Well, I am. So it should be no surprise that I have been sitting on these awards. I have recently been given a few new awards and I'm plumb tickled (I don't really say plumb tickled in case you were wondering, it just came out, and I am leaving it). Nicole of the Young Mama Blog gifted me with these two awards, and Heidi at From 3 to 5 also gave me the Sweet Award a while back:
With the Happy 101 and the Lemonade Stand, there are instructions to list things about yourself. I did that here. Please be sure to go show Nicole and Heidi some support and visit their blog. We all like a little lovin'. If you are a follower who is new to my blog as of January, then I am giving you both of these awards. I appreciate you!
Shell from Things I Can't Say blessed me with the Kreativ Blogger Award. Thank you, Shell. If you haven't checked her out yet, please do so...and tell her I said hi! This award stipulates that I share 7 new things and then pass it on to (7) other bloggers. As for 7 things about me: 1. My favorite veggie is the artichoke. 2. I used to pray for small boobs when I was young (what?) 3. I once pooped my pants when I was 7 and couldn't climb down from the tree I was in fast enough to make it to the bathroom (I'm digging deep here). 4. I love the smell of new car tires...like in the store, I generally don't make a habit of sniffing the tires on the actual vehicle. 5. I love a good oatmeal stout. 6. I am currently pondering whether we need a new an addition to our family (yikes). 7. I blush super easily. As in...a cute boy says hello and my face immediately flushes an obvious shade of red. I am passing this award to Melis at The Zoo Keeper's Diary, not only is she creative, but she writes so stinkin' well. Her posts are always a pleasure to read. I know it says 7, but...please cut me a break, there are some crazy numbers going on with these things, and I really want to get the post done, and the awards passed to others.
This Beautiful Blogger Award was given to me by Becky of In the Trenches, Shandal at My Life in 3D Again, please go give them some love. And, ladies, thanks for thinking of me! You're the best. This one has the very same rules as the one above. So re-read it if you feel you are being jipped. I am going to pass this one on to Sonora at Twinfinity..I am a very big fan of hers, and Allison at Life of a Tater Tot Mom...she's so down to earth, you feel like you are reading an old friend's thoughts.
The circle of friends award was given to me by Shandal at My Life in 3D since I am a fellow P90Xer...and yes, Shandal...you are a great support where that is concerned, so thank you so much. I think the BEST thing about this award is that there are no rules. NONE. But I want to pass it on anyway. So I am giving this one to Drea at Peanut Butter Jelly Days, Heidi at From 3 to 5, Shell at Things I Can't Say, Melis at The Zoo Keeper's Diary, Becky at In the Trenches, Kate at Kate's Life, Liz at Harmony Song, Keely at MannLand5, Amanda at Outnumbered by Testosterone, Nicole at A New Normal, Sonora at Twinfinity and Just a Mom at Mommy Molecules. I think you are all wonderful, and you most always make me laugh, smile or cry!
Finally, this Best Blog Award was bestowed upon me by Shelly at Picture Perfect Embossing. Once again, if I can kindly ask you to go visit her blog and show her some support, I would be so grateful. Thank you Shelly, for giving me this fun award. Now, with it I am supposed to pass it on to 15 (gulp) other bloggers! Holy cow. Um, yeah, I just can't make time for all those links, so here's the deal...
I am going to do my own version of what others have done. Instead of saying, if you are a follower, or if you are reading this, etc...I am going to say, if your blog is less than 6 months old, then scoop this one up! There you have it.
Warning: Blog operator's brain on fritz...so don't expect much. This post is a bunch of odds and ends, hence the title.
First and foremost, I am excited to share the fact that I do have a few after pictures to share. Remember this post where I bared my deepest and dirtiest? If you didn't read it, you may want to now. Guaranteed to make you feel better about yourself in five seconds flat however long it takes you to read the post (but read this one first, because it has some cool stuff). So here are the pictures.
My bedroom floor after and before. Big exhale.
Nightstand after and before. Better light in the after!
Here's one that wasn't in the last post because I had already shown so much, that I thought enough was enough. Anyway, this was/is one of my dressers. My room now is one place that no longer causes me extra tension.
Moving on...in doing my cleaning, I came across some books that I have either, never used or used gently. I no longer have a need for them, and would like to know if any of you are interested in any or all of them. If so, please leave me a comment of which book you'd like. I will let them go on a first come, first served basis. ***This is not a giveaway*** Just wanted to see if anyone here wants them before I take them to the used book store. All I ask of those that are interested is that you kindly pay for shipping, you may have the book(s) for free. They are:
The Everything Pregnancy Book, and Dr. Sears Fussy Baby Book.
This one is Kids Create. Its arts and crafts for 3-9 year olds. We have never used it, and sadly I am just not that crafty. But there looks to be some fun things for kiddos to make with moms and dads.
Last thing I have is a wedding scrapbook. Never used at all. I had already started a different one when I received this as a gift.
Okay, there is one more thing I want to show you all. I mentioned a while back that one of my favorite gifts for Christmas was a fantastic necklace from Lisa Leonard. It is really awesome. It has all three of my kiddos names on it, it's silver (and I'm a silver kinda gal), and it goes with cute dresses or jeans! So awesome.
I may or may not be hosting a giveaway really soon. It may or may not have to do with Lisa Leonard! So stay tuned.
"You Know You’re a Mom When-sDAZE" is a great way for us, as parents, to make light of our trials and tribulations. Our day to day run-ins with the crazy little people in our lives we call children. The very people we simply couldn’t live without. Just share what has you knowing you're a mom (or dad) today, and then come link up. It can be anything...a picture, story, or a bunch of "you know you're a mom whens..."
You know you’re a mom when…
…you can take five stacks of folded laundry to their respective rooms without dropping a single article of clothing.
…you call yourself a genius because in an attempt to get a little more protein into the little people, you mix plain Greek yogurt into their mac n’ cheese and they are none the wiser.
…you consider yourself an accomplished cook, yet consistently manage to burn the food you make for yourself.
Come on over and share what has you knowing you're a mom today!
The kitchen is the heart of the home, right? It’s where meals are lovingly prepared, families gather to eat and talk about their day, children innocently (and not so) make messes on the floor, and countless other things. When a party happens, have you ever noticed that everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen?
So, in my opinion, it goes without saying, that the kitchen should be loved. It’s the one room in the home that I have to have just right. When we chose this home, I thought I could live with the tile that was in place on the counters. After all, it even looks pretty decent. Right?
Wrong song, ding dong! I am here to tell you that tile on the counters in the kitchen es un idea muy malo! It gets dirty…deep down in the grout…and is next to impossible to clean. After time, I grew to loathe these counters. Until my husband rode home one day on his beautiful while stallion, strode in the door and proclaimed that he was here to save the princess from her tile prison. Granite to the rescue!
Beauty. Even with the towell that I couldn't be bothered to move before snapping the picture.
Time again for You Know You're a Mom When-sDAZE. It's a fun way to share anything and everything about being a mom. The funny moments, the not so funny moments. The insane, the cute, the melt your hearts. All of it. You can post with pictures or just stories...or even quippy little one liners like "you know you're a mom when you've forgotten what your flooring looks like due to the absurd number of toys constantly cover it up." I'd love to see you link up this week. So come on...join us, won't you?
Lately more and more items have been placed to the highest points possible in our home. No matter what efforts we take, however, it seems my little 3 year old angel manages to foil them.
Child proof Tylenol? Pft. Maybe...but not Addyson proof. Dental floss in the medicine cabinet? Not anymore. Oh, and that one isn’t because I have moved it…nope…that one is because the sweet cherub unraveled the whole stinkin’ thing all over my bathroom counter.
But my favorite? Her inventive way of putting maxi pads to use. Ingenious if you ask me.
So…you know you’re a mom when…in an effort to avoid this…
You turn your house into something like this…
Your turn. What is reminding you today that you are indeed a mom? If you’ve done your post…come on back and link it up. If not, you can always share right here.
"You Know You’re a Mom When-sDAZE" is a great way for us, as parents, to make light of our trials and tribulations. Our day to day run-ins with the crazy little people in our lives we call children. The very people we simply couldn’t live without. So with this, the possibilities of this are really endless...the creativity is all yours. In order to play along, all you have to do is either post a picture of something crazy, wonderful, endearing, or just plain cute, that your kids have done...explaining how it made you feel or the story behind it. Or, write a little post in the “You know you’re a mom when…” fashion. Grab my brand new button (if you fancy). Then come back over and link up.
You know you’re a mom when you think to look in the toy basket for one of your missing shoes…and you find it.
You know you’re a mom when, in a pinch, a cookie seems like a perfectly acceptable snack to feed the little ones…right before lunch.
You know you’re a mom when bedtime at 7:00 for the kids really means bedtime is at 7:30 or 8:00 by the time the “I’m thirsties, and I have to go potties, and there’s a noise in my rooms” are all said and done.
You know you’re a mom when you unsuspectingly take a gulp of your water only to find that floating particles seem to have mysteriously appeared, and you don’t even feel that grossed out by it.
Now let’s have it! What little things make you feel like “this only happens to a mother (or father)?” Whatever you’ve got, post it and link up. I’d love to read what you have to say.
I'm not exactly sure when it happened...but I've been trained. I'm so ashamed. Once upon a time I stood my ground. I made a statement, and I held to it. Was I only dreaming?
When Addyson came along, she began training me immediately. Boy, was I surprised. See, I was so sure that I would be training her. I even planned to have her eat and sleep on a schedule. She was going to be the best sleeping baby that ever graced God's green earth. I even read Babywise in preparation. Well, Addyson did not read her copy of the book, and she had other plans. For twelve weeks I held her for every nap. Well, I did, or Andy did (don't even get me started there, we were so at each other's throats). Holding her at naptime wouldn't have been so bad if she would have slept in a sling so I could multi task. Heck, I would have been happy if she would have let me hold her and just read a book. Again, she had her own ideas. My darling daughter had to be in her room, with the shudders closed, in my lap while rocking in the glider. If one of these criteria wasn't met, all hell (yes hell) broke out in the Mamma household. So you see, she has been working us from the start.
When she was 12 weeks, I was finally determined to teach her how to sooth herself at naptime. This bolgna started to seep into our nights (which to that point had been just fine, she'd nurse two or three times a night and go straight back down), so we sleep trained. It was the best thing I ever could have done...for her, for me... for my marriage ;) In three days time she would go down for a nap in her own crib with no soothing from me. Amazing.
Today, I was thinking about this as I lay next to her during rest time. It dawned on me that somewhere along the way, she worked me over. Did you notice the first sentence of this paragraph? That's right...as I lay next to her during rest time (insert record skip). It's the only way I can get her to nap now, and even that is failing lately. So I may throw in the towel. We may just give up once and for all on the old naptime for Addyson. That or I'll still be sleeping with her when I'm 80.
Okay, you all asked, and my husband answered. One of the qualifiers to get him to do this was that I could in no way edit what he wrote. So this is all him, without any meddling from me. I didn't say, however, that I wouldn't add my two cents if I felt it warranted. Just saying...and if my two cents does show up anywhere, it will be in orange. Now, on to your questions and his answers.
Melis of The Zookeeper's Diary asked: If your wife could have any profession BESIDES being a SAHM, what would you want it to be? And why? And do you read her blog? What do you think of it?And finally, would you ever consider moving your family to where I live and buying the house next-door so we can all be IRL friends? Is that weird?
Any profession – A photographer seeing as she has an eye and a passion for it.
Do I read her Blog? – Are you all kidding?…hardly ever, but I don’t need to…I live it everyday.
What do I think of her blog? – I have always thought her to possess a true gift when it comes to that of the written form…On the occasion when I curl up with a cup of coffee and my computer to catch up on the latest prose of “Arizonamamma,” she confirms my thoughts.
Would I consider moving to be your neighbors and is that weird? – I know you are joking…
Keely from MannLand5 wanted to know: What made you fall in love with your wife? How did you 2 meet?Will you have more kids? :-) What do all do for fun as a family? What do you think your wife's best physical feature is? What do you do for a living?
What made me fall in love with your wife? – her independence, beauty, charm and her complete acceptance of me.
How did we meet? -We worked together on an outside sales team.
Will we have more kids? – I can’t answer this one on my own…AZMAMMA has a pretty big stake in this answer as well…however, if it were up to me I think that there will be no more children conceived.
What do we all do for fun as a family? – Every Saturday morning we get up just as the sun is about to rise in the East…saying East is silly…doesn’t it always rise in the East? Anyway, we ALL get up just before the sun rises…we bring plenty of water, lunch and our trimming shears…we hike 13 miles (AZMAMMA and I take turns pulling our two youngest children in the wagon, they certainly couldn’t make the trek on their own) to the llama farm and we sneak into their grazing area….On even days AZMAMMA lasso’s three of these creatures while I teach the children how to shave cool designs into their fur….on odd days, we switch places…The kids find this absolutely hysterical and the llamas, well they don’t seem to mind one bit either….On the way home we usually dig 2 random holes with a large baking spoon (I don’t find this particular activity “fun” at all, but the rest of the family does and sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do). (If you all think this is serious, then you haven't been reading my blog for very long...I would never let anyone use my baking spoon to dig holes).
What do I think my wife’s best physical feature is? – AZMAMMA was very blessed when it comes to her ‘4th point of contact,” her rear end. This, in my humble opinion, is her best physical feature….****This is where I must put my disclaimer, I am sure that ALL of you were hoping for some romantic answer like the beautiful sparkle in her eyes when she is truly happy, or the curls in her hair when she styles it my favorite way…maybe you even wanted me to answer with the color of her lips after she has had a glass of wine…but what can I say? I am an ass man and even after two children that shit ROCKS!!!!(Sorry, there should have been a disclaimer regarding the PG13 language...this is the only spot though).
What do I do for a living? – I work in a sales management job for ADP
Dondi at Confessions of a Housewife asked: Westpoint. Did you like it, was it worth it...I wanna know. West Point is one of those places that is wonderful to be from and not be at…but looking back, in a warped demented type of way, I did enjoy it. I certainly took it seriously and internalized the discipline. Was it worth it? Yes, I would not go back and do it any differently
Liz from Harmonysong wanted to know: Most favorite (material) gift you have ever given Mamma? I would have to say the amethyst heart and chain that I got for her on her 1st Mother’s Day. (I can't resist...I have to explain a little more why this one is so great. It has amethyst which is Addyson's birthstone, and a tiny bit of diamond, which is mine...it was the most perfect Mother's Day gift ever...very thoughtful).
Julie of The Peanut Gallery kindly asked: What is the weirdest thing that your lovely wife has done since you've known her? I can choose only one?…That hardly seems fair as many situations I find myself in with her are weird, not to mention all the stories I have heard of the weird antics of this person…and they are weird because she makes them so. I have struggled with this one and I thought, could it be the time that she clucked like a rooster as she was following behind a group of people? Could it be the time that she dissected a water dog while bored on a fishing trip? Could it be the time she shouted a reminder out of the car window as I trekked through the busy supermarket parking lot, “Don’t forget your hemorrhoid cream!”…No, these are all weird, but I gotta say one of her finest moments occurred on this blog. Her post about peeing while she laughs was a little uncomfortable for me. Many of you may disagree, but the whole time I was reading that rather strange post, I couldn’t help but be mortified. I mean I kept thinking to myself, “Why is she sharing this with the whole blog reading world? Hell, I didn’t even know that she was stricken with this rather strange condition!”….NOW THAT’S JUST WEIRD! (To save you the trouble you can read the post here...it's not as bad as he says...I never claimed to pee when I laugh).
Kate of Kate's Life wants to know: 1) What does your wife do or say that just makes you melt? 2) What do you love the most about her? 3) Do you have a nickname for her? 4) Is there a limit to how many questions I can ask?
OK KATE IT’S FINALLY YOUR TURN…..
What does AZMAMMA say that makes me melt? – You wanna (bow-chicka-bow-bow)…?(Kate, I never say bow chicka bow bow...not ever).
What do I love most about her? – The wonderful mother that she is…
Do I have a nickname for her? – No I do not.
Is there a limit to how many questions you can ask? – you just reached it…
Desert Rose asked: Seeing how AZ Mamma and I are fellow Arizonans...just what is it that she likes to do around these parts?
She likes to spend time with her family in Phoenix…she is extremely close to her family
His sister Melissa asked: Andy, if you were stranded on a island with one of your siblings, which one would you rather it be and why? Seeing as how this was asked by one of my siblings I can’t, in good conscience, answer this. A very fine gentlemen recently advised me to steer clear of offending any one of my siblings, because if you do it may permanently damage a relationship no matter how many “I’m sorry’s” you try to throw at said situation…
Drea of Peanut Butter Jelly Days asked: Honestly, what do you think of your wife blogging? do you think it has taken too much time from everyday things, or do you see it as a good outlet for her?
Honestly what do I think of my wife blogging? – She enjoys it…I say blog away
Do I think that it has taken too much time from everyday things or do I see it as a good outlet for her? Sometimes I feel it interferes with our time together…She never lets it interfere with the childrens' time…but when I ask her if I can get some of her time she obliges…As far as a good outlet for her – sure, I guess so.
Scott of This Daddy's Blog asked: Being a sports fan the best event I have ever been to was the Army-Navy game many years ago at the Meadowlands since you were part of that tradition, besides that what is the best sporting event you have ever attended? Back when I was 12 my Dad took me to a rodeo. I thought that the rodeo was pretty cool, but the idea that pops and I got to spend some time together – that was truly spectacular. He is one of two men that I truly idolize in life…(His dad really is a wonderful man, and though this may make it seem so, was not absent from Andy's life...he did travel a lot in the military, but Andy just treasures any and all time with his dad).
Heide of From 3 to 5 asked: Do you love Seinfeld as much as AZ Mamma? What is your favorite TV show?What is your favortie thing to do in your free time? Did you contribute to Addyson and Colton's name selection? Az Mamma is quirky about the sheets, what is your quirk? Do you leave the seat up? What is your favorite room in your house? Are you originally from AZ? If not what brought you there? If you are from there is there any where else you would like to live? Can the AZ Mamma come visit me?
Do I love Seinfeld as much as AZMAMMA? Does she even like that show? Hahahaha….I like that show, is it as much as her? Not sure :-)
AZ MAMMA is quirky about the sheets…Holy S**t she IS quirky about the sheets! I don’t have quite the breadth of quirks that she does.
Do I leave the seat up? Only on purpose.(No he doesn't...he's very good about it).
What is my favorite room in the house? Our eat-in kitchen…some of the most scrumptious things in the entire world are created in that space just awaiting my consumption…but more importantly, AZMAMMA and I both agree that sitting down as a family for dinner is extremely important. Over the last five years some of my most cherished memories are those that were shared and created while we have broken bread over dinner…
Am I originally from AZ? Nope, my Dad was a career Marine so I don’t have an original home…I ended up in AZ after my short stint in the Army came to a conclusion. I found my first corporate career in PHX.
Can the AZ MAMMA come and visit you? See one of my first answers – AZMAMMA is extremely independent and does not need to ask my permission. In fact, many may say that AZMAMMA wears the pants in the family, so you may be better off asking her this question.
Lula Lola asked: If time and money weren't a factor, how would you spend the next year? And, what's he think is the coolest thing about you?
If money were not a factor how would I spend the next year? I would want to travel to Australia, Ireland, Brazil, Hawaii and Iceland… I would also like to spend several weeks with our out of state family.
Coolest thing about her? She puts up with me.
Sheila of My Crazy Life asked: Why do men start projects and then never totally complete them? Is this a question for me? If it is, my answer would be that we get distracted by women…
Abby of Murdocks Mama wanted to know: What kind of vehicles do you own? What is your favorite household chore to do/help with? What is your favorite meal that your wife makes?
What kind of vehicles do we own? We own a Ford Expedition (Our second vehicle is one issued to him through work...it's a Mercury).
What is my favorite household chore to do/help with? While I do not consider this a chore, it is a task that needs to be done -- Giving our two young children a bath and getting them ready for bed, followed up by reading them 3 stories.(He does this every night! Every.single.night.)
My favorite meal? Salmon Scallopini or Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. (Irony of this is I don't make these that often, and neither has been a Tasty Tuesday feature...yet).
That's it! This is Mamma again, and I just want to give a huge thank you to my husband for being (mostly) a good sport about this. Can I let you all in on a little secret? I did mention this idea to him in a passive way, but I never actually got his consent before I drove forward with it. He was thrilled, let me tell you! He thinks I am bound and determined to have him start a blog. In any case, I think he did a great job. Thanks again, Andy for taking the better part of an evening to get these answered. I love you!
This week I am bringing a few kitchen tips to the table. Some you may know, others you may not...but they all come in handy for me from time to time. A few of these tips are from my very own brother who is an entree chef at Binkley's, a five star restaurant here in Arizona.
Grilling:1. When grilling meat, bring it to room temperature before placing in on the grill. This helps to prevent the edges from curling, as well as keeps the cooking more even. 2. If you want a good sear on the meat (like steak), salt it. This helps to bring the enzymes to the surface and will really help to give it a nice sear. In addition to salting, make sure it is patted dry, any moisture will cause it to steam rather than sear.
Making Sauces: 1. When making a sauce, finishing it off with a small bit of butter helps to give it a velvety texture. 2. When adding cornstarch to a sauce, mix it with water first to make a slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water). This will ensure it blends smoothly without leaving clumps.
Vegetables: 1. When blanching/boiling your vegetables, shock them before hand in ice cold water. This helps to keep the vibrancy of color in the vegetables. If you don't plan to eat them right away, and plan to reheat them a bit before serving, shock them in the ice water directly after boiling as well. If you will eat them immediately, then before is enough. 2. When boiling your water, add a little oil to keep it from boiling over. A tablespoon will do just fine. 3. Don't use potatoes that have gone slightly soft, and have begun to grow a lot of eyes. With these potatoes you may notice a greenish color under the skin...that is actually a poison/toxin. Now, you would have to eat large quantities to really be affected, but why even eat a little? Just toss them out, or use them as mulch for your garden!
There you have it. Back next Tuesday with a recipe.
First if you haven't entered to win a fantastic nursing cover, please do so here.
I just finished getting my assignment together for the photography class I am taking. It's Saturday night (as I write this), and Keely sent me the questions ahead of time so I could get this post done. Isn't she swell? I think so. Why not head to her blog after reading this to see what others answered to the following questions? Heck...while you're at it, copy and paste the questions to play along. Just remember to link back to Keely :)
1. Would you rather bungee jump or sky dive? Really? Hmmm...would I rather plunge to my death via faulty parachute or faulty rope? Guess I'd say parachute. It would probably most resemble the feeling of flying, and because I fly in my dreams I'd love to see what it's like in real life.
2. When using a public restroom to you squat over the seat or sit? Always hover. Never sit. YUCK! As gross as this is, I even use my forearm as a barrier between the seat and my daughter's butt when I take her to the bathroom in public. I can scrub my arm, not so easy to do with her butt.
3. Favorite flower? Tulip or calla lilly or tulip...I can't decide. I love them both...had both in my wedding.
4. Pedicure or manicure? There once was a woman who actually had time for this sort of thing. Where did she go? 5. How many siblings do you have? One fabulous brother. Three years younger than I.
6. Do you pee in the shower? (gasp!) Gasp? What do you mean gasp?
7. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Hazmat suit, thank you very much.
8. Where do you hate to shop at, but go there anyway? The grocery store.
Inquiring minds want to know...what are your answers? Leave 'em here or post and link 'er up!
This week Heather of Traveling Down the Tracks With D and H is sharing one of her favorite recipes with us all. It looks delicious and I will certainly give it a try. After taking a peek at the recipe, please go say hello to Heather and be sure to check out some of her photo posts. They are great as is she!! So why not follow her while you are at it...I do ;)
**This is a recipe from Rachael Ray's mom that was featured on her site. You can click on the link here , to be able to print it out easily**
Beef Burgundy
Ingredients :
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional as needed 4 slices bacon, chopped 2 1/2 pounds sirloin or sirloin tips, cut into large, bite-size pieces Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 bottle red burgundy wine 2 cups beef stock 1 package frozen pearl onions 2 teaspoon sugar 5 tablespoons butter, divided 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon orange zest 1 pound wide egg noodles A handful chives, minced Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Salt and pepper the sirloin tips and set aside. Preheat Dutch Oven and olive oil. Chop up bacon(easiest way to do this is to use kitchen shears). Cook in the pot until it is brown and crispy.
Remove bacon and add beef. You may have to do this in a few batches. Add more olive oil as needed and brown all the sides. Remove the beef and add 1/3 of a bottle of wine. Stir it to release any brown bits from the bottom. Let it bubble and reduce slightly.
Then add 2 cups of beef stock and the beef and bacon back to the pot. Cover and place in the oven. After 1 hour prepare water for the noodles. Then, place the onions in a pan to cook. The recipe calls for sugar to go in with the onions, I don't add this, I just add the water and it is fine. Then get a pan ready for the mushrooms. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Cook the mushrooms until brown. After they are done cooking add salt and pepper. When the onions and mushrooms are done, combine them by putting the mushrooms in the onion pan. When the meat is done cooking in the oven (30 minutes after you started getting the water, onions and mushrooms started) take it out of the oven and place on a burner. I don't add the onions and mushrooms yet. First, I get the roux ready by heating up 2 tablespoons of butter and then sprinkle the flour over it. Cook it, stirring constantly for about a minute. Then add liquid from the pot and stir until thick. Add that to the pot and stir. Then add the mushrooms and onions and let it simmer for a few minutes. When your noodles are done cooking add a tablespoon of butter and the chopped chives. Serve the beef burgundy over the noodles.
Enjoy!I changed this recipe slightly by omitting the sugar and orange zest. Thank you, Heather! Now please go say hello at her blog. I linked to a photography post I enjoyed...sure you will too.
Oh, and on a sidenote...I have some fun giveaways coming later in the week, so stay tuned!
As I lay my head on my pillow last night at 11pm, I thought to myself, “I had already been in labor for two hours four years ago.” Asleep in the room across the hall, was the little angel that blessed me in a way that can’t be put into words. Today she is four years old.
There is a Garth Brooks song which has lyrics that read “She’s sun and rain, she’s fire and ice…a little crazy but it’s nice.” Now I know he’s referring to a woman, but man…does that ever some up my daughter.
Addyson is her own person. 100% of the time. She’s feisty, and she’s so smart. She’s independent, and she’s so compassionate. She loves her family, and she adores her blankie. Her little brother is her best friend...but he's also the biggest pain in her ass backside. And of course, we all adore her. After all, she walks around carrying our hearts with her wherever she goes.
Happy birthday, my little peanut. It hardly seems fair that you’re already four. I love you with every fiber of my being.
I was all prepared to not do a Not Me Monday post. I feel like it's getting a little tired. So I spent the morning cleaning my kitchen floor and the inside of my bathroom cupboards. Not to mention the usual, making meals, picking up the same sippy cup a million times (well, at least 6 times), and refereeing the offspring.
Then I sat on my couch looked around my living room and said "This is not my house. Right? Someone tell me when the place will resemble a liveable space again." So here I am. Posting Not Me Monday. Go to MckMama's blog to see some more.
In order to do this post, I didn't send my children out back to play with some very flimsy rules about not shoving, and not throwing rocks.
I'm not still in my pajamas, hair a mess, and without a trace of deodorant. Pft...deodorant...who needs it?
I am not sitting here wondering what the heck we are going to have for dinner tonight, because I am always prepared ahead of time with something taken out of the freezer. Nope, I'm not sitting here complacent with nary a plan in sight.
Finally, I received the sunshine award from three people (I will post it later), and I did NOT misplace one of the names of the people who forwarded it to me. So when I do the post, and your name is not mentioned, please let me know, and I do NOT give you permission to beat me about the head with a big stick.
I almost forgot that it was time for Five Question Friday. Then I saw the reminder Mama M. left at The Blog Frog. These may be some of my favorite questions yet. Well, a couple of them anyway. If you'd like to answer too, do a post and link up to My Little Life.
1. What are you most afraid of? I used to be afraid of dying. I still am, don't let me fool you. But now, my biggest fear, beyond a shadow of doubt, is something happening to one of my children. At times I even feel a little panick stricken thinking about all there is that could happen. It's seriously a sick obsession for which I have considered seeking help. Really, I have thought about talking to our Priest...but honestly don't want to hear about how I need to let go of my earthly bonds, etc. If it were that easy, I would have done it already.
2. Do you use a flat iron or curling iron? I have used both, but not for a long time. My hair is as short as it is now because when it was long, I seldom managed to do anything other than pull it back into a ponytail. Now it's just a round brush and hair dryer.
3. Hands-free or phone to the ear? Phone to the ear. I have to say this...I don't have anything against the hands-free set, but when you are in a place where you don't need it, then get over yourself. I don't mean you, the you reading this. I mean the self-important morons who speak loud enough for everyone in a mile radius to hear, while sitting at a table in a restaurant, using hands-free (or vitually anywhere that its use would be just frivilous). What the? Serious?
4. Do you have a matching bedroom set? Yes. Me gusta mucho!
5. Do you believe in the paranormal? Hmmm. Let's see. My normal answer would be, I just don't know. However, this is catching me at an apropos time. Andy has been out of town the past two nights, and I have been awake until the wee hours, jumping at every little noise, straining to see shadows in the dark, and avoiding looking towards the location on the walls which house mirrors. Make of it what you will.
Your turn. Don't care to post, leave me a comment or two with some answers. I'm interested in what people have to say to numbers 1 and 5 the most.
Oh, and do you have any quirks that others view as off the wall? I do...you can read about my crazy here if yo haven't yet.
My husband tells me I'm neurotic. He says I have full blown OCD when it comes to the covers on our bed. He says I am passing that neurosis on to our daughter. This might be true. As a cover control freak, I see the signs.
In the morning, I leave my bed in precisely whatever state of chaos it has managed to become through the night. It remains that way all day. Unless we are having company, and there is a greater than small chance they may see our room, I never make the bed.
Yet, when the time of day rolls around for me to crawl in and make my way to slumber land...the covers have to be perfect. I mean, perfect. They have to be pulled up and flipped back neatly, they must be covering both sides of the bed an equal amount, and the pillows have to be lined up. It causes me distress when Andy gets in the bed before I have had the chance to go about my ritual of crazy. I do it anyway...and this drives him right up the wall. It's not new. It's not something I have taken to doing since we've had kids, or since we've been in this house. No, I've done it always. I figure, he oughtta be used to it by now. He's not.
When he is in the bed first, I start on my side and work my way to his. He sighs and moans and complains the entire time. "Build a bridge" is what I say, "and get over it." I don't do it to torture him, though I bet he thinks I get some sort of impish satisfaction out of imposing my quirks onto him (hmph, he may be right...a little). The main thing is that I simply can't sleep unless the bed is "just so."
Anyway, I was just sitting here wondering why I seem to be afflicted with this particular brand of strange. The rest of the house is in constant disarray...and if you've been reading for a while, you've even seen pictures in this post. So what is it? What is this freak of nature need for neatness at bedtime? What I've come up with is nothin'. A big fat zilch. Oh well, I'm tired and the messy covers are playing a siren song.
It's been building for a while now. I've felt it coming. Today it all broke loose. Like a torrential outpouring, I was flooded with the pent up frustration I've been carrying around for who knows how long. Now that it's been released, I honestly can't say for sure what has had me in such a state. Is it the perpetual mess in which I find myself daily? Is it the constant won't let me breathe can't poop in peace incessant need of my time and attention? Certainly I am not performing any feats above and beyond my peers. Yet, at times, I feel absolutely defeated. Sigh.
So today, I was having a challenging telephone conversation with my husband, and in the midst of it, a basket full of my hair ties, barretts, etc. were dumped out (by my children) and cleaned up (by me) four times. My children always have impeccable timing. They seem to know just when to attack...to plot against me. Well, upon hanging up the phone, I croucehd to my knees to clean up (yet again) the articles that were strewn all over my bedroom floor. This added to the frustration my phone call left me feeling, sent me over the edge. I cried. I yelled something about being tired of cleaning up all the messes. Something about the living room always being a disaster. Addyson, having never seen me do this, started crying too. Talk about adding insult to injury. Immediately I thought "oh perfect, what sort of psychological damage am I doing to her?"
I pulled my crap together and told her not to worry, that sometimes mommy's had a hard time. Then, I instructed her to go wait for me in the living room while I put Colton down for a nap. So I changed his diaper, and put him down. Bless this baby for being such a wonderful sleeper.
As I come out toward the living room I see Addyson carrying a box of pasta from the living room to the pantry. Curious, I make my way to the living room to see that she has cleaned a large portion of the room. All the toys that she could manage were put back in the toy basket, and the accent pillows were put back on the couches. Immediately tears sting my eyes. I can't believe that my little daughter has such a huge amount of compassion already. I can' t believe that I made her feel so insecure that she felt like she needed to please me that way. Now...to figure out how to do that every day ;)
Happy birthday to my husband! Today he is 36. GASP! I can't believe that he was 27 when we met. Where on earth has time gone? Oh, I also wanted to make it very clear, that I am not 36. I am almost 34. Just to be clear ;)
If ever there was a person who was a magnet for weird...my husband is it! Being his birthday, I thought it would be fun to tell a couple of stories which perfectly depict the crazy, random things that happen to him.
Subway My husband goes to Subway to grab a sandwhich, and before he leaves, glances at his bag and notices there are no napkins. He politely walks up to the pimply faced teen behind the counter and asks for some napkins. Teen tells him "they're in the bag." Andy (with a look of mock confusion) holds his bag, looks at it, and says "no napkins." Teen says "we pre stuff all the bags with napkins. They were in there." Exasperated, Andy says "Okay, let's say there were napkins in the bag...can I have some extra napkins?" Teen says "I'm sorry, we don't give out extra napkins." About to lose his mind, Andy storms to the bathroom, spins off about half of the economy sized roll of T.P., wads it in a massive ball under his arm, walks out in front of the counter and loudly says "Hey! Thanks anyway...but I got it all figured out here!"
Safeway (a local grocery store) It's somewhat late on a Sunday night, and I send my husband out to the grocery store to pick up a few things. One of those things is yogurt. Andy gets to the dairy aisle which is occupied by only one other person...a store employee who is busy stocking the shelves. Andy sidles up beside him and begins retrieving the yogurts for which I sent him. The employee sighs loudly and says "are you kidding me?" Andy, very confused, looks at the employee, then looks behind himself, then back to the employee, and says "me?" Employee says "yeah! I just finished stocking all those yogurts, and now you come along and move them all?" Andy, so dumbfounded, just says "whatever dude."
Brother in Law About 3pm one afternoon Andy gets a text message from his brother in law. It reads "I'm getting off here in a bit" Andy, thinking 'thanks for sharing' replies "Ok, that's great." Brother in law says "Should I get something for dinner?" Andy says "If you're hungry." Brother in law "Always, how about you?" Andy "You know I'm always hungry." Brother in law "I can't wait to get home and see you and (BIL's son's name). Andy getting it now "Maybe tonight we can make another little (son's name)." BIL "Oh I'm excited now, I'm almost home!" Andy, unable to keep up the charade "Dude, this is Andy!" Brother in law "OMG! I'm so sorry, I thought it was your sister." **I feel compelled to tell you that BIL and Andy's sister do not have the same first initial...baffles me how this mistake was made**
Commercial Cleaning Company (In addition to day job, Andy owns a commercial cleaning Co.) Andy hires a new employee for a recently acquired account. She is meant to team up with another woman already under Andy's employ. She works a night, and the current employee tells Andy there is no way the new woman will work out. She takes breaks every fifteen minutes and complains incessantly about her back pain. Being that she is in her probationary period, Andy tells her it will not work out. She calls...and calls...and calls to try to fight for the job. Andy stands his ground. She starts to get nasty. Calls and harasses him about getting her check. Andy says "the policy is you get your check when I get my shirts back." They plan to meet to exchange said items, but not before Andy gets a phone call in which someone with a disguised voice informs him that he is going to get his A$$ kicked. Anyway, Andy meets the woman to give her the check. He requests his shirts. Woman says "Oh hell no! I aint given you nuthin til I get my check!" Andy "You do realize the check amounts to $18.00, right?" Woman "I don't give a F#%k how much the check is! I want my check, and I don't trust you." The woman (with a rare stroke of her genius) says "Okay, I have an idea. You hold out the check, and I hold out the shirts, and we let go at the same time." So here is my husband in his shirt and tie, doing a redneck standoff with some irate woman over a couple of t-shirts and $18.00.
I'm here to tell you, that I have had some strange stuff happen to me, but this man beats all! If there is strange within a mile radius of my husband, it finds him...always. It makes for some most entertaining stories, and no one tells them better than he.
Happy birthday, Andy...I love you and all your crazies.
Erin over at The Mother Load tagged me. I have to now tell you my answers in each of the categories, then tag 8 new people. 8 TV Shows I Watch: (I have to say that if I could, I would watch all of these shows. I don't. I have watched them all, and like them all, but never watch them all) -Grey's Anantomy -Private Practice -The Bachelor -House -Law and Order SVU -Property Virgins -House Hunters -Dora the Explorer...defeated sigh
8 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink: -Sushi Den (Dever, CO). -Chipotle -Chuys -Les Rendezvous -Binkley's -Paradise Bakery -PF Chang's -Morton's Steakhouse
8 Things I Look Forward To: -Bed time for the kids -Going to the bathroom in peace -Saturdays -My photography class -Being able to wear all of my clothes -Completing P90X -Having a wildly successful blog -Someday having a clean and orderly house...again.
8 Things That Happened Yesterday: -We had Chinese for dinner -I took the kids to the park (I felt too warm in my long sleeved shirt) -I wiped butts 6 times (none of which were my own) -I made protein pancakes for breakfast -P90X Plyometrics kicked my booty -I went crazy -I came back briefly -Just to be sent straight there again
8 Things I Love About Winter: -It's not 115 degrees outside -Jeans -Warm drinks -Did I mention it's not so hot? -Taking the kids to the park and having them not get 3rd degree burns from the slides/swings -No swimsuits for a while -Heatwaves are non existent on the roads (sensing a trend here) -Sleeping comfortably
8 Things on My Wish List: -A maid -The ability to eat whatever I want and not gain an ounce -Winning the lottery -A new house -Well behaved children -More patience -The Super Nanny -My trip to Russia
8 Things I'm Passionate About: -My children -My husband -My parents and brother -Breastfeeding -Photography -Reading -Blogging/writing -Cooking
8 Words/Phrases I Use Often: -What the hell's wrong with you? -Stop hitting him/her -No! -Are you kidding me? -Why don't you listen? -Please stop it! -You don't talk that way to Mommy -Can I get a break?
8 Things I've Learned From the Past: -You can't change it -It's made me who I am today -There are things I regret not doing -Friends come and go, a few stay forever -Nothing matters more than the ones you love -My mother was right, I had one just like me -It takes time to be comfortable and confident with who you are -Fish food doesn't taste good...not even a little
8 Things I Currently Want/Need: -Canon EF 85 mm L series lens -A massage -The new Lady Antebellum CD -More free time -A date night -A girls' night -Vacation -To meet my newest little nephew
8 People I'd Like to Tag: Tamara at The (Un)Experienced Mom Elizabeth at Confessions of a Working Mom Shandal at My Life in 3D Michele at Finding Trinity Cop Mama Nicole at A New Normal Heidi at From 3 to 5 Maven at A Fabulously Good Life
Another Tuesday...means another recipe! Sharing my love of food and cooking one recipe at a time. I hope that some of you actually take the time to try some of them out. Click my Tasty Tuesday tab and see what you've missed if you are new here. Heck, even if you aren't new here, and just need a recipe...have a look. On the menu this week is a recipe created by yours truly. I have mentioned in the past that I am not the best at following recipes (ironic isn't it), but when I create something worth remembering, I turn it into one. This week is Beef Tenderloin in Red Wine Mushroom Sauce. I admit, this one is a tad more involved than some of the previous weeks, but not much.
First thing first...pour yourself a glass of that lovely red wine, and replenish as needed. Ingredients: 1 lb beef tenderloin scliced into 1/2 inch think medalions(best when fresh from butcher) 1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms 1 whole yellow onion diced (or 3 shallots) 1 beef bullion cube (or about 1 1/2 C beef broth) 1 1/2 C water (only if using cubed bullion ) 2/3 C red wine (give or take) 1 Tsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp butter olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Heat about 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large non stick frying pan. Add onion (or shallot) and mushrooms and saute until tender. Remove from pan and set aside. Using same pan (wiped clean of juices) add a little more olive oil (approx 1-2 tbsp). Heat over medium-high. Add tenderloin to hot pan in a single layer as pictured above(cook in batches if necessary) and sear on one side until juices from meat begin to run, then turn and sear on the other side. Remove from pan and keep covered.
To the same pan (don't clean it this time) add red wine. Simmer(whisking up bits from bottom)over medium-low heat, and recuce by about 1/2. Add beef broth (or bullion pre-dissolved in water). Continue to simmer over medium-low. Sauce should not be watery...if it is, add cornstarch. Thicken slightly, then finish sauce off with the Tbsp butter. Add onion/mushroom and beef all back to the pan. Coat and heat through. Serve(You might choose to serve it over wide egg noodles, or rice). Great with oven roasted potatoes, steamed asparagus and french bread. It's actually not as much trouble as it seems, and it's so very tasty!
Friday in Blogland just couldn't get any better. Mama M. has some really great questions this week, and I couldn't keep away (not that I would try). Something about question and answer that is just so...well, simply fun!
This week's questions are:
1. What is better, growing old with out money or dying young and wealthy? This is not a difficult question at all. I would absolutely say growing old without money. Money is great, don't get me wrong, and we are doing our best to earn a penny or two, and I'm glad we have it, but it's not what makes my world go 'round. I think about my kids, and how happy they are...seemingly without a care in the world. They would be just as happy if we were all living together in a one room apartment with no toys. All that they need is food in their tummies, a roof over their heads and mommy and daddy to love them. We could all learn a lot from our little ones.
2. Who takes out the garbage at your house? Either Drew or Andy. On the very rare ocassion, I do. That happens only when no one has done it, the boys are not around, and I can't even cram in one more gum wrapper.
3. Have you ever had the same dream many times? Yes, unfortunately I wouldn't classify it as a dream. I have recurring nightmares of either sharks, or someone chasing me. The chasing me nightmares are not that big of a deal because I have taken to flying in my dreams, and when someone chases me, I just take off in flight ;) The sharks are a little trickier...haven't quite managed to master them yet.
4. Can you play a musical instrument? I played the flute for many, many years and still can. I also have had some piano lessons as an adult, and can play at an amateur level. I stopped just before Colton was born, and would love to take it up again.
5. If you owned your own store, what would you sell? Child muzzles.
