PlateList

I love NightLine. When that is I can stay up late enough to watch it. Every now & again, NightLine will highlight a Chef and the dishes that inspired them.
So here’s my PlateList and the individuals who inspired me.

Filet Mignon a la Carol Pingleton
My mom was definitely my first model/inspiration as a chef. My definition of a chef being someone who enjoys cooking and uses their culinary creations to show their love for others. My earliest memories of cooking involve my mom and her frugile creativity. I remember the 'filet mignon' she lovingly prepared for my dad on their anniversary, hamburger patties wrapped in bacon. And I'll never forget the bunny cake she made for Easter one year.

Cajun Specialty – Justin Wilson
Every Saturday morning, afternoon cartoons of course, cooking shows were the pinnacle attraction. Justin Wilson, the Frugile Gourmet, and whoever else PBS had on the line up were welcomed into our home.

Chocolate Souffle - Julia Childs
I remember watching Julia Childs on PBS and trying to be her as well. Whenever the opportunity to cook, bake, or work with food came, I morphed into a television personality, hosting my own show right there in our kitchen. Ps, my Chocolote Souffle didn’t turn out quite as it looked in Julia’s kitchen.

Italian Sausage - Chef Jungo
While taking a hiatus during my extended under graduate years, I spent some time in culinary school. Chef Jungo was older, handsome, charming, and quite sure I’d make a wonderful TV Chef. To his disappointment, I lasted only one semester, my true passion, children & education, came calling me back.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Pureed Plums - Jason & Maddie Olson
Having children changes you. (Duh). But every part of you (not just your hips & boobs). It especially changed the way I looked at what goes into their bodies. I am proud to say both my chillins’ were breast babies, one much longer that the other, & neither had any baby food from a jar, only fresh fruits & veggies steamed, roasted, pureed, and mashed (compliments of my reliable Magic Bullet). Today my kidos both love cake, pies, and cookies, but they have healthy snacking habits and healthy bodies!

Cinnamon Rolls/Cinnamon Toast/Mashed Potatoes/Parkerhouse Rolls - Ree Drummond
There aren’t too many (actually none, I think) recipes that the Pioneer Woman has that I’m not fond of. I’m less compulsively visiting her website, but between her site, blog, and book our house has a heathly dose of Oklahoma cookin’.

Blessings

The Good Lord has our given our family so much, this Thanksgiving holiday, I am truely thankful.

Halloween

Race for the Cure

So Maddie & I did our very 1st 5k together! Go Maddie! Go Mommy!

Pumpkin Patch Part I

Pumpkin Patch Part II

ARG!

I'm usually a pretty cheerful, happy individual, but today i'm feeling unusually cranky. Sometimes people just plain irritate me. So today, here's my top ten list of irritating behavior:

10. taking all of the toilet paper on the roll, except for the last 2 squares, especially that last square that always sticks to the roll.
9. turning at 3 mph. REALLY? You have to slow down 500 feet before your turn and then slow down to 3 mph to turn?? COME ON!
8. People with really small feet.
7. Scientist with "facts" about the sun. The sun is like 10 billion degrees. I don't buy it. How do they know? Any thermometer that might be able to even get close enough to the sun would melt. They don't have a clue, they're just guessing. Well today, I'm calling them on it.
6. People who don't say "Bless you" when someone sneezes. Not even a "kazoontight", nada, nothing, that's just rude.
5. Travis when he "puts the dishes away." I know what you're thinkin', cuz it's the same thing my momma told me, "You should just be happy he's doin' the dishes." Well, I would like for at least the spoons to go with other spoons, and things to end up at least in the kitchen. I found a spagetti tong in the bathroom. I'm not making this up. Granted, it was probably Maddie and/or Jason, but still, sorting is not that complicated.
4. Vernacular of facebook. That is the language of facebook that I dont' understand because I'm the only person in the free world who doesn't have a facebook account. Example: doppelganger, dopple-what?
3. People with quiet/well groomed/tidy-haired/dressed children.

ok, i don't feel so cranky anymore, so i'm out of things that really get me steamed. I just wanted to vent.

happy trails,

My Girlie

My little Girlie is changing. She's growing. Just today I noticed it. When I picked her and held her she felt bigger, different. Her little lets didn't snuggle around my waist like they always have. Her sentences are...sentences, not little ramblings and sounds. How do I merge my excitement for this indepedence with my feelings of loss over my little bitty baby girlie? I don't know how to, but I have to.

Be Careful Who You Hate, It Might Be Somebody You Love

Please watch this. When I did, I felt great compassion, but more sadness and sorrow. When I think that a 12 year old child could be in such pain that they would consider ending their lives, it fills me with hurt. When I think about Maddie and Jason, I pray they never know this pain, however, I will love my children regardless. Every individual is someone's child and we are all Children of The Lord. If you have ever thought these thoughts, please know you are cared about, and if you've ever been the perpetrader of such words, I urge you to consider the power you hold.

Omissions from "What to expect..." & all the other propaganda for parents

I'm pretty sure, no, I'm positive actually, no where in "What to expect with your toddler or 2 year old or 4 year old for that matter" (it's a 1st edition, you may not have yet seen it), or in the manual we received when we brought Maddie home from the hospital did it include, even mention, the slightest bit about pulling chucks of meat from our once itty bitty, quiet, and snuggly child. I have become a human flosser of sorts as Maddie LOVES pork chops (but, really, can you blame her). Anyway, for all you who don't yet have children with teeth, prepare yourself (vegetarians can still look forward to this as well, mushrooms can be meaty).

The Rangers are Winning!

During the last 2 games, our coach has been pitching the balls to the boys before they try on the Tee. Saturday, on both of Jason's turn's to bat, he hit the ball, coach pitch, smacked it right out to pitcher's mound. The crowd was wowed!

Me N M & J

Jason's Newest Hobby

Crises x4 averted?

So the other night I was flying solo with the kids. And by that I mean Travis was not home and there was mass chaos at our house. "Oh I'm sure it wasn't that bad" is what you might be thinking, but oh, it wasn't good.

After we finished our supper of oatmeal and chicken quesadillas, the kids were playing contentedly and I decided to take this opportunity to send out an email that I hadn't gotten to.

3 minutes. This was the amount of time/peace/independence that was felt in our house before chaos ensued. Maddie informs me that she peed in her "pannies" in the middle of a bunch of toys. I sweep her up and head for the bathroom, Spock and Kirk sweep in on her spot. "SPOCK! KIRK! Jason, quick get the boys outside!" Jason: "SPOCK! KIRK! GET OUTSIDE!" Crisis #1 averted.

Upon arriving in the bathroom, I discovered Maddie had done more than just "pee" in her "pannies." Into the bathtub she goes, and I rinse, wipe, yada yada yada, then flush. Water rises. Water keeps rising, fear sets in, questions rush my mind, should I grab the plunger, is it gonna overflow? NOT NOW! Too much going wrong! I grab plunger and plunge, but those things never work right, it flips inside itself, I"m quietly cursing Trav in his absence, but finally all goes down. Crisis #2 averted.

After that I didn't even try to motivate clean up, we just skipped right to movie night.

I am very thankful for my babies' daddy. I think M & J are too.

OMG!

Oh My Gosh! this has to be the cutest thing (not infant, toddler, or child, those spots are already taken) I have ever seen!

I found it at Bakerella, my 2nd new favorite website, after The Pioneer Woman that is. My awesome 2nd Mom introduced me to her by giving me her book, which is Dynamite, her website is 10times more awesome.

Anywho, only go to these if you have at least 45 minutes to kill, you'll get sucked in and before you know it, supper's burning and the kidos have highjacked your make up bag!

happy Trails,

Camping!

Our very 1st real camping experience. I say "real" as we've had a couple in the past. We've been to Camp El Tesoro's family camping, but we were in a cabin with real beds. Memorial Day we attempted to camp out in the back yard. I say "attempted" as we had only a 2 man tent. In the heat of Memorial Day Texas. With 2 very tall adults and 2 very wiggly/giggly/active children and 2 very large labradors who couldn't understand why they couldn't sleep with us. Long story short, we made it til about 9:30, then we relocated back inside. So again, our very 1st real camping experience. It was great! Lake Ray Roberts, the whole kit n' kaboodle, Spock, Kirk and both kidos.

Blastball

It's official. I'm no longer a young mother. I'm no longer that new mommy that strangers smile at lovingly, gazing upon my hypnotizingly joyful bundle. I'm now that mom that often gets glares of irritation from people who don't like noise, children's laughter, or food flying past them (only kidding, my children don't throw food). This revelation came last Tuesday as Jason had his first Blastball practice (Blastball, for you novices, is like pre-T Ball, same concept and skills, except first place lets out a blast when jumped on, hence the name "blast"ball). Anywho, Jason was spectacular! I was amazed, and surprised quite honestly with his athleticism. Granted, he beats me in 1 out of 3 races, but I'm no Olympian. He was by far the tallest, but not the oldest, he was focused, paid attention and was quite the team player. I was so proud of him!







Maddie was a great sport as well, she found a friend to play with and was terrific on the sidelines.

Boo Hoo

I have changed my last diaper, woo hoo! $35 bucks a month saved!

I have changed my last diaper, boo hoo (don't tell Trav, but I'm still holdin' out on hope for #3). My little Girlie is no longer a baby. Maddie is potty trained and while we're entering a somewhat easier stage of this dance I call Adventures in Babysitting (aka Parenting), M & J are quickly growing up, faster than I'd like for them to anyway.

So Great Job to you My Girlie, I'm so proud of your accomplishment!

Hot Fresh Now

I'm kind of schitzo, crazy, neurotic, all of the above when it comes to food for M & J. We're gardening, CSAing it, most, if not all, of the baked goodies we eat are homemade, EXCEPT...



I love Donuts, and i LOVE KK's (I once wrote a song about them. I'm not making this up). On the rare occasions, that the Fresh, Hot, Now sign is on, I have no willpower. We've had KK's before, but the kidos have never been to the store. Needless to say, we had a great time.