31:366

Pretty birdie

30:366

*YAWN*

And then I spent 20 minutes yawning at the cat trying to get him to yawn again.  Apparently, it's not contagious to cats.  It is, however, contagious to me and I can't look at this photo without yawning.


365 alternative

Menu

Menu for the week of 01/30/2012 to 02/04/2012

Sunday - FFY
Monday - Chicken fried steak bites, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn (Mmmm, gravy.  Dinner turned out really good. I'm a good cook.)
Tuesday - Grilled chicken salad
Wednesday - Grilled pork steak, risotto, steamed broccoli
Thursday - Buffalo chicken bites, salad (saw these buffalo chicken bites on Pinterest)
Friday - Chili
Saturday - ?

Links to these recipes can be found here. 


If you see anything you want a recipe to, and it's not listed on my recipe page, leave me a comment to let me know and I'll post the recipe.

29:366

28:366

Robert and I spent yesterday hanging out with some friends.  We went to the home and remodeling show, went to Ikea, then out to dinner and a movie.  This is our friend with his GIANT margarita at dinner.  We ate at Red Lobster, which was good (I had never been before) and saw Underworld: Awakening in 3D (first time watching a movie in 3D, which I enjoyed much more than I thought I would).  The movie was great, lots of action.

When we got in line at the theater to get tickets, there was a lady in front of us who treated us to the following conversation -

Lady: What movies are playing next?
Ticket counter person:  Such and such, yada yada (I wasn't paying too close of attention), Man On A Ledge
Lady:  Oh, what's Man On A Ledge about?
Ticket counter person:  Uh, it's about a guy....on a...ledge...

And then I couldn't stop giggling so I'm sure what else was said and soon it was our turn to get our tickets.  Continued giggling about it the rest of the night... and into today.

I'm easily amused.

27:366

I is sicky

25:366


That's my bedtime juice - Nyquil and bedtime at 7:45 pm (which you can't see but I thought you would be able to). Which is why I didn't upload this last night. I felt like poo and wanted sleepy so I could get better.

I am not better.  I had more energy today, and was able to work, but my sneezing changed to coughing and chest congestion. Boo!

26:366

Wilbur

Band Concert (24:366)

This evening Adam had his second band concert this year.

And this time, I'm on the ball and have videos uploaded! I know, shocking.

24:366


Video 1, sorry it's sideways.  I never remember that I can't rotate the darn things. I'll figure it out someday.



Video 2

23:366

Dinner tonight.  White bean and ham soup, adapted from this recipe (really, the only thing I adapted was I didn't have celery to put into it and I didn't add Tabasco).


My food photography needs work.  The photo with the recipe looks much better... Something to learn!

Weekly menu

Menu for the week of 01/22/2012 to 01/28/2012

Sunday - FFY
Monday - Ham and bean soup
Tuesday - FFY (And band concert)
Wednesday - Carne Asada
Thursday - Chicken Enchaladas (trying out this recipe)
Friday - Beef stroganoff
Saturday - Date night! **

**Yes, date night again.  Carus got sick this weekend and kids going to Gramma's got postponed.

Links to these recipes can be found here. 


If you see anything you want a recipe to, and it's not listed on my recipe page, leave me a comment to let me know and I'll post the recipe.

Weekend 366s

I ended up unintentionally taking a break from the computer this weekend, only turning it on twice. It was rather nice to have a break.  It's been a busy, crazy weekend, but yet not that busy or crazy. Just lots of happenings happening.

21:366 - Ice crystals


22:366 - Watching the end of the playoff game, hoping the 49ers make it to the Superbowl.  Robert has always been a big 49er fan, so we were really rooting for them. Unfortunately, they didn't, but it was close.    Maybe next year...

20:366

What I'm reading.

Though it's not a gripping, can not put down book, I'm enjoying it.

It is the first in a trilogy, and I have all three checked out from the library.  I won't finish all three before they need to be returned and right now I'm okay with that.  Who knows, I could get to the end of book one, find there is a cliffhanger and I must read book two.










From Goodreads:
"In the seemingly ordinary Amish home of Grace Byler, secrets abound. Why does her mother weep in the night? Why does her father refuse to admit something is dreadfully wrong? Then, in one startling moment, everything Grace assumed she knew is shattered. Her mother's disappearance leaves Grace reeling and unable to keep her betrothal promise to her long-time beau. Left to pick up the pieces of her life, Grace questions all she has been taught about love, family, and commitment.

Heather Nelson is an English grad student, stunned by a doctor's diagnosis. Surely fate would not allow her father to lose his only daughter after the death of his wife a few years before. In denial and telling no one she is terminally ill, Heather travels to Lancaster County--the last place she and her mother had visited together. Will Heather find healing for body and spirit?

As the lives of four wounded souls begin to weave together like an Amish patchwork quilt, they each discover missing pieces of their life puzzles--and glimpse the merciful and loving hand of God."

19:366

Adam was recently asked to be best man at his Uncle's wedding coming up in March.  He is very excited about it.  There are a lot of traditional roles he won't be able to do, but that's okay. I doubt those traditional roles are necessary in this case anyways, and if so, there are two brothers to step in.

When he asked Robert and I what he was supposed to do we teased him that he would have to do a very long speech.  Like a 30 minute long speech. He was a little concerned.

The next day, he asked me what he would talk about for that long. I told him traditionally the best man talks about the bride and groom and wish them happiness for their future, etc.  He replied, "Okay, I can do that. But that will only fill up a couple of minutes. What do I talk about the rest of the time?"

He sounded so distressed about not doing a good job, I had to come clean and let him know that we were teasing him.  He let out the biggest sigh of relief.

18:366

I gotsa my snow!

For a minute.

About 6:45 am and still snowing.  Adam got a snow day, so did Robert.  Unfortunately, Carus and I didn't.  She did get extra recesses. Also unfortunately (for him) Adam got himself grounded from video games the night before a snow day.


Adam, Carus, and I took the dogs out to play in the snow this morning before work.  Leia loves the snow. She was bouncing and hopping and diving into and rolling around in the snow.  Yoda, however, wasn't enthused, which is expected when a lot of the snow is deeper than you are tall. He still played a little, getting the most excited when it was time to go back in.


7:30 am, still lightly snowing.  The sun is just starting to come up.


18:366 - About 8 am, sun starting to come up, just stopped snowing. It started melting from then on.


Early afternoon, about half melted, but pretty hills.


It's supposed to get below freezing again this evening, and with quite a bit of snow still on the ground and all the melted slush and puddles that were around, I'm expecting an icy morning.  I'm not sure if they are going to have another snow day, we'll see.

I feel I've gotten a winter now, bring on the sun and spring!

17:366 Nail designs

Carus's nails got designs tonight.  We have a dark blue base with two different sparkles, one pink polka dot, one red swirl, and one light blue diagonal with two dots.  I think the swirl was the hardest to do.

16:366

Snow day #2.



Apparently I spoke too soon.  It snowed off and on all day, and while it was snowing it stuck. It just melted soon after it stopped so there still isn't much on the ground.  I bet the roads are going to be icy by morning.

Poor Carus won't get a snow day from school because she's online, but Adam most likely will and he can help her do her school work if so.






















Since it was a holiday Carus spent some time outside and built another snowman.

This one was much bigger than yesterday, coming in at about 2-1/2 feet.

The forecast says we're to get more snow for the next two days...

Menu Monday

Menu for the week of 01/15/2012 to 01/21/2012


Sunday - FFY
Monday - Nachos
Tuesday - Potato soup
Wednesday - Chicken legs (thinking of trying this recipe)
Thursday - FFY
Friday - Pancakes
Saturday - Date night! Robert will be taking me out to dinner and maybe a movie.  Any movie suggestions?

*Links to these recipes can be found here. 


If you see anything you want a recipe to, and it's not listed on my recipe page, leave me a comment to let me know and I'll post the recipe.

15:366 SNOW!

I've been a little sad that we have had such a mild winter.  It hasn't been that cold.  So I was very excited to see snow in our forecast, and even more excited to wake to snow this morning.

The snow didn't last long, even with a couple more flurries falling, but it was pretty while it was here.  Though I would like some more so I could go sledding with the kids.  We have some good hills around here that would be great for sledding down.  But I don't think we'll get anymore this year; or if we do, not enough to go sledding.

We did play a little in the snow.

The kids scraped the walls and fences for snow and made little snowmen.

Carus and her snowman.


Close-up of Carus's snowman. He's in a snowball fight.


Adam and his snowman.


Close-up of Adam's snowman.


14:366 - Leia enjoyed the snow too.  She ran around chasing the falling snow, and catching the snowballs I was tossing her. She had so much fun.


Video of Leia trying to catch the falling snow. Or click here

Spaghetti Sauce

One meal recipe for spaghetti sauce at the end of the post. But now, the big one.

Ingredients per batch:

1/4 cup Olive oil
2 medium onions, finely diced (2 cups)

1 head garlic, minced (probably 1/4 cup)

4-5 medium carrots, finely diced  (2 cups)

3-4 stalks celery, finely diced (1 cup)
1 can (12 oz) tomato paste 

2 large (6 lbs 10 oz) cans tomato sauce (I get them from Costco) – or enough smaller cans to equal 106 oz

1 large (6 lbs 10 oz) can crushed tomato (also from Costco) - or enough smaller cans to equal 106 oz

Seasonings/herbs  to taste, I use:
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp salt (I like seasoning salt)
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp rosemary

Other things you’ll need:

Large stock pot

Ladle

Large spoon for stirring

Funnel

Canning jars, lids, and rings (9-12 quart jars per batch)

Pressure canner

Jar lifter

1.  Dice vegetables and open cans. In large stock pot (seriously, large!) heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add in garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender.

2.  Push vegetables to the side of the pot and put in the paste making sure to come into contact with the hot bottom of pot.  The heat will remove the aluminium/can taste to the paste.  Mix with vegetables.

3.  Add can of crushed tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper.  Stir up until heated through.  Turn down heat to low.

4.  Add both cans of tomato sauce and stir until heated through. Taste and add more seasonings if necessary.  If really tart, add 2 tbsp of sugar.

5.  Ladle into hot, sterile jars leaving 1/2-inch head space.  Wipe rims with damp cloth, put on lids and rings. Tighten rings very tight.

6.  Process in pressure cooker according to your pressure cookers manual.  Mine says to process at 11 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.  Refrigerate any jars that don’t seal and use immediately.

To make spaghetti; brown 1 pound hamburger and add one jar and heat up.  Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles, or assemble into lasagna.

OR one quart jar is enough to make a few pizzas.

Single meal spaghetti sauce recipe:

1 tbsp Olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced 

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 pound ground beef (or other ground meat like pork or turkey)
Worcestershire sauce, 2-3 splashes

1 (6oz) can tomato paste 

2 (12 oz) cans tomato sauce

1 (12 oz) can crushed tomato 

Seasonings/herbs  to taste, I use:  

2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp salt (I like seasoning salt)
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary

1.  Dice vegetables and open cans. In large pot heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add in garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 10-20 minutes until vegetables are tender.  The carrots and celery will take some time.  Add ground meat and Worcestershire sauce cook thoroughly. (Or just Worcestershire if you are not adding meat.)

2.  Push meat and vegetables to the side of the pot and put in the paste making sure to come into contact with the hot bottom of pot.  The heat will remove the aluminium/can taste to the paste.  Mix with meat and vegetables.

3.  Add can of crushed tomatoes, herbs, salt, and pepper.  Stir up until heated through.  Turn down heat to low.

4.  Add both cans of tomato sauce and stir until heated through. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.

5.  Serve over cooked pasta or assemble into lasagna (will assemble into a 9x13 lasagna).

Make without ground meat and serve over baked, grilled, or fried chicken breasts for chicken Parmesan.

14:366 Canning Day

A coworker/friend came out and together we made spaghetti sauce and canned it.  We did three batches, which yeilded 26 quarts, 6 pints, one 9x13 lasagna and one 11x13 lasagna.  We started chopping vegetables at 9 am and the last batch went in the pressure cooker at 5 pm. I am pooped.

Recipe in next post.



And then Robert, Adam, and Timmy played scrabble.

Timmy was pretty tough to beat.

13:366 Timmy Haz Box

Timmy haz box

I brought this box home from my last Costco trip and it was claimed by Timmy quickly after.  Carus has since added a blanket for the baby Timmy, and he really loves his box.  He eats and goes back to his box.  He greets people when they come home, and he goes back to his box.

Such a silly Timmy kitty.

12:366

Sleepy Simba

11:366

Simba and I enjoyed the sunrise this morning.

10:366

Hummingbird in neighbors tree.

I know he doesn't really look like a hummingbird, but he is.  I wasn't able to snap a photo of him when he was flitting and flying around so had to wait for him to land.  Just lucky I was to keep track of him long enough.

9:366

My new car

2006 Chevy Trailblazer, dark gray (which kinda looks dark blue in the dealership parking lot and black in my driveway...by night I mean. In the morning it should be dark gray)

I didn't get a moon roof, and am currently a little bitter about it.  Once I get to drive it longer than the 5 minute test drive I'll probably like it a lot more than I currently do (Robert drove home and will be taking it to work tomorrow to do the mechanic check/DEQ thing sooo).  It drove nicely. Adam fits in the backseat. It's newer. It has less miles. It's pretty (well it was at night).  Maybe it's just new car jitters...

I liked it before we started the paperwork to buy it...and then I came down off the new car buy high and was like - where's my moon roof bitches?

*I like moon roofs even though they're not all that useful and in Robert's opinion unpractical in Oregon where it rains too much to actually get to enjoy the dang thing. But I still like them! Trailblazers don't generally come with a moon roof, and we've been looking.  Found a gold one but um, EW!!!! And I can't do an aftermarket install cause it's not as good and there's a pretty good chance it'll leak and blah blah blah  Robert is so getting me a convertible one day.

Anyways - ask me in a week.

Moon roof = sunroof BTW (Sunroofs technically don't open.  The things I learn from my husband. GAH!)

Weekly Menu

For the week of 01/08/2012 to 01/14/2012

Sunday - BBQ pork fried rice*
Monday - BBQ chicken tenders, macaroni salad
Tuesday - Flour tortilla casserole, green beans (it was moved from last week)
Wednesday - Garbage (otherwise known as taco salad)
Thursday - Chicken broccoli alfredo*
Friday - Chicken strips and french fries (also moved from last week)
Saturday - (Spaghetti sauce canning day)  Lasagna


*Links to these recipes can be found here. 


If you see anything you want a recipe to, and it's not listed on my recipe page, leave me a comment to let me know and I'll post the recipe.

8:366

If I expect Adam to take my book recommendations seriously, I have to take his recommendations seriously.  He has been trying to get me to read this series for awhile, and I needed something new to read, so I grabbed it.

It is good! I'm about halfway through, and I'm enjoying it.  I'm glad he has the first 5 books already, and I'll probably help him get the other 5 (I think there is 10 total).

7:366

An almost good-bye.

We've decided to sell my Jeep and get me a used new-to-me vehicle.  We need more leg room in the back seat. And by we, I mean my little boy who won't stop growing!  He's only 13 and already 5'8". So yeah, it might be more comfortable for him (not to mention a bit safer) if he wasn't practically eating his knees every time he had to ride in the backseat.

 Anyways, today we went down to a dealership in NE Portland (an 1-1/2 hour drive, BTW) because a salesman said he was going to buy it for what we were asking....and then we got there and he offered half.  &*#@(*@!#$@!!! 

Meh. I haven't found what I want yet so maybe it's better that I'm not stuck without wheels quite yet. And I get to keep my Jeep a little longer. I'm really going to miss it.

6:366

Someone has been teaching my stove swear words.

Alternative to todays 366.  I think it was good.  (Chili)

5:366

Can you guess what it is?

4:366

My Yoda pug.

My little old man.

Look at all his gray little chinny chin chin.

3:366

We went out to dinner tonight with the grands because today was Gramma Barbara's birthday!  I won't tell how young she is now.

We had mexican food - and it was oohh soo yummy!

Happy Birthday Gramma B!

2:365

Playing chess with Adam.  I'm in check.

I did eventually lose. But he had to take every other one of my pieces to checkmate my king.

I was doing well until Robert came over and started commentary and "helping" me.

I would've lost anyways.  I'm not that good. I can never remember what moves bishops and rooks can make.  And Adam is pretty good.

Still fun to play with him though.

Menu Monday

Sunday - Beef stew
Monday - Grilled chicken salad
Tuesday - BBQ pork ribs, crash hot potatoes, corn Update: Switching to dinner out at Mexican restaurant with the grands for Gramma Barbara's birthday.
Wednesday - Flour tortilla casserole and green beans
Thursday - FFY   Update, moved from Tuesday:  BBQ pork ribs, crash hot potatoes, corn
Friday - Chili
Saturday - Chicken strips and french fries


Links to recipes mentioned in my menus can be found here. 


If you see anything you want a recipe too, and it's not listed on my recipe page, leave me a comment to let me know and I'll post the recipe.

1:366

Tired Leia puppy.  It was nice and sunny today so Robert and I took the dogs to the dog park for a bit.  Leia ran and ran and fetched the ball and ran some more, and has been mellow the rest of today.

Final 365s of 2011

360/365 - Wilbur kitty


361/365 - Carus on her birthday party day.  We did a crafting and sleepover party.  There was t-shirt painting, cake ball dipping, finger nail painting, movie watching and a sleepover. Except there wasn't much sleeping.


362/365 -I got these as a Christmas gift, and I've already read through them. I absorbed them.  They were really good, and I'm excited for the movie.


363/365 - New Years Eve games - Scrabble

For the past few years we've been playing games with the kids to ring in the New Year's.


Okay, those should have been numbered 362, 363, 364, and 365 but I still can't figure out where I messed up on my numbering. I've gone over the photos a couple times, and I have found some dating issues, but I haven't found 365 numbing issues... So I'm going to just ignore it and start over.  Yup, I am going to do 365 again, and I have a few challenges for myself too.  Obviously, one is to make sure I get it numbered correctly...

Carus's 10th birthday party

For Carus's 10th birthday, we did a crafting and sleepover party.  There was t-shirt painting, cake ball dipping, finger nail painting, movie watching and a sleepover. Except there wasn't much sleeping at the sleepover...we still had two giggling girls up at 12:30.  I missed an important part of the sleepover party - it must have an activity to wear the girls out so that lights out means giggles out too.

Check out the slideshow!