Pajama Day

Hip Hip Hooray!!!!
It's Pajama Day!!!!
(in the south it is pronounced "Pa JAW ma" Day) Which I must admit is sounding more and more natural than "Pa JAM a Day." What's happening to me and my good old Western roots?

anyway...Hip Hip Hooray!

Lauren put her backpack on 30 minutes before it was time to leave for school this morning. She made sure she didn’t forget it today.

After we dropped her off at school Tyler and I came home to prepare for my Mom's Club monthly meeing. While I prepared, Tyler turned off all the lights in the house. Even those lights which required him to drag out the pantry stool.

When I asked him "what the heck?!* (*no I didn't say heck since we seem to be having a problem with Lauren saying that word. Let's try that again....) When I asked him "What are you doing on the counter?"

He quickly flopped onto the floor in absolute guilt. Although I'm not sure what he did wrong; by the looks of things it was definitely something serious.

After shedding some fake tears it was finally time for us to head out for the Mom's Club Monthly Meeting.

At the meeting Tyler clung to me for the first hour and a half but he finally warmed up during the last 20 minutes before we had to leave to pick up Lauren from school. Once he warmed up, however, he was roaring to go. Him and Matthew (birthday boy from yesterday) were laughing and chasing each other all over the room. There were about four 2-to-3 year-olds all racing around each other. I hated to break up all the fun but we had to pick up Lauren.

For dinner tonight I made "Five Spice Vegetable Noodles & Miso Soup." Here are some of the vegetables from tonight's dinner.

I didn't think this dinner was blog worthy and neither did Matt. I suggested that this cookbook didn't seem that spectacular but Matt made the suggestion (had the nerve to suggest) that I just "didn't know how to make the Asian recipes correctly." Them's fightin' words.

Regardless of what we thought about the meal we both ate a full serving and also the kids' leftovers. After dinner it was smoothy time. Low-fat, low-sugar Strawberry yogurt, fat-free milk and quartered fresh strawberies all blended together into supreme Yummy-Ness. And in good old 'smoothy making anticipation,' the kids covered their ears before the blender ever went off.

Tyler Toilet Training Update: #1

(same as #0)

He refuses to sit/stand/do backflips on the pot. We have overly exaggerated the excitement of a "potty party" but currently, they consist of me dragging a diaperless and crying Tyler to the potty chair; forcing him down onto it and then releasing my hands so he can immediately stand back up. At this point we clap and dance and shout that we had a successful "potty party." Tyler gives hi-Fives all around and I kneel down and pray that he learns to go tinkle in the potty so he can go to pre-school by August.

Thai Red Chicken Curry with white rice

So most of the recipes this week have looked a lot like this. Lots of veggies, minimal chicken and some various asian spices. This one was okay....

Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Fried Rice

but nothing knocked our socks off until tonight's dinner.
I made Thai Red Chicken Curry and served it over white rice. It was spicy, creamy and the chicken and potatoes were perfectly tender. I wish it wasn’t so filling so I could go have another serving.

Thai Red Chicken Curry
My changes are in red italics
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 T. peanut oil
1 2/3c. cocunut milk I used 13.5 oz can which came out about exact
2 T. red curry paste
2 T. Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 T. light brown sugar
8oz tiny new potatoes
1 lb skinless chicken breast portions, cut into chunks I used 2 chicken breasts
1 T. fresh lime juice I used 1/2 T. from concentrate
2 T. fresh mint, finely chopped I used 1 t. dried mint
1 T. fresh basil I used 1 T. basil herb blend I had in the fridge (the gel that comes in a tube.)
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded omitted
1-2 fresh red chilies, seeded and finely shredded I used 1 jalapeno chopped and added some only to my dish
salt and ground black pepper
lime wedge to garnish and then give to Lauren to eat

Directions:
1. Cut the onion into wedges.
2. Heat a wok until hot, add the oil and swirl it around. Add the onion and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Pour in the coconut milk, then bring to a boil, stirring. Stir in the curry paste, fish sauce and sugar.
4. Add the potatoes and seasoning I just used some salt and pepper and simmer gently, covered, for about 20 minutes.
5. Add the chicken chunks and cook, covered, over low heat for another 5-10 min.
Stir in the lime juice, chopped mint and basil. Serve at once, sprinkled with the shredded kaffir lime leaves and red chilies.

Source: The Asian Kitchen by Lillian Wu

Check out this cookbook. It gives detailed pictures of all the ingredients as well as a picture for each step and then a whole page picture of the completed dish. This is my type of cookbook!

happy hump day

Lauren had a rough start today. She was fighting with and yelling at Tyler and using a "bad attitude" tone so as we were loading up in the car I was all about the threats and taking away the evening's snack...instead of remembering to grab her school backpack. In the car and almost to her school I realized I forgot her backpack. When I told her this she started crying and wanted to go back home to pick it up. (in her backpack is a folder for her to bring home her homework and also a cup for snack time) She tried to calm down but her lip was still trembling when the teachers came to get the kids. As soon as the car door was opened she just fell apart crying that she didn't want to go to school.

It seems she calmed down and had a good day because she was all grins and excitement when I picked her up after school. She said she even got to use a Mickey Mouse cup instead of the dreaded white cup normally reserved for those who forget their drink cups. ??

While Lauren was at school Tyler and I headed out to Chuck E. Cheese for a friend's birthday party. Miss Carey threw a fun 3rd birthday party for playgroup friend Matthew with lots of game tokens, pizza, drinks and Elmo cupcakes. (we had to leave before the Elmo cupcakes to pick Lauren up from school but we thoroughly enjoyed everything else.

First up the Train Set. Surprise, Surprise but he really liked this one.

releasing some aggresion with the sledge-hammer

driving

and here's a sweet picture taken in a photo booth for just one token

a cartoon Chuck E. Cheese drew our picture

(if you look closely at that picture I'm almost choking Tyler trying to get him to hold still and look at the camera. he was ready to get out of the booth by then.)


This evening we iced up our sugar cookies we made yesterday.

sprinkles too

The kids each got one cookie but this was not considered a snack. Remember, Lauren lost her snack priviledge this morning...and Tyler doesn't really care if this cookie is called a snack or not...a cookie is a cookie.

after the sugar set in the kids did some playing with Thomas. Lauren really got into it.

Dinner tonight was fabulous. This was the first recipe from this week (Asian inspired meals) that was good enough for me to take the time to actually type out the recipe. I will do that in a following post.

In the meantime....

Enjoy this picture from a couple of days ago. Lauren and Tyler made orange & banana smoothies. Lauren didn't like the noise from the blender so she covered her ears. Tyler didn't mind the noise from the blender but always likes to do what Lauren does so he covered his ears too.

sugar cookies

This evening we made sugar cookies. I had Matt occupy Tyler so Lauren and I could measure and mix all the ingredients. While the dough was hardening in the fridge we gave the kids their baths and then it was time to make up the cookies.

While the kids were bathing I put all the cookie cutters out on their little table and then rolled out the dough. When it was time I had each child grab one cookie cutter and come cut out a shape. Tyler cut the first shape and while he put the cutter back and grabbed another one Lauren came and cut out her shape. This back and forth worked tremendously well. I just may make these again.

Tomorrow we'll ice them and decorate them with spinkles and chocolate chips. (maybe I'll even take a picture.)

sorry it's not much of a post tonight, but I need to watch the Bachelor which I tivo'd last night. I hear they go on the set of GENERAL HOSPITAL. The only thing better than a pairing of the Bachelor and General Hospital would be a mix of Dr. Laura and General Hospital. But then again Dr. Laura Would Not Approve of anything the characters of GH do. Oh well. I still love my fantasy land and friends.

25 Random Things About Me

since my friend Claudine was brave enough to post a Facebook meme on her blog I thought I would step it up too. There just may be some things you don't know about me.

25 random things about me

1. My Mom wanted to name me Christina but my Dad said that sounded too much like a girl’s name.
2. My husband is my best friend.
3. I listen to Dr. Laura everyday (M-F) and agree with a lot of what she says.
4. I watch General Hospital everday (M-F) and have been for about 10 years or so. (Team JaSam!)
5. My daughter weighed 6 lb 1oz when she was born and my son weighed 9 lbs 12 oz. wow!
6. My daughter was born at 36 weeks and spent her first 12 days in the NICU (at Sacred Heart in Eugene.)
7. I love to cook every night and I rarely repeat a recipe.
8. I’m terrified of the horribly disgusting NUTRIA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coypu
If I see one and you are next to me I will jump into your arms.
9. I have read the entire Twilight series and have seen the movie twice (once at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.) http://www.foxtheatre.org/
10. I can say turd in Spanish and Japanese.
11. I didn’t learn to drive a stick-shift until I bought a manual transmission Acura Integra. My boyfriend (now husband) had to drive it off the lot for me.
12. My DH and I were scammed by the policia in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil.) I got to go for a ride in a cop car while Matt withdrew some bribe money from an ATM in a Blockbuster video store.
13. This really isn’t a random about me but about my then boyfriend/now husband. He had some money burning a hole in his pocket and bought a 1969 Cadillac from the want-ads, rented a sawsall, and chopped the top off of it. He bought some long horns off the internet and attached them to the front of his new Cadillac convertible. We entered it into the Function for Junction: Classic Car Cruise-in in Junction City. (I’m sure we gave some die-hard car-collectors a coronary.)
14. I went to high-school with the 2000 Playboy Playmate of the Year. (yes, we were the best of friends. …she was actually jealous of me…yes…it’s true…well no/maybe.)
15. In college I lived down the street from where Steve Prefontaine died in a car accident. They filmed a movie about him while I was living there. I tried to catch a glimpse of Jared Leto but never did.
16. My favorite pizza is Canadian Bacon and Pineapple with jalapenos.
17. My favorite dessert is a good Tiramisu. (it has to be good though)
18. When I was 4, I painted a good part of my parents’ brand new 1980 Volvo Station wagon a light blue with some paint I found in the garage. I believe my parents’ discovery of what I did is my earliest memory.
19. I was voted Class Clown by my high-school senior class. (I always thought it should’ve been best legs though.)
20. I’ve lived in a very liberal part of the US and a very conservative part. I think this has given me a healthy and balanced view on life.
21. I’ve ridden on the back of a 1995 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide from Eugene, OR to Boise, ID and from Eugene to Sacramento, CA. TWICE EACH.
22. When I was in elementary school my husband was in high-school. (doesn’t that sound kind of wrong?)
23. I’m the only one in the South who knows how to pronounce Ponce de Leon. (and No! it is not Pawnz duh LEE-on.)
24. I occasionally faint when I see a Doctor or anything that makes me think of Drs. (notches in my belt: dentist, eye-doctor, ultra-sound technician, phlebotomist and counting.)
25. I’ve sang karaoke with one of Matt’s college chemical engineering professors. Omg.

Feel free to comment with your Random 25.

Weekly Menu

This week is Asian week. Taken from my cookbook, "The Asian Kitchen" by Lilian Wu. (I can't find most of these recipes published online.) As far as I can tell...none are. I'm going to just post my recipes and as I make them....if they are beyond words (super fantabulous)....I'll write them out with any changes.

Monday: Spicy Chicken Stir-fry and Egg Fried Rice.
Tuesday: Stir-fried Vegetables with Cilantro Omelet
Wednesday: Thai Red Chicken Curry with White Rice
Thursday: Five-spice Vegetable Noodles & Miso soup
Friday: Spicy Fish Fritters & oven baked french fries
Saturday: Beef Noodle Soup and Baby Ginger Rosti
Sunday: left-overs

See Y'all Soon.

mostly food, but a little attitude too

Mr. and Miss Attitude took over the house this week...

not here though...here they are looking quite sweet and angelic:

Tyler climbed up into his dump truck and requested I take a picture of him.
and Lauren requested a picture of her loading up her self-made garbage. (scissors & scrap paper = big mess on my floor)

It was right after this that the ugly-ness started. Lauren adopted an unacceptable bad attitude and was told to sit on the naughty chair. On the way to the naughty chair she screamed at the top of her lungs (releasing negative "naughty" energy right?) and then when she sat her little self down on the naughty chair she shouted, "Mommy just wants me to poke her in the nose."

(what?! oh no you didn't..just try it little girl....)

Tyler's bad attitude didn't start until a bit later so we'll be sure to touch up on that in due time.

In the mean time let's talk about Food. (this is a wannabe foodie blog ya'know)

Tuesday, I made a Greek Low-Fat Vegetable Soup to go along with my Greek inspired menu. This was very low-cal and quite tasty but it just wasn't filling enough. I ate 2 freezer biscuits before I felt satisfied. This would be a great lunch however.

Wednesday, was Chicken with Yogurt Sauce and Peasant Risotto (the risotto was from my newest Italian Coobook.) The cookbook was a Christmas gift from my Mom's Club "Secret Mom." Every month we exchange a small gift with our "secret Mom." Let me tell you...my "secret Mom" gives much better gifts than I give to my own "secret Mom." I here do apologize.

The chicken was light but had just enough flavor. It was tender and not over-whelming with seasonings. The risotto, however, was absolutely DELISH. Creamy, yummy, hammy and all good things as such. (it's a bad picture but I'm still learning how to use my new camera)

And now for tonight's dinner, which was the best of all.

Mushroom, Potato, and Smoked Gouda Chowder

Yumm, Yumm, Yumm.

If you are ever struggling to come up with dinner ideas...I strongly suggest you check out MaryEllen's Cooking Creations.

Lauren, Matt and I licked our bowls clean. Tyler not so much. He was told to eat just one bite (simply one bite) of soup and then he could have a snack later on. He opted not to eat the bite.

Of course when it was snack time he said "I just want to eat a bite of soup now." Unfortunately for him, we had to tell him that he had his chance but he made his choice back then. So then the "bad attitude" took over him. When I told Tyler that he couldn't have a snack...he had the nerve to say that, "Mommy needs to go sit on the naughty chair."

hmmm.

I think I'm humbled enough to now ask for some parenting suggestions. What do I do with the bad attitudes?

Anyone?