Monthly Archives: January 2011

Jan31

I heart Shatto Milk

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For those of you not from KC, Shatto is a local dairy farm.  We visited there with my Girl Scout troop last October.  Seeing the facility was pretty cool and the girls loved the calves, but my love affair started years ago when Hy-Vee started carrying their milk.
Honestly their milk is a special treat in our household since I have decided to stay at home.  The pending Snownami coming our way prompted me to splurge.  I was at the store picking up ‘snowed in’ provisions, the typical bottled water, canned goods, bread, fresh veggies and fruits, coffee and of course milk.  The shiny glass bottles just called my name and I thought ‘what the hell’.  I mean if I am going to be stuck in the house with all 3 kids most of the week again then I might as well be happy with my milk, right?
So I bought a half gallon of 2% and a quart of chocolate milk.  I really like the milk and really want the glass milk bottles.
Just so you know, moving your milk into glass bottles really makes a difference.  A big difference.  It tastes better and stays fresh longer.  So between having the money to splurge, I will move my regular plastic jug milk into my beautiful Shatto glass bottles and pretend.  This week though I am in milk heaven. :)
Jan31

Grammar & Spelling – Today’s Lesson from a Perfectionist Blog and Facebook reader

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You didn’t seen anything…you saw it….’seen’ usually follows ‘have’ as in ‘I have seen’…

‘I seen’ make you sound like you are from the backwoods of Missouri or Arkansas or any other area of any other state that you make fun of in your area of the country.

Incorrect usage:
‘I seen that yesterday.’ should be ‘I saw that yesterday.’

Correct usage:
‘Did you see the news?’
‘I did not, but I have seen that before.’

Jan31

Stream of Consciousness Sunday: I want chocolate cake!

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#SOCsunday

As I watched my soon to be hubby pile two huge pieces of chocolate cake on a plate (sent home by a co-worker), I realized he wasn’t going to make this easy for me. He’s easily fifty pounds lighter than me soaking wet and could ingest theentirety of the McDonald’s menu in one sitting without gaining a pound.

“You don’t even like chocolate cake!” he tells me as I grumble. Its true, I don’t like choclate cake very much. However, I’m on day three of my pre-wedding diet and exercise plan that has my sweet tooth telling me even thyat chocolate cake will do!

It’s bad enough that I am surrounded by Girl Scout cookies. My resolve is just barely strong enough for that! And I am countingthe day until they are all out of my house and those cute little girls on the Peanut Butter Patties box stop calling my name.

That night was rough. Hell that day was rough. Lugging 2 half awake kids to the doctor, sitting and failing at entertaining them in the waiting room. Pause. Am I the only one on the face of the Earth that allows their baby to crawl at the doctor’s office? I mean, i know the floor isn’t clean but does everyone really wzant to hear my son scream for 45 mins while we wait (and I had an appt!) I never see anyone do it, is there a memo I missed about secret kiddie valium that keeps children in their parents laps? Unpause

Then running errands between school drop offs and pickups which is not my usual day. I did even manage to burn a whopping 1100 calories exercising on a day where time was elusive. And then there was the cake. Oh cake……

Jan28

Fabulous Food Fridays: Salmon, Kale and Broccoli Stir-fry

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 Starting a new Friday post as I try yummy new healthier recipes.  Yay for my first Fabulous Food Friday!

Salmon, Kale and Broccoli Stir-fry


Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 salmon filets
  • 7 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 head fresh broccoli, chopped
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut in thin strips
  • juice of 2 limes
  • salt
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp honey

Directions

  1. In a glass baking dish combine the honey and thyme. Add the salmon filets and toss to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Stir in garlic; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the salmon and continue to toss and cook for another 1 minute. Stir in broccoli; cook 1 minute. Add kale, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in lime juice, and season with salt to taste. Toss well. 
  3. Serve over rice.
Jan25

The oh-my-god-I’m-getting-married-in-5-months post!

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In the last few weeks, it become too clear that I have totally been slacking on this wedding thing.  You know what I have done? I have a reception hall booked and a date and some flowers for centerpieces….that’s it!  I do know what dress I want, that I want a dj and to make appetizers instead of dinner.  I do know that I want my daughters as my wedding party and that the wedding colors are purple, green and blue. AND I DO know that my butt to way too big for that beautiful wedding dress I covet so badly.

So what is a girl to do?

I guess my first step is that diet and exercise I keep talking about.  It’s not gonna be excessive, I’m okay if I lose 25 pounds and fit into a size smaller dress, but it needs to start.  I have been counting points with Weight Watchers but I read a good article in Real Simple the other night about treating meat as a side dish. I think it would be good for me, the concept is being vegan until 6pm then you can have a nice portion of meat without ruining your diet.  I will let you know how it goes…..also I will be starting a Fabulous Food Friday on my page and will be sharing a recipe every week.  This week we are trying out different Shepherd’s Pie recipes.

Another thing is a dj, they are really the only other thing for me to book.  I need one that is around $450 for four hours.  That’s is more than I have paid before but it seems in the past two years dj’s prices went way up.  Any suggestions for reasonable dj’s in KC?

Jan25

Convictions

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In taking a moment to reflect on recent events, it has come to my attention that on several occasions I was lectured about convictions.  Oddly enough those situations have brought a single thought to mind…People who have to defend and voice their convictions to others are usually the first to crumble when things get hard.  It has been in my experience this is always true.  Everyone who I know that stays true to their convictions, their values and their promises has very little time to talk about it.  We are too busy making sure we are doing the right thing and keeping up with our commitments.
Here is the definition that is in Merriam’s International Dictionary: 1) a strong persuasion or belief; 2) the state of being convinced; and 3) a feeling or awareness of the rightness, truth or certainty of what is thought, spoken or done.
I feel most of my personal interactions deal with people championing the third of the definitions.  Yet, those same individuals rarely do what is right.  They typically give up as soon as conflict or difficulty arises.

What has your experience been?

Jan24

Accountability

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Accountability is in my opinion one of the most important traits a person can have.  Without it you become stuck in a circle of blaming others for things that are your own fault.  I have noticed that the majority of the adults have no accountability for their own actions.  I think it’s a sad state that society today is in.  The working population consists of blame shifters and their scapegoats.  People knowingly take on tasks they are unqualified for or do not have the time to complete then expect others to pick up the slack.  Is a sad circle for those who do their work and are accountable for what they take on.  They become scapegoats and end up taking on more than they agreed to and dutifully finishing tasks regardless of their own needs.  I’ve often fallen victim to this myself.  Friends and colleagues often take advantage of my nature; they know that I am accountable and that I will complete the task with or without them.  I am empathetic to others that have experienced the immaturity of other adults in our society.  These ‘users’ need to learn to say no or not accept task they cannot handle.  Or learn to admit when they are in over their heads.
Are you a ‘doer’ or a ‘user’?
Jan11

…..

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There is a strange line I have found my self teetering on lately.  Either I keep someone informed or I keep interfering.  I’m not sure which one is the preference but either way I am the bad guy.  If I notice something and say nothing, I’m wrong.  I should have informed everyone, kept everyone in the loop.  If I notice something and say something, I’m wrong.  I’m interfering and controlling every situation. 
Is it my perception that is the problem?