Outside Temp: 46 F (still feels like fall around here... snow is almost totally gone and with the exception of the wind, it's just beautiful outside... now that I've said that, it's going to snow.)
What I cooked today:
Chicken and Potatoes: I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner. I pulled out some chicken and decided I would make chicken. But I didn't want to make the same old Chinese chicken that I usually make. So, I flipped through a couple recipe books and came up with something. I rubbed the chicken with some Greek seasoning, then seared it in my cast iron skillet. Then I took some potatoes and carrots and put them in a pot. I pulled the chicken out of the skillet, and added some stock and flour to the skillet and whisked them together. Then I poured the stock over the potatoes and cooked them for a few minutes. I threw the vegetables into a casserole dish, with the chicken on top. Then I baked it for about 30 minutes. I had a little too many potatoes, so the ones that were not in fluid were a little stiff, but otherwise, it turned out great. I think next time, I'll toss the veggies in some seasoning before cooking them, and I'll add a little more stock.
Update:
We still have Ryan in a toddler bed. I know. I know. It's time to move him up to a twin. But his room is really small, and a twin bed will fill it up. So, we've been putting it off.
Well, we've almost run out of time. About 2 days ago, I sat on the edge of his bed to hook up his TPN, and I heard the unmistakable crack of splitting wood. It wasn't totally broken, but it was sure thinking about it. I mentioned it to Patrick, but he didn't really understand. So, last night, he sat on the edge (as we do almost every night) to hook up his TPN. And then there was a really significant 'crack'. I got some zip ties and tried to stabilize the cracking wood. He slept just fine last night, although he was almost falling off the bed when I got him this morning.
So, this afternoon, Connor was playing with Ryan in his room on the XBox, and we hear the really loud 'crack', followed by a 'thump'. A few curse words later and we realized that the wood was almost totally useless. No, wait. There is always duct tape!
I grabbed my trusty roll of silver perfection and went to work on the bed. The side rails are now covered in duct tape and it seems pretty stable. I've warned everyone in the house that Ryan is the only one who can use his bed. I figure it's limit is somewhere in the 75 lb range, which means that anyone else sitting on the bed will make it break. I'm betting that we can hold out for a few more weeks, maybe even until Christmas. But, maybe not. Perhaps it's time for a trip into town with Grandpa's truck.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
November 29, 2012
Outside Temp: 47 F (snow is gone, but I've heard tell that it's coming back...)
What I cooked today:
Nothing... migraine...
Update:
I got to sub for the math teacher today. I was amazed that I was able to remember how to do most of the assignments, even the Pre-Calculus class, which goes to show that my high school math teacher, Mr. Gregory was amazing! We were doing sin, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant and cotangent, and I had to remember the whole 'pi' = 180 degrees, 2'pi' = 360 degrees, and then the unit circle and the ways to find the values of the sin, etc. After a quick glance at the book, I remembered it and actually attempted to help the students get it. There was at least once that a student looked at me and said, 'huh?', but it wasn't bad.
I was really happy with the websites that our teacher users. She has the students log on, and do a series of questions, related directly to the assignment. She has 3 different web sites, so they get a wide range of styles and questions. The students were great and with one class, the boys wanted to keep doing more problems, just to 'one up' the other. "I got 5 right", "well, I got 6 right!", "No way, let me do another one. Ha, I got 6 right.", "well, now I have 7 right." They were only required to do 5 problems, and I had to force them to move on after doing 10. I hated stopping them!
Once I got home, I realized that I was fighting a migraine, so I crawled into bed and slept.. for about 3 hours. Of course, I was too silly to take anything for it, so when I woke up around 7pm, I STILL had a migraine. Ugh. I talked Allen into making dinner for everyone. He made pasta, which isn't exactly a complete balanced meal, but it's enough and I didn't hear any complaints. And somehow, everyone got their homework done without me nagging. Woo hoo!
What I cooked today:
Nothing... migraine...
Update:
I got to sub for the math teacher today. I was amazed that I was able to remember how to do most of the assignments, even the Pre-Calculus class, which goes to show that my high school math teacher, Mr. Gregory was amazing! We were doing sin, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant and cotangent, and I had to remember the whole 'pi' = 180 degrees, 2'pi' = 360 degrees, and then the unit circle and the ways to find the values of the sin, etc. After a quick glance at the book, I remembered it and actually attempted to help the students get it. There was at least once that a student looked at me and said, 'huh?', but it wasn't bad.
I was really happy with the websites that our teacher users. She has the students log on, and do a series of questions, related directly to the assignment. She has 3 different web sites, so they get a wide range of styles and questions. The students were great and with one class, the boys wanted to keep doing more problems, just to 'one up' the other. "I got 5 right", "well, I got 6 right!", "No way, let me do another one. Ha, I got 6 right.", "well, now I have 7 right." They were only required to do 5 problems, and I had to force them to move on after doing 10. I hated stopping them!
Once I got home, I realized that I was fighting a migraine, so I crawled into bed and slept.. for about 3 hours. Of course, I was too silly to take anything for it, so when I woke up around 7pm, I STILL had a migraine. Ugh. I talked Allen into making dinner for everyone. He made pasta, which isn't exactly a complete balanced meal, but it's enough and I didn't hear any complaints. And somehow, everyone got their homework done without me nagging. Woo hoo!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
November 28, 2012
Outside Temp: 34 F (beautiful day today.. the snow is almost gone, just in time for another storm this weekend... )
What I cooked today:
Italian Pasta Casserole: I told the family that I was going to make something, but I didn't know what. And they were going to like it, darnnit. I started with some ground beef and onions, tossed in some Italian seasoning and tomatoes and Worchestershire sauce. Then I cooked up some macaroni and tossed that it. I threw it all into a casserole dish, and topped it with some cheese. It turned out pretty good, although Allen and Katie weren't thrilled (Connor, on the other hand, had 3 servings).
Update:
We got some beautiful pictures of the kids from the school today. A few weeks ago, the school had their 'make up' picture day, so I asked the photographer if she would be willing to take a picture of all 4 kids, together. She agreed, and today I got the results. I am so totally thrilled! They turned out beautiful! I need to ask the photographer if it is okay to post them online (I'm sure she'll be fine with it, but I want to check first), but you can take my word for it, they are great. I am including them in my Christmas cards, so if you want a card from us, please let me know your address.
After school today, Katie was frustrated with school and people, which is not unusual at her age. I mentioned my old adage, "I wish I could put you in stasis until you were about 16. That way, your hormones would be adjusted and you wouldn't have to deal with the whole 10-14 year old stage (which totally sucked for me)."
She asked if she could just stop going to school and play computer games all day long, for the next 3-4 years. She said it was just like stasis, but more fun. Nope, sorry babe, it doesn't work that way.
What I cooked today:
Italian Pasta Casserole: I told the family that I was going to make something, but I didn't know what. And they were going to like it, darnnit. I started with some ground beef and onions, tossed in some Italian seasoning and tomatoes and Worchestershire sauce. Then I cooked up some macaroni and tossed that it. I threw it all into a casserole dish, and topped it with some cheese. It turned out pretty good, although Allen and Katie weren't thrilled (Connor, on the other hand, had 3 servings).
Update:
We got some beautiful pictures of the kids from the school today. A few weeks ago, the school had their 'make up' picture day, so I asked the photographer if she would be willing to take a picture of all 4 kids, together. She agreed, and today I got the results. I am so totally thrilled! They turned out beautiful! I need to ask the photographer if it is okay to post them online (I'm sure she'll be fine with it, but I want to check first), but you can take my word for it, they are great. I am including them in my Christmas cards, so if you want a card from us, please let me know your address.
After school today, Katie was frustrated with school and people, which is not unusual at her age. I mentioned my old adage, "I wish I could put you in stasis until you were about 16. That way, your hormones would be adjusted and you wouldn't have to deal with the whole 10-14 year old stage (which totally sucked for me)."
She asked if she could just stop going to school and play computer games all day long, for the next 3-4 years. She said it was just like stasis, but more fun. Nope, sorry babe, it doesn't work that way.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
November 27, 2012
Outside Temp: 26 F (the snow is melting... but it's still here)
What I cooked today:
Papa Murphy's Take & Bake Pizza: After our useless drive into town, I was irritated enough to decide not to cook dinner tonight. I asked the kids if they wanted pizza, and (duh) they agreed. I have finally learned that if you bake the pizza on the tray they give you for about 10 minutes, then slide it off onto a pizza stone for the last 5-7 minutes, the crust gets cooked correctly and isn't mushy. Woo hoo! I learned something today!
Update:
The boys have been getting allergy shots every Tuesday and Thursday morning for the last few weeks. We usually leave the house around 6:45, to get to Great Falls by 7:30. Their shots are done in about 10-15 minutes, which gets us back on the road by 7:45-8:00am. A short 45 minute drive gets they to school just as their first period study hall is ending, which works because then they don't have to miss any (real) classes.
But, I didn't want to wake up this morning, so I figured that since Allen didn't have practice anymore, I could bring them in after school. So, school ended and we all hopped in the car. I dropped off Katie at the house (lucky!) and Allen and Connor came with me to town.
We got to the clinic around 4:30, and headed up to the reception desk. The person in front of me was taking forever, but I was being my normal patient self, just standing there with a smile, waiting my turn. Another receptionist asked what I was there for, and when I told her allergy shots, she indicated that I needed to wait. No problem. Just waiting.
Finally, about 10 minutes later, the receptionist finished up with the person in front of me. But, instead of asking me to come forward so she could help me, she started getting her things together to go home. I waited a few more minutes, then stepped forward to get her attention. "Did you need something?" she asked. I thought something catty like, "nope, I just thought I'd stand her for the last 15 minutes because I had nothing better to do.". Silly woman.
I told her that we were here for allergy shots. She got that pained look on her face, and informed me that that stopped the shots at 4pm. She did apologize, and even with back to see if the nurse was still around. She wasn't. So, our trip into town was a total waste. Oh well. To be completely fair, I should have called this morning, to confirm that we would be in this afternoon. My bad. But, we ended up with pizza out of the deal, so I guess it wasn't all bad.
I also got to end the evening with a meeting with our Community Center. There is a great group of people here, and I love how involved they all are! We have set up a time for our blood drive in December, which is such a great event. They intentionally scheduled it for 8-9 weeks after the Geyser blood drive, so that people (like me) can do both of them! I shouldn't have to go into town for blood donations, since they are cool enough to come to me!
The only bad part is that I missed our book club this evening. I didn't get a chance to read the book anyway, but I skipped last month's book club (I was afraid of the storm), and I miss getting together and chatting. Next month, come sleet or snow or hail, I will make it (darnnit).
What I cooked today:
Papa Murphy's Take & Bake Pizza: After our useless drive into town, I was irritated enough to decide not to cook dinner tonight. I asked the kids if they wanted pizza, and (duh) they agreed. I have finally learned that if you bake the pizza on the tray they give you for about 10 minutes, then slide it off onto a pizza stone for the last 5-7 minutes, the crust gets cooked correctly and isn't mushy. Woo hoo! I learned something today!
Update:
The boys have been getting allergy shots every Tuesday and Thursday morning for the last few weeks. We usually leave the house around 6:45, to get to Great Falls by 7:30. Their shots are done in about 10-15 minutes, which gets us back on the road by 7:45-8:00am. A short 45 minute drive gets they to school just as their first period study hall is ending, which works because then they don't have to miss any (real) classes.
But, I didn't want to wake up this morning, so I figured that since Allen didn't have practice anymore, I could bring them in after school. So, school ended and we all hopped in the car. I dropped off Katie at the house (lucky!) and Allen and Connor came with me to town.
We got to the clinic around 4:30, and headed up to the reception desk. The person in front of me was taking forever, but I was being my normal patient self, just standing there with a smile, waiting my turn. Another receptionist asked what I was there for, and when I told her allergy shots, she indicated that I needed to wait. No problem. Just waiting.
Finally, about 10 minutes later, the receptionist finished up with the person in front of me. But, instead of asking me to come forward so she could help me, she started getting her things together to go home. I waited a few more minutes, then stepped forward to get her attention. "Did you need something?" she asked. I thought something catty like, "nope, I just thought I'd stand her for the last 15 minutes because I had nothing better to do.". Silly woman.
I told her that we were here for allergy shots. She got that pained look on her face, and informed me that that stopped the shots at 4pm. She did apologize, and even with back to see if the nurse was still around. She wasn't. So, our trip into town was a total waste. Oh well. To be completely fair, I should have called this morning, to confirm that we would be in this afternoon. My bad. But, we ended up with pizza out of the deal, so I guess it wasn't all bad.
I also got to end the evening with a meeting with our Community Center. There is a great group of people here, and I love how involved they all are! We have set up a time for our blood drive in December, which is such a great event. They intentionally scheduled it for 8-9 weeks after the Geyser blood drive, so that people (like me) can do both of them! I shouldn't have to go into town for blood donations, since they are cool enough to come to me!
The only bad part is that I missed our book club this evening. I didn't get a chance to read the book anyway, but I skipped last month's book club (I was afraid of the storm), and I miss getting together and chatting. Next month, come sleet or snow or hail, I will make it (darnnit).
Monday, November 26, 2012
November 26, 2012
Outside Temp: 23 F (nice today, after the ice melted off the roads)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Onion Rings: I was too lazy to actually plan anything, so somehow 6:00pm showed up and I had nothing ready. Oh well, old standby works fine. However, I didn't like the onion rings (they were frozen), so I think I'll just go with veggies next time!
Update:
I got a call from the school this morning, around 9am. It was from Allen, who let me know that there was a problem with the tablet that he takes to school (supposedly to work on his homework, but we all know that he uses it as a MP3 players to listen to his music during the day). The way the story goes, he was listening to his music (shocker!) and he had set the tablet on the bleachers. Then he turned to the side, and somehow (have no idea how it happened) the tablet fell off the bleachers on to the ground... like 4 feet on to the ground.
I can only imagine the sickening crack that occurred and the moment of fear as he hopped off the bleachers to examine his new found broken tablet. The screen was shattered. Not broken, shattered. It was not pretty.
But, being the (somewhat) responsible child that we attempted to raise correctly, he immediately called me and let me know what he had done. Fortunately, his mother is brilliant and purchased the extended care warranty, and questioned the guy at Office Max specifically for the time in which one of my children dropped the tablet and it broke.
So, I was able to call the Care center, and I now have a UPS shipping label, and a claim for them to attempt to fix it. It is not fixed yet, so I will keep my hopes up that they can repair the screen, and it will be back with us soon. Until then, my favorite part of the day was at the end, as the Junior High students passed by my door (to my web design class), and whispered, "she's here... oh, you are so dead.". I guess the students expected me to freak out or scream or yell or something undignified. Oh yea, like I would do that, in public!
To be honest, I actually expected it to break earlier.
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Onion Rings: I was too lazy to actually plan anything, so somehow 6:00pm showed up and I had nothing ready. Oh well, old standby works fine. However, I didn't like the onion rings (they were frozen), so I think I'll just go with veggies next time!
Update:
I got a call from the school this morning, around 9am. It was from Allen, who let me know that there was a problem with the tablet that he takes to school (supposedly to work on his homework, but we all know that he uses it as a MP3 players to listen to his music during the day). The way the story goes, he was listening to his music (shocker!) and he had set the tablet on the bleachers. Then he turned to the side, and somehow (have no idea how it happened) the tablet fell off the bleachers on to the ground... like 4 feet on to the ground.
I can only imagine the sickening crack that occurred and the moment of fear as he hopped off the bleachers to examine his new found broken tablet. The screen was shattered. Not broken, shattered. It was not pretty.
But, being the (somewhat) responsible child that we attempted to raise correctly, he immediately called me and let me know what he had done. Fortunately, his mother is brilliant and purchased the extended care warranty, and questioned the guy at Office Max specifically for the time in which one of my children dropped the tablet and it broke.
So, I was able to call the Care center, and I now have a UPS shipping label, and a claim for them to attempt to fix it. It is not fixed yet, so I will keep my hopes up that they can repair the screen, and it will be back with us soon. Until then, my favorite part of the day was at the end, as the Junior High students passed by my door (to my web design class), and whispered, "she's here... oh, you are so dead.". I guess the students expected me to freak out or scream or yell or something undignified. Oh yea, like I would do that, in public!
To be honest, I actually expected it to break earlier.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
November 25, 2012
Outside Temp: 14 F (it didn't get above 35 today... dropped 10 degrees in the last 2 hours)
What I cooked today:
Chicken Soup with Orzo: Chilly day requires soup. I finished canning my turkey stock, and realized I still had 2 quarts of chicken stock in the pantry. Since I'm sure I needed to get rid of it, we made chicken soup. So yummy!
M&M cookies: The kids finally found the mini M&Ms that have been in my pantry for about 2 months. I was required to make cookies... oh what a chore...
Update:
Snow today. Not a ton, but consistent snow for the last 10-12 hours. It was in the mid 30's, which means that the roads are wet... as the temp drops, that means ice. I'm not sure exactly what to expect tomorrow, but today was a day of staying inside, warm and cozy. I read for a few hours, the kids played games, and we did a whole lot of nothing. Perfect end to a long weekend!
What I cooked today:
Chicken Soup with Orzo: Chilly day requires soup. I finished canning my turkey stock, and realized I still had 2 quarts of chicken stock in the pantry. Since I'm sure I needed to get rid of it, we made chicken soup. So yummy!
M&M cookies: The kids finally found the mini M&Ms that have been in my pantry for about 2 months. I was required to make cookies... oh what a chore...
Update:
Snow today. Not a ton, but consistent snow for the last 10-12 hours. It was in the mid 30's, which means that the roads are wet... as the temp drops, that means ice. I'm not sure exactly what to expect tomorrow, but today was a day of staying inside, warm and cozy. I read for a few hours, the kids played games, and we did a whole lot of nothing. Perfect end to a long weekend!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
November 24, 2012
Outside Temp: 25 F (a little rain, a little snow today. The weather wasn't sure what it wanted to do)
What I cooked today:
Turkey Stock: I made up some stock from yesterday's turkey bones. The house smelled just like turkey all afternoon. No, I'm not sick of turkey, yet.
Update:
Patrick and I went into town this afternoon, for some shopping. He needed some things from Home Depot, and I managed to run out of both flour and brown sugar (gasp!). At the grocery store, the kid helping me was amazed that I might actually use a 25 lb bag of flour. I explained that I go through a 25 lb bag about 3 times a year. He was stunned. I laughed.
What I cooked today:
Turkey Stock: I made up some stock from yesterday's turkey bones. The house smelled just like turkey all afternoon. No, I'm not sick of turkey, yet.
Update:
Patrick and I went into town this afternoon, for some shopping. He needed some things from Home Depot, and I managed to run out of both flour and brown sugar (gasp!). At the grocery store, the kid helping me was amazed that I might actually use a 25 lb bag of flour. I explained that I go through a 25 lb bag about 3 times a year. He was stunned. I laughed.
Friday, November 23, 2012
November 23, 2012
Outside Temp: 47 F (yes, it was in the teens this morning... Now, it's in the 40's... Gotta love Montana weather!)
What I cooked today:
Turkey: We had a second Thanksgiving dinner today, so I got to make a turkey. It turned out pretty good, and we had no complaints!
Update:
As I mentioned, we had a second Thanksgiving dinner this afternoon. We invited our priest over for Thanksgiving, but since we were out of town on Thursday, we just decided to push it back to Friday. Which means that I got up (relatively) early this morning and headed over the grandparents place to stuff and prepare the turkey. Then I went back home, and went back to sleep!
We had supper around 1:30, which gave us plenty of time to chat and still got our guest back on the road before dark. And how can you refuse a second Thanksgiving dinner... yumm!
The good news is that since everyone was so full from supper, I felt no desire to make a second meal... Which also means no extra dishes! woo hoo!
What I cooked today:
Turkey: We had a second Thanksgiving dinner today, so I got to make a turkey. It turned out pretty good, and we had no complaints!
Update:
As I mentioned, we had a second Thanksgiving dinner this afternoon. We invited our priest over for Thanksgiving, but since we were out of town on Thursday, we just decided to push it back to Friday. Which means that I got up (relatively) early this morning and headed over the grandparents place to stuff and prepare the turkey. Then I went back home, and went back to sleep!
We had supper around 1:30, which gave us plenty of time to chat and still got our guest back on the road before dark. And how can you refuse a second Thanksgiving dinner... yumm!
The good news is that since everyone was so full from supper, I felt no desire to make a second meal... Which also means no extra dishes! woo hoo!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
November 22, 2012
Outside Temp: 19 F (it got as high as 30 here today... a little chilly)
What I cooked today:
NOTHING! Hehehe...
Update:
Happy Thanksgiving!
We headed down to Helena to spend Thanksgiving with Patrick's mom's aunt and the family there. It was a small crowd, only about 16 (which is small for our family). I LOVE the way our great-aunt makes a holiday meal, with the good china and silver, and appetizer of shrimp cocktail... The food was so yummy, I had to force myself to only go back for seconds and not thirds!
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
What I cooked today:
NOTHING! Hehehe...
Update:
Happy Thanksgiving!
We headed down to Helena to spend Thanksgiving with Patrick's mom's aunt and the family there. It was a small crowd, only about 16 (which is small for our family). I LOVE the way our great-aunt makes a holiday meal, with the good china and silver, and appetizer of shrimp cocktail... The food was so yummy, I had to force myself to only go back for seconds and not thirds!
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
November 21, 2012
Outside Temp: 34 F (Rainy and stormy today... a little sleet.)
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Pies x 4: I'm making dessert for tomorrow, and Friday, so I just made 4 of them tonight. It's been a while since I've made pumpkin pie, and pie crust, so I was a little worried. But it turned out fine (after I asked Patrick to stop making suggestions). I spilled a little pie mix in the oven, which caused a lot of smoke, but they smelled good by the end. Now, I just have to hope they taste good!
Update:
No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I was tired and fell asleep early last night, which means that I didn't get my blog written. I debated post-dating a blog entry, which is totally possible, but that would feel like lying, and those who know me know how I feel about lying. So, if you noticed that I didn't get an entry written last night, I apologize.
Yesterday was a busy. I worked at the post office, by myself, in the morning. I started the shift by forgetting to scan something, which caused a little stress. But the customer (one of our neighbors, of course) was kind enough to bring it in this morning, so we got it scanned and all was right with the world. This was my first time working by myself, so there was a reasonable amount of nerves for the first few minutes. I talked to my postmaster a few times during the day, but I think it worked out fine.
After working, I ran over to the school for our class, and then headed home, with 3 of the 4 kids. Allen was so excited to have NO practice!
I managed to get a migraine, so I headed off to bed and left Patrick in charge for the night. He had to feed the kids, do all of Ryan's meds, and get them off to bed (at some point). Apparently, he did fine because when I woke up this morning, the kids were all in bed, dishes and pots and pans were on the stove (waiting patiently for me to clean them) and Ryan was fine. Who knew that my husband could actually be responsible?
Today, Allen and Connor went into town with me. They needed their allergy shots and I needed groceries. I'm not having Thanksgiving at my house, but I do have to feed my family on other days, and somehow, I was out of milk, again. We also stopped and got new headphones for the boys. Connor has re-found his MP3 player, so he was excited to use his ear buds and listen to his music. Ahh, it's the little things (like the Hershey's candy bars on sale for $0.68...)
Patrick and Grandpa were awesome and took my garbage to the dump. We've been trying to get to the dump for a few weeks now, but something (like snow or wind) always seemed to come up. Today was no exception, with the rain and sleet, but they braved the weather and got rid of my garbage! Woo hoo!
The boys spent the rest of the afternoon playing games, and I read my book (I'm reading 'The Count of Monte Cristo', which is much better than I expected!) I mixed up and baked my pumpkin pies, but I didn't feel like making dinner, so I subjected the kids to their own devices. Which means that when I offered to make hot dogs, they all said, "me too!". So, I ended up making dinner anyway. I don't feel bad about feeding them junk for dinner tonight, since we are all going to pig out tomorrow... it's kind of like fasting.
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Pies x 4: I'm making dessert for tomorrow, and Friday, so I just made 4 of them tonight. It's been a while since I've made pumpkin pie, and pie crust, so I was a little worried. But it turned out fine (after I asked Patrick to stop making suggestions). I spilled a little pie mix in the oven, which caused a lot of smoke, but they smelled good by the end. Now, I just have to hope they taste good!
Update:
No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I was tired and fell asleep early last night, which means that I didn't get my blog written. I debated post-dating a blog entry, which is totally possible, but that would feel like lying, and those who know me know how I feel about lying. So, if you noticed that I didn't get an entry written last night, I apologize.
Yesterday was a busy. I worked at the post office, by myself, in the morning. I started the shift by forgetting to scan something, which caused a little stress. But the customer (one of our neighbors, of course) was kind enough to bring it in this morning, so we got it scanned and all was right with the world. This was my first time working by myself, so there was a reasonable amount of nerves for the first few minutes. I talked to my postmaster a few times during the day, but I think it worked out fine.
After working, I ran over to the school for our class, and then headed home, with 3 of the 4 kids. Allen was so excited to have NO practice!
I managed to get a migraine, so I headed off to bed and left Patrick in charge for the night. He had to feed the kids, do all of Ryan's meds, and get them off to bed (at some point). Apparently, he did fine because when I woke up this morning, the kids were all in bed, dishes and pots and pans were on the stove (waiting patiently for me to clean them) and Ryan was fine. Who knew that my husband could actually be responsible?
Today, Allen and Connor went into town with me. They needed their allergy shots and I needed groceries. I'm not having Thanksgiving at my house, but I do have to feed my family on other days, and somehow, I was out of milk, again. We also stopped and got new headphones for the boys. Connor has re-found his MP3 player, so he was excited to use his ear buds and listen to his music. Ahh, it's the little things (like the Hershey's candy bars on sale for $0.68...)
Patrick and Grandpa were awesome and took my garbage to the dump. We've been trying to get to the dump for a few weeks now, but something (like snow or wind) always seemed to come up. Today was no exception, with the rain and sleet, but they braved the weather and got rid of my garbage! Woo hoo!
The boys spent the rest of the afternoon playing games, and I read my book (I'm reading 'The Count of Monte Cristo', which is much better than I expected!) I mixed up and baked my pumpkin pies, but I didn't feel like making dinner, so I subjected the kids to their own devices. Which means that when I offered to make hot dogs, they all said, "me too!". So, I ended up making dinner anyway. I don't feel bad about feeding them junk for dinner tonight, since we are all going to pig out tomorrow... it's kind of like fasting.
Monday, November 19, 2012
November 19, 2012
Outside Temp: 51 F (nice and very windy today!)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: With all that was going on, I didn't have time to make much. So, we ended up with the old standby. Of course, Allen claimed that it was exactly what he wanted, so I guess that's a good thing.
Update:
This morning, as with most morning, I watch out Katie's window for the school bus to come down the highway. Usually, as it comes around the corner, we have just enough time to say, "the bus is here!", and then get all the kids backpacks on, jackets on, gloves on, out the door and out to the street, timed perfectly for the bus as it pulls up.
Okay, sometimes it's not timed perfectly. But most days it works out well. So you can imagine my surprise, when a white suburban pulls up in front of the house, at the exact time the bus should be there! I walked out on to the front porch and asked if this was the bus... which it obviously was, but for some reason, logic and mornings don't mix with me. Apparently, the bus wasn't working this morning, so we got the suburban instead. Fortunately, there are only 8 kids on our bus route (including my 4), so they all fit just fine! Connor said it was great because he got to sit in the front and see out the window.
After school, Allen had a game with Lewistown in Stanford. I know, basketball season is over, and yet, here is another game. Lewistown is a larger school with more kids and they play in a different division. But, I guess since our team is so good, they asked to have 2 games with us.
So, I drove Allen over to Stanford for the game. The guys from Lewistown came out, and they just kept coming! There had to be 15-20 kids on that team (as opposed to our 9). And they were tall. And old. And did I mention there were lots of them?
The game started out tough, but our boys played great! I had to leave after the first quarter for a Booster Club meeting, but Allen said they only lost by 2 points. At the end, they were actually up by 2, but the other team got two quick baskets at the end. He said our boys played great!
And now, basketball is over. Okay, so, the rest of the team is going to Lewistown tomorrow night to play the same team again, but Allen is going to skip it. We're just not that dedicated!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: With all that was going on, I didn't have time to make much. So, we ended up with the old standby. Of course, Allen claimed that it was exactly what he wanted, so I guess that's a good thing.
Update:
This morning, as with most morning, I watch out Katie's window for the school bus to come down the highway. Usually, as it comes around the corner, we have just enough time to say, "the bus is here!", and then get all the kids backpacks on, jackets on, gloves on, out the door and out to the street, timed perfectly for the bus as it pulls up.
Okay, sometimes it's not timed perfectly. But most days it works out well. So you can imagine my surprise, when a white suburban pulls up in front of the house, at the exact time the bus should be there! I walked out on to the front porch and asked if this was the bus... which it obviously was, but for some reason, logic and mornings don't mix with me. Apparently, the bus wasn't working this morning, so we got the suburban instead. Fortunately, there are only 8 kids on our bus route (including my 4), so they all fit just fine! Connor said it was great because he got to sit in the front and see out the window.
After school, Allen had a game with Lewistown in Stanford. I know, basketball season is over, and yet, here is another game. Lewistown is a larger school with more kids and they play in a different division. But, I guess since our team is so good, they asked to have 2 games with us.
So, I drove Allen over to Stanford for the game. The guys from Lewistown came out, and they just kept coming! There had to be 15-20 kids on that team (as opposed to our 9). And they were tall. And old. And did I mention there were lots of them?
The game started out tough, but our boys played great! I had to leave after the first quarter for a Booster Club meeting, but Allen said they only lost by 2 points. At the end, they were actually up by 2, but the other team got two quick baskets at the end. He said our boys played great!
And now, basketball is over. Okay, so, the rest of the team is going to Lewistown tomorrow night to play the same team again, but Allen is going to skip it. We're just not that dedicated!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
November 18, 2012
Outside Temp: 32 F (it warmed up to almost 60 again, but was very, very windy today!)
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I picked up some good stew meat the other day, and I decided to try it out today. It was great! The crock pot was licked clean!
Update:
For the last few weeks, I have woken up around 6:45 every day of the week, which has been very annoying on weekends, when it's not required. So, I figured I would have no problem getting up by 7:30 this morning for church.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and it was 8:33! Which means that we missed church (which may add a layer of guilt, but since we don't miss often, I wasn't too worried). I got up, got breakfast, realized the rest of the family was still asleep, and crawled my tail back into bed. I slept until almost noon! I guess I was pretty tired.
The day was quite lazy, with the kids finishing up homework, reading or playing games most of the day. Patrick and I watched a movie tonight (the new 21 Jump Street, funny but also very crass... beware) and the kids were in the other room playing games together (no, we did NOT let them watch it... not kid friendly).
I'm looking forward to our upcoming 2 day school week and then Thanksgiving! How the time does fly!
What I cooked today:
Beef Stew: I picked up some good stew meat the other day, and I decided to try it out today. It was great! The crock pot was licked clean!
Update:
For the last few weeks, I have woken up around 6:45 every day of the week, which has been very annoying on weekends, when it's not required. So, I figured I would have no problem getting up by 7:30 this morning for church.
Imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and it was 8:33! Which means that we missed church (which may add a layer of guilt, but since we don't miss often, I wasn't too worried). I got up, got breakfast, realized the rest of the family was still asleep, and crawled my tail back into bed. I slept until almost noon! I guess I was pretty tired.
The day was quite lazy, with the kids finishing up homework, reading or playing games most of the day. Patrick and I watched a movie tonight (the new 21 Jump Street, funny but also very crass... beware) and the kids were in the other room playing games together (no, we did NOT let them watch it... not kid friendly).
I'm looking forward to our upcoming 2 day school week and then Thanksgiving! How the time does fly!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
November 17, 2012
Outside Temp: 50 F (It was almost 60 today! I guess last week's storm was just teasing us!)
What I cooked today:
Nothing: Busy day today, so I didn't cook.
Update:
So proud of our boys today! They played at 2:30, and then again at 7:30, against the same team! It's amazing how the tournament bracket ends up working, but they did great. The team they were playing is the only team they lost to during the regular season.
For the final game, they were neck in neck for the entire first half, never more than 2 points difference between the teams. We were evenly matched, with us (in the stands) on the edge of our seat as we would pull ahead, then they would tie it up. Back and forth, for most of the first half. Then (I don't know what the coach told them during halftime), by the second half, they pulled ahead and ended up with a 44-28 win!
By the time we were about 10 points ahead, the other team seemed to be psyched out enough that they were making desperate moves. The last 1:30 of the game, both teams put in their second string players to finish out the game. I think that was the most fun, as the stress was (mostly) removed, and the players were less experienced, so they made some unexpected moves. Allen got a foul for being too aggressive, which was fun to watch.
Allen had such a great time on the team this season. Although he is not a starter, with 10 kids on the team, everyone ends up playing at some point. He has learned so much and has really improved! His coach is amazing and so supportive of him.
And I have to admit, I'm kind of glad the season is over... no more picking him up at 6pm every stinking night! Woo hoo!
What I cooked today:
Nothing: Busy day today, so I didn't cook.
Update:
Congratulations to our District 7C Junior High Boys Basketball Champions!!
So proud of our boys today! They played at 2:30, and then again at 7:30, against the same team! It's amazing how the tournament bracket ends up working, but they did great. The team they were playing is the only team they lost to during the regular season.
For the final game, they were neck in neck for the entire first half, never more than 2 points difference between the teams. We were evenly matched, with us (in the stands) on the edge of our seat as we would pull ahead, then they would tie it up. Back and forth, for most of the first half. Then (I don't know what the coach told them during halftime), by the second half, they pulled ahead and ended up with a 44-28 win!
By the time we were about 10 points ahead, the other team seemed to be psyched out enough that they were making desperate moves. The last 1:30 of the game, both teams put in their second string players to finish out the game. I think that was the most fun, as the stress was (mostly) removed, and the players were less experienced, so they made some unexpected moves. Allen got a foul for being too aggressive, which was fun to watch.
Allen had such a great time on the team this season. Although he is not a starter, with 10 kids on the team, everyone ends up playing at some point. He has learned so much and has really improved! His coach is amazing and so supportive of him.
And I have to admit, I'm kind of glad the season is over... no more picking him up at 6pm every stinking night! Woo hoo!
Friday, November 16, 2012
November 16, 2012
Outside Temp: 42 F (Almost 60 today... Clear skies for the next few days!)
What I cooked today:
Frozen Pizza: I threw a frozen pizza into the oven for the kids, before we headed off to the tournaments. It may have been terrible, but it might be considered food. Maybe.
Update:
Allen's team had the first game of their tournament today! They won! Woo hoo! We get to play again tomorrow at 2:30, so we'll see how that goes. We are playing a really hard team, but I have faith in our boys! The only downside is that the tournaments are in Moore, which is about an hour away. Lots of driving time!
Kathryn woke up this morning with a migraine, so she took some Excedrin, and went back to sleep. Around 9:30, she woke back up, saying she was feeling good enough to go to school, since she was worried about all the tests she had today. Since I was going to the school to get Ryan at 11am anyway, I said I'd bring her then. She went right into class, and took her tests that she missed in the morning. She even offered to stay in during lunch to make sure she got them all done. I'm so proud of her dedication!
What I cooked today:
Frozen Pizza: I threw a frozen pizza into the oven for the kids, before we headed off to the tournaments. It may have been terrible, but it might be considered food. Maybe.
Update:
Allen's team had the first game of their tournament today! They won! Woo hoo! We get to play again tomorrow at 2:30, so we'll see how that goes. We are playing a really hard team, but I have faith in our boys! The only downside is that the tournaments are in Moore, which is about an hour away. Lots of driving time!
Kathryn woke up this morning with a migraine, so she took some Excedrin, and went back to sleep. Around 9:30, she woke back up, saying she was feeling good enough to go to school, since she was worried about all the tests she had today. Since I was going to the school to get Ryan at 11am anyway, I said I'd bring her then. She went right into class, and took her tests that she missed in the morning. She even offered to stay in during lunch to make sure she got them all done. I'm so proud of her dedication!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
November 15, 2012
Outside Temp: 28 F (we had a high of 54 today, which means the snow is almost totally gone... but I've heard tell that it will be back...)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: Didn't plan, or organize anything. Asked the kids the age old question: Beef or Chicken. Chicken would have been chicken soup, but I'm almost out of chicken stock (gasp!), so it was burgers...
Update:
Busy day!
I got to substitute today for our music and Junior High teacher, so I got to spend 3 periods with Connor and 2 periods with Allen, and a period with Katie. I love getting the chance to teach my own kids! Granted, it was a test in Civics, then a worksheet in Math and another worksheet in music, but it was fun just the same!
During lunch, I stopped over at the Senior Center, where we were having a meal (of totally wonderful turkey and stuffing and potatoes, yum!). There was a local company that was giving a donation to the center, so they invited the community to come out for the presentation! And, Katie's class went over there, to distribute their monthly newsletter. It gives them a chance to mingle with some of the community members, which I just love!
On the drive home, we were listening to the radio and Katy Perry's California Gurls (yes, spelled incorrectly, because the woman does not know how to spell), and Connor spent the entire song explaining that it was totally not true. After all, we lived in California for years, and no, people did not walk around in stilettos and Daisy Dukes and Bikinis. The grass there is not green, it's brown. The palm trees are imported. And most of LA is not anywhere near a beach. The song is such false advertising. And yes, this is how Connor actually talks.
Today was also the last practice for Allen's basketball team! We have tournaments tomorrow night, and then again on Saturday, and then the season is done, finished, over! Does it make me a bad mom that I am cheering right now, if only because I don't want to drive back and forth to pick him up from practice. :)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: Didn't plan, or organize anything. Asked the kids the age old question: Beef or Chicken. Chicken would have been chicken soup, but I'm almost out of chicken stock (gasp!), so it was burgers...
Update:
Busy day!
I got to substitute today for our music and Junior High teacher, so I got to spend 3 periods with Connor and 2 periods with Allen, and a period with Katie. I love getting the chance to teach my own kids! Granted, it was a test in Civics, then a worksheet in Math and another worksheet in music, but it was fun just the same!
During lunch, I stopped over at the Senior Center, where we were having a meal (of totally wonderful turkey and stuffing and potatoes, yum!). There was a local company that was giving a donation to the center, so they invited the community to come out for the presentation! And, Katie's class went over there, to distribute their monthly newsletter. It gives them a chance to mingle with some of the community members, which I just love!
On the drive home, we were listening to the radio and Katy Perry's California Gurls (yes, spelled incorrectly, because the woman does not know how to spell), and Connor spent the entire song explaining that it was totally not true. After all, we lived in California for years, and no, people did not walk around in stilettos and Daisy Dukes and Bikinis. The grass there is not green, it's brown. The palm trees are imported. And most of LA is not anywhere near a beach. The song is such false advertising. And yes, this is how Connor actually talks.
Today was also the last practice for Allen's basketball team! We have tournaments tomorrow night, and then again on Saturday, and then the season is done, finished, over! Does it make me a bad mom that I am cheering right now, if only because I don't want to drive back and forth to pick him up from practice. :)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
November 14, 2012
Outside Temp: 37 F (it was almost 50 today!! The snow is melting, but I've promised the kids that it will be back!)
What I cooked today:
Nothing! Woo hoo!
Update:
Thank you so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I love facebook! I got to re-connect with so many friends and family! I would say I wish I had a birthday every day, but then I'd get really, really old, so I'll just be grateful for my once a year thing!
What I cooked today:
Nothing! Woo hoo!
Update:
Thank you so much for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I love facebook! I got to re-connect with so many friends and family! I would say I wish I had a birthday every day, but then I'd get really, really old, so I'll just be grateful for my once a year thing!
Katie made this cute little guy in our front yard yesterday afternoon... The snow is melting fast and she wanted to make at least one snowman, while she could. I keep trying to tell her that the snow will be back, but I don't think she believes me. This morning, she asked if we could have a white Christmas, because "I've never had one before!". How do you argue with that logic?
So, I was welcomed this morning by multiple 'Happy Birthday's" on my email and facebook, which I just love! As the day went by, I looked forward to checking my e-mail or facebook page, to see if I had any more messages. I love it! At the school, our (totally fabulous) secretary told the entire school, over the PA system, to wish me a happy birthday! Heheheh, I feel so loved today!
After school, Patrick and I headed into town with the kids to get our shopping done, and have a great family dinner out (which means that not only did I not have to cook, but I didn't have to clean either! Score!). I even picked up our monthly meat order from our wholesale guy, so I have a freezer full of protein.
As my 37th birthday draws to a close, I am so grateful for my life, and all those in it. With all the crap going on in the world, I am so utterly blessed to have my family and friends. I firmly believe that every moment of your life, both good and bad, has brought you to who and where you are today. And, since I am thrilled with my life right now, I have all those people who have existed in my life (at one point or another), and all the moments prior to this one (both good and bad) to thank. So, Thank You!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
November 13, 2012
Outside Temp: 38 F (it was into the 40's today, which really helps the ice and slush on the roads)
What I cooked today:
Chicken and Fried Rice: We went with chicken again tonight, mostly because I haven't gotten to the store to get any ground beef. Hopefully, tomorrow. But, the chicken worked and made everyone happy, so no complaints!
Update:
Woo hoo!
Allen's team won their game tonight, which means they are in 1st place going into the tournaments this weekend! I'm so proud of the team!
We drove into Great Falls this morning, to get the boys their allergy shots. The temp was right around 33, and the roads were very, very icy. However, at one point I had to complain about the person driving the car in front of me. The highway out to Great Falls is a 2 lane highway, with areas where it might be safe to pass, but only a few actual 'passing' lanes. So, if you get behind someone going slow, you may be out of luck for a while, until there is a safe place to pass and no oncoming traffic.
With the ice, I was very hesitant to pass, even when it was clear. However, I think this young girl just kept getting more and more nervous. We started out going about 50 MPH, which seemed okay. After a couple miles, she dropped it down to 40 MPH. There was no (or very little) wind, and it was clear. So, the only problem was the icy roads. And I could understand 40.
But, when she dropped down to about 25 MPH, on the highway, I started getting annoyed. At one point, she slowed down so fast, I was afraid I would slam into her. I finally decided to pass, which made me very nervous, but it was fine. As we passed, I glanced over at her, and she seemed just as calm as could be, not even aware of the 10 cars or so piled up behind her, going 25 MPH on the highway. I was so grateful to speed back up to my 43 MPH!
This also gave me the opportunity to talk to the boys about driving on ice and snow. I can't believe they might be driving soon, so I want to use every excuse I can to remind them about black ice, and going slow, but not so slow that you make it dangerous for drivers behind you, using turnouts when you are uncomfortable but cars are piling up behind you, and avoiding driving at all if you have the option. I don't know if they actually heard any of it, so I'll have to try again next time!
What I cooked today:
Chicken and Fried Rice: We went with chicken again tonight, mostly because I haven't gotten to the store to get any ground beef. Hopefully, tomorrow. But, the chicken worked and made everyone happy, so no complaints!
Update:
Woo hoo!
Allen's team won their game tonight, which means they are in 1st place going into the tournaments this weekend! I'm so proud of the team!
We drove into Great Falls this morning, to get the boys their allergy shots. The temp was right around 33, and the roads were very, very icy. However, at one point I had to complain about the person driving the car in front of me. The highway out to Great Falls is a 2 lane highway, with areas where it might be safe to pass, but only a few actual 'passing' lanes. So, if you get behind someone going slow, you may be out of luck for a while, until there is a safe place to pass and no oncoming traffic.
With the ice, I was very hesitant to pass, even when it was clear. However, I think this young girl just kept getting more and more nervous. We started out going about 50 MPH, which seemed okay. After a couple miles, she dropped it down to 40 MPH. There was no (or very little) wind, and it was clear. So, the only problem was the icy roads. And I could understand 40.
But, when she dropped down to about 25 MPH, on the highway, I started getting annoyed. At one point, she slowed down so fast, I was afraid I would slam into her. I finally decided to pass, which made me very nervous, but it was fine. As we passed, I glanced over at her, and she seemed just as calm as could be, not even aware of the 10 cars or so piled up behind her, going 25 MPH on the highway. I was so grateful to speed back up to my 43 MPH!
This also gave me the opportunity to talk to the boys about driving on ice and snow. I can't believe they might be driving soon, so I want to use every excuse I can to remind them about black ice, and going slow, but not so slow that you make it dangerous for drivers behind you, using turnouts when you are uncomfortable but cars are piling up behind you, and avoiding driving at all if you have the option. I don't know if they actually heard any of it, so I'll have to try again next time!
Monday, November 12, 2012
November 12, 2012
Outside Temp: 38 F (it was as high as 41, and the low was in the high 20's. The snow is turning to slush, which is a bear to drive though. Fortunately, it didn't freeze back into ice for the drive home!)
What I cooked today:
Chicken Soup with Orzo: Patrick asked for soup, and since he helped me clean up after the game, I figured I owed him. It's so yummy with the Greek seasoning, and a dash of lemon juice. The pot was licked clean!
Update:
We had to finally dig our cars (or at least one of them) out of the snow this morning. The kids got on the bus as usual, but I had to drive to pick up Ryan, which meant that I needed my car.
I decided to go with the van, since it had the least amount of snow on it, and it (still) has the snow tires. I went outside, and there was just a little snow on the ground. Okay, there was still a lot of snow, but it seemed a lot less than it was, so I figured I was safe. I brushed the snow off the windshield and the windows, and climbed up into the van.
I started the car and threw it into reverse. I thought the tires were straight, so I just backed up slowly. However, with the amount of snow on the back window, I couldn't tell that I was veering to the right, right off the driveway and into the snow bank. After a few feet, I was stuck in the snow. Doh...
So, I woke up my 'knight in shining armor' to rescue me. We went back and forth for a while, trying to get the van out of the slushy, snowy, wet mess it was now stuck in. Finally, we got the car mats out of the Aveo, and put them under the front tires. After making sure the car was in first gear, not drive, we slowly pulled forward. Voila, we were out of the snow!
Patrick then drove back and forth over the driveway, compressing the remaining snow, and making sure that I could get back into the driveway without a problem. Of course, I was smart enough to do all of this at 9 am, a full 2 hours before I needed to be at the school. So, when I went to leave to pick up Ryan, I was assured that my van would work, and I wouldn't have any problems with the snow!
This evening, Allen had his 2nd to last basketball game, at Geyser! I love basketball games at home, since it means that we only have to drive 14 minutes after the game to get home. And, in this case, I got to work the concession stand. I actually love working concessions, since I get to chat with everyone. I only wish that I didn't have to miss the game. However, due to the marvels of modern technology, I got Katie to video it on the Microsoft Surface, so I could enjoy it when I got home.
They won their game, which was great. That means that they have only lost 1 game this season! Their last game is tomorrow night, and they are expecting to win (they have already won a game against this team). That means that they will be in first place going into the tournaments on Friday! Woo hoo!
What I cooked today:
Chicken Soup with Orzo: Patrick asked for soup, and since he helped me clean up after the game, I figured I owed him. It's so yummy with the Greek seasoning, and a dash of lemon juice. The pot was licked clean!
Update:
We had to finally dig our cars (or at least one of them) out of the snow this morning. The kids got on the bus as usual, but I had to drive to pick up Ryan, which meant that I needed my car.
I decided to go with the van, since it had the least amount of snow on it, and it (still) has the snow tires. I went outside, and there was just a little snow on the ground. Okay, there was still a lot of snow, but it seemed a lot less than it was, so I figured I was safe. I brushed the snow off the windshield and the windows, and climbed up into the van.
I started the car and threw it into reverse. I thought the tires were straight, so I just backed up slowly. However, with the amount of snow on the back window, I couldn't tell that I was veering to the right, right off the driveway and into the snow bank. After a few feet, I was stuck in the snow. Doh...
So, I woke up my 'knight in shining armor' to rescue me. We went back and forth for a while, trying to get the van out of the slushy, snowy, wet mess it was now stuck in. Finally, we got the car mats out of the Aveo, and put them under the front tires. After making sure the car was in first gear, not drive, we slowly pulled forward. Voila, we were out of the snow!
Patrick then drove back and forth over the driveway, compressing the remaining snow, and making sure that I could get back into the driveway without a problem. Of course, I was smart enough to do all of this at 9 am, a full 2 hours before I needed to be at the school. So, when I went to leave to pick up Ryan, I was assured that my van would work, and I wouldn't have any problems with the snow!
This evening, Allen had his 2nd to last basketball game, at Geyser! I love basketball games at home, since it means that we only have to drive 14 minutes after the game to get home. And, in this case, I got to work the concession stand. I actually love working concessions, since I get to chat with everyone. I only wish that I didn't have to miss the game. However, due to the marvels of modern technology, I got Katie to video it on the Microsoft Surface, so I could enjoy it when I got home.
They won their game, which was great. That means that they have only lost 1 game this season! Their last game is tomorrow night, and they are expecting to win (they have already won a game against this team). That means that they will be in first place going into the tournaments on Friday! Woo hoo!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
November 11, 2012
Outside Temp: 24 F (We were down to -10 last night and it was up into the 30's today, just beautiful. Then the winds came back...)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: I really wanted to use up the rest of my ground beef, before it went bad. So, I subjected my family to a nice dinner of tater tots and burgers. I threw in some corn, to add some color, and Ryan went crazy for it. He probably had 3 servings! Woo hoo!
Update:
We started the day under the house.
Patrick got up around 8:30, and there was no water. Ugh. Frozen pipes? Crap.
I went outside and checked the breaker for the water pump. It seemed to be okay. So, I sent my beloved husband outside and under the house, to figure out what was wrong. We have been working on the skirt to the house, and the cover to the under-house access was not on completely. It was at an angle, which would allow multiple rodents and small mammals (such as cats and raccoons and bunnies) to find shelter under our house. No, this was not on purpose.
As a result, the under-house area, where the plug for the heat tape (which is designed to keep the pipes warm), was completely covered in snow. Apparently, a 8 inch opening can let a lot of snow into an area.
We scraped out all the snow, and the heat tape was totally cold. So, I flipped that breaker, and the heat tape seemed to come back to life and started warming the pipes. Patrick climbed into the crawl space, brought a small space heater into the area, and I closed the hole with a piece of plywood (so he wouldn't freeze too badly). Have I mentioned the spiders yet? I hate spiders.
While underneath the house, Patrick tried to get the water pump working. It was cold as ice and would not turn on. We flipped the breaker again, to no avail. By this point, we were getting a little nervous, so Patrick called the expert, his dad. When I went to get the phone for him, I noticed that the power was a little funky. It was kind of flickering. But, it seemed to stop, so he called up to Grandpa's house, and I went back to check on the breakers.
The breakers all seemed fine, but, as I walked back into the house, I noticed that some lights were off. The microwave was on, but Ryan's room, the computer area and my bedroom was off. Of course, my bedroom is where the phone is plugged in, so Patrick's phone call was cut off pretty quick.
I went back outside (have I mentioned that there is about a foot of snow out the back door in the area where the breaker panel is located? That means I have to trudge through this snow, every time I want to flip the breakers. Ugh, of course, my boots are only 9 inches high, so the snow goes into my boots every stinking step. ), and looked at the panel again. I held my breath and tried to flip the main breaker. It had no problem flipping back and forth, but nothing changed. We grabbed the cell phone, to re-call Grandpa. He said he would come down and rescue us.
Patrick asked me to re-check the breaker, and re-flip the main breaker. So, I headed back out into the snow, and re-flipped the main breaker. Amazingly, it worked this time. All the power came back on and we were back to just having no water.
So, now I'm lying on the floor of my bathroom, talking to Patrick through a register on the floor. He is directly below me, under the house. And suddenly, the water starts flowing in the sink. It lasted for about 10 seconds, then shut off. But, since water came out immediately, that usually means that it's a pump problem, not a frozen pipe problem.
He spent the next few minutes flipping the power back and forth on the pump. We remember having this problem last year, and the pump needs to be about 3/4 of the way to 'ON', but not all the way. After another 10 minutes or so, the pump came back to life, and we had water. Woo hoo!
Patrick crawled back out of the hole, and grabbed some foam insulation to cover it up completely (no more visitors under the house with this hole... other holes maybe, but not this one. The water was still working as Grandpa walked around the corner to save us.
Although there was a fair amount of cursing the house for the hour or so that we spent fixing this water problem, we were kind of proud of ourselves for getting it fixed. And I was exceedingly grateful to be able to get Ryan showered and to get laundry done today. Oh, and the bathroom is useful as well!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: I really wanted to use up the rest of my ground beef, before it went bad. So, I subjected my family to a nice dinner of tater tots and burgers. I threw in some corn, to add some color, and Ryan went crazy for it. He probably had 3 servings! Woo hoo!
Update:
We started the day under the house.
Patrick got up around 8:30, and there was no water. Ugh. Frozen pipes? Crap.
I went outside and checked the breaker for the water pump. It seemed to be okay. So, I sent my beloved husband outside and under the house, to figure out what was wrong. We have been working on the skirt to the house, and the cover to the under-house access was not on completely. It was at an angle, which would allow multiple rodents and small mammals (such as cats and raccoons and bunnies) to find shelter under our house. No, this was not on purpose.
As a result, the under-house area, where the plug for the heat tape (which is designed to keep the pipes warm), was completely covered in snow. Apparently, a 8 inch opening can let a lot of snow into an area.
We scraped out all the snow, and the heat tape was totally cold. So, I flipped that breaker, and the heat tape seemed to come back to life and started warming the pipes. Patrick climbed into the crawl space, brought a small space heater into the area, and I closed the hole with a piece of plywood (so he wouldn't freeze too badly). Have I mentioned the spiders yet? I hate spiders.
While underneath the house, Patrick tried to get the water pump working. It was cold as ice and would not turn on. We flipped the breaker again, to no avail. By this point, we were getting a little nervous, so Patrick called the expert, his dad. When I went to get the phone for him, I noticed that the power was a little funky. It was kind of flickering. But, it seemed to stop, so he called up to Grandpa's house, and I went back to check on the breakers.
The breakers all seemed fine, but, as I walked back into the house, I noticed that some lights were off. The microwave was on, but Ryan's room, the computer area and my bedroom was off. Of course, my bedroom is where the phone is plugged in, so Patrick's phone call was cut off pretty quick.
I went back outside (have I mentioned that there is about a foot of snow out the back door in the area where the breaker panel is located? That means I have to trudge through this snow, every time I want to flip the breakers. Ugh, of course, my boots are only 9 inches high, so the snow goes into my boots every stinking step. ), and looked at the panel again. I held my breath and tried to flip the main breaker. It had no problem flipping back and forth, but nothing changed. We grabbed the cell phone, to re-call Grandpa. He said he would come down and rescue us.
Patrick asked me to re-check the breaker, and re-flip the main breaker. So, I headed back out into the snow, and re-flipped the main breaker. Amazingly, it worked this time. All the power came back on and we were back to just having no water.
So, now I'm lying on the floor of my bathroom, talking to Patrick through a register on the floor. He is directly below me, under the house. And suddenly, the water starts flowing in the sink. It lasted for about 10 seconds, then shut off. But, since water came out immediately, that usually means that it's a pump problem, not a frozen pipe problem.
He spent the next few minutes flipping the power back and forth on the pump. We remember having this problem last year, and the pump needs to be about 3/4 of the way to 'ON', but not all the way. After another 10 minutes or so, the pump came back to life, and we had water. Woo hoo!
Patrick crawled back out of the hole, and grabbed some foam insulation to cover it up completely (no more visitors under the house with this hole... other holes maybe, but not this one. The water was still working as Grandpa walked around the corner to save us.
Although there was a fair amount of cursing the house for the hour or so that we spent fixing this water problem, we were kind of proud of ourselves for getting it fixed. And I was exceedingly grateful to be able to get Ryan showered and to get laundry done today. Oh, and the bathroom is useful as well!
Saturday, November 10, 2012
November 10, 2012
Outside Temp: 3 F (yes, 3, as in single digits, almost 0... hehehe)
What I cooked today:
Pasta e Figole: I found a recipe for soup with ground beef. I picked up some ground beef at the grocery store, but I didn't seal and freeze it, like I normally do. As a result, the meat is turning brown and needs to be eaten. So, we're having ground beef every night until it's gone (which should be tomorrow night). Katie wanted chili, Patrick wanted soup. I compromised with this beef soup, with kidney beans, tomatoes, and macaroni. Yummy!
Update:
When I said I couldn't get my car out of the driveway, this is why.
No, my car isn't a VW beetle, it's not normally that tall. I admit, I could have shoveled the snow, and it wasn't as bad on the van, but the roads weren't plowed and there was no way I was going to waste that much energy. This picture was taken on Friday morning.
I did go out this morning and shovel snow, but I stopped after doing the walkway. I knew that we weren't going anywhere, and maybe by tomorrow, the snow will have started melting. Of course, with 3 degree temperatures, I'm not expecting much to occur before tomorrow morning. We'll see how much effort I want to put into moving my cars. I may have to substitute on Monday, so I might need a car by then...
This is out backyard. It was really bright when I took the picture, so you can't see much detail. But it was covered in snow. Totally covered. The kids played outside a little today, and we did make it over to church (Grandpa came and picked us up in his truck), but otherwise, it was another relaxing day at home.
The storm was a little slower than I expected. I thought it would be done by this morning, and yet it was still snowing this afternoon. We are keeping the house warm (enough), although with my bedroom door closed, it's probably in the 50's in there. That's why we invented electric mattress pads!
On a totally unrelated note, my (totally wonderful) husband put the final fixes on my dishwasher on Thursday night. Which means that I have a working dishwasher, for the first time in over a year. The old dishwasher only worked every 3-4 days. I was able to do 3 loads of dishes in one day! And I'm re-teaching the kids the art of putting things into the dishwasher immediately, instead of just tossing them into the sink. Since you can start the dishwasher as soon as it gets full, or even once a day (to make sure the milk in the glasses doesn't get ucky), we can actually have clean glasses and silverware every day! Woo hoo!
What I cooked today:
Pasta e Figole: I found a recipe for soup with ground beef. I picked up some ground beef at the grocery store, but I didn't seal and freeze it, like I normally do. As a result, the meat is turning brown and needs to be eaten. So, we're having ground beef every night until it's gone (which should be tomorrow night). Katie wanted chili, Patrick wanted soup. I compromised with this beef soup, with kidney beans, tomatoes, and macaroni. Yummy!
Update:
When I said I couldn't get my car out of the driveway, this is why.
No, my car isn't a VW beetle, it's not normally that tall. I admit, I could have shoveled the snow, and it wasn't as bad on the van, but the roads weren't plowed and there was no way I was going to waste that much energy. This picture was taken on Friday morning.
I did go out this morning and shovel snow, but I stopped after doing the walkway. I knew that we weren't going anywhere, and maybe by tomorrow, the snow will have started melting. Of course, with 3 degree temperatures, I'm not expecting much to occur before tomorrow morning. We'll see how much effort I want to put into moving my cars. I may have to substitute on Monday, so I might need a car by then...
This is out backyard. It was really bright when I took the picture, so you can't see much detail. But it was covered in snow. Totally covered. The kids played outside a little today, and we did make it over to church (Grandpa came and picked us up in his truck), but otherwise, it was another relaxing day at home.
The storm was a little slower than I expected. I thought it would be done by this morning, and yet it was still snowing this afternoon. We are keeping the house warm (enough), although with my bedroom door closed, it's probably in the 50's in there. That's why we invented electric mattress pads!
On a totally unrelated note, my (totally wonderful) husband put the final fixes on my dishwasher on Thursday night. Which means that I have a working dishwasher, for the first time in over a year. The old dishwasher only worked every 3-4 days. I was able to do 3 loads of dishes in one day! And I'm re-teaching the kids the art of putting things into the dishwasher immediately, instead of just tossing them into the sink. Since you can start the dishwasher as soon as it gets full, or even once a day (to make sure the milk in the glasses doesn't get ucky), we can actually have clean glasses and silverware every day! Woo hoo!
Friday, November 9, 2012
November 9, 2012
Outside Temp: 11 F (fun day of snow and wind and more snow!)
What I cooked today:
Lasagna: I've been trying to make lasagna for a few days, so I finally got my act together. Patrick wanted me to add Greek seasoning, but he asked after I added all the normal seasoning, so he missed out. Maybe next time!
Update:
We woke up this morning to a phone call at 6:45, from our bus driver. There was so much snow and ice on the roads, that it wasn't safe to drive the buses. I thanked him, and looked outside. There was probably a foot to two feet of snow on the ground. Our cars were (are) totally snowed in, and there is no way we were driving anywhere.
I called over to the school, and let them know that none of us would be at school today. Fortunately, I had all my web design students caught up and they had their weeks assignments completed yesterday. So, even though the school was in session, we all had a SNOW DAY!
I let the kids sleep in, but apparently, their internal clocks worked really well, Katie was up by 7:15 and the boys were both up by 7:30. Only Ryan slept in, until about 8:30.
I let everyone play around until about noon, when I made Allen do his homework. Fortunately, his teachers e-mailed me his assignments, and he had all his books, so he won't be that behind on Monday.
Ryan walked into the front room around 2pm, just covered in snow. Apparently, he decided to go outside and get some fresh air. So, he got his snow boots and jacket and gloves, and headed out to play in the snow. I felt a little bad that I hadn't noticed him getting dressed or going outside, but he looked like he had fun.
I'm not sure how we are getting a block from the house tomorrow to get to church, but we will find out! I'm actually looking forward to shoveling snow tomorrow morning. The storm is supposed to last through tomorrow, so we'll see how good the weather man is!
What I cooked today:
Lasagna: I've been trying to make lasagna for a few days, so I finally got my act together. Patrick wanted me to add Greek seasoning, but he asked after I added all the normal seasoning, so he missed out. Maybe next time!
Update:
Snow day!
We woke up this morning to a phone call at 6:45, from our bus driver. There was so much snow and ice on the roads, that it wasn't safe to drive the buses. I thanked him, and looked outside. There was probably a foot to two feet of snow on the ground. Our cars were (are) totally snowed in, and there is no way we were driving anywhere.
I called over to the school, and let them know that none of us would be at school today. Fortunately, I had all my web design students caught up and they had their weeks assignments completed yesterday. So, even though the school was in session, we all had a SNOW DAY!
I let the kids sleep in, but apparently, their internal clocks worked really well, Katie was up by 7:15 and the boys were both up by 7:30. Only Ryan slept in, until about 8:30.
I let everyone play around until about noon, when I made Allen do his homework. Fortunately, his teachers e-mailed me his assignments, and he had all his books, so he won't be that behind on Monday.
Ryan walked into the front room around 2pm, just covered in snow. Apparently, he decided to go outside and get some fresh air. So, he got his snow boots and jacket and gloves, and headed out to play in the snow. I felt a little bad that I hadn't noticed him getting dressed or going outside, but he looked like he had fun.
I'm not sure how we are getting a block from the house tomorrow to get to church, but we will find out! I'm actually looking forward to shoveling snow tomorrow morning. The storm is supposed to last through tomorrow, so we'll see how good the weather man is!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
November 8, 2012
Outside Temp: 26 F (strange day... not exactly what I expected)
What I cooked today:
Chili and Cornbread: I was going to make lasagna. All day, I kept saying, "I'm going to make lasagna". Then, around 6:30, I realized that I didn't have enough time. So, we ended up with chili. Maybe I can get my act together tomorrow.
Update:
They've been talking about this 'blizzard' for the last few days. Prepare for the blizzard. We're getting a blizzard. Last night, we went to bed, expecting 6 feet of snow when we woke up.
So, imagine our surprise when we woke up this morning to totally dry outside. No snow anywhere. I re-checked the weather, and the storm that was supposed to be here by midnight, was moved to 5am, then 8am, then 11am.
I decided to head into town to get my milk and beef and bread and Ryan's meds, since I could. The storm hadn't started yet, and if I ran fast, I could get everything I needed and get home safely.
I jumped into the car at about 7:45am, made it to town by 8:30, got my grocery shopping done, picked up new snow pants for Ryan, hit the bakery for the bread and still made it to Ryan's pharmacy by 9:30. I was back home by about 10 minutes after 10, which was right when the storm started.
I headed over to the school to get Ryan at 11, and the roads were still pretty clear. Around 1:30, I decided to head over to the school early (just in case). The roads were getting a little ugly. It was cold, so there was ice. And the snow was starting to come down, so there was little visibility and snow and ice. I kept the MPH below 50, sometimes below 40, for the entire 12 miles. It took me about 30 minutes. But, I got there, with no problems.
After school, the storm was still going, but not that strong. I think it knew that I had to drive home, so it loosened up a little for me. I got home with all 3 kids (Allen's practice was cancelled, and Ryan was already at the house with Patrick) in less than 30 minutes, with no problems.
Then the storm started. It's been kind of 'on and off' for the rest of the afternoon and evening. There is probably about a foot of snow in some places, depending on the wind. It's really dry, so the snow is blowing all over the place. As of right now, I cannot get my yellow car out of the driveway, but I could probably get the van out (the wind has blown snow all the way up to the windows of the yellow car).
The storm was originally supposed to last between midnight on Thursday morning until Saturday morning. However, it seems to be going slower than expected. I don't know if that's good or bad. It might be good, in that the storm is not as severe as we expected. Or it could mean that it will be bad for longer, perhaps through Sunday? I have no idea.
I also have no idea how things will look in 8 hours, when it's time to go to school. But, we all have plans, just in case. I'm kind of hoping that I get a call at 6:45 (saying that school is cancelled), and then I can snuggle back into my bed... Is that wrong?
What I cooked today:
Chili and Cornbread: I was going to make lasagna. All day, I kept saying, "I'm going to make lasagna". Then, around 6:30, I realized that I didn't have enough time. So, we ended up with chili. Maybe I can get my act together tomorrow.
Update:
They've been talking about this 'blizzard' for the last few days. Prepare for the blizzard. We're getting a blizzard. Last night, we went to bed, expecting 6 feet of snow when we woke up.
So, imagine our surprise when we woke up this morning to totally dry outside. No snow anywhere. I re-checked the weather, and the storm that was supposed to be here by midnight, was moved to 5am, then 8am, then 11am.
I decided to head into town to get my milk and beef and bread and Ryan's meds, since I could. The storm hadn't started yet, and if I ran fast, I could get everything I needed and get home safely.
I jumped into the car at about 7:45am, made it to town by 8:30, got my grocery shopping done, picked up new snow pants for Ryan, hit the bakery for the bread and still made it to Ryan's pharmacy by 9:30. I was back home by about 10 minutes after 10, which was right when the storm started.
I headed over to the school to get Ryan at 11, and the roads were still pretty clear. Around 1:30, I decided to head over to the school early (just in case). The roads were getting a little ugly. It was cold, so there was ice. And the snow was starting to come down, so there was little visibility and snow and ice. I kept the MPH below 50, sometimes below 40, for the entire 12 miles. It took me about 30 minutes. But, I got there, with no problems.
After school, the storm was still going, but not that strong. I think it knew that I had to drive home, so it loosened up a little for me. I got home with all 3 kids (Allen's practice was cancelled, and Ryan was already at the house with Patrick) in less than 30 minutes, with no problems.
Then the storm started. It's been kind of 'on and off' for the rest of the afternoon and evening. There is probably about a foot of snow in some places, depending on the wind. It's really dry, so the snow is blowing all over the place. As of right now, I cannot get my yellow car out of the driveway, but I could probably get the van out (the wind has blown snow all the way up to the windows of the yellow car).
The storm was originally supposed to last between midnight on Thursday morning until Saturday morning. However, it seems to be going slower than expected. I don't know if that's good or bad. It might be good, in that the storm is not as severe as we expected. Or it could mean that it will be bad for longer, perhaps through Sunday? I have no idea.
I also have no idea how things will look in 8 hours, when it's time to go to school. But, we all have plans, just in case. I'm kind of hoping that I get a call at 6:45 (saying that school is cancelled), and then I can snuggle back into my bed... Is that wrong?
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
November 7, 2012
Outside Temp: 27 F (and falling... can't wait to see the snow tomorrow!)
What I cooked today:
Nothing: Grandma made a roast, so I didn't have to cook! Woo hoo!
Update:
So, the woman who did the school photography came by the school today for re-takes. I stopped by and asked her if she could take a group photo of all 4 of my kids (since she did such a great job with their individuals). She said, "no problem!".
She got the kids all arranged, including fixing Katie's hair and making sure her pant legs were covering her socks. She probably took 20-30 pictures of the kids! Ryan has a hard time getting a good picture, but I'm pretty sure at least one of them were good. She said that she could superimpose all the 'good' faces of the kids together, to make one picture where they all look good. I can't wait to see it!
In my web design class, all 3 of my students got their projects uploaded this afternoon, which makes me proud! It means that we are caught up and on time, and can still do our test tomorrow or Friday (depending on how the weather behaves).
Which leads me to the weather. We have a blizzard on it's way. It's supposed to drop between 2-5 feet of snow by Saturday afternoon, which will be interesting. We've been discussing the alternative options in case the kids can't go to school, or can't get home from school. Apparently, winter has arrived. And I still have to get my snow tires back on my car! I should have some good pictures tomorrow!
What I cooked today:
Nothing: Grandma made a roast, so I didn't have to cook! Woo hoo!
Update:
So, the woman who did the school photography came by the school today for re-takes. I stopped by and asked her if she could take a group photo of all 4 of my kids (since she did such a great job with their individuals). She said, "no problem!".
She got the kids all arranged, including fixing Katie's hair and making sure her pant legs were covering her socks. She probably took 20-30 pictures of the kids! Ryan has a hard time getting a good picture, but I'm pretty sure at least one of them were good. She said that she could superimpose all the 'good' faces of the kids together, to make one picture where they all look good. I can't wait to see it!
In my web design class, all 3 of my students got their projects uploaded this afternoon, which makes me proud! It means that we are caught up and on time, and can still do our test tomorrow or Friday (depending on how the weather behaves).
Which leads me to the weather. We have a blizzard on it's way. It's supposed to drop between 2-5 feet of snow by Saturday afternoon, which will be interesting. We've been discussing the alternative options in case the kids can't go to school, or can't get home from school. Apparently, winter has arrived. And I still have to get my snow tires back on my car! I should have some good pictures tomorrow!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
November 6, 2012
Outside Temp: 57 F (a little windy, but more of just a reminder that we are getting a blizzard in 2 days...)
What I cooked today:
BBQ Chicken: I need more ground beef, so I thought I'd use up some of my chicken. I still think it's too dry, but the kids ate it right up.. perhaps they were just hungry.
Update:
Busy day of driving back and forth today. It's Tuesday, so we had allergy shots in Great Fall for the boys. When I got home, I started picking up my house (vacuum, dust, etc), since the Realtor was bringing the second person by today to look at it. (the house was still pretty clean from picking it up for last Friday's visit)
Then it was back to school to get Ryan, back home to clean some more, back to school for class, back home after school, then back to get Allen after practice. Only 2 more weeks of basketball, and then I only get to go back and forth to school twice a day!
I feel like I should post something about the election, but in all honesty, I'm not surprised at the results, and (for those who know me) I tend to believe that all politicians are evil. The best news of the day is that the annoying ads on the radio are finally done (unless some evil politician wants to annoy us more with 'thank you' ads!).
I have attempted to refrain from commenting in any way about the election. I think the last presidential election that I was a little too vocal, and I may have offended some people with my extreme views. As such, I have decided to not comment at all throughout the last few months. I try to believe that my friends and family are smart enough to make up their own minds, without my suggestions.
That being said, I must make the comment that I am so glad, so very glad, that we have moved up to Montana.
What I cooked today:
BBQ Chicken: I need more ground beef, so I thought I'd use up some of my chicken. I still think it's too dry, but the kids ate it right up.. perhaps they were just hungry.
Update:
Busy day of driving back and forth today. It's Tuesday, so we had allergy shots in Great Fall for the boys. When I got home, I started picking up my house (vacuum, dust, etc), since the Realtor was bringing the second person by today to look at it. (the house was still pretty clean from picking it up for last Friday's visit)
Then it was back to school to get Ryan, back home to clean some more, back to school for class, back home after school, then back to get Allen after practice. Only 2 more weeks of basketball, and then I only get to go back and forth to school twice a day!
I feel like I should post something about the election, but in all honesty, I'm not surprised at the results, and (for those who know me) I tend to believe that all politicians are evil. The best news of the day is that the annoying ads on the radio are finally done (unless some evil politician wants to annoy us more with 'thank you' ads!).
I have attempted to refrain from commenting in any way about the election. I think the last presidential election that I was a little too vocal, and I may have offended some people with my extreme views. As such, I have decided to not comment at all throughout the last few months. I try to believe that my friends and family are smart enough to make up their own minds, without my suggestions.
That being said, I must make the comment that I am so glad, so very glad, that we have moved up to Montana.
Monday, November 5, 2012
November 5, 2012
Outside Temp: 51 F (very windy today, but beautiful! Apparently, a storm is on it's way in...)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Fries and Onion Rings: I ended up going with burgers. I'm tired and I didn't want to cook. Oh well.
Update:
Busy day!
I headed off to the school early to talk with our superintendent, and ended up staying the day to substitute for another teacher. I really wished that I slept better last night, as I was exhausted by the end of the day.
We have someone else coming by to look at our house tomorrow, which is sending me into a mild panic. I can't imagine that someone might actually buy this place, or that they could get a loan on it, or that they might have the cash and would actually buy it, but it's still nerve racking. Apparently, the people who looked at it the other day were interested, which doesn't mean they can buy it, but they would be interested.
Which puts us in an interesting position. This house, flawed as it may be, has grown on me. It fits the family (each of the kids has their own room) and I really, really don't want to move. Given that, I have no idea where we might move to, if we had to leave. There isn't exactly a bustling rental market in the area, and I'm not really interested in buying something.
So, I'm going to attempt to relax, and see how things go. We knew going into this, that the house was for sale, and that the owner wanted to sell it. We were just glad the owner let us rent it. And, we probably should have been making contingency plans all along. But, we got complacent and comfortable. Perhaps, if these people decide not to buy it, we will have time to make other plans now, before it's an emergency.
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Fries and Onion Rings: I ended up going with burgers. I'm tired and I didn't want to cook. Oh well.
Update:
Busy day!
I headed off to the school early to talk with our superintendent, and ended up staying the day to substitute for another teacher. I really wished that I slept better last night, as I was exhausted by the end of the day.
We have someone else coming by to look at our house tomorrow, which is sending me into a mild panic. I can't imagine that someone might actually buy this place, or that they could get a loan on it, or that they might have the cash and would actually buy it, but it's still nerve racking. Apparently, the people who looked at it the other day were interested, which doesn't mean they can buy it, but they would be interested.
Which puts us in an interesting position. This house, flawed as it may be, has grown on me. It fits the family (each of the kids has their own room) and I really, really don't want to move. Given that, I have no idea where we might move to, if we had to leave. There isn't exactly a bustling rental market in the area, and I'm not really interested in buying something.
So, I'm going to attempt to relax, and see how things go. We knew going into this, that the house was for sale, and that the owner wanted to sell it. We were just glad the owner let us rent it. And, we probably should have been making contingency plans all along. But, we got complacent and comfortable. Perhaps, if these people decide not to buy it, we will have time to make other plans now, before it's an emergency.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
November 4, 2012
Outside Temp: 52 F (beautiful day, again. A little breezy and chilly at times, but perfect for getting projects done before the snow!)
What I cooked today:
Greek Chicken Soup with Orzo: Patrick loves this soup and with it being a little chilly, and him working so hard outside, I thought I'd spoil him with soup. Ahhh, it seems that winter is starting to think about showing up.
Update:
My husband and his father are totally awesome!
First, they installed the dishwasher that has been sitting in my front room for almost 2 weeks. Of course, it was missing a part, but everything else is hooked up and it seems to run (or will as soon as we hook up the water). Now, the kids have a new box to play in!
Second, they fixed the plumbing in my second bathroom, again. They looked around under the house about a month ago, trying to get it to work. Today, they brought down the laser level and shimmied up the plumbing line, so that the water in that bathroom actually drains correctly! Woo hoo! A second toilet! You have no idea how annoying it is with a family of 6 and one toilet.
Then, they put on the skirt to the house. About a month ago, when they were working on the plumbing, they removed the skirt in the front of the house. We found that it was the original plywood, and had no (and I mean no) insulation. So, they picked up some insulation, and new plywood boards. Today, after completing the other 2 projects, they put the skirt back up. It actually looks much better and hopefully, the insulation will make a difference when the snows hit.
Woo hoo! The big housing projects are done! And, I managed to get another 5 loads of laundry done. It just wouldn't be a Sunday unless there were multiple loads of laundry to complete.
What I cooked today:
Greek Chicken Soup with Orzo: Patrick loves this soup and with it being a little chilly, and him working so hard outside, I thought I'd spoil him with soup. Ahhh, it seems that winter is starting to think about showing up.
Update:
My husband and his father are totally awesome!
First, they installed the dishwasher that has been sitting in my front room for almost 2 weeks. Of course, it was missing a part, but everything else is hooked up and it seems to run (or will as soon as we hook up the water). Now, the kids have a new box to play in!
Second, they fixed the plumbing in my second bathroom, again. They looked around under the house about a month ago, trying to get it to work. Today, they brought down the laser level and shimmied up the plumbing line, so that the water in that bathroom actually drains correctly! Woo hoo! A second toilet! You have no idea how annoying it is with a family of 6 and one toilet.
Then, they put on the skirt to the house. About a month ago, when they were working on the plumbing, they removed the skirt in the front of the house. We found that it was the original plywood, and had no (and I mean no) insulation. So, they picked up some insulation, and new plywood boards. Today, after completing the other 2 projects, they put the skirt back up. It actually looks much better and hopefully, the insulation will make a difference when the snows hit.
Woo hoo! The big housing projects are done! And, I managed to get another 5 loads of laundry done. It just wouldn't be a Sunday unless there were multiple loads of laundry to complete.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
November 3, 2012
Outside Temp: 52 F (beautiful day!!)
What I cooked today:
Pasta: I really, really didn't want to make dinner today. I pretty much said, "make yourself a hot dog or a sandwich... I'm not making dinner." So, the kids (totally awesome kids that they are) said they would make pasta. Of course, they got distracted, so I ended up making it. But they tried, and that's all that matters!
Update:
Totally lazy day.
Okay, so my day consisted of spending about 4 hours folding laundry and socks (about 3 hours of it was socks... I hate socks).
This morning, I headed into town to get some groceries, then made it back in time for church. After church, I just watched movies, while folding laundry. Patrick went up to the Grandparent's place to help with the greenhouse (it's coming along!) this afternoon with Ryan, so the house was quiet (with the other 3 kids playing games or reading).
I love that we had no games today. Does that make me a bad mother?
What I cooked today:
Pasta: I really, really didn't want to make dinner today. I pretty much said, "make yourself a hot dog or a sandwich... I'm not making dinner." So, the kids (totally awesome kids that they are) said they would make pasta. Of course, they got distracted, so I ended up making it. But they tried, and that's all that matters!
Update:
Totally lazy day.
Okay, so my day consisted of spending about 4 hours folding laundry and socks (about 3 hours of it was socks... I hate socks).
This morning, I headed into town to get some groceries, then made it back in time for church. After church, I just watched movies, while folding laundry. Patrick went up to the Grandparent's place to help with the greenhouse (it's coming along!) this afternoon with Ryan, so the house was quiet (with the other 3 kids playing games or reading).
I love that we had no games today. Does that make me a bad mother?
Friday, November 2, 2012
November 2, 2012
Outside Temp: 34 F (beautiful day today! I actually opened the windows and let some fresh air in.. it was a little chilly, but crisp and clean.)
What I cooked today:
Frozen Pizza: I really, really didn't want to cook today, so I subjected the kids to frozen pizza. I think Katie ended up with a PB&J.
Update:
We got a call yesterday from the Realtor who is trying to sell our house, letting us know that she would be by today to show the house to someone. Which means that this morning, I was scrambling around the house, trying to clean up.
I had a pile of laundry in the TV room, sitting on the couch. That ended up piled up in a closet. I really hope they didn't open the closet doors.
I had it in my head that I could clean until 2pm, when I need to leave for my web design class. As I was in the car around 2:15, I realized that today is Friday. On Fridays, we have an early out at 2:30, which means that my class started at 1:45. I got to school at 2:30, to find that no one was there, class was over.
I have NEVER done that before! I feel so bad! It turned out that 2 of my 3 students weren't there anyway. The third had some trouble, for which I feel even worse. Hopefully, he can turn in his assignment on Monday.
After school (which was about 2 minutes after I got there), Katie and I headed into Stanford, where she finally opened her savings account with her $50 check she got for her writing contest in February... Yes, I have been holding on to this check for 9 months. But, now her account is all set up and she can put money in there at any time!
After Stanford, Katie and I headed into Hobson to watch Allen's basketball game. They played against Tri Cities, which is the only team they have lost against. And they won! It was a hard fought win, but a win! Allen only got to play the last 30 seconds, but he almost made a basket!
Patrick and I have been talking about me getting a teaching credential. As many of you know, I LOVE history. I love teaching. And, I love teaching history. That being said, I have a BA in Computer Science, not history. I'm not sure what the options are, or what to do next. But, I'm thinking about talking to our Superintendent to see if he has any thoughts. It may turn into nothing, but since it keeps coming up in conversation, perhaps it's time to do something about it.
What I cooked today:
Frozen Pizza: I really, really didn't want to cook today, so I subjected the kids to frozen pizza. I think Katie ended up with a PB&J.
Update:
We got a call yesterday from the Realtor who is trying to sell our house, letting us know that she would be by today to show the house to someone. Which means that this morning, I was scrambling around the house, trying to clean up.
I had a pile of laundry in the TV room, sitting on the couch. That ended up piled up in a closet. I really hope they didn't open the closet doors.
I had it in my head that I could clean until 2pm, when I need to leave for my web design class. As I was in the car around 2:15, I realized that today is Friday. On Fridays, we have an early out at 2:30, which means that my class started at 1:45. I got to school at 2:30, to find that no one was there, class was over.
I have NEVER done that before! I feel so bad! It turned out that 2 of my 3 students weren't there anyway. The third had some trouble, for which I feel even worse. Hopefully, he can turn in his assignment on Monday.
After school (which was about 2 minutes after I got there), Katie and I headed into Stanford, where she finally opened her savings account with her $50 check she got for her writing contest in February... Yes, I have been holding on to this check for 9 months. But, now her account is all set up and she can put money in there at any time!
After Stanford, Katie and I headed into Hobson to watch Allen's basketball game. They played against Tri Cities, which is the only team they have lost against. And they won! It was a hard fought win, but a win! Allen only got to play the last 30 seconds, but he almost made a basket!
Patrick and I have been talking about me getting a teaching credential. As many of you know, I LOVE history. I love teaching. And, I love teaching history. That being said, I have a BA in Computer Science, not history. I'm not sure what the options are, or what to do next. But, I'm thinking about talking to our Superintendent to see if he has any thoughts. It may turn into nothing, but since it keeps coming up in conversation, perhaps it's time to do something about it.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
November 1, 2012
Outside Temp: 37 F (still nice... threats of rain, but nothing significant)
What I cooked today:
BBQ chicken (in the oven): I need to start making chicken more often, since I have about 15 lbs of chicken in my freezer, and only about 4 lbs of ground beef... I just take the chicken, sear it a little, then toss it into the oven coated in BBQ sauce. Super easy and everyone seems to love it (even when I don't defrost the chicken enough, and it ends up cooking in it's own fluid, making it very dry)
Update:
Very interesting day today!
First off, the Honor Roll for the first quarter was published in the local newspaper today... I just had to include it here (by the way, I NEVER got a 4.0 in my life!):
So, on to our interesting news.
On my way home from picking up Ryan this afternoon, at about 11:20(ish), I noticed a cop car (probably sheriff) heading east with lights flashing, at about 80MPH through Raynesford (the speed limit is 45 through town). I didn't think much of it, and went on my merry way.
At a little after 2pm, I headed back to school for my web design class. I noticed a sheriff on the side of the road about 1/2 way to the school. I slowed, to make sure there wasn't a problem, but then continued on my way. About 2 miles later, another sheriff car was on the side of the road. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I looked around the road, didn't see anything interesting, and continued on my way.
Another 2 miles later (about a mile from the school), I noticed another sheriff on the other side of the road. Okay, there is something weird going on, if only because I think there are only 3 deputies and 1 sheriff in Judith Basin County (that's probably wrong, but I think it's close).
I got to the school, and headed up to class, completely forgetting the sheriffs.
Around 3pm, I got a call from the front office, saying the superintendent needed to talk to me. Ugh, that's never good.
I headed down to the office, and found out what was going on.
There was a fugitive who was running from the cops through the county. There was a high speed chase, which included the fugitive throwing pipe bombs at the cop cars, as he drove down the highway. They caught him, in Belt, and he's currently under arrest.
However, the cops didn't know where all the 'pipe bombs' were, and they needed to go searching for them. As a result, the highway was shut down... from Stanford to Belt (which is about 40 miles). I was called into the office to let me know that the buses couldn't get my kids home, which wasn't a problem since I was there, and I could take them home myself.
Of course, then came the question of how I was going to get home. The highway was closed, until further notice. Hmmm, what other options are there?
So, I found the back road home. I headed north out of Geyser, west through the new Spion Kop wind farms, and then down into Raynesford.
The really fun part about this drive is that I got to drive by a lot of houses that I didn't know existed. I got to see where some of the Geyser residents lived, since I've never had the chance to just drive through the back roads of Geyser. And, I got to drive right by the new windmills (which are totally huge). It was actually a lot of fun.
Then came the last 2 miles. If I understand correctly, this is a section of road that was not used very often, and was right next to private property, and somehow it got determined that the county was not going to maintain it anymore. So, it's not graded. It's not plowed. It's not even mowed. It's just 2 little track marks up and down through a field, down a hill, over a creek (yes, there was a little water in it) and back out on the normal gravel road.
When I came to the entrance to this path (I can't honestly call it a road), there was a young kid (okay, he was probably 25) behind me. I figured he was doing the same thing I was doing, so I pulled over and asked him. He said he was following his GPS and thought he knew where he was going. After telling me that he was going to continue on the road, I let him know that I was pretty sure the entrance to the road was right here, so if he found that he ended up in someones front yard (which I knew he was going to do), when he turned around, to head this direction.
Amazingly, my little yellow car did great. It went right over all those rocks and mud and grass with no problem. There was a little hesitation as we went over the creek, since the ground was muddy, and the tires really wanted to slide. But, I just held my breath, pushed the gas, and prayed that I'd make it through.
I have never been so happy to see gravel road in my life. As we crested the last hill, and I could see the end to my adventure, I breathed a sigh of relief and headed back into civilization. Then I stopped my car, to wait for the kid to make sure he made it through.
Once I got home, I looked up online to find the details of the story. They kept the road closed until about 7-8pm, once it was totally dark. I'm sure they couldn't find anything in the dark anyway. I'm not sure if they will start again when the sun comes up, which would cause nothing but trouble tomorrow. I foresee a lot of people taking the day off, if the main highway is going to be closed.
The most important part is that Allen has a basketball game in Hobson tomorrow... which would require driving on the highway. I'm sure the ATF guys will understand and make an exception for the school bus of junior high basketball players, right?
Oh, and since my house is on the highway, I figured I would just check the backyard for pipe bombs, just in case. I'm pretty sure he couldn't throw over the creek anyway, but I'm happy to say that my backyard is pipe bomb free!
What I cooked today:
BBQ chicken (in the oven): I need to start making chicken more often, since I have about 15 lbs of chicken in my freezer, and only about 4 lbs of ground beef... I just take the chicken, sear it a little, then toss it into the oven coated in BBQ sauce. Super easy and everyone seems to love it (even when I don't defrost the chicken enough, and it ends up cooking in it's own fluid, making it very dry)
Update:
Very interesting day today!
First off, the Honor Roll for the first quarter was published in the local newspaper today... I just had to include it here (by the way, I NEVER got a 4.0 in my life!):
So, on to our interesting news.
On my way home from picking up Ryan this afternoon, at about 11:20(ish), I noticed a cop car (probably sheriff) heading east with lights flashing, at about 80MPH through Raynesford (the speed limit is 45 through town). I didn't think much of it, and went on my merry way.
At a little after 2pm, I headed back to school for my web design class. I noticed a sheriff on the side of the road about 1/2 way to the school. I slowed, to make sure there wasn't a problem, but then continued on my way. About 2 miles later, another sheriff car was on the side of the road. Hmm, this is getting interesting. I looked around the road, didn't see anything interesting, and continued on my way.
Another 2 miles later (about a mile from the school), I noticed another sheriff on the other side of the road. Okay, there is something weird going on, if only because I think there are only 3 deputies and 1 sheriff in Judith Basin County (that's probably wrong, but I think it's close).
I got to the school, and headed up to class, completely forgetting the sheriffs.
Around 3pm, I got a call from the front office, saying the superintendent needed to talk to me. Ugh, that's never good.
I headed down to the office, and found out what was going on.
There was a fugitive who was running from the cops through the county. There was a high speed chase, which included the fugitive throwing pipe bombs at the cop cars, as he drove down the highway. They caught him, in Belt, and he's currently under arrest.
However, the cops didn't know where all the 'pipe bombs' were, and they needed to go searching for them. As a result, the highway was shut down... from Stanford to Belt (which is about 40 miles). I was called into the office to let me know that the buses couldn't get my kids home, which wasn't a problem since I was there, and I could take them home myself.
Of course, then came the question of how I was going to get home. The highway was closed, until further notice. Hmmm, what other options are there?
So, I found the back road home. I headed north out of Geyser, west through the new Spion Kop wind farms, and then down into Raynesford.
The really fun part about this drive is that I got to drive by a lot of houses that I didn't know existed. I got to see where some of the Geyser residents lived, since I've never had the chance to just drive through the back roads of Geyser. And, I got to drive right by the new windmills (which are totally huge). It was actually a lot of fun.
Then came the last 2 miles. If I understand correctly, this is a section of road that was not used very often, and was right next to private property, and somehow it got determined that the county was not going to maintain it anymore. So, it's not graded. It's not plowed. It's not even mowed. It's just 2 little track marks up and down through a field, down a hill, over a creek (yes, there was a little water in it) and back out on the normal gravel road.
When I came to the entrance to this path (I can't honestly call it a road), there was a young kid (okay, he was probably 25) behind me. I figured he was doing the same thing I was doing, so I pulled over and asked him. He said he was following his GPS and thought he knew where he was going. After telling me that he was going to continue on the road, I let him know that I was pretty sure the entrance to the road was right here, so if he found that he ended up in someones front yard (which I knew he was going to do), when he turned around, to head this direction.
Amazingly, my little yellow car did great. It went right over all those rocks and mud and grass with no problem. There was a little hesitation as we went over the creek, since the ground was muddy, and the tires really wanted to slide. But, I just held my breath, pushed the gas, and prayed that I'd make it through.
I have never been so happy to see gravel road in my life. As we crested the last hill, and I could see the end to my adventure, I breathed a sigh of relief and headed back into civilization. Then I stopped my car, to wait for the kid to make sure he made it through.
Once I got home, I looked up online to find the details of the story. They kept the road closed until about 7-8pm, once it was totally dark. I'm sure they couldn't find anything in the dark anyway. I'm not sure if they will start again when the sun comes up, which would cause nothing but trouble tomorrow. I foresee a lot of people taking the day off, if the main highway is going to be closed.
The most important part is that Allen has a basketball game in Hobson tomorrow... which would require driving on the highway. I'm sure the ATF guys will understand and make an exception for the school bus of junior high basketball players, right?
Oh, and since my house is on the highway, I figured I would just check the backyard for pipe bombs, just in case. I'm pretty sure he couldn't throw over the creek anyway, but I'm happy to say that my backyard is pipe bomb free!
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