Super Bowl Munchies

My husband says it's not Super Bowl Sunday without this delicious dip. You will never eat bean dip from a can again...that is... if you ever did.

Touchdown Taco Dip
1 (16oz.) can refried beans
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (1.25oz.) package taco seasoning mix
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 C. green onion, chopped
1/4 C. black olives, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, minced (don't substitute with dried!)
1/2 C. cheddar cheese shredded

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread beans into a 9 inch pie plate. In a med. bowl, combine cream cheese, seasoning mix and garlic; spread over beans.Top with tomato, onions, olives and cilantro; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream if desired. Serve with taco chips.

Since you can't buy a small bunch of fresh cilantro, you might as well make this chilled dip to go along with the other. This one is my favorite!

Cool Gazpacho Spread

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 C. sour cream
2 oz. (1/2 C.) cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, minced (don't substitute with dried!)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/3 C. cucumber, chopped

Combine cream cheese and sour cream; mix well. Stir in cheddar cheese, cilantro and garlic. Spread into a pie plate. Cover and chill atleast 2-3 hours to allow flavors to blend. Top with tomato, onion and cucumber just before serving.

I like to serve this dish with either baked pita chips or spread it onto warmed flat bread cut into small triangles. If you buy baked pita chips, I recommend the plain ones as opposed to flavored. You don't want anything interfering with the flavors of this yummy treat!

A rant

So I posted about how I wanted to make my girls a few winter skirts and then I rushed out the door to go do it. I also had some plans to make some lightweight flannel pajama bottoms to cover the telephone poles The Professor has sprouted where his legs use to be. When I got there, the material I was looking for was mostly in the sale bin since they seem to think winter is over in Texas, but even at sale prices, 2 - 2.5 yards of fabric still costs $15. Not to mention the cost of a pattern, if you need one and notions and... oh yeah...and I still have to wash, cut and sew everything together all because I couldn't find any drawstring jammies in a size 14. When did they stop making drawstring jammies for boys? And why?????

If I find a size long enough to fit him in length, they are so big that they are falling off his skinny waist. ARGH!!! What happened to the drawstring option? I don't think they are attractive enough for Sunday dress but pajamas aren't seen by anyone outside of the family. Was it because of safety issues? Were too many children waking up to find their pants wrapped around their necks? Was it the whim of the fashion designers? Seriously, pajama bottoms have to be designed? I am tired of someone telling me that the style I want isn't "in" enough to justify giving it space on the rack if it's even still made anywhere in the free world. I am tired of living at the mercy of the clothing industry. (More ranting on that at a later date.) I know it wasn't that long ago that drawstrings existed... he has a pair I bought him only 2 short years ago and they have drawstrings. So where'd they go? This inquiring mind wants to know!

Mansfield Park on PBS

If by chance you missed it last night, never fear...I'll send you my copy. All I could think of by the end of the movie was...STOP THE RIDE!!! I WANT TO GET OFF!!!

A quick search informs me that I have never seen any other production done by director Ian MacDonald or director of photography Nick Dance and that is a good thing considering it took a while for the merry go round to stop in my brain after watching this one. At times the camera looked like it was being carried on the burly shoulder of someone who was clearly walking in high heels for the first time in his life!

I am sorry to be so harsh, but I was really looking forward to enjoying this movie adapted from a novel that I knew nothing about. That doesn't happen very often for me. Usually it is the other way around and no matter how good the movie adaption is, it's always going to be inferior to the book even if only slightly. So imagine my disappointment when half way through this production I hit the pause button to switch the laundry, clean the sink and tidy up my desk. Sigh.

Before I ruffle any more Janeite feathers, let me just say that I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the novel to find out more about those intimate details that intrigued me and I thought Jemma Redgrave as Lady Bertram shined as the most captivating star in the cast. I was delighted every time the camera stumbled (and I do mean stumbled!) towards her.

I didn't like the character of Mrs. Norris (as I suspect I wasn't supposed to) and did wonder for a bit if the book would prove her to be more feline like her namesake. The actress played her as almost "breathy" in some scenes instead of like the tigress I suspect she is.

The other disappointment came in form of costume and hair choices. Billie Piper's (Fanny) hair was such a mess it covered her eyes and just about every other part of her face except her mouth which happened to be her least attractive feature. Everyone else seemed to have tamed tresses which made Fanny look like a ragamuffin or street urchin... except the men, who were the most mussed save Blake Ritson as Edmund who looked like he emptied the bottle of gel before the rest of the gentleman arrived at the make-up trailer. As far as the costumes go, they looked just like that... costumes. I don't think they were very period (although I admit I am no expert) and they really did look like costumes, not clothes to fit the characters.

I have told you before that I studied theater in college but I really don't think I have elitist standards when it comes to movies or plays. I love this quote which I have shared here before:

Theater is life.
Film is art.
Television is furniture.
~on a t-shirt that belonged to a college friend

And while some people might say that it expresses some sort of snobbery or condescension towards television, I say...hey, I love furniture! Furniture can be useful, pretty and entertaining. I'll take a soft, comfy couch in my living room over the sticky floor of an auditorium any day.

Lenten Ideas

Last year I did a few posts on our Lenten preparations but since this year Lent is upon us earlier than it has been since 1913, I don't really have time to blog about our preparations and actually do them. So I am going to link to all of my older posts and leave them here for you. If I get a chance before Ash Wednesday, I will update what is different for this year (not too much) and any ideas that I find elsewhere.

Making Preparations
Part 2
Part 3
Final
Mid-Lent Review (because I like to "keep it real" and let you know how my plans have fared for better or worse)

Right now, I am off to find my keys and get to the fabric store to make some simple winter skirts for the girls because (oh my goodness!) it actually feels like winter here but to look at the store racks you would think it was 90 degrees outside! I know it might be 90 degrees tomorrow, but then it will just get cold again and my sweet little missies are tired of sweats! I love that about them. They do have some winter dresses, but have expressed a preference for skirts and tops that they can mix and match. Quite the little fashion mavens aren't they! They are growing up so fast! :( I am hoping I can talk them into a sweet little pettiblouse and jumper for Easter!

Now that is freaky!

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

I honestly couldn't choose between either of these. Both images appealed to me equally:

You Should Be a Politician

Confident, assertive, and dedicated - you know what you want in life and how to get it. Stubborn and opinionated, you can stand your ground... even if it's unpopular. And while you have strong views, you never overwhelm people with your opinions. A true charmer, you subtly influence people into seeing things your way. You do best when you: - Work according to your own rules - Can change the world with what you do You would also be a good lawyer or talk show host.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

You Should Be a Mechanic

You are logical, calm, and detail oriented. You're rational when things are chaotic, and for you, reason always prevails. And while you are guided by logic, you aren't a slave to it. You're flexible when it counts. You are always open to being wrong. You do best when you: - Work with your hands - Can use tools, machines, or equipment You would also be a good architect or carpenter.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

I was born in Austin and spent my early childhood there. I was also pre-law in college and had thoughts of going to law school, that is until I met my sweetie and found my true vocation. I definitely enjoy working with my hands so I think these quizzes were remarkably telling, all things considered.
H/T : Dawn

Shark Boy

OR...

...how to get your fussy 3 year old to eat all of the salmon loaf (aka... fishy bites) that you made for dinner!

Book Meme

Thanks Barb! Now I have to confess that I don't have a book on my desk or anywhere near me except on the bookshelves all the way across the room and it's really hard to tell which one is closest. But in the spirit of blogging fun, I'll see what I can do.

Here are the rules of the meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

I have a magazine that does have over 123 pages right in front of me, but I don't think "Elastic waistband. Imported. Machine wash and dry." really counts so I will go over to the bookshelf and randomly grab a book from the top shelf with my eyes closed... OK by you? I hope so. All right. Here we go. Closing my eyes. Walking across the room. OUCH! That was a lego. Maybe I should have crossed the room then closed my eyes. Reaching up high. Wow these are tall bookshelves. Picking a book and here we go....

Great. Why couldn't it have been something impressive or at least, inspirational? No, it is a book that once again forces me to make a confession. I actually have more than one of these "pop psych" books on my shelf, although now that my eyes are open, I see that they are all on the same shelf which means that if I really didn't want this secret out, I should have picked a different shelf. Sigh. Don't think less of me, that is... if you think of me at all. Uh-oh, was that too passive-aggressive? Ahhhhhh! Shutting up now before this hole gets any deeper.

With Passive-Aggressive vampires, it works better to tailor your strategy to fit their particular dynamics. Since many Histrionic behaviors are attempts to avoid confrontations, make Passive-Aggressives deal directly with the people they attack. Don't just tell them to do it, because they won't.
(Emotional Vampires: Dealing with People Who Drain You Dry; pg. 123; 5th sentence)

Seriously, this is a great book especially if you have difficult people in your life and you are looking for some helpful strategies in dealing with them. It also helps you find your own tendencies (who me?) which can be useful if you want to change some of those tendencies. The vampire analogy that Dr. Bernstein uses is lighthearted but does create a vivid mental image that fleshes out the problems that these "difficult people" bring to a relationship. It might be pop psychology but I have found lots of beneficial information and would recommend it to anyone who isn't going to take it too seriously.

Candlemas Post Update

Kira alerted me (thanks!) to the fact that in this Candlemas post, the link to Katherine's post on the saintly table decoration was no longer active so I went ahead and updated the post to include more specific information on how I made last year's Candlemas lantern. I thought I would post it here for anyone who might be interested.
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We borrowed Katherine's amazing idea and made this table centerpiece. I made a line drawing of Simeon's Moment and the turtledoves and then copied them onto a piece of transparent vellum. I also made a copy of each of the original pictures on the vellum and cut them down to fit in the mats.

I used black 5x7 mats and chose to make ours four-sided. My original hope was to do three line drawings colored by each of the children but The Professor really doesn't like to color and I didn't feel like forcing him so we devoted 2 sides to St. Simeon and 2 sides to the doves. The picture in the middle was taken when the shade was half done so you can see the inner workings. A three sided shape like Katherine's probably wouldn't shift as much as this one does but I like having a little more room between the candle and the paper.

Birthday Wrap-up & a Review

This year's theme for the newly turned ten year old's birthday was "Knights" so we started by turning one wall into a castle wall and added knights, flags and banners for decoration.
The cake was a hit with the kids, but a disappointment in my mind. Maybe my standards are too high, but I like a cake to be nicely decorated and taste good. I wanted to build a castle out of cake pieces and frosting, but a weekend full of out-of-state guests and family gatherings made me rethink those grand plans. The Professor was with me when I found this pan and was instantly entranced. Seeing this as an opportunity to save some time and add to my ever growing cake pan collection, I bought the pan, brought it home and greased it up.The children were impressed with the final results although the youngest was disturbed to see his little knights on top of this flaming treat that was about to be eaten, but he calmed down when the Daddy Fire Department rescued them.
As a (totally non-professional, just for fun) cake maker, I am not sure I can give this pan two thumbs up. In order to preserve the details of the pan, you have to use a pound cake recipe or some other kind of cake recipe that produces a very solid crust. An odd shaped pan means odd shaped slicing and a thick crust becomes a tough crust very easily. Maybe I just need to play around with this pan using different recipes. The lack of frosting was also a disappointment although ice cream helped the situation. All in all, if you are looking for a visually interesting cake and don't care that much about the texture or taste, then the Castle Cake Pan will do the trick.

Oh, and the last picture didn't turn out great, but it was supposed to show off the candles that The Professor picked. The flames were the same color as the candle. Very cool!

Double Digits

It went by so fast. I remember the tiny baby who only slept on our shoulders and could hold his head up the very night he was born (Papa has it on tape!). I remember the serious toddler you grew into who drew tiny circles all over every scrap of paper he found and who was the only 3 year old to check out Warbirds of World War II from the library and watch it start to finish. I remember the young boy who proved to me at the age of four that he was born knowing how to read and went on to read everything he could get his hands on including my old college astronomy textbook. And now, here is this young man before me so grown up and handsome. Your sense of humor delights us. The way your mind works sometimes baffles us. We truly love the things that thrill you.

Happy Birthday, Professor! We love you!

(Please tell me I am not the only mama who bawled like a baby the night before her oldest turned 10. I just can't believe it. BTW... our thoughts and prayers are with those marching for life as we celebrate life in a different way today!)

Jumping the Gun

So, Husband has been working his way through Peter Walsh's It's All Too Much but I haven't yet had a chance to dive in. We have also been tracking Rebecca's progress (yes, Rebecca, my husband has been checking out your sunroom!) . However, her last post on this topic had me all fired up to get going with my linen closet because these are the two doors in the house that I dread opening. Wanna see why?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Wait. Come back. It's not that scary. Well...not anymore!

Lookie, lookie, look! You wanna know what my favorite part is? That big blank space at the top. It's a thing of beauty! The two tubs at the bottom are our dress-up boxes and they are not looking very pretty here but all I ask from the kids is that their costumes are actually contained in the boxes. I don't expect them to be organized since my two girls keep them in constant use. It only took me about an hour to do from start to finish and was so worth it I just had to share. Do you think it's rude to leave my linen closet open when I have company coming over?

...we haven't had an earthquake lately.

Thanks so much to Dawn for reminding me what a special day it was because with everything coming up this weekend (visiting guests from out of state) I would have totally forgotten and then my kids would have remembered somewhere down the the road (probably The Professor...that kid has a mind like a steel trap darn it) that we forgot to do something and then I would have looked it up, realized it past and then spiraled into that part of my brain which right now is a dangerous neighborhood I shouldn't go into alone where I hate myself for being a scatter brained mommy who forgets everything...wah......wah....WAH! Um... where was I? Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? No, I'm not really that bad. But I would have felt sorry that we missed it so that's why I am saying "thank you" to Dawn.

What is "it" you ask? "It" is A. A. Milne's birthday!

Last year, we made a honey cake and read Prince Rabbit which is still a very clever story. It might be hard to find. We have it in a Junior Classics Collection of stories. Shortcake just reminded me about another A.A. Milne book we have... A Gallery of Children. Thank you sweetie! This year's celebration will include honey cookies and a special dinner of Tigger Tails!
I couldn't resist! Maybe I should have. It's kind of gross if you think about it. OK then. Choosing not to think about it. La la la la la la la!

Prayer Requests

Meredith reports that our favorite Aussie, Anne, is in labor. Please offer a prayer for her and her family.

And while you are praying, say an extra prayer for Emily on this sad day.
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UPDATE: Welcome Annuncia Mary! She weighed 10lb. 4oz. and was head over heels to meet her sweet family! Literally. Apparently this big girl has a future as a gymnast. Enjoy your babymoon Anne and give that precious one some hugs and kisses for us!

Not much has changed

Dawn, you're right. Not much has changed but it's still fun to compare notes.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE ? Yes, my aunt/godmother.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday, but give me a chance... today has only just begun!

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Nope

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Four for now!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I hope so.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Noooooo, never! ; )

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Is the bridge on fire?

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Fruity Pebbles as a kid.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, yes. Emotionally, not always.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Rocky Road or any kind like that packed with lots of nuts, crunchies or fluff, but not fruity or brightly colored.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? How they talk. Weird, I know, but I have this ear for people's voices.

15. RED OR PINK? Red mostly but I like super pale pinks.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? I am easily frustrated and prone to anxiety.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My grandfathers.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black pants with red and white running shoes.

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Turkey burger patty with zucchini lentil pilaf.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The smoke detector beeping a test pattern.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Huh? Um...brown probably. I'd like to be cornflower though.

22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Peppermint

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Her.

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Just football mostly, some baseball, but when the Olympics are on, I am a total junkie! I use to watch tennis, but not so much anymore.

25. HAIR COLOR? Brown

26. EYE COLOR? Brown

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope.

28. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican (that pretty much covers it.)

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings.

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? About A Boy (it has some language issues and serious subject matter)

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Hot pink...oh, maybe I should change #15.

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter! (If I can't choose Fall or Spring.)

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Both!

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Really good cake.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I'm not at the moment, but the one I plan to pick up next is Peter and the Shadow Thieves to preview it for the kiddos.

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't use one.

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Psyche and Veronica Mars (on DVD though, but they are television shows)

38. FAVORITE SOUNDS? a cello, my children laughing especially a big baby belly laugh that only my husband can coax out of them, the wind and rain.
39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Who? (No, not The Who.)

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? It looks like Greece.

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can make a pretty cake.

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? (sing it with me now) Clap clap clap...deep in the heart of Texas!

HT: Elizabeth and Meredith

Keeping it real!

Contents of my desk at the end of the day yesterday:

• everything that was on it at the start of the day, plus...
  
• magazines to store away for cut and paste collages (I like to keep an assortment of magazines on hand, but as of late, it had grown to ginormous (it's a word) proportions. This is what I have pared down to.)
• tissue paper left over from packing away Christmas decorations (I told you...we have been sick!)
• extra pictures to find a home for
• headphones and some MacGyver DVDs that I am previewing. I loved that show when I was younger and I think The Professor would really enjoy it but we like to preview for scenes of peril and other stuff.
• extra fabric from the Christmas box to get put into the scrap fabric box
• a neck massager
• a bug keeper sans any little critters because Shortcake always has her eyes peeled for ladybugs and with the weather as warm as it has been she just might find that wish granted

So there you have it. I don't consider myself a good organizer, maybe a good containerizer (that one I made up!). I can sort and containerize to make things look nice, but I fail miserably when it comes to creating a system to keep things looking nice and tidy. I try to be honest about my successes and my failures. Remember my dirty boudoir? Thanks for your kind words anyway!

My desk

Jennifer decided not to stop at nightstands and obliged Nina's request for a peek at her desk. So this weeks spontaneous carnival of functional furniture is all about desks. Men approach these things so different than us women. I looked at Jen's desk and said, "Ooooh. I like her clock. What a good idea to put one there!" Husband looked at it and said, "She's got a Mac."
So, here is my desk and, just so you know, we are Mac users too. The big black screen on the desk is powered by the laptop underneath. Everything else is pretty self explanatory. You thought I was kidding about the John Deere Page-a-Day, didn't you? My household notebook (a work in progress) sits on the corner. Behind it, on the wall is Sunshine's magnetic calendar with a saint magnet for every day thanks to Jessica's lovely idea. We use to have the same kind of calendar that Jesica's family uses, but we moved to a larger one that I painted a pretty color. Now the girls have plenty of room to put the saint of the day, any other special magnets and for mom to make notes. The two drawers underneath hold all of the calendar accessories and look nice too. Some prayer books are buffeted by the utensil cup with the paperless paper holder next to it. What can I say...it's new and pretty and I want to leave it that way for a while.
That's about all. While I was sitting here, I had an epiphany (courtesy of BigBoy). My clip board is calling to me and I really should listen. :)

Spontaneous Carnival Craziness

So Jennifer started this little carnival of nightstands and I thought I would jump in except for the fact that I don't have a nightstand. When we purchased our bed, I loved it so much that I couldn't imagine muddying the image of it in my mind with nightstands (not to mention the fact that we decided to spend the extra money on a much needed dresser). So I found these decorative shelf brackets at Target along with the shelves which I painted matte black and put one on either side of our beautiful bed and viola... we have nightstands.
Floating nightstands. The only problem with floating nightstands is that they don't hold all of the things I like to keep by my bedside so these two baskets were called in to assist. (I totally tidied them up before taking this picture. Just keepin' it real!) On the shelf is my cell phone which doubles as a back-up alarm, a touch lamp with a soft amber shade, the Magnificat from January 2007 because of the lovely Litany of Consolation written by Fr. John Peter Cameron, OP and a weather radio because we live in Texas and I like to know what natural disasters are headed my way when I can.

In the smaller basket are some crochet supplies for when the urge strikes but the larger basket will take a bit more unpacking:

• Danielle Bean's Mom to Mom, Day to Day
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
• Alice Von Hildebrand's The Privilege of Being a Woman (a Christmas gift from a sweet SIL)
• I'm Just Here For More Food by Alton Brown (A Christmas gift from my sweet husband)
• a blank notebook (just in case)
• last year's calendar whose information I haven't yet transferred over to this year's which is a big clue as to how sick we have been since New Year's Eve!

And that, my friends, is more information about my nightstand (sans stand) than you ever wanted to know. I am off to go figure out how to record Persuasion tonight. This cast will be hard to measure up against in my book. Good evening to you all!

A Great Day for a (Blog)Birthday

In this past year of blogging, I have been blessed by making the acquaintance of so many amazing women. Today my blog is one year old. Share a piece of cake with me. Maybe take a stroll down my memory lane if you are so inclined or just that bored. What I have written here doesn't matter to me as much as the memories I have made and recorded and the friendships I have enjoyed (one such friend celebrates her real birthday today!). Thanks sweet friends for being here! Y'all are the best gift ever!

Wiseguy

Today, after some grumbling from my kids accompanied by the ever present chorus of sniffling and hacking, we headed back to the school table runny-nosed and watery-eyed and rearing to go...back to bed that is. (There was no whip in my hand, but I thought we should at least make an attempt.) The Professor was particularly grumbly and grouchy so I told him, "Look, I know you don't feel great. I don't feel great either. My head feels like its packed with cotton and my ears have been ringing for days."

His response... Maybe you should get an unlisted number.

For Theresa

Over at the 4Real Forum, Theresa asked to see our menu plans. Well, mine is a work in progress, but here is what I have so far. It is a good, basic, two week dinner rotation plan (like Elizabeth suggested) that gets us by when we have a hectic month when I want to focus more on outside projects. Please understand when you read this, that my kids are very simple eaters. They like food cooked simply. Some people might consider them picky eaters (I do sometimes!) but I am trying to focus on the positive and the way my kids prefer to eat is actually very healthy. They will eat salad with no dressing, prefer most of their vegetable in raw form or lightly steamed and can't stand cream sauces or gravy on any of their food. The younger two will eat their pasta with a little marinara sauce but the older two like just a little bit of garlic butter and Parmesan cheese.

You won't see a lot of fruit on this menu because my kids eat fruit for breakfast, lunch and snack. Also, I don't schedule fruit. We have fresh fruit around all the time. Most of my kids won't eat fruit from a can although the girls do love applesauce. You also won't see any red meat. We cut that out of our diet back when Husband had some cholesterol issues. We don't serve dessert on a regular basis but have been known to make fruit and yogurt smoothies or fruit and yogurt parfaits as a dinner substitute for the grown-ups (it's good for Husband's IBS). I also don't plan things like muffins and quick breads. They just happen and can be served as a side dish whenever.

I would like to come up with a similar menu for lunch or maybe just a list of ideas to turn to when we get into that sandwich/chip/fruit rut.

Menu Rotation ~ Week One
Monday:
Garlic Chicken
Steamed Green Beans and Corn
Bread and Butter

Tuesday:
Rachel Ray's Harvest Turkey Burgers
Fries (cottage or frozen)
Zucchini and Lentil Pilaf ~I use brown rice and minced onion if I don't have fresh onions. The sesame oil can be substituted with olive oil and I like garlic salt instead of regular salt.

Wednesday:
Chicken Pizza (use leftover Garlic Chicken)
Salad or crunchy veggies

Thursday:
Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
Steamed Broccoli/Cauliflower
Sweet Potato Puff

Friday:
Pasta w/ Garlic Bread or
Leftover Veggie Plate with Baked Potatoes
Salad

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Try something new


Menu Rotation ~ Week Two
Monday:
Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos
Salad
Beans and Rice

Tuesday:
Turkey Chili with beans (Frito Pies)
Crunchy Veggies

Wednesday:
Stir Fry Chicken (or Jicama Chicken)
Brown Rice

Thursday:
Pork Chops (Braised or Baked)
Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes or
Sweet Potato Puff

Friday:
Salmon Patties
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Fruit

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday:
Pot Roast (Lamb or Pork) or Turkey Breast
Carrots and Potatoes
Sauteed Mushrooms

Friday Fun*

*subtitled: Sick in Bed with Nothing Else To Do Besides Blow My Nose:(

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are very passionate and quite temperamental. While you can be moody, you always crave comfort. You are a very grounded, responsible, and realistic person. People may not want to hear the truth from you, but they're going to get it. You believe that people see you for how you are, not how you look. But deep down, you know that's not exactly true. Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it. For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

Your results:
You are Deanna Troi

Deanna Troi 80% Chekov 75% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 70% Uhura 60% Beverly Crusher 55% Spock 47% James T. Kirk (Captain) 45% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 45% Worf 40% Will Riker 40% Jean-Luc Picard 40% Mr. Scott 30% Geordi LaForge 20% Data 19% Mr. Sulu 0%

You are a caring and loving individual. You understand people's emotions and you are able to comfort and counsel them.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz
HT: Kristine Franklin

You Are Best Described By...

Girl With Hair Ribbon by Roy Lichtenstein

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

And...

Your Superpower Should Be Invisibility

You are stealth, complex, and creative. You never face problems head on. Instead, you rely on your craftiness to get your way. A mystery to others, you thrive on being a little misunderstood. You happily work behind the scenes... because there's nothing better than a sneak attack! Why you would be a good superhero: You're so sly, no one would notice... not even your best friends Your biggest problem as a superhero: Missing out on all of the glory that visible superheroes get

What Should Your Superpower Be?

Happy New Year!

I know I am late but...what the hey (or is it hay?)! We have been sick. Nothing serious, but enough to drain every last bit if energy (physical and mental) out of your body. We didn't make it to Mass last weekend, but felt well enough to venture out to honor Our Lady yesterday. We spent the rest of the day at home with the exception of hitting the bookstore to pick up new calendars for the kids. That is a dangerous place to go the week after Christmas. All of the Christmas books were 50% off. And you know that the only time Christmas books go on sale is right after Christmas. It's not like you can buy them in April. I was remarkably restrained, I thought. (Husband might not agree.)
The kid's calendars are not pictured but I'll let you figure out who chose what:
Shih Tzu Wall Calendar ,Corvette Car-a-Day, and Jack Russell Puppies Wall Calendar

Too easy?

The Garfield calendar goes on the fridge to continue the tradition Husband began last year. The kids gather every morning to laugh at Garfield's crazy antics and take turns tearing off the pages. The Baby Blues comic book was for me. Something light, fluffy and funny sounds great right now. The Professor chose Birds of Prey which has some amazing pictures in it and lots of cool facts. The Little House Christmas Treasury is for Sunshine who loves all things Laura and Mary and can count as a school book if I try hard enough. Shortcake picked out a Dick and Jane book. She loves the pictures and the stories that start out easy but get more wordy as you go along. She is a good reader, she just doesn't believe it yet. I am going to do a review of the other two Christmas books later. Maybe you have already heard of them, but they were new to me and very sweet. Especially the Advent Storybook. This one has inspired some ideas for next year, but more on that later.

The book in the middle...kind of ironic, huh. But it comes highly recommended...I just can't think of who recommended it though. A-ha! It was Rebecca!

Husband was looking for a few items they didn't have in the store. I am going to send him to the monster-sized store later to see if he can find something. He already has a calendar although it's not the one I wanted to get for him.

And last but not least... I am the proud owner of a 2008 John Deere page-a-day calendar. You're jealous....I know you are! Well, what's a mom to do when the 3 year old insists on equality while his older siblings are pouring over calendars with glee?

It came with a toy tractor.

Now you understand. He gets the toy and gets to pull the page. I get to look at pictures of great big green and yellow tractors all day, every day! My grandpa would be so proud!