Month: January 2002

  • Quick Recipe here, I will blab at ya later about what I have been up to.  I made these for supper last night.  I made three extra batches and froze them for future meals.   Everyone liked the sandwiches.


    BREADED CHICKEN PATTIES


    1/4 cup finely chopped onion
    1/4 cup finely chopped celery
    6 Tablesppons butter or margarine, divided
    3 tablespoons, all-purpose flour
    1-1/3 cups milk, divided
    2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon onion salt
    1/2 teaspoon celery salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
    1 cup dry bread crumbs
    Sandwich rolls, split
    Lettuce Leaves and tomato slices, optional


    In a medium saucepan, saute onion and celery in 3 tablespoons butter until tender.  Stir in flour until smooth.  Add 1 cup millk; mix well.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add Parsley, seasonings and chicken.   Remove from the heat; chill until completely cooled.  Shape into six patties, using about 1/3 cup mixture for each.  Roll in crumbs, then dip into remaining milllk; roll again in crumbs.  In a skillet, cook patties in remaining butter for 3 minutes on each side.   Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato if desired.  Uncooked patties may be frozen for up to 3 months.  To prepare frozen patties:  Cook in butter for 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and heated through.


    Yield:  6 servings.
    NOTE:  When I prepared the extra patties for freezing, I cooked them.  My hubby and I took two out today and ate them and they were fine.  I prefer to have my food frozen already cooked and just throw in the microwave.

  • What Your Baby Would Tell You
    (If He Could Talk)


    On Lifes's Pleasures: 




    • I have my blankie, you have your caffeine. Enough said.


    • Don't be jealous, but I think I'm in love with the ceiling fan.


    • I know where the remote control is, but it'll cost you.


    • Actually, I don't mind sitting in a bathtub that I've peed in.

    On Life's Pain:




    • bang a screwdriver slowly and steadily into your gums - that's what teething feels like.


    • Two words I'd rather not hear from you:  Rectal thermometer.

    On the Ignorance of Parents:




    • There's no point in teaching me to say "mama" or "dada".  My first word is going to be "hat."


    • I've told you five times what a cow says.  If you can't remember, I'm not telling you again!


    • There is no question that I can cry longer than you can listen.


    • I'm not just wildly throwing my food.  I'm exploring the laws of gravity, estimating mass, and testing wind velocity.


    • If you wanted a good sleeper, you should have gotten a cat.

    On Life's Great Questions:




    • Who the heck is that baby in the mirror you keep asking me about?


    • If my bottom is so darn cute, why is someone always trying to cover it up?


    • Who are you two to tell me how important it is to sleep alone?

    A Final Thought:




    • What you secretly believe is true: I am much smarter than other babies.

    Parenting - February 2002

  • bday_poohHAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

    I wanted to wish a very Happy Birthday to my brother!!  Weren't we just adorable kids.   We have birthdays the same week so I always tried to bud in on his birthday as I couldn't wait the three more days until mine!!!

    harlan & I

  • Wonder


    The Dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.  G.K.Chesterton





    To infants, the ordinary is extraordinary.  From the moment they are born, they are full of wonder.  Like artists, they study each intricate detail of our face, discovering every freckle and line.  They're seeing the world for the first time; everything is fresh, everything is an object of wonder: a piece of carpet lint, a button on a blouse, a strand of hair.

    When we see the world through our little one's eyes, we expereinc anew our own childlike sense of wonder.   Wonder is not reserved for children; they help to awaken it in us.  *Meditations of New Mothers - Beth Wilson Saavedra


    Lately I have been just enjoying watching Tommy discover the world around him.   Watching the kitty walk by, looking in totaly awe when Mommy clicks her tongue.  It is so fun!  I am making sure to enjoy ever moment with Tommy.   He is my priority, not housework, or my career or anything else.

  • Looks like winter has finally come to Minnesota.  I could live without it though.  We are suppose to have 4 inches of snow by tomorrow.


    Yesterday was one of our big shopping days.  We have two big shopping days a year.  One when the winter stuff goes on clearance in January and one in August or so when the summer stuff goes on clearance.  Kohl's had it's 75% off sale this weekend.  We stock up on the next size of clothes for the boys.  I bought 7 pairs of size 18 pants for Josh, but I think they will be fitting him yet this year.  I think next year for school he will be in men's pants.  Now I will have to start looking at clearance in the men's section too.  ARGH!! 


    I actully bought myself a few shirts for work, which is rare as I always only buy for my kids.   So here is a break down of our day, and Tommy really handled this all very well, surprisingly.


    We started off going to the post office, then to great clips for hair stuff, then to the Mall.  At the mall, we hit clearance at Mervyn's (bought nothing), then we went to Sears ( bought 4 pairs of kahaki pants for Josh)  *note, Josh ONLY will wear Kahaki pants, hates jeans* , then to Children's Place (bought 3 shirts, one coverall and 2 pants for tommy $20.00)  lastly to Kohl's!!    Kohl's was having their 75% sale!  We bought alot of Kohl's, for Tommy, three Nike sweatshirts, one Reebok windsuit, a 3-piece xmas outfit, a winter sweater.  For Joshua, we bought 4 pairs of Kahaki, three vikings shirts.  I also picked up three vikings shirts and a pair of wind pants for various xmas and b-day presents for this coming year.  Our grand total for all that was like $111.00.  I think that was a great deal since I got most of Josh's school clothes for the next year.


    Then we stopped at Old Navy to check out their Winter blow out sale.   They had a cart of men's boxer marked down from $7.50 to 99 cents.  I bought 24 pairs for Joshua as that is all he wears is boxers.  That was a huge savings, I bought 7 size small for now and the rest size medium for later.  That should keep him good for quite a while.   I also found him a pair of pants for $4.00.  I bought 3 shirts and a pair of pants for Tommy.  I sure hope Tommy is wearing about a size 18 months next winter, since that is what I figured in my purchasing.


    WHEW!!!   Tommy made it through all that shopping jsut fine.  We have one of those travel systems stroller, where you can pop the car seat in the stroller.  He really likes it.  It was the first time we have used it.  


    Then we decided to run home and look in our boxes of saved clothes for Tommy is we had a jacket for next winter for him.  We had seen a great one at Sears marked down from 65.99 to 26.00.   We had a $20.00 gift cert to use in sears.    We decided to get him the size 3T jacket for a few winters from now.  It was a really warm Nike parka with the Vikings on it!   My hubby makes sure Tommy has plenty of Vikings gear!


    After all that shopping, hubby decided to take me for my b-day supper at Joe's Crab Shop.  We had been meaning to try it out for a while.  The crab was ok, but I still prefer Red Lobster.


    After eating we decided to stop at Target as I need to get hairspray.  Well we ran through the toys and they were marked down to 50% off so we bought a couple of toys for Christmas for Tommy.   My hubby also gota toy as he found it to be the funniest thing in the world.   It is called Free Me Freddy.  It is a monster in handcuffs, while he has the handcuffs on he says really nice things, Like please let me out...etc....then you oepn his handcuffs and he says obnoxious things and farts, burps, etc.   He says like 75 things.  He really is funny.


    Then we came home and curled up in bed and watched the movie Glass House.  That was a good movie I really like it! 


    Sunday we headed to church and spent most of the day around the house.  We watched the movie Jeepers Creepers, which was not a very good movie. 


    Tonight Tommy had a bath and I had his infant tub in the big tub.    After I finished washing him up.  I let him kick around in the big tub for the first time.  He was squealing and giggling.  It was really funny.  He would kick and splash so much.  There isn't enought room in his infant tub to do that very well. 


    Well I better head to bed.  Hope you all had a great weekend!!




    Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. - Judy Garland


  • SLOW DANCE



    Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round?



    Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground?



    Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?



    Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?



    You better slow down.



    Don't dance so fast.



    Time is short.



    The music won't last.



    Do you run through each day On the fly?



    When you ask How are you?



    Do you hear the reply?



    When the day is done



    Do you lie in your bed



    With the next hundred chores



    Running through your head?



    You'd better slow down



    Don't dance so fast.



    Time is short.



    The music won't last.



    Ever told your child,



    We'll do it tomorrow?



    And in your haste,



    Not see his sorrow?



    Ever lost touch,



    Let a good friendship die



    Cause you never had time



    To call and say,"hi"



    You'd better slow down.



    Don't dance so fast.



    Time is short.



    The music won't last.



    When you run so fast to get somewhere



    You miss half the fun of getting there.



    When you worry and hurry through your day,



    It is like an unopened gift....



    Thrown away.



    Life is not a race.



    Do take it slower



    Hear the music



    Before the song is over.

  • I had to share this with you as it made me laugh.  My mom forwarded it to me.  I am not sure whose children they are, maybe a friends of my mom, not sure.  But OH so funny!!!

    WHY MARKER's DO NOT MAKE A GOOD GIFT!!!!

    markers

     

  • Morning!!  I got to sleep in sorta today, so that feels great!  Tommy woke up at 6:45am, had a bottle and went right back to sleep, in fact he is still sleeping right now. 


    It is arond 10am and I have already had a shower and gotten dressed, not bad for a Saturday.  I have a number of errands to run today, I hope Tommy feels up to being good.  I have to run to a few stores and check the clearance racks for a couple of pairs of pants for Josh (size 18) and a winter jacket for Tommy for next year.   So I think it will be the usually stops, Mervyn's, Sears, Old Navy, Once Upon a Child.   Josh seems to be out growing his pants about every 3 months.  The teen years are sure expensive!  Usually I can find fairly good deals at Old Navy for him.   I will share all my great deals later!!  It is always a big kick for me, how much did I save??  WOO HOO!!  I am soooo cheap!


    I also have to stop at the post office and mail the last of my holiday newsletters.  ARGH....took forever to finish those.  I am just too busy!  Good thing they were new Years letters, so they aren't as late...LOL!!


    I wanted to share a cool website with you, it is not often I have those to share anymore as I hardly every surf.  If you are like me and log on from numerous different computers and are bummed when you log on from where you bookmarks are not on that computer, then this site is for you.


    www.backflip.com


    Today is my SIL birthday.....Happy Birthday Julie!


    Later all!!!!!!!  Have a great Saturday.  Hopefully my ex-hubby will be here soon to pick up Joshua.  He nevers picks him up on Fridays like he should.  Such a busy man.




    The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. - Walter Lippmann 

  • Hello -  I just got home from work....it is about 7:40.  And no one is home, so I thought I would check in with my xanga world.  Hubby ran over to his mom and dad's with the baby.  Josh is at church for a youth activity.  They are playing markers, I think he took a friend with too.


    I had a very productive day at work today.  I completed 4 expenditure plans, 2 ISP's and made two homevisit.  I know this means nothing to you, but it is a productive day, trust me!!  I should have accomplished alot since I didn't get home until after 7:30 tonight. 



    Humans make ya laugh:


    We, humans are so funny when it come to police cars.  I was racing to my evening appointment.  Yes, I was driving a bit fast.  I saw a police officer pull onto the road, so I slowed down to closer to the speed limit .   There were a number of cars behind me, which were now riding my butt.  So I got into a different lane, since they couldn't see the officer.  And so they would speed by me only to slam on the brakes when they realized there was an officer in front of me....ROFL.  It really was quite funny.  So for the next few miles (this was on a divided highway) you saw an office in front and two lanes of cars that would not pass the officer...ROFL!!  It was like the Staples commerical where they guys in the truck are going, "wow, the traffic is terrible today", when in reality it was just all these cars clustered around them reading their truck.



    I just scanned through our snail mail and I got a complimentary issue of the new taste of home cooking magazine called Light & Tastey.   I will have to page through that tonight. 


    I guess that is it for tonight...I have a busy day planned for tomorrow with some needed errands to run.  I think I am off to do a quick one hour cleaning of the house.  You know the usually stuff, vacuum, dust, mop, clean mirrors, change sheets and empty the trash.  I should be able to get that all done in an hour and before my hubby returns home, if I get off the computer now!!!  The timer is set and I am running





    Ultimately, the only power to which man should aspire is that which he exercises over himself.  - Elie Wiesel

  • I wrote this last night, but couldn't get it to post.  I am not sure what was wrong with xanga!  But here it is......


    Evening.....yes, it is getting close to my bedtime so here I am.   I am really enjoying reading the Super Baby Food book, I can't believe the amount of info they go into regarding feeding your child.  WOW!  But most of it is interesting.  It talked about how much formula/calories a baby should have daily.  A 13 pound baby needed I think it was 650 calories or 30 ounces daily.  Well Tommy is over 13 pounds, but he only drinks about 24-26 ounces a day.   Not sure that is significant or not.  The Dr said he didn't need food until he drank 40 ounces a day, so he has a while I think.


     


    Today was sort of an ordinary day.  I got up early, but did go into work right away, I stayed home and fed Tommy his morning bottle and got him ready for his day.  After he went down for his morning nap, I headed to work.   I love the flexibility of my job, so I can still be involved with my baby.


     


    Work was work......you know how that goes.   I broke one of my promises I made about not bringing work home.  Tonight I completed a couple of expenditure plans at home. 


     


    Thursday is the night I watch TV.  Hubby and I and Tommy now too, cuddle up on the couch and watch our shows.  I really enjoy Friends, Will & Grace and ER.  So during Just Shoot me and after ER I completed some paperwork. 


     


    Hubby and I added some stuff to To mmy's First Year Calendar.  This week we add that he grabs toys and brings to his mouth.   (he does this mostly with a dangling rattle on the cloth thing).  He tries to hold his bottle and actually will for a little bit.  Geez, now I can't remember his other firsts for this week and I am too lazy to go get the calendar...LOL!!  Oh yeah...I remember one...he LOVES the Disney Babies Playtime CD, especially the first song, Tickle Dee Dum.  He fusses when the second song comes on, but if you play the first song again he is happy again.  It is really funny.  


     


    We are still doing the signing for milk.  It is going good and we *are actually remembering to sign most times we feed him.   He looked tonight as he might have a clue the bottle was coming next, but I am not sure he might have seen the bottle. 





    The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. - Meryl Streep