishwasher. All of a sudden I hear, "Eyes on me, please."
Jacob's favorite movie: Earlier this week, he played at the home of a little girl from church and preschool. Apparently, they watched the fine cinematic creation that is "Barbie and the Diamond Castle". Clearly we haven't seen such excellent animation and riveting story lines before as it really made an impression on Jacob. Later in the day, we're driving in the car and listening to the radio. There's some overly-dramatic song about love sung by some squealing soprano on the easy-listening station, and Jacob tells me that it's the same song that Barbie sings in the movie. Then he runs down the list of good characters and bad characters. Then, three days later, he says to me, "Barbie and the Diamond Castle isn't my favorite movie anymore. I like Star Wars now, and The Power Rangers is my most favorite movie." I can't tell if this story would make Matt happy or sad? :)
Okay, I'm about to turn into a pumpkin ... so I have to go to sleep. But I'm back to blogging, I think. I've really enjoyed catching up and reading so many blogs of friends and family. You all seem to make the daily mundane seem entertaining. I love it!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Back in the Saddle Again
It's been awhile ... and sadly, this is not the post where I'm going to update everyone as to what's been going on with us since March. But as you may remember, we have "The Office" page-a-day calendar, and we had such a funny quote on May 29 (aka, my 31st birthday). It was from Michael (as most of the funny ones are).
"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me."
Ha ha ha!
"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me."
Ha ha ha!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
You smell that...that's March Madness baby, there's no better time to be a sports fan, unless you happen to be a fan of those teams that got Jack Stomped, by the NCAA committee, first and foremost on that list has to be the Devils of ASU...are you kidding me, they beat UofA twice and ended the Pac 10 with a better record...oh well, what can you do.
Here's my final four (that is until I change my mind right up until tip-off):
UNC, UCLA, Kansas, Texas
And for those folks that know me, know who I'm picking to cut down the nets in '08.
So the question is, who's in your final four?
Here's my final four (that is until I change my mind right up until tip-off):
UNC, UCLA, Kansas, Texas
And for those folks that know me, know who I'm picking to cut down the nets in '08.
So the question is, who's in your final four?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Total Addict
My parents are due to come in town in 6 hours ... I still have to clean a bathroom, mop a floor, make cornbread and a salad, clean the kitchen, finish some laundry, clean the living room, bathe children and put said-children to bed ... and did I mention that Eric had 3 shots today and another tooth popped up? Ugh!
But here I am ... blogging. Escaping my reality and connecting with my friends and family ... all while holding Eric in a murderous Baby Bjorn that he is too darn heavy for!
There was a request for Santa Fe Soup, so I'm posting that recipe. It's a recipe from my friend, Lauren, that she got from the Body for Life Cookbook, I think. Anyway, it's pretty healthy. I would definitely suggest making the little baked tortilla chips ... the soup need the texture and flavor of those. I also suggest serving with cheese. I think she did last time, and I loved the soup. When I made it, I felt like the soup really could have used it. Anyway, here's the recipe.
But here I am ... blogging. Escaping my reality and connecting with my friends and family ... all while holding Eric in a murderous Baby Bjorn that he is too darn heavy for!
There was a request for Santa Fe Soup, so I'm posting that recipe. It's a recipe from my friend, Lauren, that she got from the Body for Life Cookbook, I think. Anyway, it's pretty healthy. I would definitely suggest making the little baked tortilla chips ... the soup need the texture and flavor of those. I also suggest serving with cheese. I think she did last time, and I loved the soup. When I made it, I felt like the soup really could have used it. Anyway, here's the recipe.
Santa Fe Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
1/3 c brown rice (uncooked)
4 portions chicken breasts
1 lime, halved
2 tsp. taco seasoning
6 corn tortillas
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can (4oz) diced green chilis
6 cups chicken broth
4 T salsa
1/4 c sour cream
2 T cilantro, chopped
Cook rice according to directions on package. While cooking, place chicken in shallow dish, cover with lime juice and then coat with taco seasoning. Grill for 6 minutes or bake in oven (25 mins.). Once chicken is cook, cut into strips or chunks.
Preheat oven to 350. cut tortillas into 1 inch strips and bake for 15 mins. Set aside.
Heat oil in pot and sautee garlic and onion until transparent (8 mins).
Add cooked rice to pot, saute 3 mins. Add chilis, sautee 2 mins. Pour chicken broth into mixture; bring to a boil. Add chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes.
Place tortilla strips in bottom of bowl, spoon soup into bowls. Garnish with salsa, sourcream and cilantro.
Freezes well!
Also, instead of pork chops and potatoes, I made a pot roast. They were on sale, and it sounded pretty good. I am not a particularly adept cook when it comes to roast. I love to eat roast, but I don't know how to prepare them very well. So, I scouted out a recipe from Paula Deen on the Food Network. This recipe was easy and it made the best broth ... which in turn made the best gravy I have ever made in my entire life. I did make some changes based on a reviewer's comments and based on what I had in the pantry. I bagged the house seasoning. I added 2 tsps. beef bullion and 1 can beef broth in lieu of the Chardonnay and the bullion cubes. Here's Paula Deen's recipe for Pot Roast: Enjoy!
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Sunday, March 9, 2008
Recipes
I've decided to post one new recipe per week ... it's an achievable goal for me as I change out my menus, etc. However, if you see a menu item that you'd like the recipe for, just leave me a comment and I'll post it. :)
This is for the BBQ Chicken Salad. I found the recipe from a blog that my friend, Shauna, referred me to called "The Enlightened Homemaker." I really enjoyed this recipe ... super easy and reasonably healthy.
This is for the BBQ Chicken Salad. I found the recipe from a blog that my friend, Shauna, referred me to called "The Enlightened Homemaker." I really enjoyed this recipe ... super easy and reasonably healthy.
BBQ CHICKEN CHOP SALAD
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or about 6-8 chicken tenders
1 cup barbecue sauce
Marinate chicken in sauce, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (If you bake in the bbq sauce in a baking dish, this will take longer. If you bake on a cookie sheet after marinating, then I think they’d be ready in 30 minutes.) Chop into pieces and refrigerate.
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 jicama, peeled and diced (I omitted this)
1/2 Cup cilantro, chopped
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 pound
A Couple of Pics
Jacob building a "tower" ...
it's more like a "compound" with multiple buildings than a tower, per se.
Goodbye, gummy smile! (Sorry for the sideways pic ... I pulled it straight off the camera without rotating it.)
A picture of the Snoopy salad that I described in one of my recent posts. Yummy and loved by children and adults alike! :)
it's more like a "compound" with multiple buildings than a tower, per se.
Goodbye, gummy smile! (Sorry for the sideways pic ... I pulled it straight off the camera without rotating it.)
A picture of the Snoopy salad that I described in one of my recent posts. Yummy and loved by children and adults alike! :)
Post-game Wrap-up
This is a phrase borrowed from DH's sports shows. We had another busy week with tooth #2 emerging in sweet Eric's little mouth. He did a little better with this one, but he's definitely got a more intense personality than Jake does ... evidenced most recently with these teething episodes. He's also become a proficient back-to-tummy roller, but he gets stuck there and then cries until he's "rescued" from tummy time. :) He also tried "real" food this week. Here's a recap with the reviews: squash (two enthusiastic thumbs up), peas (one-and-a-half thumbs up), pears (two enthusiastic hands up). He was totally ready and is doing great with it. Our most recent tribulation is with nighttime sleeping. He's been waking for no discernible reason, so we've been trying to let him "cry it out." Yikes! He's got some staying power. The power struggle with a six-month old (turned 6 mos today!) is vicious. We've won the last few nights, but barely.
Jacob has had a good week. He had a great "report card" from preschool. So we took him out for an ice cream treat to celebrate! He's been a social butterfly lately ... always wondering what our calendar holds each day as far as playdates go. And believe me, the devastation is great if we have nothing set up. He's been going to great lengths to coerce me into lining up playdates too ... lately, he's been saving part of his snacks and treats to "share" with a little friend of his. He'll then ask if we can go "deliver" the snack and play. Anyone that knows Jacob knows that this is a total labor of love as he kid loves to eat!
Matt and I got together with some friends lately, and we were discussing some of the funny things kids say. It reminded me of a few funny things Jacob has said that I wanted to make sure I posted (for documentation's sake).
First, I commonly drop the "g" from a few words ending in "-ing". Like "somethin'" instead of "something." (I grew up in the South and have virtually no trace of an accent except little nuances like this.) Anyway, Jacob has adopted this into his own dialect but has expanded it a bit to include just about any word ending in "-ing", such as "anythin" (pronounced "en-ee-thin") or "everythin" (pronounced "ev-ree-thin). :)
Another thing ... it's funny when kids realize you have a name other than "mom." Jacob has come to this realization a few times. He'll hear my name, laugh about it, and then forget it. So, I got a little necklace a few months ago with my nickname ("jewel") on it, and he was very attentive during the conversation about nicknames and my "real" name. He must have known my name was "julie" before because he and his friends have giggled about that as they've called me that. But I guess it just "sunk in" that that was really my name when we talked about it this last time.
The last funny anecdote is related to his buddy, Grant. Grant is a little over a year younger than Jake but is a big kid like Jacob and so the age difference doesn't really seem like much. But for awhile, Grant couldn't say, "Jacob" really clearly, and he called him something that sounds like, "Day-bug". Well, I think Jacob thought this was a term of endearment or something because now he calls Grant, "Day-bug", when they're chasing or when he wants Grant to go outside with him. And then, just the other day, I heard Jacob giving himself a little self-affirming pep-talk. I think he was making his bed, but I can't remember exactly what he was doing. Anyway, I hear him quietly (but with feeling saying), "Good job, Day-bug! Good job!" :)
He's been into the story of "David and Goliath" lately, also. He's asked so many questions about this story ... about details that we don't know anything about. For instance, "What did they do with Goliath's sword after he was killed?" Anyone know? Or, "Were the brothers scared of Goliath?" That was an easy one. (Every now and then, he gives us an easy one.)
Even though there are a few challenging times with Jacob, I am really enjoying this stage of life with him. He is really loving and is learning so quickly.
Jacob has had a good week. He had a great "report card" from preschool. So we took him out for an ice cream treat to celebrate! He's been a social butterfly lately ... always wondering what our calendar holds each day as far as playdates go. And believe me, the devastation is great if we have nothing set up. He's been going to great lengths to coerce me into lining up playdates too ... lately, he's been saving part of his snacks and treats to "share" with a little friend of his. He'll then ask if we can go "deliver" the snack and play. Anyone that knows Jacob knows that this is a total labor of love as he kid loves to eat!
Matt and I got together with some friends lately, and we were discussing some of the funny things kids say. It reminded me of a few funny things Jacob has said that I wanted to make sure I posted (for documentation's sake).
First, I commonly drop the "g" from a few words ending in "-ing". Like "somethin'" instead of "something." (I grew up in the South and have virtually no trace of an accent except little nuances like this.) Anyway, Jacob has adopted this into his own dialect but has expanded it a bit to include just about any word ending in "-ing", such as "anythin" (pronounced "en-ee-thin") or "everythin" (pronounced "ev-ree-thin). :)
Another thing ... it's funny when kids realize you have a name other than "mom." Jacob has come to this realization a few times. He'll hear my name, laugh about it, and then forget it. So, I got a little necklace a few months ago with my nickname ("jewel") on it, and he was very attentive during the conversation about nicknames and my "real" name. He must have known my name was "julie" before because he and his friends have giggled about that as they've called me that. But I guess it just "sunk in" that that was really my name when we talked about it this last time.
The last funny anecdote is related to his buddy, Grant. Grant is a little over a year younger than Jake but is a big kid like Jacob and so the age difference doesn't really seem like much. But for awhile, Grant couldn't say, "Jacob" really clearly, and he called him something that sounds like, "Day-bug". Well, I think Jacob thought this was a term of endearment or something because now he calls Grant, "Day-bug", when they're chasing or when he wants Grant to go outside with him. And then, just the other day, I heard Jacob giving himself a little self-affirming pep-talk. I think he was making his bed, but I can't remember exactly what he was doing. Anyway, I hear him quietly (but with feeling saying), "Good job, Day-bug! Good job!" :)
He's been into the story of "David and Goliath" lately, also. He's asked so many questions about this story ... about details that we don't know anything about. For instance, "What did they do with Goliath's sword after he was killed?" Anyone know? Or, "Were the brothers scared of Goliath?" That was an easy one. (Every now and then, he gives us an easy one.)
Even though there are a few challenging times with Jacob, I am really enjoying this stage of life with him. He is really loving and is learning so quickly.
Tagged
My sister "tagged" me ... didn't even know what that meant until a few weeks ago. So, here goes nothin'
10 Years ago: School: I was completing my junior year at BYU as a sociology major. By this time, I was much more studious (even had 8 a.m. classes!). I still did stupid stuff like sleeping all night with a space heater on in my bedroom, but we made it out alive! Love: I was dating Matt, but still wasn't sure if we'd get married. Work: I was working as a "server" at the Skyroom Restaurant on BYU-Provo Campus. Friends: I lived at the Elms with 5 terrific roomies!
5 Things on my To Do List Today!
Because it's Sunday at 9:00 p.m., the to-do list is really different from any other day, but here goes:
1. Do the dinner dishes (can anyone tell I'm avoiding this by blogging?)
2. Call back a girl I visit teach
3. Send out a Relief Society email
4. Go through the schedule for the week and make tomorrow's to-do list :)
5. post pics on the blog
Things I would do if I were a Billionaire
1. Buy lots of ipods and give them away to anyone I can think of. That is truly one of my favorite gadgets!
2. Get weekly housekeeping services (good idea, Jenny!). And I'd probably hire a decorator to help me define my style. Also like my sister, I'd continue to do my own cooking.
3. I enjoy bargain hunting for cute clothes, but I really do love higher-end jeans and shoes ... which don't always come at a bargain price. So, I suspect I'd purchase some killer jeans and shoes.
4. Travel - Europe is at the top of my list ... specifically to see fine art.
5. Philanthropy - After my sister put this as one of her answers, I thought a lot about it. I have always wanted to have more "means" to donate to worthy causes, but after watching Oprah's Big Give, I realized that I have a hard time not being too judgmental about who's really deserving. (Like I thought it was kind of lame that they were trying to raise money to pay off a medical resident's 200K school loans so that he could give free plastic surgery to the children.) Because I tend to research things to death and have a hard time making a decision, I'd rather be in a position to give something to everyone who asked. I'd probably also donate substantially to church affiliated charities since I know that all of the money goes to the truly needy.
6. Education. For the kiddos, and probably a degree in art history for me.
7. Don't necessarily need a big home, but would like a larger yard and a home large enough for more entertaining.
Three of my bad habits
1. Worrying
2. Procrastinating
3. Nagging
Five places I have lived (in no particular order)
1. Atlanta, GA
2. Memphis, TN
3. Cottonwood Heights, UT
4. Chicago, IL
5. Lubbock, TX
Five Jobs I have had
1. Mom
2. Writer for a business magazine
3. Assistant Buyer
4. Waitress
5. Hotel maid (for 1 week!)
Things that people do not know about me
I'm sure some of you know some of these things, but I can't think of anything that NOBODY knows (ditto), so here goes:
1. I am very claustrophobic. I don't like caves or mines where I can't get to fresh air quickly. I get kind of panicky when I have to sit in the last row of a minivan or if I'm surrounded by lots of people for an extended period of time. I totally know it's not rational, but I get weirded out if I perceive that there might be a shortage of air. (I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the time my sister locked me in a suitcase. :))
2. The first concert I ever went to was Kenny G. I won tickets on the radio (FM100, naturally). And I loved it so much that my friend and I actually called the radio station to tell them how awesome the concert was! :) (I suspect that when Matt reads this, he'll want to cry.)
3. I had to take my driving test three times because I failed it the first two times ... but I've never been in a car accident that was my fault.
4. Although it was implied, I was the first one who verbalized the "big question." I asked Matt if he wanted to marry me. He may try to contradict this, but I really was the first one to say it out loud.
5. I am a HUGE over-analyzer. I worry all the time that I might have offended someone or hurt someone's feelings. I worry about the things I say a lot ... like if I sounded like a dork or if I talked too much (I worry about that alot ... if I let others participate in the conversation enough). I replay conversations in my mind all the time. Luckily, I am very generous with other people (i.e., I don't offend very easily), but I'm not always so gentle with myself. However, that's the beauty of getting older. I feel that I'm becoming so much more comfortable with myself and trusting that people will understand my intentions. So, even though I still rehash a lot of what I say, I definitely give others and myself more of the benefit of the doubt.
That's all ... anyone that wants to be "tagged", you're it!
10 Years ago: School: I was completing my junior year at BYU as a sociology major. By this time, I was much more studious (even had 8 a.m. classes!). I still did stupid stuff like sleeping all night with a space heater on in my bedroom, but we made it out alive! Love: I was dating Matt, but still wasn't sure if we'd get married. Work: I was working as a "server" at the Skyroom Restaurant on BYU-Provo Campus. Friends: I lived at the Elms with 5 terrific roomies!
5 Things on my To Do List Today!
Because it's Sunday at 9:00 p.m., the to-do list is really different from any other day, but here goes:
1. Do the dinner dishes (can anyone tell I'm avoiding this by blogging?)
2. Call back a girl I visit teach
3. Send out a Relief Society email
4. Go through the schedule for the week and make tomorrow's to-do list :)
5. post pics on the blog
Things I would do if I were a Billionaire
1. Buy lots of ipods and give them away to anyone I can think of. That is truly one of my favorite gadgets!
2. Get weekly housekeeping services (good idea, Jenny!). And I'd probably hire a decorator to help me define my style. Also like my sister, I'd continue to do my own cooking.
3. I enjoy bargain hunting for cute clothes, but I really do love higher-end jeans and shoes ... which don't always come at a bargain price. So, I suspect I'd purchase some killer jeans and shoes.
4. Travel - Europe is at the top of my list ... specifically to see fine art.
5. Philanthropy - After my sister put this as one of her answers, I thought a lot about it. I have always wanted to have more "means" to donate to worthy causes, but after watching Oprah's Big Give, I realized that I have a hard time not being too judgmental about who's really deserving. (Like I thought it was kind of lame that they were trying to raise money to pay off a medical resident's 200K school loans so that he could give free plastic surgery to the children.) Because I tend to research things to death and have a hard time making a decision, I'd rather be in a position to give something to everyone who asked. I'd probably also donate substantially to church affiliated charities since I know that all of the money goes to the truly needy.
6. Education. For the kiddos, and probably a degree in art history for me.
7. Don't necessarily need a big home, but would like a larger yard and a home large enough for more entertaining.
Three of my bad habits
1. Worrying
2. Procrastinating
3. Nagging
Five places I have lived (in no particular order)
1. Atlanta, GA
2. Memphis, TN
3. Cottonwood Heights, UT
4. Chicago, IL
5. Lubbock, TX
Five Jobs I have had
1. Mom
2. Writer for a business magazine
3. Assistant Buyer
4. Waitress
5. Hotel maid (for 1 week!)
Things that people do not know about me
I'm sure some of you know some of these things, but I can't think of anything that NOBODY knows (ditto), so here goes:
1. I am very claustrophobic. I don't like caves or mines where I can't get to fresh air quickly. I get kind of panicky when I have to sit in the last row of a minivan or if I'm surrounded by lots of people for an extended period of time. I totally know it's not rational, but I get weirded out if I perceive that there might be a shortage of air. (I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the time my sister locked me in a suitcase. :))
2. The first concert I ever went to was Kenny G. I won tickets on the radio (FM100, naturally). And I loved it so much that my friend and I actually called the radio station to tell them how awesome the concert was! :) (I suspect that when Matt reads this, he'll want to cry.)
3. I had to take my driving test three times because I failed it the first two times ... but I've never been in a car accident that was my fault.
4. Although it was implied, I was the first one who verbalized the "big question." I asked Matt if he wanted to marry me. He may try to contradict this, but I really was the first one to say it out loud.
5. I am a HUGE over-analyzer. I worry all the time that I might have offended someone or hurt someone's feelings. I worry about the things I say a lot ... like if I sounded like a dork or if I talked too much (I worry about that alot ... if I let others participate in the conversation enough). I replay conversations in my mind all the time. Luckily, I am very generous with other people (i.e., I don't offend very easily), but I'm not always so gentle with myself. However, that's the beauty of getting older. I feel that I'm becoming so much more comfortable with myself and trusting that people will understand my intentions. So, even though I still rehash a lot of what I say, I definitely give others and myself more of the benefit of the doubt.
That's all ... anyone that wants to be "tagged", you're it!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
In Our Mouths
I haven't blogged anything of substance for the last week because we've been getting teeth. I say "we" because it's truly been a family experience for us ... involving each one of us in some special way. Poor little Eric has one tooth in (on the top), one "arriving" any day now, and two more on their way on the lower level. Matt and I have taken lots of pictures documenting the precious gummy smile ... only they're on my sister-in-law's camera, and I don't have her USB cable. So, I'll post a picture later of the gummy smile (which, incidentally, has been a challenge to capture ... we keep ending up with "deer in the headlight" shots).
I wouldn't have even posted today except that our family has to eat. And as long as I'm making up our menu, I may as well share ours with all of you in blog land that you might be inspired by our family's dining habits. :) (Ha, ha, ha!)
So, I've updated the menu for the week. Maybe you've noticed that I don't update every seven days. Well, that's because, contrary to popular belief, I don't cook every night for seven days. We often have leftovers or go out, but I don't always know when that will be. So, I usually try to have everything on hand for seven meals (in the extremely unlikely event that I cook for seven straight days), and the menus usually last about 10 days. I try to plan my "fresher" meals first ... the ones that have the freshest ingredients, so they don't spoil, and I usually try to have one or two meals at the end that have ingredients with a longer shelf life.
A few people have requested recipes for some of the things I've listed. I am lucky to be friends with great cooks who don't mind sharing recipes, so I hope they don't mind if we take the sharing to the next level by posting on my blog (read by millions, I'm sure!). :)
The first is an AMAZING recipe for chicken lentil stew. This came from my friend, Kasey, who got the recipe from her sister-in-law. Watch out! This one is terrific. I made this the other night with homemade cornbread ... recipe from my sister's blog. And we made Snoopy salads as the other side. I will post a picture of snoopy salad sometime, but basically, every kid loves them. You place a pear half core-side down on a plate. Then put a prune (the cherry flavored ones are good) as the ear on the "big" end of the pear. Then put a maraschino cherry on the small end to make the nose. The eye is a raisin, and put one or two mandarin oranges on the bottom to make a collar.
But, I digress, so, I give you ... recipes for stew and cornbread.
2 c. Bisquick
4-6 T. cornmeal (I usually go with the 6)
1/2-1 c. sugar (I usually stick closer to 1/2 c.)
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins. (Mine took a little more time ... closer to 45 minutes, I think.)
I wouldn't have even posted today except that our family has to eat. And as long as I'm making up our menu, I may as well share ours with all of you in blog land that you might be inspired by our family's dining habits. :) (Ha, ha, ha!)
So, I've updated the menu for the week. Maybe you've noticed that I don't update every seven days. Well, that's because, contrary to popular belief, I don't cook every night for seven days. We often have leftovers or go out, but I don't always know when that will be. So, I usually try to have everything on hand for seven meals (in the extremely unlikely event that I cook for seven straight days), and the menus usually last about 10 days. I try to plan my "fresher" meals first ... the ones that have the freshest ingredients, so they don't spoil, and I usually try to have one or two meals at the end that have ingredients with a longer shelf life.
A few people have requested recipes for some of the things I've listed. I am lucky to be friends with great cooks who don't mind sharing recipes, so I hope they don't mind if we take the sharing to the next level by posting on my blog (read by millions, I'm sure!). :)
The first is an AMAZING recipe for chicken lentil stew. This came from my friend, Kasey, who got the recipe from her sister-in-law. Watch out! This one is terrific. I made this the other night with homemade cornbread ... recipe from my sister's blog. And we made Snoopy salads as the other side. I will post a picture of snoopy salad sometime, but basically, every kid loves them. You place a pear half core-side down on a plate. Then put a prune (the cherry flavored ones are good) as the ear on the "big" end of the pear. Then put a maraschino cherry on the small end to make the nose. The eye is a raisin, and put one or two mandarin oranges on the bottom to make a collar.
But, I digress, so, I give you ... recipes for stew and cornbread.
Curried Lentil Soup
2 med. sweet potatoes (2 cups), peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
2 cans (19 oz. each) Progresso lentil soup
1 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
2 to 4 teaspoons curry powder
In 3 quart saucepan heat sweet potatoes, onion, juice and water to boiling, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentil soup, beans, chicken and curry. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Corn Bread2 c. Bisquick
4-6 T. cornmeal (I usually go with the 6)
1/2-1 c. sugar (I usually stick closer to 1/2 c.)
2 eggs
1/2 c. butter, melted
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins. (Mine took a little more time ... closer to 45 minutes, I think.)
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Just in case you were wondering ...
Some of you may be wondering about the title of our blog. We (Matt and I ... not our kiddos) really like the tv show, The Office. Anyway, our title is a quote from that show.
Well, avid fans that we are, Matt gave me a page-a-day calendar with quotes from The Office for Christmas. As has been my experience with such calendars, there are a fair share of "duds", but yesterday had a really funny quote that tied to our blog title.
For your reading enjoyment ...
"We can't overestimate the value of computers. Yes, they are great for playing games and forwarding funny e-mails [and I would add here, blogging!] , but real business is done on paper."
-- Michael
Well, avid fans that we are, Matt gave me a page-a-day calendar with quotes from The Office for Christmas. As has been my experience with such calendars, there are a fair share of "duds", but yesterday had a really funny quote that tied to our blog title.
For your reading enjoyment ...
"We can't overestimate the value of computers. Yes, they are great for playing games and forwarding funny e-mails [and I would add here, blogging!] , but real business is done on paper."
-- Michael
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Passwords
What do you guys think about password-protecting a blog? I've gone back and forth on this ... yes, it's fun for people to find your blog, etc. But, on the other hand, the safety issue sometimes makes me think it'd be better to password-protect it with a password that would be easy for our friends and family to remember but hard for some random stranger to guess. What do you guys think?
A Few President's Day Weekend Pics
We had family in town this weekend! So much fun! We even took some family pictures on Saturday. That was not as much fun. Jacob was a stinker, and Eric was hungry. So, when the photographer remarked that he may have gotten ONE that turned out okay (meaning no one melting down in the picture), I was pretty stoked.
Here are a couple of shots we took in the meanwhile.
I can't possibly imagine why Eric would be crying. I mean, who wouldn't want Jacob's foot in the back of their head? :)
You just gotta love that mischievous grin!
Here are a couple of shots we took in the meanwhile.
I can't possibly imagine why Eric would be crying. I mean, who wouldn't want Jacob's foot in the back of their head? :)
You just gotta love that mischievous grin!
Move Over Emeril
There's a new chef in town.
I was just lamenting to a friend today about how I never seem to have time to record all of the funny things Jacob says everyday ... there are just too many. And this one was pretty funny.
So, this morning, he's playing with his valentines ... yes, I let him keep a box of his valentines from his friends and some leftovers that we didn't distribute. Anyway, he lined them all up in these super long lines all morning, and around 10:30 this morning, he announces that we should make suckers to go with the valentines for all of our friends.
I thought that was a little strange but responded that I didn't really know how to make suckers (not letting him in on the little "mom" secret that I could find out how to do it on the Internet ... if I wanted to.). Well, not one to be deterred, he explains how we'll do it and what ingredients are required. I swear we are not raising him to be like Will Farrell's "Elf" character ... despite what I'm about to reveal.
Jacob says, "Okay, so we start with sugar. And then we'll add jelly and frosting, and then eggs and rice. And then some jelly and sugar." I think he must be recovering from the lack of sweets from his days in the womb when I had gestational diabetes.
I was just lamenting to a friend today about how I never seem to have time to record all of the funny things Jacob says everyday ... there are just too many. And this one was pretty funny.
So, this morning, he's playing with his valentines ... yes, I let him keep a box of his valentines from his friends and some leftovers that we didn't distribute. Anyway, he lined them all up in these super long lines all morning, and around 10:30 this morning, he announces that we should make suckers to go with the valentines for all of our friends.
I thought that was a little strange but responded that I didn't really know how to make suckers (not letting him in on the little "mom" secret that I could find out how to do it on the Internet ... if I wanted to.). Well, not one to be deterred, he explains how we'll do it and what ingredients are required. I swear we are not raising him to be like Will Farrell's "Elf" character ... despite what I'm about to reveal.
Jacob says, "Okay, so we start with sugar. And then we'll add jelly and frosting, and then eggs and rice. And then some jelly and sugar." I think he must be recovering from the lack of sweets from his days in the womb when I had gestational diabetes.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Men of Austen
I honestly can't believe I'm up so late writing this, but I've been meaning to check this Web site out for some time, and now that I have, I feel it my duty to share it with anyone with a remote interest or affinity for Jane Austen and her wonderful novels. For the last several weeks, PBS has been broadcasting, "The Complete Jane Austen" ... all of the novels that have been made into movies. They appear on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. ... at least where I live. Anyway, at the tail end of the latest one that I watched, Mansfield Park, the announcer noted that the Web site had a section on the Men of Austen. There's a brief run-down on each man from the Austen novels and then you can select your favorite. Darcy was too easy a choice, so I chose Frederick Wentworth from Persuasion. (He was rated #2 behind Darcy, incidentally.) So, if you want to check out something kind of fun ... here's the site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/austen/menofausten.html
I'll have to blog about my "real life" tomorrow!
P.S. Tried to post a picture, but couldn't figure it out!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Is this a record?
I'm posting twice in 24 hours! So, the reason I'm posting is two-fold. First, I wanted to post a picture of the new tile that we're having installed in our kitchen and bathrooms starting tomorrow. The carpet is coming next. And new baseboards will follow that! So fun! Well, the end result will be fun. The three days of trying to keep one rambunctious bundle of energy from stepping on the tile will be not so much fun, but it'll be good nevertheless.
The second reason I'm posting is that I've been meaning to share funny anecdotes about the kids and the last post was so lengthy ... all about me! I believe the only mention of the yay-hoo kids was that they'd made me cry sometime last week. So, I felt I should jump back on and share some funny cute things. First, Eric is a pretty lousy napper, but he is super-generous with the smiles. He is totally starting to respond to Jake and will stop whatever he's doing (namely, eating) to watch Jacob's antics. It's totally cute ... sometimes.
Three-year olds are a riot. Jacob has been so funny. Anytime anything is broken around here now, he's asking for the "sticky tape". Maybe some of you have heard references to sticky tape (and its amazing capabilities) from one of our "babysitters," Dora ... the Explorer. I've also been privy to the explained miraculous capabilities of sticky tape by another of our favorite "babysitters", Mickey ... as in Mouse from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." If Jacob has a broken toy (and a few weeks ago, I caught him breaking a toy to test the virtues of sticky tape), he is fully convinced that sticky tape will do the trick. If only ... :)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Please Mom! No more pictures!
First, you might notice that I got a fun new background for my blog. My sister had a link to Matie Kay's blog and she had super simple instructions. Thanks so much Matie Kay. Once I can figure out how to link her, I'll do it so she can get some credit and everyone can partake of the goodness!
Secondly, I've been thinking of things all week to blog about, but life's beeso busy! So, as I was checking email tonight, I came upon a survey and decided to share a little bit about me. Hope you're all not too bored.
And as for the recipes, I'd love to share. Things have been turning out pretty good lately. Incidentally, I hope none of you were waiting with baited breath for this week's menu ... or else you've gone hungry! I'll get back on track soon.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Julie from the Love Boat
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Last week ... probably from either Jake doing something naughty or from Eric not sleeping
Boars Head turkey
4. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Not too much ... I don't like being on the other end, so I try not to dish it out.
5. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes
6. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No way ... too scary for me!
7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Vanilla Creme Frosted Mini Wheats with fresh blueberries
8. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Of course, but I don't wear that many shoes with laces.
9. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
I get really strong right after I have a baby and have to carry the baby in the car seat!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Premium vanilla or cookies n cream
11. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
probably teeth or clothing
12. RED OR PINK?
Pink
13. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I think I talk alot, and I am not as great at listening as I want to be.
14. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Black pj pants and no shoes
15. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
I am embarrassed to say because it was so decadent, but a slice of the costco chocolate layer cake with raspberry sorbet.
16. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW
Dishwasher
17. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Citrus blossoms; rain; homemade bread or rolls or cookies
18. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Sister-in-law, Kim
19. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
college basketball, college football, golf, baseball
20. FAVORITE FOOD?
Mexican ... probably chips and salsa
21. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings without a doubt
22. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Northanger Abbey on PBS; at the theater, I last saw Dan in Real Life (very good)
23. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Navy blue sweatshirt (it looks awesome with my black pj pants!)
24. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Creme brulee with fresh fruit
25. What book are you reading now?
Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson (delectable mind candy in the form of a murder mystery)
26. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
MBA Logo
27. WHAT DO YOU WATCH ON T.V.?
Amazing Race, Survivor, Psych, Everyday Italian, Chuck, The Office (only when it's not a rerun)
28. FAVORITE SOUND?
Laughing babies/children, rain on the roof
29. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
30. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
My tongue can touch my nose
31. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Menus for this week
I'm not sure how my sister posts the menus on the side of her blog, but for anyone interested in our menus for the week, here's what we'll probably be eating:
Monday: Leftover Chinese takeout
Tuesday: Leftover Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup
(see recipe from Giada deLaurentiis on the Food Network web site ... it is awesome!!!)
Wednesday: Orange Roughy and Onion Roasted Potatoes
Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken Wraps with sticky rice, red peppers, and cucumbers
Friday: Taco Salads
Saturday: Cashew Chicken
Tuesday: Leftover Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup
(see recipe from Giada deLaurentiis on the Food Network web site ... it is awesome!!!)
Wednesday: Orange Roughy and Onion Roasted Potatoes
Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken Wraps with sticky rice, red peppers, and cucumbers
Friday: Taco Salads
Saturday: Cashew Chicken
Realistically, we'll probably eat out once and have leftovers once, so it's likely that this menu will stretch to next Monday, but I will have groceries for all of these dishes on hand for this week.
Blogaholics Anonymous
I had good intentions of writing a witty and lengthy post this afternoon ... but I was overcome by the technology of it all. Matt set up our blog, and I couldn't remember the username or password to sign in. It's like my tech skills are deteriorating as we speak!
For Valentines Day, I made a gift suggestion to Matt. I wanted a "used" portable hard drive. By "used" I meant "used by him," not something from Craigslist. The computers of a few friends of mine have recently met with untimely (literally) deaths or crashes, as it were. Fearful of losing all documentation of the last five years of our lives, I have been anxious to back everything up on a portable hard drive. Matt has made my dreams come true, and I'll finally sleep easy tonight ... as long as Eric sleeps easy tonight, that is. :)
I titled this post "Blogaholics Anonymous" because instead of posting this afternoon, I spent an embarrassing amount of time riveted to the blogs of people I don't know and with whom I'm pretty unlikely to meet because they're about six degrees away from me in "blogland." In fact, I saw the term "blogaholic" used in one blog and experienced a little jolt as I remembered that I have two kids and a life going on around me. However, with that said, thanks to all of the blogsters I saw today ... it was a fun way to pass an hour of protest screaming from a child in the midst of sleep training.
That's right folks ... we're sleep training the little one. As with all things child-rearing, it seems like you take 2 steps forward and 1 step back, but we're surviving. And hopefully, we'll be sleeping through the night soon.
Jake's doing great. This stage of life is such a kick as a parent. He says such funny things. A friend of mine has a side section (will have to ask how she created it) just documenting the funny things her little boy says. I feel like I'd have new material everyday, and I think I need to be recording things everyday because I forget them so quickly. We recently cut out naps and now have a one-hour "quiet-time" in which he has to stay in his room and play quietly. If you're wondering how I get him to stay in his room for one hour without locking him in, behold the power of treat bribery. Actually, I choose to term it "positive reinforcement." We start out with three little treats on a plate. Each time he comes out of his room, I eat one of the treats, and whatever's left at the end of the hour, he can have. This has worked beautifully, except that he's changed his tactics and now will just open his door and ask me (in a voice most suited to outdoor play), "Is it time for me to come out?" The answer is almost always no, and today, I guess he literally got so tired of waiting that he fell asleep behind the door. When I went in to welcome him out of his room, I couldn't open the door because he was sleeping behind it. Last night, Matt took a picture of him huddled asleep by the nightlight in the act of playing with his race cars. As you can tell, he doesn't "give it up" until the last possible second.
This is going to be my first post with pictures. This is a pic from my dad of Jacob with the snowman they built for Christmas. Now our blog is more equal opportunity with one of Eric and one of Jacob.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
My Take
Welcome to our blog. Hoping this will be a fun way to jot down all of the cute things the kids do and a way to keep in touch with our dear family and friends.
So, to accomplish the first objective. Jacob is the star of this next anecdote. Lately, Jacob's prayers have been very lengthy and full. He has been praying that we'll make it safely to California for the big race (if any of you have seen the Cars movie, you know what I'm talking about), and then on Friday night, he prayed that we would get a dog the following day. This struck me as humorous on several levels. The first being that he tends to be nervous around dogs, so I'm a little surprised that he's wanting one. Second, he hasn't actually asked us for a dog ... just prayed for one. Sadly, it's not likely that we'll be getting a dog. We got a baby instead this last year, and due to allergies, we also won't be getting one. Upon further probing, I did ascertain that if we did get a dog, he'd like to name it Rex.
The rest of us are doing fine too. Eric is smiling and doing pretty well. I'm getting anxious for some consistent night sleep (and naps would be good too), but we're trying to be patient. We tried rice cereal this week. I cannot believe how little I remember about babies. I called two friends (and asked a bunch of girls at church) what you're supposed to mix with rice cereal to feed to babies. Seriously, the 3 year and 4 month difference in the kids ages has its advantages, but the major disadvantage is that I've aged that much since the last time I was doing this, and I feel like I have child-induced alzheimers!
Lastly, we want to make our blog fun to read ... but we're both pretty new to the blog scene, so if someone can explain how to make a background, add friend links, and post lists (for example, my sister posts her menu plans for the week ... love that idea!), please share the wealth of info.
So, to accomplish the first objective. Jacob is the star of this next anecdote. Lately, Jacob's prayers have been very lengthy and full. He has been praying that we'll make it safely to California for the big race (if any of you have seen the Cars movie, you know what I'm talking about), and then on Friday night, he prayed that we would get a dog the following day. This struck me as humorous on several levels. The first being that he tends to be nervous around dogs, so I'm a little surprised that he's wanting one. Second, he hasn't actually asked us for a dog ... just prayed for one. Sadly, it's not likely that we'll be getting a dog. We got a baby instead this last year, and due to allergies, we also won't be getting one. Upon further probing, I did ascertain that if we did get a dog, he'd like to name it Rex.
The rest of us are doing fine too. Eric is smiling and doing pretty well. I'm getting anxious for some consistent night sleep (and naps would be good too), but we're trying to be patient. We tried rice cereal this week. I cannot believe how little I remember about babies. I called two friends (and asked a bunch of girls at church) what you're supposed to mix with rice cereal to feed to babies. Seriously, the 3 year and 4 month difference in the kids ages has its advantages, but the major disadvantage is that I've aged that much since the last time I was doing this, and I feel like I have child-induced alzheimers!
Lastly, we want to make our blog fun to read ... but we're both pretty new to the blog scene, so if someone can explain how to make a background, add friend links, and post lists (for example, my sister posts her menu plans for the week ... love that idea!), please share the wealth of info.
Test
So this is what we've been missing all this time, huh...rather cool, although a lot more complicated to set up than I had hoped, although cut us some slack, since we are still using antiquated cell phones and still haven't learned to text yet...perhaps one day, maybe this blog thing will turn us around.
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