In the Storm

Another quickpage put together

So excited...

I'm off work this weekend. We have a bunch to do. We priced wood flooring for our living room and hall way. It will cost at least $3000 for oak hardwood flooring. That'll be awhile in coming then...this weekend is beach plans, yummy food, another pool swim, church, small group, not sure what else but it will be a great weekend.

Another digital page

of family...in April.

Muscle Burn

We swam again last night. I did 1600 meters again and Jeff and the boys did 1400!!! The boys are doing so good. They should be able to swim a mile a couple times before they ever get to camp. Of course dinner was at Jalapeno's - yum! I woke up last night in the middle of the night and couldn't lift my left arm. Two days in a row swimming a mile did it's toll. I'm ok now but I think a day or two rest is in order.

Had a dermo appointment today and picked up a perscription for a cream to help my callassed feet (heels). She burned off a couple more 'growths' and the two she shaved off are healing great.

Here is another page I made yesterday (but typepad was it's normal pain in the patookie self):

Swimming and Sun

The boys had eye appointments yesterday mid afternoon so I had to get them out of school. Since we were going to be on post we decided to swim afterwards. The boys swam 1200 meters and I did 1600 meters (1 mile). It was a very good swim for me. Jeff cooked dinner tonight which was wonderful. He grilled up the most amazing porkchips marinated in an A-1 concoction and they were done to perfection. He also made corn on the cob on the outside burner (so no heating the house); and I sliced up tomatoes for John and I (Jeff and Jarrod don't really like tomatoes).

This morning I put together another page. I used a template again but I really modified it alot.

We are swimming again tonight and eating out at Jalapeno's - our fav restaurant. 

2 week hiatus

I am on a 2-week hiatus from school. I finished my last class on Monday and I don't start another until 6/8. Lovin' these breaks in between classes. I'm hopin' I made another A - but we'll see. I went into the last week with a 98+% but I didn't do hot on the final and the last paper was a bear.

This morning I made Cinnamon Raisin French Toast for breakfast. I found the recipe from For the Love of Cooking. It was a big hit from everyone. I used Pepperidge Farms Cinnamon Raisin bread. The slices are really thin (and small) so I wasn't sure how it would turn out but it was yum! I wanted to get a picture but I wasn't awake enough to grab the camera - 5:30am. 

I finished this page today. Love it. It was fun to make. I used a template so it went together very easy. Templates are the way to go. I'll be using many of them (because I have tons), and why not when most of the guess work is done for you.

Enjoy!  

Recipe book and butterscotch brownies

So, I've begun the daunting task of putting together a recipe book for all the kids. I mean all of my kids, San's kids, and Paula's kids. San, Paula, and I are accumulating the recipes and we're going to digitally make them on 8.5 x 11 pages so we can incorporate the pages into a binder so the book can be added to. While I say the task is daunting I mean that in the best possible way - it is just a big project - and will take a long time.

The boys made butterscotch brownies last night - for the book; so I could get a picture really. These things were my dad's favorites at Christmas time. They are also Ashley's favorites. The first cookie/bar cookie Paula ever made. So today I began a page. We are going to add little tidbits in the book too - like those little notes: Pappap's favorite Christmas cookie!

Butterscotch Brownies (Betty Crocker recipe doubled)

1/2 C shortening

2 C packed brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 egg

1 1/2 C flour

1 C chopped nuts (optional - I don't include them)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Heat oven to 350. Heat shortening in saucepan over low heat until melted; remove from heat. Mix in brown sugar, vanilla, and eff. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 25 minutes (20 minutes they are nice and gooey - but done). Cut into 2 inch squares while warm. 

Sharing our Table

We have, many times, shared our table with friends. And, many times, we share our table when I serve up tacos. These are not just any tacos. These are the very unique, strange, fabulous, to-die-for, tacos that my mom always made when I was growing up and she got the recipe from a military wife neighbor in the trailer park where they lived when my dad was in the Army - in the early 60's. I never fix tacos any other way. We generally (except for unforeseen circumstances - like I'm not available to cook type circumstances) have tacos every Tuesday. Taco Tuesday. Taco Tuesday began a couple years ago when Stacia, our surragote daughter (she was attending university here and we made her ours for the 4 years she was here - she's back home now, married - and we miss her) lived here. But we've also invited others to share our tacos. Last night we had Lori (who has shared bread (I mean tacos) with us many times) and her hubby Andrew over. Great meal, great friends, great time. Oh, I also made jalapeno poppers too! There were much oohing and aahing over the food.

Tacos (my mom's tacos)

20 corn tortillas

1-1 1/2 lb ground beef

Canola Oil

Shredded Lettuce

Mexican Cheese Blend - shredded

Tomatoes, diced

Parent Sauce (recipe later)

Sour Cream (if you so desire)

Pat hamburger onto 1/2 of the 20, flat corn tortillas. Using an electric skillet (I use a large electric skillet and can fit 10 tacos at a time in the skillet - smaller skillets can fit 8), pour 1/2 inch deep of oil into skillet and heat at 250 degrees. When oil is hot, using tongs, dip meat-laden corn tortillas into the oil. As the tortilla softens in the heated oil lay the side of the tortilla with no meat over the side with meat (folding it in half). Do this to all of the tortilla's. Cook for 5-7 minutes on the first side, flip and 3-4 minutes on the other side. Drain tacos on a paper towel. Fill immediately with shredded cheese. Finish the second batch of tacos and fill those immediately with cheese. Serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, parent sauce and sour cream (if you must). Serves 4-5 (depending on whether you have three hungry boys in the family who are taller than their momma and they are only 12).

Ramblings.

Worked this weekend, as usual. Swings. These are going to get old. I don't mind mids on weekends but I'm not liking swings. Miss out on church and small group.

Working on my week 5 individual paper in my masters class Ops Management. This paper is a tough one. I'll be all day at getting it done (although it is coming together). I am enjoying the class though - but will still be glad when it's done. Not looking forward to the final exam in week 6 (Week 6 starts tomorrow).

I'm making that new recipe today (Asparagus Bundles) that I was supposed to make last week, didn't get around to because we planned other things. We'll see how these go over. I'm also serving fish. A delish recipe with parmesan cheese and tilapia fillets. Looking forward to it.

Depending on how my paper goes will depend on whether I make it to the pool or not. I imagine that will be a no.

Back to my paper now...

The Messiest areas in my house

1. Under my sink. Yuk! Please clean it now.

2. The tupperware/sterilite/rubbermade cabinet. It gets straightened and 24 hours later it's a mess again. Help!

3. The end of my dining room table. Stuff gets plucked down there and once in a great while I'll go through it and put it away.

4. The right front corner of my kitchen counter. Everything but the kitchen sink gravitates there. It drives me crazy.

5. My scraproom. Oh my. That's probably why I'm having a little creativity problem.

My dream gift would be a deep clean maid come in and get every nook and crany clean. And I'll clean up the junk.