Just The 6 Of Us

Since I started working on the weekends, Susan does most of the babysitting for me. Dale is working either at the paper or outside. She is a great babysitter. But today she was at a friends so Daddy had to get up early and watch his boys.

I came home early and the house wasn’t in complete shambles as I had thought it would be. Although, I did note somethings that weren’t there when I left. Which I was laughing to myself because he did try, bless his heart.

Adam had his brothers pants on and was tripping over them to come greet me at the door. There was a soup laddle in the sink, I think it was used to scoop fruity pebbels off Elias’ bedroom floor, because there was some cereal stuck to the spoon. Unless he gave it to Elias to use to eat his cereal The carpet had a huge pink towel on it, to cover up the big spilt cereal spot. Elias was in his underwear and t-shirt, which isnt unusual, but his shirt was on backwards. I took Adam’s pullup off to put underwear on him, his pullup was on backwards. It seems I need to give a lesson to Dale on which way the kids clothes go…bwahahahahaha! Those were the funniest ones I can remember. I am sure I will find more things tomorrow when I clean.

I asked Elias if he had a good afternoon with Daddy, he said yes. Adam said no. But I can’t take his word for it, because he also told me he didn’t spill the cereal either

Starting tomorrow afternoon I am going to start planning my boys birthday party.  I already have plans on what the theme is and I have plans for a surprise.  Mental note, call Ace Hardware on Monday!

It is really hard for me to believe that in 7 days Elias will be 6 and in 11 days our baby Adam will be 3! Time flies when you are having fun  

It was warm enough to spend a great deal of time outside today. So my favorite little people in the world had lunch outside. I wish I knew what Maia and Adam were talking about. Cute aren’t they?

Two for Adam was pretty terrible. Crying nonstop, throwing fits, throwing himself down on the floor and just plain grumpy and stubborn.

He will be 3 in 19 days and I am afraid at what it might bring. So far he has powedered his room, dumped kool aide all over the kitchen, dumped an entire can of fish food in the tank, shampooed the cat, wrote on his forehead with sharpie, tried to cut his own fingernails, yesterday, he lotioned the  TV in my room and during his bath he dumped so much water on the floor I had to use 3 big bath towels to get it up. I might not have a problem with this if he spanned all of this out a little bit. The reason I do, is because he did all this in the month of March!

Adam, can you give Mom a break? Please!

Let me see if I can catch everyone up on the happenings of this house in the past 2 weeks since my last blog post.

My father came to my rescue the weekend before last when I was in Dale’s car and it broke down on me. My van of course was still out of commission. I have been driving my father’s big blue 1985 Suburban. I have since nicknamed “Blue Thunder” A lot of thins don’t work on her, but I have to say I will miss her when I have to give her back. She is a smooth ride. I remember riding a lot in this truck when I was a child. Great memories.

I have had several little boys (especially mine) tell me this is an awesome truck. I know my boys will be disappointed when I have to give it back. They love it because it is huge and loud. I will probably be giving it back this weekend or early next week. Dale was able to fix my van on Sunday, we just have to get her to pass inspection and I will be in my Van really soon.

Monday I had a playdate here with my very good Mom friends. We had snacks, ice-cream and we talked forever. I really needed that, they didn’t know it but it helped me a lot, I was kind of blah. Aren’t they cute?

Wednesday I really thought Adam was testing my sanity. In the span of 3 hours he managed to pour shampoo on the cat, climb up on my desk get a sharpie, write on his forehead, cheeks, hands and arms. Climb again, up on my dresser and got the fingernail clippers and cut half his finger nail off, blood everywhere.  Then threw a fit because he didn’t want the band-aide on his finger. So he cried himself to sleep. This picture doesn’t do him justice, the marker is mostly off his forehead & off his cheeks. I would have taken a picture of the cat, but I could not find her after I had to give her a bath

Thursday I had Dale take Laylah to the vet. The lady we got her from gave her some shots, but the Vet told us that she was way to young to have those shots. So poor thing she had to get them again & medicine for the ear mites she had in her ears. Which the vet said should have been treated by the lady we got her from. She was bad in the vet’s office. It took 3 of them to give her the shots she needed. She came home and was so sick. Shivering, not eating or drinking, she wouldn’t move around. I really thought we were going to loose her. I stayed up most of the night with her giving her droppers full of water so she would not dehydrate. Thank God she made it, because she looked so bad. Today, she is her old self. Running, jumping and tearing up paper anywhere she can find it. Her new favorite thing is to get on top of the fridge and jump onto your shoulders. It doesn’t matter what you are doing. Here Susan was doing dishes.

This weekend Dale was sick…..so you know how that is when a man is sick. Whine, moan and sleep..hahahaha! Also Elias was running a high grade fever since Sunday, so today we were at the Dr’s. They think it is just a viral infection, but since he is having some serious headaches with his fevers we are to watch for symptoms of Meningitis. His fever is back tonight but not as high, but so far no signs of other symptoms. I think we may be out of the woods with the Meningitis.

I just left about an hour ago to go pick up Dale. His car broke down…again! I have been trying to talk him into looking at car places. Think about getting something else. He doesn’t want a car payment and he knows he can fix his car. Something with the alternator and a screw. I have no idea what he is talking about, but he says it will be fine.

Elias was supposed to have a Dentist appt on Thursday, but I canceled that. I just can’t imagine putting him through that pain of getting fillings after being sick. Spring break starts on Friday for the kids. I am excited for them and me. Easter is on Sunday…bring on the chocolate

I know I know and I am sorry. I do have a lot to write about and plenty of pictures to post on my other blog. But things here have been crazy. Adam is just tearing up the place, cat sick, cars still dead, Dale working OT like crazy, Dale sick this weekend, the ASDR 3 (scrapping race I am doing with Kelly) and I have so much coming up this next week, I think I have should have my head examend. I will try to update either tomorrow night after work or Monday before some appts. So stay tuned Oh, Adam thinks I have been giving people the wrong idea of him, so he asked me to put up this picture/service announcement

Let me tell you, if you want to WOW your family make this! Dale & Susan could have eaten their weight in this. It was so rich and full of flavor, I can’t wait to make it again. Matter of fact Dale has replaced this as his #1 favorite and not the Spinach Potato dish I make.

1 gree onion, finely chopped
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 TBS plus 1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bottle (8oz) Clam juice
1 lb scallops
1 lb Shrimp
1 package imitation crab meat
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese, divided
9 Lasagna noodles, cooked & drained.

In large skillet saute onion in oil and 2 TBS butter until tender. Stin in broth and clam juice, bring to boil. Add the seafood and 1/8 tsp pepper; return to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 4-5 minutes. Drain, reserve cooking liquid, ser seafood mixture aside.

In a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; stir in flour until smooth. Combine milk and reserved cooking liquid, gradually add to the saucepan. Add salt & remaining pepper. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in cream and 1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese. Stir 3/4 cup of the white sauce in to the seafood mixture.

Spread 1/2 cup white sauce on the bottom of a greased 13in x 9in x 2in baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, spread half of the seafood and some sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered at 350 for 35-49 mins. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

*I used mozzarella cheese as well and you have to let it sit before you cut, it or the layers will just fall apart, because it is so rich & creamy. I used frozen scallops, shrimp and I omitted the clam juice.*

I have a great collection of cookbooks and when we moved here to the new house I decided that I was going to cook a whole lot more. I have a bigger kitchen and a bigger stove so why not try new things?

My Mom has given me some great cook books, I especially love the one she gave me with all recipes from the backs of cans and boxes. And my new one from the Amish. My Step Mother gave me an entire collection of hard back Taste of Home cook books. All of these have been my saving grace from the old boring meals I was cooking. I have been putting my hands in some baking, but….I do need a little more practice with this. The kids have loved eating all my not so great deserts.

What I have been doing is going through all the cookbooks and flagging the recipes that I will be trying over the course of the next 2 week. Here is my list of what I will be trying mixed in with some old favorites. I will try to remember to take a picture and share the recipe and review.

Dinners
Chili
Chicken Tetrazzini
Hash Brown Pork Chop bake
Seafood Lasagna
Beef & Mushrooms w/ noodles
Ham, Cabbage, Potatoes & Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
Pizza Burgers
Sunshine Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken
Hot Dogs & Tater Tots

Desserts
Pineapple Coconut Squares
Apple Turnovers
Apple Bake

Now aren’t you hungry?

I have to get a lock for the fridge and for the cabinets. Adam has figured out how to get what he wants by either just opening the fridge and getting it or pulling a chair up. He will pull a chair up and open the cabinet or get into the freezer and get ice cream.

This morning I was upstairs checking my email and paying bills, when Adam comes to me with the bottle of Apple Juice and a cup. He puts it on the file cabinet and looks at me. The kind of look as if to say, you know what to do. I poured him juice and he goes back downstairs and leaves the bottle. Later on I was in his room cleaning up and he brings me cheese, not just 1 slice all 24 of them!

I am thinking I need some kind of cabinet and lock for the paper towels, because I am really tired of waking up to this………..

As if to say, “Look what I did…High Five!”

Adam has done nothing but whine and cry all day. Seriously it has been all day. Everything that happened to him, whether it be bumping his head or dropping his cup it turned into this tragety. Even if I looked at him the wrong way. He won’t tell you what’s wrong, he has taken a vow of silence it seems now. So I have to ask him questions, in which in return I will get a nod of yes or a shake for no. I love him to pieces, but I am really happy he is in bed and I am hoping tomorrow he will be in a better mood. If not, I may just go to work with Dale..LOL!