Mourning the loss of a longtime dear friend

Sugar.

I am sad to say that I think I have lost my sweet tooth. Any of you who know me know how much I love sweets. Hell, you don't really have to know me that well to figure it out. The title of this blog implies a love for cookies at the very least.

But for the past few weeks, I have had no desire to eat sweets. No chocolate, no cookies, no pies, no ice cream, no cake, no nothing. I have eaten these things, though very sporadically. And I have eaten them only because I know I 'like' them. But I got no pleasure from eating the sweets. I was left with a funny taste in my mouth. A sweet taste that made me cringe. Even a sick feeling in my stomach.

I admit, I am confused about the change. It's not something I have set out to do. I am not intentionally eating fruit, it's just what I want. Instead of candy. Instead of cookies. Very confusing.

Unfortunately, I think this marks the end of an era. An era of baking and snacking that has defined who I am. I don't even bake anymore. My kids bake treats and they get to eat them, ALL OF THEM. No more hoarding the cookies for myself. No more eating cookies in my room while drinking DC.

It's sad. I've lost touch with a dear friend. Maybe we'll reunite soon. I hope so. Otherwise, I'll have to change the name of this blog.

Sit and Spin!

Have you ever done it? I think it's my new addiciton! Do you want to try? I'll be at the gym next Friday at 0545 if you want to join me. It's free if you are my guest. Come on!! It'll be fun!!

We've only lived here since April

Here is the street view of the house

Our parking lot!! Yes, parking lot.

The prized, thrice transplanted, and thrice divided hydrangea bush. I love hydrangeas!

My favorite spot in the whole house is outside on the deck.
Yes, I know it's blurry, but you read right. BACK ACRE!

Yes, it's a nature trail. It's not very long (400 feet), but it goes around Minnick Mountain to the back acre. The back acre AKA: Minnick family bonfire and campground.

I'm not taking pictures of the inside of my house. It's a house. There isn't really anything fancy about it. We have beautiful hardwood floors. That's about it. The furniture is the same, so if you have ever been to my house before, you've seen it already.

We had a bonfire a couple of weeks ago, and it was too dark for any of the pictures to come out. I'll take pictures at the next one. We are having a famly campout sometime in late August-mid September. You are all invited. Send me an email if you want to get the evite.

That's all. See you next month!

I finally did it...

...and I liked it.

I'm sorry, Brandi, Crystal, Harmony, and any of you other girls who hate twilight. I tried to hate it. Yes, it was a bit angsty, but so is my life. I do have a teenager, you know. Also, I thought Eddie was pretty sexy. I wanted him to bite me.

I don't get the funny part. What was funny about it? Please enlighten me.

One of these days, you bi***es will get a real post from me. And there will be pictures of my house in them. Maybe.

random pictures of the past week

Isabel and Mimi all dressed up in sheets. Patricia made togas for them to wear. It kinda made me wish there was a party to go to so she could make me one.

She is usually very cute. I promise.
This is what Trystan does to Sasha, our cat. He makes me feel this way too.

Leave a ten year old boy alone with a camera, and you get about a hundred pictures of him making faces like this one. You also get lots of pictures of the animals, siblings, and random household objects. Like this:

I made waffles with blueberry sauce and ice cream for Mel's father's day breakfast. Do you remember last year's blueberry picking adventure? I learned my lesson. This year, Mel and I went blueberry picking on opening day and got close to 20 pounds of berries. UMMMMMMMM they are so delicious!

This one is for all of you who are still curious about our animal situation. It's a lizard. And it lives under the floor/in the wall of our house. That's the front door. It's about 25 feet from my bed. That's a generous estimation. Oh, did I mention that there have been mouse sightings at this exact location?

why the monkey wrapped his tail around the flagpole AKA: why i haven't been blogging

1. i'm too busy
2. i don't want to fight the kids for the computer
3. i can't think of anything new to tell you
4. the things i could blog about will get me in trouble
5. i can't do anything around my house without my kids talking to me and bothering me
6. i'm too tired by the time the kids are in bed and quiet
7. i can't concentrate
8. i'm working
9. i have laundry to do
10. i have to do the dishes

i'm not depressed. i'm actually feeling great.

my job is awesome! if you want to take a look around the new gym, just stop by. if you are the least bit interested in joining, ask for Amanda and tell her i sent you (really, she'll hook you up). she has signed up a couple of my friends already. if you sign up and want training, tell them i sent you (another hook up).

the house is coming along. i am not going to post pictures. you can come see it for yourself. call me. my old (301) phone number will give you the new one. or, you can leave a message on it and i'll call you back.

that's all for now. maybe more tomorrow. maybe not for another month. who can say?

Top Ten Reasons Marianne Hasn't Been Blogging

Today's post brought to you by guest blogger, Brenda

I don't know where she is or what she's doing, but here are a few guesses:


10. Too much time at the gym strained her fingers and she can't type.

9. She got Lyme disease from her tick infested new house and died.

8. She's in bed recovering from a Brazillian butt lift.

7. She's out shopping for mom jeans.

6. She's been playing Guitar Hero for 6 days straight.

5. She's busy cooking creative, healthful, balanced meals for her family while the rest of us just feed ours ramen.

4. She's too busy with her new friends in her new ward to bother updating the old ones. I guess she missed out on learning that old Girl Scout classic:

Make new friends but keep the old
One is silver and the other gold.

We're gold, Marianne. We're gold. Just remember that.

3. Too much connubial bliss.

2. My hotness scorched her retinas and now she's blind. Sorry.

1. She's sleeping. Shhhhhhh...

What I've been up to...

• Started working at a brand new gym. As a trainer. AWESOMENESS!!!!


• Moved into a different house at the same time. SUCKSBIGTIME!!!!


• Working early morning hours three days per week + unpacking and moving = passing out at 9 pm. SNORE!!!!


• Hard water that turned whites dingy, rusty, brown. Showers that smell like pennies dropping from the sky. Spiders in every corner. Ticks. Ticks. Ticks. WHAT THE HELL WERE WE THINKING!!???!?!?


• Water finally fixed. Spiders are hiding. Got the insecticide. PROCRASTINATION!


• Escaped to the mountains of West Virginia with husband for romantic weekend getaway and go to sleep by 9 pm both nights. STILL ROCKED IT!!
  


• Almost meltdown, held it together (loosely), organized kitchen (sorta), had great night at work (thanks, Maggie), slept in 'till 6:30 the next morning. AAAAAAHHHHHH! THE WEEKEND.!!
  

Mel is pretty awesome!!

For those of you who didn't already know, I just thought I'd tell you that he's a pretty awesome husband.

A couple of weeks ago, in anticipation of Mother's day and our recent move, he made 'secret' arrangements with my brother and a good friend of the family (Carol) to take me away this weekend. We are going to Carol's wonderful cottage in West Virginia called 'Dream Time'. My brother is staying with the kids, and my mother also came up for the weekend to see the house and to help out. I don't know how to get there, I don't know what we are going to do, I don't know what we are going to eat, I haven't been involved in any way. All I have to do is show up. I love that!! I know it will be great.

I can't wait until tomorrow morning!

Is it wrong...

that I don't want to go to church in my new ward today? I have to be all smiley and nice to people I don't know and pretend that my life is great, and that I am not totally stressed out over moving. I miss Ft. Meade already. You people know me. I can be real (well, almost) with you people. If my day (or week) is sucking, I can just come out and say it. I think you girls expect that kind of honesty from me.

I thought that I didn't really care about moving away, until I realized that I might not be kept in the loop about all the lunches and playdates and book clubs (that I never go to) and all that stuff. So, keep me in mind. I'm still close.

Don't worry, I won't like them as much as I liked you all. I've already made up my mind.

Cooking with Brenda: Asian-ish Chicken Noodle Soup

Today's post is brought to you by guest blogger Brenda

I think Marianne is busy moving. Or maybe she died. I dunno. In any case, she totally missed posting a recipe this week. So, being the friend that I am, I'm stepping up to post one for her. And today I'm going to feature an ingredient that you will likely never see on this blog again: RAMEN. It's seems like the anti-Marianne ingredient. Right up there with Canned Cream of Fat and Sodium Soup.


So here's what you'll need (for 2-ish servings):

-One package of chili flavored Top Ramen (other flavors are acceptable, especially chicken, but the chili gives it a nice heat).

-1/2 cup cooked and chopped chicken (I like to use some from a rotisserie chicken. I'm all about the laziness).

-1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts)

-1 TBS minced cilantro (or Knorr makes a tiny cilantro bullion cube, sold in the Mexican food section, that works great)

-1/2 TSP minced ginger

-1/2 TSP minced garlic

-2 TSP sesame oil

Cook the ramen according to the directions on the package (Do not drain!!). Add in all the other ingredients. Enjoy!

(Oh, and Pampered Chef plug: I use THIS to make ramen in. Four minutes in the microwave and viola! Done to perfection.)

She's Gross!

Me: Vivian, where did you get that gum?

Vivian: From the floor. It just had a couple of fuzzies on it, so I picked them off and chewed it. It's fine.

Me: EWWWWWWWW! That's gross.

Vivian: Ha Ha Ha. (giggling) I KNOW!!!

Are you guilty?

You are not alone. There's help out there.

The accidental field trip

I was a good mom on Tuesday, and spent the day chaperoning a field trip to DC for Trystan's class. Can you guess where?



Can you guess what this is a picture of? I'll give you a hint: See all those knives? I bet one of them was used to debone a chicken on air. We saw lots of things, but this was my favorite. The boys indulged me and let me take a few pictures, but I couldn't really get a good look at much.

See that? Yeah, that's what happened on the way home. Our bus driver rear-ended this truck. The bus was moving 5 miles per hour, and did't even get a scratch. Needless to say, it caused quite a stir. Here's the friendly policeman who boarded a bus full of antsy fifth graders to make sure everyone was ok. I think I made him blush when I asked if I could take his picture for my blog. How many Police Officers, Firemen, and EMT's does it take? Really?As you can see, they were all terribly busy and didn't have a moment's rest. Whew, I am glad they were there.Potty break, fresh air, and simon says!Are we home yet? They were so happy to be on their way.
Want to hear something funny? Not funny ha ha. The school set up a new automatic notification system. The notification didn't go out to all the parents until 4:30 that their children wouldn't be at school for dismissal because of a minor traffic accident. Seriously? Duh! School let out at 3:45.

I can make lumpia! (Tuesday's recipe a day early)

This is one of my favorite foods. I don't get it often, because I don't know how to make it. So, when I discovered Naika's recipe blog last week, I was thrilled to try it. Most of you know Naika and know how sweet and generous she is. I believe this is her signature dish. For my birthday last year, she made some for me. That was such a thoughtful and delicious present. Ever since then, I have wanted to learn to make it. Now I know!

Rolling it up was easier than I thoughtI didn't realize that I wasn't supposed to cook the meat before I cooked it. Oh, well, it still tasted delicious. I'll do it the right way next time. Looks pretty good for a novice, huh?

This is an awesome recipe that you all should try. Follow the link above to her recipe.

What happens to old mattresses

How often do kids get the chance to slide down the stairs on a mattress?


mattress slides=unprecedented cooperation and kindness

Bad touch! Stranger danger!

Today's post is brought to you by guest blogger, Brenda.

Have you seen this yet? This is a real commercial. For a kid's meal.





I thought the one where the woman wakes up to find Creepy King in her bed was scary, but this one will give me nightmares.

Does anyone else feel like they just ate an E.coli infected Whopper?

Now What!?!?!?

Am I the only one out there who thinks this? Now that Brandi's blog is extinct, where am I to go to get my daily dose of reality? Any suggestions?

She triumphed for only a moment...

... and then they killed her, but made it look like suicide.
Her spirit will live on. We will always remember you, little girl who drew beautiful pictures.

Sea Angels!

I like to give my creations funny names if I can. This recipe is for angel hair pasta with seafood. It was a hit. Mimi picked out all of the seafood and gave it to Vivian. It doesn't have a very seafoody flavor, so if you have someone who doesn't like seafood, they should be able to pick it out and still enjoy the meal.

*This cooks fast, so don't start cooking until you are ready to eat. Be careful not to overcook this meal, because the seafood will turn to rubber and the pasta will turn to mush.

1 pound angel hair pasta
4 Tbs butter
1 pound scallops (bay scallops work best because they are small and cook fast)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup ham, cut into bite sized pieces (we used leftover Easter ham)
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese
parsley

1. Put enough water to boil entire box of pasta. When water is almost boiling, proceed to next step.
2. In large skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic, seafood, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to medium high, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Break noodles in half, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, reserve water.
4. When seafood is done, remove it to a separate bowl. It will continue cooking, so be sure not to overcook it in the pan. Brown ham in skillet for 2 minutes.
5. After ham is browned, add pasta and ricotta cheese, combine well. Add pasta water, one ladle at a time, until throughly combined (if you don't add enough water, the pasta will be dry). Add seafood, mix gently.
6. Turn out onto serving plate. Top with parmesan cheese and parsley.

• You could add lump crabmeat in step 5, if you like. Just make sure not to mix too vigorously or the crabmeat will break up.

Once again, there's no picture. I just realized that I should take a picture before we eat it. I usually test the recipe on my family before I decide if it will be posted. However, by the time I have decided, the food is gone so I can't take a picture of the meal. Why haven't I figured this out before?

Once upon a time...

There was a little girl who loved to draw. She was a sweet little girl who was quiet as a mouse on the surface, but when she drew, she was like a lion. One day, she decided to share her talent with the world. She shared these beautiful drawings with her friends. They in turn shared it with their friends and their friends shared it with their friends and so on. Eventually, people from all over were able to enjoy her beautiful artwork. Her drawings inspired and moved people. She could make you laugh or cry with her beautiful talent for drawing.

Some people didn't like these drawings. They thought there was something wrong with the pictures the little girl drew. They thought her pictures were too moving and too full of emotion. So, instead of looking at other artwork, they decided to make sure she couldn't draw her pictures the way she wanted to.

She is still drawing. Her pictures are different now. They have lost some of their feeling. However, her pictures are still beautiful. If you see one, it will still make you happy. But if you were lucky enough to have been able to enjoy them before, that's exactly what you were, lucky.

Happy Birthday to Mimi!

She came into this world with her name in lights!

I don't know what I love most about this picture, the fact that all three are touching and they aren't fighting, or Trystan's delicious lips.

She was a pretty chubby kid. This was the first birthday. She reached the cake while we were singing to her. Why did I choose chocolate frosting?

She's one tough girl. I think this was when she turned six. We went to my mom's house and helped her get some work done in her yard. Look at her work!
Mimi and her third sister, Isabel. Those two girls are like two peas in a pod.

Seriously? Could she get any more beautiful? Yes, it's possible. Superstar? Totally. See, I knew there was a reason why she started this life with her name in lights. She is one of the lights of my life. I love my sweet Mimi.

OH! The drama

So, I have decided that I love Brandi's blog more than my own. I swear, I check it like 10 times a day to see when she's updated it, and what her comments are. I tell everyone I know about it.

Does that make me a groupie? Am I the only one who feels this way?

If you haven't ever read her blog, you have to start now. She has a really great discussion going about sex right now.

Banana yummy deliciousness

First off, let me tell you that I'm not really a fan of bananas. I know that might be hard to believe because I have made banana cake twice in 9 days, and because I have another banana recipe this week. These are really the only things banana that I eat. That said, let me tell you a little story before I get to the recipe.

Is there one food that you always have at every family gathering, no matter what the occasion? Thanksgiving, Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July- there is always the same dish that has no 'season'? In my family growing up, it was deviled eggs and potato salad. In my current family we don't have one because we usually spend those holidays with the Brown-Baughan family in West Virginia. But in that (adopted) family, the dish is 'Marianne's banana pudding'.

I brought it over for some family event we were invited to when we first moved to WV, and it was a huge hit. So, I made it for the next event. Then, the next time I was invited, they requested it! Pretty much after that I wasn't allowed to come over unless I made this stuff. I've tried to teach other family members to make it, but they won't. So now, I've bestowed my knowledge upon my sweet Mimi. She made this on Sunday, and it was yummy delicious!

1 big box of vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
Small tub cool whip
2 bananas, sliced
Box of vanilla wafers

1. Mix pudding and milk until smooth. Add half of the sour cream and cool whip. Mix well. Add bananas, mix gently. Mix remaining sour cream and cool whip. Set aside.
2. In 9" square glass baking dish, place one layer of wafers. Spread pudding mixture, then layer wafers. Top with cool whip mixture. Garnish with additional vanilla wafers and bananas, if desired. Refrigerate at least three hours. (I usually make it the night before)

**if you want to double this recipe, use 5 cups milk and 1 1/2 cups sour cream

The fun never ends

Today I was noticing the blogs that I follow are all food related blogs. No big surprise, right? They all serve their purpose in my little world and I am going to explain them to you.

1. Cake Wrecks - This is totally hilarious!! Not only does she get great pictures of 'professional' cakes, she has such a great sense of humor. Most of you have eaten a cake that I have made. I hope that I haven't made a cake that is worthy of this blog. No, I take that back. I did make one for Trystan's birthday one year that was a totally BUSTED looking Army guy. It was bad, people. Very bad!
2. HowChow - This is a great blog because all the restaurant reviews are close to me. Mel and I have eaten at several restaurants he has reviewed and he presents a really accurate picture of the food, atmosphere, etc. If you live around here and want to check out some good places to eat, look no further!
3. Closet Cooking - This guy has way too much time on his hands, but I wish I were his friend so I could go to his house and eat his food. He cooks awesome recipes, and has great pictures that make me want to make the food right away. I haven't actually made anything yet, but it's coming. I'll tell you all a secret: I want to make this, but I have to get past the rough spot I am having with the youngest child, or I might drink the beer instead of cooking with it.

That's all. If you only want to click on one of the links, click on Cake Wrecks, and read today's entry. It'll have you laughing out loud.

Interview!!!

I finally went to the new gym that is being built close to my house today. I am going to do it. I'm applying for a job. Remember the personal trainer thing? Yeah, I haven't forgotten about that. I am meeting with the personal training manager. Hopefully he'll like me, and I will have a job once the gym opens. Wish me luck!!

It doesn't all really go together

That's ok, because we didn't eat it all together.



Curried potato salad

• 2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered


• 1 small carrot


• 2 celery stalks


• 6 green onions


• salt and pepper to taste


• 2/3 cup sour cream


• 1/3 cup mayonnaise


• 1/2 tsp curry powder


• optional: golden raisins***

1. Cook potatoes until just done. They should be cooked but firm. The skins should not be falling off of the potatoes and they should not be smushy.


2. Finely chop carrot, celery, and green onions. (click the link. buy the food chopper from Shelly)


3. Put all ingredients minus the potatoes in a large bowl and mix well. *You can use all mayo or all sour cream, or reduced fat, or fat free stuff if you want. I don't think it would take away from the taste much. I just prefer sour cream, and I put mayo in it because it's potato salad, and what's potato salad without mayo?


4. Gently mix potatoes into mayo mixture.

***I didn't use raisins when I made this the other day, but if I had golden raisins at my house, I would have used them. If you want to use them, I suggest only starting with 1/4 cup. I just thought that the sweetness would go well with the curry powder. Don't use regular raisins though, that might look gross and no one will want to eat it.

How to cook the best Salmon in the world:

1. Marinate it. You can use whatever makes you feel good. Just make sure you add some kind of sugar. The sugar caramelizes when you grill it, and it gets a delicious crust around the edges.


2. Grill it. I don't ever cook fish inside my house unless it's fish sticks. I can't stand the way it makes my house smell fishy for days.


3. Make sure the skin is on. There is a ton of good oil in the skin. Remember #1 when I said you get a good crust around the edges? The skin does two things for that crust. It adds oil to the heat so the edges get 'fried'. But most importantly, the skin keeps the yummy crusty stuff from falling off. I don't remember which side I cook first. You will have to experiment on that part.


4. This last tip might be hard for some of you. But trust me!!! I would not lead you astray. You should cook the fish to the point that makes you think to yourself, "I just need to cook it a couple more minutes, then it'll be done." Take it off then!!!!! The reason why, is because it continues to cook even after you have taken it off the heat. If you leave it on the grill until it's done, by the time it gets to the table, it's overcooked. If you do it enough, you will be able to gently poke the fish and know when it's done because of how much it 'gives'. I do this for chicken, burgers, fish, you name it. Just think of it this way, if it's not cooked enough, you can always put it back on the fire.

marinades I like

• korean bbq sauce


• raspberry vinagrette


• honey, garlic, soy sauce


• honey, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper


• get the idea?

The yummy banana cake with cream cheese frosting and nuts. I just smooshed chopped walnuts around the edges. It tasted better the next day, and the day after, and the day after, and the day after. Now it's gone!

hold your horses, it's coming

I just have a busy day today, that's all.

• I'm posting a good original recipe. If you went to Ariella's house yesterday, you've already tasted it.
• I am also going to post my tips for a perfect grilled salmon for Brandi.
• Lastly, I will post the recipe to a yummy banana cake recipe I made this weekend.

It's coming. Don't worry.

I am my own twin

Ok, not really, but it sounds better than, "I am my own realtor."

We have been on the hunt for a place to move for about a month now, but it has really been in the back of our minds for the past three years. Why? Schools.

I've been homeschooling the oldest for the past three years, and though it may sound thrilling, it's not. Needless to say, I am not up to the challenge of homeschooling my two oldest. Not while there is a three year old running around. I guess I could homeschool her too. While I'm at it with the three, why not keep the eight year old home?

Because I'm not made like that!!

And I am ok with that knowledge. Sometimes I feel guilty because I could do it. I am smart enough. I am their mother, after all. Other people do it all the time. With more kids!!!

Is there something wrong with them? Or is it just me?

I guess it's good that I know my boundaries. I know how far I can go. Sometimes, I think that it wouldn't be that bad. Sometimes, I think it might even be fun. Sometimes I bleach my hair too. That doesn't mean I should do it.

So, I'm not. I'm moving so I can send my kids to good schools. I can send them to safe schools. I might even send them to the school that was my high school's rival. How cool is that?

It's not green. I'm not Irish.

I'm not Italian either, but that's beside the point.

This week's recipe isn't all my own. On Sunday, I made a pretty fabulous meal for my family. We had homemade meatballs with homemade sauce, linguini, and fresh steamed green beans. Oh, did I mention the homemade italian bread? Out of all of those things, the only one that was my original creation was the meatballs.

I am going to list everything in the order I made it. The theory is that if you make it the way I did, you will have a delicious meal for six and it will all be ready at the same time. If I tell you how long this meal took to prepare, will it deter you from making it? The bread dough can be made up to six hours ahead of time and left to rise in the refrigerator. Remember, people!! This is therapy for me.

Make the bread first. I found a terrific Italian bread recipe on recipezaar.com . I think I only used about 4 1/2 cups flour. I made 9 individual-sized loaves, so they took slightly less time to bake.

Next, make the sauce. I found a website that makes me want to make more Italian food than just spaghetti and meatballs. You might have to navigate yourself to the recipe, but it's easy to find. Left side of page, click recipes. Scroll down to sauces. The first recipe is 5-minute sauce. I used whole canned tomatoes and pulverized them in the blender. My kids don't like chunks in their sauce. I also substituted 1 tbs. dried basil for the 3 tbs. fresh. Also, I cooked this on low for at least an hour, so it was thicker than it would have been if I had only cooked it for five minutes.

Now, go shape the bread into loaves and let rise in a warm place.

Next, it's time for the meatballs.

• 1-2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used 93/7)



• 1 palmful oatmeal



• 10 ritz crackers



• 1 egg



• salt



• pepper



• 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (you know, the stuff that you are cooking on your stove now)



• 1 heaping tbs. good italian seasoning (I have this stuff I bought at the MOM in Jessup. It smells like Italy in a bottle.)

1. Heat 3 tbs oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan on medium/high heat.



2. Shape mixture into balls. I don't measure this. Just grab some meat. Shape it into a ball. It should look big enough to take about two to three bites out of it. Make sure to pack it together, otherwise it may fall apart.



3. As you make the meatballs, put them in the pan. Start turning them after you put the last one in the pan.



4. Keep turning them until they are completely cooked.
   


5. Set aside

Put bread loaves in oven and finish baking them according to what the recipe tells you to do.

Start a huge pot of water to boil for pasta. Put meatballs into sauce. Remember, they are already cooked. You are just warming them at this point.

Now you'll start your green beans. When I say start, I mean take them out of the fridge and start cleaning them. You should have them all ready to steam by the time the pasta is ready to be put into the pot.

Cook 1 pound of pasta. I used linguini because I had that on hand. Use whatever noodle you want. Brush egg wash on bread for last 5 minutes of cook time. (you forgot, didn't you?)

Drain pasta when done. Put it on a large serving dish. Pour meatballs and sauce over noodles. Toss lightly. The bread should be done. The veggies are done. Put it all on the table and eat.

Buon apetito!

the stinky dog

the stinky dog has dandruff

and it's really bad

he looks like he's been sprinkled

with snow or salt or powder

what does he need

bath?

oils?

medicine?

help!

i can't stand the smell

and it's making me

crazy!

I hate my camera

That's why I haven't posted any pictures lately. It's mostly battery problems. You know, the camera sucks the life out of all my batteries in one day.

Do you have any suggestions? I really want to take pictures and post them and brag about my fabulous life. Only right now, it's not so fabulous because of the stupid camera.

Marianne's recipe of the week

A couple of weeks ago when Mel and I were discussing our weekly menu, he did something that he usually never does. He suggested that I prepared a meal differently than I usually make it.

You see, Fettuccini Alfredo is one of our family's favorite dishes. I usually don't have heavy whipping cream on hand, so when I make it, I just make a garlicky-parmesaney white sauce and call it good. I usually don't eat it because it's not really that great. It's not disgusting or anything like that, but the texture is all wrong. My kids love it, and I thought Mel liked it too. Until he suggested I make it the way I used to.

The next day, I bought heavy whipping crem and this is what we had for dinner that night:

Fettucini Alfredo
1 lb. fettucini noodles
1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tbs. butter
1 handful parmesan cheese (sorry to all of you who need precise measurements)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook until noodles are 'al dente'. (This just means don't cook them until they are mushy.) Drain noodles and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil or butter. Set aside.
2. In the same pot you just used for the noodles, melt butter. Add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, salt, and pepper. Cook this on medium heat until it is thickened a little bit (about 5-7 minutes).
3. Add noodles back into pot with cream and butter. Toss until combined and heated through. Reduce heat, add parmesan cheese. If it seems too dry, add more cream. Serve immediately.

Consequently, my kids hated it this way. Mel and I gobbled it up the way the kids gobble up the other stuff. They used to feel that way about my baked macaroni and cheese versus Kraft. Notice I said used to.

I'm back!

I had lots of fun in Florida last week. The only thing I would have changed was the weather. It was chilly and cloudy and windy. Except for the last two days. Friday and Saturday were delightfully sunny and warm. I laid out and read three books during those two days and got lots of outside warm and sunny time. (I used SPF 50 sunscreen)

I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios and got some cute pictures of myself with Buzz Lightyear and Woody. I also have a picture of me kissing Sulley's cheek. I took them with my cell phone, so I don't know how to post them. If you have any clue, please let me know.

I am going to start the recipes tomorrow. I plan to do it every Tuesday. There will be some dessert recipes thrown in there, probably once per month. If I can't come up with my own recipe, I'll use one of our family favorites. Also, I'm open to your suggestions. If you would like to see a recipe for a particular ingredient, let me know.Also, if you tweak my recipe and it tastes better than the one I posted, tell me. It won't hurt my feelings. See ya!

Extra magic hours rock!!

Last night, Mel and I had the 'coolest' time at Disney's Magic Kingdom. First off, it was the first time I've ever been cold in Florida. Usually, we come here in the heat of the summer. Secondly, since we are staying here, we are able to stay late at different parks on different nights.

We basically got to ride all if the rides and see all the shows in a couple of hours. As you can imagine, there weren't any lines. That's why it usually takes so long to see everything. We will be hitting Hollywood studios tonight, Animal kingdom (for a roller coaster) on Wednesday, and Epcot Friday night.

Today, while Mel is in class, I'm going to Target to get some long sleeved shirts and maybe another jacket. I brought a light jacket, but it's too chilly here for that. Thank goodness it's not snowing.

Shout out to my greatest friend Suzan for having my kids this week. Snow days and all. You are super!! I know we don't keep tabs, but I owe you big, I know!

iTunes ate my songs

:(

I don't know how to get them back. I bought them on my iPod, and when I went to upload them to my iTunes on my computer, they disappeared. I don't know what happened to them. Two whole albums uploaded just fine. But I only have one song from the other album, and a single song I bought isn't there. I just got off of the phone with someone, but I don't know if he really understood me. I guess I'll call back tomorrow. During the day. I usually get people from Idaho when I call during the day. They understand me.

The funny thing? They were songs by Guns 'n Roses and Stevie Wonder. At least my Tito Rojas and Michael Buble' didn't get deleted.

You people disappoint me

I really wanted to do the 'restaurant of the week'. I love eating out.

Now, I have to create recipes. Thankfully, I have some already written down. I actually created one tonight and that's what we had for dinner.

I'm just going to warn you guys: I don't cook 'healthy'. I use butter and cream, and other rich foods when I cook. The food tastes better, and it fills you up. However, I believe in moderation. What that means to me is this: Eat anything you want, just don't eat too much of it. So, if I make a recipe for chicken pot pie that uses heavy cream, you can probably substitute skim milk if you want to. OR you can cook it the way I make it in the recipe. Just don't make it three times in one week and eat it all by yourself.

I also try not to use foods from a can. Some things are much easier to use if it comes from a can, such as tomatoes. Other things, like cream of (chicken, mushroom) soup, you will not find here. I can make my own creamy base, and if you don't, I'll walk you through it. Don't worry.

Mel did bring up a good point. I do have a disclaimer on my title that says that 'everything's my way'. So, don't be surprised if you see a restaurant or someone else's recipe on this blog. I'm not perfect.

Arachnaphobia

Last night, after the two younger kids went to bed, we let the older ones stay up and watch 'Arachnaphobia'.

They wanted a scary movie, and didn't want to watch that one because they thought it would be lame. This is the trouble watching movies older kids. Everything is lame. I'm not saying Arachnaphobia isn't lame, I'm just saying that they didn't think so. They loved it!

It's funny that I remember screaming like the silly 15 year old girl I was, the first time I watched that movie. Even though I knew when all of the jump-out-at-you parts were, I still screamed like a silly 15 year old girl. It was great!

What movie is like that for you?

I'm one tough chick

• I didn't even cry when I fell on the ice Monday. It looked like I was sliding on a 'slip n slide'. I was going pretty fast. I fell hard on my right side and bruised my ribs.
• I buy cheap heels and wear them all day, causing pain and sometimes even blisters. All in the name of fashion.
• I usually don't cry during movies. Unless they are the 'Hallmark Hall of Fame' movies that come on tv. Then I cry at the commercials too.
• I don't get grossed out if one of my kids gets hurt and is bloody or bruised. Unless Mel is around. Then I'm a big wimp.
• I'd rather have people tell it to me like it is. Kinda like Simon on American Idol. If I do a crappy job at something, tell me. Don't sugar coat it. I can handle it. Usually.

Laughing at Viv

As she screams at me, "I'm not a lady, I'm Vivian!! I'm not even a young lady. I'm just Vivian!!"

No dear, I guess you aren't. My mistake.

10 things

1. I gradually change clothes over the course of the day. I'll start off wearing a cute outfit with jewlery, and piece by piece, I end up taking off the jewlery and changing into my loungy clothes and bathrobe.
2. I watch iCarly on Disney channel with Mimi. And I like it.
3. Mel and I let Vivian cook at the stove. It makes me nervous, but she's always supervised and is very careful. How else will she learn?
4. Because we did #3 with the other kids, they are all capable of cooking dinner (Patricia), lunch (Mimi), and breakfast (Trystan).
5. I believe it's a lazy parent that doesn't teach her children to be self sufficient. (for example: putting on their own shoes, dressing themselves, helping with household chores, preparing meals)
6. Sometimes it's easier to just do it yourself rather than take the time to teach them.
7. I wonder what kind of children I have that don't like PEZ. Where have I gone wrong?
8. I get mad at my kids for eating up all of the good snacks. Just like my mother did when my brothers and I ate all of the good snacks.
9. Patricia chastized me the other day for not making creative meals. She loves my creations! I've been making 'regular' dinner lately. I think the hummus and pita bread from Thursday made amends.
10. I am totally and completely in love with Vivian. She has such a cute and fun personality. She also makes me completely crazy. Half of the time I want to stuff her in the freezer. But I don't. Not yet, anyway.

You've come a long way, baby!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

That's what I said when I pulled this picture out of my closet this weekend. WOW!! I don't know if I should be mad or proud. Mad because people let me leave the house with those jeans on. Proud because I know better now.

I guess I just wanted to post that picture to let all of you people who have only known me like this:That I didn't always look so fabulous. The 30's aren't so bad after all.

26 days and counting

The great thing about having a husband that travels is that sometimes I get to go with him. I know that most of you girls that read my blog have husbands who travel and you don't get to go along for whatever reason, but if you get the chance to dump your kids and do it, you should. I am dumping mine with one of the best friends I've ever had, Suzan.

Last year, I got to go to Hawaii with Mel. He went for work, and I got to spend the week shopping, sunbathing, and eating at some really good restaurants.

This year, he's going to a conference in Orlando. We are leaving a few days early, like before, so we can hang out and do fun stuff before 'work' during the week.

I've never been to Orlando without kids, so I'm not sure what I should do. We are staying at Shades of Green to check out the place for a future family vacation. (It's research, not fun. Really!)

So, come on, tell me what I can do to keep myself entertained while Mel's at 'work'.