Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Fall Question Fest!
My friend, Katherine tagged me in this Fall question fest. I love fall, so I felt compelled to participate---maybe if I participate it will FEEL more like fall.
Do you like Starbucks? And are you a fan of their seasonal coffees?
I do like Starbucks. I am a fan of their seasonal coffees.....the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Peppermint Mocha are great. I am also a fan of their Caramel Macchiato and their Chai Latte. I don’t like the facts that they are so expensive and they do not want to serve a small size drink anymore.
How do you decorate and prepare for Fall?
We put out some Halloween decorations around the house and we always get a few pumpkins for our porch. I hang a scarecrow on the front door and we have a few wooden stick figures we stick in a hay bale in our yard. I love sunflowers and have a silk arrangement on my kitchen table.
Will you participate in your college's homecoming activities?
Probably not. I know, I am a party pooper. Go Pirates!
What is your favorite Fall clothing item or accessory?
My Dansko shoes.
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
I don’t know if it was my favorite, but I can remember my mama dressing me like a little dutch girl complete with wooden shoes and braids.
Do you like Halloween/Horror movies? Do you have a favorite?
No I do not....I do like a good mystery though.
What is your favorite Fall Activity?
I do enjoy being outside during the fall. I look forward to spending some time on my screened in porch!
What is your favorite Fall recipe?
Anything with sweet potatoes or pumpkin in it.
And then she added eight more quickie questions, and here they are:
What movie coming out soon are you looking forward to seeing?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What will you miss most about Summer?
Me time! And time spent at home.
When do you start your holiday shopping?
During the summer
Favorite exercise/activity?
I enjoy walking, I just wish I had more energy to do it!
Best book you've read lately?
The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews
Do you make your bed every day?
If I don’t, Rob does.
If you could choose a personal chef or a personal shopper, which would you choose?
Personal Chef!
Which TV show are you most excited for this Fall?
Dancing with the Stars, Glee, and Modern Family
I need to tag some folks to complete this as well, but don't feel any pressure to....it's all in good fun! Please let me know if you choose to participate!
Julie
Katie
Angel
Reiko
LeighAnn
Heather/Whitney
Lauren
Do you like Starbucks? And are you a fan of their seasonal coffees?
I do like Starbucks. I am a fan of their seasonal coffees.....the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Peppermint Mocha are great. I am also a fan of their Caramel Macchiato and their Chai Latte. I don’t like the facts that they are so expensive and they do not want to serve a small size drink anymore.
How do you decorate and prepare for Fall?
We put out some Halloween decorations around the house and we always get a few pumpkins for our porch. I hang a scarecrow on the front door and we have a few wooden stick figures we stick in a hay bale in our yard. I love sunflowers and have a silk arrangement on my kitchen table.
Will you participate in your college's homecoming activities?
Probably not. I know, I am a party pooper. Go Pirates!
What is your favorite Fall clothing item or accessory?
My Dansko shoes.
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
I don’t know if it was my favorite, but I can remember my mama dressing me like a little dutch girl complete with wooden shoes and braids.
Do you like Halloween/Horror movies? Do you have a favorite?
No I do not....I do like a good mystery though.
What is your favorite Fall Activity?
I do enjoy being outside during the fall. I look forward to spending some time on my screened in porch!
What is your favorite Fall recipe?
Anything with sweet potatoes or pumpkin in it.
And then she added eight more quickie questions, and here they are:
What movie coming out soon are you looking forward to seeing?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
What will you miss most about Summer?
Me time! And time spent at home.
When do you start your holiday shopping?
During the summer
Favorite exercise/activity?
I enjoy walking, I just wish I had more energy to do it!
Best book you've read lately?
The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews
Do you make your bed every day?
If I don’t, Rob does.
If you could choose a personal chef or a personal shopper, which would you choose?
Personal Chef!
Which TV show are you most excited for this Fall?
Dancing with the Stars, Glee, and Modern Family
I need to tag some folks to complete this as well, but don't feel any pressure to....it's all in good fun! Please let me know if you choose to participate!
Julie
Katie
Angel
Reiko
LeighAnn
Heather/Whitney
Lauren
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Busy Times Make for Busy Lives
Yikes, I can't believe it's been so long since I have posted. Let's see, school has started and we have gotten over the hump and back into the routine.....that's the hardest part, you know! Seth is getting along well in his Pre-K class and has taken up a new interest in drawing. All of a sudden, I see all these stick figures all over my refrigerator. Seth has also had a recent bout of swimmer's ear....from the bathtub...yes you read that right. Seth has had 2 sets of tubes and has one remaining tube in one of his ears. We still put earplugs in his ears for bath and swimming. One night, the earplug fell out when we were washing his hair, and water got into his ear. It was still hurting him the next morning so off to the doctor we went. Soccer season is starting and Rob is planning to coach Seth's team again. I think soccer will be more meaningful for Seth this year, with him being a little older. Maybe not so much rolling on the ground and hitting teammates.
I know this post is all over the place, but I would like to put in a prayer request for my best friend, Tammy Curtis. Tammy suffers from kidney failure and has been on dialysis for a year. For some reason her blood is still not being cleaned as it should be. This causes her hemoglobin to go down, she becomes very tired, and she has to get blood transfusions every so often. The doctors are unsure as to why this is happening, but are willing to take some steps to find out. Tammy is having her spleen removed tomorrow. She has been told that her spleen is enlarged and it is causing her some pain. We are hoping and praying that this will help the issue of her hemoglobin going down. Please, please say a prayer for Tammy and her family tomorrow.
I know this post is all over the place, but I would like to put in a prayer request for my best friend, Tammy Curtis. Tammy suffers from kidney failure and has been on dialysis for a year. For some reason her blood is still not being cleaned as it should be. This causes her hemoglobin to go down, she becomes very tired, and she has to get blood transfusions every so often. The doctors are unsure as to why this is happening, but are willing to take some steps to find out. Tammy is having her spleen removed tomorrow. She has been told that her spleen is enlarged and it is causing her some pain. We are hoping and praying that this will help the issue of her hemoglobin going down. Please, please say a prayer for Tammy and her family tomorrow.
Janet, Me, and Tammy (August 2010)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Aunt Glenda's Spaghetti Sauce
We have enjoyed Aunt Glenda's spaghetti sauce recipe for the last 25 years during our family vacations at the beach. Everyone always looked forward to spaghetti night, when we would enjoy that flavorful sauce on angelhair pasta along with garlic bread and salad. My mouth waters to just think about it. In recent years, Aunt Glenda passed along the spaghetti night responsibility to me and I have worked to make the sauce as good as hers. Last week, I fixed up a batch to store in the freezer so that I could have some easy meals upon going back to school. Many people have requested this recipe, so I will share it with you now.
It is not as homemade as you might think, but it is GOOD. Here are the ingredients:
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
2.5-3 lbs. ground chuck
olive oil
2 large jars of spaghetti sauce
1 can tomato puree (tomato paste diluted with water if difficult to locate puree)
1 large can sliced mushrooms (drained)
Romano/Parmesan grated cheese (green bottle)
Salt to taste
3/4 cups sugar
Chop up bell pepper and onion. Saute chopped pepper and onion in small amount of olive oil until tender--I usually cook them until they are a little brown around the edges.
Add ground chuck and brown it with the peppers and onions. Drain this mixture and salt it well on top. Add mixture to crockpot/regular pot and pour 1/2 bottle of the romano/parmesan cheese onto the meat. Add the mushrooms. Coat the meat with the cheese and mushrooms.
Pour in jars of spaghetti sauce and add puree or paste mixture. Stir this all together.
If it is too thick, add some water to it--it is not supposed to be very thick. Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the mixture. Put on low and add salt or sugar to taste. Be sure to watch it so that it doesn't stick. If I am cooking it in the crock pot, I will cook it about 8 hours on low.
We usually make 4-6 meals off of this pot of spaghetti sauce depending on if we are having guests. I also try to get mileage out of it as hot dog chili--it's wonderful on hot dogs! If you try it, let me know how you like it! Bon Appetit! And thank you Aunt Glenda!
It is not as homemade as you might think, but it is GOOD. Here are the ingredients:
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
2.5-3 lbs. ground chuck
olive oil
2 large jars of spaghetti sauce
1 can tomato puree (tomato paste diluted with water if difficult to locate puree)
1 large can sliced mushrooms (drained)
Romano/Parmesan grated cheese (green bottle)
Salt to taste
3/4 cups sugar
Chop up bell pepper and onion. Saute chopped pepper and onion in small amount of olive oil until tender--I usually cook them until they are a little brown around the edges.
Add ground chuck and brown it with the peppers and onions. Drain this mixture and salt it well on top. Add mixture to crockpot/regular pot and pour 1/2 bottle of the romano/parmesan cheese onto the meat. Add the mushrooms. Coat the meat with the cheese and mushrooms.
Pour in jars of spaghetti sauce and add puree or paste mixture. Stir this all together.
If it is too thick, add some water to it--it is not supposed to be very thick. Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the mixture. Put on low and add salt or sugar to taste. Be sure to watch it so that it doesn't stick. If I am cooking it in the crock pot, I will cook it about 8 hours on low.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
A Day at the Museum
A couple of weeks ago, we joined my parents, my sister, and her twins on an excursion to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.
We had a fun time and the museum does a great service in representing our state. I think the last time I went was when I was a senate page in high school. We had several funny moments that day, but two are really blogworthy. We sat in a movie at the museum about space and in an effort to get Seth to sit still and be quiet, I told him to look for Buzz Lightyear in the movie. The movie was actually AWFUL, and we left early. Seth was upset because he had not seen Buzz Lightyear yet.
Right before we left the museum, we sat through the alligator presentation. Seth was still bummed about the space movie until the presenter brought out the real alligators. At the end of the presentation, Seth got UPSET because we would not BUY him a pet alligator. We are talking serious meltdown--a very, very tired little boy. (For those of you who do not know, Seth still takes 1 hour- 1 hour and a half naps....and we had sailed through his naptime that day.) We left the museum to return home at around 3:30 and Seth was OUT by the time we passed Wake Med.
We had a fun time and the museum does a great service in representing our state. I think the last time I went was when I was a senate page in high school. We had several funny moments that day, but two are really blogworthy. We sat in a movie at the museum about space and in an effort to get Seth to sit still and be quiet, I told him to look for Buzz Lightyear in the movie. The movie was actually AWFUL, and we left early. Seth was upset because he had not seen Buzz Lightyear yet.
Right before we left the museum, we sat through the alligator presentation. Seth was still bummed about the space movie until the presenter brought out the real alligators. At the end of the presentation, Seth got UPSET because we would not BUY him a pet alligator. We are talking serious meltdown--a very, very tired little boy. (For those of you who do not know, Seth still takes 1 hour- 1 hour and a half naps....and we had sailed through his naptime that day.) We left the museum to return home at around 3:30 and Seth was OUT by the time we passed Wake Med.
Monday, July 26, 2010
New Normal
As I begin this post, let me just say that many folks will probably think I am looney to continue to write about my cats. These cats have been with us for a long time and they are part of our family. Maybe not as important as Seth, but still important.
It has been interesting getting used to Roxie not being here with us. Every night when we get ready to go to bed, she has always been lying on our bed, waiting for us. Rob said the other night that he misses her being on his clothes. It never failed that if Rob had a shirt on the bed that Roxie was lying on it. I think it was her way of being that much closer to us.
Doodle and Jack are missing Roxie as well. Jack has been around us a lot more than he usually is and he and Doodle are actually getting along. Doodle has always had issues with Jack from the time he came to live with us. Roxie was kind of like the mediator--she got along with Doodle and she got along with Jack.
Seth has asked about Roxie a few times. He is still quite young to understand that she is buried in the back yard. He keeps asking if she is coming back. We tell him that she has gone to kitty heaven and that she is not hurting anymore. That seems to appease him for that moment but I think that he still misses her.
It is so odd to get up in the morning and not get a request from Roxie to go outside on the porch. She loved to sit on the couch out there to watch the birds and just enjoy being outside. Whenever we got ready to go to work, we almost had to fuss at her to get her to come back into the house!
We are adjusting (although it is NOT easy) and I am very thankful for the memories we have with our pets. Hug yours today!
It has been interesting getting used to Roxie not being here with us. Every night when we get ready to go to bed, she has always been lying on our bed, waiting for us. Rob said the other night that he misses her being on his clothes. It never failed that if Rob had a shirt on the bed that Roxie was lying on it. I think it was her way of being that much closer to us.
Doodle and Jack are missing Roxie as well. Jack has been around us a lot more than he usually is and he and Doodle are actually getting along. Doodle has always had issues with Jack from the time he came to live with us. Roxie was kind of like the mediator--she got along with Doodle and she got along with Jack.
Seth has asked about Roxie a few times. He is still quite young to understand that she is buried in the back yard. He keeps asking if she is coming back. We tell him that she has gone to kitty heaven and that she is not hurting anymore. That seems to appease him for that moment but I think that he still misses her.
It is so odd to get up in the morning and not get a request from Roxie to go outside on the porch. She loved to sit on the couch out there to watch the birds and just enjoy being outside. Whenever we got ready to go to work, we almost had to fuss at her to get her to come back into the house!
We are adjusting (although it is NOT easy) and I am very thankful for the memories we have with our pets. Hug yours today!
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