Gratitude App

To the side is what I am reading now.  Im in the midst of the second book. 


On my dreadfully slow old iphone (it's 2 years old that's like 200 in cell phone years) I have an app called Gratitude.  The idea is you type 5 things you are grateful for each day and then as a result you are a happier person.  So I do it on and off, more off lately b/c it is taking too long IMO for apps to load on said old phone.

Here is what I have down for today:
1. That the kids are too old for 'The Wiggles"  (This one is a result of hearing an ad on the radio for an upcoming Wiggles show in Chicagoland--so glad the wiggles is no longer part of my daily life!)
2. That our air conditioning works, it wasn't working until about July 10 when Tom was able to get it fixed.
3. Bryce is washing the dishes and I only had to tell him it was his turn to wash them once.
4. Aldi sells a variety of their brand of philly swirl italian ice-y products and they are $1.89 a box
5. We are going swimming in a friends pool today

What's for dinner?
Tom defrosted a skirt steak, so I took in and rubbed it with Tastefully Simple Garlic Pepper Seasoning, Fiesta Party Dip MIx and Roasted Garlic Infused Oil covered it and stuck it in the fridge to be grilled later and then served with corn tortillas, Tastefully Simple Corn & Black Bean Salsa, and corn. Should be delish!

Back from Vacation!

Well we got back on Friday from our trip down to the fantastically goregous and very laid back Lake Chatuge area of Northern Georgia/Western No. Carolina. 

One highlight of the trip was the amazing Shrimp and Grits I had at The Ridges Resort and other highlights would be the kids playing 24 /7 with their cousins. Bryce jumping off a diving board and swimming sans life jacket, the fantastic cooking of my bro, SIL and her awesome mom.

And the big highlight of the trip my brother adopting his step son. Woo Hoo!  Congrats to the whole gang! 

The kids in historic and artsy Berea, KY whilst Tom was on a conference call for work.

I wish this was the view from back yard!

Sunset ahhhh

Patrick and Uncle J at Anna Ruby Falls

A pic of one of the falls at Anna Ruby Falls

Tom make a new friend.

While we were gone Tom's dad was hospitalized and since we've gotten home, Tom has been at the hospital or talking to his dad or his brothers and other family members non-stop.  He is giving his dad a peptalk right now on doing his breathing treatments and concentrating on getting better and getting out of the hospital.  He is a very good son.

Hopefully when he gets off the phone, he'll enjoy a new recipe I found in Real Simple magazine yesterday. It's Spiced Chicken Salad with Plums and Chickpeas  now the recipe calls for Garam masala.  Garam masala is a seasoning blend typically composed of black pepper, cadamon, cumin, nutmeg, etc.  I didn't have any of that on hand but I though it was the perfect time to pull out my Tastefully Simple's Flavors of India Seasoning and it worked really nicely!.

Restaurant.com: 80% Off Certificates ($2 for $25)

Restaurant.com: 80% Off Certificates ($2 for $25)  A link from a blog I follow called the discount queens.

The other day I found a recipe in the Fresh Summertime Fun Booklet from Jewel and I have to say it was quite good.  I splurged on a big package of Fresh Express Tender Ruby Reds Salad which was on sale for $3.99 which seems pricey IMO, but like I said splurge.  Anywho so that was my mixed greens in the recipe below, which was really good.

Tarragon Chicken Salad
Ingredients
1 cup Dannon All Natural Plain Yogurt. 
* I had a coupon for Yoplait Greek Yogurt so I used that and I have to say if you are going to try this recipe, get the greek yogurt.  It rocks and has lots of protein.
1 tsp. dry tarragon, I didn't have dry so I used some fresh minced tarragon like 1 tbsp
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard.  I used Gulden's   yep that's right I had a coupon so the other week I paid 35 cents for it. 
3 cups of cooked diced chicken
2/3 cup mined celery --I had used all the celery a couple days before so I had to skip this ingredient.
2/3 cup scallions--I didn't have any scallions so I sub'd 2 tbsp of dry Onion Onion from Tastefully Simple
1 1/4 cups halved cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste (didn't use)
6 cups of the aforementioned Fresh Express salad.

Directions
1. In a bowl combine yogurt, tarragon and mustard.  Let stand for 10 min. 
2. To the yogurt mix add chix, celery, scallions, tomatoes and seasoning (skip the scallions and seasoning and use Onion Onion I say) to taste. Let stand for 15-20 minutes.
3. Serve over mixed greens.

Super good and healthy.  Pairs well with a glass of Savingnon Blanc (sp?).

***Today Anna took purple eyeshadow and put it all around her right eye.  Said she wanted to make a black eye. 

Me: Why did you  want to make it look like you have a black eye?
Anna: Cause I wanted to.
Me: But why did you want to?
Anna: So Dad would think I had a black eye.
Me: Oh.
Anna: Then he would think the brothers did it and they'd be in big trouble. I like when they get in trouble.
Me: hmmm how to respond.  That's not very nice Anna.
Bryce: Anna that's not very nice.  Now move it's my turn to play the game.

Happy bday to Anna

Its a very exciting day here at the house. Miss Anna is celebrating her 7th bday. I didn't sleep well or much last night so I would like to celebrate her birthday with a long nap, she wants presents and cake---currently I am undecided on cake, I have Dukin Hines devils food cake but I will need to go buy frosting and like I said I am so so tired.

Speaking of sleep and lack thereof, I heard on the radio yesterday that a study was done that showed if the woman in a relationship doesn't get enough sleep there are more quarrels. This just proves, women need there beauty sleep.

Let the summer begin!

Right now I at the local high school gym. The kids are in the lovely cool water having their first real swimming lesson. I am in the stands above the pool sweating. It's about 1000 degrees up here. Wait I just thought of a positive spin... Along with the swim lesson, moms get free sauna treatments. It's like a BOGO deal.

Today it is going to be in the mid 90s with a heat index of 102. What to have for dinner? I'm thinking Smoothies? Or ice cream?

Back to the pool, when the lesson started I could see Bryce was clinging to the instructor (they are in groups of 2-4 kids per instructor (aka High School or college? Student). A mere 25 minutes later Bryce is jumping in the pool.

LEAN CUISINE, Asiago Cheese Tortelloni

LEAN CUISINE, Asiago Cheese Tortelloni Lean Cuisine sent me a coupon for a free meal. I think it was because I had trouble with a promotion they were running for free soft sided lunch bags. Yesterday I redeemed the coupon for one of the new Market Creations. The Market Creations is a single serving meal that comes in a steamable bag that you pop in the microwave. I went with the Asiago Cheese Tortelloni. It was scrumptious. Now Lean Cuisine is my fav frozen low cal meals. and if they keep innovating with stuff like this, I'll def. keep buying. I was really pleased with the flavor of the meal and that the pasta wasn't all mush as can tend to happen with frozen meals. Now I wish I had another to eat for lunch today! Our stove needs a new part so right now it isn't functioning. Given that Im thinking grilling again tonight and frozen veggies for a side. Tomorrow crockpot for sure. Im thinking of making this:

Italian Beef


Submitted by Stephanie Fager (GA)



Ingredients

4 Tbsp. Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning (divided)

1 Tbsp. Onion Onion™

1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™

1 tsp. salt

2-3 lb. beef roast

2 (12 oz.) cans beer

Italian bread or rolls



Directions

Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning and Garlic Garlic™ in bottom of slow cooker. Place beef roast on top. Sprinkle remaining 2 T. Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning, Onion Onion™, and salt on top of beef roast. Pour beer around roast. Cook on high for 4 hours; reduce heat to low and cook an additional 4 hours. Remove roast; cool slightly and shred into pieces; return to slow cooker and simmer on low until ready to serve. Serve on Italian bread or rolls. Makes 8-12 servings.

Shamrock Shuffling

I'm all reshowered and I am ready for the best post race activity. A nap. In fact, I'm too lazy to get up and use the laptop, so I am texting this entry from my phone.

This year the Shamrock Shuffle was the biggest 8K race in the universe. 40k runners waiting to run, rounding up 5 miles. Today is also possibly the warmest 4/10/11 on record.

In a nutshell the race was hot. I don't know how I did timewise, I know it wasn't a PR , but so what. I'm sure the race coordinators are going to hear from many runners because it took a ridiculously long time to get to the start line--almost an hour. We actually were lined up to start by 845, so the H corral waited over an hour to inch up to the start line. That's way too long, especially considering the unseasonably warm weather, twas a mass of dehydrating!

On the plus side, it is a beautiful day. The shirts are super cute this year. Also,
I got to go with some other girls who were running their first Shamrock Shuffle and they did great! Thanks again to Kim P for inviting me!

Now off to my nap. I hope no one here thinks I am cooking lunch, it's my off day!

Friday Friday

Foggy and raining.  I'm not sure what the temperature is, but  let me tell you my idea to break of the flip flops left me will super cold feet.  I sure hope Tom Skilling is right on the money and that temps will rocket up tomorrow and we'll be in the 70s for Saturday and Sunday.

Tonight is the Father Daughter Dance at Anna's school.  She is very excited and here she is practicing her dance moves.  During the holidays, I bought Anna a dress that came with leggings and a pair of black boots. She got lots of use out of the outfit and the boots were her go-to shoe apparel all winter.  The dress and the boots have seens much better days.  Nevertheless that outfit was what Anna was going to wear to the dance.  She even wore it to school.

While she was at school, I went to target to see if I could find a dress she could wear to the dance and this spring and summer along with some shoes that sparkle.  Above is what I found.  The dress was on clearance for $5.18, the leggings on sale for 5 and the flip flops $6.99 the flip flop straps are sparkly rainbow colored.  Anna says I'm the best Mom ever. LOL

Totally Distracted.

All day long I've not been able to focus. I don't know why, I'm feeling very ADD.  Too much caffiene? maybe. Too many kids talking to me at once?  maybe. Lack of Vitamin D? A very distinct possibility.

This morning, when I walked back into the house after the bus picked up Anna.  Yes that was me sporting my bathrobe at the bus stop. The sun fooled me, I thought that my bathrobe would be warm enough, however I was chilly.  Back to me walking back into the  house, the first thing I see is Anna's Illinois Packet.  The packet should be in Anna's backpack to turn in at Daisy Scouts. 

I put the packet on the kitchen counter so that I could bring it with when I pick Anna up from Scouts.  I washed dishes and saw the packet repeating to myself that I was going to bring it with to Daisy Scouts. I walked by the packet as I did laundry, made lunch, and went through the mail.

When it was time to get Anna, I grabbed my jacket and my purse and headed over to the school.  I thought, "Anna will be happy to see I brought her packet and she can get her badge." Parked the car, and opened my purse and looked for the packet.  Looked again and then dug through my purse, it wasn't there.  I forgot the darn thing. Jeez.

Note to self, should have put the packet in my purse, not left it on the counter.

***good stuff in the mail today***
Rec'd some coupons and a book from Paperback Swap.  "Fool Moon"  by Jim Butcher.  It is the second book in his series about the cases taken and solved by Harry Dresden, the only professional wizard listed in the phone book.  Making it extra juicy for me is that Harry lives in my fair city, Chicago.  Also the reader for the audio version is James Marsters aka Spike from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Perfect voice for the character.  I listened to the first book so while reading this book, I'll be hearing Spike's voice albeit w/o Spike's English accent.

A Guest Blogger, a young author named Patrick

Patrick wants to have a blog.  So I said he could post on mine.  He wrote a story for school so he is posting it here.  I hope you enjoy it!

Young Cowboy

Hi I'm Sam and this is the story of how I became a cowboy. It was June 1st, the first day of  Summer Break. But not just any Summer Break . This was the Summer Break that would change my life.

It was noon when Black Eye Joe, the meanest outlaw in town was robbing the bank. Someone called the sheriff. The sheriff came running out of his office to fight Black Eye Joe. They fought for hours until Black Eye Joe snuck up behind the sheriff and killed him. He started laughing maniacally and then he went to the jail cells and freed all the outlaws.

Soon the city was filled with danger. The outlaws stole all the money and horses except for the ponies. I told my Dad that the town was crazy dangerous and that we needed someone to fight Black Eye Joe and the outlaws. My Dad said, "I know son, and you're going to be that someone because I'm going to train you how to be a cowboy.You can't fight Black Eye Joe and the outlaws by yourself. Go get your friends and meet me at 7:00."

So I went and brought my friends. Oh and by the way, my friends' names are Patrick, Brenden and Katelyn.  Then at 7:03 we were all at the cave to meet my Dad. I said, "So, Dad, you said you're going to train us how to be cowboys. How's that possible?"
"Well you see son, your Grandpa used to be a cowboy. When I was your age, he taught me how to be a cowboy. Now I'm going to teach you and your friends how to be cowboys. But first you must pick a pony. "

I picked a brown pony. I named him Lightning. Then Patrick picked a white pony. He named him Water Wave. Then Brenden picked a black pony. He named it Lucky. Katelyn picked a white pony. She named it Princess.

After that my Dad taught us how to ride ponies and handle cowboy weapons and the skills all cowboys need. Then he gave each of us a cowboy weapon. I got a gun, Patrick got a lasso, Katelyn got a whip and Brenden, a boomerang.

The next day we all got on our ponies and then we all split up and took down all the outlaws one  by one. The only one left was Black Eye Joe. I was looking for him, but he found me first. He said, "So you're the one who caught all the outlaws."
Then I said, "Yah, so."
Then he said, "Well you're out of luck kid."

Right when he was about to shoot I yelled, "Now!" Katelyn knocked the gun out of his hand with her whip. Then Patrick tied his lasso around his arm and I said, "Looks like you lose."
"Did I?" he said. He grabbed on the lasso, pulling Patrick.  Then he got his knife out and threatened to kill Patrick. That's when I got my gun out and shot his knife. I said, "Now!"
Brenden threw his boomerang at Black Eye Joe knocking him out.

Finally we brought him to jail and saved the town.

THE END