First Brownie Meeting

As you know from some past posts, Bella is a girl scout and I am a girl scout leader.  We just bridged to Brownies in May.  With the start of the school year, we began planning our first Brownie meeting.

If you search "first Brownie meeting" you get quite a few ideas.  The majority of these ideas revolve around introducing everyone to the Girl Scout Promise.  All of our girls were returning to our troop this year and were very familiar with the Girl Scout Promise.  We needed something easy and fun to ease them back into back to our troop and our meetings.

For our first meeting we started the girls off with a "getting to know you" activity.  This was handed out as soon as the girls walked into the room.  The girls had to go around and find another girl that matched one of the descriptions.  This is a great ice breaker and gets the girls talking to one another and finding out a little more about the girls in her troop.  Each girl is to sign only once.  Leaders can sign too.  :)

Find a girl who:

Has curly hair
Wears glasses
Has an older brother
Has a younger sister
Has brown hair and brown eyes
Has Mr./Mrs.______ for a teacher
Likes the band One Direction
Went to Michigan this summer
Has more than one pet
Thinks P.E. is her favorite subject
Is wearing earrings
Takes dance class
Is new to our Girl scout troop

Once this was completed we had the girls move on to our next activity.  We had index cards with: What three things do you want to do this year in Brownies? on them.  We did a quick sharing time and let each girl share one thing from their list.  We also let them talk about one thing they did over the summer.

We talked about the rules for our troop.  Stressing the hand signal for quiet and respect for our fellow girl scouts.

Next we took attendance, the pledge and promise.  Normally this would be done in the beginning of the meeting, but, we had the girls doing activities so we could collect dues and get all the health forms signed. 

We used the Kubit to Me (I put a link to their web site, if it's new to you, check it out) game.  We put our own questions in there for the girls.  Some questions:  What's your favorite color?  If you won a million dollars what would you do?  Where would you like to go and why? 

We had time for a couple of songs.  We sang, "Make New friends (but keep the old)" and the "Brownie Smile Song."

Friendship squeeze and meeting was over.

Since this was our first meeting of the year, we wanted to keep it simple.  We knew the girls were excited.  We meet on Fridays and for some reason, they get pretty wild.  Today was no exception.  We try to keep them busy during the meeting so there is little time for goofing around.  And, they like to be busy doing new things.

Our meetings are one hour (no snack).

Are you....?

So, I'm hanging outside in front of the house when some guy walks up the drive way.  He asked me if I knew anyone by the name of (my last name here).  Well, that happens to be our last name, so, I reply, "No." 

What?

You heard me.  I said, No.  First of all, I have no idea who this person is and how does he know our name and what does he want from me?  I didn't want to sit through some sales pitch and get pressured to buy something (I don't have a problem saying no).  It was a nice day, I was getting some stuff done outside and just wanted to be left alone.

Well, it all worked itself out.  As he walked closer, I thought we were getting served.  He asked about another name, which happens to be a name that I am familiar with and realized why was asking for our last name. 

So, at that point, I told him that I am (my last name here).

Have you ever told someone that you aren't who you are?

Sick (cont'd)

Apparently there is an unwritten code or rule that at 3:00pm you are magically cured from your illness. Somehow Alex's body got the memo. He's walking around just fine. 

My body must have missed the memo or refiled it under "take as long as you can to get better."

Sick

I'm calling in sick today. 

I won't be able to clean today. The dust bunnies and dog hair will just have to wait one more day. 

I won't be able to do the laundry. I'm sure you can find something clean to wear. 

I won't be able to cook today. I know you won't starve.  With a grocery store and Costco visit earlier this week, I'm sure you will be able to find some food to eat. 

I will not be available to chauffeur you around town. Hanging out at home one day won't kill you. 

I will not be available to referee fighting matches. Please try to keep those to a minimum. And, if you feel you must fight with each other, please do it quietly. 

Thank you for understanding. 

There's nothing to eat in the house!

I hear those words often.  When you have two teenage boys, sometimes there really isn't much to eat at our house.

Sunday, RT made a grocery store run.  We needed to stock up on some things for the week (think school lunches).  He bought other items for dinners for the week, too.  That night, RT made a big batch of chili.  I should mention that all three kids complained about the chili.  Nick wouldn't eat it because he wasn't hungry for chili, Alex and Bella ate a real small amount.  I didn't eat any (I'm the vegetarian, remember?).

On Monday, I made a Costco run.  Costco equals lifetime supply.  < which does not necessarily hold true for our house (two teenage boys)

I was out with Bella after school when I got the call.

"Mom, we have nothing to eat."

Dad went to the grocery store yesterday and I went to Costco today.  I know we have some food at home.

"But we still don't have anything to eat."*
   *nothing to eat = no pizza
    *My kids would live on pizza at every meal if I let them. Bad frozen pizza.

There is leftover chili.

"I don't want chili."

Then make yourself a sandwich.

This conversation continued for a short while until I hung up.  Yes.  I hung up.  I didn't want to hear the complaining.   I think he understood because I didn't get a call back.  I'm sure he found something to eat.

More pickled peppers

I feel like I am Peter Piper in that nursery rhyme:

Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled peppers. 

That is what I have been up to lately.  Pickling peppers.  I made that first batch of pickled jalapenos and they disappeared rather quickly.  Before they disappeared, since I had an abundance of banana peppers from the garden, I thought I would go ahead and pickle them. Why not, right?  I would hate to see them go bad.   More pickled peppers to eat!

 

I have a lot more peppers that I put into a pickled pepper mix.  Plenty of peppers to pickle in a pickled pepper mix (that's a good tongue twister, try saying that sentence five times).  How about, "I am preparing to pack peppers into a pretty pickled pepper mix."

 

If you need that recipe again, check it out right here. 

             Lookin' good!

Sorry for the delay this week in posts. 

I have quite a few in progress.  Just haven't found the time to type them out and post them.

Thanks for being patient.  :)

I'll clean up tonight

I love those words.  When someone says they will clean up for you that means you get a little extra free time.

Sometimes those words are said to me after dinner (not too often).  Now, don't get me wrong, I appreciate any and all help.  Especially when it comes to kitchen clean up.  Preparing, serving and cleaning up (after) a meal is a lot of work especially if it was a fancy meal that took awhile to prepare.  Or, maybe you are making two meals - one meal without meat.

I have found that "clean up" means different things to different people.

"Clean up" to me means physically cleaning up the kitchen.  This includes putting leftovers (or other food products) away, dirty dishes in the dishwasher, washing items that do not go into the dishwasher and wiping down the table and counters.  Leaving the sink and counter free of dirty dishes.

Unfortunately, "clean up does not mean that to "some" people I know.

"Some" people think that "clean up" is when you put most of the food products away, some dishes in the dishwasher and leaving the rest (rinsed) and in the sink or on the counter by the sink.  Oh, if you rinse everything, that is equal to "cleaning up."

Nothing like waking up the next morning (or coming back into the kitchen right before bed) and finding a bunch of dirty dishes waiting for you to wash them.

If you are like me, then you start washing them.  I don't like to be greeted by dirty dishes first thing in the morning.  I don't mind if they are in the dish drain (drain rack?) then I can just put them away in the morning or right before I go to bed.  But, to see a big pile of dirty dishes in the sink?  Ugh.  I can't go to bed.  I won't want to wake up in the morning!  (I might not even sleep!)

So, to clear things up, the words, "I'll clean up tonight" means that you will put all the food away, all the dishes will be put into the dishwasher or washed by hand.  (feel free to dry them and put them away, too)

Thanks for doing that for me.  I'll be sitting on the couch with my feet up writing my next blog post.  :)

Since Bella has been sick, I went and bought a bottle of 7 UP. I don't usually have soft drinks around the house. Too much sugar. I bought a 2 liter bottle hoping the fizzy bubbles might help settle her stomach. 

This morning I found both Bella and Alex drinking a glass of warm 7 UP with their breakfast (the breakfast of champions includes a glass of 7 UP, right?). The bottle is sitting on the counter. That's why it's warm. 

If you could see them. They were both proud and smiling and just plain excited that they were drinking soda (cola, pop) for breakfast and getting away with it. 

No. I didn't say anything.  Why ruin all of the fun?

Plastic Bags

Paper or Plastic?

I always bring my own bags when I go shopping (BYOB).  It really isn't that hard to remember.  Keep them in your car.  Right next to you if you have to.  Grab them as you are getting out of the car.  After awhile, it will become a habit.  They are really easy to clean.  Just toss them into the washing machine.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I do have some plastic bags.  (shame on me!)  I do need them for certain things, like....dog clean up duty.  I don't think I need to go into detail there.  Having two dogs, well, yea, I need a bag every once in awhile, thank you very much. 

When I go out and am going to bring stuff with me, I use one of my cloth tote bags.  Stuff everything I will need for that trip into my bag.  For some reason, I do carry a plastic bag with me.  Just in case.  Hey, you never know when something weird might happen and you really need that plastic bag.

One time, Alex was playing baseball (maybe 4 or 5 years ago) and a bunch of kids were hanging around staring at a dead bird.  The other parents were all freaked out telling them to stay away.  Well, yea, it's a dead bird.  I happened to have a plastic bag with me and bagged the bird (LOL) and tossed it in the garbage can.  So, emergency situations like that is when your plastic bag comes in handy.

Yesterday I had a similar situation.  It wasn't a bird this time (although, that would have been much more welcome than what actually happened). 

Alex has been running in Cross Country and has had several meets.  I haven't been able to make them because they happen to be on days that Bella has something going on.  Yesterday was the first time in a couple weeks where we were free from activities and I could FINALLY attend Alex's meet.  I was so excited to finally see him run.  Bella got off the bus and wasn't looking too good.  I thought it was from the heat.  It was a hot day (the car temp read 97F).  We get to the meet.  Start walking from the car and Bella almost tosses her cookies (vomited?  threw up?)  We sat in the shade (well, Bella was laying down) and watched the start of the race.  Luckily, eighth graders ran first.  I saw Alex run the first lap.  Then the second lap.  Then Bella gets up and has that look.  I walked her to the garbage can and, well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. 

I didn't get to see much more of the race.  I do know that Alex finished.  We left right after the end of the race.  Walking back to the car, I realized that I had a plastic bag and gave it to Bella.  Just in case. 

My "just in case" came in handy in the car.  I was even more thankful that there were no holes in the bag. 

I will still carry my tote bags and use them when I shop.  I will also use them when I need to carry things with me when I go on an outing.  And I will ALWAYS have a plastic bag with me. 

One without holes, of course.

Purple Squeaky Bone (part II)

About a year ago I wrote a post about Purple Squeaky Bone.  You can read my original post here.

Bella brought purple squeaky bone (PSB) into the kitchen today. She was at the counter and Pippen was laying by the door (he didn't see PSB).  Bella gave it one tiny squeak (remember its out of sight) Pippen got up and walked downstairs.  Bella felt bad and went downstairs (without PSB) to give him a hug.  Pippen took one look at her and ran into his cage.  He never goes into his cage!  The poor dog is still spooked by that small little toy one year later!

Virtual Beef: Using a Cow's Stem Cells to create Beef

Yea, the title makes me lose my appetite.  Getting your food from a science lab?  Not very appetizing.

I read an article by John Kass in the Chicago Tribune titled, "In vitro beef: It's what's for dinner in apocalypse."   If you get a chance, read the article.  (but, don't read it while you are eating)

As you know from past posts, I'm a vegetarian. Just search vegetarian to the right on my blog and several posts will pop up. I wrote about genetically modified fish here. I'm not a big fan of genetically modified foods (well, I don't know if many people are).

This article talks about scientists in London making meat in a lab by using stem cells from a cows. Mmm.....sounds appetizing, doesn't it?

I understand there are more people on earth to be fed, but, do we have to make fake food to feed all of them?

Would you purchase your hamburgers knowing that they were created in a lab?  How would you feel if you were told after you ate your hamburger that it was created in a science lab and that it was not from a cow?

If I was going to eat meat, I would want the real thing.  Meat from a cow, not a lab.  I would also want all meat labeled.  Maybe a little sticker that reads: Real meat or Genetically Modified Meat.

Well, in a perfect world, I wouldn't want any genetically modifying going on with any food whatsoever.  I want just plain real food.  For example, broccoli that is broccoli, not some genetically modified version imposing as real broccoli.  And, if I was going to eat meat it would be meat from a cow, not something grown in a science lab.

Well, that's my two cents.  Hope the article didn't cure you from food.  At least now you will take the time to find out what you are really eating, right? 

Umm...like...yea..you know...like

Apparently that's a reality for me.

I asked Bella how her day at school went today and she started telling me about a girl in her class.  This girl was in her kindergarten class and is now with her in second grade.  Bella said that the girl is different.  I asked how is she different (boy did I ask the wrong question).

Bella:  Well, like she is, well, you know.  Umm.  Like, I don't know how to describe it.  Um.  Like, you know.  Yea.

I told her that she didn't tell me anything and asked her for more information.

Bella:  Well, like she.  I don't know.  It's hard to explain, you know?  Like, yea.  I can't describe it.

(less information than the first time)

I asked her to stop using the word "like."  That was interesting.

Bella:  Okay.  Well, she is like.  Oh, sorry!  I mean, she like.  Oh, I can't say that.  Yea.  I don't know!

I never got the full story (unless a bunch of likes, umms and you knows add up to tell a story). I'm scared that it started so early. And to think, I have quite a few more years with "like, you know" stories. 

And so it begins.....

I sat down to help Bella do her math homework. I always enjoyed math in school and couldn't understand people who didn't like or "get" math. 

Bella was working on word problems (not my favorite) and insisted that I was wrong. 

Here's the problem. 

Wendy buys 3 blue balloons and some red balloons for a party. She buys 11 balloons. How many balloons does she buy?

I had Bella pull out what we know...has 3 and a total of 11. Trying to figure out how many red she bought. The equation is 11 - 3 = ___. Bella comes up with the answer 8 and then has to prove her work. 

She draws eleven circles and crosses out three. She then says its 4+5. I asked how 4 and 5 got into the equation. She said because of 9.  I re-read the problem and could not find 4 or 5 (or 9).  I asked how those numbers got in there and she said because I took away three. (Are you confused as I am?). 

After awhile I was ready to hang it up. I just wasn't seeing that 4 and 5. Finally I looked at her proof (circles) and realized she added one extra circle and that is why she wanted to add those extra numbers. 

How many more years of math homework do I have again?

Pasticho (or Pastitso) also known as Greek Lasagna

This post is not one for my vegetarian diaries.  This meal contains meat, definitely not a meal for vegetarians.  I make this meal for the meat eaters in my family.

If you have an oven (hint, hint...it's time to get one if you don't have one!) this is a great meal to make.  I'm Greek, remember?  I ate a fair amount of (delicious) Greek food growing up.  One of my (many) favorites was pastitso.  My grandmother made the best pastitso.  I don't have her recipe for pastitso, but, I found this recipe in a church Greek cook book that I received as a wedding gift.  It's pretty good.  I made this dish the other day for the family.  Well, there really wasn't much talking when everyone was eating, but, since the pastitso disappears rather quickly when I make it, I will take that as a thumbs up all around.

Here's the recipe:

Pastitsio

Meat Layer:
2 lb ground lean chuck or round steak
1 stick butter
1 cup grated onion
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 egg

Saute onions in butter.  Add meat, stirring until browned.  Add seasonings, tomato paste, wine and water.  Simmer, uncovered, until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes).  Cool.  Add an egg, which has been well-beaten to mixture.  Stir in parsley.  Set aside.

Macaroni Layer:

1 1/4lb long macaroni
4 eggs, well beaten
2 cup grated kasseri cheese (or imported Romano cheese)

Cook macaroni according to directions on package.  Rinse and drain well.  Toss macaroni in a large bowl with the beaten eggs and grated cheese.

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
5 egg yolks
1/4 cup kasseri cheese (or imported Romano cheese)

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add flour and mix well.  Gradually add cold milk, stirring all the time.  Continue to whisk the mixture as you cook it over medium heat.  When thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, beat egg yolks well and blend into cooled sauce.  Finally, stir in cheese.

Grease a 10x14 inch pan.  Layer half of the macaroni in pan, followed by the meat mixture, then top with the other half of the macaroni.  Do not pack down the macaroni.  Pour sauce over casserole.  Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon and bake in a preheated 375F oven for 45 minutes.  Cool before cutting into squares to serve.

This can be prepared and frozen prior to baking.  When ready to serve, thaw and bake as directed.

If you make the pastitso, let me know how it turns out. 

Enjoy!

Toothbrush

So, I got these new toothbrushes that have a suction cup on the bottom. I like them because they can stand up on their own (RT and I do not have a cup for our toothbrushes). 

In fact, I was just at the store and bought a few more toothbrushes and changed out mine. When putting the new ones into the drawer (we have a drawer with toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss and Q-tips. Not sure how the Q-tips made the cut for that drawer) I thought it was strange that I was the only one using these toothbrushes. 

Then, one day I walked into the bathroom and saw this:

That blue thing attached to the mirror is RT's toothbrush. I asked him about it (well, my exact words were, "So, I see you changed your toothbrush."). RT said yes, he did change brushes. He then went on to say that he thinks its a great design and has it attached to the mirror so it hangs over the sink and it can dry out. 

I can imagine the looks we would get if a guest saw this in the bathroom.  Good thing it's in our bathroom and not the guest bathroom. 

Questions. Questions.

 Kids come up with some interesting ones. It makes you wonder how long they have been pondering them. And what makes them think of these things?  

Boy, do I get some interesting questions. 

The latest one?

Is farting a sin?

Your an intelligent audience.  Let me know your thoughts. 

Cheerleader - First Game

Touch down! 

Touch down! 

Go Browns!

From the last embarrassing post, you see that Bella had her first cheer time at a football game.  She was SO excited. (and so were we)

Here are a couple links to see some of her cheers.  Apparently I am  not the greatest at handling the recordings since I recorded a couple of cheers side ways. (I also left it on recording while trying to take a picture)  I will try to do better next time, I promise.

If you want to check them out, click HERE, HERE and HERE.  I uploaded them this morning, so, if they don't work right away, come back and try again.

             Go Browns!

How to embarrass your child

While she is cheering for her football team you yell, "Hey, Bella!  Did you button your skirt?"

Yea. I'm going to be the favorite parent to have around when she's a teenager. 

Darn weeds!

I decided to pull some weeds on our front lawn. We are great at growing weeds. Our entire front lawn is covered in weeds. Okay, okay. I won't exaggerate. It's not the entire lawn. There are two, maybe three blades of grass out there.

We don't use chemicals on our lawn (thus the billions of weeds).  I am the hired "weed killer" at our house.  (those early years of torturous training by my mother, who made me pull weeds, really paid off)

This summer I started out early and pulled quite a few weeds. I got a little lazy as the summer went on.  Somehow, the weeds multiplied and, well, there I am, hanging out on the front lawn with my trusty sidekicks (Newton and Pippen). *

*my sidekicks are no help. Newton is good. He just lays there and enjoys being outside.  Well, except for those times that he decides to wander away quietly and then pulls that "I'm old and can't hear" trick on me.  Pippen has to be glued to my side (or directly in front of me) with his body blocking my view and his paws standing on the weeds that I am trying to pull.

Since weeds are in such abundance, I'm surprised no one has found a use for them.  Grind them up, make them into a liquid (somehow) and use them to power cars. Then we don't have to depend on anyone (or another country) for our fuel supply. We will have a fuel abundance. I mean, it's not like we will ever run out of weeds, right?  One look at my front lawn tells me if the world ran out of weeds, we would be able to provide them for everyone. 

It's just a thought.

 It would be nice to see us use our natural resources.  Weeds on my lawn wouldn't be an eyesore.   And, the best thing....I would get paid to pull weeds while having a dog in my face. 

Spam readers on Blogger - part II

I wrote about some of the spam readers that have been showing up on the Blogger Dashboard in this post here.

This has been one of my popular posts and since that post I have discovered another spam reader I thought I would share. 

These Spam readers appear in the Blogger Dashboard under "stats."  If you click on "stats" and then click "traffic sources" you will see a list of who has visited your blog.  This information is fun to look at so you can tell where your readers are coming from.  What are they looking up to get to your blog? 

Under "Referring sites" you will find links to where your reader(s) are coming from.  Do not click on these links!  If you are trying to find out what site your reader is coming from, do a google search for that website.  Some of the referring websites are Spam and can do harm to your computer.  If you do accidentally click on one of the referring links, do not click on anything on their site. 

When you click on these links, they will continue to appear in your Dashboard as referring sites.  They have you hooked and want you to keep coming back.  It is best to ignore these referring sites.

The following were the sites I listed last time NOT to click:

topblogstories.com
vampirestat
flf-course
filmhill
kmzackblogger.blogspot
In addition to the above sites I have one more site to add.  Do not click on the following referring site:

ohbelog.com

Remember, if you ever have questions, it's best to look up the information on the web prior to clicking on those links.

**UPDATE:  You can now add:

 adsensewatchdog.com

to the list of links NOT to click on.  You might think this is part of Google adsense (especially if you have ads on your blog) but, it's just another one of those spammers.  All along I thought it was linked to the actual Google adsense, checking in on my blog.  Big disappointment (to me).  It's just another spammer, trying to get you to click on their link and then on ads on their blog.  Don't do it.  Don't click on it.  Just ignore it.

**UPDATE:  You can add
7secretsearch.com

to the list of DO NOT CLICK websites.  These websites are popping up all over.  Be careful out there!

Oh, and a word to  my spammer friends.  If you are going to spam my blog, do your part around here and press on the ad links.  

Favorite time of day

Every day, when I go to empty the kitchen garbage, Pippen comes running.  Its his favorite time of day. He can be down in the basement when I pull the wastebasket out from under the kitchen sink. I have no idea how he hears it. I don't make a lot of noise.  I am not sure how he knows I am changing the bag.

Once the wastebasket is out from under the sink, Pippen is right there, sniffing away. He gets so excited. Once the bag is tied it gets one more sniff and he's done. 

Now if I can teach him to take it outside and put it into the garbage can.......

Pickled Jalapeno Slices

My jalapeno plants in my garden are doing great.  Every year I get an abundance of jalapenos that leaves me with, what do I do with all of them???

In past years, I have sliced them and popped them in the freezer.  Using them when making various dishes throughout the year.  I give quite a few away every summer.  This year I figured I should do something different with them.  I decided to try pickling them.  We love buying jars of pickled jalapenos, how hard can it be to make them?

I searched pickled jalapeno slices and came up with a recipe and how to from Simply Scratch.  It looked so easy to do, I thought, Hey, I can do that too!  Click here to go view the beautiful pictures and tutorial.  Check out the rest of her blog, too.  It's pretty cool!

Here's the recipe, taken from Simply Scratch:

 

Easy Homemade Pickled Jalapenos

15-20 large jalapenos, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup distilled water
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt

In a medium sauce pan combine the garlic, water, vinegar, sugar and salt.
Heat to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once at a boil; add the sliced jalapenos pressing them so they are submerged under the pickling liquids. Remove the pot off of the heat and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
Use tongs to transfer the jalapenos into a clean jar. Ladle the pickling juices over top until you've reached the top of the jar. Let cool at room temperature before securing a lid and popping them into the fridge.

 

I made a batch and had to try one just to see how they taste.  Definitely a thumbs up.  I will definitely be making more.  (I don't see these lasting too long around here)

 

Enjoy!

Dishwasher Detergent Nightmare

So, the dishwasher detergent manufacturers were told to take phosphates out of their dishwasher detergent (DD).  The phosphates are bad for the environment.  Yada-yada-yada.

I am all for doing what is best for the environment, but, when I have to wash every dish (and cup) prior to putting it into the dishwasher, then I get a little upset.  Am I the only one seeing the waste (of water, time, energy) here?  Okay, they took out an ingredient that helped clean the dishes, what about adding something (environmentally safe) to take it's place?  How is this helping the environment when I have to use more water?  And, once that dish (or cup or utensil) goes through the dishwasher cycle, it should come out sparkling clean, right?  Wrong.

I have tried a variety of brands of dishwasher detergents from name brand to generic and have come up with cloudy, dingy utensils, cups that are cloudy and dishes that still have food on them (GROSS!).

I even tried making my own DD.  Yea.  Go on Pinterest.  You will find dozens of recipes.  Just a little warning:  baking soda will clump at the bottom of your dishwasher (you will have to clean under the screen) and leave pieces on your dishes and cups.  I had to clean the bottom of my dishwasher out.

I mentioned my frustration to a couple of neighbors.  One neighbor told me that the liquid DD (the one we are told works best in dishwashers) should not be used.  She said, "It leaves everything cloudy." (yea, I found out the hard way)  My other neighbor said to try a brand called, "Finish."  It's a small packet that is hard and supposedly has a little gel in the middle.  She was so kind to give me several packets to try before I went out and bought a big box.  (I am not getting paid by the manufacturer of Finish, but, they can always send me more if they want)

I tried Finish in the dishwasher that night.  I was very excited.  Hoping that my dishwasher tragedy would be solved.

After the first washing, my glasses came out clear (I could see through them!) and no food on anything! (yes, we scrape and rinse the dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, but, you know, sometimes "some people" don't rinse them very well)  I thought I would really test it out and barely rinsed the dishes as they went into the dishwasher.  I was pleasantly surprised when opening the dishwasher to find everything clean.

For now, I'm going to stick with Finish for my dishwasher needs.  If anyone has a tried and true homemade dishwasher detergent (that works), let me know.   As long as baking soda is not involved.

Compliment

I was hanging out with a friend the other day. We bumped into someone we both have known for a long time.  This person starts telling my friend how it looks like they have lost weight. This happens every time we are together and see this person. And it's always my friend who is the one who looks thinner, not me. What is up with that?  Should I be offended? 

Maybe my friend just needs more compliments than me. 

Maybe it's a hint for me to lose weight.  

Maybe the person just needs to get new glasses. 

Know-it alls

Apparently I am raising three Know-it-alls.

Anytime I say something to one of my kids I hear, "I know."  

If I see them struggling and I make a suggestion to try to make their life easier, the response is, "I know." 

If I suggest they not do something so they don't get hurt I hear, "I know."

If I tell them not to say something because it isn't nice to say, I hear, "I know."

In fact, I really can't say anything to them without hearing, "I know."

Which brings me to, if they "know" so much, then why do I always have to jump in and say something?  And, why do they do things that they "know" they should not do?  And, why do they ask for help after they have been told a different way to try doing something?  

It's tough raising Know-it-alls. There is no manual.  They know everything so there really isn't anything I can possibly teach them. 

Since they "know" so much, I am hoping I will learn something from them. 

Vegetarian Diaries - Black Bean Tortilla Pie

Haven't posted in awhile on my vegetarian adventure. 

I have met a few more people this summer that are vegetarians.  One of the people I met has been a vegetarian all of her life.  She describes her parents as "hippies."  She did try meat for awhile (to see if she was missing anything).  Didn't feel she was missing anything and is currently a pescatarian (a vegetarian who eats fish).  She is raising her daughters vegetarian, also (her husband is a carnivore).

I still get asked if I am "still a vegetarian."  Also, "do you miss meat?"  and "Will you ever go back to eating meat?"  Answers:  Yes.  No.  Don't think so. (I don't know the future, but, from my current experience, I doubt I will go back to eating meat)

I thought I would share a favorite recipe of mine.  I do not know where I found this recipe.  I have been making it for a long time (back when I had only one child).  < That sounds better than listing a number of years.  :)

Here it is:

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

1 can (15oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
11oz corn
1 cup salsa
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
jalapeno, chopped (optional)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
7 (5 or 6 inch) corn tortillas
1/3 cup salsa

optional
shredded lettuce
salsa
guacamole

Heat oven 350F.  In medium bowl, combine beans, corn, salsa, 2/3 cup cheese, green pepper, onion, chili powder, cumin and garlic.  Place 2 tortillas in bottom of glass pie plate (I use a Pyrex bowl)
Top with half of the bean mixture.  Place 2 more tortillas over filling (make sure sides are covered).  Spread remaining mixture over tortillas.  Cover with remaining salsa and top with cheese.

Cover with foil and bake 20-30 minutes until thoroughly heated.

Serve with lettuce, salsa and guacamole.


There are so many things you can do to this recipe.

Add cilantro.  Chop and add more spicy peppers.  Add more cheese. 

It's a delicious recipe and fun to make (differently) every time.

Enjoy!

Monsters University

Yesterday, we went to see the movie Monsters University.

If you ask my kids what my favorite (children's) movie is, they will say, "Monsters, Inc."  Hands down, it's the best of Disney's children's movies.  (at least, in my opinion)  I mean, what's not to love about Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal)?  And, how about Sully (John Goodman)? 

We have been waiting for months for Monsters University (MU) to come out.  We watched the trailers and laughed and laughed.  We planned how we would go the day the movie came out.  (unfortunately, that didn't happen due to circumstances beyond our control)  My kids were excited because they know how much I love Monsters, Inc. and couldn't wait to see it MU with me. 

The day finally came.

Yesterday, we went to see the movie Monsters University.

We laughed out loud and walked away with lots of great lines to use.  I have to say, I can't wait to see it again.  :)

What a great way to end the summer. 

Labor Day

Kids starting a big fight and calling me to solve it. 

I have been through enough "labor."  

Today my name is Dad.