Remember....

....my bacon post. How's this for a bacon goodie? (click here for the link)

If anyone makes them I would love to try a bite. Or maybe I will muster up some courage.

"You're sitting in a chair...in the sky!"

As you know (and if you don't then you're not a regular reader of my super informative and highly educational blog) I like to post videos once in awhile. Most are funny because.... well ....they just are.
You have to watch the entire 4:11 video. It is so true. I will stop complaining about so many things (but I do love my drive-up at the bank).

(be patient...it takes a minute)

Random bits-o-info

Here are a few things I've been thinking about for a blog, but none are all that interesting alone. I've compiled a few for you to nibble on. I will also give credit where credit it due.

1. If you aren't hungry now you will be after visiting this website. It compiles recipes from websites and blogs. You click on the picture and it takes you to the site. Thanks Jen. Keep a napkin handy for the drool. http://www.tastespotting.com/



2. Another good food one is http://www.ourbestbites.com/ Thanks Becky.



3. I made homemade pasta this weekend. It was so delicious. The most time consuming part was making the dough but if you have a food processor it would be tons easier. I borrowed Jen's pasta roller-outter and made a little lemon butter sauce to go on it. Fabio would be proud. Thanks Jen for the use of the machine.



4. Berkley chose her own hairstyle today. Notice the little bows on her ears. They are courtesy of her Build-a-Bear. She has been obsessed with the headband since yesterday. Thanks daddy for letting Berkley's personality shine.

5. I went to dinner a few weeks ago with some great friends from high school. It was so good to sit and chat and get caught up. Bruce was a trooper, he didn't know anyone yet he was happy to go and did not embarrass me. Thank you to everyone who came. Let's do it again.

Creatures of Habit

Humans are creatures of habit. We all have something we do everyday, or every Sunday afternoon, etc. I was thinking about this as I dished up my salad from the rockin' salad bar at the COB.

My salad always consists of lettuce (duh!), spinach, peas, hard boiled egg whites (I try to pick out the yolks if I can get away with it and no one is looking), 1 sweet pickle, 1 beet, 1/4 C. cottage cheese, and lemon juice on top. Every darn day.

Other habits that I have:
I put my left shoe on first. One day I picked up my right shoe and went to put it on and it felt oh so wrong. I had to put it down and start with the left.

I like to go to bed with my socks on, but about midnight kick them off. Every night.

If I ride the bus - going to work I tend to sit on the left side of the bus, coming home is the right side. Weird.

I fall asleep on my left side nearly every night (so does Berkley). Once in awhile I'll be on my stomach.

Every morning I hit my snooze at least once, but usually 3 times. I cannot remember the last time I got up right when my alarm went off.

Oatmeal every morning sometime between 8-8:30am, 3 minutes in the microwave and there is a little line in my mug so I know exactly how much water to put in it. Not too runny, not to pastey. Oh so right!

What kind of creature are you????

Thank you muffin!

Bruce is the best at giving gifts. He always thinks of unique things and loves to surprise me. One of the first gifts he gave me was when we were dating. He sent me on a savenger hunt around our neighborhood.

He thought ahead (which if you know him, is not his strong point). He sent me tulips and had them delivered EARLY so they would have time to open before Valentines Day.

Let's all sigh together..."Ahhhhhhh...."

Need a good chuckle?

Shout out!

I have to give a huge, ginormous shout out today to my Connor, Kennedy and Paige. Let me set the scene:

Snow and cold have been upon us since mid-December. The backyard is the bathroom for 2 dogs, one being as big as a horse. The snow starts to melt and what is left behind??????

Yes, my adorable and obedient children ventured in the toxic wasteland (a.k.a our backyard) with shovels in hand to start the environmental clean-up.

Not one ounce of complaining and guess who is the only one who stepped in a pile?

Me.

p.s. we're still not done yet...much of it is encased in snow and ice. I pity our neighbors during the Spring thaw. ~P.U.~

Dinner Blues

I began to dread the hours of 5-6pm. Dinner time. What to have? Do I have the ingredients? Will Cheerios and green beans be acceptable? Does it take 2 hours to make therefore pushing dinner to 9pm and then I'm afraid Berkley will pass out in her soup and suffocate?

So many questions.

I found a blog with some really good ideas for dinner and most of them have recipes. I found it through a friend (thanks Tera) and most of the recipes have ingredients which I would normally stock and have on hand. It also gets us out of our food routine we seem to be in. When the kids begin to openly weep it's time to switch things up.

I also committed to making a two week menu, making a shopping list, and the biggest thing....making a note of what I have to do the night before to prep for the following night's dinner. For example: take the chicken out of the freezer, brown hamburger meat, cut up veggies, etc. I've found if I write it down I'm more likely to do it. I keep my menu, recipes and 'night before' list handy in my kitchen. Although it's only been a few days I'm a much happier mother in the evenings and the beatings have been dramatically reduced.

Click HERE for the link to the dinner blog. (or it's at the top of my list of blogs)

Have fun! I tried the chicken cordon bleu crepes and they are fabo! I have a quick and easy recipe for homemade crepes. If you want it let me know. If you have a blender and a frying pan you can make them.

p.s. some of the recipes seem to be more like 4 or 5 servings. I've had to adjust a little, just pay attention if you have a large family or a large eater (like me).

Bliss!

Every year we go on a family campout with my parents and siblings. Last year was a bit risky and we had a few surprises along the way but I honestly think it was one of the best campouts we've had in a long time. I always enjoy our campouts, but for some reason this one will stick with me for a long time. Maybe it was because I was fearful a lot of things would be miserable but it ended up being great. Maybe it was because I was with the best husband, kids, parents, brother, sisters, and nieces and nephews in the world.

We went to Lake Canyon campground which is east of Fairview. We had to pack in our own water & tables...and pack out our garbage. I think our trailer made it a good experience but honestly it was being with family, eating good food, and being outside. PLUS the family talent show was therapy-for everyone. (and it was only $25 per family for 3 days of bliss)

So Unfair!

I was taking my morning stroll through People.com and saw this picture. Do you realize Rebecca Romijn gave birth to twins on.........................................28 December?!?!

I'm no dummy- I know she probably has a trainer and a cook. But STILL!!!! How does one look so good after twins? There are basic laws of physics that must have been broken to achieve this body 35 days after giving birth.

I'm still trying to shed baby weight and Paige just turned 13.

Tylenol anyone?

We had a big day in the Mackay household. Paige got her braces. She was very much looking forward to this day and we found a great ortho just minutes from our house and it's the new Ward hang out...because other kids from our ward are patients there.

Here is a before and after. We loaded up on Tylenol. Some for Paige & some for me and my wallet. How can $1.25 in metal, a few rubber bands and 15 minute check-ups cost so much??? I truly am happy to do it and even happier that she's back to eating solid foods again.


Love you Paige!