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29 November 2011

Menu Monday Tuesday

Sunday - Leftovers (and I just realized I didn't post my menu from last week), which were scalloped potatoes.

Monday - Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup (just canned soup, nothing fancy)

Tuesday - Hamburger gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls

Wednesday - Crock pot pork roast, baked potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower w/ cheese

Thurs  Annnd that's as far as I've gotten.  I'm debating between doing a full out menu in December and just winging it. It isn't even here yet and my to do list is stacking up and I don't want to be cooking dinner!  I probably will because it keeps me sane and keeps my grocery budget under control, but there will probably be A LOT of Fend For Yourself nights.

So for the sake of me getting this out today and not being delushional about coming back and posting the menu for the rest of this week - let's just say it will be either whatever I come up with from the freezer or pantry and we might get to go out one night.

24 November 2011

A Thanksgiving reflection


Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with good company and plenty of laughs, and tons of good food.

The following prayer was shared through my work and I loved it so much I wanted to share it here.

During this Thanksgiving holiday, let us ponder these beautiful words of Rev. Samuel F. Pugh:

O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry
When I have work, help me to remember the jobless
When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all
When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer
And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency
Bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help
By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted.

23 November 2011

Mmmmm pies

324/365 - For a super secret Christmas surprise.
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I'll share more when it's done.  I'm very, very excited about the project.

325/365 - MOVIE NIGHT!  I went with some friends to go see Breaking Dawn: Part 1 I liked it.
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I think it's my second favorite movie of the series, second to the first Twilight movie. Still not a fan of Kristen Stewart, but I think she might be learning to act.

326/365 - PIES!  Pecan, banana cream, and coconut.
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I made the pecan pie for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  We're going to Barb's house, it's her turn to host.  The banana cream was requested recently.  While looking for the pecan pie recipe I came across the coconut pie recipe and thought it sounded good so BOOM coconut pie was made too.

I toasted some coconut to top the pie with using the oven.  Then I started washing some dishes and the coconut burned.  Toasted coconut smells WONDERFUL; burnt coconut, not so much.

That's what I get for doing dishes.

20 November 2011

Two kitties

322_365 - Wilbur kitty
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323_365 - Simba kitty
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Not pictured - Timmy kitty (meow meow)

PS: My grandmother did not have another heart attack and all her tests came back normal.  She was released from the hospital Saturday and is now home getting some rest and recuperating.

19 November 2011

A flower to make me smile

B&W mum

From the bouquet that Robert brought me, shot with my macro lens, edited with Coffeshop Rita's Perfect Portrait and Splendor B&W.

18 November 2011

Friday that is not TGIF

319/365 - Robert and the kids playing Dungeon & Dragons.  I think Adam was the only one that wasn't perturbed that I took a photo of them, so shhh I didn't post this on the internets for all to see.
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320/365 - Carus playing the piano.  Reason # one-billion of why we love our neighborhood and our neighbors.  When talking to this particular neighbor one day it was mentioned that Carus wanted to learn to play the piano, and she volunteer to teach her. For free!  Carus helps her with projects around her house and in her yard.
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321/365 - I had a bad day and Robert brought me flowers to make me feel better.
321_365 11-18-11

Today is Friday and it's supposed to be happy and yay it's the weekend and woo!

BUT NO. It has sort of stunk.

This morning I got word that my grandmother was on the way to the hospital with chest pains. A few weeks ago, on Halloween, she had a heart attack and at that time they put a stent in and she went home with a good prognosis. I didn't hear any more news after this morning's message. No news is good news, right? But, it's still been hard to not worry. I was doing well, just going on with work and doing what I had to do. I do pretty well with that, I think.  When things get stressful I can get tunnel vision to do what I have to do and move on and then worry about things later. At least for awhile.

I got to where I started to freak out a bit. I wanted to be there with her. I wanted to be there for my grandfather. I wanted to be in the same state, town, building, room. But I couldn't be.

I wanted to make her all better. I wanted to do something besides sit there and work, work, work. I wanted control over the whole stupid situation and not having that control was messing with me and pissing me off.

And then my work computer started being a turd (which it is wont to do lately) and it was all I could take.

I called Robert and he talked me down with, "calm down, stop being a girl and think rationally." He always knows how to make me laugh. He reminded me she was in good hands and with doctors to take care of her and worrying wasn't going to help.

And then he came home from work with a bouquet of flowers for me to make me feel better. They did. He says the guy in the check out line at the store asked him if he was making up for doing something wrong or building up bonus points for later. 

I still haven't heard any more news on my grandmother, but it's late.  It's late for me, late for her, and especially late for my news source (we have sort of a familial phone tree going on to get news to everyone). I'm sure the morning will bring some good news.

If you're of the praying variety - would you please say a prayer for her? And if you're not - would you please think a happy thought, send good karma, good juju, or whathaveyou for her?

15 November 2011

Grand ole band

Adam is in the band this year.  It's his first year in band and he is enjoying it.  He plays the trombone.

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318/365 - Even though they are the "beginners band" they aren't bad.  They sound pretty good, though they aren't playing much yet. I'm sure there will be more concerts to come.

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I have video from this evening's performance, but I have to download it and review it and if it's any good I will upload it to my YouTube account so watch there for it. If I remember, I will let you know when/if I upload it.

But before the band concert there was some fun with Carus doing a science experiment for her science lessen today.

She was testing which different solutes (salt, sugar, and baking soda) dissolve in which solvents (soapy water, rubbing alcohol, cooking oil, and vinegar).
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14 November 2011

Fall WIN!

317/365 - This is how to spend cold fall evenings: Watching TV curled up with blankets, feet warmers pets, and some knitting.
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Menu Monday

Sunday - Leftovers
Monday - Fast food.  Not good for us, but fast, easy, and tasty so meh, we're okay with fast food once in awhile.
Tuesday - FFY (making this easy because it's the night of Adam's first band concert)
Wednesday - Shepherd's pie
Thursday - Some sort of meat that I didn't label in the freezer. It's either steak or pork steak. I will defrost it, identify it, and cook it with rice and broccoli or potatoes or SURPRISE!*
Friday - Unsure - maybe another FFY, maybe we'll get some pizza, MAYBE this will be Robert's birthday dinner** night.
Saturday - Robert's birthday. Kids are going to Gramma's house and he and I are on our own.


*Notice my ability and desire to plan the menu this week is extreme.
**I make the choice of dinner and favorite dessert/cake for everyone's birthday if you happen to be having a birthday while at my house.

13 November 2011

Weekend 365

312/365 - Ring around the moon.  A lot prettier in person.
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313/365 - Majestic Timmy
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314/365 - I started water and eggs for macaroni salad for dinner then realized we didn't have cucumbers.  The water was already hot so instead of just boiling three eggs I put more in to make deviled eggs the next day. BUT before adding more eggs I noticed the uniform bubbles along the bottom of the pot and thought it was interesting.  Is it interesting? Or am I easily amused?

Those deviled eggs went with the turkey dinner I made Saturday.  We aren't hosting Thanksgiving this year
314_365 11-11-11

315/365 - Went to a local salon for a facial.  My first facial.

DID YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS COME WITH HAND MASSAGES?!

I didn't and was pleasantly surprised.  As a transcriptionist, my hands do a lot of typing and it felt ssssooooo good.  I need to go back for a full massage.  Hmm, maybe gift cards to the salon could go on my X-mas list.
315_365 11-12-11

316/365 - Adam practicing his trombone.  He has his first concert Tuesday and he is very excited.
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Not a 365, but showing anyways.  I was just messing around, trying to learn how to make chocolate covered strawberries.  They're not as pretty as I'd like, but they were still yummy.

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08 November 2011

Blowing bubble practice

311/365 - Messing around with Carus and my camera on our lunch break today.  She's a great model and cooperates very well (most of the time).  For what I had in mind I wanted the bubble a bit bigger but she couldn't get it any bigger. She needs practice!

311_365 11-08-11

07 November 2011

Menu Monday

Yo, Becca - Blogger has scheduled publishing!

K, now that I've figured that out I just might keep getting this out on time!

Sunday - Goulash*
Monday - BBQ pork ribs and salad
Tuesday - Meatballs, crash hot potatoes, green beans
Wednesday - FFY
Thursday - Taco bar
Friday - BBQ chicken tenders and macaroni salad
Saturday - Turkey dinner! (Mmm, left over turkey sandwiches)


* This is one meal my stepmother used to make that my brothers are often asking me the recipe for. I've since forgotten how to make it exactly so now I'm trying to figure it out for them.  And maybe I'll make it better.**


** The goulash was deemed good! And complimented by the kids scarfed it down and asked for seconds before I could even get through one dish.  Would you like me to share the recipe?




Grrr - this stupid post didn't post! Stupid post.

Yummy yummy in my tummy

310/365 - Made some granola bars tonight. Mmmm These are coconut chocolate chip. I'd like to make some cherry chocolate chip (cause cherry and chocolate go together!!) but I ran out of brown sugar.
310_365 11-07-11

06 November 2011

Weekend in review

307/365 - Adam.  I had the camera on the wrong setting and this one turned out super dark. But after adjusting the settings further attempts just yielded blurry photos since he didn't really want to hold still for me.  Bonus, I like his pose in this photo.
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308/365 - Out to lunch at our favorite local Chinese food place. I like looking at the art they have on the walls, so interesting. Food is good too.
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309/365 - Playing at the dog park.
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03 November 2011

Yay! Tomorrow is Friday!

304/365 - Chocolate covered coffee beans, which were the only way I made it through the day.  I didn't get much sleep the night before - Leia got up a couple times to go out, which isn't normal for her; but mostly I just couldn't get my brain to shut off.  I couldn't stop thinking of things to I need to do, and other things to think of, and was thinking of and missing my Granny (who was a bit sick, but is now okay).  I would get to sleep, sleep for a bit, roll over and wake up and then spend forever trying to get back to sleep. And then just as I did Leia would need to go out. . . *YAWN* I'm tired just thinking about it.
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305/365 - Sunrise out my front window.  That's not snow on the ground - just frost.  It's been chilly.
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306/365 - Trying something new.  This is my first attempt at a high key photo, and I don't think I did too bad. What do you think?
306_365 11-03-11

01 November 2011

Happy Halloween

303/365 - Happy Halloween.  Princess Carus.  I sewed her costume and a cloak this year, and was actually up late Sunday trying to finish up the cloak and still just finishing up right before leaving for trick or treating. 


Fun fact: That tiara is the one that I wore for my wedding.
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More bonus pictures!!!
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Adam stayed home with Robert, not dressed in costume, and handed out candy because apparently he is now too old for trick or treating... :(


Vampire pumpkin (Adam's), BOO! (mine and Robert's), and Bender (Carus's).
303_365 10-31-11




And now I'm mostly caught up on my 365s...except for today's photo. (Hopefully coming tomorrow BTW) 



The end of October

297/365 - Another last minute 365, which I do a lot.  More often than I'd like - but I'm still doing a 365 and that's what counts in my book.
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298/365 - Close up of Timmy's eye.
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299/365 - Playing at the dog park
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With bonus pictures!!
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 Leia wouldn't go near the jumps and ramps - but Yoda was a pro!
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300/365 - Coming home from grocery shopping late Friday night (quiet grocery store at that time). I liked how the clouds were lighting up and so at a stop sign on the back roads I was driving, I whipped out my camera and took a couple shots out of my window - this was one of them.  There was no cars behind me, but they were driving by so that's their lights receding there.
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301/365 - Dewy spider web
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302/365 - That's not your bed, silly puppy.
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Monday menu

Except it's Tuesday.

And that's how it goes. This is quick and dirty so I can get to the "good" stuff and so I can keep my menus separate from my other posts.

Sunday - Chicken and dumplings, without the dumplings and with extra mashed potatoes.  I'm pretty much the only one that likes the dumplings and I could take them or leave them, so I just leave them off.  It's basically just chicken gravy and mashed potatoes - filling, hot, and good, with the bonus of very good on cold nights.

Monday - Beef stew (Also good for cold nights - filling, hot, and keeps colds away) (by my theory anyways).

Tuesday - FFY (fend for yourself)

Wednesday - Grilled pork steaks, risotto, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower

Thursday - Chicken strips and potatoes romanoff

Friday - Spaghetti

Saturday - FFY or out - depending on how the day goes

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