Wordless Wednesday....

A Clearance STEAL!

This headphone set normally runs about $20, depending on where you're looking, it might even be tagged a little higher (or a smidge lower). Today when I was out (not very successfully)) shopping for B-day gifts, I came across TWO of these in the clearance aisle for $5 each! They promptly went in the cart =)
Kurt should LOVE me for this purchase, because the boys quickly discovered that by using the little splitter that came with them and popping that into the front of the TV, they and they alone can enjoy the voice of Spongebob and all of his undersea buddies without anyone else "getting" to hear!

Wordless Wednesday....

What's for Supper Saturday

Mmmmmm, PASTY!!!! A big hit in this house, but not familiar to everyone =) A pasty (pronounced "pass-tee) is a pie of meat and potatoes baked in a flaky crust. I like mine with lots of ketchup. To make:

2 C flour
1 C butter
1/2 teasp. salt
1/4 C milk
1# ground beef
3-4 potatoes
1 small onion

I let the butter sit out for 30-60 minutes to let it soften a bit b/4 I start. I cut it into "pats" and toss in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and salt, blend like you do when making a regular pie crust--when the flour and butter is formed into little peas, stir in the milk with a fork. When it's all combined, you'll roll out 2 crusts, one to line your pie plate, the other is the top.
Line a 9" pie plate with one crust, in it put your peeled and sliced potatoes--don't make the pieces too big or they won't get done during cooking!!! On top of this, diced onion--if you want, completely optional. Then crumble the RAW ground beef over this, do not brown before hand! The second crust goes on, seal the edges and make a few slits on the top for steam escape. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
ENJOY!!!

Uh-Oh!! It's the FUZZ!!!

THIS guy came wandering into view as the boys played yesterday. Our park of choice pretty much adjoins campus, so we got a little company =) Lucky us!!!

Fittin' in some park time

Here in Wisconsin, we're having a much nicer September than we did August--weather wise anyway! We're taking advantage of if whenever we can in this house! Paxton wanted to go to "the park with the bridge", but while driving to THAT one, we drove past THIS one and we adjusted our plan. It was a perfect park day, I sat on a bench and crocheted while the boys ran themselves silly. Every once in a while I got a picture taken, I wasn't favoring Paxton, he was just the more cooperative child yesterday!

Another round of "What will this be?"

Not many clues with this one! Three varieties of fabric and some thread. I've got the tissue pieces all cut out, but none of the fabric yet. I pushed a crocheted baby blanket ahead of this project, but with any luck I can get them both done this weekend!!
Stay tuned...

I want to watch__________ go!!

The blank gets filled in with names like Daddy, Arielle, Grandma, Mommy, Papa, Parker, Grandpa, Pizza Guy and more.
Whenever ANYONE leaves the house, Beckett announces loudly that he wants to watch them go and then runs to the landing on the stairs and looks out the window there until they are out of sight. Can't tell you why!

Saturday Night Supper

Forgive the missing portion on the end--I got Beckett one and then remembered that I wanted a picture! These are a family favorite: Chicken Enchilladas! Again, it's something that I can make without a recipe, which is great when I shop, because list-making is not my best attribute! This is a great way to use leftover chicken from an earlier night's dinner. To make:

Cooked and chopped/shredded chicken (I use 2-3 breasts)
1 C Sour Cream
1 can cream of chix soup
1 pkg large tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 can enchillada sauce
1 pkg of cheddar cheese


Mix cooked chopped or shredded chicken with the soup and sour cream. Lay a tortilla flat and down the center smear a spoonful of the beans. On this lay a stripe of the chicken mixture down and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up and lay seam side down in a 9x13 pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Once all are arranged in the pan, pour the enchillada sauce over all and top with the remaining cheese. You can also put sliced black olives and sliced green onions on top if you'd like. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
I usually make Spanish rice and corn muffins to go along with these--BIG HIT!

Dairy Days 2009

First of all, I hate fairs. Yup, said it. I think they are overpriced, a great way to pick up something undesirable along the lines of headlice and the society of people that seem to swarm to these events tends to make me a judgemental person regarding their parenting abilities. But, to be fair, (no pun intended) some people make it REALLY easy. Um, barefoot kids running around? Doing your best not to drop cigerette ashes on the money you're handing over to your kid? Parking your babies stroller in the shade while you sit at the edge of the beer tent and enjoy a cold one? Those are some of my mild examples. Sorry, got off track.
Anyway, last night Parker wanted to go up to the park to meet some friends and since leaving the little boys home alone in order to do that would put me in the same class as some of my above examples, they went along for the ride. Well, a midway all lit up at night was bound to attract the attention of a certain 6 and 3 year old who were dutifully strapped into their carseats. Kurt and I decided that we could give it a try.
We spent a couple of hours watching the boys do every age-appropriate ride that was there and when it was getting close to the time that Kurt was going to have to get ready for work, I was even willing to stay there alone so they could continue to enjoy the experience. But, they were ready to come home as well--and I didn't even do a big ol' obnoxiously obvious happy dance about that!

I Remember...

...as so many others do where they were, what they were doing, and wondering "why" on this day 8 years ago. I was driving to work and the news on the radio said that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. It seemed to be maybe a small personal-type plane that had had some sort of accident. I said something about it when I got to work, and not long after that more news on the radio was reporting that another plane had hit the other tower and it was certainly no accident. My boss' daughter was in the air that day, she was flying to Newark to catch a connecting flight for a vacation abroad. Needless to say, her flilght was grounded, but until we heard where and that she was safe, it was a tense time. Kurt happened to have the day off and spent it glued to the TV (no children were neglected--the little boys weren't born yet and the big kids were in school!) so when I got home I told him I knew he had seen it all, but all I'd had was radio traffic so we spent the night channel-surfing in stunned silence.
I remember blood donors everywhere rolling up their sleeves to give a pint. In New York alone over 36,000 pints were collected. 258 pints were actually used.
I remember the pictures of hospitals with staff waiting in full garb at the ER doors ready and waiting for the patients and victims to arrive for treatment. And how un-busy those teams were.
I remember the face of President Bush as an aide leaned over to whisper in his ear to tell him of the attacks. The President paused with the children's story book in his hands as he listened.
I remember the crushed police cars and fire engines parked outside of the scene.
I remember the walls of fliers and photos placed by family members desperate for news of their loved ones who had left for work that mornings.
I remember seeing the first casualty of the FDNY being carried away from the scene on a chair by his brothers. The chaplain for the department.
I remember seeing countless news clips about Mayor Giuliani attending funeral after funeral for the fallen rescuers. Many accounts put that number at 200.
I remember reading articles about the wives of victims who were expecting children that will never know their fathers. A small number of those children had fathers who didn't even know they were on the way.
I remember the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald saying "700 families. Cantor Fitzgerald lost 700 families today"
I remember seeing firefighters running into those buildings as citizens were running out.
I remember firefighters stopping their search and rescue efforts just long enough to receive communion stemming from a brothers funeral.

I remember...

The next generation of Owl-goer

To follow in Grandpa's footsteps. Well, Grandpa gets his pancake fix every Wednesday and Saturday and this was a random lunch outing, but it went down at the Owl Cafe all the same!
This was a treat, Paxton and the big kids were at school so Beckett got Mom and Dad all to himself. Susie knows that he likes the sippy cup with the built in straw and there is always a lollipop for the road =)

Historical Site Visit

Kurt and I enjoy visiting sites that are a part of the Wisconsin Historical Society--there are a few that are easy day trips from our home. On Sunday we went to the Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien where I got a lot of nice pictures of the boys playing on the grounds. We love this site, Kurt and I have even done a behind the scenes tour that allows access behind the plexiglass panels and velvet ropes--very cool! When it came time for us to join our group, it was pretty obvious that the boys were not going to tolerate a tour that day. Kurt kept the boys busy outside while I did the tour all by my lonesome.

Two boys and a wagon...

Just Paxton and Beckett in the backyard enjoying each other and the trusty wagon that was at one time Parker's! We have a small incline from the back deck area up to the swingset and Paxton dutifully pulled Beckett up and down it several times. Beckett did take his turn at the handle, but couldn't quite get up the hill until Kurt offered up some help by pushing.
I wish I could say they ALWAYS played together this nicely...

Parker's room is on the tour!

OK, so it's the HOME tour, not the PGA tour--although we're getting close! I finished painting a few weeks ago and have slowly been adding the golf touches that we've been going for. I already posted a couple of previous projects, now you can see where they ended up in the overall scheme of design =) (Except for the darker pic--sorry!)
Above his bed (which, incidentally my Mom slept in when she was younger!) is my latest undertaking. I bought the display racks on ebay (should have taken a close up pic) and painted the back part to match the trim of the room. Jutting out are golf tees that you place the balls on. He's collecting logo balls from courses that he's played on (that's what you see so far--would you believe he's also played six other courses that we don't have balls for yet?) or other courses in the area.
The frames above the bookcase are empty for the moment (I got 5 matching frames at Goodwill for $.69 each and painted them to match everything else. I may put his medals in them) Trophies and photos are on the shelves. We do have a couple of blank walls yet, I'm hoping to hang some real clubs on one of them and maybe a couple of neat prints of classic golf courses or difficult holes--we'll see!

The thought of every parent while back to school shopping

I came across this "letter" while blog-hopping (found HERE, I want to give credit where credit is due) and found myself thinking, "get out of my head!" because I KNOW I've had these very thoughts--as have YOU most likely!
I do want to say that I would NEVER write such a letter, but it'd feel good just getting it out! I had my own personal hell while supply shopping--Paxton's list called for a 4 pack of wide Expo brand dry erase markers--NO BLACK. I'm telling you, they don't exsist. Not in any store I searched in. Every 4 pack INCLUDES black--who has anything against a black marker? Grrr, rant over. Enjoy Ginny's letter:

Dear Mrs. X:



In just over a week, you will be my son’s Grade 1 teacher. He is ever so excited to be under your tutelage. Why, since the last day of kindergarten, entering your class was all he could talk about. He gleefully thrust a piece of paper into my hand on that June afternoon, and said, “Here’s a list of the stuff I need for school next September!”



And I have to admit, I, too, was excited. I’m a school supplies geek from way back. And so, in early August, I set out to buy the items you’d listed.



It was on my fourth store that the realization began to sink in.



You’re a crafty bitch, aren’t you?



This list was a thinly disguised test. Could I find the items, exactly as you’d prescribed? Because if not, my son would be That Kid, the one with the Problem Mother, Who Can’t Follow Directions.



For example, the glue sticks you requested. In the 40 gram size. Three of the little buggers. (What kind of massive, sticky project you’ve got planned for the first day of school that would require the students to bring all this glue, I cannot imagine.) But the 40 gram size doesn’t come in a convenient 3-pack. The 30 gram size does. But clearly, those would be wildly inappropriate. So I got the individually priced 40’s, as per your instructions.



Another bit of fun was your request for 2 packs of 8 Crayola crayons (basic colors). The 24 packs, with their 24 different colors, sat there, on sale. I could have purchased three of the 24 packs for the price I had to pay for the 8 packs. (Clearly, you’ll not be teaching the youngsters any sort of economics lessons this year.) Even the cashier looked at me, as if to say, “Pardon me, ma’am, but are you slow?” as I purchased these non-bargain crayons. But that’s what the list said. And I was committed to following the list.



But the last item, well, now, you saved your malice up for that one, didn’t you? “8 mm ruled notebooks”, you asked for. Simple enough. Except the standard size is seven millimetres. One. Millimetre. Difference. Do you realize, Mrs. X., exactly how infinitesimal the difference between 7 mm ruling and 8 mm ruling is? Pretty small, I assure you. The thickness of a fingernail, approximately. But that millimetre, that small bit of nothingness, made me drive to four different stores, over the course of three sweaty August hours. And when I finally, finally found the last remaining 8 mm notebooks, I took no pleasure in my victory. I merely shifted my focus. To you, Mrs. X.



You wanna dance, lady? Let’s dance.



Because I am just batshit crazy enough to play your games. And, in turn, come up with some of my own.



On show and share day, my son will be bringing the video of his birth. It will be labelled, “Ben’s First Puppy.” Enjoy.



He will be given a list of words, and daily, he will ask you what they mean. Words such as, “pedophile”, “anti-semite”, and “skank”. Good luck with those.



At some point, you will attempt to teach him mathematics. And I’m quite sure that, like most of your ilk, you will require my son to “show his work”. And he will.



Through interpretive dance.



Because that is who you’ve chosen to tangle with, toots. A stay at home mom who is not entirely balanced, and has altogether too much time on her hands. But is, most certainly, A Mother Who Can Follow Directions.



Sincerely,

Back to School!!

For a good portion of the house anyway. Arielle, Parker and Paxton headed back to classrooms today, I started last week. Kurt was in charge of getting Arielle's picture since she had to work early this am and then had class at 1pm--and she's off to college! Except, he forgot and she didn't remind him (imagine that).
Parker is no longer a lowly freshman, however, his ride to school that didn't involve a parent and a mini-van vanished with graduation! He wasn't thrilled with my customary "first day of school" pictures, but frankly--TOO BAD!
Paxton is the "king" of his school--1st graders are the oldest at Neal Wilkins and next year he will switch. For now though, he had a GREAT day and can't wait to go back again tomorrow. Paxton wasn't ready for pictures by the time I left for work, so Kurt got what he could before they left!