December 30, 2011

Outside Temp: 36 F (it felt a LOT colder on the mountain)

What I cooked today:
Really Bad Oatmeal: I was trying to make something warm and cozy to fill everyone's tummy before we headed up to the mountain for skiing.  I may have put in too much brown sugar.  Or maybe I just don't like oatmeal.  But I could barely eat it.  Poor Connor ate his entire bowl, then complained about his tummy hurting for the next hour.  Bad mom moment.

Update:

Happy Birthday to Patrick's Mom! 

Since I was sick on Wednesday (and Katie was sick on Tuesday) and yesterday was actually Thursday, although I was pretty sure it was Wednesday, that would make today Friday, instead of Thursday, and it somehow became the 30th, instead of the 28th.  Needless to say, I totally forgot about Patrick's mom's birthday, since in my mind it was at least a day or two away, until Grandpa not to subtly told me it was her birthday.  Really bad daughter-in-law moment.  I blamed it on the illness. 

We did make it up to the mountain today for skiing.  Woo Hoo!  After my flop of a breakfast, I was pretty sure that going skiing was a bad idea, but we went anyway.  Fortunately, by the time we got to the mountain, everyone's tummys were pretty much recovered and we were on our way!




The drive up to the mountain was really pretty



We got to the mountain by 11ish and the kids all took off.  Grandpa and Allen headed up to the black slopes while Katie and Connor practiced on the kids area for a little bit, just to make sure they were ready.  I worked with Ryan (and totally forgot to take any pictures of him) for about an hour before he started complaining about his boots.  We got the boots a few weeks ago, but this is the first time Ryan has been up.  His boots are too small and they were hurting his feet.  So, we're heading into Great Falls tomorrow to see if we can swap them out for the bigger size. 

As soon as Patrick got his skis, he took Connor up and Grandpa took Katie... Allen just ran off on his own.  He is 13 now, so I guess that's okay.  I went back into the lodge with Ryan and Grandma and she was kind enough to attempt to keep him occupied.  I (of course) forgot to bring anything that would entertain him (such as maybe a book?) so that's something to remember next time. 

Katie and Connor did great on the regular green runs and they didn't fall at all!  Katie was getting a little hungry, so she headed into the lodge.  Connor kept skiing with Grandpa and Patrick, but he was getting a little frustrated at being told how to ski (by 2 different people, with 2 different ideas).  So, after a few minutes of rest, we sent him back up the mountain, by himself! 

I was beyond not ready for this!  But Connor seemed okay with the idea.  So, I told him he could go, and he scooted over to the lift, and hopped on, all by himself.  It seemed like forever until he was in my sights.  Grandpa ended up running into him about half way down the mountain, and skied with him for the bottom half.  But he did great!  He got off the lift and headed down the hill, and skied like he'd been doing this all his life.  He even fell once and managed to get himself back up and going without any help!  My little boy is not a little boy anymore. 

Patrick was having a hard time with his boots (rentals just do not fit his irregular feet), so he wanted to quit around 2ish.  Since I'd been hanging in the lodge with Ryan and Katie, I made the decision to try something.  I borrowed his boots and skis and polls.  The boots were a little too big (at the toe) and a little too small (at the calf), but they worked.  The skis were a little too long, but they worked.  And I made myself attempt the kids bunny slope. 

Oh my goodness, I haven't been that freaked out in years.  Some of you may know, but I have a really bad knee.  The kneecap pops out of the socket, (similar to a dislocated shoulder I think), which hurts like... well... it really hurts.  When I twist it the wrong way, or I simply bump it, it can pop and I'll be on the floor whimpering like a little girl for about 10 minutes.  After that, I can usually get it popped back into place and then I can hobble for a few hours.  Needless to say, I haven't skied in years.  I did try rollerblading with the kids about 3 years ago, and I fell with Katie and popped my knee.  It took about a month (and doctors visits and physical therapy) before it didn't hurt anymore.  So, skiing has been kind of out of the question.

But I really, really wanted to go skiing!  I used to ski pretty well when I was a kid.  Granted that was about 20 years and a few pounds ago, but I still remember that I loved it.  So, I braced myself and tried to ski. 

I didn't fall.  I didn't even think about falling.  The bunny slope is only about 50 yards and only about 4 cones to practice back and forth.  I managed to go down, get back on the 'magic carpet' and go down again.  After about 30 minutes, I started trying the cones and could get through most of them with no problem.  Then, I practiced going fast, then slow. I practiced controlling my speed (always my vice) and simply staying in control.  All in all, I was up on those skis for about an hour.  I didn't pop my knee.  I could feel the pressure on my knee, simply telling me that I was using a muscle that I have babied for years, but it didn't really hurt. 

Who knows, maybe in a few more weeks, I might get my own skis and head up to the green slopes with my kids! 

The only problem with the trip today was that it was snowing.  Or maybe I should call it raining.  It was hovering around 30 degrees, so as soon as the snow landed, it started to melt.  By the time we all quit, all of our clothes were drenched.  Our gloves were drenched.  Our hats were drenched.  Our scarves were drenched.  Even our socks were drenched.  It wasn't even that cold, but when you're wet, it felt colder than I've felt since we've been here!   It would have actually been better if it was colder, since then the snow wouldn't have melted.  But no complaints.  By the time we got home, I took a hot shower and bundled in my jammies and now, I feel just fine. Perhaps a little tired and a little sore from using muscles I don't usually use, but just fine. 

December 29, 2011

Outside Temp: 38 F (cooler, and very windy today!  The wind has died down now, so we'll see how tomorrow goes)

What I cooked today:
Orange Chicken: I found a recipe on AllRecipes.com for Orange Chicken, and since everyone likes my Lemon Chicken, I thought I'd try it.  It wasn't as crispy as I wanted, and a little too sweet, and maybe a little more orange zest next time, but other than that, everyone said it was great.  Patrick didn't even complain about it being too sweet, which he usually does.  But he did comment 4 times on how it would have been better if I'd had the rice vinegar instead of the white wine vinegar.  Oh well.  He ate it all and said it was great.  :)

Update:
I feel better.  Not great.  Not fabulous. Not 'the hills are alive'.  But better. 

I slept in the recliner last night, since I would be slightly elevated, which made my tummy feel better.  And I woke up this morning feeling better.  Throughout the day, a wave of nausea would hit me and I'd have to sit down and wait it out.  And I was still tired, but not really achy. 

I managed to eat a few pieces of toast and a banana, and only had to wait about an hour before I trusted my tummy enough to get up.  But by 3ish, I made a PB&J, which tasted much better than it should.  I was pretty hungry.

By dinnertime, I was good enough to eat (which is good, since I put some effort into dinner and it would have sucked if I couldn't eat it). 

Now, with a full belly, I have been drafted to play Clue with Katie, again.  Not that I'm complaining... I'm having flashbacks from my childhood.  (probably more from the movie, than the game... 'Who are you, Perry Mason?' ) 

I also spent about 2 hours on the phone, trying to deal with medical bills.  We were admitted to the hospital here in July, while we still had insurance in CA.  And while the hospital seemed to get paid just fine, none of the doctors had billed the 'out of state' insurance.  So, I've been kind of ignoring the bills, hoping they would go away.  They don't. 

I called our old CA insurance and they said they had no record of any bills from those doctors, so I had to call each of them (there are 3) and have them send info back to CA, so they can get paid.  Of course, the second one I called said she wouldn't bill out of state insurance, because they never get paid.  Which puts me in a rough position.  CA won't reimburse me if I pay for it, and they won't pay them until they send Form XYZ.  I really, really don't want to pay this bill, if I don't have to.  So, I called back to CA and asked them to please call the billing office directly and assure them that they would get paid.  We'll see how it goes.

December 28, 2011

Outside Temp: 46 F (not that I would know... I haven't stepped outside today)

What I cooked today:
Nothing.  Reasons below.

Update:
I hate being sick.

Katie was ucky most of yesterday, but I thought, being a mom, I was obviously immune.  Then last night (or this morning, depending on how you look at it), I woke up with that feeling in your tummy that lets you know you're going to throw up.  But maybe I won't.  Oh crap, maybe I will. 

A few minutes later, as I was whimpering on the floor of the bathroom, which was pretty cold, I started thinking of all the descriptions I could post on my blog today.  The searing pain in my nose and throat (reminder to self, plug your nose before you throw up, so it doesn't go up into your nasal cavity).  The smell... the racking aches. 

Then I realized that no one would want to read about those kind of things and what kind of a friend would I be, exposing you to those thoughts.  So, I crawled myself back into bed and fell asleep for at least 2 more hours, before the pain woke me up.  I spent about 30 minutes rolling back and forth in bed, cursing my bed for being inadequate, before I crawled my aching body to the recliner.  It was better, but far from good.  And not only because it took another 20 minutes of shivering under two comforters before it became remotely warm.

I stayed there, dozing on and off, for another 4-5 hours, grateful that most people in my house are late sleepers (except Allen, who was on the computer, with his headphones and not singing along).  By noon, I crawled back into my bed, where I complained to my sleeping husband for a good 10 minutes, before remembering that awesome invention called aspirin.  After 2 Excedrin (Extra Strength), and a 30 minute hot shower (where I ended up sitting on the floor of the tub, because it was just too hard to stand), I felt a little better.  But that was not to last.

I felt human for just long enough to get a glass of Gatorade (which I was smart enough to pick up at the store yesterday for Katie, just in case) and a couple piece of toast.  I also threw in a banana, because my mom always told me about the potassium in bananas.  And while I was lucky enough to keep it all down, within about 20 more minutes, I was huddled back in bed, praying for the pain to end.

I'm not sure what happened in the next few hours.  I know that Patrick complained about being tired and he slept.  And fortunately, the kids all managed to survive.  I had Connor make pasta for dinner, while I laid in bed, awaiting the next interruption from Ryan complaining about 'Allen did ... (something)'. 

Around 9:30, I was woken up by Patrick asking me how to work the dishwasher.  I think I was stunned for a few seconds, then tried my best to explain (you hit the 'autoclean', then the 'start' button).  Granted, I don't think he's used the dishwasher in the 4 months since we've been here.  But still, that's just not right.

I received a call from Patrick's mom, asking how I was holding up. It turns out that about 70% of the 30+ people at Christmas dinner came down with the stomach flu. Amazingly, Ryan is just fine (as are both Connor and Allen).  Ahh, the Christmas gift that just keeps on giving.

December 27, 2011

Outside Temp: 43 F (and windy... not really cold, just a little chilly because the wind is pretty cold.  I heard the speed was around 50 mph at one point.)

What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: Since Allen went skiing, I figured he'd want something warm when he got home.  It was all in the crock pot by noon, which meant it was done by 7...

Update:
Allen went skiing with Grandpa and his uncle today.  I didn't go, so I don't have any pictures.  But I heard that since he was so tired, he fell 3 times, which is a first for this season.  Of course, when you go to bed around 2am, then try to get up around 9am, for a few days straight, you are bound to be a little tired and not perform at your best.  I've told him to get some sleep tonight and maybe he can do better tomorrow.

I also went into town today.  I wasn't sure if I really had to go shopping, but since I hadn't been since before Christmas, I was pretty sure I needed milk.  I ended up meeting up with someone from the hospital, and we chatted for a few minutes.  It was nice to talk to a hospital employee outside of the hospital! 

I didn't hit any deer on the way home, which is good, since I saw about 10 on the drive in.  I was pretty sure they would be on the road, so I was smart enough to drive home slowly behind a big rig.  That way, if the deer decided to run out on to the road, the big rig would hit it and either a) it would be tossed gently to the side of the road or b) it would be shredded before it got to me, and I would only end up with some blood and guts, but my car would otherwise be fine.  But the deer were smart enough to not get hit and test my theory.

I also saw birds flying south for the winter.  Okay, so they weren't really flying south, more like west, and they weren't in the perfect V that you expect, but you get the point.  Then, an entire flock of close to 100 Canadian geese were standing in the field as I drove past.  (it may not have been 100, but it seemed like a lot, so I'm exaggerating for effect)  The wind was pretty bad, so I'm assuming that they were blown out of the sky.  But who knows?  Maybe they were flying south, and then decided that it was better in Montana, so they decided to stay.   :)

Today was the awesome relaxing day, where the kids (except Allen) stayed in bed until at least noon.  Ryan didn't wake up until about 3pm.  Katie is feeling a little ucky (bad tummy), so she's been in and out of bed all day.  But, fortunately, since we had nothing to do today, we didn't miss out on anything! 

December 26, 2011

Outside Temp: 19 F (it's getting a little chilly... )

Not much snow for Christmas.  But beautiful just the same!

What I cooked today:
Pancakes: My recipe called for buttermilk, and I left it at the parent's house yesterday, so I tried to 'make' buttermilk with regular milk and lemon juice.  Of course, typically, I just tossed a dash of juice into the milk and left it at that.  No measuring.  Then, I assumed that I had exactly 10 ounces of pancake mix and tossed in my 2 cups of milk.  I think there was probably only about 8 oz, because the mix was really, really thin.  Now, I like thin pancakes as much as the next guy, but these were closer to crepes than pancakes.  Oh well, the kids ate them up and didn't complain.  :)

Spiced Apple Cider: I brought cider up to the parent's house tonight.  When it's a little chilly, it's always nice to have something warm to fend off the chill.  And if you choose to add a few drops of rum, well, that's just great.

Update:
Happy Day After Christmas!
After staying up until all hours of the night last night, we slept in this morning until about 10, again.  I'm not sure how it will feel to get up at 7 to go to school next week, but we'll deal with that when the time comes. 

I had every intention of cleaning the house this morning.  I said it over and over.  When Patrick went up to help his parents at their house, I said I would be cleaning the house.  During the day, I kept warning Katie and Connor that we'd be cleaning the house soon.  I really wanted to get the house clean.  And suddenly, it was 4:30, and it was time to go to the parent's house for dinner and the house wasn't clean!  Oh my gosh, did you know that just saying you were going to do something doesn't actually get it done?  Who knew?

We had a great dinner at the parent's house tonight.  Patrick's sister and her husband came up here for 'after' Christmas, so the kids were so excited to spend time with their aunt and uncle.  I love how much time we get to spend with family up here! 

Tomorrow, I promise I'm going to clean the house.  :)

December 25, 2011

Outside Temp: 39 F (it was 52 F today... But I'm not complaining... I promise, I'm not... )

What I cooked today:
Sweet Potatoes: I'd love to claim that I cooked them, but in all honesty, Patrick's mom did all the work.  She scrubbed, pealed, cut up and boiled the potatoes.  I finally made it up to their house in time to add the brown sugar and butter and salt, mix and toss into a casserole dish.  Then I put some marshmallows around the outside and broiled for a few minutes.  Everyone seemed to like it, which made me feel pretty good.

Update:

Merry Christmas!!

We ended up staying up until 2am last night, since someone (Patrick) let the kids open their presents last night.  Oh well, it meant we could sleep in, which we did, until 11am! 

We got up to the house with just enough time for the boys to play with their presents. They are not toys.

We spent most of the day at Aunt Marilyn's house in Belt for an amazing Christmas dinner.  Not only was there awesome food, but she laid out the tables with the china and silver.  It was so pretty!  We chatted with family for a good 4 hours, including an appetizer (shrimp cocktail), salads, meats with side dishes and wonderful desserts.  It was great!  And the kids didn't even break anything!

And tonight, we spent the last 5 hours playing Clue with the kids.  We played 3 whole games and in the end, Patrick was so sure he'd figured it out, but I fooled him and he lost!  Then, he was so upset that he accidentally said the answer!  It was after 2am, so it was really, really time for bed.

What a great end to a wonderful Christmas!

December 24, 2011

Outside Temp: 41 F (yep... a dirt Christmas.  )

What I cooked today:
Ham: I made a ham for the pot luck after church.  It went over great!  Even the priest had seconds.  There wasn't a piece of ham left, which I take as a great compliment!

Update:
Today was one of those awesome, and yet exhausting days.

I started the ham and jumped in the car to head to town for some last minute shopping.  I made it back just in time to get the kids ready for church and to get the ham out of the oven.  Then we headed over to church.

After church, I ran home, carved the ham and ran over to the community center for the community party.  It started as one family (with 8 kids who are all now in their 60s) not being able to fit the family into anyone's house.  So, the family decided to rent the community center for Christmas eve, for the family party.  As years went by, they invited more and more people from the community.  This year, it was just an open invitation to everyone in town. 

After the party, we spent a few minutes of down time, then headed over to Patrick's cousin's house, in Belt, for chili and family time.  We chatted with them for a few hours, then headed into church for the midnight mass.

The midnight mass was at 9:00pm, and we offered to sing with the choir.  Patrick's grandmother was very active in the church when she was alive (and she taught just about everyone piano in a 40 mile radius!).  It was really awesome to have all 3 of Patrick's grandma's children in Church for Christmas mass.  And we were lucky enough to be a part of it. 

The choir selections were great!  Some well known greats, like Silent Night, The First Noel and O Little Town of Bethlehem.  And a few songs I had never heard before.  I'm hoping that in the next 10 years, I'll really get to know them all.  I haven't sung in a choir since high school, and it was really a great feeling.  I'd forgotten how much I enjoy singing.  And we are so lucky to have a wonderful church that let us become a part of them!

The kids did great with their second mass of the day, and we headed home.  After a 10 minute discussion, it was decided that they could open their presents tonight, instead of waiting for tomorrow.  I think Patrick just wanted to be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. 

Tomorrow, I'll upload the pictures I took of the kids opening presents.  I always love that part, even if it only lasted a few minutes.  I was just grateful to have my family together for Christmas.  It is not always a given in our family, as Ryan seems to end up sick more often than not.  Even now, I feel a sense of guilt even mentioning it.  But, today has been such a great day, I can't imagine anything messing it up.

I wanted to relay a story Father Paul relayed to us tonight.  When he was in Okinawa, 20 years ago, he was performing Midnight Mass for the troops.  The church was filled with men in their uniforms.  And at the back, was a woman, also in uniform, carrying a little baby.  The imagery and the symbolism of the room full of men, and a single woman with a baby, was not lost on him.  You can find God in many things. 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I wish you all Peace and Love.

December 23, 2011

Outside Temp: 40 F (ugh, there is no way we're ending up with a white Christmas this year... )

What I cooked today:
Pancakes: I knew the kids would need their strength today, so I made sure to make a great breakfast for them.  Unfortunately, they ate them all before I had a chance to eat any!  Not cool!  I ended up with Lucky Charms. 

Update:

Skiing!

 Connor and Grandpa 	 Allen, Grandpa and Connor (you can't tell because they are all hidden behind masks and scarves) 
 Allen 	 Katie, reading in the lodge! 

We had one of those days that was planned well, but just didn't seem to follow the plans.  Oh well, plans are made to be changed.

We were going to help decorate the church for Christmas, but by the time we got our act together, they were already done.  Then we were going to head up to the mountain early, but we had so many thing to get taken care of, we didn't make it out of the house until about 12:30. 

It all worked out fine, since we had skis and boots and polls for everyone, so as soon as we unloaded from the truck, it only took a few minutes to get everyone booted up and on their skis and on to the slopes.  (Patrick still had to rent his, so he was a few minutes behind everyone else!)

Ryan was feeling fine, but with Christmas coming, and him feeling a little punky the last few days, we didn't want to risk him getting sick, so he stayed with Grandma, watching movies.  There are plenty of snow days left in the season, so we didn't feel (too) bad about leaving him at home.

Katie came down with a headache after the first hour, so she bundled up in the lodge with her book and a cup of hot chocolate (one more awesome reason for season passes and season rentals... You can have a bad day, and it doesn't really matter!). 

Connor did a few turns on the kids area, and decided he was ready for the chair lift and the easy runs on the mountain.  He did great!!  No falls and he kept getting better each run.  He would go up with either Patrick or Grandpa, and they both said he was in control the whole time.  And most importantly, he seemed to be having fun.

Allen was off doing his black diamonds, like usual.  He came down one run and was so excited... He had accidentally gone onto the moguls.  He thought they were great!  His new boots were a little tight, so we'll bring them into the pro shop on Monday to see if they can do anything to make them fit a little better.  I figure it's like a new set of heals... the first time you wear them, you get blisters and hate them.  But the more you wear them, the more comfortable they become.  At least I hope so, since they were not cheep! 

We met with Grandma and Ryan at the Lazy Doe in Monarch for dinner.  It's about half way to the mountain (about 20 minutes from the house), and they have great steaks!  We finished out a great dinner with fifty cents and a pool table.  We didn't really play pool, but we showed the kids how to hold the stick, and let Ryan throw the balls into the pockets. 

Another awesome day!  Tomorrow will be packed with last minutes shopping and parties and church and more parties and family.  Hopefully, the kids will be exhausted by the end of the day... :)

December 22, 2011

Outside Temp: 33 F (yes, the snow is melting... I'm planning on a dirt Christmas.. :( )

What I cooked today:
Nothing: We were out for all meals today, so I did absolutely no cooking.

Update:
The kid's school had lunch today for the community.  The superintendent made Philly Steak Sandwiches for everyone!  So, Patrick and I went into school, with Patrick's parents, for lunch, which was kind of awesome.  I love how the school invites the entire community to events like this.  I felt a little bad when I realized the basketball teams had home games today, but we had other plans.  Next time!

The kids had a totally nothing day of playing and watching movies until 1, when they were released for Christmas Break... Woo Hoo!  A week and a half of not waking up to my alarm!  Oh wait, I mean, the kids don't have to wake up... It's not all about me, is it? 

We drove into town today to see about getting skis for the kids.  It's $21 per person for rentals, and we are planning on spending plenty of days up there.  We found that the Pro Shop in town has a deal for kids where they can rent the skis, poles and boots for the entire season for $140.  Since I'm pretty sure we'll be going up there at least 7 more times this season, that works out great!

Unfortunately, Allen is too big for junior skis.  So, we had to break down and get him skis and boots.  Ugh, not happy about that one, but they do fit him better than rentals and it saves us the time and hassle of renting for the season.  The skis should last at least a few more years, and the boots, well, maybe Connor can have them next year!  Or maybe I'll be lucky, and his huge feet won't grow anymore. 

I also was allowed to open my Christmas present from my mom early, a new camera!!  We saw another bald eagle on the drive into town, and I wished I'd opened my present a little earlier.  Maybe it will be around next time, so I can get a picture.  But, until then, I can't wait to take some pictures tomorrow on the slopes!  We'll be heading up there tomorrow, after we help out at the church decorating the tree for Saturday's service.

Ryan is still a little punky, so he'll be staying with Grandma for the day.  But the three other kids are looking forward to trying out their new skis!  And the only rentals for the day will be Patrick's!  I'm planning on a nice cozy day in the lodge with my hot chocolate and my Kindle.  :)

December 21, 2011

Outside Temp: 13 F (Yea!  We got snow today!  Probably not enough to make it a white Christmas, but snow just the same.)

What I cooked today:
Burgers and Potatoes: I really wasn't feeling like cooking today.  So, we had the old standby, which works out fine.  I just have to remind myself that I'm the only one who likes canned corn... I make it and no one eats it except me. 

Update:
Ryan was feeling a little punky today... I think he ate some bad salsa or something.  By dinnertime, he was fine, but during the day was a lot of whining and 'my tummy hurts' and 'mommy, stay with me'.  So, my day was spent in bed with him, reading.  For hours.  Not that I'm complaining, it just means that I didn't get anything done.  Tomorrow, we have stuff at school, then we'll probably head to town for the last of the Christmas shopping.  Then we may go skiing on Friday.  Christmas Eve is Saturday, which will be busy all day long and then the big day on Sunday.  I think I was planning on today being my 'wrap presents' and 'clean the house' and 'prepare for Chirstmas' day, but I spent it in bed.  I guess those things didn't really need to happen.  :)

Allen said they did well at the Bake Sale today, and he sold all my cookies and most of my pumpkin bread.  I was actually quite shocked that the bread sold, until he told me that he gave away the last 3 mini loaves.  Oh well.  They still made about $50 today, which isn't too bad! 

December 20, 2011

Outside Temp: 37 F (they promised snow tonight, but I just don't see it happening unless the temp gets a lot lower.  Stranger things have happened, but I'm not holding my breath)

What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Bread: I'm getting kind of tired of this bread, but Allen wanted it for his Bake Sale, so I make up 10 mini loaves for him to bring tomorrow.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: As if the bread wasn't enough, we decided to throw in 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies.  Allen said that there may not be very much brought tomorrow, so we decided to add a little extra.  All the money raised is for the local YWCA Women and Children's Shelter in Great Falls. 

(and yes, I notice the lack of any real food... you'd think we just ate junk food all day and are all growing fat up here!)

Update:
They have been talking about this winter storm warning most of the day, so I decided to go into town today for shopping, just in case the roads are snowy tomorrow. 

As I was driving in, I heard the following on the radio:
"Just in case you were worried that the Anti-Christmas people were at work, we would like to let you know that the nativity scene at the [I can't remember the name] park was not taken down by any protesters or people against Christmas.  One of the electrical cords was damaged and it is being repaired.  It will be back before Christmas."

I'm not sure why I was so stunned by the announcement, but it really surprised me.

Also, while I was in town, I was shopping at Albertsons and the lights went out.  The back up lights came on, which left a little over half of the store in almost complete darkness.  The front of the store, including the cash registers, had lights and power.  But the fruits and vegetables, and the meat section and the dairy section was dark.  But, resourceful shoppers that we were, most of us just pulled out our cell phones and used them as flashlights, and kept shopping!  I was able to finish all my shopping and check out without the lights coming back on.  I'm not sure what happened (it was kind of windy, but it's been worse), but I had to laugh at the whole situation!

So, we have offered to sing with the choir for the Christmas Eve church service in Belt, so Patrick, his mom and I went into Belt for 'Choir Practice'.  Ahhh, the memories of sitting in Napa High's Choir Room, learning songs in Latin.  Okay, so only 2 or 3 of the songs were in Latin tonight, but it brought back memories just the same!  I'm actually looking forward to singing with the choir.  We were never part of the choir in California, too many people I think.  And here, they can use the extra voices.  I only hope that we can stay in tune!

December 19, 2011

Outside Temp: 36 F (windy, but no snow)

What I cooked today:
Lasagna: Not my mother's recipe, but the one in Better Homes and Gardens.  Everyone ate it up, except Allen who complained because he got an edge piece and his pasta was a little crisp.  Just can't make everyone happy, can you?  We even ended up with 2 pieces for leftovers... woo hoo, lunch!

Update:
Sooooooo tired today!  We need to get up skiing more often, so my body can get used to the physical work!  The kids actually were able to get up and moving this morning, which kind of surprised me.  I guess their 3 months of P.E. has gotten them more used to the exercise. 

Ryan met with his Occupational Therapist, who will help him to use a pencil and crayon better.  She'll probably be meeting with him every other week (or so) starting in January.  She was really nice and gave us some great ideas on how to strengthen his grip.  Of course, you have to balance that with his short attention span. 

We're all counting the days until school gets out (3 more days...)  Starting in January, the school has so many extra curricular activities, especially on Fridays, that they have decided to have no school on Fridays from January until March (yes, they have to make up those hours, which I think is why we only have 7 days off for Christmas and our school days are from 8-3:30).  But it's awesome because we can go skiing on Fridays!  Woo Hoo! 

December 18, 2011

Outside Temp: 28 F (and dropping... with a little snow! Woo Hoo!)

What I cooked today:
French Toast: We needed a hearty breakfast to give us energy for our busy day.  But, since I didn't feel like making oatmeal, we ended up with French Toast.  Oh well, it worked out fine and no one complained about being hungry all day!

Chili: After our busy day, chili just hit the spot!  Warm and toasty, with protein and lots of cheese!

Update:
SKIING AT LAST!

We made it up to Showdown today for skiing.  It's about a 45 minute drive from our place.  Grandma had some things to get done at the house, so it was Grandpa and the 6 of us, which worked because the car only seats 7.  :)

Patrick's skis were too tall, and his boots were too small, so he needed to rent boots and skis.  Katie's skis were too tall, and her boots were adult boots (which fit her just fine, but didn't fit the kid's skis that we rented), so we needed to get her skis and boots.  Of course, Allen, Connor and Ryan needed skis and boots.  Argh, I think it might be time to invest in buying equipment if we really go up there every weekend for the next 4 months.  :)

The skiing was great and the weather was perfect.  It was around 40 most of the day, with it dropping to the high 20's by the time we left.  It started to snow around 2ish, and it was fun to watch the snow work it's way down the mountain.  At noon, you could see the top with no problem.  By the time we left, around 4:30, about half of the mountain was covered in the fog-like snowfall. 

Katie, looking warm and cute!	 Connor, skiing like a pro! 
Allen, shy as always!	 Ryan, able to get off the 'magic carpet' without falling! 
Allen and Grandpa (and Patrick) after a great run!	Patrick, too far away to hear me say SMILE!
Most awesome part of Showdown... notice the lack of lines!	Taken around 2pm, NO ONE is here! 

Showdown was awesome... there was no lines in the rental store, in the lodge, at the lifts or in the kids section.  There was a time where the only kids in the 'kids area' were mine!  When we returned our rentals, the people working there remembered us and we didn't even have to tell them our names.  They saved our cards so they would know what we needed next time.  Today was the second Sunday the slopes have been open. 

Ryan had a harness, and the kids area was about 200 ft long, with a couple cones to practice turns.  Ryan stayed on that section the entire time.  We found out quickly that, with the harness, it was easier for me to run along side or behind him than it was for Patrick or Grandpa to ski behind him.  So, I ran behind him all stinking day!  We had a lot of fun, but boy was it a lot of work. 

Katie wanted to go up to the Green slopes with Patrick, and did great!  She fell a few times and decided to go back to the 'kids area' for a little more practice on stopping and turning.  Connor waited until about 3 to ask to go up to the Green slopes and he only fell a few times.  They are both excited to go up again this Friday. 

Allen was going down the Black Diamonds with Grandpa from the beginning.  I don't think he fell and I'm just excited that he's having so much fun.  He LOVES it!  And apparently, he's pretty good.  Patrick did great and I think he said he ended up going down almost every run.  It helped that he rented boots that actually fit!  He was so happy to find that he can still ski! 

I can already see that this will become a weekend habit!  And it was only a 45 minute drive home afterwards!  Can't beat that! 

December 17, 2011

Outside Temp: 51 F (It was in the 50's all day today.  Right now, the wind is blowing so much that I'm starting to wonder about Kansas and tornados.  Ok, not really, but it's still really windy!)

The view from my front porch tonight. Too pretty to not capture on film.  Notice the lack of snow...

What I cooked today:
Pancakes (from scratch!) : Of course, luck would have it that I ran out of Bisquick last week, and I totally forgot to get more at the store this week.  So, right after I asked the kids it they wanted pancakes for breakfast, I realized I would have to make them from scratch.  Alton Brown to the rescue!  He has a recipe for 'premade pancake mix', which is just flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  I mixed together enough to make 3 batches of pancakes.  Then, the recipe calls for buttermilk, which I was lucky enough to have.  I think Patrick's favorite part is that I greased the pan with butter instead of Pam.  Everyone said they turned out great, which was awesome.

Ham : I picked up a Shank Ham at Albertsons this week, so I figured it was time to try it.  I really wasn't sure how to start, since I had this really big piece of meat, with a bone in it.  Again, Alton saved me.  He had a recipe which showed me not only how to prepare and cook the meat, but also a glaze with mustard, brown sugar and Bourbon (we used brandy, which worked fine).  About 3 1/2 hours into it, the house smelled so good, we almost had to eat early.  Once it was done, we let it rest and then I carved it, which I had no idea how to accomplish.  It turned out great and the kids just dug in.  I made mashed potatoes, just in case it turned out awful.  It didn't and I almost ended up with leftover mashed potatoes, which never happens in my house.  The ham was really moist and Patrick even said I could make it again (he normally hates ham).  Woo Hoo!  A successful cooking day!

Update:
Today was a relaxing day, which was really nice compared to yesterday's 6-7 hours of driving day.  Church and a little house cleaning, but mostly just hanging out, letting the kids play games, and relaxing.

We are planning on skiing tomorrow, so we'll have to see how that works out.  A friend from California gave us a set of her skis and boots and poles (Thanks Linda!), so Katie is all set.  We need rentals for Allen and Connor, but I'm sure by the end of the season, we will have broken down and bought a used set from somewhere.  I think I'm going to sit this one out, since I don't have ski clothes yet.  I'll probably be down at the bottom of the hill, playing with Ryan, assuming that we bring him.  We haven't worked out all the details, but I'm sure it will all work out.

We also decided to break down and get a Christmas tree from town, since we don't have the permit yet anyway.  But, knowing what we know now, we will be more prepared for next year!

December 16, 2011

Outside Temp: 39 F (no snow in sight... kinda bummed that it's melting.. )



About 1/2 way to Billings... The picture really doesn't do the pretty mountains justice! Just beautiful!


What I cooked today:
Nothing... we were gone all day, so no cooking.. which is kind of good since it also means no cleaning!

Update:
We drove into Billings today to take Ryan to a behavioral pediatrician.  She spent about 2 hours with us, watching him and playing with him, while discussing with us his unique situation.  She gave us some ideas on how to help him to socially interact with other kids and adults, appropriately.  We realized that since we have been so grateful to have Ryan home, breathing and alive, that we may have let him get away with behaviors that we would never have allowed his siblings to get away with.  You might call him a little spoiled, but no matter the reason, he struggles with basic social skills (I know, shocker!).  Our doctor knows our speech therapist (small town Montana... everyone knows everyone else!) so they are going to talk about ways we can help him learn useful social and communication skills; simple things like taking turns, looking people in the eye and saying please and thank you.  Mostly, it's about him not being in charge all the time.  Ahh, finally time to grow up! 

After the extremely long drive (3 hours there, 3 hours back), we stopped at the parents place where they were dressing their Christmas tree!  We are hoping to head out into the forest this weekend to get ours, but the kids got to help with the ornaments and lights and tinsel for the parents' tree.

So, you know that commercial for the cloud picture thing, where the mom is trying to take a family picture and the kids keep screwing it up, with the tagline... "Giving me the family that nature never could."  I felt like that while trying to get a simple picture of my kids in front of grandma's tree.  Here are a few of the options:

Oh well... I'll try again next time... Perhaps with enough tries, I'll finally get the picture I'm looking for!  :)

December 15, 2011

Outside Temp: 32 F (still pretty out... no snow... )

What I cooked today:
Pot Roast: I got a pot roast at Albertsons (buy 1 get 1 free, woo hoo), so I made it tonight.  Actually, I made it around noon, and tossed it into the crock pot with some potatoes and carrots and onions.  The roast came out fine, but it wasn't very tender and moist.  I actually had to cut it, instead of it falling apart like last time.  I think the roast would have been better as a stew, so I'm going to cut up the second roast and make beef stew this weekend!  :)

Update:
So, Katie was struggling to find something to wear to school today.  It was only 35 degrees, so I wasn't all that concerned.  Just a tank top, with a t-shirt, with a long sleeve shirt and her jacket on top, then her tights and sweat pants on the bottom.  She complained that she didn't have any clean long sleeve shirts.  Now, a few months ago, that would have been true, since I don't think she owned a long sleeve shirt in CA.  But, when we moved here, I made sure to get her at least 4-5 long sleeve shirts and 4-5 sweat shirts.  She should have been fine.  We eventually found something clean (in the 'clean' laundry basket, waiting patiently for me to fold it) and I sent her off to school.

A few hours later, as I'm preparing yet another load of laundry, I figured out why she had no clothes.  Apparently, when I told her to 'layer' her clothes, she chose to layer 3 long sleeve shirts at once.  When she changed, she pulled off all 3 in one big lump and tossed it into her basket.  The next day was 3 different long sleeve shirts, all tossed together in her basket.  I giggled as I separated each of the shirts and tossed them into the washer.  So when she got home, I had to have a talk about how 'layering' works!  As long as you didn't spill anything on the outer layers, you only really need to change the bottom layer each day.  Which is why she had about 10 tank tops!

I was asked by a friend about the kids' school.  Geyser has 36 students, K-12.  Right now, Ryan is the only Kindergartner, which is actually pretty cool since he needs the special attention anyway.  They have a 1/2 combo class, with about 5 kids, a 3/4 combo class with 6 kids and a 5/6 combo class with 7 kids.  The junior high (7/8) uses the same classrooms as the high school and there are (I think) 5 kids.  Then the high school has about 13 kids (9th - 12th).  There are no Juniors (11th grade), so unless someone transfers, there will be no Seniors next year.

The original school was built around 1940, with two stories, about 8 classrooms and a gym.  They have since added on what is now the elementary school side (4 additional classrooms), another set of bathrooms, a cafeteria and a larger gym (so, yes, there are 2 gyms!)  Because we have so few students, we co-op with the school in Stanford for athletics teams (which is why we wore Stanford uniforms for Basketball).

Ryan has two hours with his special ed teacher 4 days a week.  Since he is not really ready to be integrated with a class, this is working out great.  He also has about an hour with a speech therapist who comes in on Mondays. 

There is a Hudderite Colony a few miles away, so their high school students attend our school (their elementary students are taught on site at the Colony).  The kids take the bus, which picks them up and drops them off outside the house.  There are between 4-6 additional kids on the bus, with between 2-4 stops.  Yes, there are between 7-10 kids on a full sized bus, every day (except the days I pick up or drop off my kids... I've seen as few as 2 kids on the bus!) 

The cafeteria ladies make both breakfast and lunch for the kids.  The bus gets them there about 10 minutes early, so they can get breakfast in the morning.  The food is (of course) all freshly prepared on site, which means it's usually really, really good.  They even get fresh meat from the 4H club (when they need to slaughter an animal), so the kids got spoiled with steaks a few weeks ago. 

The school is working out great for us.  The school is so small that everyone really knows everyone.  The older girls love playing with Ryan, and it seems that everyone is related to everyone else.  I'll try to get some pictures, just to show off.  But we are loving it!
Ryan has an appointment with a behavioral psychologist tomorrow in Billings, so it will be a very long day of driving. Billings is about 3 1/2 hours away, so it will be about 7 hours of driving, for a 1 hour appointment. Oh well, it will be pretty for the drive and I'll try to get some pictures!

December 14, 2011

Outside Temp: 26 F (a little bit of flurries today, but nothing substantial.)


What I cooked today:
Enchiladas: I was going to make tacos, but I realized as I started dinner that I had no refried beans.  The kids really, really like beans on their tacos, so I made a last minute switch to enchiladas.  I made two whole 9x13 pans of enchiladas, both beef and cheese and just cheese.  They inhaled them!  There was one enchilada left (out of about 20).  Yea!  I did something right!

Update:
The kids had their Christmas Program today.  So cute!  Both Katie and Connor performed their trumpets, which was just awesome.  I couldn't believe that they have learned so much!


I really need to get a better camera, since I took about 100 pictures and two of these are actually from the Geyser Booster club! 

The entire K-8 class performed, which means there was only about 23 kids on the stage; 8 reindeer, 8 elves, Santa and Mrs Clause, two scorekeepers, two narrators and a referee.  :)  The 4th grade, 5th grade and 6th grade each have their own band that performed.  For Katie's class, that was 3 people.  Connor's class was 3 people and then the 6th grade was huge with 4 people!  Allen got to play Santa, which was fun.  And then after the program was over, they brought out the 'real' Santa, who brought bags of treats for all the kids.  I even got a picture of Ryan on Santa's lap (although Ryan wasn't quite sure what to do about it).  Afterwards, Ryan chased Santa around saying 'I'm gonna get you!'.  Ahh, I love my son.  :)

The play was only about an hour long, from start to walking out the door, which was kind of nice, since it didn't start until 7.  We still made it home with an extra 45 minutes to relax and play before bed time. 

Ryan and I also went into Great Falls today to get labs.  Everything looks great and I don't need to get labs again for two more weeks.  I also got some shopping done, so I won't need to head back into town until Sunday!  Woo Hoo!

December 13, 2011

Outside Temp: 28 F (Low of 6 degrees last night... it was 8 this morning when the kids headed off to school.)

What I cooked today:
Lemon Chicken: The kids had been asking for this one, so I thought I'd spoil them.  I got chicken breasts from Albertsons about 2 weeks ago for only $1.69 a pound, so I bought 10 pounds and put them into my FoodSaver in 1 1/2 pound packs.  So easy!

Update:
Patrick and I went into Stanford today to talk to the lawyer about moving our California company up to Montana.  Apparently, the paperwork to form a Montana Corp is about 1 page and about $75.  I love it up here! 

We stopped in at the bar for lunch, since the deli was already closed for the day.  I had a really great burger and Patrick had a steak.  It was really nice to just sit at the bar and chat with the bartender about life in general. 

Afterwards, we headed next door to the barber shop, where Patrick finally got his hair cut.  The owner and his son both work there and the son does all the ladies' hair, full service with color, highlights, perms, etc.  He said his schedule is usually booked most days, so I needed to call to make an appointment.  I laughed, since there is only about 400 people in Stanford, I couldn't imagine a salon being booked, but I guess that's how it goes around here.  He was coloring someones hair and seemed to know what he was doing.  I'll probably be making an appointment soon!

On the drive over to the parents place, I had a long chat with one of our neighbors.  She was walking her dog and I just stopped the car, in the middle of the road, and we started talking.  After about 20 minutes, one truck came by, and was able to just drive around me.  Of course, once we finished talking, and I started to drive away, my tires were slipping on the ice.  It took a few seconds for the snow tires and studs to dig in and actually gain some traction.  The ice is easy to drive on, as long as you keep moving forwards.  If you stop, it takes a little more effort.

Katie's class made over $50 with their bake sale today, and she said all my chocolate chip cookies sold out fast.  Woo Hoo!  Their Christmas Presentation is tomorrow night, so I'll hopefully have pictures.  I can't wait!

December 12, 2011

Outside Temp: 20 F (it was foggy most of the day, kind of like teasing that it would snow, but not actually dropping any snow)

What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Bread: We had a Women's Alter Society Christmas Party tonight (ladies only!), so I made my pumpkin bread to bring for the pot luck. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies: Katie has her bake sale tomorrow, so she asked for cookies, instead of her original request of cupcakes.  Good thing, since I don't think I have any frosting in my house, and I'm not sure about making frosting from scratch yet... :)

Update:
The Alter Society party was a lot of fun.  It was mostly the same women from the Halloween party, but with more wine and less men.  I'm starting to get to know the people around here, although there were a few faces I hadn't seen before.  I'm sure I'll start to piece together who belongs to whom.  I would say 'related to whom', but it seems that everyone up here is related to everyone else in one way or another. 

We did a gift exchange, which is always fun!  There were about 30 women there, so there was a wide assortment of gifts, except the 3 sets of custom designed wine glasses that kept getting stolen and passed around.  The rule was: When it is your turn, you can steal.  But you can only be stolen FROM twice, then the third gift, you are safe to keep. 

I, of course, had my eye on a set of truffles that came up with number 2.  I was number 20.  The truffles were stolen from their original owner twice, before I came up.  So, I stole them and prayed I would get to keep them.  But no, someone came along and stole them from me.  So, I managed to pick another gift that would be desired later on.  When someone stole my second gift, I was able to steal back my truffles and was now safe.  There is a lot of strategy to Christmas Gift exchanges!

The best news is that I think I've finished my Christmas Cards!  I'm sure I've forgotten some people, but for the addresses I have, I think I'm done.  Now, I just have to make it over to the post office, which shouldn't be too hard (I do it every day anyway!).

December 11, 2011

Outside Temp: 17 F (it was pretty outside today, around mid 30's - 40's... )

What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Bread French Toast: So, I had a loaf of really dry pumpkin bread from last week (I used too much flour and the bread was terrible), and I thought that if I made it into french toast, it might make up for some of the dryness.  It did, and the toast wasn't totally dry, but I don't think the eggs went with the pumpkin.  It was edible, but not great.  Hopefully, I will never mess up the pumpkin bread again, so I shouldn't ever have to make it again like this.  Katie and Connor asked me to make regular french toast; it was that bad. 

Chili: After shopping all day, we made chili for dinner, which worked out fine.  Of course, I wasn't really paying attention, and I didn't make enough.  Just enough for each of us to have 1 bowl, instead of seconds and thirds, like usual.  Oh well, it worked.

Update:
We went into town today, since we had no idea what the kids wanted for Christmas.  We brought them over to Wal-Mart and had them walk around the toy section, letting us know what they wanted.  A few things were kind of a surprise, like the desire for board games like Operation, Sorry! and Risk.  Ahh, classics!  Connor and Allen both wanted Legos, which, while annoying, isn't that surprising. 

Then we looked at the BB guns, which really, really got Allen's attention.  He wanted the Ruger, with a scope, for about $100.  For a BB gun.  Jeez... We'll have to see about that one.  We had been planning on getting a BB gun for the kids anyway, but I'm not sure I can justify $100 for one.  "But it is SOOO cool, Mom!"  :)

After that, I remembered someone telling me about a meat store in town, where I could get my meat for cheaper.  So, we drove through the old parts of Great Falls, looking at all the stores and shops.  Old Great Falls is neat, because there isn't really separate residential and commercial sections... they are mixed together.  You might have a store or shop, right next to a house, and then another store on the other side.  They also have one way streets, which are kind of cool.

One place that really caught our attention is below:


We both looked at it, and thought we read it wrong.  Then we read it again.  Then we started laughing.  When we saw the horse trailer in the back, we finally understood. 

The funniest part was when the kids, who were in the back, asked us why we were laughing so hard.  So, of course, this turned into a 'teachable' moment.  :)

December 10, 2011

Outside Temp: 41 F (It was beautiful today! Highs in the 50's. I couldn't find my jacket and I didn't care!)


What I cooked today:
Patricks Tomato Soup Stuff: Today he made it with carrots, potatoes and kidney beans (in addition to his tomato soup, tomato paste, ground beef and onions). He said he didn't really like it, but it worked. Maybe a little too much taco seasoning or cumin, I couldn't tell, but I didn't really care. I didn't have to cook, it was warm, and I was hungry so I would have eaten anything!

Update:
Grandpa is still feeling ucky, so we will probably put off the skiing until next weekend. But with temps in the 50's, I don't really mind. I've heard that the slopes here are usually powder, with no ice, but with the higher temperatures, I guess you get more ice. Next weekend should actually be better skiing.

We got the Christmas lights up today, at least the 5 strings that we bought. Of course, that didn't even cover the entire front of the house. I figure I'll be getting a few more strings, to at least finish the front. I'd really like to add some to the back, since that is the side that faces the highway and I think it would be pretty for people on the highway to see.

After church, I did some housecleaning, since it hasn't really been done since we were in the hospital. Since we won't be skiing tomorrow, I didn't push it too much and I can finish tomorrow. But I did manage to get about 5 loads of laundry done, including the towels and sheets. I LOVE fresh sheets and towels!
 

Decvember 9, 2011

Outside Temp: 37 F (downright balmy!  It was like summer today, high in the 40's!)

What I cooked today:
Nothing!  Patrick's mom made dinner for us after sledding, and I was in town all day, so I didn't cook anything.  :)

Update:
Today was my shopping day in town.  It was kind of nice to be able to spend the day by myself.  Not that I don't love my family, and like spending time with them, but sometimes, a day by yourself really makes you appreciate your family all that more.

Once I got home, we went up to the parents for sledding, of course.  As soon as we got there, the moon was coming up, so I got this picture. 

I need a better camera to really make it look as awesome as it was in real life.  Apparently, there is a lunar eclipse tomorrow morning (Saturday) at about 6:00am.  And if I understand correctly, we would be able to see both the lunar eclipse and the sunrise at the same time.  This is where you ask, how is that possible?  A lunar eclipse is where the sun and earth and moon are in alignment, so the sun and moon should be 180 degrees from each other, meaning one of them should be under the horizon.  But there is some really cool effect of the horizon, which acts as a lens and allows you to see beyond 180 degrees.  Don't ask me how, I kind of get it, but I can't explain it.  Needless to say, it should be pretty awesome.  If only I didn't have to wake up at 6am on a Saturday.... I'm afraid I'm going to miss it. 

There were 7 deer on the grandparent's property tonight, and as we drove up, they turned to look at us and just stood still like 'hey, they can't see us if we don't move!'.  They stood there for a few more minutes, before walking in a line, looking for a place in the fence to cross.  Once they found it, they bounded over the fence, across the road, and over the next fence.  Then they ran up the hill and out of sight.  It was kind of neat to watch!  There was also a bald eagle (along with some crows, magpies and golden eagles) eating the remains of a coyote on the side of the road.  As we drove by, the birds flew away.  A bald eagle is really amazing to see.  I didn't realize they were up here, just like any other bird.  I guess I expected them to only be in zoos or something like that!  :)

Grandpa is feeling a little under the weather, so we may put off skiing until Sunday (or maybe even next week).  That will actually work better, so we can go to church tomorrow, and have all day to ski, without the guilt.  You know how us Catholics are on guilt.  :)

I also sent off the first set of Christmas cards today.  Of course, there was only about 6 of them, so it wasn't much of an accomplishment.   I'm trying to get through the rest of them this week, and I might actually get them out BEFORE Christmas!  Tomorrow, Patrick and I are going to try to get Christmas lights up.  If we actually accomplish it, I'll post pictures... we haven't had Christmas lights in the last 3-4 years, so this will be kind of fun!  

December 8, 2011

Outside Temp: 19 F (it was 1 degree this morning, when I sent the kids to school!)

What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: We had some tri-tip in the freezer from about 2 months ago, and Connor had been asking for beef stew.  So easy! 

Biscuits: So, I'm really feeling like a bad cook lately.  The recipe called for 3 oz of butter or shortening.  I looked at the number on the stick of butter, and put in 3.  Of course, as anyone would know, the number refers to the number of tablespoons.  There are 4 oz in 8 tablespoons in a stick of butter.  Which means my biscuits had 1/2 the correct amount of butter.  Needless to say, they were awful.  Patrick said they were kind of like a scone.  No amount of honey would make them edible.  Oh well.

Chocolate Chip Cookies: Connor has a bake sale tomorrow at school.  They are donating all the money raised for the local women's shelter.  So, he asked me to make my chocolate chip cookies.  Of course, with the first batch, I managed to burn half of them.  I should just stop trying to cook now.  The second half was fine.  But I'm not looking forward to whatever I have to make next Tuesday for Katie's class's bake sale...

Update:
We had a nice, relaxing day at home.  We went to church for the feast day of Immaculate Conception, which was kind of cool.  The homily was about the 'Prevenient Grace' or the grace of God to keep you from doing something bad.  We all know about the grace of forgiveness or the grace of peace, but we never really talk about Prevenient Grace.  I tend to believe that this is the best and most important blessing that God gives us... the thing that stops us before doing something we will regret later. 

Which made me think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  You remember whenever one of the kids would do something bad, Mr. Wonka would stand back and say 'stop.  please.  don't do that'.  He wouldn't yell or shout.  And he wouldn't forcibly stop them from doing bad things.  He would just tell them they shouldn't do it, and allow them to make their own decisions.  I remember Charlie turning to Grandpa Joe and asking "Why don't they listen to Mr. Wonka?".   I love it when Mass makes me think.  :)

Ryan went with us to Mass (it was in the middle of the day, so the other kids were at school).  Most of the time, Ryan just yammers through church, which involves a whole lot of 'shushing' from us.  Today, was no exception, up until we started the 'Our Father'.  That was when he started to say it with us, in his loud voice.  Which would have been just cute and endearing, except that he was a half a line behind the rest of us, like he was repeating us.  I struggled between laughing, and trying to stay with the rest of the church, and trying not to be on the same line as he was.  Fortunately, there was only about 15 people in the church and they are also so sweet, they just turned to us and smiled. 

The kids have all had a little bit of a cough lately, so we decided to skip sledding.  But, tomorrow is Friday, so I'm assuming that snow play will occur.  And the slopes open tomorrow, so Saturday will probably have more snow involved.  I'm still debating getting up on skis.  Right now, I'm leaning towards the 'no', but you never know how things will turn out.