Outside Temp: 51 F (high of 82 today... low of 32... like freezing.... hehehe)
What I cooked today:
Chicken with Fried Rice: I asked Connor the standard question... 'Chicken or Beef?' He picked chicken. When Allen got home from practice, and I started up the fried rice, and he claimed that it would help his aching muscles. Who knew?
Update:
This morning, when I got the kids up and ready for school, there was a small amount of grumbling, considering that it was 34 degrees outside. I don't know what they were complaining about, since it was 57 in the house... I mean, it was practically a sauna!
Of course, once they were all four on the bus, I crawled back into my electric mattress pad heated bed and fell back asleep. And I didn't even feel guilty about it!
When I got to the school, my superintendent was glad to see me. Apparently, he really, really didn't like covering my web design class while I was gone. I had to promise that I wouldn't leave him again. Of course, I neglected to mention to him that we had to go back out to Seattle again in December. Perhaps that will be far enough in the future that he'll forget that he didn't like covering my class for me.
Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
August 23, 2012
Outside Temp:57 F (high of 87 today... which is at least 3 degrees cooler than 90, which is really cool!)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: I think I'm going to be exciting tomorrow and do something in the crock pot. But, until then, by the time I got back from picking up the kids at practice, and chatting with my mom, it was time for bed. Okay, not really, but I had to do something quick. Old standby... here we come.
Update:
So, you all know how much I really hate the heat, right? I only complain about it every time it's over 75 degrees. But, one thing that makes it so nice up here is that it cools off at night.
Yesterday, it was warm, not boiling hot, but warm, in the 80's. So, as usual, as soon as the outside temperature is below the inside temperature, I open up all the windows. It lets the breeze flow through the house, cleaning out all the teenage boy smell, and cools it down.
Well, last night was no exception. As the kids climbed into bed at 9pm, I went around the house, opening up windows everywhere I went. Connor was the only smart one, who requested that the back door, leading to the outside, be kept closed, to keep bugs out. Smart kid.
When I climbed into bed around 11pm, I realized it was a little chilly, but not bad. So, I threw an extra blanket on Katie, put an extra comforter on my bed, and went to sleep, thinking nothing of the open windows throughout the house.
Sometime in the night, I was awakened by a sound of a machine turning on, but in my sleepy haze, I wrote it off to the defrost cycle of the refrigerator, and went back to sleep. This morning, I figured out what the sound actually was.
It was the propane heater turning on, which only happens when the inside temperature of house gets below 55F. Ooops.
It was 42 degrees outside this morning when we woke up, with most of the windows opened, it was just over 50 in the house. Oh, boy, did I hear it from my kids. The second day of school, and it was a fight to get them out of the their nice cozy blankets. Allen even said he had a dream of being stuck in a freezing school bus, as it plunged into an icy lake.
Perhaps, tomorrow, we'll sleep with the windows closed.
Ryan is doing great. His doctors have already talked about going 'H', although we don't actually say it out loud (something about testing fate). Grandma was awesome and took over watching him, so Patrick could get some work done. We will have 2 weeks with his PICC line, which is annoying, but not awful. I'm sure we'll survive.
I went into town today, to pick up football supplies for Allen. Who knew there were 'football supplies'. So, we needed first a mouth guard and a cup, obviously. Then, we realized last night, that his helmet and pads don't fit into the NIKE bag that we had lying around, so we needed a new bag, that would be big enough to hold all his crap. Then, Allen informed me that there were these awesome spandex shirts with padding built in, that protect your ribs from opposing helmets. I tried not to think about other people's heads going into the rib cage of my oldest child, but in the event that it occurs, I liked the idea that he would be slightly protected. I hope that will be $50 well spent.
Of course, as luck would have it, mouth guards need to be 'fitted', which means they get heated up in boiling water, and then molded to the mouth. All of which could not occur during the 3 minutes between the time he got his stuff and the time he had to be on the bus. So, he didn't have a mouth guard. And, as luck would have it, he managed to drop his new, un-fitted mouth guard in the field somewhere, and it didn't make it home. Which means that he will have a third day with no mouth guard. I'm just hoping that he can find it and I won't have to buy another one!
And, Katie will need her 'Volleyball supplies'. Oh joy. At least she's easier... she just needs knee pads, I think. We'll see tomorrow if there are more things we need. This sport thing is kind of expensive!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: I think I'm going to be exciting tomorrow and do something in the crock pot. But, until then, by the time I got back from picking up the kids at practice, and chatting with my mom, it was time for bed. Okay, not really, but I had to do something quick. Old standby... here we come.
Update:
So, you all know how much I really hate the heat, right? I only complain about it every time it's over 75 degrees. But, one thing that makes it so nice up here is that it cools off at night.
Yesterday, it was warm, not boiling hot, but warm, in the 80's. So, as usual, as soon as the outside temperature is below the inside temperature, I open up all the windows. It lets the breeze flow through the house, cleaning out all the teenage boy smell, and cools it down.
Well, last night was no exception. As the kids climbed into bed at 9pm, I went around the house, opening up windows everywhere I went. Connor was the only smart one, who requested that the back door, leading to the outside, be kept closed, to keep bugs out. Smart kid.
When I climbed into bed around 11pm, I realized it was a little chilly, but not bad. So, I threw an extra blanket on Katie, put an extra comforter on my bed, and went to sleep, thinking nothing of the open windows throughout the house.
Sometime in the night, I was awakened by a sound of a machine turning on, but in my sleepy haze, I wrote it off to the defrost cycle of the refrigerator, and went back to sleep. This morning, I figured out what the sound actually was.
It was the propane heater turning on, which only happens when the inside temperature of house gets below 55F. Ooops.
It was 42 degrees outside this morning when we woke up, with most of the windows opened, it was just over 50 in the house. Oh, boy, did I hear it from my kids. The second day of school, and it was a fight to get them out of the their nice cozy blankets. Allen even said he had a dream of being stuck in a freezing school bus, as it plunged into an icy lake.
Perhaps, tomorrow, we'll sleep with the windows closed.
Ryan is doing great. His doctors have already talked about going 'H', although we don't actually say it out loud (something about testing fate). Grandma was awesome and took over watching him, so Patrick could get some work done. We will have 2 weeks with his PICC line, which is annoying, but not awful. I'm sure we'll survive.
I went into town today, to pick up football supplies for Allen. Who knew there were 'football supplies'. So, we needed first a mouth guard and a cup, obviously. Then, we realized last night, that his helmet and pads don't fit into the NIKE bag that we had lying around, so we needed a new bag, that would be big enough to hold all his crap. Then, Allen informed me that there were these awesome spandex shirts with padding built in, that protect your ribs from opposing helmets. I tried not to think about other people's heads going into the rib cage of my oldest child, but in the event that it occurs, I liked the idea that he would be slightly protected. I hope that will be $50 well spent.
Of course, as luck would have it, mouth guards need to be 'fitted', which means they get heated up in boiling water, and then molded to the mouth. All of which could not occur during the 3 minutes between the time he got his stuff and the time he had to be on the bus. So, he didn't have a mouth guard. And, as luck would have it, he managed to drop his new, un-fitted mouth guard in the field somewhere, and it didn't make it home. Which means that he will have a third day with no mouth guard. I'm just hoping that he can find it and I won't have to buy another one!
And, Katie will need her 'Volleyball supplies'. Oh joy. At least she's easier... she just needs knee pads, I think. We'll see tomorrow if there are more things we need. This sport thing is kind of expensive!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
August 14, 2012
Outside Temp: 67 F (and dropping.. it was in the high 80's/low 90's today, but we have an awesome storm coming through, and the temp just dropped like crazy!)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: I actually cooked, although to be fair, I only had to work 1/2 day today. It was so hot, I was cranky and tired when I got home, but I realized that Patrick was going to feed the kids hot dogs for dinner, so I figured I'd let him do that tomorrow...
Update:
Day 2 of training in Great Falls. Which means for the second day in a row, I was awake and out the door by 7:15. It's actually good practice for when school starts next week! I still have 3 more days of training, but the first 'orientation' part is over.
Ryan got to spend part of the day with the grandparents, trying out a new toy...
He had so much fun!! Of course, his kite is a 'transformers' kite!
We also got our first 'blue' egg from our Aracana chickens!
So, we got a call from Ryan's doctor, who said that his line is probably okay, and we can just keep an eye on it until we head back to Seattle in September. We will be bringing him into Great Falls tomorrow, to get an extra stitch on his line, just to give it the extra support it might need to get it through the next 3-4 weeks. It seems like it's holding up okay, so we'll just keep praying.
The weather front passing over the house right now is making wind gusts into the 50+ MPH range. The kids our out front, pretending to fly around in the wind. I'm really looking forward to the drop in temperature... it should be in the 60's tomorrow!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Pasta: I actually cooked, although to be fair, I only had to work 1/2 day today. It was so hot, I was cranky and tired when I got home, but I realized that Patrick was going to feed the kids hot dogs for dinner, so I figured I'd let him do that tomorrow...
Update:
Day 2 of training in Great Falls. Which means for the second day in a row, I was awake and out the door by 7:15. It's actually good practice for when school starts next week! I still have 3 more days of training, but the first 'orientation' part is over.
Ryan got to spend part of the day with the grandparents, trying out a new toy...
He had so much fun!! Of course, his kite is a 'transformers' kite!
We also got our first 'blue' egg from our Aracana chickens!
So, we got a call from Ryan's doctor, who said that his line is probably okay, and we can just keep an eye on it until we head back to Seattle in September. We will be bringing him into Great Falls tomorrow, to get an extra stitch on his line, just to give it the extra support it might need to get it through the next 3-4 weeks. It seems like it's holding up okay, so we'll just keep praying.
The weather front passing over the house right now is making wind gusts into the 50+ MPH range. The kids our out front, pretending to fly around in the wind. I'm really looking forward to the drop in temperature... it should be in the 60's tomorrow!
Monday, July 23, 2012
July 22, 2012
Outside Temp: 64 F (it was in the 90's again today... But we had a beautiful thunderstorm this evening, so that kind of made up for the heat.)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: Patrick didn't get home until about 10pm, so I was glad that I held dinner. I can just imagine how upset I would have been, if I had gone to any semblence of effort to make dinner, and then had him not come home. But, as it was, I waited until he called to say he was on his way home. It meant we had dinner late, but it also meant that we had dinner together, which was nice.
Update:
So, our beta event for Guild Wars 2 is finally over. I'm actually kind of glad to have it done with, so we can get on with our lives. Tomorrow, I can already tell that the kids will be cleaning, and Patrick and I will be working.
Connor spent the weekend with the Grandparents, which means I haven't seen him in about 3 days (except for an hour on Saturday for church). I kind of miss having him around, and not just because he adds another dynamic to the fighting between Allen and Katie.
We had a beautiful thunderstorm this evening. It would have been better, if it had actually dropped any water. But, the (double) rainbow almost made up for that.
Patrick went into Belt today, to chat with our priest. And, as usual, that little 'Hi, how are you doing?' turned into a 4-5 hour conversation about everything ranging from politheism to politics. He had a great time, and it was good for him to get out of the house for a little bit.
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Tater Tots: Patrick didn't get home until about 10pm, so I was glad that I held dinner. I can just imagine how upset I would have been, if I had gone to any semblence of effort to make dinner, and then had him not come home. But, as it was, I waited until he called to say he was on his way home. It meant we had dinner late, but it also meant that we had dinner together, which was nice.
Update:
So, our beta event for Guild Wars 2 is finally over. I'm actually kind of glad to have it done with, so we can get on with our lives. Tomorrow, I can already tell that the kids will be cleaning, and Patrick and I will be working.
Connor spent the weekend with the Grandparents, which means I haven't seen him in about 3 days (except for an hour on Saturday for church). I kind of miss having him around, and not just because he adds another dynamic to the fighting between Allen and Katie.
We had a beautiful thunderstorm this evening. It would have been better, if it had actually dropped any water. But, the (double) rainbow almost made up for that.
Patrick went into Belt today, to chat with our priest. And, as usual, that little 'Hi, how are you doing?' turned into a 4-5 hour conversation about everything ranging from politheism to politics. He had a great time, and it was good for him to get out of the house for a little bit.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
June 26, 2012
Outside Temp: 53 F (totally wild weather today... see below)
What I cooked today:
Lemon Chicken with Fried Rice: I asked the kids what they wanted for dinner: burgers, chili or chicken. It was unanimous. They wanted chicken. So, I started the chicken and when I went to put the sherry into the sauce, we didn't have any sherry. So, I had to make up something else to add into the chicken for a sauce. I put in some fresh lemon juice, and some soy sauce with a little sesame oil. It turned out really good and they asked for it again soon!
Update:
The weather today was wild. Not normal wild, but really wild.
After yesterday's complaints about the weather, I was all set for another hot, humid, annoying day with lots of bugs. We all went to bed with bugs all around our rooms (which leads to lots of complaints from my kids). Connor woke me up at 7:45 to let me know that there were bugs in the shower (I think my response was something along the lines of "get over it... I don't care", but since it was 7:45, I think I was entitled to a lame response).
We had opened up the windows last night, so it was warm but not hot. As the morning progressed, it got warmer (into the 80's) and no wind. By 11am, the windows were closed and the AC was on, with the fans, and we settled into work complaining about the annoying heat.
Then, suddenly, around noon, the wind picked up and it cooled off. The wind was amazing! It went from still as could be to dust devils and rattling of the windows. The tarp that we had to shade the chickens blew off (even though it was attached to the fence with zip-ties). Grandpa said that the chicken coop (the wooden one they are building, that weighs about 500 lbs) blew all the way over. Boy are we glad that there were no chickens in there!
The best part was that the temperature dropped about 15 degrees in about 30 minutes. One minute, it was in the high 80s. The next, it was in the low 70's and dropping fast.
We immediately opened every window and door to the house, and turned off the AC. The house was cool in no time! In fact, at one point, around 6pm, one of the kids actually complained that it was too cold! Granted, it was about 60 degrees outside, so I guess he might have had a point.
So, all prior complaints about the weather are gone now, please forget I ever said them.
In other news, Ryan is doing great. The plan is to make our 'great escape' back home tomorrow, which is totally stinking awesome. They take such good care of us at Benefis Hosptial!
What I cooked today:
Lemon Chicken with Fried Rice: I asked the kids what they wanted for dinner: burgers, chili or chicken. It was unanimous. They wanted chicken. So, I started the chicken and when I went to put the sherry into the sauce, we didn't have any sherry. So, I had to make up something else to add into the chicken for a sauce. I put in some fresh lemon juice, and some soy sauce with a little sesame oil. It turned out really good and they asked for it again soon!
Update:
The weather today was wild. Not normal wild, but really wild.
After yesterday's complaints about the weather, I was all set for another hot, humid, annoying day with lots of bugs. We all went to bed with bugs all around our rooms (which leads to lots of complaints from my kids). Connor woke me up at 7:45 to let me know that there were bugs in the shower (I think my response was something along the lines of "get over it... I don't care", but since it was 7:45, I think I was entitled to a lame response).
We had opened up the windows last night, so it was warm but not hot. As the morning progressed, it got warmer (into the 80's) and no wind. By 11am, the windows were closed and the AC was on, with the fans, and we settled into work complaining about the annoying heat.
Then, suddenly, around noon, the wind picked up and it cooled off. The wind was amazing! It went from still as could be to dust devils and rattling of the windows. The tarp that we had to shade the chickens blew off (even though it was attached to the fence with zip-ties). Grandpa said that the chicken coop (the wooden one they are building, that weighs about 500 lbs) blew all the way over. Boy are we glad that there were no chickens in there!
The best part was that the temperature dropped about 15 degrees in about 30 minutes. One minute, it was in the high 80s. The next, it was in the low 70's and dropping fast.
We immediately opened every window and door to the house, and turned off the AC. The house was cool in no time! In fact, at one point, around 6pm, one of the kids actually complained that it was too cold! Granted, it was about 60 degrees outside, so I guess he might have had a point.
So, all prior complaints about the weather are gone now, please forget I ever said them.
In other news, Ryan is doing great. The plan is to make our 'great escape' back home tomorrow, which is totally stinking awesome. They take such good care of us at Benefis Hosptial!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 5, 2012
Outside Temp: 57 F (Rainy and Thunder and Lightning... Awesome!!)
What I cooked today:
Connor's Birthday Cake (with homemade Butter cream Frosting): I have decided that those boxed cakes that I get on sale, aren't really worth it. Patrick said the frosting was awesome, but the cake was lame. Oh well, it was a cake and I made it.
Steak: I wanted to spoil Connor with steak for his birthday. Usually, I'll make about 3 8oz steaks and slice them into strips. But I was hungry and I knew that at least 2 of the males in the family would be able to eat a lot, so I made 5 8oz steaks. I've finally figured out how to make the steaks on my stove and oven, which is pretty cool. They all turned out nicely medium-rare, just like everyone likes it. I even paired it with broccoli, which was a nice little extra.
Update:
We spoiled him rotten today with his birthday present. For anyone who has talked with Connor in the last few months, what he really wanted was a laptop, so he could bring his stories with him whenever we have to go somewhere.
We have been looking at the Asus Tablet with the keyboard for a while, and we made the decision that it would work for him. It's really light, and portable. The tablet part has some pretty cool games and he can view his YouTube or Netflix movies. And with the keyboard, he can write. I really hope that it will work out for him. And that he'll share with his siblings!
We also had some awesome weather tonight... thunder and lightning and some amazing clouds. I love it!
What I cooked today:
Connor's Birthday Cake (with homemade Butter cream Frosting): I have decided that those boxed cakes that I get on sale, aren't really worth it. Patrick said the frosting was awesome, but the cake was lame. Oh well, it was a cake and I made it.
Steak: I wanted to spoil Connor with steak for his birthday. Usually, I'll make about 3 8oz steaks and slice them into strips. But I was hungry and I knew that at least 2 of the males in the family would be able to eat a lot, so I made 5 8oz steaks. I've finally figured out how to make the steaks on my stove and oven, which is pretty cool. They all turned out nicely medium-rare, just like everyone likes it. I even paired it with broccoli, which was a nice little extra.
Update:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CONNOR!! Wow, 11 years old! Amazing.
We spoiled him rotten today with his birthday present. For anyone who has talked with Connor in the last few months, what he really wanted was a laptop, so he could bring his stories with him whenever we have to go somewhere.
We have been looking at the Asus Tablet with the keyboard for a while, and we made the decision that it would work for him. It's really light, and portable. The tablet part has some pretty cool games and he can view his YouTube or Netflix movies. And with the keyboard, he can write. I really hope that it will work out for him. And that he'll share with his siblings!
We also had some awesome weather tonight... thunder and lightning and some amazing clouds. I love it!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
April 28, 2012
Outside Temp: 38 F (The storm tapered off sometime this morning, and we haven't gotten any rain or snow for most of the day, with the exception of a little hail and light rain before 10am... Not really sure what to expect with tomorrow)
What I cooked today:
Chicken Noodle Soup: I figured it was kind of chilly, and hot chicken soup is always a good choice. I made up a few loafs of Grandma's artisan bread and threw together the things for soup. We didn't have any more stars or little noodles, so I used egg noodles, which worked just fine. The soup turned out great and really hit the spot!
Update:
Yes, the chicks are still alive. Amazingly! I admit that when we left last night, I wasn't so sure they'd survive the night. The 6 birds who have been outside were given a dog house, with pine shavings, that was big enough for their water and food. Then, we used boards and old shingles to put a 'lean-to' across the front, so they could leave if they had to, but they would be protected from the elements.
Apparently, they did just fine! We came back down this morning, and they were walking around in their dog house, eating and pooping, just like normal. I guess the 25 degrees last night didn't hurt them too much!
We also left the heat lamps off the other 22 birds, who are still inside. Their room got into the low 50's last night, but they also survived. We read that the birds need to be exposed to the cold to make them grow their feathers. So, I guess we've been baby-ing them for the last week or two. The inside birds look like they've grown up overnight, and, once this storm is passed, I think we'll start moving them outside.
We stayed up at the Grandparents' house last night, since our place had no running water. And, with our family, no running water means no toilet, which is just not acceptable. The kids liked it up there, since the Internet is faster and the kids could play on-line games AND watch Netflix on the TV... at the same time! Amazing. I think that our line from the road to our house is old, and it limits the bandwidth for our network.
So, this morning, Patrick and I came back home, and he went under the house to check out the water pump. He flipped the breaker, and it sounded like it went back on, then off. So, he flipped it again. Same thing happened. The third time, he slowly flipped it off, then back on again. As he flipped it up, he heard the pump engage. Then, as he reached the top, it flipped off. Lovely. Apparently, it only works when the breaker is in the 3/4 position. Ugh, one more issue with the house. Oh well. Now, at least we know!
What I cooked today:
Chicken Noodle Soup: I figured it was kind of chilly, and hot chicken soup is always a good choice. I made up a few loafs of Grandma's artisan bread and threw together the things for soup. We didn't have any more stars or little noodles, so I used egg noodles, which worked just fine. The soup turned out great and really hit the spot!
Update:
Yes, the chicks are still alive. Amazingly! I admit that when we left last night, I wasn't so sure they'd survive the night. The 6 birds who have been outside were given a dog house, with pine shavings, that was big enough for their water and food. Then, we used boards and old shingles to put a 'lean-to' across the front, so they could leave if they had to, but they would be protected from the elements.
Apparently, they did just fine! We came back down this morning, and they were walking around in their dog house, eating and pooping, just like normal. I guess the 25 degrees last night didn't hurt them too much!
We also left the heat lamps off the other 22 birds, who are still inside. Their room got into the low 50's last night, but they also survived. We read that the birds need to be exposed to the cold to make them grow their feathers. So, I guess we've been baby-ing them for the last week or two. The inside birds look like they've grown up overnight, and, once this storm is passed, I think we'll start moving them outside.
We stayed up at the Grandparents' house last night, since our place had no running water. And, with our family, no running water means no toilet, which is just not acceptable. The kids liked it up there, since the Internet is faster and the kids could play on-line games AND watch Netflix on the TV... at the same time! Amazing. I think that our line from the road to our house is old, and it limits the bandwidth for our network.
So, this morning, Patrick and I came back home, and he went under the house to check out the water pump. He flipped the breaker, and it sounded like it went back on, then off. So, he flipped it again. Same thing happened. The third time, he slowly flipped it off, then back on again. As he flipped it up, he heard the pump engage. Then, as he reached the top, it flipped off. Lovely. Apparently, it only works when the breaker is in the 3/4 position. Ugh, one more issue with the house. Oh well. Now, at least we know!
Friday, April 27, 2012
April 27, 2012
Outside Temp: Low 30's, High 20's (Rain, snow, sleet... all day)
What I cooked today:
Pasta: We had to come up to the Grandparents for dinner, so I raided their stash for pasta. (yes, mom, we cleaned up afterwards!) Since they're gone, they got rid of all their perishables (which are currently at our house). Fortunately, pasta is a quick easy dinner, that doesn't require anything else!
Update:
I think I've decided that I like 0 degree snow better than 30 degree snow. It's cold and wet and cold. I actually feel colder than I did when it was -10! Perhaps, that is because when it's -10, you expect it to be cold. When it's in the 30's, you expect it to be a little warmer, but it's really not!
I know that you are all worried about our chicks. Especially those who live up here, and know what the weather has been like all day.
Our chicks are fine. We moved the tarp, so the cage won't be lifted again. We moved it so that it protects the cage from the wind (the west side), rather than the rain (from the top). We moved a dog house into their cage, and added a second place for the chicks to stick together and stay warm. They were fine all day, although they were huddled in their box.
We went back and forth about moving them back inside or putting them in a shed, but since we didn't set up a place for them in the shed, yet, and there is no light in there, yet, we figured we'd let them stay outside another night. We tried to move them inside the house with the other chicks, but they've gotten used to the freedom of being outside and immediately tried flying out of their 'pen'. And the other chicks didn't really take to having them back. So, they are back outside. If they survive this, they'll probably be just fine.
On top of that, our house has no water right now. We lost power around 3:30(ish) for about an hour. And the owner of the house mentioned that sometimes the water pump needs to be reset after a power outage. Of course, the water pump is under the house and Patrick really didn't want to crawl under the house in the snow and sleet and dark. (yes, he could have crawled under there while it was still light out, like anytime before 9pm, but he was playing his new game and couldn't be bothered). We'll go back home tomorrow morning and try to get it resolved. Who knew how useful water can be?
Katie had her last basketball game tonight, in Stanford. She had a great time and really enjoys playing. The coaches are so good with the kids, even when they pick up the ball and walk about 4 steps before dribbling! The kids will learn about 'traveling' soon enough.
What I cooked today:
Pasta: We had to come up to the Grandparents for dinner, so I raided their stash for pasta. (yes, mom, we cleaned up afterwards!) Since they're gone, they got rid of all their perishables (which are currently at our house). Fortunately, pasta is a quick easy dinner, that doesn't require anything else!
Update:
I think I've decided that I like 0 degree snow better than 30 degree snow. It's cold and wet and cold. I actually feel colder than I did when it was -10! Perhaps, that is because when it's -10, you expect it to be cold. When it's in the 30's, you expect it to be a little warmer, but it's really not!
I know that you are all worried about our chicks. Especially those who live up here, and know what the weather has been like all day.
Our chicks are fine. We moved the tarp, so the cage won't be lifted again. We moved it so that it protects the cage from the wind (the west side), rather than the rain (from the top). We moved a dog house into their cage, and added a second place for the chicks to stick together and stay warm. They were fine all day, although they were huddled in their box.
We went back and forth about moving them back inside or putting them in a shed, but since we didn't set up a place for them in the shed, yet, and there is no light in there, yet, we figured we'd let them stay outside another night. We tried to move them inside the house with the other chicks, but they've gotten used to the freedom of being outside and immediately tried flying out of their 'pen'. And the other chicks didn't really take to having them back. So, they are back outside. If they survive this, they'll probably be just fine.
On top of that, our house has no water right now. We lost power around 3:30(ish) for about an hour. And the owner of the house mentioned that sometimes the water pump needs to be reset after a power outage. Of course, the water pump is under the house and Patrick really didn't want to crawl under the house in the snow and sleet and dark. (yes, he could have crawled under there while it was still light out, like anytime before 9pm, but he was playing his new game and couldn't be bothered). We'll go back home tomorrow morning and try to get it resolved. Who knew how useful water can be?
Katie had her last basketball game tonight, in Stanford. She had a great time and really enjoys playing. The coaches are so good with the kids, even when they pick up the ball and walk about 4 steps before dribbling! The kids will learn about 'traveling' soon enough.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
April 23, 2012
Outside Temp: 65 F (it was in the 80's today! It finally cooled off around 6-7pm, and now there's a great breeze!)
What I cooked today:
Burgers with Tater Tots and Green Beans: I love tater tots. They remind me of my childhood, although for the life of me, I can't actually remember eating them as a kid. Maybe in elementary school. Of course, my oven caused me a little bit of annoyance. I put the tots on a cookie sheet, on tin foil, and baked for about 20-25 minutes at 400. They were not cooked, and they actually stuck to the foil! I pulled them off the foil (as well as I could) and baked them for another 15-20 minutes. So, even though the directions said 20-25 minutes, it really took about 40. Which was fine, since I blew out the fuse in my kitchen, and the griddle that was cooking the burgers, turned off. I think it only took me about 5 minutes to figure out that the burgers were not sizzling anymore. Oh well, I just have to remember that I can't run the dishwasher and the griddle at the same time. And dinner turned out fine.
Update:
Okay, I admit. I was a little annoyed at the 80+ degree weather here. I mean, come on! We moved to Montana to get away from the heat. I know, I know, I should be grateful since I think it was about 100 in Temecula (where we were from in CA). But still!
Of course, it did cool off, and we were able to go outside and play in the beautiful breeze. The kids hung out at the creek with Ryan for about an hour. Ryan wanted really badly to go 'fishing' in the creek. Of course, his idea of fishing is a paper clip attached to a string on the end of a stick. He wanted me to find 'worms' to add to his clip, but we settled for bologna. I let him throw it in a few times, but nothing nibbled. I'm not surprised. I asked Patrick to look into getting a real fishing pole sometime soon. I've heard there are actual fish in our creek (which is out the back door of the house), so I might have to learn how to cook them!
The house stayed in the 70's most of the day, without air conditioning! We opened up the windows around 6pm and it's just beautiful tonight. I think it's supposed to be a little cooler tomorrow, which I would love.
And, with the weather system like it is, with warm humid weather, we should be seeing some thunderstorms. There was thunderstorms all around us today, but we didn't get much here. I'm sure we'll see plenty before the summer is out, so I'm being patient.
I've been working on my new project for the school, which is a lot of fun. And, another teacher asked me to sub this week, so I'll be working Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday. Wow! I'm really excited, since I get to teach High School History! Woo Hoo!
What I cooked today:
Burgers with Tater Tots and Green Beans: I love tater tots. They remind me of my childhood, although for the life of me, I can't actually remember eating them as a kid. Maybe in elementary school. Of course, my oven caused me a little bit of annoyance. I put the tots on a cookie sheet, on tin foil, and baked for about 20-25 minutes at 400. They were not cooked, and they actually stuck to the foil! I pulled them off the foil (as well as I could) and baked them for another 15-20 minutes. So, even though the directions said 20-25 minutes, it really took about 40. Which was fine, since I blew out the fuse in my kitchen, and the griddle that was cooking the burgers, turned off. I think it only took me about 5 minutes to figure out that the burgers were not sizzling anymore. Oh well, I just have to remember that I can't run the dishwasher and the griddle at the same time. And dinner turned out fine.
Update:
Okay, I admit. I was a little annoyed at the 80+ degree weather here. I mean, come on! We moved to Montana to get away from the heat. I know, I know, I should be grateful since I think it was about 100 in Temecula (where we were from in CA). But still!
Of course, it did cool off, and we were able to go outside and play in the beautiful breeze. The kids hung out at the creek with Ryan for about an hour. Ryan wanted really badly to go 'fishing' in the creek. Of course, his idea of fishing is a paper clip attached to a string on the end of a stick. He wanted me to find 'worms' to add to his clip, but we settled for bologna. I let him throw it in a few times, but nothing nibbled. I'm not surprised. I asked Patrick to look into getting a real fishing pole sometime soon. I've heard there are actual fish in our creek (which is out the back door of the house), so I might have to learn how to cook them!
The house stayed in the 70's most of the day, without air conditioning! We opened up the windows around 6pm and it's just beautiful tonight. I think it's supposed to be a little cooler tomorrow, which I would love.
And, with the weather system like it is, with warm humid weather, we should be seeing some thunderstorms. There was thunderstorms all around us today, but we didn't get much here. I'm sure we'll see plenty before the summer is out, so I'm being patient.
I've been working on my new project for the school, which is a lot of fun. And, another teacher asked me to sub this week, so I'll be working Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday. Wow! I'm really excited, since I get to teach High School History! Woo Hoo!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
March 18, 2012
Outside Temp: 29 F (The day started out nice, in the mid 40's, then the storm came in... it's been snowing since 5ish and now there's about 2-3 inches on the ground!)
What I cooked today:
Orange Chicken: It is always nice to have a meal in which all the pans are scraped clean, and the kids are still asking for more... ALL my kids love this dish, and with the fried rice on the side, they were all so excited. I've altered the recipe a little and I had dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Amazing!
Update:
I decided today that my boys have been spending way too much time fighting over the computer. Allen woke up at about 5am yesterday, just so he could play his game without having to fight over computer time.
So, around noon, I decided we would head over to the local school gym and play basketball. Yes, me, playing basketball. Which, I'd like to point out, prior to moving up here, I had no idea how to play other than that the ball goes into the basket.
The school a block from our house is a small 2 room schoolhouse, with an indoor gym. One of the (extremely nice) ladies let us borrow the key, and we were able to play for a few hours. At one point, while huffing and puffing my way down the court, I asked the boys if this was better than playing video games. They actually said yes! Woo Hoo! Good mom!
Afterwards, Patrick borrowed the Grandparent's truck to take our garbage to the dump. So, Ryan and I joined him. We decided to head over to Grandma's family ranch afterwards, to see if our Uncle was there with his cows, and calves. He wasn't (probably watching the basketball game), but we did see a his cows. Some of them had already calved, and their little calves were following them around. So Cute!! The other cows weren't quite sure what to make of us, but after about 30 minutes, they were a little more comfortable and friendly.
Of course, by then, the storm had rolled in and it started raining, so we headed back home. By the time we got to the Grandparent's place, it was snowing. I LOVE the weather around here!
What I cooked today:
Orange Chicken: It is always nice to have a meal in which all the pans are scraped clean, and the kids are still asking for more... ALL my kids love this dish, and with the fried rice on the side, they were all so excited. I've altered the recipe a little and I had dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Amazing!
Update:
I decided today that my boys have been spending way too much time fighting over the computer. Allen woke up at about 5am yesterday, just so he could play his game without having to fight over computer time.
So, around noon, I decided we would head over to the local school gym and play basketball. Yes, me, playing basketball. Which, I'd like to point out, prior to moving up here, I had no idea how to play other than that the ball goes into the basket.
The school a block from our house is a small 2 room schoolhouse, with an indoor gym. One of the (extremely nice) ladies let us borrow the key, and we were able to play for a few hours. At one point, while huffing and puffing my way down the court, I asked the boys if this was better than playing video games. They actually said yes! Woo Hoo! Good mom!
Afterwards, Patrick borrowed the Grandparent's truck to take our garbage to the dump. So, Ryan and I joined him. We decided to head over to Grandma's family ranch afterwards, to see if our Uncle was there with his cows, and calves. He wasn't (probably watching the basketball game), but we did see a his cows. Some of them had already calved, and their little calves were following them around. So Cute!! The other cows weren't quite sure what to make of us, but after about 30 minutes, they were a little more comfortable and friendly.
Of course, by then, the storm had rolled in and it started raining, so we headed back home. By the time we got to the Grandparent's place, it was snowing. I LOVE the weather around here!
Monday, March 5, 2012
March 5, 2012
Outside Temp: 32 F (it's been in the 50's all day today)
What I cooked today:
Macaroni and Cheese: I found a recipe in Alton Brown's (yea, him, again) for Mac's and Cheese. It has paprika and dry mustard in it, along with the milk and eggs and (of course) cheese... lots and lots of cheese. Patrick didn't really care for the bread crumbs on the top, but he said he liked it. I might even try it again!
Burgers: We had to have some protein to go with our pasta. I meant to make chili, so I only defrosted 1 lb, instead of my normal 1 1/2 lbs for burgers. It worked out okay though. Just smaller burgers.
Update:
Ugh, waking up at 7am on a Monday just sucks. I know, most people actually have to wake up before that, but this morning, I just didn't want to wake up. But I did. I'm that good.
After Ryan had his speech therapy, we came back home and he crawled up into my bed and promptly fell asleep. Apparently, he didn't want to wake up either.
I, on the other hand, walked down to the Post Office to chat and get my mail. The weather was absolutely beautiful! I didn't need my jacket, but I did have to watch the ground for the puddles of melted snow. A few spots, mostly in the shade, had mud, which can be annoying. So, I avoided those. After all, it kept me in the warm sun.
Katie came down with a migraine before dinner, so she crawled off to the bed while we ate. That also meant that I was not going to make her do the dishes tonight, even though it was her turn. Which lead to some grumbling from Connor, since he was chosen to take her place (Allen did them last night). However, when I described that if he was sick, I would have Katie do the dishes for him. He agreed and got over his mad (at least, he appeared to get over it... who knows how irritated he still is).
What I cooked today:
Macaroni and Cheese: I found a recipe in Alton Brown's (yea, him, again) for Mac's and Cheese. It has paprika and dry mustard in it, along with the milk and eggs and (of course) cheese... lots and lots of cheese. Patrick didn't really care for the bread crumbs on the top, but he said he liked it. I might even try it again!
Burgers: We had to have some protein to go with our pasta. I meant to make chili, so I only defrosted 1 lb, instead of my normal 1 1/2 lbs for burgers. It worked out okay though. Just smaller burgers.
Update:
Ugh, waking up at 7am on a Monday just sucks. I know, most people actually have to wake up before that, but this morning, I just didn't want to wake up. But I did. I'm that good.
After Ryan had his speech therapy, we came back home and he crawled up into my bed and promptly fell asleep. Apparently, he didn't want to wake up either.
I, on the other hand, walked down to the Post Office to chat and get my mail. The weather was absolutely beautiful! I didn't need my jacket, but I did have to watch the ground for the puddles of melted snow. A few spots, mostly in the shade, had mud, which can be annoying. So, I avoided those. After all, it kept me in the warm sun.
Katie came down with a migraine before dinner, so she crawled off to the bed while we ate. That also meant that I was not going to make her do the dishes tonight, even though it was her turn. Which lead to some grumbling from Connor, since he was chosen to take her place (Allen did them last night). However, when I described that if he was sick, I would have Katie do the dishes for him. He agreed and got over his mad (at least, he appeared to get over it... who knows how irritated he still is).
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
February 22, 2012
Outside Temp: 28 F (crazy weather today... see below)
What I cooked today:
Nothing: not because I didn't want to, but I couldn't... (again, see below).
Update:
Oh my goodness... I finally get it! They say if you don't like the weather in Montana, just wait a few minutes, because it will change. Boy, were they right!
We started the day nice and breezy. Clear skies, even though the weatherman said it would rain and/or snow today. Oh sure, it was pretty!
Around 9am, it got a little cloudy, but not bad. Just that cloudy when the clouds cover the sun and it gets kind of dark, but then the clouds move and it's pretty again.
By 10am or so, it was windy. Not just your nice day wind, but real wind... like knock you over wind. But still pretty and clear.
By noon it was warm. The sun was blazing down and it was clear as a bell.
By 2pm, it started to rain. Not enough to clean my car (which really, really needs it), but enough that I used the wipers 2-3 times on the drive into the school.
By 3pm, it was a mixture of sleet and hail and rain and snow. I couldn't really tell which one, since it kept changing.
By 4pm, as we drove home from school, it was snowing.
Around 4:15pm, the power went out. Not sure if this would be a quick thing or a long thing, we sent the kids out to play in the snow. But after a full day of school, no one really wanted to play. Lazy bums.
At 4:30pm, we decided the power wasn't coming on anytime soon, so proceeded to play Clue around the kitchen table with candles.
At 5:45pm, we left for church (Ash Wednesday) and the power was still out.(of course, the garage door wouldn't open, but we were lucky in that it wasn't that heavy to lift). About half way to Belt, we finally saw lights on in houses again. We tried calling our house (to see if the answering machine answered), it didn't.
Fortunately, the power was on at the church in Belt, so we were able to have the Ash Wednesday service. Of course, afterwards, the power was still out at our place, which limits your choices for dinner. Fortunately, Aunt Marilyn (who is totally awesome) invited us to her place for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Around 8:30pm, we finally got our answering machine, so we headed home.
The drive home was slushy half way, and then snowy the other half. We probably got a few inches of snow in the 3 hours since we left. The house wasn't too cold (I guess we were lucky again in that it was only in the 30's and 20's today, not the -10's!) and the pellet stove and space heaters came right on as soon as the power did.
I'm so grateful that the power company was able to restore the power so quickly! I was a little afraid of how cold the place might be, especially without my awesome electric mattress pad. But I knew that worse case, we could always invade the Grandparent's house! Now, we don't have to worry!
What I cooked today:
Nothing: not because I didn't want to, but I couldn't... (again, see below).
Update:
Oh my goodness... I finally get it! They say if you don't like the weather in Montana, just wait a few minutes, because it will change. Boy, were they right!
We started the day nice and breezy. Clear skies, even though the weatherman said it would rain and/or snow today. Oh sure, it was pretty!
Around 9am, it got a little cloudy, but not bad. Just that cloudy when the clouds cover the sun and it gets kind of dark, but then the clouds move and it's pretty again.
By 10am or so, it was windy. Not just your nice day wind, but real wind... like knock you over wind. But still pretty and clear.
By noon it was warm. The sun was blazing down and it was clear as a bell.
By 2pm, it started to rain. Not enough to clean my car (which really, really needs it), but enough that I used the wipers 2-3 times on the drive into the school.
By 3pm, it was a mixture of sleet and hail and rain and snow. I couldn't really tell which one, since it kept changing.
By 4pm, as we drove home from school, it was snowing.
Around 4:15pm, the power went out. Not sure if this would be a quick thing or a long thing, we sent the kids out to play in the snow. But after a full day of school, no one really wanted to play. Lazy bums.
At 4:30pm, we decided the power wasn't coming on anytime soon, so proceeded to play Clue around the kitchen table with candles.
At 5:45pm, we left for church (Ash Wednesday) and the power was still out.(of course, the garage door wouldn't open, but we were lucky in that it wasn't that heavy to lift). About half way to Belt, we finally saw lights on in houses again. We tried calling our house (to see if the answering machine answered), it didn't.
Fortunately, the power was on at the church in Belt, so we were able to have the Ash Wednesday service. Of course, afterwards, the power was still out at our place, which limits your choices for dinner. Fortunately, Aunt Marilyn (who is totally awesome) invited us to her place for Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Around 8:30pm, we finally got our answering machine, so we headed home.
The drive home was slushy half way, and then snowy the other half. We probably got a few inches of snow in the 3 hours since we left. The house wasn't too cold (I guess we were lucky again in that it was only in the 30's and 20's today, not the -10's!) and the pellet stove and space heaters came right on as soon as the power did.
I'm so grateful that the power company was able to restore the power so quickly! I was a little afraid of how cold the place might be, especially without my awesome electric mattress pad. But I knew that worse case, we could always invade the Grandparent's house! Now, we don't have to worry!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
February 5, 2012
Outside Temp: 22 F (again, it's been in the high 40's - low 50's all day)
What I cooked today:
Pizza: I used the personal pizzas from Little Caesars Fundraising kit tonight. They were fun, because everyone got to have exactly what they wanted on their own little pizza.
Update:
Patrick and I went into town today, while 3 of the 4 kids hung out with Grandma (Allen got to go skiing with Grandpa today). The Realtor from Great Falls showed the house today, so we had to be gone anyway. It's actually kind of nice to have to clean the house, since I end up with a clean house out of the deal. I know it's kind of a pain, but I really hope that the owner can sell the place. That may sound a little strange, since if he sells the place, we'd have to move, but since we're planning on moving anyway, I'm just grateful he let us rent it in the first place!
The only downside is that we'll have to actually move again. Which means I need to start thinking about boxing things up. And, of course, the ugly part of moving the furniture. I'm soooo not looking forward to that. We have a piano... 'nuff said.
In town today, it was in the high 40's (ish). We saw many people out and about in t-shirts and saw one guy in shorts. I had to laugh, since I'm sure 50 degrees up here is summer weather. He even had flip-flops on! Patrick and I both thought we were too warm with our sweaters on, over a t-shirt, with jeans. In February!!
The weather is a little bit different from what I expected. I really thought that it would be freezing every day from November until May. But here we are, in February, with only a few days of snow and a few days below 0. I'm sure winter will be here soon enough, so I'm trying not to be worried. Out here, the farmers need a certain amount of moisture for their crops. I only pray that we'll have a wet spring!
What I cooked today:
Pizza: I used the personal pizzas from Little Caesars Fundraising kit tonight. They were fun, because everyone got to have exactly what they wanted on their own little pizza.
Update:
Patrick and I went into town today, while 3 of the 4 kids hung out with Grandma (Allen got to go skiing with Grandpa today). The Realtor from Great Falls showed the house today, so we had to be gone anyway. It's actually kind of nice to have to clean the house, since I end up with a clean house out of the deal. I know it's kind of a pain, but I really hope that the owner can sell the place. That may sound a little strange, since if he sells the place, we'd have to move, but since we're planning on moving anyway, I'm just grateful he let us rent it in the first place!
The only downside is that we'll have to actually move again. Which means I need to start thinking about boxing things up. And, of course, the ugly part of moving the furniture. I'm soooo not looking forward to that. We have a piano... 'nuff said.
In town today, it was in the high 40's (ish). We saw many people out and about in t-shirts and saw one guy in shorts. I had to laugh, since I'm sure 50 degrees up here is summer weather. He even had flip-flops on! Patrick and I both thought we were too warm with our sweaters on, over a t-shirt, with jeans. In February!!
The weather is a little bit different from what I expected. I really thought that it would be freezing every day from November until May. But here we are, in February, with only a few days of snow and a few days below 0. I'm sure winter will be here soon enough, so I'm trying not to be worried. Out here, the farmers need a certain amount of moisture for their crops. I only pray that we'll have a wet spring!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
January 25, 2012
Outside Temp: 33 F (it's been warm all day, but very, very windy... see below)
What I cooked today:
Pita Bread and Tzatziki sauce: I wanted to try the pita bread again. Last time, they turned out okay, but not great. They didn't puff up as much as I thought they would. So, I thought maybe I rolled them out too thin. This time, I rolled them out too thick. And I (silly me) thought that parchment paper would be enough to keep them from sticking while they rose. Next time, I'm going to grease them before letting them rise. They stuck to the parchment paper, which made them lose any rise they had. Still, they were pretty good and Patrick and I ate them all.
Beef Stew: Allen has been asking for stew for a few days, so I grabbed a packet of beef out of the freezer last night. Before I took Ryan to school, I browned the meat and tossed it in the crock pot with some potatoes, onions and carrots (I meant to put in celery, but I forgot). A few spices and some water, and I just let it do it's thing. Connor loves the potatoes, Allen loves the beef, Katie tolerates it.
Biscuits: The best side dish to my beef stew... I made 12, which was just enough. I think Katie puts too much honey on hers, but they made up for the stew that she didn't eat.
Update:
It's windy. Okay, that doesn't do it justice. It's really windy. Nope, still not enough. It's like a hurricane out there! That's a little closer.
Overnight, both Katie and Allen woke up, asking if the house was going to blow away.
So, this morning, I'm snoozing in my nice warm bed (did I ever mention how awesome my electric mattress pad is?) and I guess something woke me up. Perhaps it was the bus driver honking the horn, wondering why we were not rushing out of the house. Perhaps it was simply my brain's way of letting me know there was something wrong. I cracked open my eyes, and looked over at the clock. I realized there was a problem when I noticed that it was light in the room. It's usually still dark here at 7am, when my alarm goes off. So, why am I in bed when it's light outside? Then I see the clock. 1:43am. Flashing. No, that's not right. Hmmm... Oh crap. Power went out.
I jumped out of bed and grabbed my phone. Amazingly, it had the correct time on it. 7:41am. Crap. Missed the bus. I rushed around the house, waking up kids and getting them ready. Katie didn't really understand that we were only a few minutes late, and she thought we had missed school entirely. Not that lucky, girl.
Exactly 9 minutes later, we were in the car, headed to school. We got there around 8:05, which isn't too bad, considering school starts at 8.
The best part of the story, is that my alarm clock has a battery backup. I just never bothered to put a battery in! So, I got home from school, I immediately grabbed a 9-volt battery and put it in my alarm clock.
The power continued to flash off and on for the next 4-5 hours. Not really a problem, since Patrick and I both have laptops, which will just go over to battery power. The dryer would shut off, but I just restarted it. But when you're on the phone, the phone is cordless and obviously plugs in to an outlet. I had to call the same person back 3 times during one phone call, since the power kept flashing off.
I talked to Patrick's parents later in the morning. They have a 'weather station' that gives all sorts of useful information. Apparently, we had sustained wind around 50 MPH with gusts around 75 MPH. Hmmm, I vaguely remember that a Category 1 hurricane is around 65 MPH?
Well, it was a little windy.
What I cooked today:
Pita Bread and Tzatziki sauce: I wanted to try the pita bread again. Last time, they turned out okay, but not great. They didn't puff up as much as I thought they would. So, I thought maybe I rolled them out too thin. This time, I rolled them out too thick. And I (silly me) thought that parchment paper would be enough to keep them from sticking while they rose. Next time, I'm going to grease them before letting them rise. They stuck to the parchment paper, which made them lose any rise they had. Still, they were pretty good and Patrick and I ate them all.
Beef Stew: Allen has been asking for stew for a few days, so I grabbed a packet of beef out of the freezer last night. Before I took Ryan to school, I browned the meat and tossed it in the crock pot with some potatoes, onions and carrots (I meant to put in celery, but I forgot). A few spices and some water, and I just let it do it's thing. Connor loves the potatoes, Allen loves the beef, Katie tolerates it.
Biscuits: The best side dish to my beef stew... I made 12, which was just enough. I think Katie puts too much honey on hers, but they made up for the stew that she didn't eat.
Update:
It's windy. Okay, that doesn't do it justice. It's really windy. Nope, still not enough. It's like a hurricane out there! That's a little closer.
Overnight, both Katie and Allen woke up, asking if the house was going to blow away.
So, this morning, I'm snoozing in my nice warm bed (did I ever mention how awesome my electric mattress pad is?) and I guess something woke me up. Perhaps it was the bus driver honking the horn, wondering why we were not rushing out of the house. Perhaps it was simply my brain's way of letting me know there was something wrong. I cracked open my eyes, and looked over at the clock. I realized there was a problem when I noticed that it was light in the room. It's usually still dark here at 7am, when my alarm goes off. So, why am I in bed when it's light outside? Then I see the clock. 1:43am. Flashing. No, that's not right. Hmmm... Oh crap. Power went out.
I jumped out of bed and grabbed my phone. Amazingly, it had the correct time on it. 7:41am. Crap. Missed the bus. I rushed around the house, waking up kids and getting them ready. Katie didn't really understand that we were only a few minutes late, and she thought we had missed school entirely. Not that lucky, girl.
Exactly 9 minutes later, we were in the car, headed to school. We got there around 8:05, which isn't too bad, considering school starts at 8.
The best part of the story, is that my alarm clock has a battery backup. I just never bothered to put a battery in! So, I got home from school, I immediately grabbed a 9-volt battery and put it in my alarm clock.
The power continued to flash off and on for the next 4-5 hours. Not really a problem, since Patrick and I both have laptops, which will just go over to battery power. The dryer would shut off, but I just restarted it. But when you're on the phone, the phone is cordless and obviously plugs in to an outlet. I had to call the same person back 3 times during one phone call, since the power kept flashing off.
I talked to Patrick's parents later in the morning. They have a 'weather station' that gives all sorts of useful information. Apparently, we had sustained wind around 50 MPH with gusts around 75 MPH. Hmmm, I vaguely remember that a Category 1 hurricane is around 65 MPH?
Well, it was a little windy.
Friday, January 20, 2012
January 20, 2012
Outside Temp: 39 F (Are you kidding me?? Where did winter go? I guess this is one of those 'chinooks'.)
What I cooked today:
Pancakes AND Cream of Wheat: I offered pancakes, and my daughter looked at me, with those pleading eyes, and said 'Can we have Cream of Wheat?'. I was stunned. Who picks Cream of Wheat over Pancakes? Apparently, my daughter does. And since I can't deny her with those pretty eyes, I made both. Of course, when the first batch of pancakes came off the griddle, she was right there, grabbing one. Spoiled kids.
Pasta: Too lazy after a day of shopping to make dinner, we had pasta. Just pasta, with butter and Parmesan cheese. No sauce. No vegetables. No side dish. No protein. Just pasta. Really starchy day.
Pita Bread: We went out to a Greek place for lunch in town, and I'd forgotten how much I love Greek food. So, I picked up some yogurt and some cucumbers in town today, and when we got home, I found a simple recipe for pita bread. I love it. I'm too lazy to make a proper dinner for my kids, but I have enough energy to make bread. Makes no sense, I know.
Update:
The kids don't have school on Fridays, so today became our day in town.
Allen and Patrick both were having problems with their ski boots, so we brought them into the ski place to have the boots looked at. Apparently, the boots become harder and harder to put on as they get colder. That is why they have boot warmers in the ski lodge (who knew???). The guy at the shop told us to make sure that the boots were warm (like sitting next to the heater in the car on the drive up to the mountain) before trying to put them on. We'll probably go up on Sunday, so we'll see if his advice works.
Patrick's boots were a little more complicated. He bought these boots about 5 years ago and he has always had problems with him. Wide feet. So, the guy spent about 2 hours with him, adjusting, bending, splinting and other modifications to a pair of boots that were 5 years old. Patrick said they were more comfortable than they have ever been. He might even go up on the mountain on Sunday!
We got to go out to a local Greek place, where we spent about 30 minutes chatting with the owner. She explained how they made their lemon chicken orzo soup and where they get their gyro meat. She has a place out by our house, a little closer to the mountains, and we told her to give us a call if she wanted a local weather report. I love it out here! We meet the nicest people!
We then stopped for some thermals for Connor and Ryan (since they didn't end up with any... how did I miss that one?) and a few extra sweaters and long sleeved shirts.
The weather had been around 5-7 degrees in Great Falls all day. It was still around 8 or so, when we headed back home. About 10 minutes outside of Great Falls, I happen to glance up at the temperature gauge and it suddenly went from single digits to 35. In an instant. Okay, maybe like 2 miles, but it was so fast we didn't even register the 10's or the 20's. When we got home, it was 37. Oh my goodness! It's like summer out here! We immediately turned off all of our space heaters and we just have the pellet stove going. It's a nice 65 F in our house right now, and I'm typing without gloves. Hmmmm, not sure how I feel about the sudden change, but it's definitely interesting.
What I cooked today:
Pancakes AND Cream of Wheat: I offered pancakes, and my daughter looked at me, with those pleading eyes, and said 'Can we have Cream of Wheat?'. I was stunned. Who picks Cream of Wheat over Pancakes? Apparently, my daughter does. And since I can't deny her with those pretty eyes, I made both. Of course, when the first batch of pancakes came off the griddle, she was right there, grabbing one. Spoiled kids.
Pasta: Too lazy after a day of shopping to make dinner, we had pasta. Just pasta, with butter and Parmesan cheese. No sauce. No vegetables. No side dish. No protein. Just pasta. Really starchy day.
Pita Bread: We went out to a Greek place for lunch in town, and I'd forgotten how much I love Greek food. So, I picked up some yogurt and some cucumbers in town today, and when we got home, I found a simple recipe for pita bread. I love it. I'm too lazy to make a proper dinner for my kids, but I have enough energy to make bread. Makes no sense, I know.
Update:
The kids don't have school on Fridays, so today became our day in town.
Allen and Patrick both were having problems with their ski boots, so we brought them into the ski place to have the boots looked at. Apparently, the boots become harder and harder to put on as they get colder. That is why they have boot warmers in the ski lodge (who knew???). The guy at the shop told us to make sure that the boots were warm (like sitting next to the heater in the car on the drive up to the mountain) before trying to put them on. We'll probably go up on Sunday, so we'll see if his advice works.
Patrick's boots were a little more complicated. He bought these boots about 5 years ago and he has always had problems with him. Wide feet. So, the guy spent about 2 hours with him, adjusting, bending, splinting and other modifications to a pair of boots that were 5 years old. Patrick said they were more comfortable than they have ever been. He might even go up on the mountain on Sunday!
We got to go out to a local Greek place, where we spent about 30 minutes chatting with the owner. She explained how they made their lemon chicken orzo soup and where they get their gyro meat. She has a place out by our house, a little closer to the mountains, and we told her to give us a call if she wanted a local weather report. I love it out here! We meet the nicest people!
We then stopped for some thermals for Connor and Ryan (since they didn't end up with any... how did I miss that one?) and a few extra sweaters and long sleeved shirts.
The weather had been around 5-7 degrees in Great Falls all day. It was still around 8 or so, when we headed back home. About 10 minutes outside of Great Falls, I happen to glance up at the temperature gauge and it suddenly went from single digits to 35. In an instant. Okay, maybe like 2 miles, but it was so fast we didn't even register the 10's or the 20's. When we got home, it was 37. Oh my goodness! It's like summer out here! We immediately turned off all of our space heaters and we just have the pellet stove going. It's a nice 65 F in our house right now, and I'm typing without gloves. Hmmmm, not sure how I feel about the sudden change, but it's definitely interesting.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
November 10, 2011
Outside Temp: 49 F ( a snow storm is 'scheduled' for this weekend, so this is the calm before the storm. We turned off the heater for tonight... it's too warm.)
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Bread: The boys really love this bread, so I thought I'd bake some up today. Patrick and I already devoured 1/2 of the bundt cake, which left the other half for Allen to inhale after practice. I'm not sure why we all like it so much (maybe it's the 4 cups of sugar...)
Steak and Mashed Potatoes: I thought I'd try steaks again tonight since: a) I have them in the freezer and they have to get eaten sometime. and b) I can't quit just because I screwed up royally last time.
The steaks turned out great! I counted the minutes and kept checking my oven temperature gauge to make sure it stayed at 450-500. The last steak was a little more rare than I usually like, so I just tossed it back in for an extra minute or two. Connor was so excited about being able to mix his 'blood' with his mashed potatoes!
Update:
So, I was warned today that I need to be careful about my blog because 3 things might happen:
1. My friends and family wouldn't have to talk to me anymore, because everything new in my life they already would know from reading the blog, so I wouldn't have anything new to say. I figure, I'm 'communicating' more with my friends and family than I ever did when we all lived next to each other. And this way, I don't have to pay for expensive long distance phone calls.
2. No one would talk to me anymore, since I would spill all their secrets on my blog. I figure that my life is an open book, and I really don't have anything juicy or exciting to tell anyway. Now, when I find out about something REALLY secret that I shouldn't share, I'll be sure to put it in bold.
3. I'm making Montana sound so good, that people would want to come here and invade our state. This one really made me laugh, since I'm sure that most of the people who are reading the blog will take note of the daily temperature and stay put. Some of the people who are reading would notice that the nearest restaurant is 30 minutes away and I have to drive 45 minutes just to go to a grocery store. And a few of the people, who are not afraid of the cold, and the distance, would not consider moving here because there really aren't that many jobs here. Most people need to actually work to support themselves, and jobs are usually required for that to occur.
That all being said, if you are not afraid of the cold, and the distance, and if you have a job you can do from home, and you're a nice person who can get along with other people, feel free to come on up. Just be sure to stay at least a few miles away... We wouldn't want to get crowded.
 The view out my front door this evening.. The clouds were so pretty, a picture really doesn't do it justice. |  Ryan was taking pictures today, and made daddy take this one of the two of us. I thought it turned out nice, so I thought I'd include it here. |
What I cooked today:
Pumpkin Bread: The boys really love this bread, so I thought I'd bake some up today. Patrick and I already devoured 1/2 of the bundt cake, which left the other half for Allen to inhale after practice. I'm not sure why we all like it so much (maybe it's the 4 cups of sugar...)
Steak and Mashed Potatoes: I thought I'd try steaks again tonight since: a) I have them in the freezer and they have to get eaten sometime. and b) I can't quit just because I screwed up royally last time.
The steaks turned out great! I counted the minutes and kept checking my oven temperature gauge to make sure it stayed at 450-500. The last steak was a little more rare than I usually like, so I just tossed it back in for an extra minute or two. Connor was so excited about being able to mix his 'blood' with his mashed potatoes!
Update:
So, I was warned today that I need to be careful about my blog because 3 things might happen:
1. My friends and family wouldn't have to talk to me anymore, because everything new in my life they already would know from reading the blog, so I wouldn't have anything new to say. I figure, I'm 'communicating' more with my friends and family than I ever did when we all lived next to each other. And this way, I don't have to pay for expensive long distance phone calls.
2. No one would talk to me anymore, since I would spill all their secrets on my blog. I figure that my life is an open book, and I really don't have anything juicy or exciting to tell anyway. Now, when I find out about something REALLY secret that I shouldn't share, I'll be sure to put it in bold.
3. I'm making Montana sound so good, that people would want to come here and invade our state. This one really made me laugh, since I'm sure that most of the people who are reading the blog will take note of the daily temperature and stay put. Some of the people who are reading would notice that the nearest restaurant is 30 minutes away and I have to drive 45 minutes just to go to a grocery store. And a few of the people, who are not afraid of the cold, and the distance, would not consider moving here because there really aren't that many jobs here. Most people need to actually work to support themselves, and jobs are usually required for that to occur.
That all being said, if you are not afraid of the cold, and the distance, and if you have a job you can do from home, and you're a nice person who can get along with other people, feel free to come on up. Just be sure to stay at least a few miles away... We wouldn't want to get crowded.
The wind was blowing extra hard today, so even though it was warm, we couldn't really play outside after school. Of course, that didn't stop Ryan from wanting to play outside. I just loved the ghosts riding the swing set! The video I really wanted to get was us walking from the play area to the car... we could barely stand upright!
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