Weekend Tradition

Colby and I have a new weekend tradition thanks to the endless supply of movies available on Netflix. We choose a movie that stars either a wrestler or a rapper (or, gasp, both) and watch it while drinking some wine. This week we "enjoyed" Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia while drinking chardonnay. Our snack was goat cheese three ways with pita chips. We finally got the chance to use the monogrammed spreader Colby got for Christmas from a coworker. There's something quite ridiculous about eating goat cheese with a monogrammed spreader while watching a movie starring WWE Superstar Mr. Kennedy.



I also picked up some lovely tulips at Trader Joe's to help make our evening a little more romantic.



Although we have not yet watched a movie starring a rapper/wrestler that's worth recommending, I enjoy and anticipate watching another flick next weekend. Maybe Netflix has Boyz N the Hood starring Ice Cube. At least that one has a plot.

Yes, It's that Uneventful

I realized that my blogging has been less than spectacular lately. It's just that my life is so embedded in routine that not much exciting ever happens. I could tell you how much "fun" I had at yoga this week or how freakin' awesome my trip to Trader Joe's was today, but that's completely lame.

I could bitch about how the House of Representatives is currently waging a war against struggling Americans and women. I could complain that Obama's plan to cut financial aid to the poor to help them pay heating bills is both douchey and not the kind of change I voted for. I could go on about how there is a plan to drastically reduce (I've even heard rumblings of complete elimination) funding to WIC which provides food to pregnant women, infants, and children. But honestly, my husband has heard plenty of talk from me this week about all this stuff that I'm sure I've gotten it all off my chest.

I guess I could mention that Soren was playing house with Evie and said, "My dad pooped his pants in the car wash," but I suppose that's not the strangest thing she's ever said.

It snowed like mad today, so I'm hoping that I will be able to get out of the neighborhood to get the kids to school. As much as I may find my routine boring, having all the kids home from school for an extra day isn't exactly the change I voted for either.

Applesauce

I ate an entire apple pie the day of the Super Bowl. For real. It was delicious. However, seeing as I am participating in a Biggest Loser-style competition, perhaps eating an entire apple pie isn't a great idea. Actually, it's never a great idea. Applesauce is a decent and more healthy substitute for pie.

Look, I can even get the peel off of the apple in one big line!



Ingredients:

4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 c. sugar (or less, depending on the type of apples you use)
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (adjust the amount to your liking)

Put everything in a saucepan, mix it up, and simmer on low heat until the apples are tender. I use my immersion blender to make the apple chunks into sauce, but a blender or food processor would work. Or just leave the apples really chunky like pie filling.



Apple pie, I will see you again my friend. But until we meet again, your cousin applesauce will have to do.

Papertoy Monsters

I found a book at a local bookstore called Papertoy Monsters. It's a collection of paper monsters that a kid can put together on his/her own using the templates from the book and some glue. Since Dade has been less than dilligent about turning in his homework, he has again been stripped of the rights to his tv, video games, and computer. Building the paper monsters has occupied him quite nicely, and he has an impressive collection so far.



I definitely reccommend this book to other folks looking for a cool gift for a kid.

Best Corn Bread Ever

I love corn bread. My family, however, isn't all that fond of it. In an attempt to lure them to team corn bread I searched for a recipe that would win them over. This is it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the best cornbread ever. You're welcome.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2.Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3.Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Poor Baby

Soren had the stomach flu from Sunday the 13th until Tuesday the 15th. Poor thing. We made her a bed in the living room, and she spent the days sleeping and watching television.



Of course, she still needed to wear a dress though she was sick.

Happy Valentine's Day, aka My Big Fat Gay Engagement

I had a lovely Valentine's Day/Weekend despite the fact that Soren has been puking since yesterday. We spent Saturday night at the Horseshoe casino in Council Bluffs for Colby's work holiday party. We didn't win anything, but Colby got me a beautiful necklace that's two sparrows with a nest holding four eggs. Unfortunately, I think my allergy to gold may impact my ability to wear it. I already have a rash on my neck.

Tonight was bowling night. Not only did I bowl three really kick-ass games, but I also got to see something entirely too sweet: Pookie proposed to Smitty!! I only know bowling names, folks. Pookie and Smitty are two members of the all-gay bowling team that plays in our league. The manager of the bowling alley went around to all the teams and told them that the proposal was happening, just in case anyone would be offended. I didn't hear one person complain, and almost everyone clapped and congratulated the happy couple. Engagements are always sweet, but the bitterness that these men cannot actually get married here in Nebraska is powerful. In any case, I wish Pookie and Smitty all the joy in the world and the best games of bowling they can get.

I know lots of folks hate Valentine's Day and think it's totally commercialized. Remember this, the sweetest things in life should always be celebrated. And what's sweeter than love? Whether that love is for your children, your parents, your friends, your spouse, or your partner - celebrate, acknowledge, and share it today and every day.

Preschool Update

It's been quite awhile since I've posted an update to Soren's preschool progress. Unlike big sister, Soren isn't eager to take time from her busy schedule of making a mess, watching tv, and playing dolls to learn her alphabet and numbers.




I try every two weeks to make her a new book which features a letter and number along with some sort of coloring and cutting activity. This week's selections are letter A and number 6. Evie brings home great tools from kindergarten that I use with Soren, specifically songs and chants. For example, Evie sings a song to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?" that goes like this: A has two sounds, A has two sounds, a and a, a and a. A for alligator, a for acorn, a and a, a and a. So, the song works for all the vowels, which is great.

Here she is practicing writing her A.




Here she is cutting out her apple (which she cut in half, said half was for daddy, but eventually let me put the pieces back together when we glued it into her book).



The dance tutu is obviously the uniform to which our little preschool ascribes, and a princess writing desk is absolutely necessary.

Valentines 2011

Each year I try to do a project with the kids for Valentines Day that results in a not-so-typical Valentine. Thanks to the folks at familyfun.com, this year's theme is popcorn. I printed out the popcorn box onto white cardstock, and Colby cut them out while he was recuperating from his vasectomy. I drew on the red lines and cut the hearts out on my Cricut. I had the kids write their names on the hearts, glued them on the boxes, and finally taped mini bags of microwave popcorn on the back.

I think they will be a cute addition to the kids' class celebrations next week.

One of Those Days

I don't remember exactly when the following photo was taken, but I'm sure it was on one of the days the kids were home on a snow day.

The photo doesn't really warrant an explanation. I think it speaks for itself. I was somewhat embarrassed and amused when I looked at my beat up, old coffee table and saw this. But, hey, I'm not generally one to hide my flaws.



It was a wine and coffee sort of day. Aren't they all?

Reverse Robin Hood

So, here we go again taking money from the poor while the rich get richer.

The Nebraska Unicameral is considering a bill that would deny LEGAL immigrants any and all state welfare benefits for the first five years of their legal status. Currently, federal law prohibits legal immigrants from receiving state aid for those first five years, but states are allowed to provide aid if states administer and pay for the aid themselves. Governor Dave Heineman lends his full support to the bill in an effort to save money from the state's shrinking budget. If this bill passes the state could save about $3.9 million a year.

Now, I understand why a bill like this exists. The government doesn't want people to emigrate here just to get on the state's gravy train. I get that, and I agree with that. This bill doesn't apply to immigrants here seeking political asylum or refugees.

But that's of little comfort to me. The introduction of this bill is just another shot at the very Americans Republicans claim they represent: hard-working, everyday Americans that may have fallen on hard times. I guess if we can't scapegoat illegal immigrants, then we may as well try to slap legal immigrants across the face, too.

Why are we still looking at welfare programs as horrible budget-crushing monsters? Why are they always the first thing to go? Well, besides Medicare and Social Security. That's "earned" welfare. ????

Put it like this: if I need to trim my personal household budget, am I going to trim cable television or turn off the electricity? Shouldn't we first be looking to trim things that although awesome and desired are not necessary to the survival of the household? How much money would it save to cut health insurance benefits to our state representatives who can afford to pay for their own insurance? I want to know. How much money could we save by forcing businesses to pay the taxes they should rightfully be paying? I want to know.

Passing this bill won't save money. It will shift the burden of health care costs to emergency rooms, and in turn, to us folks who actually have to pay for our health insurance and medical bills. It would put even more strain on charitable organizations already struggling to make a dollar out of 15 cents.

It's not only a bad idea fiscally, it's also a bad idea socially. It's time we stop holding the poor and immigrants accountable for stuff that just isn't their fault.

Snow Day #3

In honor of snow day #3 and the craziness that will ensue in my home today, I would like to share with you some of the wackier things the children have said this past week or so. I am not proud of many of them, but I will still share.

Brody farts.
Brody: I farted awkward.
Me: What was awkward about it?
Brody: No, mom. I farted the word awkward.

These are some of the things I heard from the basement while I was putting away laundry today:

Brody: Stop smoking crack and build the fort!

Soren: Let's pick this crap up and move it to my room.


In regards to Colby's recent procedure:

Soren: Are you putting ice on your cwotch again, Dad?
I will be careful of your nuts, Dad.