Butter Beer, friends, and roller coasters - what's not to love?

Yesterday I phoned it in on the blogging – quite literally (and by the real definition of literally, not that stupid updated opposite definition.) By which I mean that I uploaded a photo to blogger and called it a day. It was warranted, it was butter beer! That, by the way, is the sweetest thing I have ever drunk in my entire life. Delicious, yes, but I think once is enough for a lifetime.

I met up with a lovely internet friend and her entire family at Universal Studios for a day of fun and Harry Potter. I was struck with horrible mommy guilt about not taking Spencer, but I rectified it by buying them candy and tshirts and spending money we don’t usually spend at Disney (no, you can’t buy something at the gift shop! We’re here every weekend!) They went with daddy to Magic Kingdom while I was out gallivanting. I took relatively no photos and no GOOD photos (and not a single one with Tara!) but it was a good time. We went to both Universal parks, I rode a heck of a lot of roller coasters (my favorite thing) with Tara’s family members because she doesn’t ride them. The girls were darling and it was just a good day. I’m so glad I went.

(this is every photo I took)

I left around closing time and ended up meeting C and the kids for dinner in Orlando before making the long drive home. Spencer rode with me and we talked all the way until exit 17 when he said “I need no more talking, Mommy” and wouldn’t let me listen to music with words so he could zonk out. I gave it five minutes before turning on something a little livelier to get myself home.

Butter beer for all!

Recipe: Brussel Sprout and Gouda mac and cheese

So last week I was looking for things for my meal plan, and Jennie linked a Brussel sprout mac and cheese that she was making. It sounded promising, but there were a couple things I was concerned about so I figured for my family, I would make a few changes. I ended up making so many changes I don't think it was anything like the original so I think I can officially say it's my own recipe at this point.

It also occurred to me (and it was requested) that perhaps I post something about this "recipe". The only problem is that I didn't do it ahead of time, so I'm going to do my best. Please feel free to ignore me completely. This is just how I did it. Also, I shaved the Brussel sprouts and shredded the cheese the night before because I only had about 45 minutes to cook, and I used 3 pans so I could cook all of it at the same time.

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon, chopped (raw)
1/4 yellow onion, sliced very thin
1 lb brussel sprouts, shaved on a mandoline
12 oz Gouda, shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese, separated - 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 can evaporated milk
1 can worth regular milk (I use skim, use what you like)
1 tsp ground mustard
1 lb pasta (I used corkscrew)
a handful of panko breadcrumbs (I don't know how much, it was whatever I had)

If you have a toaster oven, you will want to have available a pan which will fit in it for broiling. If you don't, preheat your oven for 400 degrees (ish).

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta as directed, al dente or however you like it. Drain and return to the pot.

In a large pan, sauté the onions and bacon until fully cooked. Add the brussel sprouts and cook down until, well, well cooked.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and cook mince garlic for one minute. Add flour and mustard. Cook for a minute to cook the flour (making a roux). Add milks and heat to a boil, stirring often. It will not thicken as much as you would think but cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to make sure the bottom doesn't scald. Take off the heat and add all the gouda and 3/4 cup of parmesan, stir until fully melted.

Now add the Brussel Sprout mix to the pasta and mix fully until incorporated. Then add the cheese sauce, and again stir until fully incorporated. Dump mixture into pan and make the top flat. Mix panko crumbs with the rest of the parmesan and sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese.

Broil until the top is brown. The rest is already fully cooked so you don't have to worry about cooking through.

Enjoy!

(I hope this is a good enough recipe, it's the best I could do after the fact. But this was absolutely delicious, I swear. Make your husband do the dishes since we just used every pan you have (or maybe wash all the stovetop pans while it's cooking in the oven, which is what I did).


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday bits and pieces

1) Now that I am blogging so much and reading so many blogs (NanoBloMo means if you don’t read blogs in your sleep that you wake up to 21 in your feed eight hours later), I’m also trying to leave more comments. I don’t comment on every single blog, mostly because sometimes the commenting fails (I hate you, Discus) but I know that I love comments so I’m trying to be better about commenting on others.

Also, I relaxed the commenting on this blog it its max relaxation. It’s all, “it’s cool, man”. I even allow anonymous comments for ease, but it would be awesome that if that’s the way you have to go that you “sign” your comment like your grandparents sign comments on your Facebook. Anything that looks like trolling or spam is likely to be deleted.

2) The parent-teacher conference last night was great. Spencer is basically working through a first grade level in all subjects except listening comprehension (listening, no kidding). We talked about ways to challenge him and she’s going to give him paper with more lines on it (who knew they change the lines on paper for kids depending on how much they want them to write?) And also there’s a girl that is about the same level as he is, so they are in their own little reading group. They are already reading the hardest books kindergarten has to offer, so I’m assuming that once they get through those they will get some books from the higher grades for them.

There is a gifted program, but apparently the IQ parameters for kindergarten are wonky in the public school system and it’s very difficult to get in for K, much easier in first grade. I don’t care as long as he’s being properly challenged in his class, so we’ll keep an eye on that. I really like his teacher, and I do think it’s all about the teacher.

3) After the conference we picked up the kids and went back to the school for the book fair. Spencer ended up choosing a book about volcanoes and one about sharks, and I made the executive decision to get a Phineas and Ferb long book to read to them as well (MOM THERE ARE NO PICTURES IN THIS!). S really is interested in non-fiction – this morning he came to me with a book about the human body and was telling me (in his made up way) how pee is made before in leaves the body.

4) I’m super excited about this weekend. We’ve decided to go out for breakfast tomorrow to one of the best local places. Best. I think after that we are going to do some yard work, and then my company is having a “picnic” at a farm not too far from us. Fun for all ages! And THEN. Sunday I’m meeting an internet friend at Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter stuff for the first time. It’s been there for what, six years? Yeah, haven’t been there in at least eight. And I get to see Tara! My family is going to Magic Kingdom, because we still don’t want to spend the money for all of us to go to Universal when there are so many things they can’t ride yet.

5) I’m thinking about getting Spencer a Kindle Fire for Christmas. I want him to have more opportunity to read, but also to have a tablet for apps that is on a supported platform that won’t be obsolete in six months. I also like that since it’s mainstream, it is easier to find accessories like cases, which is impossible for C’s tablet. We usually get Henry something comparable so they don’t fight, but I don’t want to buy two Kindle Fires. Any ideas? I had thought C would want a new tablet and we could hand down his, but now he’s decided he doesn’t want to do that.

BBTW: A Day in the Life.

I’ve started these before but I usually feel silly halfway through and don’t publish (even though I love reading them!). This time it’s for a cause! It’s for Ginger’s BBTW! Done! Prepare to be amazed! Or bored! By a day in my life! (do not be dissuaded by the constant change in tenses, for I am not changing it).

So I didn’t decide to do this until 8:42am, so a) there are no photos from before that time and b) I don’t know how the day will turn out so it might possibly be the most boring thing you’ll ever read. Only time will tell.

4:48am woke up from a very bad dream, cuddled into my husband because it was a bad dream about him and I needed reassurance. Unfortunately I can’t actually sleep while touching anyone so I was in and out of sleep after that.

5:30am I hear children. Apparently they have decided it’s time to rise. C goes into their room to tell them if they’re up they need to take books into their beds and be quiet. Quiet is not in their vocabulary but there’s no fighting so I think it’s a win.

6:00am My alarm goes off. C gets up to hit the snooze three times, I mull over whether I really need a shower this morning. I decide against it.

6:23am Up, dressed and considered make up. Did enough to not look like death. Pulled my dirty hair in a ponytail. We’re good.

6:30am Started breakfast for me (one egg and one egg white scrambled w/ half a slice of cheddar melted on top) and packed lunch for me (leftover sesame noodles from the night before with some shredded briefcase chicken, and an orange) and for Spencer (cinnamon raisin bread with peanut butter, mini sweet rice cakes, dried apricots and an orange). Threw my breakfast and lunch in my lunchbag.

6:45am kisses and out the door. In the meantime the kids have gotten dressed (and I’ve barked at them eight times to do so) and are now eating muffins while C gets dressed. He works from home most of the week, so he takes them to daycare and school every day.

7:10am I pull into my parking space, happy that no one has decided to steal it today. I’m slightly annoyed that the time change means I miss the sunrise now, and have to wear sunglasses on my drive. Early morning driving was so peaceful.

7:15am WORK! I start pulling the work I have to do for the day, read and comment on a few blogs. Post mine for today. Heat up my breakfast (only a few seconds! No one has to smell microwave eggs, I swear!) and make my coffee. We all went in on a Keurig about six months ago, and a couple weeks ago I bought a reusable K-cup so I’ve been making fresh coffee every morning. It’s delightful.

8:30am Lament about how since my desk went to two monitors, my keyboard is too far away from the left side of my desk when I need to type while I review something or pay bills. My assistant solves the problem by finding me a spare cabinet I can wheel under my desk, and wheel out when I need it. Score! I may also stick my La Croix in it so I don’t look like a junkie w/ my 12-packs.

8:42am reading blogs checking in on twitter and facebook, decide to start this Day in the Life thing.

8:58am Back to work. Lots of work. Work doesn’t end. 80s on 8 might help – hey look, Rolling Stones Start Me Up – perfect!

9:08am Okay, really this time.

11:48am stopped working for a few minutes so I could get some additional information from someone on a file I was working on. Read and commented on a few blogs.

11:56am Ugh. Working again.

12:20pm Finally finish the work I was desperately trying to complete. Lunchtime! I’m reading Ken Follet’s Fall of Giants, and it’s pretty good but LONG which is obviously not getting me anywhere towards my reading goal but a good book is better than a bunch of short crappy books, I always say. Except when I’m in the mood for a short crappy book. I usually hate sitting at my desk to have lunch but I’ve just made out-of-the-office lunch plans for the next two days so at my desk I am.

1:05pm Back to work. Ish.

1:52pm Quick break to look into recipes made with Marshmallow Fluff.

2:02pm Amazingly, I have finished all the tasks I had specifically put had on my plate for today at work, which rarely happens. Which is not to say that I have nothing more to do, but it is a load off my back. Now to do all the other little things I didn’t specifically task for!

2:13pm Hey look, blog comments! Damn, back to work.

2:17pm. I demand hot tea from the Keurig. Wonder if I could take apart tea bags and use my reusable k-cup, but in the meantime I’ve got some Earl Grey. What I’d really like is a snack, but I have none and my assistant is down to candy corn. One got stuck in my throat yesterday and I’m not looking to repeat that nonsense. Oh look! Whoppers!

3:18pm Break out in song: Straight Up by Paula Abdul hits the radio. You’re welcome for that earworm.

4:00pm exactly – OUT!

4:25pm At daycare to pick up the minions. Hurray! (I had to try for five minutes to get them both smiling and not complaining about sore toes or pointing out the airplane through the moonroof and thereby covering their faces completely. Small miracles here.

(outtakes)

4:35pm Home, and C has already gotten the bikes out and started checking the tires. Earlier I had texted to see if he wanted to do a family bike ride or play baseball in the yard. He chose bike ride so here we are! We change out of work/school clothes and head out. You would think a family bike ride on the local trail would be easy and idyllic, but it's half idyllic and half complaining about helmets being too tight and I want water and I have to pee. But we do a 4.5 mile loop and get home with the shine still mostly on family time.

5:45pm When I suggest family exercise, C suggested going for sushi afterward. Meal plan, shmeal plan. I make dinners for the kids because they only eat edamame at the sushi place. 

6:10pm SUSHI! Yum! Henry insists to the point of meltdown that he wants to try one of the rolls, but when he gets it he is not impressed. Both want to try the ginger, both spit it out. "It's poisonous!" says Spencer. 

7:10pm On the way home, Henry falls asleep. I successfully not only transfer from car to bed, but I woke him up enough to pee and to take his allergy meds and STILL he slept. I am the master.

7:15pm Since tomorrow is parent-teacher conference night (!!!) I wanted to prep dinner so I just had to cook. Otherwise we'll be eating out, again. So I shaved 1lb of Brussel sprouts and shred 12oz of smoked Gouda. Dinner tomorrow is going to rock.

7:38pm Time to tackle the laundry. I've been ignoring this pile since Monday, but it needs to get done. C and I have an agreement - he runs most of the laundry (sometimes I'll run a load or two). I fold laundry, he hangs laundry. He hates to fold and I hate to hang. Plus, I have a system in folding so once I start I want NO help. It's a system!

8:00pm Socks. I have a strange obsession with correctly pairing socks, and pairing based on relative amount of ground in dirt from wearing socks outside. We're missing a batman sock, shit will hit the fan. Nothing more to say. (most of this is a-typical, there is usually a lot more sitting on my butt in the evenings, possibly some snacking on Halloween candy or cereal)

8:08pm I need a shower, and I also even decided to take out my contacts and blow dry my hair. Gotta make a good impression for parent/teacher conference!

8:45pm C has already passed out, so I take the chance to watch one of my shows that he doesn't watch - Bones. Hoping to make it through because I'm purely exhausted. There's no milk still (I meant to stop on the way home and forgot) so no snack for me. That's probably a good thing.

9:45pm Stayed awake for the show, but now it's lights out. That's all, folks.

Dream fights and eye cream

I woke up this morning at 4:45a near tears because I was having a dream that C had told me he wanted a divorce while we were at a family function – Easter, I think, based on the background goings on and who was there. The whole dream I was running around begging him to reconsider and telling him I would give up all my extracurricular activities, deleting my twitter account, crying. It was terrible.

 The dream made sense because it came on the heels of a friend announcing her separation, and while I don’t know what happened and wouldn’t even hazard a guess, it makes me sad. Sad for her, sad for the kids. Nine couples under the age of 35 attended my wedding in 2007. Four couples were engaged (only one of those couples went on to get married), one was dating, and four were married (two with first babies on the way). This marks the last of those couples to separate. Love to you, anonymous friend.

But on to other, more shallow, topics. Eye cream.

Six months ago I did not own any eye cream. NOW I have all these:

I’m not sure what works, I’m not sure if any of them work. I have terrible bags and dark circles under my eyes that concealer doesn’t seem to even help (it’s genetic, I have them, my mom has them, Spencer has them). There is firming cream and cream for dark circles and everything here. What am I missing? What’s the magic formula? (spoiler: I’m sure there’s no magic formula. But would anything help that I haven’t tried?)

Not-so-Guilty secrets

Henry has stopped drinking milk, outright. This pretty much even includes chocolate milk, and he won’t drink hot chocolate anyhow because it’s “hot” (I tried calling it lukewarm chocolate to no avail). We used to go through a gallon of milk in 4-5 days, but now it appears to be taking us two weeks to go through one, and that’s only because I started drinking it myself to get through it before it went bad.

Now here’s something you should know about me: I’m very attached to those dates on the top of milk that says when they expire. I know that technically it’s a “sell by” date and not a “drink by” date, but I just cannot get past that to drink what is probably fine milk. I’ve, pre-kids, been known to trash milk at all stages of empty/full because it automatically tastes icky to me even on the date on the bottle.

But. (of course there’s a but) With Henry not drinking milk and Spencer not drinking milk that much, at the “sell by” date of the most recent gallon, we had 75% of a gallon left. And we buy the organic stuff, so that’s $5 worth of milk! I couldn’t do it. I started drinking milk every day. I put it in my cooking. Here’s what I was left with:

That’s the last glass of milk which I drank last night (with some kit kats) and that’s the date on the gallon. While every day I thought “this is the day I drink spoiled milk” or “this is the day I feed my family food made with spoiled milk”, it didn’t go bad! Woah!

It’ll be half gallons from here on out. (and calcium chews for the kiddos)