The One With The Exploding Chicken

Edit: I have also updated my Flickr account. New pics, everyone!

But first a shameless plug...

I COULD NOT stand my hula girl layout anymore. It was really bugging me. I have been banging my head against a wall the past week and a half trying to code a new layout. Needless to say I was having issues and still needed a change. So my latest look is brought to you by V4NY. Why the big display over credit?? Because hotlinking and stealing of credit even on a free template ISN'T NICE, PEOPLE! If you think it is so easy, you try it.

----oOo----

The second half of yesterday didn't get any better than the first half. For dinner I was making spinach, bacon, and blue cheese stuffed chicken breasts. This involves pounding the chicken flat with a skillet. I have done it many times. Well, for some reason instead of flattening the chicken this time, it mashed it. Kind of to the consistency of ground chicken. And to top it off, the bag that the chicken was in, exploded. Well, at least it split and caused mashed chicken bits to fly in every direction. Every wall. Every countertop. The floor, to every corner. The oven. The broom closet. The cupboards. I am not kidding you. Every last surface.

In the same action, the skillet that is now covered in chicken bit slipped out of my hand and flew into the dining room. It bounced off the floor and ran into a few chairs. But not to worry because my brand new winter coat stopped it.

At this point in time, Abby who is in her swing is screaming her head off because *gasp* I did not pick her up in all of my chickenness when she started to fuss. Mark is flipping out because all he saw was a skillet flying out of control after mommy yelled really loud. Gabriel won't be home for at least another 45 minutes.

I changed my shirt, nursed Abby, hugged Mark, and had frozen pizza for dinner.

When I retold the story to Gabriel, the first thing he asked was, "Did the skillet put a dent in the floor?"

And I will leave you with the sound of hands slapping their foreheads...

Happy Halloween!!!!

And it's only noon...

I have so many things I have been wanting to post about. Many issues I have been thinking about. Many things that I need advice with. But it will have to wait.

Because mommy is far too tired to even care if she get lunch. Why do I ever think that day light savings time will be a good transition? 5:30 both kids decided that it was time to be up for the day. We moved Mark into his toddler bed over the weekend so I couldn't even let him play while I snoozed. And there is no surprise that can equal finding your toddler filled your much needed cup of coffee with about a hundred Kleenexes. And that was all before Halloween dress-up for story time at the library.

Lunch then a much needed nap while I can get it.

How many snack size candy bars left over from trick or treat are a good serving for lunch....

hellooooo

Does anyone even read this?

In times of need

I am in the midst of uncontrollable crying right now. Read this. I admit that I don't read her blog that often and I don't know her that closely, but my heart is torn open for her. I know her grief and pain. And it reopenned mine. To scream in the middle of the night for something that was taken away is something that you don't forget.

There are no words for it. There just aren't. Sunshine Scribe, I would hug you if I could.

Food For Thought Friday #2

I actually got this recipe from a Nicole at Much More Than a Mom many moons ago. But it is REALLY good. My hubby loves it.

QUICK BAKED CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

INGREDIENTS:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
6 string cheese sticks or slices of swiss cheese
6 slices ham
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
toothpicks

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Lay out the pounded chicken breasts on a clean surface. Place a slice of ham on each piece, then one stick or slice of cheese. Roll the chicken up around the cheese and ham, and secure with toothpicks. Dip each roll in melted butter, then roll in bread crumbs. Place in a shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is browned and juices run clear.

Maybe have it with a green salad and a creamy noodle side dish, like Pasta Roni. Mmmmmmm.

FFTF creator = Slacker-moms-r-us.

Thursday Thirteen #12

Thirteen Things I need this morning. 1. Coffee 2. Tylenol 3. Probably Advil as well. 4. My Voice, or at least the one I have been sporting. You swear Tom Brokaw was in the room. 5. 5 minutes alone to think. 6. Breakfast before 11 would be nice. 7. At least 5 hours more sleep. 8. Socks that match. 9. For someone to do the laundry for me. 10. For Abby to be content long enough for to give Mark his bath. 11. And while I clean his bedding. 12. Patience. 13. 10 million dollars, my own private Island, and a personal masousse.

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The one without any water

Attention all my beautiful and loyal readers: There is a scheduled outage for Blogger between 2-3 PM Pacific Time on Wed. 10-25-06. Please come back and leave me a comment after that if you are having troubles. All unbeautiful and unloyal readers can ignore this warning. We now bring you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Winter air is here. Dry winter air. My skin feels somewhere btween this

and this.

Someone hand me some moisturizer quick!!

Also I now have a voice, but it isn't mine.

Why does it feel so right?

Is it wrong that my mouth actually waters and my pulse quickens when I browse Cooking.com?

Is it wrong that a set of cookware from All-Clad gets me more excited than a new wordrobe? Or chocolate?

Is it wrong that I get excited because I get to host the holidays for both sides of the family?

---------oOo--------

In other news, I am ticked off because the library lost my address. A few monthes ago my local system merged with a bunch of systems across northern and central WI. In doing so they reverted to an address and phone number that I haven't had for 3+ years.

I like to look-up my books and DVDs on-line, reserve them, and pick them all up at once without dragging 2 little people all over the library. WELL, everything that I have been waiting for has been erased. Things that DO come in get put back on the shelf or sent to someone else because "my" phone number is no good.

And I have to change my address in person. I can access any of my account on-line with just my card #. I can request items and cancel requests. But to get them to call the right phone # I have to go in myself. In my free time, right? But hurry because the book that you have waited 3 monthes for is going back on the shelf tomorrow.

The One With Complete Randomness

• I have no voice today. I cannot answer the phone. My kids are scared of me because in order for them to hear me, it sounds like I am yelling at them. I got little sleep last night because my throat hurt so badly that I could not swallow.
• I have been watching All My Children for a few weeks now, and I have decided that the premise of the show is to hump anything that moves.
• I want to be Chandra Wilson. You don't look at her and think, "Now there is a big woman". You think, "Whoa there is one sexy, confident, strong woman". I want to feel that comfortable in my own skin.
• I did something yesterday that I thought would never, ever happen. I had a pleasant conversation with my mom in which she didn't disrespect everything I said, she didn't make up crap off the top of her head to sound important, and she didn't take advantage of me or my home.
• I actually invited her back down for lunch in a few weeks. Who is this woman? Who am I?
  
• We went to a pumpkin carving party on Saturday. Everyone had fun and came home over-tired and over-sugared.
  
• I have taken up drinking green tea. It tastes like tea. Whoop-dee-doo.
• I haven't mentioned this before because I didn't want to brag. But Mark is potty trained. He is 20 monthes old and it took him a week. With only 3 accidents. He wears tiny little briefs with Elmo on them except when he sleeps. He will even hold it when we go shopping or are in the car, until we get home because he doesn't want to go in his pull-up. It was all his idea. He decided that he was done with going in his diaper and wanted to use the toilet.
• TTFN
  

Food For Thought Friday #1

I just rented my thumbnail to a really awesome bloggin' mama, who now resides in my blogroll.

BUT, the best part is that she is part of a Friday meme for RECIPES. Yah! My favoritest thing in the whole world (OK, maybe not #1, but close) is cooking and looking up new recipes to try. It drives me nuts when you eat the same thing day after day and week after week. Rachael Ray is my cooking goddess. If she said to buy a rock because it would make my meals better, I would have to go that day and buy the rock.

Since I am on a restricted calorie diet, I have to approx. my potions anyway. So all my recipes have a Calorie count. For those who don't care, just ingore that part. ;)

Anyway, here's my recipe. It actually happens to be MY own creation, thank you.

Beef Mushroom with Wild Rice

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil OR vege oil
1 lb of beef stew meat
2 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cans of mushrooms, undrained OR 1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 qt beef stock
1 box of Rice a Roni's wild rice flavor

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot over med-high heat. Brown the beef cubes, tossing frequently, until they are evening browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside. Add the butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook for a minute or two. Add the rice mix from the box of Rice a Roni. Set the seasoning packet aside. Brown the rice according to the directions on the box. Add the mushrooms (if using fresh mushrooms, brown them for a few minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients). Add the stock, beef cubes, and seasoning packet from the Rice a Roni. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Feeds 4-6.
One serving (2 ladles full or about 1 - 1 1/2 cups) = 250 Calories

Enter your name and recipe post to join.

I have the Perfect Body....

Unfortunitely it has been in the trunk for awhile now and is starting to smell.

Thursday Thirteen #9

Thirteen Things - I Love About Fall



1. Apples. Apple Pie. Apple Crisp. Applesauce. Apple Tart. Apple Cake. You get the idea.

2. Leaves on the ground. It is the kid in me. Little piles of them that the neighbor kids jump into. Brightly colored ones that swirl in the wind.

3. The crisp cool air. It feels clean. And I love the smell. People think I am wierd becaus eI can smell the seasons changing.

4. Sweaters and sweatshirts. I love curling on the couch in a comfy pair of jeans and a oversized sweatshirt. Plus I don't feel as fat in a sweatshirt as I do in, say, a fitted tee.

5. Hot cocoa, hot green tea, hot flavored coffee. Wrapping my fingers arround the delicously warm mug.

6. The occasional flurries. I love snow early in the season. And arround Christmas it is magical. After Christmas, it sucks eggs.

7. Flannel sheets and down comforters. It is like sleeping in a giant sweatshirt.

8. Cold weather means warm food. Beef stews, hearty soups, cassaroles.

9. Harvest is over and no more freezing and canning and preserving. Woohoo!

10. Halloween. Dressing up. Going door-to-door for candy. Jack-o-lanterns lit up after dark.

11. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"

12. Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin Bars. Pumpkin Cake. Pumpkin Torte. Pumpkin Soup. Pumpkin Bread. Pumpkin Muffins.

13. Corn Mazes. Pumpkin Fairs. Hay Wagon Rides. Pick-Your-Own Apple Farms. There is just so much fun arround.




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Nice As New

In case I have never said it before, I LOVE RESALE SHOPS!!

Who ever says that they won't shop there because it isn't new, is an idiot and has waaaaay too much money on their hands.

Yesterday, I walked into Nice As New (my favorite consignment shop) and found this:
It is almost new, and came with the Serta crib mattress for $24. Yup, that is what I said.

Today I went in to find this:
I paid $16.50.

Oh. My. Gawd.

I bought Mark a winter coat with matching snow pants for $14.50. Brand new with the tags on them.

I bought myself a Columbia 4-season jacket with the removable fleece lining/jacket, gently used for $26.50.

I bought Gabriel new clothes for his new office postion. 5 pairs of Dockers, black leather shoes, 6 polos of various brand names, 3 shorts sleeve button ups, and 4 long sleeve button ups for under $1oo.

Plus, I have stuff on consignment there, so almost every purchace is $5 or so off the top.

All those checks that Simalac and Enfamil send me every month, go to buying formula that goes on consignment for pure profit.

Have I mentioned that I love resale shops??

Gratitude

Ok. I know that I am just getting back into blogging regularly. And my first couple of posts should be all about catching you up to speed. But I have to get this of my chest.

WHO MAILS A FRIGGIN' THANK YOU CARD FOR BABY SITTING?? TO THEIR OWN PARENTS??

Through Gabriel's new job we got last minute Green Bay Packer (football, and I don't mean soccer) box seat tickets. We asked his parents to baby sit both kids for the day and they said yes. They have babysat Mark a hand ful of times, and this would be the first time for Abby. They didn't have to change any plans to watch them.

Yes, it was a big job. Yes, we were very grateful and let them know before we left and when we picked them up. Many times.

I used to pay them when Mark was tiny, but since we have been a little strapped for cash I stopped and they were OK with it.

I asked Gaberiel's mother what she wanted for watching them, after we had picked them up. She just said, Oh I don't know, and proceeded to tell me about how the day went.

Yesterday, exactly one week after the babysitting, they came over for our weekly get-together/family dinner. And they wanted to know why we haven't mailed them an expression of gratitude that they could set on the kitchen table and look at.

ARE YOU FRIGGIN' KIDDING ME??????????

Dear Grandpa and Grandma,
Thanks again for agreeing to spend time with your own grandkids. Let's do it again in 6-8 monthes.

Ok, fine. I have no problem sending you one if you want one.

I just gotta know, am I behind in the world of ettiquette? Do you all really send thank you notes to your babysitters for each job? To your own parents?

Or is this as wacky to you as me?

The baby is getting older. She is 2 1/2 monthes now. Life is starting to come back towards normal or what passes for normal arround here. Abby is a wonderful baby. If Mark was an easy baby, Abby is twice as good. We really lucked out.
However, she has a bit of colic. She screams her head off from 6:30 - 8:30 every night. I can hear the wave of sobs now.
Boo-hoo she cries only 2 hours. My baby used to cry from noon to midnight.
But 2 hours every night is enough to make you desparate.

Otherwise, life is OK. I am on a 1200 calorie diet ( DR approved). I have lost about 10 lbs in the last month or so. I have at least 40 more to go. As long as I am steadily lossing, I am happy. Even though I would love for it to just melt off 5 lb a day. Wouldn't we all...

I have finished canning my applesauce, so the harvesting and storing and canning should be done. One of these days I want to play America's fastest growing game Name-That-Canned-Item with you all.

I have been on the internet maybe 3 or 4 times now since before Abby was born. I miss all the stuff I used to do. I am so itchy to get creative with web designing again. It is so hard to find the time to invest in going on-line and taking a big chunk of time for myself.

We are toying with getting high speed internet because we are so tired of dial-up, but the only provider in this area is Charter and that would be $50 a month plus a modemn.

Ooo, I almost forgot to tell you. Gabriel got a new job. He is now a safety director for a large construction company in Green Bay. He loves it. He is no longer a laborer and that makes him so happy. Right now he is working on a trial period until the end of the year. At that time both sides will re-evaluate the job and if they want to keep him on Gabriel will bw salaried.

I know you all want pictures. I will try my best the next time I get on-line.

Miss you all.