ANOTHER Son’s a Chef…..

Josiah came up with this really quick and tasty lunch….

Fix some whole grain pasta.

Toss with a few teaspoons of flax oil (Josiah uses butter but no one notices when I use flax oil LOL).

Shred some Asiago cheese on top, let it melt and eat.

(I add a few tsp of Italian spices).

*I'm still looking for a source to buy whole grain manicotti or large shells that I could stuff...anyone have some suggestions?

My Son the Chef…

Jamin has created a wonderful sandwich. He take the hamburger buns that I make (you could use loaves as well), soaks them in balsamic vinegar and then toasts them like you would a toasted cheese sandwich. The boys were all talking about his sandwiches yesterday and I had a bite today.

Yummm…..the bread is crunchy and spicy on the outside….he had romaine lettuce, red onions, turkey, cheese, and mustard on it. It was wonderful!!!! He is thinking of adding some more seasonings to the vinegar before he soaks the bread. This is a winner. I’m glad that he created it before co-op day so I can order a couple more bottles of balsamic vinegar.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

My first baby turns 21 today. We probably won’t be able to talk to her because she is landing in Boston. Master’s Commission will be there for this month doing several outreaches. I hate missing their birthdays!{G}

THURSDAY

This week has turned out to be incredibly busy and we can’t figure out WHY? Josiah speculates that it is because it is the first day of summer.

Today we had a friend and her high school son over. They attend chapel and it was fun to visit. The boys had a great time. They have a younger boy who is Jared’s age. He is out of town right now but we’ll have to have them over when they are all back. I think it would be a good thing for both families.

I attended a luncheon for two friends who are moving. I really do not like PCS season much at all. HOWEVER, the restaurant was wonderful. After the luncheon I was able to visit with the chef/owner and told him how surprised I was to find a place like this in our little W TX town. He said that he’s been a chef for 11 years in New York and that he is determined to bring something new down here. The salad bar was amazing….creative, fresh, yummy. He also had 3 types of dessert, two types of rolls and greens, black eyed beans, salmon patties and lasagna….all tasted home made and no Jell-O or pudding anywhere to be seen. I told him that the food tasted FRESH and not like it came out of a Franchise frozen box. {G} For instance, he’d bought the greens that a.m. and served them for lunch. It wasn’t cheap – but the lunch prices were manageable…dinner is only served two nights a week and the prices are more but I’m betting it is really good food. I need to take Mike back there for lunch one of these days. They have a salad/soup buffet for $6.50 and then the whole buffet is $10.00 (tax already included). I’ve been looking for a restaurant that has healthy choices…real food…I KNOW they have them on the West coast, Denver etc….but I’ve not found anything like it here in TX. This is close. LOL

The car dealer called. Our van is ready. They found a couple of little things to fix but couldn’t get it to act up. They installed a flight reader – a black box. We are to pick up the van today and learn how to use it. Supposedly when it looses power again this will send a message to some computer and tell them exactly what is going on. I guess telling them to keep it until they fixed it got results. They knew I wasn’t bringing the Expedition back until they did something. LOL

I can’t remember what else we’ve done…it’s a blur.

Would you believe there is a 4 yo wrapped up in that blanket? I went to put Stacia in bed and stepped on the blanket…which had a boy….and that woke Stacia up. The blanket didn’t move. The blanket was snoring. Since I knew Josiah would be home from work soon, and Stacia was awake, I left him for Josiah to carry to bed. This is just the sort of day I’ve had.

I did get some miles in today. I did pay the bills. I did go out shopping for staff gifts with Mike. We did have a nice visit with some friends who are preparing to move. Two kids were complaining of ear aches today. I suspect swimmer's ear; no fevers so I'm treating with ear drops for pain. I suppose I did get a few things done…it felt like slogging through mud.

I’m going to try to get Stacia in bed.

Duct Tape – a Handyman’s Secret Weapon

Jared volunteered to put Stacia’s new high chair together for me. It looked good. He said, “The legs automatically come off for when you need to store it!” I said, “What?” He showed me……I told him that I didn’t think it was made to have the legs fall off when you picked it up – that I’d never seen one of that design…but there are a TON of new baby things these days. I suggested he look for directions (or destructions as our friends call them). A few seconds later he exclaimed, “I found some screws!” We laughed and I told him I almost suggested duct tape – the handyman’s secret weapon.

He did a great job!

MONDAY – TUESDAY

WHEW. Making a list of goals has a way of making life get very busy. {G}

I’ve been working away on things….Yesterday; I finally got the call that the car dealer had a car big enough for us to borrow while they worked on the van. That took a couple of hours out of my day to drive out and drop the van off. We are now driving an Expedition. Yes, I like it. BUT I think the van has way more power and just about the same gas mileage. This thing SUCKS the gas. Zander calls it the “beautiful car”. I think he’ll be sad when we take it back.

Yesterday I also finished the 28 day program of *8 Minutes in the Morning*. I lost 8.5 inches in that time. I didn’t loose the “guaranteed weight loss” but I DIDN’T follow his food plan either. {g} I began at the beginning again and TODAY I actually managed the crunches!!!! I did 4 or 5 REAL ONES…..so there’s a goal from earlier to mark off. I did a total of 48 but 44 of them were “De’Etta style”……in other words I’m quite sure I led with my neck….and my arms….and my back and anything else that could wiggle and give me momentum….BUT I got my chin up to my knees!!!! I think there is something to this 8 minute thing because I’ve not done any extra work on them since I began this.

We need to work on some of our summer school goals tomorrow. It will be mid-week and we’ve still not accomplished much. WELL – the older boys have…it’s the younger ones who have to wait for ME that haven’t done what they’d like to get done. I am working on the other goals and seeing some progress. Yesterday, I got my produce order in to Heather before LUNCH – yippee! I’m a responsible co-op member. :::snort::: I got the SAGE (co-op I run) email about this month’s splits out and I got the newsletter out. I can’t remember what else we did.

TUESDAY – The day began with a trip to base. I needed to get a pass for the loaner car. I discovered they’d not given me proof of insurance. ARGH. Mike called and had them fax the proof to his office and came and rescued us at the Visitor Center. I picked up my thyroid meds. We went to the BX where I bought a high chair for Stacia and Josiah cashed checks. We met Mike for lunch. When we got home there was a call from Tricia and so we all piled back into the car and drove to the pool. That was one of my goals (go to the pool 3x this week). WELL since it WAS a “play date” with friends that met two goals. We had fun sitting and playing. We came home, took Cy to work and then headed BACK to the pool because Adrienne called and she was going to be there. Heather and Tricia and there families were also there. I THINK THAT MEANS THAT I WENT TO THE POOL 2X TODAY!!!! I only need to go one more time this week. LOL We got home shortly after 8:00 p.m. and had dinner (I’ll have to work on this dinner/pool thing). We all had our variation of pasta. I am reading *the Lazarus Trap* in my free time.

Tomorrow – I must work on some of those other goals…..Now it is time to go pick Josiah up at work – he should be off by 10:30.