Wordless Wednesday--Why I'm Glad April Is Over

I miss being a housewife.....

I don't have much to say today....no really. So I'm going to whine a bit (shocking). I walked the kids to school today instead of having to drop them off at day care and I got to walk home with one of the neighborhood mommies and chat and catch up. It's such a simple thing, but it's a culmination of those simple things that I miss. I love nursing school, I'm going to enjoy going back to work, there's just an element of my past life that I am also going to miss. Change is hard and no matter how enjoyable you'll find the next phase of your life there are always parts of your past life that will be sacrificed and missed. It's really hard to have it all.

So back to my conversation with one of the neighborhood mommies. She is wonderfully eloquent, is able to raise 5 children beautifully and is one of the nicest women around (she's Dodi's neighbor, and so all of the other neighborhood mommies will certainly vouch for what I have just said)....but here is her only flaw...SHE HAS NO BLOG! She reads all of ours...she's even peeked at our virtual neighbor in Australia, Danielle and enjoys her blog. I pointed out that former neighbor has even started a witty blog, which she has also read a time or too....This neighbor feels she has nothing to say that would interest us...but I have yet to have a conversation with her that was uninteresting. So Mrs. Kravitz (look you can even use that for your blog name), come join us! And while I'm in the mood for telling people what to do (unasked, by the way...but I'm so good at it...why don't people ask for my opinion more often?)...Danielle, we all think you are lovely and want you to leave your red neck neighbor and come move into our neighborhood...the house next to Dodi (and also close to Mrs. Kravitz and across the street from Colleeno, across the park from Martha and just up the hill from me) is still on the market!

And now for a housewifey thing to do, I'm going to share another recipe...don't worry, no hidden veggies. It's one of those ones that are great to give to people when they have babies, or someone dies, someone moves, or when someone is down, it's simple and freezable and it's in a crock pot so your house smells great, warm and homey.

French Dip
2 lbs beef top round roast, trimmed
1 can of beef broth and enough water to equal 3 cups
1 cup of Yoshidos Gourmet Dipping Sauce (you can also use tereyaki sauce, but I prefer the Yoshidos)
1 sliced sweet yellow onion
1 tbs rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs garlic powder
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Hoagie rolls

Place ingredients (except rolls --duh) in slow cooker/crock pot (or double bag in freezable Ziploc bags and freeze, or take to someone to put in their own crock pot).
Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on high, 8 hours on low
Remove meat from broth, thinly slice (keep warm)
Pour broth in small bowls, serve beef on rolls and dip in broth.


I shred the leftover meat, warm it up with a bottle of barbecue sauce the next day and then we have bbq beef sandwiches...but we only have a family of four so we can do that...

Enjoy!


I am now off to plant the above...and maybe, just maybe I may crack open my book and study a bit.

Playing Hooky

Wednesday was the kids first day 'tracking back on' school after a break, but instead I took them to my pediatrics class with me so we could practice assessing children. I brought along their cousin, Bridget who was 'tracking off' (year round school, four different tracks, there's always three on and one off). So one of my fellow students was adminstering the Denver II test to Isaac and she asks him if he knows what a cup is used for and he answers: You put it on over your underwear and in protects you wee wee.

Well, I guess we should have specified drinking cup....I wonder where that answer places him developmentally?


Afterwards we took a trip to Hudson Gardens. There weren't many flowers out, but the kids had a good time wandering the grounds and of course finishing up with some ice cream. Then I took them to my favorite nursery, tagawa and each one of them got to pick out a perennial for the garden (Bridget got to take hers to plant in their garden).

All in all, a very nice day spent with the kiddos.

Wordless Wednesday -- countdown 1 week until my parents arrive

Signs of Spring

Oh goody --said, dripping with sarcasm, time for the kids to dig around and find all the creepy crawlies....not my favorite part of Spring and Summer.
A week ago -- welcome to Spring in the Rockies...Snow one day....kids wearing shorts the next

Today...my favorite part of Spring...remembering what I actually planted...oh and look, I have to weed---strangely I even like doing that. I can't wait until my class is over and I can play in the soil....I guess the kids aren't the only ones that like to dig around in the dirt.

Brown People...

Guess which of the two of us are 'brown people'

(It's an old picture, but I rarely photograph well...so I'm using one of the rare photos I like of myself---it's my blog, I can)

I got a letter from the school because they are concerned by the discrepancy of the test scores between the "Black, Brown, Asian and White students" and would those of us who are Brown, Black or Asian want to learn how they are teaching math (Everyday Math for those of you familiar with the sadistic curriculum).

Brown? Ummmmm, hmmm, what?

When did brown become an identifier of people? And who exactly are the Brown people? Are we talking about the entire Continent of South America, the southern part of North America and some of the Caribbean Islands. Is it really about color? Because I've met some Germans darker then I am. As a matter of fact, my husband, of German, Russian, French and British descent, is darker then I am. Is it being of Spanish descent? Because last I heard, Spain was a European country off the Mediterranean...as is France, Italy and Greece...and yet they're not considered brown.

And another thing...what if you're more then one "color"? Why is someone half black and half white, considered black...I mean Obama is a black candidate, not a white one, yet he is equally white. I'm half of British descent...although my dad's side has been here since before the American Revolution and half Cuban (mom came here as a kid when Castro was just taking over) and yet...I'm considered (as are my children) Brown....even with a maiden name of TAYLOR.

Then we get to the math part of my rant.....Yeah, I'm so sorry, I'm teaching my kids to borrow from the 10's column rather then the weird way the school is teaching them...but it's not because I'm brown that I can't figure out what they're doing. My engineer 100% "white" hubby can't figure out the math homework half the time.....so really it's not about color, it's because it's STUPID. When I complained to Jake's teacher at the parent-teacher conferences she said it was fine that I helped with the homework my way......and good thing he's doing well, I would hate for him to be the one to ruin the testing stats of our school.

You know I should just take a page out of Martha's book....Martha Chang..and if you saw her blog, you would be floored that she was a Good Looking Blond Norwegian chick from the Midwest....so not what you'd expect from a last name of Chang....She plans on going in every year and changing her children's status, Caucasian one year and Asian the next. Come to think of it, there's no actual 'brown' box.....

I would really like it if they stopped with the whole what color everyone is, because, frankly we're all Americans.

Wordless Wednesday -- What a ton of studying gets me....

I'm having a pity party...Tune in later and I'll most likely be my happy sarcastic self again.....

Chicken Curry

I have a confession...I've been stealing --- recipes. People post the most neatest, coolest, recipes on their blogs and I must must try them. I tried this very yummy Vodka Pasta Sauce -- where she snuck in a ton of veggies, in a way no child could ever detect....go ahead, try it. And I had NO idea people ate Shrimp with Grits, but check out the link, she gives the recipe (which I plan on trying this week) and has a great picture of it too....She also posted a salsa recipe on a more recent post that looks intriguing. So, as an apology to those of you from whom I've been stealing, I thought I'd reciprocate with my very favorite Chicken Curry recipe (okay, it's not my very own, a friend gave it to me, I just tweaked it a bit -- I'm Horrible, I know!)...I sneak veggies in this one too....and it's only 10 Weight Watcher points if you serve it with brown rice. A side-note here: I picked Chicken Curry in honor of my friend, Dodi. I am, unfortunately, unable to translate this into her native Indic language, but I figured she may enjoy the more Americanized version of a dish from her native land.

If you try it, please let me know if you enjoyed it! (if you didn't enjoy it...I'm not so sure I want to know...as I've mentioned before, I like my place in the land of Denial)

Chicken Curry
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled or broiled and cut into bite size pieces.
2 Sweet Onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 green peppers, de-seeded, and cut into large chunks
2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and de-seeded, cut into bite size pieces.
Some cooking oil
1/4 C of pureed chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 C of pureed cauliflower
1-2 Tbs (depending on how spicy you like it) of Patak's Curry Paste (you can usually find this at your local market in the Asian section)
1/4 cup of water
1-1/2 to 2 C of Fat Free 1/2 and 1/2
2 tbs of dissolvable fiber -- I use Fibersure (face it, we all need more fiber in our diet) -- don't worry you can't taste it.

Basmati Rice
or Brown Rice (my choice), steamed or boiled -- your preference, enough for 4-6 people

Patak's Mango Chutney

heat large frying pan, or wok on med. heat. Add oil and when it sizzles, add the onion and then the peppers, let them saute a bit -- about 4-5 minutes (I am so technical in my directions, aren't I). Add the chicken, let cook together a couple minutes then add the water and the curry paste -- cook for about 5 minutes, add the pureed veggies and the fiber -- cover and simmer (on lower heat) for about 15 minutes, add 1/2 and 1/2 and tomatoes, cook another 5 minutes (if you add the 1/2 and 1/2 too early it doesn't blend as well).

Serve over rice with Mango Chutney (sorry the chutney isn't part of the whole WW-10 point deal)
I also like to serve up sliced cucumbers as a side dish -- the coolness of the cucumbers is a nice contrast with the spiciness of the dish.

My darling husband....

My car needs some work...hubby says the transmission, I'm not so sure and I haven't taken it in because I like my cushy position in a place called Denial; it's safe and happy and not too expensive. So I was day dreaming with hubby about my getting a new car when I graduate. I mention that maybe I'll go for a Toyota Camry Hybrid. Sooo...

He says: I thought you wanted an SUV for when it snows
Me: I figured I'd take yours when it's bad.
Him: silence
Me: Sheesh, why do we need two SUV's?
Him: Well I need to get to work too.
Me: Honey, you can work from home...my job will entail Saving Lives.
Him: I kinda save lives

he's a computer programmer

Me: raise my eyebrows
Isaac pops into conversation: Mom saves lives dad, you save computers. She's more important.

Did I mention Isaac is gifted.

Wordless Wednesday -- I paid my taxes and here's my new Saving's account Balance

He's so MY son....

I actually got up and made a family breakfast yesterday, homemade waffles (with pureed sweet potatoes for some hidden veggies), turkey bacon and fresh strawberries. We all sat together and talked and had a great time....love family meals together! Anyhow, this is how the conversation went:

Jake: I love Star Wars (it was on Friday night and we watched it, commercials and all, even though we OWN the movies...why is that? ...OK, I digress)
Isaac: I love Star Wars the most
Jake: No, I do
Isaac: I do, because I play the game AND watch the movies
Me: I actually think Dad likes them the most (Jason, nods his head in agreement).
Jake: Fine, I like decorating shows the best (yes, Jason winced but did not say anything)
Me: (trying to be gender neutral--you know because I'm such a together-21st-century mom) That's my boy. (and yes, Jason did wince again)
Jake: Mom, I was trying to get you to argue with me.
Jason: Now, THAT's your boy.

P.S.

In case you think I'm a snob...I'm really not, it's just this guy had NO redeeming qualities. When I was falling for guys (a long long time ago...and not so much now because I'm happily married to a perfect guy, who is a bit chubby and has a receding hairline and others may not find Andy-Garcia-Sexy but I think he's the most cuddly, good looking, funny, smart guy EVER) I fell for the more geeky, nerdy, smart guys....and if they could make me laugh -- I was there baby....So, it's not that I think Hot Girl should only go for Hot Guy....I just think, Not So Cute Guy, should at least be funny and have a job for it to be a bit more realistic....just sayin'

Also, don't mean to imply I was a girl who got to be choosy...Even at my thinnest, and my boobs were where they were supposed to be, and no gray hair...I was more the girl you would want to take home to mother....not so much the girl you would brag about...but hey, Jason still loves me too...(23 years later)

Because I Have Nothing Else to Write About

This movie was horrible. Really, the only redeeming scene (and almost worth watching the rest of the movie for) was when Alison (cute girl doc who makes lots of silly life choices on Grey's Anatomy) is in the office with her co-workers and female co-worker in a dead pan, expressionless voice discusses how 'fat' Alison is and in another scene talks about how pregnancy grosses her out. Here's the clincher...really, is a hot girl with a promising TV career really going to go for a not so cute, chubby, jobless, pot smoking, no career goal, not even that funny, guy who saves his bong during an earth quake and forgets about pregnant girlfriend? I don't think so! This so had to be written by a man. And the genre should have been fantasy not romance. And hey, it's not like I'm a prude, but sheesh, could they not find any other ways to express themselves then a series of f-bombs. The sad thing is, this could have been a fun film.

Truthfully, I should have been studying.

I should be studying now, but instead I'm now going to watch "Five People You Meet In Heaven" Mostly because Jason and I have a date night soon and I'm hoping to get to the next couple of movies on my Netflix queue. And not because I'm procrastinating cleaning my house or studying...it's for a good cause. No, seriously....