Everything Lissy

Walking

2012-02-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

2012-02-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

Helping Mommy with Laundry

My buddy Nelson

Again...Nelson putting up with me. Do you see a theme here?

Reading my Bible.

I am soooo cute!

Daddy thought it would be funny to put my hat on while in the house. Yeah, it wasn't that funny.

I love to stand at the window and bang my toys on it.

At COSI while Aunt Ellen visited

Oops. Apparently I'm not tall enough to climb over.

Peek-a-boo

Don't Wanna Go to Bed

2012-01-19T15:47:00.001-08:00

Video Time!

2012-01-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yes we know that Jacob's pants are not buttoned. You try to button his pants and see how still he sits for you! :o)

Nine Months!!

2011-12-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Jacob is now 9 months old. He had his doctor's appointment this week. Unfortunately I was under the weather so I made Daddy document every single thing. He still has a big ol' head, but his soft spot has closed so the doctor said his head should stop growing so much. One of his toes sticks above the rest of the toes (I can't remember what hubby said the doctor called it). The doctor was not at all concerned, but did say that it will always be raised above the rest, but it won't affect anything in his future -- he'll be able to run and do everything he wants and it won't affect his balance.

The doctor also said that we can start feeding Jacob table food. He has had chex mix (ha ha!), ravioli and scrambled eggs. The doctor said we could start peanut butter too, but I think we might wait on that. He has also started drinking from a sippy cup. Just yesterday he seemed to really get it.

Stats:

Height: 29.2 inches (77th percentile)

Weight: 22.2 lbs. (77th percentile)

Head: 19 inches (95th percentile)

Shoes too heavy

2011-12-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

We put Jacob's new shoes on for the first time and he instantly struggled with walking because they are too heavy. I know it shouldn't be funny, but it was. He finally gave up and crawled.

Cruising

2011-11-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

Giggle

2011-11-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Shop Small

2011-11-22T02:02:00.000-08:00

I love Target. I can't lie. They make shopping fun. Target is my normal go-to store. But not this year. This year I'm going to SHOP SMALL.

So where shall I go? Well, I'm in Columbus, Ohio so I might shop for some children's toys at Sprout Soup, a local organic store that has awesome toys, cute clothes, cloth diapering and breastfeeding supplies.

Or maybe I'll head to the Short North and check out the candles at Bink Davies. Or maybe I'll check out the vintage jewelry at Funky and Functional. And I might have lunch at Big Fat Greek Kuzina. Or the Olive Tree Cafe. Yum.

If I lived in Cincinnati, I would go to MainStrasse Village and check out the candles, artwork and princess and fairy items for girls at Stoney's Gift and Frame Shoppe. And I think I'll have lunch at Chez Nora.

If I lived in Elkhart, Indiana, I might check out Christina's Treasures. Or I might check out the beautiful art at Arts & Crafts Haven. I would most definitely check out Sweet Creams Soda Shop. And Volcano's Pizza. Oh yum! Their breadsticks are to die for!

Wherever you are, find the small businesses in your community and SHOP SMALL!

Milestone Central

2011-11-07T05:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jacob pulled himself up on his own. I didn't witness him in the process. I had him in his pack 'n' play while I did a couple things. I walk into the living room and he is standing in his pack 'n' play. I run to get the camera and of course when I get back, he's sitting down.

Jacob has said "da da." I'm pretty sure at this point it's just a sound and he doesn't realize it actually means "daddy." We are doing a little sign language. I'm working VERY hard to get him to do the "Mommy" sign.

We've been giving him melts (cheerio-like snacks) to try to pick up. He tries so hard, but it always misses his mouth. They get a little sticky and then he has 5 stuck to him and he keeps putting more in his mouth and they keep falling out and sticking to his bib and arm and face. See pics below.

Note all the snacks stuck to his bib.

Stories

2011-10-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

I thought rather than just pictures (which is easier), I would type out a few Jacob stories.

Yesterday I'm getting ready to leave. I put Jacob in his carseat and before buckling it I realize he has spit up all over his bib. I leave him in there and run upstairs quickly to get another bib. I come down and he's out of his carseat and sitting on the floor facing it and smiling at me.

Jacob is learning to manipulate me, I think. A couple weeks ago I'm putting him to bed and the minute I put him in his crib he starts screaming. I get him out, rock him, put him down, he starts screaming. This goes on for a couple times. Finally I get him to fall asleep. I put him in his crib, grab the monitor and go downstairs. About 5 minutes later he is screaming. I run upstairs, go into his room. He looks at me, stops screaming and laughs. Boy oh boy, I am in trouble.

Right now Jacob is playing on the floor. He pulled himself half way up to the basket with all his toys in it, looked at Nelson like "what do you want to play with now Nelson?"

Two times today I've gone into Jacob's room and he is sitting up in his crib. He can't go from being on his back to sitting up, but he rolls over and does a secret ninja move to sit up.

Here's a picture of him trying to crawl for the first time. For the first few days he dragged his leg like it was a dead animal. Now he's crawling like a champ.

7 Months Old Today!!

2011-10-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Six Month Appointment and Vaccinations

2011-09-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Today was Jacob's 6 month appointment. My little boy is really a big boy. So we'll call him my big little boy. Everyone says he's big, but you never know how big until the doctor gives you the stats. At his 4 month appt, his head was in the 85th percentile. Now's it's quite a bit larger. Jacob was a champ at getting his vaccinations.

Stats

Weight: 18.88 lbs. (67th percentile)

Height: 27 inches (66th percentile)

Head: 18.50 inches (98th percentile!!!!!)

Here's how our day has gone in pictures:

Waiting for the nurse to call our name

Being ornery

Waiting for the doctor.

Being noisy!

Now waiting for the nurse with the vaccinations...Checkin' myself out!

There's that big ol' head.

Tired after a hard doctor's visit.

Zoom out a little bit and what do you see? Nelson. He always has to be in on the fun.

Nelson and Jacob: Buddies for Life

2011-09-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

I never get tired of the Jacob and Nelson photos. They are so cute together and Nelson is so wonderful with Jacob (though he is still big so we are very careful). Just in the last month, Nelson has realized Jacob has little hands that can pet him.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

I say Potato...

2011-09-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday we decided to give Jacob real food. Well, he's already tried oatmeal, but that's boring. So we went for sweet potatoes (actually yams, but aren't those the same?!). After much debating, I decided I'm going to make Jacob's food. There is a GREAT website that offers recipes (when he's older) and gives tons of tips. So off to Whole Foods for the organic yummies. Then to Target for ice cube trays (for storage...1 ice cube is about 1 oz.). We put the yams in the oven for about 50 minutes at 400 degrees. The skin just peeled off. It was quite simple. We used at least 6 oz. of formula and mashed it. We then used a blender to puree it a little more. In the future, we will use our food processor. You can make all of your food for the month in one day. And it's cheaper than jarred food.

So onto the actual eating. Jacob was not pleased and did not seem to like the yams/sweet potatoes/whatever they are.

Maybe if I don't put my tongue all the way in my mouth, I won't taste it.

The face of dread.

Okay, seriously bud, they aren't that terrible!

Save me!

It looks like a 500 lb. monster is standing in front of him. Nope it's just sweet potatoes.

Again, it's not really that bad buddy.

Despite what the pictures show, Mr. Jacob survived eating sweet potatoes. We will do sweet potatoes for at least 4 days (and watch for allergy signs). Next we are doing carrots.

Trying to Crawl

2011-09-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Buddies

2011-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Nelson has learned that Jacob can maybe pet him. So they have become buddies. Nelson is very good with Jacob, but because he's such a big dog, we still have to monitor very closely.

Pet me Jacob, please. pretty pretty please.

Yay! A kiss!

Here's one in return Jacob.

Moooo!

Baptism

2011-09-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Jacob was baptized on August 28, 2011. His baptism outfit was made from my wedding dress and we will hand it down in our family.

Changing Diapers

2011-09-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Changing Jacob's diaper has become increasingly more difficult as he gets older. Why, you ask? Because this is what he does:

Now...I get that this doesn't look that difficult, but when all he wants to do is roll, it is difficult. First worry is that pee is going to be sprayed all over the wall. Then I have to hold him down and slap a diaper on him. Oh the joys!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wound Up

2011-08-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Jacob gets wound up at random times. He loves to fling his legs up and slam them down. Enjoy.

First Time Eating and Other Fun Stuff

2011-08-22T05:10:00.000-07:00

Jacob turned 5 months old on Tuesday. He is getting very big and changing rapidly. He can sit up like a champ. He has rolled over, but nothing consistent so we are still doing lots of tummy time. When you try to change his diaper or put him in his crib, he throws his legs up and slams them down (video to come, but the upload doesn't seem to be working at this time). Friday we spoonfed him for the first time. He started with oatmeal. Within the next month we will start other foods. We were prepared for the first bite photo and expecting a terrible face, but not Jacob. He really likes oatmeal.

In no particular order, here are pictures of Mr. Jacob himself eating up a storm.

When Daddy feeds me, I get oatmeal up my nose.

Some other fun pictures:

Just surfin' the web

Officially too big for the swing.

Sleeping with Daddy

Exercising!

Daddy is so silly!

Just hanging out.

Playing

2011-08-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Nelson always has to be in on the fun.

But Mooom, I don't wanna sleep!

2011-08-17T05:23:00.000-07:00

Little boy here just wanted to play and play. Then he would cry. Then play. Then kick his legs. Then cry. Then play. And it goes on and on. I got a video of throwing his belly and legs up and slamming them down continuously. That will come when I have time (i.e. when Daddy is home).

Future Contortionist

2011-08-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

More Jacob Babbling

2011-08-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

This was at 6:00 in the morning when he was supposed to be eating. But I gave up because he was too interested in talking and looking around. This appears to be a new trend. He's developing so quickly.

Meeting New Relatives & 4-Month Doctor's Appointment

2011-07-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend we headed up to Lake Erie and had a fun time. We saw the Arizona cousins and of course Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Ashley. It was his first time in the water and he was completely indifferent and preferred to suck his hands (we're not sure if this was because of the bottle of sunscreen Mommy applied or the chlorine).

Today was his 4-month doctor's appointment. He has grown, but does not have an abnormal growth spurt (which kind of surprised me). He also got his vaccines. He calmed down soon after, but has been a tad fussy tonight, but not nearly as bad as some of my friend's babies so we are very thankful.

Stats

Weight: 15 lbs, 7.5 oz. (53rd percentile)

Height: 25.5 inches (66th percentile)

Head: 17.25 inches (83rd percentile)

Here are some pictures from our weekend and doctor's visit:


All ready!!

with Daddy and Aunt Ashley

Our little family

With cousin Hayleigh

with cousin Emma


With Cousin Andy

Aunt Ashley

All wore out and ready to go home!

Just Catching Up...

2011-07-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

While I was on maternity leave, I attended the weekly New Mom's Group at Riverside Hospital. I met a lot of great gals there. Even though I don't go there anymore [enter frown face] because I work, we meet every other week at Panera. It's a nice way to keep in touch with other mom's. Below are some of the babies. Aren't they cute?

Jacob loves his exersaucer...which is wonderful when I'm cooking dinner or laundry or and Chad is out of town. He even spins around in it. I don't think he knows he's spinning though. He reaches out and touches all the fun spinny stuff on it. We got it at a garage sale for $10. I'm all about: 1. saving money on pricey items and 2. not creating waste by having to have new items instead of used.

We are doing cloth diapering. I'm not going to lie...as a working Mom, it can be hard. I have 4-5 hours at night and having to wash the diapers just adds to all the evening tasks. But I love saving money, having Jacob in chemical free diapers and not contributing to the bajillion of diapers that go into landfills. We put him in disposals a couple weekends ago and I took the diaper off him and right where the edge was left a terrible red mark on him that looks and feels like a welt. He still has it on his leg. It made me realize that the chemicals in the diapers are worse than I thought and that it's good for Jacob that we are using cloth diapers. I don't judge those that use disposables, but I know it's the right thing for us. We still use disposables on outings and weekends away because it's just easier. Here is an old picture of Jacob in one of his cloth diapers.

My birthday: pictures

2011-07-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, my nieces and parents planned a party for me. And the girls got me 3 gifts. Those gifts were: silly string, a Disney princess paddle with ball attached and a thing that you could swing around and would make funny noises. Ironically, Abby LOVED every single thing she got me and couldn't wait to play with them.

Sisters! Lily had just got up from a nap and only wanted her Sissy.

My happy boy and Grandma

Getting Daddy in on the party.

Rhinos

Abby is in trouble!


I suggested that Papaw lay on the ground and the girls draw him.

And then I suggested they trace Uncle Chad.

The girl's turn.

My turn.

Oh Lily!

A better shot.

Jacob's New Trick

2011-07-11T17:36:00.000-07:00

Make sure you have your volume turned up.

Sleepy

2011-07-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

July 6, 2011 (because I can't come up with a better title)

2011-07-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Cousins

2011-06-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Abby and Lily love their new cousin. They love to hug on him and kiss him. Sometimes we have to give Jacob a break. Here they are loving on him.

Hands

2011-06-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

Jacob is in the middle of discovering his hands. He loves to put them in his mouth and he shoves them so far in that he often gags. He loves to put anything in his mouth. My mom made a cute tag blanket that is shown in this video. He likes for you to put the tags in his mouth. He is also a bit of a drool monster.

Happy First Father's Day!

2011-06-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my husband...

...who always makes me laugh.

...who took care of me for nine long months.

...making several dinners on his days off and freezing them because I was too sick to cook for myself.

...who sat by me for nearly 20 hours of labor.

...who made terrible jokes during labor like telling me it was too late to have an epidural.

...who learned that labor is not a good time to make jokes.

...who fed me ice chips and got me popsicles

...who stood by me, counting to 10 over and over for 3 hours

...who knew I could do it when I didn't believe I could.

...who has changed more diapers than any other Daddy I know.

...who steps up and feeds Jacob in the middle of the night.

...who knows just how Jacob likes to be held.

...who fits "daddy time" into his everyday schedule.

...who loves to kiss Jacob and give him zerbers.

...who works hard so Jacob will have a wonderful life.

...who discovers unique ways to keep Jacob happy.

...who is a Daddy to more than just Jacob.

...who is the best cuddler ever.

Happy First Father's Day

to the best Daddy ever!

We love you Daddy!

Laughing

2011-06-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Like all parents, we make fools of ourselves trying to get Jacob to smile and laugh. So enjoy. It isn't the best view because Chad was holding Jacob and the camera while I was trying to get him to laugh.

Look how big I am...

2011-06-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

A smiling boy

2011-05-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Video Day of My Two Boys

2011-05-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

I could hear Nelson running in circles in the living room so I tried to get some video. He was a little rambunctious.

Jacob Bouncing with Daddy

2011-05-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

Vaccination Day

2011-05-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Today was vaccination day. I was not looking forward to it, but Jacob did pretty good. He was just looking at me in the office and then, boom, the nurse gave him the shots and he started screaming. Broke my heart. But as soon as I picked him up, he stopped thankfully. He then fell asleep long enough for me to go grocery shopping. We got home, I fed him and he has been sleeping for hours. It has actually been a pretty peaceful day surprisingly.

Here are his 2-month stats:
Weight: 12 lbs., 11 oz. (47th percentile)
Height: 23.75 in. (57th percentile)
Head: 16.14 in. (70th percentile)

Below is how Jacob's day has gone, in pictures:

All ready to head to the doctor's office. If only I knew what was about to happen to me.

Waiting for the doctor to come in. Do you like how Mom strategically placed the Tylenol bottle for the picture?

All worked up after the grocery store ... probably because I want food more than anything.

Snoozing away...the doctor is having Mommy prop a blanket under my back because I only like to sleep on one side of my head and it's getting pretty flat. They are so tricky!

Meet the Family

2011-05-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

This week was Jacob's first long-distance trip. The ride to Avon Lake went pretty good. The ride home was another story. We drove through horrible storms (seriously, torrential downpour), then Jacob would.not.stop.crying! Then we got stuck for at least an hour at nearly standstill on I-71. And of course, we missed getting to the kennel on time to get Nelson. So that's the bad stuff that happened.

The good stuff...we saw lots of Chad's family. Jacob is very lucky to have three great grandparents who are alive. I believe his Great Grandma H. is going to be 90 this year. And both of his Great Grandpas are in the 91-92 range (I think). Below are some pictures from that trip.

Then, my sister, brother-in-law and nieces came to visit Friday and Saturday. The girls LOVE LOVE LOVE Jacob and want to hug him and kiss him, and of course, hold him.

Good thing I have this handy dandy mirror. Then ma and pa can watch me scream.

Mommy and Daddy with Great Grandma and Grandpa H.

I'm behaving here with Great Grandma and Grandpa H.

The men of the family

Daddy, Great Grandpa F. and me.


Great Grandpa F. and me.

Next are pictures from my family's visit.

Lily really loves me.

Lily trying to get to me so she can hold me.

Finally...Lily holding me.

Big cousin Abby and me.

I'm a ladies man!

Uncle Matt, cousins Abby and Lily and me.

Cutie Pies and Cuddles

2011-05-12T06:38:00.000-07:00

What a cutie pie I am!

Admit it, I'm such a doll!

Mommy didn't swaddle me very well.

Mommy and me cuddling on the couch.

Daddy's home!!!!

Time to cuddle with Daddy and Nelson

An update on us...

2011-04-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

After being diagnosed with tendonitis from lifting Jacob, it was the perfect time to have a visitor help me out -- enter Aunt Ellen. I was lucky to have Aunt Ellen's help for 3 days. When you come to our home, you don't have only Jacob to deal with, you have Nelson too.

On Friday we went to the zoo. It was great weather. We got to finally see the polar bear exhibit. They have a cool underwater viewing area.

pretty fish scenery

The monkeys, chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobo's, etc. were our favorite to watch.

This guy was clearly as enthused as Jacob was.

Babies

Some other Jacob pictures for you:

In non-Jacob news, we got a new dining room table FINALLY!

Stats

2011-04-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Birth

Weight: 7 lbs. 11 oz.

Height: 20.5 in.

Head: don't remember :o(

Five Days Old

Weight: 7 lbs. 6 oz.

Height: 19 in. (obviously they measured incorrectly here)

Head: 14.25 in.

One Month Old

Weight: 9 lbs. 13 oz.

Height: 22 in.

Head: 15.5 in.

Happy Easter!

His shirt says "Somebunny Loves Me," but he wasn't keen on showing us his shirt.

Our cotton baby loves to stretch.

I knew he was advanced...

2011-04-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Jacob and I went to Jeni's ice cream with our Fusion buddies. I ran to the restroom and when I came back, Jacob left me a message on the chalkboard wall. I knew he was quite advanced...here's the proof.

Some other pictures for your enjoyment:

Touchdown!

First Trip to the Zoo

2011-04-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today Jacob and I went to the zoo for the first time with our neighbor buddies. Getting out of the house is a lot more difficult now...it took about 2 hours to get us both fed and ready (needless to say by the time I got us fed and ready, it was nearly time to feed Jacob again! so I did.). I was, of course, running late, but maybe 5-7 minutes (I was quite pleased it was only 5-7 minutes late). I get the diaper bag ready with everything imaginable -- two bottles, diapers, wipes, extra set of clothes for Jacob, a granola bar for me, water, etc. Then I have to make sure I have my phone and of course, car keys.

So we're good. I put Jacob in the back seat, grab the diaper bag (yes, I almost forgot it after all that work of packing it), put it in the backseat with Jacob and notice a not-so-nice smell. Seriously?!?! I just changed you, Jacob! But he didn't care so out of the car he came and we had another diaper change (I was praying he didn't pee all over his clothes....success for Mommy!).

I pulled out of the driveway 18 minutes late. I'm not sure how long our neighbors waited at the zoo for us (we drove separately), but she claims it wasn't long. I'm still kind of proud it was only 18 minutes.

At the aquarium with my buddy Hayden. Clearly Jacob is very enthused about this trip.

Future buddies (Hayden and Jacob, that is) with a orangutan who was eating a cucumber.

Checking out Mr. Manatee.

Taking a snooze while the monkeys swing behind me.

All Smiles

2011-04-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

Jacob in Real Time...

2011-04-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the shaky camera work.

Glamour Shots

2011-04-03T06:27:00.000-07:00


Lookin' at ourselves in the mirror at the doctor's office.

Sleeping on Grandma

Cutie Patutti Slippers!

Nelson getting in on the fun

2011-04-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

Cousins

2011-03-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Jacob, Abby and Lily

Jacob's First Bath

2011-03-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

New Pictures...

2011-03-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. Mommy really isn't good at dressing me.


Oh my. What to do.

Grandma and Jacob

Big Cousin Abby and Jacob

Daddy and Jacob

Mommy and Jacob

Yes, I know my ear is bent forward. Try telling Mommy that when she is putting these silly hats on my head.

Daddy feeding me. I thought I'd "wow" them and stare right into his eyes.

Welcome to the World

2011-03-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Proud Daddy

First diaper change by Daddy

Proud cousin Abby

Proud Aunt Carrie

Checking out Jacob's heart

Sleeping on the ride home

Owl Nursery

2011-02-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

Chad setting up the LCD projector

Drawing the lines...

More drawing....

The finished product:

Working on mural #2

The finished product:

"Holy Mess" -Chad

Chillin' in the recliner while Chad puts the crib together

(I look a little larger than I would like)

More owl items to come:

Book ends, lamp and shelf.

My Gluten Free Week of Recipes

2010-09-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

I've learned that eating gluten free, you have to be prepared for each meal ahead of time because you have so many less options. I've been looking for new recipes because if I eat cubed chicken with veggies one more time, I'm going to go insane. So I figured I would make a list and to keep from losing the list, why not post it on my blog? None of the recipes are my own. Day 4's recipes did not have a recipe for the pesto so I found one. Hopefully it will go together ok.

Shopping List
1 lb. chicken cutlet
eggs
parmesan cheese (a lot)
Canola or olive oil
2.5 lbs. turkey or hamburger
uncooked oatmeal
Garlic
celery
small onion
can of italian tomatoes
2 14-oz jars spaghetti sauce
Cottage Cheese (Daisy is gluten free per their website)
Yellow Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Zucchini
Gluten free lasagna noodles
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
3 Ounces Sweet Onion
16 Halves, Sun Dried Tomatoes (jarred in Oil)
1/4-1/3 Cup Fresh Basil
Tomato

DAY 1
Gluten-Free Parmesan Chicken
Serves: 2
Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients
1 pound chicken cutlets, thinly sliced
1 egg, or 1 egg white mixed with 1 teaspoon water and slightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Canola oil or olive oil cooking spray

Instructions
1. Dip chicken in egg mixture and then in parmesan cheese. Place in baking pan.
2. Spray top lightly with cooking oil. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes, or until brown and crispy.

DAY 2
Janet Little's Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna
Serves: 8
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 30 min

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground hamburger or turkey (omit for vegetarian version)
2 14-ounce jars gluten-free pasta sauce
Cheese (recipe calls for mixing ricotta, mozzarella, chef’s choice but I usually mix them about equal parts -- I'm using cottage cheese)
2 cups Sliced or diced veggies - anything you like! Suggestions include: spinach, zucchini, olives, mushrooms, onions. I'm using squash and zucchini.
2 to 4 tablespoons fresh basil, or 2 tablespoons dried basil
Black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
1 package gluten-free lasagna noodles, standard size package lasagna noodle box
1 cup Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese for topping, shredded

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook meat, drain fat, add one jar gluten-free pasta sauce and set aside.
3. Combine cheeses, basil, and pepper in a bowl, and set aside. Combine prepared vegetables and set aside.
4. Some gluten-free lasagna noodles do not require cooking in advance. If the brand you have does require boiling prior to lasagna assembly, cook the noodles, but reduce suggested cooking time by 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with warm water. Oil the noodles to prevent sticking. Better to cook as close to assembly of dish as possible because most gluten-free noodles are very fragile and should not sit or be handled too much
5. In a shallow baking dish spray or oil to prevent sticking, then layer the lasagna as follows:
1/3 plain gluten-free pasta sauce spread over the bottom of the dish
noodles - just enough to cover the bottom of the dish
1/2 of the meat/pasta sauce mixture
1/2 of the cheese
1/2 of the vegetable mixture
a layer of 1/3 of the gluten-pasta sauce
6. Repeat this layering process with the other half of the ingredients.
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in pre-heated 350-degree F oven for one hour.
8. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
9. Remove the foil, and bake 1/2 hour longer, or until golden brown.

DAY 3
Gluten Free Meatloaf
Ingredients
1.5 lb ground meat (beef or turkey, I like beef! )
3/4c-1cup of uncooked oatmeal (if you can't do oats use cooked rice--just call it porcupine meatloaf)
3 stalks of celery chopped up really small
1 medium onion small chopped up really small
2 cloves garlic chopped up really small
1/2 green pepper if you like it chopped up really small
2 whole eggs/or 1/2 can of Italian tomatoes with like half the juice and 1 egg/or add more meat to make 2lbs and use whole can, 2 eggs and form 2 loafs
Italian Herbs
Pepper and Salt to taste
Basil to garnish

Instructions
1. Mix the mess up with your hands in a bowl. Smoosh it really good til everything is all incorporated. If dry add ketchup or fruit juice (just a splash)
2. Shape into a mound and put on baking sheet.
3. Bake at 375 for at least 45 minutes or until it's the right temperature in the middle, use a meat thermometer to check after about 30 minutes.

DAY 4
Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Parmesan
serves 4-6

Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash
Pesto (see ingredients below)
Parmesan Cheese

Instructions
1 medium to large spaghetti squash baked or microwaved. Once cool enough, split it lengthwise and remove the pulp and seeds. Only remove the goopy stuff, the stranded, spaghetti-like stuff is what we're looking for. Use a fork and separate the the strands from the shell of the squash. Toss the squash in a bowl with 1/3 cup of pesto (see pesto ingredients below) and 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Preheat Broiler. Spread your squash mixture in a medium baking dish and sprinkle the top with a layer of parmesan cheese. Place the dish in the broiler for about 10 minutes or until the cheese on top gets a little crispy and takes on a golden hue.

Want to go the distance? Before you sprinkle the parmesan on the top, add freshly sliced tomato.

Pesto:
Ingredients
¼ Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
3 Ounces Sweet Onion
16 Halves, Sun Dried Tomatoes (jarred in Oil)
2 Large Garlic Cloves
¼-1/3 Cup Fresh Basil
½ Cup Olive Oil
(or, ¼ cup of the oil from jarred Sun Dried Tomatos,
plus ¼ cup Olive Oil)

Directions
In food processor chop, onion, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and basil. Add pine nuts and roughly chop in food processor (want to only slightly chop the pine nuts).

Remaining Days
Leftovers for the remaining day(s).

A little update

2010-08-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

The biggest news in the household is that we are having a baby.

9 week ultrasound (baby is size of an olive):

We are due March 24, 2011. We are 10 weeks as of today. The baby is the size of a:

(prune)

Our canine baby, Nelson, had to visit the vet on Saturday. He was yelping very randomly in pain. Turns out he has hip dysplasia. $241 later, the vet believes he jammed something and needs 2 weeks of rest. Yes, rest. A German Shepherd is supposed to rest and not exercise or run for two weeks. I'm not sure how this is going to go, but so far, he has had a few bursts of energy where he's running at full speed around the house. We have moved his cage so he doesn't have to walk on the slippery wood floor where he tends to fall.

San Diego and Vegas, Baby

2010-07-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

For vacation, Chad and I did San Diego and Las Vegas.

We went to SeaWorld. I was quite disappointed, but I saw Shamu.

I was disappointed because they had these goofy Cirque du Soleil-like shows. Only they were terrible. They made it more about the acrobatics than about the animals.

They had such an opportunity to verbally educate people about conservation and so much more. But they failed miserably at that. They tried to education through signs around the animals, but few people stop to read the signs.

If we had to do over, we would not go to SeaWorld again.

SeaWorld: Fail.

Now, onto our next adventure.

We always have adventures.

Not always in the good way.

On our second vacation day, we were running a little late for the 1:15 flight (leaving San Diego, heading for Las Vegas), but we were sure to make it. Since we fly standby, we picked that flight because there were plenty of open seats.

We were one block away from the car rental place on a steep hill and there was a big boxy truck in front of us -- the size of a large uhaul truck.

The truck couldn't get up the hill.

We were in a small PT Cruiser convertible.

About 50 feet behind us are railroad tracks.

The truck started rolling backward when trying to shift.

He gets closer to us sitting behind him.

He stops.

Then he rolls back again.

Then he stops.

Chad keeps backing up.

Then, of course, two cars came behind us so we couldn't really back up. He put his truck in reverse (Chad doesn't remember this, but i remember seeing the white reverse lights) and starts to roll back. Chad slams on the horn, the horn gets stuck, but it makes him stop.

We didn't feel him hit, but we manage to get around him and get to the rental car place. Chad gets out, decided to double check that he didn't hit us. We didn't feel it so we assumed he didn't hit us.

Wrong.

So Chad says "go stop him from leaving."

So I run full speed two long blocks to where it happened

and he's still there. I am not in shape, let me tell you.

He apparently had mechanical problems.

He wouldn't give us his name, but there was a witness. I called 911 -- I'm still hysterical at that point -- one of the scarier moments of my life. It's not fun to see a truck rolling down a hill and you're directly behind him.

The cops get there.

By the end of it, there are 4 cop cars blocking the street (remember there is a railroad track that trains go through often very close). One of the police cruisers (there are 2 in this image), you can barely see in this image because they are before the railroad track.

I decided to take pictures to ease my nerves.

Chad said I wasn't allowed to talk to the cops.

I was too upset and not giving facts.

Good thing he's the pilot and not me.

Clearly I don't do well in stressful situations.

We missed three flights trying to get to Las Vegas thanks to this incident.

But we made it.

We visited the Hoover Dam.

It was very windy and hot.

If you're going to visit the Hoover Dam, do not wear a skirt.

Some Glamour Shots at the Hoover Dam.

Some great deserty pictures from the Hoover Dam.

Other blogs and websites helped me find gluten free dining options so I thought I would include the restaurants I ate at.

San Diego: Vigilucci's in La Jolla offered gluten free spaghetti. Ironically, the waiter's sister had Celiac's so he fully understand what gluten free meant. The pasta was a tad too al dente for me, but I wasn't going to complain. And, of course, there was a Coldstone Creamery right beside Vigilucci's so I got some peanut butter ice cream which was gluten free.

Las Vegas: Claim Jumper has a gluten free menu and is a yummy restaurant. I wanted to try The Cracked Egg because they had gluten free pancakes and cookies (yum!) per their menu, but we were too starving in the morning so we ate in the hotel restaurant.

Gluten Free Recipes

2010-06-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

I have recently become gluten free and boy, is it difficult?!?! Here are a list of recipe websites and blogs that I have discovered. Unfortunately, it seems that gluten free recipes call for more ingredients. :o(

Helpful Links

Using Alternative Flours

Nelson's Adventure -- As Told by Nelson

2010-05-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

Here I am quite playful, jumping around in the water, but I decided to pose just long enough for my daddy to get a somewhat decent shot of me. I couldn’t let my mommy post some terrible shot of me on Facebook, you know? And we all know that is what she would do. So I was running with my new buddies from across the street. It was SOOO much fun. Then we walked down the railroad tracks. I kept looking back my mommy and daddy (let’s be honest, mainly mommy) to make sure they were coming. Then I got to sniff the greatest smelling dumpster ever! I don’t know why they throw that stuff away. And then mommy sat down while daddy and the other guy walked me and my girlfriend Jackie around a little bit. Yeah, there was another dog walking with us, but I didn’t care about him. I had Jackie. She’s a hottie. Long golden hair. Likes to give me kisses and sniff me. I love it!

Then I saw it, a deer and it was running fast. I knew I could outrun that sucker. So I went for it. I ran so fast. But that darn deer got away from me and by the time I looked behind me, my people were gone – mommy, daddy, their friends, my Jackie. They were all gone. I didn’t know what to do. So I just walked around. In and out of trees and bushes. I was getting a little scared. I thought I’d never see my people again. But I thought, this needs to be an adventure.

So I wandered around the landscape company where there have lots of mulch and trees, lots of ways to get dirty. In and out of bushes and trees, up hills and down hills. I was about to stroll along the railroad tracks all by myself when I was caught. Yep, that old man Charlie just grabbed me. But I was kind of excited because then I knew I would see my people again. Don’t tell them, but I was a little worried I wouldn't see them again. If you tell them, then their heads will get all big and you know my papa’s head, well, the circumference is pretty large as it is. I mean, jeesh!

So we walked home and that was fun too. I got in the creek again and played with my lovely Jackie. But most of all, I stayed real close to my moms and pops. I didn’t want want to lose them again. And do you know what they did to me when we got home? They dumped water and soap all over me. That’s what I get for chasing that darn deer. But at least I have my moms and pops back.

Our New Family Addition

2010-05-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

Nelson. Adopted April 23, 2010.

A little needy to say the least. But lovable.

We're working on training...which requires lots of treats.

Chad says I'm overtreating, but it works so we'll just have to overtreat.

He gets himself in some unusual situations.

When you buy stamps, buy the "Adopt a Shelter Pet" stamps.

Don't pity a shelter dog. Adopt one.

Strangely Shaped and Freakishly Functional

2010-04-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

A Bench Made from Nails...

I don't know the creator of the bench, but the photos are from here.

Rocking Bed

Bookcase

Strange Stairs

Hand knob (which sounds kind of dirty)

Accordion Desk

Bad Table

Sitting Dresser

To view lots of other innovative designs, I have discovered Straight Line Designs. Maybe you wouldn't put it in your house (or maybe you would), but they sure are fun to look at!!

What Are You Grateful For?

2010-04-17T22:04:00.000-07:00

Me? My husband.

And it goes like this...phone rings. it's him.

Me: Hello?
Chad: I have a problem. I'm at Giant Eagle and they don't have strawberry sorbet. (fyi: this is one thing I can eat after my tonsillectomy)
Me: I didn't even know you left. I thought you were outside.
Chad: [laughs] No, I went to the store.
Me: It's not a big deal. Don't worry about it.
Chad: Well, they have lemon, mango. Would you like either of those?
Me: I'm not sure I would like those. Don't worry.

Call ends. Five minutes later, phone rings.

Chad: I'm at Wal-mart now and they don't have strawberry sorbet, but they have raspberry and [a couple other flavors I don't remember].
Me: [laughs] Sweetie, you don't have search for strawberry sorbet.
Chad: Does raspberry sound good?
Me: yeah, I think I would like that.
Chad: Okay, I'll get that.

I LOVE MY HUSBAND!!

Paper Art

2010-04-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

Art by Jen Stark

Two Pictures Tell the Story on Health Care Debate

2010-03-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

by Nate Silver

Gallup did something pretty cool in connection with their latest health care survey, which was to provide the verbatim responses (.xls) of the rationales given by people who would tell their Congressman to vote for or against the current health care bills, respectively.

I ran the responses through Wordle, a word-cloud generating tool, omitting certain words that were parts of speech or were otherwise nongermane.

Here are the words that were used most frequently by the 45 percent of the country who would tell their Congressman to vote for the health care bill:

And here are the words used most commonly by the 48 percent of the country who would tell their Congressman to vote against it:

In some sense, this is a very old-fashioned debate about the proper role of government. The message that the pro-reform voters have taken away comes through loudly and clearly: 'PEOPLE ... NEED ... INSURANCE', whereas concerns among the anti's boil down to 'GOVERNMENT' and 'COST'.

As I've argued before, some of the anti-health care sentiment may be based on a misunderstanding about what exactly the bill would do: its hardly a government takeover, leaving the private insurance industry largely intact although certainly enacting a number of important new regulations and restrictions. Nevertheless, it's clear that anti-reform advocates have coyly tapped into a lot of fears about the role of government -- fears which were probably buoyed by the extremely unpopular bailout and somewhat unpopular stimulus package.

On the pro-reform side, meanwhile, it's been the moral arguments that seem to have broken through -- words like 'PEOPLE', 'NEED', 'EVERYONE' and 'EVERYBODY' -- along with a few hints of populist sentiment ('COMPANIES', 'AFFORD'). Very few people have been persuaded by the discussions about bending the cost curve, on the other hand. Although the word 'AFFORD' is used more often by proponents of the legislation, terms like 'COST' and 'MONEY' are used far more often by those opposed to it.

Catching Up . . .

2010-02-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

Since my last post, my results came back on whether I was leaking cerebrospinal fluid from my brain. It was negative so that's good! I have also decided to get a tonsillectomy and a septoplasty in April. I will have to take 2 weeks off of work. From what I understand it is miserable to have your tonsils removed as an adult so this should be interesting. We should be closing on our condo and new house in mid-March. Clearly a lot is going on!

This was my first Ash Wednesday service...my first time getting an ash cross on my forehead. So what have I given up for Lent? This was a very hard choice, but I decided to give up sweets (cookies, cake, ice cream, etc.). I have a major sweet tooth so this will be a huge struggle for me. I also decided to be more patient. Who would have thought that being patient would be more difficult than giving up sweets? I practically cursed 10 people off the road on my way to work alone. But I'm still working on it. And the sweets part...well, it's hard to determine what's a sweet and what's not in some cases. I'm doing my best.

Lent photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62765012@N00/2239619988/

20 Things that Happen in 1 Minute Graphic

2010-02-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

(View original at http://contexts.org/socimages)

Decisions, Decisions....

2010-01-31T17:09:00.000-08:00

Things are progressing with selling our condo and buying our house. We're crossing our fingers and praying that nothing falls through. The house we are moving into has white white white walls. I NEED COLOR! Chad isn't so much of a color person so I have to work hard on him. I can't decide what colors to do. Ideas?

50 Uses for Popsicle Sticks

2010-01-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

I saw this blog posted through Google Reader and thought I would share. The top photo is from craftzine.com. The second photo is a trivet and that is taken from The Small Object.

1) Seed Starter
2) Picture Frame
3) Paint Stirrer
4) Eyebrow Wax Stick
5) Bookmark
6) Holding a Popsicle
7) Making Ice Cream Bars
8) Corn Dogs
9) Mini-Log Cabin
10) Mix Epoxy Glue
11) Dollhouse
12) Loom To Make A “God’s Eye”
13) Evening Off Measuring Cups
14) Cookie Pops
15) Musical Instrument
16) Taste Tester
17) Sports Team Banner
18) Plant Marker
19) Spreading Glitter On Glue
20) Pick Up Sticks
21) Ice Therapy For Muscle Relaxers
22) Name Cards
23) Gift Tag
24) A Basket
25) Splint For A Broken Finger
26) Shims
27) Fire Starter
28) Recipe Holder
29) Trivet
30) Scraper
31) Coffee Stirrer
32) For Dropping In Dough Dumplings
33) Knife For Kids
34) Dipping Marshmallows
35) Pill Counter
36) Holding a Wick In Place For A Candle
37) Puppets
38) Straight Edge
39) Decorating Around A Vase Or Pot
40) Hem Weight For Curtains
41) Homework Reading Spacer
42) Making A Coaster
43) Aid To Quit Smoking
44) Orthodontist Tool For Overbites
45) Pins For Beach Game
46) Recipe Reminder
47) Menthol Stick
48) Curtains
49) Separate Sod When Transferring Plants From Pots
50) Cleaning Shower Door Runners

Taken from The Martha Stewart Living Radio Blog

Living with Fibromyalgia

2010-01-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

I fell down the stairs last March or April and since then I've had pretty significant pain. I learned to accept that it may take a couple years for the pain to go away. In that time, I went to a massage therapist and tried to deal with the pain.

A couple weeks ago, I learned that the pain I thought would go away within a couple years will remain with me for the rest of my life. I'm angry. I'm sad. I'm thinking of how chronic pain has affected my current life and I can't imagine how I'm going to continue to deal with this. I don't want to be a complainer, but I am right now. Because that's all I know how to do because to deal with a stabbing shot of pain in my knees or a dull pain where it feels like someone has their elbow jammed into my shoulders is unbearable sometimes. Sometimes my legs and knees are so painful that I want to drop to my knees and crawl, but that would be stupid because the pain my knees would endure from crawling -- well, that would be miserable. Today I'm having pain all over. One minute it's my upper back and then my knees and then the spot kind of behind my ears on my head.

Instead of complaining constantly, I decided to focus that energy into something positive like writing about fibromyalgia. But not about my pain -- maybe sometimes about it -- but more about my experiences, what helps me, articles of interest, etc.

I have not told many people that I have fibromyalgia. The reason being that some people believe that it's fake. They can't see it, so it must not exist, right? This is bothersome to me -- and to others -- who are experiencing this pain. I know what aches and pains are. I've had them like everyone else, as a child and as a teenager. But there was a time when I started having aches and pains that were much more than the typical ones. I dealt with them for a long time. These weren't normal pains. When they became unbearable, I finally called my doctor to refer me to a specialist. A great website is www.ButYouDontLookSick.com for those needing support.

Doctors don't believe it's fake. Per the Mayo Clinic website, Since fibromyalgia is defined by a list of symptoms, claiming that fibromyalgia isn't real is essentially saying that your symptoms aren't real. That doesn't make sense. Most doctors believe your symptoms are real. The controversy comes when deciding whether fibromyalgia is a disease process that can be reversed or cured. Most doctors believe fibromyalgia is a set of symptoms that aren't caused by an underlying disease. Most doctors believe that fibromyalgia symptoms can be managed, but there is no underlying disease to "cure."

There are 18 pain points that help diagnose Fibromyalgia. You must have 11 of the 18 points, from what I've read, to be diagnosed. The pain is located within the muscles themselves, as well as at the points where ligaments attach muscles to bones. Those with fibromyalgia feel extreme tenderness over many of these locations. These sites of tenderness are called tender points (sometimes referred to as trigger points) .The location of tender points is similar in all people with fibromyalgia and are, therefore, an important part of the diagnosis. The pain point photo is from http://www.holistic-online.com/remedies/cfs/fib_symp_pain.htm.

If you need someone to understand what you are going through, ask them to read "A Letter to the Healthy World from the Land of Chronic Pain and Fatigue."

Photo credits: Beliefnet.com; Holistic-online.com

How Beautiful Are These?

2009-12-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Source: Lemmemakeit .

Off to the Olympics...

2009-12-30T13:34:00.001-08:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Which Looks Better to You?

2009-12-23T23:57:00.000-08:00

From Wonkroom:
(click to enlarge)

How to Properly Clean Up After Making Cupcakes

2009-12-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

Get a little lick of the batter first.

Tongue not doing a good enough job, just use the whole paw!

Oops, I missed a spot.

When all else fails, fully immerse yourself in the cleaning up process.

Photos from CuteOverload.

The Law of the Garbage Truck

2009-12-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

A story....
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy and, I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you do that? That guy almost ruined your car and could have sent us to the hospital!'

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day (much less, their life). Life's TOO short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ...

Love the people who treat you right
and pray for the ones who don't.
and always remember ...
Life is 50% what you make it
and 50% how you take it!
Now have a garbage-free day

Can't Decide Where to Eat?

2009-12-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

Seattle restaurantsUrbanspoon

Seattle restaurants on Urbanspoon

The Girl Effect

2009-12-02T03:41:00.001-08:00

Rosa Parks: No Ordinary Woman

2009-12-01T05:54:00.000-08:00

A Montgomery County, Ala. sheriff's booking photo of Rosa Parks after she was arrested during the 1955 bus boycott. (AP Photo.)

How she sat there, the time right inside a place so wrong it was ready.
— From Rosa, in On the Bus with Rosa Parks by Rita Dove

We know the story. One December evening, a woman left work and boarded a bus for home. She was tired; her feet ached. But this was Montgomery, Ala., in 1955, and as the bus became crowded, the woman, a black woman, was ordered to give up her seat to a white passenger. When she remained seated, that simple decision eventually led to the disintegration of institutionalized segregation in the South, ushering in a new era of the civil rights movement. Read more about Rosa Parks, one of Time's 100 Heroes and Icons.

Drawing on Life

2009-11-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

Photo from divergingroads.com

Life is interesting. If you think about your life, there are guaranteed to be a few defining moments where if you made a different decision, your life would be in a different place. That could be a physical location or maybe you would be with a different partner or have a different job.

Some defining moments in your life have nothing to do with a decision you made, but rather a decision someone else made and it affected you. It could have been how someone treated you, good or bad.

All of these defining moments create who we are. You can take two people who go through the exact same situation and both individuals will react differently. I watched The Blind Side yesterday about Ravens Rookie Michael Oher and they said something quite interesting in the movie: Most kids who go through what he went through would take out their aggression out on the football field and basically pound others. But he was the exact opposite.

I've always had a soft place in my heart for individuals who have experienced continuous "negative" defining moments in their life. So I've decided to start writing about inspirational people who have rose above the negativity and barriers in their life and in our world. I will try to highlight one inspirational person a week. I was initially going to do all women, but changed my mind. I may focus more on women though.

Do you know of an inspirational person? Let me know.

What's Cooking on Thanksgiving?

2009-11-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Maybe I am the only one to find this kind of stuff interesting, but the New York Times took the terms entered into search engines for Thanksgiving recipes and showed what states searched what what. The searches range from green bean casserole to pecan pie and turkey brine. The western states seem to eat yams (or at least not know the recipes) while the midwest and south needs the recipe for corn casserole. The Northeast eats butternut squash while cheesecake is pretty widespread (I can understand that). View New York Times article and maps

Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers

2009-11-26T13:04:00.000-08:00

All these ideas are compiled by the lovely "little lady" in charge of Pineapple Grass blog, which happens to be a favorite of mine. I love Google Reader because I can just hit "send to > blogger" and share all the great ideas that others have (properly citing them of course!!). So here you go...

Something for breakfast...

From MrBreakfast.com: Maple Sweet Potato Muffins

Something for lunch...

From FoodTV.com: Turkey, Dressing, and Cranberry Panini

Something for dinner...

From Recipezaar.com: Creamy Turkey Tetrazzini

Something to freeze for later...

From Epicurious.com: The Great After-Thanksgiving Turkey Enchiladas

A recipe that incorporates ALL your leftovers...

From RachaelRay.com: Five Layer Turkey Dip

Extra pie crusts as well?

From AllRecipes.com: Turkey Pot Pie

For those who may have overindulged...

From KraftFoods.com: Harvest Salad

No Instruction Manual

2009-11-24T18:29:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of The Chalkboard Manifesto

College Students Arrested For Refusing To Pay Tip [It's Not Really A Tip, Then, Is It?]

2009-11-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

Taken from The Consumerist Blog by Chris Walters.
Should you be required by law to pay a gratuity if you don't think the restaurant's service was worth it? The police in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania think so, and they arrested two college students for refusing to pay a $16.35 tip over what they claim was poor service.

'You can't give us terrible, terrible service and expect a tip,' said Pope, a 22-year-old Moravian College senior who's a Pottsville native, according to the Lehigh Valley Express-Times.
They had to find their own napkins and cutlery while their waitress caught a smoke, had to ask the bar for soda refills, and had to wait over an hour for salad and wings, they told NBC10.
The pub, which was very busy that night, took the $73, but then called the cops, who treated the matter as a theft.

College students arrested for not paying tip' [Philly.com]

Areas of Hands Commonly Missed During Handwashing

2009-11-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

An interesting fact about eyes...

2009-11-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

The human pupil dilates when an individual is exposed to something that he or she likes. For instance, the pupils of women and infants (but not men) spontaneously dilate when they see babies. Pupil dilation is an honest indicator of interest and attraction. And the size of the pupil is easiest to determine in blue eyes. Blue-eyed people are considered attractive as potential mates because it is easiest to determine whether they are interested in us or not. Read more interesting facts...

Photo from Flickr

When I grow up...

2009-11-14T21:38:00.000-08:00

via:glisteningsnow:pineapplecrystallize:thedailywhat

Puppy Dog Eyes

2009-11-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

From Cute Overload. You can't beat puppy dog eyes. So cute. oh, I want a doggie so bad.

Before and After Rooms

2009-11-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

Some before and after pictures from another blog (Starter Home to Dream Home).

Laundry room

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

half bathroom ...

Before

AFTER

Den...

BEFORE

AFTER

The Wild Things Ride the Boston Subway

2009-11-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

This cracks me up for some reason....

[photo from: CaseyDonahue.Tumblr]

well, that's embarrassing

2009-10-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

Photo taken from http://cuteoverload.com/2009/10/28/cow-eye-side-eye/

Partisan Political Contributions by U.S. Companies

2009-09-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

I thought this was quite interesting to see what companies donated to what political parties. I am probably a little too interested by things like this. :o) I also find it interesting that certain fields (food industry for example) tends to give more to the Republican party. I wonder why? Personally, I would think that all banks would be more Republican, but there are actually some that lean more Democratic. Check out the site.

Search fields

By company name
By sector (finance, food and beverages, chemicals, personal care, pharmaceuticals, retail sales, etc.)
Sort (Largest total contribution, alpha by company, most republican leaning, most democratic leaning, etc.)

Accident-Prone

2009-03-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

I don't have much of a following, but when one of my followers (Simi) mentions that they've noticed I haven't blogged lately, I think it's time to get on the ball. So what shall I blog about? I have the perfect topic considering I'm sitting here in pain from my recent fall. You see, my whole life I've been quite accident prone. As my mom says, "[I] keep God so busy that he has no time for anyone else." Hopefully it's mildly entertaining. So let's get started.

Golf Club - Nose Incident (5-years-old?)
Many people don't realize how golf clubs can injure you. Yeah, men can get hit in the you-know-what, but that's not how I got hurt. Oh no! The family was on vacation and we were at the hotel playing in the recreation area. I wanted to play miniature golf. My parents were playing ping pong. Not sure where my sister was. Well, I was short and the golf club came up to just under my nose. I went to swing it. Now...At the top of a golf putter is a rubber handle. These rubber handles APPEAR to be harmless. I'm here to tell you they aren't. They are very sharp. I swung the putter and it slit my nose. I lifted my hand up to my nose and felt liquid. I don't recall looking at my hand to see blood. I ran to my parents and asked if I was bleeding and sure enough, I was. Long story short, I should have had stitches but didn't. Years later I had plastic surgery because my nose didn't grow back together correctly. So be careful when you handle a golf club.

Now You See It, Now You Don't (Second Grade - 7-years-old)
When I was in second grade, I found a green bead on the floor (very sanitary I know). I wanted to do a magic show for my friends so I said "Now you see it" and stuck it up my nose. "Now you don't." Then I took it out. Then I went to another group of friends and did the same thing. Wah-la! Then I went to a third group of friends and it didn't quite work the same way. When I tried to take it out, it didn't come up. I kept sticking my finger up my nose to get it out, but it just wouldn't come out and I kept pushing it up further the harder I tried to get it out. I finally had to tell the teacher and I went to the nurse. They had to call my mom (who laughed and laughed when the secretary told her what happened). She had to leave work to take me to the doctor. Now I normally made fun of kids who cried at the doctors but that day when she stuck tweezers up my nose, I cried and cried and cried. But they got it out. The next day everyone at school knew what I did and I was quite embarrassed.

Rollerskating Meets Wall (High school) Yes, rollerskating. While rollerblading was popular, our youth group at church went rollerskating. I was the only girl. I was never good at using that brake at the front of the rollerskate. So I would just put my arms out and use the wall to stop. Unfortunately, this time I was going faster than I realized. I hit the wall so hard that I flew back and landed on my butt. Now, I didn't hurt my butt. My arms are hurting so bad, but I'm with all guys, including my crush, so I'm trying very hard not to cry, but I'm in incruciating pain. My eyes are filled with tears but I'm sure as hell not going to let them run down my cheeks...I'm not going to act like a...gasp...girl. So I'm sitting on bench trying not to cry. One of the guys sees me and realizes what's wrong and gets the pastor. They clearly realize what's wrong. We leave. The pastor drives me home in my car because my arm is so bad I can't drive (but darnnit, I haven't cried yet). Our pastor explains to my mom what happens. He leaves...the door closes and I burst into tears to my mom and say "We have to go to the hospital." So what do the xrays say?" The bone in my arm (closest to my hand) collided so hard with the arm bone (closest to my shoulder) that it cracked it at my elbow. yay. I ended up having the most swollen elbow I've ever seen. I was in a sling for a week. It did heal quickly.

College Stairs (18-years-old)
This is a simple, quick one. I'm walking to dinner with friends. I miss ONE stair. Thank goodness my friend caught me or it would have been way worse. I ended up severly spraining my ankle (worse than a break). Had to go through physical therapy.

Moldy Cheese Fall (Sophomore Year)
I belonged to a college youth group. We needed to clean out the refridgerator. Well, one of the guys thought it would be funny to chase me with nasty moldy cheese. I was running at full speed (on a cement floor). Another guy decided to come around the corner but I didn't know he was there. I ran full speed into, rebounded into him and flew bad and hit the cement floor, head first. I was paralyzed for about 15 minutes. I should have put up with moldy cheese being put on me. I ended up having a bump the size of a lemon (it was huge). I had to go to the hospital for this one. Fortunately everything was ok. My friend had to check my pupils all night. She would set her alarm every half hour and wake up, but she was so tired, she'd say "Melissa, are your pupils dilated?" I'd say "I think they are ok" or "I don't know, I can't see them." Good thing they really were ok. Talk about a headache for a week.

And the Recent One
I'm walking down the stairs two weeks ago. Not rushing but my shoes were new and didn't glide on the carpet and I fall down the stairs. My leg bends underneathe me and I just fall. I'm not real sure how my tailbone played a part in it, but with the pain I'm experiencing, I know it did. I also sprained my ankle and my arm. By the way...this one isn't allowed to be mildly entertaining....because I'm still feeling the pain.

I'm sure family has a few more to add. :o)

Review: Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-16T17:02:00.000-08:00

After all the hype about Slumdog Millionaire (it won five Critics' Choice Awards, four Golden Globes and seven BAFTA Awards, including Best Film, and has been nominated for ten Academy Awards), I really wanted to see it. I knew it wouldn't be a pick me up movie. I always have to be prepared for that because I tend to gravitate toward comedies and chick flicks.

The plot: It's about the Indian version of Who wants to be a millionaire? and they think Jamal is cheating because he knows all the answers. In between his answers, it flashes back to scenes in India. It gives you a very real look at life in India. It's definitely not a feel-good movie. There is a little bit of a love story in it, but it takes the entire movie to get there. And even then, they had to go through so much in their lives to be with the one they love.

The movie was so well put together and the editing was great. The screenplay is based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup.

My rating: A

Recipe Assistant

2009-01-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

Pretty Cool, eh?

Recipe and a Review

2009-01-08T15:40:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure if I would like this initially, but it was yummy! Chad made it. He's the bestest chef ever! (have to pump him up so he'll continue cooking). It's weird because you can taste the cinnamon, but it works.

Tomato Florentine Pasta Bake
Makes 6 (1-cup) servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons Oregano Leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper, Crushed
2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 ounces)
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (we use cottage cheese because I don't like ricotta)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook turkey and onion in large nonstick skillet on medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, oregano, sugar, cinnamon, garlic powder and red pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package; drain well. Stir pasta and well-drained spinach into sauce until well mixed. Spread 1/2 of the pasta mixture in 11x7-inch baking dish. Spread ricotta cheese evenly over pasta. Top with remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information
per serving
Calories: 333
Fat: 9 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Sodium: 633 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 25 g

And now for the review.....

This will contain spoilers. Marley & Me was a cute movie, but it was only because of the presence of Marley. Take the dog out of the story and it would have been the slowest, most boring plot ever. I knew I would like the movie; however, because of the recent passing of Molly, our very own yellow lab. The previews make it look all fun and games, but in reality, it's a fairly serious movie. It deals with marriage issues, a miscarriage and the inevitable - the loss of Marley. I'm not sure if it would have been as sad if our own Molly had not passed away less than a year ago. Seeing Marley's tail knock cups over and watch him chew through couches brought bad fun and frustrating moments from Molly growing up. Overall, a decent movie, but not the best movie I've ever seen.

Marley & Me Rating: B-

Getting out there...

2009-01-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

So I thought today when I had to fill out my interests and hobbies, that I really don't have a lot. There are a lot of things I enjoy to do, but not that I do regularly. For instance, I like to bowl, but I do that about twice a year and I'm absolutely terrible. I'm really good at starting things and not finishing them (thank you A.D.D.).

So here are a list of hobbies I found. What shall I try? Suggestions? Just for the record, I'm not collecting action figures.