Anyone out there think they could use a $100 gift card to Wal Mart?? I sure could1
Head on over to Deal Seeking Mom and sign up for her giveaway...someone has got to win!
Happy Shopping!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
One Year
Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Where did the year go??? This time last year, I was only anxiously anticipating the arrival of Lil Major (we didn’t even know he was a boy yet!), and I was on my way to Indy to celebrate the brand new arrival of my nephew. Captain is now a year old! And my boy is almost 8 months old! Wow!
So, here we are a year later, and quite a bit has changed…
Instead of waking up to pee every hour, I’m waking up to soothe a crying baby who refuses to sleep unless you’re holding him (uh oh, I think we’ve spoiled him). My SuperDad hubby has taken to sleeping on the floor of the nursery with the boy until he’s ready to head back to his crib. We pray that this doesn’t continue forever, we’re hoping that it is just because he’s teething and fighting a cold. And hoping my dream from last night will soon come true – that those stubborn top teeth make an appearance and give ALL of us some relief.
Instead of spending hours on the phone with my mom, I can now walk three doors down and hang out with her at her house! And instead of wondering what my little brother is doing way up in Wisconsin, I only need to look down the street to mom and dad’s house. Yes, this is new news…my bro has moved to Wichita and is (for the time being) living with my parents and looking for work.
Instead of sitting around my sister’s house fighting for turns to hold HER baby, we’ll be driving to KC on Friday to steal Sis and her family away from her ILs for a short visit. And we’ll watch our uber-cute boys crawl around and pull up and stand up and hopefully snap some cute pictures along the way.
Wow! What a year! I’m so thankful for my healthy son, my loving husband, my supportive family, my amazing friends (real life AND blogosphere) and The God who knows the plans He has for me and loves me unconditionally. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
So, here we are a year later, and quite a bit has changed…
Instead of waking up to pee every hour, I’m waking up to soothe a crying baby who refuses to sleep unless you’re holding him (uh oh, I think we’ve spoiled him). My SuperDad hubby has taken to sleeping on the floor of the nursery with the boy until he’s ready to head back to his crib. We pray that this doesn’t continue forever, we’re hoping that it is just because he’s teething and fighting a cold. And hoping my dream from last night will soon come true – that those stubborn top teeth make an appearance and give ALL of us some relief.
Instead of spending hours on the phone with my mom, I can now walk three doors down and hang out with her at her house! And instead of wondering what my little brother is doing way up in Wisconsin, I only need to look down the street to mom and dad’s house. Yes, this is new news…my bro has moved to Wichita and is (for the time being) living with my parents and looking for work.
Instead of sitting around my sister’s house fighting for turns to hold HER baby, we’ll be driving to KC on Friday to steal Sis and her family away from her ILs for a short visit. And we’ll watch our uber-cute boys crawl around and pull up and stand up and hopefully snap some cute pictures along the way.
Wow! What a year! I’m so thankful for my healthy son, my loving husband, my supportive family, my amazing friends (real life AND blogosphere) and The God who knows the plans He has for me and loves me unconditionally. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Full Time
I am about to become a full time stay-at-home-mom. 3 more days of work, and my employer will become my son...and my home.
This was not my decision, but I am excited about it...on one hand.
I've been working in the aircraft industry, and 3 of the larger aircraft companies here have announced layoffs due to the crappy economy. Over 1600 people are projected to lose their jobs in the next year. Probably more because contractors (like me) are not included in that number.
See, I was offered a full time position with my company, twice in the last year, but I only wanted to work part time. They were fine with that, but I had to go through a temp agency as a contract employee. No big deal to me. I didn't need benefits anyway.
Of course, this was all before the economy took a nose dive. When I hired on, my company was kicking butt, selling more planes than we could make, and everyone was happy. Fast forward 3 months. Orders are slowing down, some customers are canceling orders, and contractors are first on the list to go.
When we first heard about layoffs, I started thinking that I WANTED to get laid off. That way, the decision to work or not wasn't made by me, I would just go with the flow. And then my boss told me on Tuesday that my job was safe. They had ranked all the engineers in our department (over 65!), and I was nowhere near the bottom of the list. They had decided to lay off a couple full time employees and keep me. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't be staying at home with the boy more, but also thankful that my salary would continue.
24 hours went by. I got a call from the temp agency confirming that my job was safe. Then my boss called me back into her office after lunch. Apparently, HR had yet been informed that contractors were staying while employees were being let go. Once HR was told, they vetoed...and said company employees got to stay first. I understand, in a way. They'll get more TIME out of a full-timer, but those engineers on the bottom of the list? They're probably not doing as much work as I'm doing in just 3 days.
The bad thing is that by the time my boss called me BACK in, I'd gotten used to the idea that I would keep working...only to be told that I'm out of a job. And I was just getting to the point where I felt like I was really contributing. Oh well.
The good news is that my boss loves me. And WHEN things turn around, I think she will call me to come back. And the GREAT news is that I get to spend so much more time with Lil Major. And maybe I'll even find time to do some of the projects I've been wanting to tackle. The scary news is that our income is dropping drastically. I've got some ideas on how to make our $$ go further, but I'll have to dig even deeper. And I'm looking into some other part-time, work from home, type things. That would be great!
So, 3 more days, and no more alarm clock, no more driving to work in the ice/snow, no more walking a mile in from the parking lot. My emotions are still a little wacky about all this, but I'm so excited to start this new chapter, too!
This was not my decision, but I am excited about it...on one hand.
I've been working in the aircraft industry, and 3 of the larger aircraft companies here have announced layoffs due to the crappy economy. Over 1600 people are projected to lose their jobs in the next year. Probably more because contractors (like me) are not included in that number.
See, I was offered a full time position with my company, twice in the last year, but I only wanted to work part time. They were fine with that, but I had to go through a temp agency as a contract employee. No big deal to me. I didn't need benefits anyway.
Of course, this was all before the economy took a nose dive. When I hired on, my company was kicking butt, selling more planes than we could make, and everyone was happy. Fast forward 3 months. Orders are slowing down, some customers are canceling orders, and contractors are first on the list to go.
When we first heard about layoffs, I started thinking that I WANTED to get laid off. That way, the decision to work or not wasn't made by me, I would just go with the flow. And then my boss told me on Tuesday that my job was safe. They had ranked all the engineers in our department (over 65!), and I was nowhere near the bottom of the list. They had decided to lay off a couple full time employees and keep me. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't be staying at home with the boy more, but also thankful that my salary would continue.
24 hours went by. I got a call from the temp agency confirming that my job was safe. Then my boss called me back into her office after lunch. Apparently, HR had yet been informed that contractors were staying while employees were being let go. Once HR was told, they vetoed...and said company employees got to stay first. I understand, in a way. They'll get more TIME out of a full-timer, but those engineers on the bottom of the list? They're probably not doing as much work as I'm doing in just 3 days.
The bad thing is that by the time my boss called me BACK in, I'd gotten used to the idea that I would keep working...only to be told that I'm out of a job. And I was just getting to the point where I felt like I was really contributing. Oh well.
The good news is that my boss loves me. And WHEN things turn around, I think she will call me to come back. And the GREAT news is that I get to spend so much more time with Lil Major. And maybe I'll even find time to do some of the projects I've been wanting to tackle. The scary news is that our income is dropping drastically. I've got some ideas on how to make our $$ go further, but I'll have to dig even deeper. And I'm looking into some other part-time, work from home, type things. That would be great!
So, 3 more days, and no more alarm clock, no more driving to work in the ice/snow, no more walking a mile in from the parking lot. My emotions are still a little wacky about all this, but I'm so excited to start this new chapter, too!
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Best Rolls EVER
Ok, I'll give in and share my recipe with you. It originated with my mom's mom, but my uncle has been the primary baker at our holiday gatherings. My practice round went great, so good luck to all of you!
GRANDMA ANNE'S DINNER ROLLS
2 C warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C soft butter
1 egg
2 tsp salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups flour
Measure water into large warm mixing bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved. Add sugar, butter, egg, salt and half the flour - beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle (I think I used just under 7 cups total). Place in greased bowl turning dough to grease top. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let dough rise to at least double in size. Punch down dough. Form rolls into 2 egg shaped pieces, place in well-greased muffin cups, allow to raise in a warm, draft-free place until baking size (at least an hour). Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes (watch them carefully - every oven is different!).
If you want to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to let it rise and bake, then cover it and put it in the fridge as soon you've mixed it and placed it in a greased bowl. I used butter to grease my pans and my bowl. Yum yum!
I hope this makes sense. Happy baking!
GRANDMA ANNE'S DINNER ROLLS
2 C warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C soft butter
1 egg
2 tsp salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups flour
Measure water into large warm mixing bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir until dissolved. Add sugar, butter, egg, salt and half the flour - beat until smooth. Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle (I think I used just under 7 cups total). Place in greased bowl turning dough to grease top. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let dough rise to at least double in size. Punch down dough. Form rolls into 2 egg shaped pieces, place in well-greased muffin cups, allow to raise in a warm, draft-free place until baking size (at least an hour). Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes (watch them carefully - every oven is different!).
If you want to make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to let it rise and bake, then cover it and put it in the fridge as soon you've mixed it and placed it in a greased bowl. I used butter to grease my pans and my bowl. Yum yum!
I hope this makes sense. Happy baking!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Rollin'
Every Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember, My Uncle D has made the most yummy rolls for our dinner. It's actually my Grandma's recipe, but I can only remember Uncle D making them. He makes MANY batches because they're so yummy that you could eat a dozen, easily! And, we HAVE to have enough dough left over to make cinnamon rolls the next morning.
There have been a few years where we couldn't make it to our family Thanksgiving, and Uncle D made sure to try to tempt us with homemade rolls. We begged him to save us some, to overnight mail them to us...but he said no way! You must be present to partake!
And all along I've had the recipe in my family cookbook, but I haven't attempted it...until now.
Thanksgiving is at our house this year, and I decided to make the "Uncle D" rolls. So, my mom, in her infinite wisdom, suggested that we practice before the big day. What a concept! While our boys golfed on Sunday afternoon, Mom and I broke out the cookbook and made the rolls. And guess what? They were AMAZING! They're a bit of work, but SO worth it.
And if we have rolls, then my husband will bounce them on the floor (or at least appear to), and we will all squeal in delight.
There have been a few years where we couldn't make it to our family Thanksgiving, and Uncle D made sure to try to tempt us with homemade rolls. We begged him to save us some, to overnight mail them to us...but he said no way! You must be present to partake!
And all along I've had the recipe in my family cookbook, but I haven't attempted it...until now.
Thanksgiving is at our house this year, and I decided to make the "Uncle D" rolls. So, my mom, in her infinite wisdom, suggested that we practice before the big day. What a concept! While our boys golfed on Sunday afternoon, Mom and I broke out the cookbook and made the rolls. And guess what? They were AMAZING! They're a bit of work, but SO worth it.
And if we have rolls, then my husband will bounce them on the floor (or at least appear to), and we will all squeal in delight.
Severe Pain
I have severe pain right now. It's the holidays. I love family photos. I have a new(er) addition to my family. And this amazing girl is too far away to take our photos.
While I was in CA this summer, Lorie took pictures of Lil Major and me. And I LOVE them. See my header for one example. But, we don't have any good shots of us as a family, and I want some, NOW!
So, you Kansas readers (all 3 of you), do you have any suggestions for me? I love Lorie's style - she find the most amazing backdrops in just the most every day things. I don't want the Portrait Innov thing where you all sit in front of a blue backdrop. Oh, and I also don't want to have to choose 3 poses from 100. I want a CD of all the images. (I don't ask for much, do I?)
What do ya got for me??
While I was in CA this summer, Lorie took pictures of Lil Major and me. And I LOVE them. See my header for one example. But, we don't have any good shots of us as a family, and I want some, NOW!
So, you Kansas readers (all 3 of you), do you have any suggestions for me? I love Lorie's style - she find the most amazing backdrops in just the most every day things. I don't want the Portrait Innov thing where you all sit in front of a blue backdrop. Oh, and I also don't want to have to choose 3 poses from 100. I want a CD of all the images. (I don't ask for much, do I?)
What do ya got for me??
Monday, November 17, 2008
My Kermit
As I'm catching up on uploading all my pictures on the camera, I had to watch this one over and over again. Don't I have the CUTEST little boy???
Now that he's figured out the crawling thing, he's a speed demon all over the house.
I'd love for my boy to enjoy eating things that I don't care for. So, I offered the kiddo some avocado. I think it's pretty obvious that he feels the same way about avocados that his Mama does!
Now that he's figured out the crawling thing, he's a speed demon all over the house.
I'd love for my boy to enjoy eating things that I don't care for. So, I offered the kiddo some avocado. I think it's pretty obvious that he feels the same way about avocados that his Mama does!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Doh!
As I drove to work this morning, later than I’d planned, I realized that I left my cell phone at home. For a split second, I considered turning around and going back for it. But then I glanced at the clock and decided that I didn’t have time. My next thought was that I needed to call Mom to tell her I wouldn’t be answering my phone today. So, I reached for my cell phone...that I left at home...
What a great start to the day. At least it’s my Friday!
What a great start to the day. At least it’s my Friday!
Monday, November 10, 2008
She cooked!
I took FULL advantage of the super duper sales at Dillon's (Kroger) this weekend. My bill before my discounts and coupons was $230...after all the discounts?? $130! I saved $100!! And after looking at my receipt, I see that they jipped me out of one of the $5 rewards...but I still did pretty good.
Anyway, one of my purchases was a buy one get one slab of ribs. Ribs aren't my favorite, but they are The Colonel's favorite, and my dad won't turn them down either. So, I called mom from work this morning and asked her to throw them in the crock pot using a recipe I found on one of the MANY blogs I read these days. And come to find out, it was John McCain's recipe. We liked it, but I think I would change up the spices a bit the next time - it was kinda salty. And mom insisted on basting the ribs with BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking cycle. We cooked them for 10 hours on low, and they were falling off the bone. Yum yum!
We paired the ribs with the yummiest yummiest Gouda mashed potato casserole (Jody - thank you for that!!) The recipe calls for whole milk, which I didn't have, so I used skim milk and fat free half and half. GO MAKE THIS NOW!!
And in an effort to have something without any fat in it, we had green beans as well. I had hoped for a nice family dinner together, but The Colonel got stuck at work late, and my dad had to leave early for his flying class thing, so we ate in shifts. And in between bites, I attempted to heat up squash and sweet potatoes for the boy...too bad one batch ended up all over the counter, cupboard and floor, and I melted the bowl on the next batch. Meanwhile he was screaming bloody murder b/c his little tummy was STARVING! Poor kid. We finally all got to eat, including The Colonel. I guess that was the important thing.
The boy was extra fussy today as he's still trying to get those 2 top teeth in, so he went to bed early. And instead of conquering one of the many things on my to-do list, I sat my big butt in front of the TV and caught up on The Amazing Race. I have to say - I'm SOOOOO glad those chicks, the divorcees, got kicked off. They are complete idiots. How many times did they neglect to follow the directions and get screwed up? They deserved to be gone. I hope that Kenny and Tina win it - they're the most down to earth, help others, nice people on the show.
Now, it's off to bed for me. The Colonel and I are both off tomorrow to celebrate our 8th anniversary as well as Veteran's Day. The plan is to take in the movie Fireproof and have an early dinner, sans the boy. Let's hope for better weather than we had today!
Anyway, one of my purchases was a buy one get one slab of ribs. Ribs aren't my favorite, but they are The Colonel's favorite, and my dad won't turn them down either. So, I called mom from work this morning and asked her to throw them in the crock pot using a recipe I found on one of the MANY blogs I read these days. And come to find out, it was John McCain's recipe. We liked it, but I think I would change up the spices a bit the next time - it was kinda salty. And mom insisted on basting the ribs with BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking cycle. We cooked them for 10 hours on low, and they were falling off the bone. Yum yum!
We paired the ribs with the yummiest yummiest Gouda mashed potato casserole (Jody - thank you for that!!) The recipe calls for whole milk, which I didn't have, so I used skim milk and fat free half and half. GO MAKE THIS NOW!!
And in an effort to have something without any fat in it, we had green beans as well. I had hoped for a nice family dinner together, but The Colonel got stuck at work late, and my dad had to leave early for his flying class thing, so we ate in shifts. And in between bites, I attempted to heat up squash and sweet potatoes for the boy...too bad one batch ended up all over the counter, cupboard and floor, and I melted the bowl on the next batch. Meanwhile he was screaming bloody murder b/c his little tummy was STARVING! Poor kid. We finally all got to eat, including The Colonel. I guess that was the important thing.
The boy was extra fussy today as he's still trying to get those 2 top teeth in, so he went to bed early. And instead of conquering one of the many things on my to-do list, I sat my big butt in front of the TV and caught up on The Amazing Race. I have to say - I'm SOOOOO glad those chicks, the divorcees, got kicked off. They are complete idiots. How many times did they neglect to follow the directions and get screwed up? They deserved to be gone. I hope that Kenny and Tina win it - they're the most down to earth, help others, nice people on the show.
Now, it's off to bed for me. The Colonel and I are both off tomorrow to celebrate our 8th anniversary as well as Veteran's Day. The plan is to take in the movie Fireproof and have an early dinner, sans the boy. Let's hope for better weather than we had today!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Another Loss -- football, that is...
Our annual trip to KC to watch our beloved (we've got to love 'em to stick with them through the last few years!) Chiefs was a little different this year. We had a little person tagging along.
The Colonel wanted to leave Lil Major at home, but I was intent on taking him with us. I didn't want him to feel left out. =) We only had to stop one time on our drive north, and besides me riding in the back of the car with him, there was nothing exciting in our drive. This was a MUCH better trip than our ride to Indiana back in June.
We spent Saturday eating BBQ, looking for train/hobby shops, walking and walking and walking around the Plaza, taking naps, and trying to keep a little boy from crawling on the NASTY hotel floor.
waiting for our BBQ...
playing at the fountain...
people watching...
Lil Major and I fell asleep early Sat night while The Colonel stayed up to watch Texas Tech surprise everyone. And we were hoping to be pleasantly surprised ourselves at the Chiefs game. We were hopeful for a while...and then it happened...what always happened...they threw it away, and we lost again.
We got to the stadium early and pretended to tailgate in the parking lot. I say pretended b/c we didn't have any food. We just got there early so we wouldn't sit in traffic on the freeway to get in. The boy crawled around the back of the car, and the big boy and I people watched.
The guy sitting next to us (in our totally AWESOME seats given to us by my sis's in-laws) said that Lil Major was helping the team play better. We should have listened to him b/c every time I left our seats to walk around with the boy, something bad happened -- kickoff return on the OTHER team, fumble, not good!
the view from our seats...
We still had a blast, though. Arrowhead is the best stadium to watch a game in, and the club level where we were sitting is the best place to sit. It was our second year being there near Veteran's Day (which also happens to be our anniversary), and they did great things to honor our Vets. There was a great flyby, like always, and a HUGE flag during half time (it was only half open here).
Not to mention that The Colonel and all the other Vets stood up to be recognized.
I had forgotten how loud it was, with the announcers and everything, but Lil Major still managed to get in a couple short naps. And he loved looking at everything around him. It was more work than I anticipated to have him with us, and it was frustrating that the only changing table in the stadium was in the first aid office which was a 10 minute walk away...but I'm glad we took him. Besides, he looked SO cute in his little jersey.
Since we were so tired, the boy offered to drive us home...
Halloween 2008
So, this Halloween post is WAY late, but since I already posted pics of the boy in his costume, and since I've had such a crazy week...I didn't really rush it.
We had a pretty laid back Halloween. The plan was to hand out candy for a bit, trick or treat with our neighbors for a bit, and then come home to get ready for our trip to Kansas City.
We did all of those things...but the "bit" part turned out to be VERY short.
I think we gave out a handful of candy before we headed out with our neighbors. We made it almost around one block in our neighborhood before Lil Major, aka the best looking fireman EVER, started getting really tired and fussy. I mean, who can blame him - all he did was ride around in a stroller and get NO candy. I had to beg some chocolate from Macey, our neighbor's 9 year old. =)
We did enjoy the time with our friends, who will soon be moving away, and all the costumes of our neighbors. One of the parents out with their kids had the BEST stroom trooper costume. It was so cool!
Here are the cutest boys on the block...can you believe Seth is 2 months younger than Lil Major??
I had anticipated handing out more candy after we got home, but since the kiddo was so zonked, I put him down and turned out all the lights because I didn't want the doorbell and the dogs to wake him up. We had an early morning call to head out to KC...more on that shortly...
We had a pretty laid back Halloween. The plan was to hand out candy for a bit, trick or treat with our neighbors for a bit, and then come home to get ready for our trip to Kansas City.
We did all of those things...but the "bit" part turned out to be VERY short.
I think we gave out a handful of candy before we headed out with our neighbors. We made it almost around one block in our neighborhood before Lil Major, aka the best looking fireman EVER, started getting really tired and fussy. I mean, who can blame him - all he did was ride around in a stroller and get NO candy. I had to beg some chocolate from Macey, our neighbor's 9 year old. =)
We did enjoy the time with our friends, who will soon be moving away, and all the costumes of our neighbors. One of the parents out with their kids had the BEST stroom trooper costume. It was so cool!
Here are the cutest boys on the block...can you believe Seth is 2 months younger than Lil Major??
I had anticipated handing out more candy after we got home, but since the kiddo was so zonked, I put him down and turned out all the lights because I didn't want the doorbell and the dogs to wake him up. We had an early morning call to head out to KC...more on that shortly...
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
A Taste of Fall
I have fallen in love with soups the last couple years, although I am a bit of a soup snob. I prefer bisques because everything is chopped up and smooth - I don't like chunky vegetable soups. I like chowders, but nothing with fish. I'm only KINDA a picky eater.
Anyway, I made a butternut squash bisque yesterday. There are tons of recipes out there, but I wanted something easy that I could make in my crockpot and that didn't take a ton of ingredients.
This is what I tried:
Ingredients
2 1/4 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sour cream (to garnish)
Directions
1 Place squash cubes, garlic, nuts, and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
2 Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until squash is soft (about 25 minutes).
3 Place garlic, nut, and squash in a blender or food processor pulsing until pureed.
4 Transfer mixture to crock pot and add the cream, chicken broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper.
5 Stir to combine.
6 Cook on low heat 3-5 hours.
7 Garnish with sour cream and a few remaining nuts.
Now, here's what I did differently...
1. My squash was already cooked (I cut it in half, placed it cut side up in a pan with 1/2" water in the bottom, covered it in foil, and baked it for 45 minutes on 350), and I probably used about 2/3 of a very large squash. I have no idea how you know you have 2 1/4 pounds of squash, I just eyeballed it.
2. Since the squash was already cooked, I just sauteed the garlic and nuts in oil. If I were to do it again, I'd use less oil and throw in the ginger, too.
2. I pureed my butternut squash, nut/garlic/oil mixture and chicken stock in my blender, then poured it into my crock pot. (I used the chicken stock in the blender b/c it was too thick to blend otherwise).
3. It was REALLY thick, so I dumped in a second can of chicken stock.
4. It was really creamy on its own, but I felt like I NEEDED to use some cream...but I only added 1/3 cup. It really didn't need any.
The bottom line? It's good. It tastes better today than yesterday. It's not quite as sweet as I expected, but that's ok. I'd make it again, with my modifications.
I have one more squash to use, so send me your suggestions for how I could do it differently...or ideas on what else to make with my squash. Agnes...send me your recipe!
Anyway, I made a butternut squash bisque yesterday. There are tons of recipes out there, but I wanted something easy that I could make in my crockpot and that didn't take a ton of ingredients.
This is what I tried:
Ingredients
2 1/4 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sour cream (to garnish)
Directions
1 Place squash cubes, garlic, nuts, and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
2 Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until squash is soft (about 25 minutes).
3 Place garlic, nut, and squash in a blender or food processor pulsing until pureed.
4 Transfer mixture to crock pot and add the cream, chicken broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper.
5 Stir to combine.
6 Cook on low heat 3-5 hours.
7 Garnish with sour cream and a few remaining nuts.
Now, here's what I did differently...
1. My squash was already cooked (I cut it in half, placed it cut side up in a pan with 1/2" water in the bottom, covered it in foil, and baked it for 45 minutes on 350), and I probably used about 2/3 of a very large squash. I have no idea how you know you have 2 1/4 pounds of squash, I just eyeballed it.
2. Since the squash was already cooked, I just sauteed the garlic and nuts in oil. If I were to do it again, I'd use less oil and throw in the ginger, too.
2. I pureed my butternut squash, nut/garlic/oil mixture and chicken stock in my blender, then poured it into my crock pot. (I used the chicken stock in the blender b/c it was too thick to blend otherwise).
3. It was REALLY thick, so I dumped in a second can of chicken stock.
4. It was really creamy on its own, but I felt like I NEEDED to use some cream...but I only added 1/3 cup. It really didn't need any.
The bottom line? It's good. It tastes better today than yesterday. It's not quite as sweet as I expected, but that's ok. I'd make it again, with my modifications.
I have one more squash to use, so send me your suggestions for how I could do it differently...or ideas on what else to make with my squash. Agnes...send me your recipe!
Monday, November 03, 2008
Stupid DVR
You would think that my DVR (which I program to record a show, not for a certain time) would KNOW when the football game ran late and 60 minutes started late, and it would not start recording The Amazing Race until the show actually starts...so that I could watch the end of the show. But, NO! It's too stupid.
Thank goodness for full episodes on the internet, otherwise I wouldn't know that Kenny and Tina are still in the race. Whew!
Stay tuned for the rundown on Halloween and our exciting weekend in KC.
Thank goodness for full episodes on the internet, otherwise I wouldn't know that Kenny and Tina are still in the race. Whew!
Stay tuned for the rundown on Halloween and our exciting weekend in KC.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Life is fragile.
I’ve always known that, but sometimes it hits harder than others. When The Colonel and I first got married and moved far away from everyone we knew and loved (besides each other, of course), we had to completely rely on each other for everything. It was a good way to start out a marriage – there was no running to mom or dad when we had a fight, we had to start our own holiday traditions, and we spent A LOT of time together. I clung to that time – sometimes in an unhealthy way. I had this crazy fear that I needed to spend as much time with him as possible because what if he didn’t come home one day, what if the world ended, what if??? And it went on and on. I turned down activities with new friends b/c I wanted to be at home with my new husband...even if we were fighting, even if we NEEDED time apart.
I just felt like if something bad were to happen, I wanted to know I’d spent as much time as I could with him, that I’d told him I loved him and that he KNEW I felt that way. As time passed, I relaxed and realized The Colonel DID know I loved him and that it was GOOD for us to spend time apart.
So, 7 ½ years later – enter Lil Major…and enter my fears again. But add to it that I can’t get enough of cuddling and kissing that cute little boy. AND, add to it that tragic things happen all around me. I KNOW God is in control, and that He has a plan, but I want to have the perfect little family where nothing bad happens to us. And maybe we will…only God knows. In the meantime, I will continue to fawn all over my boys – big and small, and I will continue to pray and praise God for giving them to me.
But, sad things are happening to others even though my little family is living in bliss right now.
My next door neighbor passed away this week. He was 62. He battled cancer for the last year or so, and he was finally relieved of his pain on Tuesday. He leaves behind a loving wife and 2 children and 2 grandchildren. We didn’t know him very well, but I’ve gotten to know his wife over the last couple months. She bought Lil Major a cute outfit a few months ago and called to say she was going to bring it over. Then things got hectic. She had to get hospice care for her husband, and Lil Major outgrew the outfit that he never got. So, she went out and bought him another outfit, and brought it over. She didn’t have to do that – she had enough to deal with. But, my son’s smile and giggles and hugs brought her a little joy in a scary time.
My dad is training to be a pilot. He used to fly when I was a kid, but he has to recertify since it’s been so long. What better place to do it than the air capital of the world, huh?? Anyway, he was scheduled to take a class a few weeks ago about an hour away from home, but it was postponed to last weekend in a different town about 70 miles away. But, he’s out of town visiting my sister, so he missed the class. He had been planning on riding up with the instructor. The instructor was killed in a car accident on the way to that class. My Dad could have been in that car...but he wasn’t. That gives me the chills.
A vibrant adorable sweet little boy died last week after his battle with cancer. He’s been an inspiration to many, but I can NOT imagine losing my little boy at such a young age.
I don’t know what my point is with this post, other than a reminder that LIFE IS FRAGILE. We can’t control it, we can just love others as we go through it, thank God for giving us each day, and rejoice when someone we love is called home...even though it makes us sad...for now.
In the latest Karen Kingsbury book that I'm reading right now, one of the characters was just reminded not to worry about anything, and to give everything to God. I think that God is reminding me about that right now...through this post, through things happening around me right now. Here's a passage of scripture that talks about that.
Phillipians 4:4-7
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice!
4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
4:6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
4:7 The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
I just felt like if something bad were to happen, I wanted to know I’d spent as much time as I could with him, that I’d told him I loved him and that he KNEW I felt that way. As time passed, I relaxed and realized The Colonel DID know I loved him and that it was GOOD for us to spend time apart.
So, 7 ½ years later – enter Lil Major…and enter my fears again. But add to it that I can’t get enough of cuddling and kissing that cute little boy. AND, add to it that tragic things happen all around me. I KNOW God is in control, and that He has a plan, but I want to have the perfect little family where nothing bad happens to us. And maybe we will…only God knows. In the meantime, I will continue to fawn all over my boys – big and small, and I will continue to pray and praise God for giving them to me.
But, sad things are happening to others even though my little family is living in bliss right now.
My next door neighbor passed away this week. He was 62. He battled cancer for the last year or so, and he was finally relieved of his pain on Tuesday. He leaves behind a loving wife and 2 children and 2 grandchildren. We didn’t know him very well, but I’ve gotten to know his wife over the last couple months. She bought Lil Major a cute outfit a few months ago and called to say she was going to bring it over. Then things got hectic. She had to get hospice care for her husband, and Lil Major outgrew the outfit that he never got. So, she went out and bought him another outfit, and brought it over. She didn’t have to do that – she had enough to deal with. But, my son’s smile and giggles and hugs brought her a little joy in a scary time.
My dad is training to be a pilot. He used to fly when I was a kid, but he has to recertify since it’s been so long. What better place to do it than the air capital of the world, huh?? Anyway, he was scheduled to take a class a few weeks ago about an hour away from home, but it was postponed to last weekend in a different town about 70 miles away. But, he’s out of town visiting my sister, so he missed the class. He had been planning on riding up with the instructor. The instructor was killed in a car accident on the way to that class. My Dad could have been in that car...but he wasn’t. That gives me the chills.
A vibrant adorable sweet little boy died last week after his battle with cancer. He’s been an inspiration to many, but I can NOT imagine losing my little boy at such a young age.
I don’t know what my point is with this post, other than a reminder that LIFE IS FRAGILE. We can’t control it, we can just love others as we go through it, thank God for giving us each day, and rejoice when someone we love is called home...even though it makes us sad...for now.
In the latest Karen Kingsbury book that I'm reading right now, one of the characters was just reminded not to worry about anything, and to give everything to God. I think that God is reminding me about that right now...through this post, through things happening around me right now. Here's a passage of scripture that talks about that.
Phillipians 4:4-7
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice!
4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
4:6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
4:7 The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Our Monday
Whew! What a day! Lil Major and I sure accomplished a lot today. It feels good, but I'm exhausted!
Here's a rundown...we got a slow start, in part due to the fact that it stays dark til 7:30am (how weird is that??) and in part due to a teething almost 7-month old. So, it wasn't until after a short nap that we really got going. When I went in to check on the boy, I found this...him sleeping on TOP of his giraffe. Poor giraffe!
After naps, we got up, got dressed and headed out into the frigid morning (the news said wind chill was 24 this morning!!). We went to the post office and then to a discount grocery store where we ran into my hair stylist (of course, I hadn't done my hair - it was in a hat!) and a friend from church. Then we went back home for another nap...for the boy.
In between naps and giggling with my son, I made bread (in my breadmaker), made my lunch for tomorrow, cooked some chicken for salads, did some laundry and put the groceries away. By then, Lil Major needed a distraction from his sore gums, so we bundled up and went for a walk. Even though it was cool, it was gorgeous, and we had fun scaring the geese into the pond (we DID NOT have fun walking through their nasty poop!).
After Daddy got home tonight, we carved our pumpkins. Lil Major wasn't too excited about it, but he put up with us.
Before...
After...
Unfortunately, our masterpieces don't hold a candle to Terri's family. I'll plead small-child-getting-bored syndrome, so we rushed through it. All that matters is I have seeds that I can bake now. Oh, I also cooked a butternut squash during all of this -- some I'll use for Lil Major's food, and some I'll use for a butternut squash bisque. I'm still looking for a good recipe - anyone have any ideas??
My kitchen was quite the mess after all this, and I still had laundry to fold and the boy to put down. So, here I sit at 9:18pm with a clean kitchen, one more load to fold, clean hair and an exhausted body. I think it's time for bed!
Here's a rundown...we got a slow start, in part due to the fact that it stays dark til 7:30am (how weird is that??) and in part due to a teething almost 7-month old. So, it wasn't until after a short nap that we really got going. When I went in to check on the boy, I found this...him sleeping on TOP of his giraffe. Poor giraffe!
After naps, we got up, got dressed and headed out into the frigid morning (the news said wind chill was 24 this morning!!). We went to the post office and then to a discount grocery store where we ran into my hair stylist (of course, I hadn't done my hair - it was in a hat!) and a friend from church. Then we went back home for another nap...for the boy.
In between naps and giggling with my son, I made bread (in my breadmaker), made my lunch for tomorrow, cooked some chicken for salads, did some laundry and put the groceries away. By then, Lil Major needed a distraction from his sore gums, so we bundled up and went for a walk. Even though it was cool, it was gorgeous, and we had fun scaring the geese into the pond (we DID NOT have fun walking through their nasty poop!).
After Daddy got home tonight, we carved our pumpkins. Lil Major wasn't too excited about it, but he put up with us.
Before...
After...
Unfortunately, our masterpieces don't hold a candle to Terri's family. I'll plead small-child-getting-bored syndrome, so we rushed through it. All that matters is I have seeds that I can bake now. Oh, I also cooked a butternut squash during all of this -- some I'll use for Lil Major's food, and some I'll use for a butternut squash bisque. I'm still looking for a good recipe - anyone have any ideas??
My kitchen was quite the mess after all this, and I still had laundry to fold and the boy to put down. So, here I sit at 9:18pm with a clean kitchen, one more load to fold, clean hair and an exhausted body. I think it's time for bed!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Fireman of the Year
The Colonel had big plans on Saturday - work and then golf (what's new?!), so Lil Major and I made plans of our own.
We headed to a craft fair first off, where the only thing we purchased was some yummy cookies. Lins was selling her wares, so we hung out with her for a while. Then we headed over to Jayme's town to see their new place and take the kids trick-or-treating...we hadn't seen them in 2 months!
When we got to Augusta, Lil Major changed into his costume in the back of the Pilot. Have I told you that I LOVE my car??? The back of it is perfect for changing diapers, nursing babies, or in this case - changing into a Halloween costume, er, I mean The Fireman of the Year!
It was a beautiful day - a little cool to start out, but it warmed up to a wonderful fall day. We met Jayme and the girls and wandered the streets of Augusta, KS, trick-or-treating at all of the shops.
Lil Major scored some candy even though I tried to abstain (I'm serious - those shop owners insisted!). He was the perfect angel in his stroller. He just sat back and took it all in - all the kids and costumes and craziness. I didn't hear a peep out of him for over an hour! And he was awake! As soon as I pulled him out of his stroller, he broke into a huge smile and gave me a hug.
We went to see Jayme's new place after we'd collected all the candy we could. The girls had a blast playing with their cousin, and Jayme and I got to catch up a little bit.
The day was exhausting for Lil Major, and he slept the whole way home in the car and for 12+ hours last night!
And now, we don't have to go out in the cold on Friday night. =) Well, maybe just for a little while.
Friday, October 24, 2008
College logic?
I did it. Finally. My house is clean. BUT, I didn't clean it myself (heavens, no!). I hired someone. And I have never been so happy to hand over my money to someone else.
I love a clean house, and while I KNOW how to clean, and I'm pretty good at it, I hate to clean. I LOVE the results, but I hate the work to get there. Therefore, my house has not been properly COMPLETELY cleaned in 2008 (until now). Don't gross out - it's all been clean many times, just not the entire thing...all at once...at the same time.
So, use your college philosophy and deductive reasoning skills to draw the correct conclusion/solution to the above statements...
Of course, the only reasonable thing to do was to hire someone (thanks Heather for planting the seed!). So I did. And Tuesday after work, I walked into a clean house for the first time in a LONG time.
I've had help cleaning in years past, but not since we moved to Kansas. I was trying to save money, and especially since I'm only working part time, I didn't think I could justify it. But I just can't keep up. And I don't want to wish for Lil Major to sleep longer just so I can clean the bathroom - I want to enjoy all of his awake time. And I was tired of being stressed because I had a dirty house.
So, I rationally and practically put together my argument to present to The Colonel.
I told him that it would cost LESS for us to pay someone to come clean our house twice a month than for me to quit my job and stay home and clean.
It makes perfect sense, right? I think so...and now I have a clean house, too!
I love a clean house, and while I KNOW how to clean, and I'm pretty good at it, I hate to clean. I LOVE the results, but I hate the work to get there. Therefore, my house has not been properly COMPLETELY cleaned in 2008 (until now). Don't gross out - it's all been clean many times, just not the entire thing...all at once...at the same time.
So, use your college philosophy and deductive reasoning skills to draw the correct conclusion/solution to the above statements...
Of course, the only reasonable thing to do was to hire someone (thanks Heather for planting the seed!). So I did. And Tuesday after work, I walked into a clean house for the first time in a LONG time.
I've had help cleaning in years past, but not since we moved to Kansas. I was trying to save money, and especially since I'm only working part time, I didn't think I could justify it. But I just can't keep up. And I don't want to wish for Lil Major to sleep longer just so I can clean the bathroom - I want to enjoy all of his awake time. And I was tired of being stressed because I had a dirty house.
So, I rationally and practically put together my argument to present to The Colonel.
I told him that it would cost LESS for us to pay someone to come clean our house twice a month than for me to quit my job and stay home and clean.
It makes perfect sense, right? I think so...and now I have a clean house, too!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Swing low...sweet Chariot!
We spent some time in our backyard this weekend, hanging up a swing for Lil Major. A friend of ours gave us their baby swing when their son outgrew it, and we've been meaning to get it hung for weeks.
Daddy, aka The Colonel, used his mad knot tying skills to hang the swing and make sure that the boy wouldn't hit the ground. After inspection by Mommy, we hung the swing and loaded up the kiddo.
I knew the boy would love it. He swung in a friend's swing when we were in CA, and he LOVES to be outside. And the weather was perfect. Cool, with a light breeze. Blue skies, green grass, big tree. It was gorgeous! We'll have to spend some time out there every day before it's too cold
On our way back into the house, I turned around, and all of a sudden I saw Gomer Pyle in my backyard. So weird!
Can you tell these two are related, or what??
The outfit Lil Major is wearing in the above picture is the outfit The Colonel bought for him last Christmas. He wore it for the first time to church today. And get this - it's a 3-6 month outfit, but it's the same size as the 12 month shirt the kid wore yesterday. I'm getting so frustrated with baby clothes and the wacky sizes!
Daddy, aka The Colonel, used his mad knot tying skills to hang the swing and make sure that the boy wouldn't hit the ground. After inspection by Mommy, we hung the swing and loaded up the kiddo.
I knew the boy would love it. He swung in a friend's swing when we were in CA, and he LOVES to be outside. And the weather was perfect. Cool, with a light breeze. Blue skies, green grass, big tree. It was gorgeous! We'll have to spend some time out there every day before it's too cold
On our way back into the house, I turned around, and all of a sudden I saw Gomer Pyle in my backyard. So weird!
Can you tell these two are related, or what??
The outfit Lil Major is wearing in the above picture is the outfit The Colonel bought for him last Christmas. He wore it for the first time to church today. And get this - it's a 3-6 month outfit, but it's the same size as the 12 month shirt the kid wore yesterday. I'm getting so frustrated with baby clothes and the wacky sizes!
Punkin Patch
After much whining and crying - from the BIG boy in my life - I was finally able to drag my family to the pumpkin patch to start a fall tradition for us. There are lots of pumpkin patches around our area - a lot of them with petting zoos and slides and hay rides and corn mazes - most of which we didn't need this year.
We chose a family dairy in The Colonel's hometown. They have the petting zoo and hay ride, and they invite school-age kids out during the year to learn about the dairy world. They also grow pumpkins. We just went for the pumpkins...and a good photo opportunity.
It was close to closing time by the time we got there, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Before we picked out our pumpkins, we plopped the boy down in various places to shoot some pictures. How I wish I had a big fancy camera so I could get some REALLY good pictures.
I'll pay $5 for that one!! hee hee
And just to prove that we DO live in Kansas, and we were out near Small Town, USA...my boys standing in a milo field...
Friday, October 17, 2008
Another milestone!
It seems as though Hudson taught Lil Major a bad habit while we were staying with him a couple months ago. And the boy practiced it this morning when he crawled for the first time!
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