What a boring name, but it came out really good. Basically, I was buying fish and since the kids all like Haddock, I got that for the dinner meal. BUT, the cod looked so good that I wanted to get some for who-knows-what-purpose. Soup is always a good call.
I didn't want to make chowder since I've been eating like a complete pig lately including lots of creamed soups and butter and serious amounts of chocolate. I've packed on a few extra LBs this month unfortunately. So, I just did the following...
1) Sauted 3 chopped carrots, 1 chopped celery stack, and 1 small chopped onion in a bit of oil.
2) Added 48oz of chicken broth and brought to a boil. Lowered to medium heat and let it cook awhile.
3) Added 1 cubed, peeled baking potato and let it cook for awhile.
4) I then used the hand-held smoothie blender to thicken up the soup by pureeing most of the potato.
5) Added a little over 1/2 lb cod cubed along with a handful of chopped fennel fronds with some salt and let it cook a few more minutes.
It came out really yummy! Everywhere you see "let it cook awhile" means something was going on with the kids and I got pulled away. I guess you can't really screw up soup too much!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Shelagh is Reading!!!
It's amazing. I'm so excited for her. I have always loved to read. I used to spend whole weekends doing nothing but (I used to read the whole Little House on the Prairie set over the course of a weekend for fun). I would find a book in a series and then read them all (hello, Agatha Christie, Sweet Valley High, etc). I could not wait for Shelagh to start reading. I had thought it would happen earlier, but I didn't seem to make time for it the summer before K started.
She'd been working on Phonics all school year and both enjoying and doing well at it. However, Joe and I were wondering why she wasn't reading yet. It's a fine line trying not to judge, have her be on my timeline and be one of those crazy moms that measures against friends doing things at different paces. She was happy plugging along at her pace, so I've been more focused on that. At a conference with her teacher last month, I asked about the general reading timeline. She indicated that once phonics finished, they would be put into reading groups and given books to work on. She said it would be amazing how fast they read after that and she was RIGHT! Within 2-3 weeks she read a book by herself and REALLY WELL. I went out and got her a few Biscuit early reader books from the library (she doesn't like dogs AT ALL, but the K teacher said all the girls like Biscuit books about this cute little puppy). She likes them and is working hard at her reading every day now.
Every night she sits in her mini-rocking chair and reads a book to me and Rory now and is SO proud of herself. I seriously well up sitting there. Joe got home to listen last night and we were both all choked up. Then, of course, Rory decided to give it a try. He took his formal seat in the rocking chair and read a whole Biscuit book himself (memorized, of course). He took great pride in reading the page and then showing "the class" the picture before proceeding. It was way cute.
She'd been working on Phonics all school year and both enjoying and doing well at it. However, Joe and I were wondering why she wasn't reading yet. It's a fine line trying not to judge, have her be on my timeline and be one of those crazy moms that measures against friends doing things at different paces. She was happy plugging along at her pace, so I've been more focused on that. At a conference with her teacher last month, I asked about the general reading timeline. She indicated that once phonics finished, they would be put into reading groups and given books to work on. She said it would be amazing how fast they read after that and she was RIGHT! Within 2-3 weeks she read a book by herself and REALLY WELL. I went out and got her a few Biscuit early reader books from the library (she doesn't like dogs AT ALL, but the K teacher said all the girls like Biscuit books about this cute little puppy). She likes them and is working hard at her reading every day now.
Every night she sits in her mini-rocking chair and reads a book to me and Rory now and is SO proud of herself. I seriously well up sitting there. Joe got home to listen last night and we were both all choked up. Then, of course, Rory decided to give it a try. He took his formal seat in the rocking chair and read a whole Biscuit book himself (memorized, of course). He took great pride in reading the page and then showing "the class" the picture before proceeding. It was way cute.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Life Accomplishments
I copied this from GreenStyleMom...It was pretty cool to see all I've accomplished. Of course, the majority of them took place during college years and early 20's.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (I'm not a "camper", but I have done it a few times)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (On our honeymoon...one day we'll go back. How many years until all the kids are in sleepaway summer camp???)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (I think Disneyworld counts. Also, EuroDisney. Really)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (I played Mr Fox in a musical rendition of Fox & Sox at my camp when I was probably around 12. Not only did I sing several solo's, but they were all tongue twisters!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (I never quite enjoy a hard-boiled egg the same way without thinking of this hideous experience)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (I try!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (It was much smaller than I expected. And covered with bullet-proof glass)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Who could afford that as a poor college student backpacking through Europe??? I was lucky I could eat gelato - top priority of course!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (3, in fact. 2 to the Carribbean and 1 to Alaska - all with my grandmother. My sister and I were the only ones in the under-60's set for sure)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (If Woody Woodpecker doesn't inspire this trip, what would?)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (I'm not sure what town they were from, but I did go to Austria and loved it!)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I wish I had known it at the time!)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (It's seriously at like a 45 degree angle!)
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (It's huge! The statue, of course)
41. Sung karaoke (Let's just say that if a certain video of me performing the Tiffany song "I think we're alone now" were to crop up, it might spoil any of my chances of doing ANYTHING)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (Joe and I took a trip to Tortola, BVI at the beginning of our relationship. We took the whole class on scuba and then he couldn't go down b/c of a head cold. He sat patiently on deck while I went down and it was amazing. Poor guy didn't realize he was sitting on a cooler of beer the whole time)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Almost, maybe one day...I was going to be a professional organizer. I still might one day!)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (Toe)
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle (I was a little kid and got burned of course)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (Simply amazing! I can't wait to go back with Joe and the kids one day)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican (My friend and I got a private tour "behind the scenes" and were able to see the Pope's chapel, his closet of robes, and the Vatican gift room. Who would have thought 2 nice Jewish girls from East Coast USA would have had that chance???)
82. Bought a brand new car (And we still have it!)
83. Walked in Jerusalem (Another amazing place I can't wait to visit again)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (And it wasn't so bad...)
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Yes, everyone, the famous person I met was a Mr Red Buttons. Old person extraordinaire. On the old person cruise)
92. Joined a book club (I started one in my 20's. It was really fun, but too many people. So, not great for book discussions, but great for socializing!)
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby (3, in fact!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (Just the outside, but long enough to ask if they had a basement. Thank you, Pee Wee)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (I'm not a "camper", but I have done it a few times)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (On our honeymoon...one day we'll go back. How many years until all the kids are in sleepaway summer camp???)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (I think Disneyworld counts. Also, EuroDisney. Really)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (I played Mr Fox in a musical rendition of Fox & Sox at my camp when I was probably around 12. Not only did I sing several solo's, but they were all tongue twisters!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a thunder and lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (I never quite enjoy a hard-boiled egg the same way without thinking of this hideous experience)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (I try!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (It was much smaller than I expected. And covered with bullet-proof glass)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Who could afford that as a poor college student backpacking through Europe??? I was lucky I could eat gelato - top priority of course!)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (3, in fact. 2 to the Carribbean and 1 to Alaska - all with my grandmother. My sister and I were the only ones in the under-60's set for sure)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (If Woody Woodpecker doesn't inspire this trip, what would?)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (I'm not sure what town they were from, but I did go to Austria and loved it!)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I wish I had known it at the time!)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (It's seriously at like a 45 degree angle!)
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (It's huge! The statue, of course)
41. Sung karaoke (Let's just say that if a certain video of me performing the Tiffany song "I think we're alone now" were to crop up, it might spoil any of my chances of doing ANYTHING)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (Joe and I took a trip to Tortola, BVI at the beginning of our relationship. We took the whole class on scuba and then he couldn't go down b/c of a head cold. He sat patiently on deck while I went down and it was amazing. Poor guy didn't realize he was sitting on a cooler of beer the whole time)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Almost, maybe one day...I was going to be a professional organizer. I still might one day!)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (Toe)
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle (I was a little kid and got burned of course)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (Simply amazing! I can't wait to go back with Joe and the kids one day)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican (My friend and I got a private tour "behind the scenes" and were able to see the Pope's chapel, his closet of robes, and the Vatican gift room. Who would have thought 2 nice Jewish girls from East Coast USA would have had that chance???)
82. Bought a brand new car (And we still have it!)
83. Walked in Jerusalem (Another amazing place I can't wait to visit again)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (And it wasn't so bad...)
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Yes, everyone, the famous person I met was a Mr Red Buttons. Old person extraordinaire. On the old person cruise)
92. Joined a book club (I started one in my 20's. It was really fun, but too many people. So, not great for book discussions, but great for socializing!)
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby (3, in fact!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (Just the outside, but long enough to ask if they had a basement. Thank you, Pee Wee)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Movie: Precious
Wow, was this intense. Mo'Nique TOTALLY deserved the win for this. It was really a horrifying story, but quite touching. I give a big recommend on this one. We did watch it in green and red, unfortunately. I bought a new DVD player so I guess it's got to be something wrong with the receiver. The TV is fine when watching live, so it can't be that. So frustrating...Shouldn't receivers last forever?
Friday, March 26, 2010
But Padme and Anakin did it...
Rory wrapped his arms around my neck, closed his eyes, tilted his head, and planted a LONG kiss on my lips. I told him "That's not a mommy kiss; that's a girlfriend kiss when you get to be a LOT bigger." To which he responded..."But Padme and Anakin did it..."
I was cracking up. "Rory, you're hilarious." "No, Mom, YOU'RE hilarious." He keeps trying to make out with me now!!!
So here I was worried about all the weapons and fighting and chopping people in half with light sabers. Really, it's the make out scenes I need to worry about.
"Jedi Business. Go back to your drinks."
I was cracking up. "Rory, you're hilarious." "No, Mom, YOU'RE hilarious." He keeps trying to make out with me now!!!
So here I was worried about all the weapons and fighting and chopping people in half with light sabers. Really, it's the make out scenes I need to worry about.
"Jedi Business. Go back to your drinks."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Spring
The sun is shining. The sky is blue. The tulips are poking out of the ground. My kids left the house all smiling and hugging this morning. Kelly's trifecta of horrific rash, super-swollen molar, and ear infection has subsided, so she slept all night and woke up calling out "Mama" to me followed by a super-Kelly-hug (is there anything better?). Rory told me this morning that he was giving all his love to me today (how is it that your kids are intuitive and know just what to say and when to say it? It's uncanny). Shelagh proudly went off to school with her first project about penguins (pictures coming later). She worked all weekend on it and waited until Thursday to bring it in on her favorite day. No one is bothering me at work today. My iPhone sound is working again so the headphones are in as I plug away.
Life is constantly challenging us. You keep taking hits and you move forward. And, you look at your beautiful family and the blessings in your life and you refuse to let the tough stuff pull you down or negativity impermeate. And you move on. I'm having a huge "I Appreciate" day.
New Thought: Sometimes I feel like Lt. Dan tied to the mast on the shrimp boat with Forrest Gump during the storm at sea when he screams at God to bring on whatever he can. And then the storm stops and he is a new, appreciative man ready to face life again. Except I have legs and not such a scraggly head of hair. So I guess that's another plus for me!
Life is constantly challenging us. You keep taking hits and you move forward. And, you look at your beautiful family and the blessings in your life and you refuse to let the tough stuff pull you down or negativity impermeate. And you move on. I'm having a huge "I Appreciate" day.
New Thought: Sometimes I feel like Lt. Dan tied to the mast on the shrimp boat with Forrest Gump during the storm at sea when he screams at God to bring on whatever he can. And then the storm stops and he is a new, appreciative man ready to face life again. Except I have legs and not such a scraggly head of hair. So I guess that's another plus for me!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Movie: Up in the Air
We watched Up in the Air with George Clooney and Vera Farmiga this weekend and both liked it, probably me a bit more than Joe. However, Oscar-worthy??? Don't think so. The writing was solid, the story was semi-original (with a little bit of hokey-predictable woven in, which was ok - not everything can be "Memento"/"Fight Club"/"Usual Suspects" original...I'm not that snobby about it). The music wasn't memorable. I liked the small parts from Danny McBride (who I don't think will be anything other than Eastbound and Down for me forever) and from Jason Bateman, who just excels at sarcastic, dry, dickhead type guys.
I'm glad George didn't get nominated...he did get rave reviews for his role. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was good, but don't you get the impression that his portrayal was just "George Clooney charming"? It didn't seem like that much of a stretch to me. Not that I know that he is truely charming in real life or anything. You just get that idea that he is a charming flirty kind of guy with a lot of charisma that people generally like. I thought Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were quite enjoyable to watch; but, again, not worthy of an Academy Award in my humble opinion. So, I'm glad they didn't win. Jason Reitman really is kicking ass so far...Thank You for Smoking, Juno, and now this. I look forward to continuing to see his films into the future - also, he looks like Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters so I like him just for that.
I will note that we enjoyed this movie despite the fact that our DVD is broken and all movies are displaying in red and green only. This worked for Brotherhood (the series we just finished) since it is telling the story of an Irish Family and it was St Patricks Day. This does not work moving forward and I just have to get off my lazy ass and get a new player and recycle this one. It's irritating.
Update: I stand corrected, Clooney did get nominated. Thank you, Chris. I reiterate my opinion that he didn't deserve it. Not that it wasn't good or he wasn't good. I just don't think it was much of a stretch.
I'm glad George didn't get nominated...he did get rave reviews for his role. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was good, but don't you get the impression that his portrayal was just "George Clooney charming"? It didn't seem like that much of a stretch to me. Not that I know that he is truely charming in real life or anything. You just get that idea that he is a charming flirty kind of guy with a lot of charisma that people generally like. I thought Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were quite enjoyable to watch; but, again, not worthy of an Academy Award in my humble opinion. So, I'm glad they didn't win. Jason Reitman really is kicking ass so far...Thank You for Smoking, Juno, and now this. I look forward to continuing to see his films into the future - also, he looks like Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters so I like him just for that.
I will note that we enjoyed this movie despite the fact that our DVD is broken and all movies are displaying in red and green only. This worked for Brotherhood (the series we just finished) since it is telling the story of an Irish Family and it was St Patricks Day. This does not work moving forward and I just have to get off my lazy ass and get a new player and recycle this one. It's irritating.
Update: I stand corrected, Clooney did get nominated. Thank you, Chris. I reiterate my opinion that he didn't deserve it. Not that it wasn't good or he wasn't good. I just don't think it was much of a stretch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
