I had planned on seeing yall on Monday but we had a little problem with Aunt Kathy. She had been sick with the tummy flu since Friday night. Sunday, she thought she was feeling a little better. She went on to church. Then on Monday, I got a phone call from Martha (my other aunt) saying that Aunt Kathy was not good at all and that I needed to go over and check on her. So Paul and I went over and decided she needed to go to the hospital. She was so weak and had a high fever. She was not happy with us, but we didn’t take no for an answer. I called the ambulance to come get her. They ended up keeping her for 2 nights. She finally decided that we were right to make her go *mark that one down in the history books!*. I was supposed to keep Manual (Monica’s youngest) yesterday and I was going to go pick up Aunt Kathy from the hospital but low and behold, I started feeling icky at soccer sign-ups the other night (Tuesday night). I thought it was because I was tired. No:( Hello 3 bout of stomach flu in 3 months:( Urgh. So I was sooo sick yesterday. BUT today, I feel better. My body hurts and feel drained but I feel a lot better than I did yesterday. Thank God:( I just hope noboy else in our house gets it. Paul hasn’t been 100% since last week for various reasons but this morning he seemed a little uneasy, couldn’t get comfortable. I just hope he’s not going to come down with this:( Bless his heart, he came home and took the kids out to eat to get them out of the house. They were all happy campers.
This morning, I had to run to Target to pick up a plastic bin to put the PTC Christmas tree in. I had no idea it was still up. Anyay, I’ll get it down today. I also need to pick up the police report at the Police dept. on the Durango. I have a lot to get done today but I doubt I’ll get it all done.
I’m leaving yall with a couple of recipes. I hope yall will give them a try:) One is for Applesauce Cookies and the other is for Spaghetti Salad:)
I’m sitting here with Matthew. He’s doing a breathing treatment. He sounded real tight this morning so he blew into his Peak-Flow Meter and it was only right at 200. He should be blowing 285. So we got the nebulizer out. Now if he’d only do it properly and not worry about this dang PSP. You’d think the world was going to come to an end if he can’t play it. He finished his treatment and still not up to 285 but I don’t hear any wheezing. He says he is a little shakey so he’s going to have his hot chocolate and settle down for a bit. Jamie just walked through here. I was lucky to get a ‘Oh, hey Mommy’ as he went straight for the XBox. I’m a little worried about Paul as well. He fell asleep before 9 last night and it’s almost 8am and he’s still asleep. On a normal night, he wont fall asleep until at least 11:30 sometimes even after midnight. Maybe he’s so depressed that Circuit City is closing all of their stores. I’m sure this is a very sad thing for many men out there. I mean, Circuit City and Best Buy sales papers are the ONLY reason to buy a Sunday paper isn’t it??
Do any of you have tips on how to make really light bread? I want to make homemade bread today but my rolls and bread always come out heavy. Paul is still on his quest for dinner rolls like Round the Clock makes. We know they are french bread rolls but…. HOW do they make them so fluffy and light in the middle?
Peter Pan auditions are tomorrow. I am hoping Sarah is going to opt out again this year but I think she’s pretty much got her heart set on it. It is just such a hassle with this company but I know it’s good for her to do them and she enjoys doing them so much. What I’m worried about is where they are going to do them and when. That’s something that hasn’t even been decided (from what I’ve heard). It seems the owner/director has almost exhausted and alienated every venue in the area. It’s very sad. I am happy, though, that they are auditioning 5-8 year olds at the same time. Yay! Paul and I were less than thrill when Sarah had to audition with the 5-6 yr olds at the Nutcracker… Yes, she is 6 but she’s been dancing for 3 1/2 years and she is in with girls 8 and up in both of her classes. On a happier dance note:) Sarah had Lyrical ballet yesterday and we found out what song they are doing their recital dance too:) It’s “Imagine” by John Lennon:) I think that will be perfect. I’m not sure about her Classical yet. All I know is that their costumes are hot pink (pronounced HAWT PANK!) They are very, very vibrant!
Well, I began writing this a little after 7 this morning and now it’s almost 9 so I am off. I am leaving a video collage of the Sarah Brightman show we saw in December:) Paul sent it to me and it gave me chill bumps all over again:) Yall have a wonderful, warm weekend and I’ll see yall on Monday, hopefully:)
1 pound ground beef
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (16-oz.) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapeños, undrained
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes and mild green chiles, undrained
1 (14-oz.) can beef broth
2 cups frozen yellow and white whole kernel corn
1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain.
2. Stir in kidney beans, next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.
The weekend began early for all of us. For the kids, that was great… but for Paul, not so much. Our current temp is -21(F) so they called school off today (yay!). However, Paul was going out to start his car (the Durango) and he walked right back in. Someone had hit his car AGAIN. I’m not sure if I told yall last year someone ran the stop sign and wiped the whole passenger side out on the Durango. Even bent that center bar between the front and back seat. Of course whoever it was didn’t stop and tell us. But they did have the presence of mind to get out and pick up any bit of evidence there might have been left. We couldn’t believe we didn’t hear it when it happened. Anyway, so this morning, we called the police and they came and took pictures and the report. We just got a phone call saying that the person who hit our car, went to the police station last night and reported it:) So THANK YOU honest person! They said it happened around 10:40 last night. I’ll show yall the pictures at the bottom of the post. We should get the police report on Monday and hopefully get the Durango fixed next week. Paul just went outside to go pick up the bits and pieces that are laying around by the car and to move the car back where it’s supposed to be. When they hit it, they moved the back-end so it’s sitting catty-whom-pass. (See the pictures below)
Yeah, so the kids are all excited to be off school. They are off on Monday as well because of Martin Luther King Day. Paul’s off work too. He had initially thought they were launching a new something or another at work today and that he’d have to work through the weekend. That project has been pushed back so he’s off too:) Yay:)
I took supper over to Mikey’s house last night. I ended up just making what I had in the house. I didn’t want to get out and go to the store:( I made pork roast, sweet potato casserole and string bean casserole. Then I came home, threw some shrimp and fries in the oven for the kids. They finished eating about the time Paul was walking in the door. I made Paul and I fried pork chops. Sarah wanted that so she had that as well. Mashed potatoes for Paul and Sarah. I stuck me a sweet potato in the microwave. I’ve never done that. It came out really good!! And it only took me 7 ish minutes! I might have to do that again today:)
I’m leaving yall with some goodies for a weekend breakfast:) Hope yall have a great one!
Hello from -28!! Argh. I’m totally ready for Florida. Yes I am. Paul, you can book those tickets any day now my love. I dread to see our heating bill for this month.
I’m waiting to see if the recycling truck is going to pick up my recycling. It isn’t in a container (those are under a food of snow and probably frozen to the ground) so I just put what I had out there… I hear them coming down the street. Yay!!! They stopped:) Thank you Public Works! I tell you what, I’d hate to have to be doing that job today:( Bless their hearts. Paul actually drove in today but it was not very safe. He said a car had an accident in front of him and he passed 2 more up. So much black ice on the roads but there was no way he could walk that mile or so to his office from the train station in this cold. Oh my gosh, this morning, I was taking Sarah to school (Paul dropped the boys off), and I was stopped (or thought I was stopping) at the 4 way stop. Monica’s husband had stopped and was going on through (as he was supposed too)… Well! I couldn’t stop! I wasn’t even going fast and I thought I was almost stopped and then I began to slide. I slid right on out and almost hit Mike. I was so embarrassed. He gave me a little growly glance. He probably realized who it was and laughed after he passed. I was saying, MIKE I’M NOT STOPPING!!! Not that he could have heard me. Sarah thought it was funny:( Me, not so much:( THEN, I was turning to go to the bank and I wasn’t going 5 miles an hour and I fish tailed! I was creeping around like a maw-maw the whole time and I still didn’t have control. I gave up and came home and I’m not moving again until I have to go get the kids. Well, I just spoke to Monica (called to ask her to apologize to Mike) and it seems her mom has been rushed to the ER and then emergency surgery:( She received a new kidney a couple of years ago and now the meds that she takes, so she doesn’t reject the kidney, are causing other problems… yall please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
I’m still finding recipes that have gone missing and recipes that are in the wrong spot. So if yall come across these as well, please let me know:) One of the recipes I’m sending yall today would make a wonderful Valentine cake. It’s a Victorian Sandwich Cake. It calls for powdered sugar over the top of the cake. If you use a pretty doily when you put the powdered sugar over it, it’ll look so pretty once you remove the doily:) Also Chicken-Stuffing Casserole. This is a casserole that freezes well:) Hope yall enjoy them:)
