I posted about how I seemed to have a lot to say and then all my words dried up!
To stop the silence I'm posting a favorite recipe of ours. We love it! I'd have it once a week if I wouldn't have to listen to Tornado whine about it.
Bulgoki (Korean BBQ)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 Tablespoons sugar
3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-6 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound flank steak in very thin slices (easiest to slice when still partially frozen)
In dry skillet, parch sesame seeds until slightly brown. In a gallon ziplock baggie combine rest of ingredients EXCEPT meat. Once mixed, add to meat, and mix well. Marinate all day (or at least 4 hours). Cook in frying pan with a bit of hot oil.
Make a dipping sauce with 1/3 part soy sauce to 2/3 part water, a bit crushed red pepper, and a bit of sesame oil - heat to simmer. Serve meat with sides of Butter lettuce, sauce, and rice. To eat authentically, use lettuce leaf as a wrap, put meat, rice, and sauce inside, and wrap lettuce around it.
To add a bit of heat add a dash of red chili pepper sauce to the marinade and dipping sauce.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
I must have a lot to say lately
because I don't think I've ever blogged this much. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Tornado has been such a big boy lately. A few days ago I went out and pulled up all the the petunias, pansies, and marigolds. They didn't like the snow very much and were looking pretty bad. Without me saying a word Tornado went put on his work gloves, got his wagon, put all the flowers and weeds in it and then put them all in the trash. He did the same today for all the weeds I pulled. It's amazing what grows under the monster sized tomato plants! When it comes to working outside he really is a big help.
Tonight I was walking down the stairs and heard DA saying "okay, okay. I'm sorry!" DA was laughing at the TV and Tornado came out and got mad at him. He told him very sternly "Stop talking! Tornado trying to sleep!" He's still talking in the 3rd person. We keep telling him to say I and me and he gets so mad at us.
T: Tornado did it!
US: No, say I. I did it!
T: No! Not you! Tornado did it!
Our conversations about this are endless!
On the girl side of things... Bubbles fell down the stairs tonight. :( Poor Baby. Maybe now she'll stop trying to crawl up the stairs!
Tornado has been such a big boy lately. A few days ago I went out and pulled up all the the petunias, pansies, and marigolds. They didn't like the snow very much and were looking pretty bad. Without me saying a word Tornado went put on his work gloves, got his wagon, put all the flowers and weeds in it and then put them all in the trash. He did the same today for all the weeds I pulled. It's amazing what grows under the monster sized tomato plants! When it comes to working outside he really is a big help.
Tonight I was walking down the stairs and heard DA saying "okay, okay. I'm sorry!" DA was laughing at the TV and Tornado came out and got mad at him. He told him very sternly "Stop talking! Tornado trying to sleep!" He's still talking in the 3rd person. We keep telling him to say I and me and he gets so mad at us.
T: Tornado did it!
US: No, say I. I did it!
T: No! Not you! Tornado did it!
Our conversations about this are endless!
On the girl side of things... Bubbles fell down the stairs tonight. :( Poor Baby. Maybe now she'll stop trying to crawl up the stairs!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tagged Eight things...
I was tagged by Kris.
Eight favorite TV shows
1. So you think you can dance.
2. House
3. Bones
4. Lipstick Jungle
5. Rosemary and Thyme
6. Any cooking show
7. This Old House
8. ???
Eight favorite restaurants:
1. Panda Express
2. Asian Star
3. P.F. Changs
4. Won Won Wok
5. Johnny Carino's
6. Los Hermanos
7. Taco Time
8. Cancun Cafe
Eight things I did yesterday
1. Pulled dead and dying flowers out of the flower beds.
2. Changed Bubbles' stinky bum 3 times.
3. Went to Walmart
4. looked for a babysitter
5. Played Curious George on the computer with Tornado.
6. Organized the toy closet.
7. Made omlets for dinner.
8. Went to a church meeting.
Eight things I love about the Fall
1. Leaves changing colors
2. Crisp mornings and warm days
3. Halloween Candy
4. Not sure I really love anything else...
Eight things I look forward to
1. Cuddling in bed
2. Saturday mornings when DA makes breakfast.
3. Possibly adding another little one.
4. Bubbles talking.
5. The kids growing up happy and healthy.
6. DA being happy in his job.
7. The kids being older and doing more outings with them.
8. Family
Eight things on my wish list
1. Date nights one a week
2. Bigger house
3. table for my entry way
4. a freezer for the garage
5. a new quilt for my bed
6. for a complete 1 yr. food storage
7. A cold storage room
8. Girls night outs
Eight people I tag (Sorry, I'm only doing 4)
1. Paula
2. Christy
3. Chelsea
4. Natalie
Eight favorite TV shows
1. So you think you can dance.
2. House
3. Bones
4. Lipstick Jungle
5. Rosemary and Thyme
6. Any cooking show
7. This Old House
8. ???
Eight favorite restaurants:
1. Panda Express
2. Asian Star
3. P.F. Changs
4. Won Won Wok
5. Johnny Carino's
6. Los Hermanos
7. Taco Time
8. Cancun Cafe
Eight things I did yesterday
1. Pulled dead and dying flowers out of the flower beds.
2. Changed Bubbles' stinky bum 3 times.
3. Went to Walmart
4. looked for a babysitter
5. Played Curious George on the computer with Tornado.
6. Organized the toy closet.
7. Made omlets for dinner.
8. Went to a church meeting.
Eight things I love about the Fall
1. Leaves changing colors
2. Crisp mornings and warm days
3. Halloween Candy
4. Not sure I really love anything else...
Eight things I look forward to
1. Cuddling in bed
2. Saturday mornings when DA makes breakfast.
3. Possibly adding another little one.
4. Bubbles talking.
5. The kids growing up happy and healthy.
6. DA being happy in his job.
7. The kids being older and doing more outings with them.
8. Family
Eight things on my wish list
1. Date nights one a week
2. Bigger house
3. table for my entry way
4. a freezer for the garage
5. a new quilt for my bed
6. for a complete 1 yr. food storage
7. A cold storage room
8. Girls night outs
Eight people I tag (Sorry, I'm only doing 4)
1. Paula
2. Christy
3. Chelsea
4. Natalie
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A lot to think about tonight
Tonight I went to a church leadership meeting with our Bishopric. The topics discussed were covenants and Christ. Most of the discussion on covenants centered around "Do we know what covenants we have entered in to? for baptism? for marriage? for our endowment?' "Can we list them?" "Can our ward members list them? Do they know what they are?" It took the 12 of us in that room to be able to list the 5 covenants we enter into in the temple. It was a humbling thought to realize I could only name a few. I have entered into these bargins with the Lord and in some cases I have no idea what my part is. Which brings me to the second part of the evening.
In talking about Christ we talked about Matthew chapter 25 and in it the parable of the 10 virgins. 5 were wise and 5 were foolish. Do you know the general membership of the ward follows that? In our ward out of 293 members 170ish show up to sacrament meeting. In the general membership only 42% are active. Anyway... in verse 10 the 5 foolish go to buy oil and during that time the bridegroom (Christ) comes, goes into the house and shuts the door. Not only is it shut but according to the footnotes it's locked. In verse 11, knowing they still didn't have the oil they knock on the door crying " Lord, Lord, open to us." Verse 12 He answers "I know you not." According to the JS translation the correct translation is "YOU know ME not." That hit me hard tonight. I could fall into that second group. I don't read my scriptures, I pray while laying in bed, we don't have FHE, etc. Well no more. I have no valid excuse except for laziness. No more.
My Savior knows me, my husband, and my children. And we are going to know Him. We are not going to fall in that second half. For when that great and dreadful day comes there is going to be no question of where we stand. My goal is to talk more, and share more. I want Tornado and Bubbles to see me reading my scriptures and ask me what I am doing. I'm going to share more of what I am learning so they can know of my thoughts and feelings about the gospel. I want them to know why I am going to the temple, what feelings and knowledge I am seeking, and what experiances I have there. (with-in what I can share, which I found out tonight is a lot more than I thought) I want gospel discussions to happen everyday and not just on Sunday. I want them to share with me about what they are learning and if I don't start first, they never will.
I want Him to know me, but most of all I want my children to know Him.
In talking about Christ we talked about Matthew chapter 25 and in it the parable of the 10 virgins. 5 were wise and 5 were foolish. Do you know the general membership of the ward follows that? In our ward out of 293 members 170ish show up to sacrament meeting. In the general membership only 42% are active. Anyway... in verse 10 the 5 foolish go to buy oil and during that time the bridegroom (Christ) comes, goes into the house and shuts the door. Not only is it shut but according to the footnotes it's locked. In verse 11, knowing they still didn't have the oil they knock on the door crying " Lord, Lord, open to us." Verse 12 He answers "I know you not." According to the JS translation the correct translation is "YOU know ME not." That hit me hard tonight. I could fall into that second group. I don't read my scriptures, I pray while laying in bed, we don't have FHE, etc. Well no more. I have no valid excuse except for laziness. No more.
My Savior knows me, my husband, and my children. And we are going to know Him. We are not going to fall in that second half. For when that great and dreadful day comes there is going to be no question of where we stand. My goal is to talk more, and share more. I want Tornado and Bubbles to see me reading my scriptures and ask me what I am doing. I'm going to share more of what I am learning so they can know of my thoughts and feelings about the gospel. I want them to know why I am going to the temple, what feelings and knowledge I am seeking, and what experiances I have there. (with-in what I can share, which I found out tonight is a lot more than I thought) I want gospel discussions to happen everyday and not just on Sunday. I want them to share with me about what they are learning and if I don't start first, they never will.
I want Him to know me, but most of all I want my children to know Him.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I'm going private
I've had over 109 hits from all over the world in the few hours since I last posted. If you want an invite so you can keep reading, send me an email. Send it to mominthewest@hotmail.com.
My family
This was taken at my little sisters wedding.
Tornado being a goof this morning.
Bubbles thinks this is how you drink a bottle when mom can't hold you.
Tornado being a goof this morning.
Bubbles thinks this is how you drink a bottle when mom can't hold you.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Chocolate Chip Cookies - Chocolate Chip Cookies
This make about 5 dozen. I usually bake half of it and then freeze the other half.
2 cups shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips
Cream together first 4 ingredients. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375.
2 cups shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips
Cream together first 4 ingredients. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Chicken Pot Pie with a Biscuit Twist
I got this recipe from a Nora Roberts book and twisted it to fit my time constraints. DA said I may as well throw out my old recipe because he was never going to let me use it again. I think that means he likes this new version!
1 fryer chicken
2 cans cream of celery soup
Flour
1 cup potatoes
1 cup carrots
1-2 handful frozen peas
1 can lima beans
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 ½ T basil
¾ t oregano
1 ½ t rosemary
Thyme
Pepper
Salt
Boil a whole fryer in a big dutch oven, covered with water until done through. When the skin peels easily and the legs and thighs separate at the joint it’s done. (about 1 to 1 ½ hours)
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400.
Skim the grease out of the broth and add cream of celery soup before thickening it a bit with flour. Scoop some broth out – the empty soup cans are handy- and stir some flour in that so it doesn’t lump. Add the garlic and onion poder, basil, oregano and rosemary. Add a sprinkle of thyme, and a dose of pepper and salt. This will thicken as it cooks. Simmer on low. Peel and chop potatoes and carrots. Add them to the broth. Add peas and lima beans.
When the chicken’s cool enough, remove the skin, pick off chunks of the meat and add the meat to the broth until the chicken’s picked clean. Simmer until veggies are done.
While the veggies are cooking, make biscuits.
Baking Powder Biscuits (makes about 9-10 biscuits)
2 c flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
¼ c shortening
¾ c milk
Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Mix in milk and roll out on counter. Cut out biscuits. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.
Top cooked biscuits with the soup mixture. Enjoy!
1 fryer chicken
2 cans cream of celery soup
Flour
1 cup potatoes
1 cup carrots
1-2 handful frozen peas
1 can lima beans
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 ½ T basil
¾ t oregano
1 ½ t rosemary
Thyme
Pepper
Salt
Boil a whole fryer in a big dutch oven, covered with water until done through. When the skin peels easily and the legs and thighs separate at the joint it’s done. (about 1 to 1 ½ hours)
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400.
Skim the grease out of the broth and add cream of celery soup before thickening it a bit with flour. Scoop some broth out – the empty soup cans are handy- and stir some flour in that so it doesn’t lump. Add the garlic and onion poder, basil, oregano and rosemary. Add a sprinkle of thyme, and a dose of pepper and salt. This will thicken as it cooks. Simmer on low. Peel and chop potatoes and carrots. Add them to the broth. Add peas and lima beans.
When the chicken’s cool enough, remove the skin, pick off chunks of the meat and add the meat to the broth until the chicken’s picked clean. Simmer until veggies are done.
While the veggies are cooking, make biscuits.
Baking Powder Biscuits (makes about 9-10 biscuits)
2 c flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
¼ c shortening
¾ c milk
Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Mix in milk and roll out on counter. Cut out biscuits. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.
Top cooked biscuits with the soup mixture. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Yay for being happy
Baby Bubbles started clapping her hands today. She'll pick up a toy, shake it a few times, and then set it down and clap her hands. She thinks she's so smart.
I love this stage! It's so fun to see her figure things out.
Tonight Tornado fell asleep on the way to get dinner (the original dinner bombed and was fed to the disposal) so when he had to wake up all he did was cry and ask to go to bed. While he was crying I looked over at Bubbles and she was looking at Tonado with the look on her face clearly saying "Dude.... you've got problems."
She's getting so big, - at least in attitude. She's 8 months old now.
I love this stage! It's so fun to see her figure things out.
Tonight Tornado fell asleep on the way to get dinner (the original dinner bombed and was fed to the disposal) so when he had to wake up all he did was cry and ask to go to bed. While he was crying I looked over at Bubbles and she was looking at Tonado with the look on her face clearly saying "Dude.... you've got problems."
She's getting so big, - at least in attitude. She's 8 months old now.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Isn't it beautiful?
We got it Saturday and used it for the first time on Sunday. It's awesome! We tested it out by washing NOTHING off the dishes. In they went all crusty and gross and out they came all clean and sparkly.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Oh noooo....
DA wants to try and fix the old dishwasher instead of buying a new one. *groan*
I've been washing dishes by hand since Sunday and I'm not loving it.
I've been washing dishes by hand since Sunday and I'm not loving it.
Friday, September 19, 2008
You know you're a grown up when....
you are excited over the possibilty of a new dishwasher. *Sigh* When did I get so old and boring?? I guess since I spend so much quality time with the blasted thing it should be something I love.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My day at the grocery store….
I got all excited to go to the grocery store so I could try out all the coupons I’ve been collecting. Everything went great in the beginning. All in all, between the store sales and coupons I spent $123.12 and saved $76.30.
I was all flustered and excited about saving that much and I went smiling out the grocery store until I encountered the pouring rain. Tornado, Bubbles and I ran through the parking lot and started to hurry and put the groceries in the car. Then I discovered a case of corn that I knew I didn’t pay for. I was too busy talking about coupons to pay attention. So I pulled the kids out of their car seats and we ran back through the pouring rain to pay for the corn. While inside I decided I needed some chicken. I get the chicken, use the self checkout system, pay for the stuff and go back through the pouring rain to the car. I get Tornado in the car again put the corn in the back and discover I left the chicken in the store.
*Sigh*
Bubbles was still in the cart so I locked Tornado in the car (bad I know, but it was raining and I didn’t want to drag him out again) and Bubbles and I race through the parking lot in the rain that’s falling even harder right now, grab the chicken and roll my eyes at the cashier who’s totally laughing at me cuz she knows this is my 3rd trip into the store, run back through the rain, unlock the car, put bubbles in and climb in myself. I heave a sigh and climb in back to make sure Tornado and Bubbles are secure. I climb back into my seat and…..
I.can’t.find.my.keys.
I know that I just had them because I just unlocked the car and got in. So I start looking. I check the back where the groceries are, Tornado’s car seat, Bubbles car seat, under the seats, and in the diaper bag three times. I get out of the car twice to check under the car and under seats again. Did I mention it was still raining? Bubbles is crying and there is a odor coming from her. I check the bag of chicken because my baby girl cannot possibly smell that bad. Nope. Not the chicken. It’s her.
Lovely.
I check my pockets for the umpteenth time and then check all over the car again. My spare key is at home, and no one in my neighborhood has a house key so there isn’t anyone I can call. Finally I sit down and start thinking of uttering a prayer to find them. I look over and there they are. Only one tiny little key was sticking out. I had set them down in the cup holder and then had pushed it in when I crawled in the back to check the car seats.
Yay. We could go home now.
I was all flustered and excited about saving that much and I went smiling out the grocery store until I encountered the pouring rain. Tornado, Bubbles and I ran through the parking lot and started to hurry and put the groceries in the car. Then I discovered a case of corn that I knew I didn’t pay for. I was too busy talking about coupons to pay attention. So I pulled the kids out of their car seats and we ran back through the pouring rain to pay for the corn. While inside I decided I needed some chicken. I get the chicken, use the self checkout system, pay for the stuff and go back through the pouring rain to the car. I get Tornado in the car again put the corn in the back and discover I left the chicken in the store.
*Sigh*
Bubbles was still in the cart so I locked Tornado in the car (bad I know, but it was raining and I didn’t want to drag him out again) and Bubbles and I race through the parking lot in the rain that’s falling even harder right now, grab the chicken and roll my eyes at the cashier who’s totally laughing at me cuz she knows this is my 3rd trip into the store, run back through the rain, unlock the car, put bubbles in and climb in myself. I heave a sigh and climb in back to make sure Tornado and Bubbles are secure. I climb back into my seat and…..
I.can’t.find.my.keys.
I know that I just had them because I just unlocked the car and got in. So I start looking. I check the back where the groceries are, Tornado’s car seat, Bubbles car seat, under the seats, and in the diaper bag three times. I get out of the car twice to check under the car and under seats again. Did I mention it was still raining? Bubbles is crying and there is a odor coming from her. I check the bag of chicken because my baby girl cannot possibly smell that bad. Nope. Not the chicken. It’s her.
Lovely.
I check my pockets for the umpteenth time and then check all over the car again. My spare key is at home, and no one in my neighborhood has a house key so there isn’t anyone I can call. Finally I sit down and start thinking of uttering a prayer to find them. I look over and there they are. Only one tiny little key was sticking out. I had set them down in the cup holder and then had pushed it in when I crawled in the back to check the car seats.
Yay. We could go home now.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
This was sooo good! DA took one bite and declared it a keeper. It was super fast and easy too. I got this recipe off http://www.kraftfoods.com/.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
4 T. Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Dressing, divided
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp dried basil, or you can use fresh (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
Marinade the chicken with 2T. dressing for 10 minutes. (I dumped in way more dressing than that and marinated it all day) Cover 1/2 of grill with heavy duty foil. Heat grill and place chicken on the uncovered side of the grill. Throw away the marinade. Cook for 6 minutes. In the mean time, mix the tomatoes, remaining dressing, basil, and cheese. Turn chicken over and place on foil. Top with tomato mixture and grill for 8 minutes, until chicken is done and cheese is melted.
Another variation here I have seen is to use Italian Dressing instead of the sun dried tomato. Next time DA wants some angel hair pasta with it. Sounds good to me!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
What baby Bubbles has been up to...
She's seven months old today! She's in a hurry to do all she can and to grow up and be big. Today she figured out how to walk around the chair while holding on. 
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tornado goes to Pre-school
He has been SOOO excited. We got his backpack ready last night with all of his "all about me" items and since then he's been trying to leave and go to pre-school. He kept telling me "I go to Pre-school (pronounced p-school) by myself!"
He got up at 6:30 this morning and let me tell you, it took a LONG time for 9:00am to roll around. -For both him and me!
Getting his name tag put on.
You're still here Mom? Leave already!
He got up at 6:30 this morning and let me tell you, it took a LONG time for 9:00am to roll around. -For both him and me!
Getting his name tag put on.You're still here Mom? Leave already!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
Just hanging out... fun pictures and a vent.
This guy has been here the last three times I've driven by. He must like to hang out here close to our subdivision. This time when I saw him I went home got my camera and came back. I stopped the car, turned on my hazard lights and snapped a few shots. He looked at me for a while and I looked at him. He could have cared less about me being there.
Now to the vent. I hate my camera and can't afford a new one. If it's on continual auto focus then I get a HUGE lag time, miss what I was trying to take, but my pics are in focus. When I switch to manual focus (hold the button down half way to focus on my object, then push the rest of the way to take the shot) I have no lag time, get what I was trying to take but 90% of the time my pics are blurry. I can't win! It makes me so frustrated. So here is the blurry animal. Only 2 out of the 6 pictures weren't blurry.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sara's Wedding
For all the family members who couldn't make it, here are a few pictures from Sara's wedding.
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