SUPPER TONIGHT:

PEPPY PIZZA PASTA
This is a real family favorite at our house!

• 1 lb. Turkey Italian Sausage or equivalent (turkey sausage lowers the fat grams significantly)
  
• 1 Cup onion, chopped
  
• 2-3 Cup elbow macaroni (whole grain is best)
  
• 3 oz. turkey pepperoni, diced or sliced or equivalent
  
• 28 oz. pasta sauce
  
• 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, opt
  
• 2 oz. can ripe olives, sliced, opt.
  
• 8 oz. double pizza cheese or mozzarella

Bring a stock pot of water to boil to cook the elbow macaroni. When firm to the bite, drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, brown sausage and onions, drain. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese. Pour into 13 x 9" baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Double or triple and freeze extra batches for future meals.

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Supper is in the oven so I thought I would blog a bit to avoid doing the laundry!   I have started a deal with Tommy and Erik about watching one movie a night, if earned.   I talked to Erik about it when he got home from school.   He didn't earn the movie last night due to behaviors (lying and hiding homework) and again tonight he already lost the movie.    He came home from school with a pop, which meant he took money from someone.   He said it was money from when he took it from our room a week ago, but either way he didn't return all the money he took then.   Though we got a bag of it from his mother.   So he lost his movie priveldge again tonight and the pop went down the drain.   I sure hope he stops these behaviors.  Tomorrow is a new day, hopefully he can earn the movie tomorrow night.  Sometimes I am so deseparate to reward the kid.  I sure would like to be able to include him in activities with Tommy and I, but I have to stand by my hubby's rules.   He is missing out on alot of fun in his childhood.  It really is sad.  

Josh and Amy are going to a concert tonight.   Tommy is having a problem with keeping his clothes on lately.   He is running around naked (underwear only) saying he is Sponge Bob Square Pants.  I sure hope this is a short lived thing!   

I did get a couple hours of nap today and that seemed to help a bit.   I am off to swtich laundry around again and read until supper is done. 

I am home and going to switch laundry around the crawl into bed.   Still not feeling the best but at least I am home alone for the afternoon to relax a bit.  I really need that!   I took Tommy to daycare and dropped off three bags of stuff at Goodwill.  I did decide to go into Goodwill to check out their books.  Never a good idea...LOL!!   I grabbed the following titles to add to my ever growing TO BE READ PILE!

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
A Salty Piece of Land - Jimmy Buffett
The Good Wife Strikes Back  - Elizabeth Buchan
Empire Falls - Richard Russo
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters - Elisabeth Robinson

Every once in a while I go into Goodwill and find a few titles I want to read.  I still mostly use the library. 

Then I went ot CVS to drop off Erik's new script.  I will pick that up late this afternoon so he can start taking it tonight.   I am glad it is Spring Break I rather introduce a new med when he doesn't have school, etc in case it makes him tired or something.   Some meds take a bit to get used to. 

I am off to switch around laundry and curl up in my blanket with my book.  Later!

I should be driving to Duluth today, but will not be able to make it.  I am still trying to recover from this virus before going on vacation.   How fun is Florida going to be sick!!  Today I need to do all the laundry and pack my clothes.   Erik seems to be doing fine today.  Tommy is looking tired and is laying on the couch.   I am going to take Tommy's temp and if he is still fever free he will go to daycare so I can do laundry and rest for the day.   I really need the rest.  Hubby will be working late again tonight and will probably not be home until around 10:00.   Josh wants to go to a concert in Minneapolis at a christian club.   I hate letting him go to Minneapolis at night.   I wish I could shelter him for longer, but he won't let me!   So looks like it will be Erik, Tommy and I for the evening. 

 

SUPPER TONIGHT:

• Easy sauce (recipe below), divided in half
  
• 10 oz. lasagna noodles
  
• 1 beaten egg
  
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  
• 2 T. parsley
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  
• 16 oz. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, divided in half
  
• 8x8 foil pan

Mix egg, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Divide in half. In each 8x8 pan, place 3 T. sauce and 3 T. water. For each pan, use half of the mixture in the following way:

Top water and sauce with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, half of ricotta mixture, 1/3 of mozzarella cheese, and half of sauce. Repeat layers and top with the last 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Bake one pan at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and freeze the other.

Easy Sauce

• 1 28 oz. can spaghetti sauce, flavor of your choice
  
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  
• 1 lb. browned ground beef, from freezer

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then divide in half to use with each pan of lasagna.

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Actually the evening has been going pretty well.   The routine goes better when hubby isn't home.   We keep the TV off and get our things done.  It is too hard for Erik to concentrate on homework when he hears the TV, etc.   I did tell Tommy and Erik they could watch a movie at 8:00.   Erik had to complete his homework to earn this.  He lied about a number of homework items and hid some of it and lost his movie priveldges for the night.  But on the good side, Erik didn't argue about homework and wasn't disrespectful at all, just tried to pull a few tricks to get out of homework.   Hubby will be finishing homework with him when he gets home and Tommy and I will watch the movie.  

I will leave you with a few pics I took this evening....I decided I don't take enough everyday life pics of my kids.....

DARN....won't let me uplaod pics....I guess I will have to share them tomorrow. 

I also have to share the pictorial by my 4 year old.   It is very funny to try and guess what he took a picture of.   What fun!!  Let your kids loose with a camera!  Some made me laugh.    I will share tomorrow...actually he is busy taking more pictures as I type.  

Hubby called and said he is on his way home.   Funny he said that three hours ago too when he called.  Yes, the man does get sidetracked a bit. 

Off to bed to watch a movie with Tommy.  Have a great night!

TIDY/LYSOL - 15 minutes each room!

Master Bedroom - DONE - dusted, swept and changed sheets
Tommy's Room - DONE - Made bed, vacuumed, picked up toys and straighten one book shelf
Living Room - DONE - Vacuumed, pick up, febreeze Couches, Wash Blankets, go through newspapers - Lysol surfaces. 

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Taking a little break then will finish up the last few rooms.   I have to have my house clean before we go on vacation,  I can't stand coming home to a mess.

Kitchen - DONE  - Cleared Table, Put Away Clean Dishes, Washed Dishes,  Wipe out Micro and Fridge, Garbage Out and Swept Floor 
Dining Room - DONE - put away clean clothes, go through mail and pledge the table. 
Laundry - Going to save for tomorrow or later this evening depending on when hubby get home. 

Hubby called and said he would be working late so I guess no rest for me again tonight.   The house is all clean for the most part.  Erik is started on his homework after a fair amount of arguing and lying about what he needed to do.  A call to Dad put an end to that quickly.  Tommy is working on his homework too....he loves to do that. 

I am off to get supper going and then we will continue on homework for the rest of the night.   Erik's Dr appointment went fine...he was started on a new medication so hopefully that will help with the impulsiveness.   We are really struggling with that!

 

I keep telling myself I am not getting sick.   Hopefully it will be short lived for me.  Tommy still had a temp last night so he is home with me today.  Erik didn't vomit at all yesterday so he did go to school today.  He has an appointment with the psychiatrist for med evaluation so won't be at school all day. 

LAST NIGHT

I couldn't wait for my hubby to get home since I was feeling bad and really wanted to lay down.   He got home and brought popsicles for everyone with sore throats.  I gave the boys their meds and went to my room to nap a bit.  Hubby said he would watch the boys for me and care for them for a bit.  

I get all cozy and start drifting off and Tommy come in and snuggles his hot fever filled body up against me cuz he was tired.   Ok...I can sleep through this, I am so tired!   Then he decides he wants to watch TV so he turns on my tv and watches some cartoon.  I don't care I am dead to the world.   A few more minutes and Erik comes in and crawls in bed with me too.  He wants to color, he says.  Ok....I can sleep through this all.   Where is my hubby? Who is suppose to be caring for the children so I can rest.  Both boys are in bed with me!  So needless to say I didn't really get any rest, but hubby got his work done on my laptop in the living room.   He was working in there so he could watch the kids...LOL!!   Hmmm..the kids were with me.

I finally got up as the boys were feeling better and wanted to eat.  So I warmed them up some french toast and got them ready for bed.   Erik was in bed early since he was going to try to go to school the next morning.   Tommy was very much awake and didn't get him to settle down and sleep until after midnight.   He was crying alot in his sleep.  I think it was his throat hurting, I am not sure.  I got up and have him more tylenol.  

TODAY

I have told myself I am not sick!!  I rested this morning with Tommy and now I have showered and dressed to my shoes.   I lysoled down the bathroom again and will tidy up and lysol the rest of the house, 15 minutes at a time.  Time to wash up barf buckets and wash the blankets the boys had on the couches with them.   

I need to get going on some laundry so I can pack for our vacation.  We leave on Sunday.  I have both Erik and Tommy all packed so far.   Hopefully tomorrow Tommy can go to daycare and I will get a few things done around the house.    I totally missed out on the MSSA conference since I had to be home with sick kids.   I will have to find some additional training to go to so I have enough CEU's for my social work license renewal. 

I also need to pay bills and take care of those type of things before we leave.  I better get going....baby steps......

It really does help to tell yourself your not sick...LOL!! 

Well last night I went into the office to pick up some work so that I could work if needed.   The boys were pretty good for hubby.  Erik was the only one vomitting anymore and he makes it to the toilet.  So easy on hubby.    I am doing my best to fight off getting this.   I have the cough, but my symptoms seem mild to me.   I am taking airborne an immune builder every 4 hours.   Lots of vit C, etc.  

I got up around 8 and passed out meds to everyone and then went back to bed.  We all slept until noon.   Rest and water, just what the Dr ordered.   Everyone took showers and had some soup for lunch.  They both seem to be a little better this afternoon, but we will see what the evening brings since they seem better than get worse, especially Erik.  

When hubby gets home I will probably crawl in bed and sleep a bit as well.   Tommy does not have strep.  The overnight culture was negative as well.  He cries once in a while that his throat hurts so I have been giving him motrin.  

Well off to clean up a bit and refill water bottles for the boys.  I doubt I will be going to work at all this week.  Not a good thing, but hard to avoid.   Hubby can't take time off as he is in the middle of moving the computer lab to the new center and is really busy!   So I guess I  have kiddo duty all week!   

I am just adding up our out of pocket medical expenses since 3/13/06 and between script refills, OTC meds and office Co-pays we have paid just under $250.00.   CRAZY!!!  I am just submitting this all for reimbursement from my flexible spending account.   I have already spent $900.00 in medical expenses since the beginning on the year.  Isn't that crazy!   I didn't take enough out to make it through to the end of the year that is for sure.  Erik's braces alone are $89.00 a month. 

Just on a healthy month with no medical appointments we have $185.00 in co-pays for monthly medicine refills.  Of course that doesn't include the $260.00 a month I pay for health insurance.  Yikes!! Almost $500.00 in medical expenses a month in a healthy month.  

But thank God we have health insurance......things always could be worse.  It is just a huge chunk of our monthly budget.  

Ok I am done whining.  I am off to finish up here at the office and head home to my sick little guys!  

Yep...I have the chills....argh...could I be the next one to be hit with influenza???  Please oh Please...NO!!!   Hubby is on the way home from work so I am leaving to run some errands and find some more of the Oscillococcinum medicine.  I am also going to the office to pick up my laptop since if I am not sick I will need to work from home some tomorrow as Tommy can't go to dayare tomorrow due to his fever.   I also need to pick up my extra nebulizer at the office to take with to Florida.   Never, never a dull moment in our home!  

Both boys are sleeping so hubby should have it easy until I return home.   I have hit most every surface in the house with lysol, I jsut need to wipe down the kitchen counters yet.   I am off to do that and get ready to leave for a bit.  

Hope everyone is having a great day!!!!  

We are back from the Dr and both boys have influenza.  Erik is on the tail end of it and Tommy is just starting symptoms.  Tommy is running a fever of about 102.  Both boys are vomitting today.   It is a fun time in our house.   The Dr did recommend for Tommy a OTC med that will reduce the flu symptons by 68%.  It is called Oscillococcinum.   I had my hubby come from work for 30 minutes so I could run to the pharmacy.  The Oscillo is pretty expensive, but if it will make them better quick, it is worth it.  It was over 15.00 a box.  Each one of them will need on box.  The pharmacy I was at only had one box so I will have to look for some more tonight.   The Dr said it probably wouldn't help with Erik since he had his symptoms for a while already, but hubby wanted me to give it to him too just in case it would make things better. 

Both boys are laying on the couch and watching one movie.  Erik has been sleeping more than Tommy, but I think after this movie I will take Tommy to my room with me and get him to take a nap. 

I am off to wipe everything down in the house with lysol and then lay down with Tommy so he will nap.