Today..

Well and yesterday...

After 2hrs in the car last night, we arrived in the Valley for night one of Passover....Got home at 2am...

I was awake at 745 this morning...and got out of bed about 815am.

Woke (little) kids up at 930....they ate and stuff plastic eggs for an Easter egg hunt later in the day. They stuffed them with change, hersey's eggs and starburst double flavored Jelly beans

Ivan and I made deviled eggs to bring with the eggs that cracked when I boiled eggs for dying.

Then we dumped 1 hard boiled egg in vinegar and one uncooked egg in another jar of vinegar. SCIENCE....by tomorrow noonish both should have soft jelly shells. Then we will leave the hard boiled one on the table and the shell should reabsorb what it lost and become hard again. We will place the uncooked one in a jar of water where by osmosis, it should take on so much water it explodes.

We arrived around noon. And had a great time. Nathan was hoping to find a few more of the money eggs but, he came up with a scheme to make more money....he sold his candy for the change.

On the way home, we stopped at home depot and bought killz, spackle and rollers for the upstairs bathroom....the ceiling has begun to peel...opps...fun to wash your hair then find paint chips in it. It hasnt been painted in 16 years.

We came home, Ivan and Rebekah scrapped the bathroom while Nathan and I dyed eggs in KOOL AID. That was fun and different but I still hate dying eggs. We did 6 colors and had 3 or 4 more flavors of koolaid but decided they would all be so red/pink that we had enough of that shade. Our Albertsons didnt carry the lime flavored koolaid so no green eggs. Grape eggs look like century eggs.

I took pics today I would be more then happy to share, except I never bothered to figure out the picture thing on my blog. HEY links and videos were hard enough. Koolaid eggs pictures are on my facebook.

And now I am drinking an adult Shirley Temple. We are supposed to be headed to MIL for night 2 of Passover (no seder)...at this rate my walk there might be more of a stumble....and I am out of cherry vodka....

The beef stew was a hit. Rebekah had some for breakfast the next day LOL

Last nights dinner was
Sliced avocado (ended up being THREE)
roast aspargus (olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic cloves, at 425)
Swiss chard (will share recipe)
and
baked chicken in an orange marmalade sauce...(it was ok, not worth a recipe share LOL)


Swiss chard

2tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 diced leek
1 bunch of swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped (we cut in half)
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (hmm, I think I used 2)
2+ tbsp of grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in leeks and cook abt 30 seconds. Add chard stems and white wine. Simmer until stems begin to soften. Stir in leaves and cook til "just" wilted. Stir in lemon juice and cheese.

They are gone, there are no leftovers....

Not sure whats on the menu for tonight. Nathan wants artichokes with butter to dip the leaves in. Not certain what to serve with that...kinda want peppers, sausage and onions but dont want to actually make it ROFL

Hoping we can actually get some school work done today. I don't think any got done yesterday...

Nathan has an early am game tomorrow morning. He has to be there at 7am. That is soooo early for us...

Wednesday

Today is Wednesday. Wednesday means a new produce basket from Abundant Harvest Organics.I still have quite a bit from last week...oops
Today's basket contained more leeks so I quickly found something to throw into the crockpot using the older leeks and since tonight Nay has baseball practice,the crockpot was ideal.

Beef stew with leeks
5 chopped leaks (leftover from last weeks box)
3 chopped carrots (leftover from last weeks box)
3 chopped parsnips(in this weeks box)
3 chopped russet potatoes (leftover from last weeks box)
2lbs beef round cut into stew sized piece or stew meat
6-8 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
2-3 cans of water
3 beef bouillion cubes (abt)

Place everything in crockpot in order (like layers) until you get to the spices, drop peppercorns down the sides or other "holes". Dump tomato sauce on top, then basil and oregano. Add 2-3 cans of water, just until you can see the water level rising. Add 1 beef bouilion cube for each can of water used, and 1 for the tomato sauce. Cook on low 7-8hrs.

Will let you know how it comes out.

Will be headed to a park day in a bit. Then Nathan to baseball practice. Last night was a game.

Ta ta for now LOL

Someday....

I might actually blog on a regularly basis. Didnt realize the last post was last wednesday. Ooopppss

Saturday, we got up early and drove down to Pendleton for the "HardCorps series Bulldog bike ride" Rain or shine it said. It was lightly raining when we got there....only to be told it was cancelled due to rain. They offered entry in any other series race except the Mudrun (good since we are already entered). I felt bad for Jon....he doesnt run and everything else in the series includes running....not to mention his entry was Christines Valentines day present to him. Around 10:30 the rain finally picked up. It was a 2 1/2 hr max race...starting at8:30.....rain really shouldnt have affected it.

We had a lousy St Patricks day meal after that....food was good, service was more then awful.

Today has been a quiet, yet busy day. Busy enough to make time go by rather quickly. Kids did school work,....Math, Critical thinking reading, book reading and Geography. Bekah is reading along to "Little HOuse in the Big Woods" and Nathan is reading a Jason and the Argonauts version by the author of the Magic Treehouse. We are supposed to go see a play of Jason and the Argonauts next Wednesday. Next week, will be a crazy week.

Dinner is Chicken cutlets, cauliflower and swiss chard....maybe salad, if I can find the lettuce in my too full frige.

Nathan is currently obsessed with "shuffling"...here is the video ...(hope it works) Hey now I can call this a Musical Monday post!

Today

Today is Wednesday.

Wednesday mean our produce pick up from Abundant Harvest Organics. YAY! Tennative list has Asparagus in the box.

DH will be picking it up because the kids and I will be seeing Zorro today.

DH has some work today....but not til about 1. Nay has baseball at 4.

Dinner will most likely be left overs LOL. Nay will be thrilled considering he ate nothing last night.

what we ate

For dinner....
Black beans in the crockpot
Baked Chicken Salsa Verde
"Mexican" Corn
salad

Black beans

Sort and soak dried beans overnight
place in crockpot in AM with 4 cups of chicken broth
2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 a chopped Jalapeno
salt to taste

cook on low 8-10hrs til beans are tender
stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro and serve with Cotija cheese

Baked Chicken Salsa Verde

Heat oven to 350
Place 4 chicken breast in a snug baking dish
cover with can of "salsa Verde"
bake 45 mins or til done
remove from oven
Increase temp to 400
Sprinkle cheddar/jack cheese blend on top
Bake another 5-10min til cheese is melted and ever so slightly brown

Mexican Corn

Lightly saute half an onion, remaining Jalapeno from beans, 1/2 a red or orange pepper chopped, 1 green bell pepper chopped
Empty 2 bags frozen corn to a large pan. Add sauted peppers, 1 brick of cream cheese and 2-3tbsp butter.
Stir til melted and combined over a medium heat

I'm a reader, not a writer..........

I read.

I don't write

and I rarely blog.

Even way back in high school....no issues reading the assignment...write an analysis? I was the one counting the words...and making my margins on the typewriter smaller to fill the pages.

October is over....which is good....it was crazy.

November is here...and we are almost half way ...and it has been so much calmer.

Next Friday we will go with the science group to the local planetarium/observatory...I am not sure which...heck I dont even know where it is.

Tomorrow Christine has another Faire workshop....I have to take her all the way there and back....her normal carpool partner couldnt get the day off work. No biggie, I dont usually mind driving. Now, if I only knew where to go.

My laundry is behind again, it was caught up on monday...I am not sure how I let it fall behind yet again.

I need to get some blankets made....really, really need to...

And perhaps some tye dying...park day is having an arts and craft fair and the kids want to tye dye for it....
Its on the list....

We also finally ordered our cabinets for the kitchen....they should be here the week of the charity shoot....hmm I see December ending up much like October...CRAZY

Kids are having evaluations at Gymnastics this week. Hopefully, they will all advance at least a level....

I have been branching out in cooking again...found a few new recipes that have been hits....have another I am dying to try...turnip gratan...I also have been keeping closer tabs on our food budget.....

Off to go yell at 2 youngerst to clean up the living room...yet again....with as long as it takes them, you would think we lived in a mansion...instead of a 1,100 sq ft townhome.

yah, yah yah I know

I havent updated in a week. or so....

We went apple picking. I made apple butter and pear jam mmmmmmm was going to make apple jam but ran out of apples. We hope to go pick again. The pear jam is not quite thick enough but still tastes good. We didnt bother with the raspberries because they were really expensive....more so then the grocery store and we would have to do all that work and fight off the bees.

That Sunday we went skating....Ivan didnt skate...he had hurt his back earlier in the day. I clearly didnt skate enough as my legs did not hurt the next day.

That tuesday, I took Rebekah to the NP about the moles she is trying to scratch off. Got a referral to dermatology....that appt is this friday.

First GS meeting of the year that wednesday. And the building boys group. THe kids had fun. Ivan helped with the boys....Christine and I snuck out earlier for a dr appt for her....her hands/wrist have been bothering her...they were actually swelling last week.

Thursday was music for the little ones....they got new songs and we actually got there ALMOST on time. And it was Christine's bday. She opted to skip ASL that night.

Friday we went to the DMV in the morning, followed by the bakery, followed by science club at the pool. Then a friend of Christine's came over to spend the night. And Ivan, rebekah and I went to Costco for party food. And the washer broke.

Saturday was the party....fajitas, cheese, bananas foster....and good company. NIce time......somehow we ended up with more alcohol then we started with and no sodas left. Um ok....

Sundaywe drove to Santa Monica to meet up with Ivans friends from NY...they were in town for a wedding....we went over to Venice and saw some really strange sights. Then we attempted to go to Jerry's deli for dinner...we drove everywhere...finally asked a policeman for directions...he gave them to us and we found the deli. Sat down and looked at a far too large menu and discovered we were NOT at the location we had been searching for! We ate and took Dan and his wife back to the airport. And came home....

AND WATCHED AMAZING RACE

Monday was park day.....followed by bakery trip for the challah we ordered. Followed by bass lessons. Followed by a very very late night at Ivans parents.

Today I have been doing nothing but not really....I finished the sales tax and other large projects but have been left feeling like I didnt do much.

The rest of this week brings ortho tomorrow (I hope we can stop with the pallet expander expanding, music class, science club, dermatology appt, maybe disney and a Candy mountian bday party on sunday...so we prob wont skate this week but thats ok....the party will be a heck of alot more fun....isnt food always better then exercise?

I need to update my book list

Tomorrow

Is St Patrick's day.
My grandfather was born on st Patricks day and as an adult changed his middle name to Patrick. and he was Irish.
I was trying to find out the origin of the whole pinching thing...and learned that wearing orange is also approriate for the day....it all depends on who you support :)
I don't think I own either color.

We will be having corned beef and cabbage for dinner, Fresh homemade rye bread, green limeade (I cant find stupid lime koolaid this year....)and a white "poke cake" with lime jello. I have toyed with the idea of making colcannon just for the adventure and because it actually looks good....hey mommabear...its meat-free :)
Oh and an irish ale...importanted which one of my favorite checkers at the store asked if I had tried yet. I had to tell him I dont drink beer. He said Oh I dont like this one at all...thought it would be good, a guiness import irish ale but, it tastes like a normal domestic...eh I wont be drinking it and since I was already checking out I bought it anyway LOL

I also bought kiwi and green grapes to snack on tomorrow. I tried to find Riverdance to watch but no such luck.

I tried to buy white carnations to try something I read on a homeschool site but I couldnt find them at the store by themselves so I have a bouquet of white flowers on my table. I hope they will be green soon. You cut off the bottom 1-2" and then put in a vase with Emerald green water (green food coloring and water) and with in 24-48 the carnations are supposed to turn green. I took before pictures, i will let you know. Although DH and christine say they can see green already creeping into a few of the non carnations.

Oh yes and of course I will do laundry tomorrow LOL

So far this week

Saturday 2/16

Rebekahs GS troop had a tea party. They are working on a badge for manners. After the tea, I drove down the block and picked Christine up from her friends house. We had HOMEMADE pasta for dinner that night.

Sunday 2/17

I dont have a clue what we did lol...oh wait, Nathan, Christine and I went to the McClintock company store and bought Christine a prom dress. Cost less then $25...well worth the drive and the time

Monday 2/18

I know what I didnt do...WORK...Rebekah had Jazz ...for the first time in 2 wks....because she has been sick. We had falafel and ratatoule for dinner.

Tuesday 2/19

Took nathan to the Nurse PRactioner for an allergy referral....just now remembering I am supposed to call today (wed) to act on the referral....
I also managed to kick a laptop computer that was left on the floor. The computer has lost its covering over the CD drive....which proceded to make a nice wound on the side/bottom of my big toe on my right foot....its gross, it hurts....I havent really examined it ...just cleaned it and put a bandaid on it. When I kicked it, it hurts so bad, I guess I managed to give myself a bit of whiplash and my neck hurts. That made for a fun day and night of sleep. I actually remembered to take christine to her cooking class that night. We had matzoh ball soup, meatloaf and parsley red potatoes for dinner.

I also signed the little ones up for a math/reading online program similar to Aleks. They seem to be enjoying it so far. Nathan can reading no problem, rebekah can read but lacks confidence to demostrate it.

Wed 2/20

Horrible night's sleep. I am exhausted, my neck and shoulder are still painful....Christine had class this morning followed by bass lessons. She also has class tonight and I have no dinner planned. I am tired and in pain....Ivan will prob pick something up....not sure what...
I am currently waiting for a customer for tomorrow to call me back so, I know what we are doing tomorrow. Ivan was over booked so, he called his "help" this morning....at 1045am one of the people in for tomorrow called and said thursday isnt looking good, can we just make it friday? Of course I retrieved this message after I left him a time frame...Friday isnt possible, I have no clue if he still wants the service tomorrow since friday isnt possilbe. If he canceled, we will be UNDER BOOKED as his is a 2 spot call....with hired helped, I dont like to do that. I have someone who might be able to take his place but, I need to hear from him first....I have been waiting over 4 hrs now. I also had a guy scream at me and call me a liar....so I screamed back....which is really bad...as I used my "I am possessed" scream.....then ended the call

I also signed christine up for more cooking classes, rebekah for 2 new nature center classes (the class holds up to 20 but normally has less then 4) and put them on the waiting list for swim lessons in March

Thurs 2/21

Isnt here yet....
Rebekah goes to MIL from 11-1, then all 3 have gymnastics from 2-330 (nathan is 230-330) then I must have a planned dinner....we always feed the assistant
At noon, christine goes back to the music shop, til 130 when I will pick her up and go directly to Gymnastics.


See ya later

A week in review

Ha ha

Just so no one "yells" at me.

Monday
hmm that was a long time ago....I feel the need to look at my calendar for some help. Ok we had park day that day. Spent a few hours at the park...had a few laughs. Came home then Rebekah had Jazz and Ballet that evening. And I cant remember anything else ha ha

Tuesday
the usual tuesday run to and from IVC. Also finally got the concurrent enrollment form filled out and turned in. That evening rebekah had a class at the Nature center on animals. I was worried because the last early evening class thru the city I signed her up for was a bust..... it was in a giant room with one corner for the cooking class, the other for art with the middle of the room being the after school program. Luckily this was in a seperate building with only 3 kids signed up....of which only 2 showed. Nathan and I hung at the park while the class was going on til it became dark and cold and then we sat in the car. We had southwest stew and cornbread for dinner.

Wednesday

I know I went to the grocery store....OH AND THE POST OFFICE to mail a care package to "B company" Oh yah and the Tustin Farmers market. They had fresh roasted peanuts...by fresh I mean...on site roasting. I was looking for romanesca broccoli....it is becoming popular in recipes but I cant find it....unless I grow it myself. That evening Rebekah had ballet and christine went to watch a show at a swing dance competition. OH YES and my younger 2 along with the neighbor children destroyed my living room. They were nicely playing a game. Ivan went next door to ask their dad what he was doing on thanksgiving and suddnely the children had EVERY GAME out and spread across the floor.

Thursday....

Thanksgiving. I made 1 pecan pie and the stuff for pumpkin pie which produced THREE pies eeegaaads....Ivan made apple....for some odd reason one pumpkin pie never cooked right....very strange
We had turkey and stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, a new sweet potatoe recipe (that was not very good...unless you like sweet potatoe soup), mashed potatoes and a vegetable creation with brussel sprouts, cauliflower and regular broccoli (see wed)....in a Lemon/caper/garlic butter...the butter was supposed to have marjoram in it but I didnt have any....which was prob good because thats alot of flavor.

Friday
I went to Joanns and bought a ton of fleece for blankets at a really good price 2.79 a yard. Then we all trekked up to the natural history museum and the California Science center. We didnt see all of either museum. Rebekah hadnt really slept the night before and normally museums are on limited time anyway. We saw the gems (YAH!!!) all the insects, and the animal dioramas....which I was suprised the little ones enjoyed...
Then we saw most of the 2nd floor at the science center before they were just tapped. I figured the 3rd floor grossology exhibit, while they would enjoy, is coming to the local science center so, we could skip it with no guilt lol. Rebekah was fascinated by the surgery area of the science center and nathan....well...he seemed to like the bacteria and the reproduction area....spending ages watching the baby chicks and the almost hatched eggs, followed by replaying this one model thing...you moved a bullseye over different reproduction organs...and it gave a nice little blurb on them and how they related to DNA...of course he know has a new word for his collection....testicles.

And that brings us to today...
SATURDAY

so far, I have done 3 loads of laundry....Ivan is at the gun show with the neighbor. Christine is watching his kids....mine are over there playing ha ha. ANd I sit blogging sorta....need to move laundry in a second. They are supposed to be home around 1. Then Christine will get ready and we will take her out to celebrate thanksgiving in Riverside with friends. THe boys are cooking and the girls will be at the mall until dinner time. The boys claim the girls mess everything in the kitchen up. Dinner was to be held at a park but it is pretty windy here so, it is being relocated.

Sunday I have nothing planned.

This coming week....brings a trip to Discovery science center in place of our normal girl scout meeting (crap still need to do experiment) Rebekah has a birthday party on wednesday at 4pm at an indoor jump place....Saturday is the charity shoot....and I still need to find jars for the raffle. I am not going this year but am pretty sure Christine will do fine. I am sure she will have plenty of help too. No babysitter for the little ones since inlaws are in Israel.

Have a good week. I am off to move laundry and perhaps read or make a blanket....I have about 25 to make for upcoming "endeavor"

Totally bored

for the moment. So, I will blog....I have no idea about what...
Waiting for Ivan and christine to return. Christine is at dance and then they are picking up chinese food....my tongue is not metallic but I will still use chopsticks....at least until I am bored with them.
(If that makes no sense, read my profile)
Not enough time to really read, they should be here soon.
Yesterday....
the chili came out pretty good. Good enough that some was even eaten as leftovers....
and I felt like crap....I feel better today....my ear hurt....to go with my lovely (insert sarcasm) seasonal sinus ca ca....my ear hurt....I couldnt touch it hurt. I warned christine last night that I might have a dr appt today but when I woke up it felt much better.....
What else is new?
hmm oh yah it looks like child number 3 has decided to use the potty......he is double tamsyn age (shut up dan) and it took serious bribbery (everytime you pee I will give you candy) but he now wears underware all day long. He figured out on his own what the hole in the front of the underware is for lol...well hey this is a better topic then the current pdheart conversation.

OH goody I hear Rebekah and Nathan hollering about a mess upstairs.....that never works out well.

I can't believe I am trying to plan something for summer already. Rebekah wants to go to camp del corozan this summer....christine is interested in Catalina Sea Adventure and she is doing a "silent weekend" in July. I actually got a brochure today from a local marine museum for their camps.

Girl Scout cookies are in.....I missed yesterday's pick up....next available saturday early evening. I will prob end up waiting til next week's meeting.....Saturday is going to be tough. Then I have to ship them out.....

TAR
That would be The Amazing Race
I am a total addict. I was bummed that Kevin and Drew were last but, Drew was just not ready for it. According to the insider videos, he is in pretty bad physical health and that just led to misery for him. I watched their arrival to the sequester area and he seemed more like the drew I remembered from the first season. I am still hoping Rob and Amber go home soon. While they really do make a good racing team, I am sick of them.

OH I think dinner might be here

What's for dinner?

So, what are you making? I am always looking for something new.
Todays is a recipe from a friends Live journal....I could save myself alot of time and link you there but, I believe the entry is a private one....so you would see nothing.
Its a crockpot recipe, which generally means easy which fits my first requirement for a new recipe...
It is originally called Brett Favre chili but, her son renamed it 49er chili.


1 1/2 lb ground beef
2 med green and/or red sweet peppers, chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 sm onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-16oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 140z can diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
1 10oz can cream of mush soup
1 1.25 oz pkg chili seasoning mix
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tsp creole seasoning or 1/4 cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink, drain off fat. In crockpot,stir together all ingredients including ground beef. Cover and cook on low for 7-8hrs or high for 3-4.

I skipped the creole/cayenn pepper as I am serving it to small children.
So far my house smells pretty good.
I think I will serve corn muffins with it....

SOOOOO what are you having....
(Hmm i think my favorite word, at least to type, might be so)