Karen's Kastle

Menu Plan Monday

2010-06-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

This week's contenders:

Summer Chicken Stir Fry, brown rice
Pan-Seared Steaks With Mushrooms, broccoli
Homestyle Chicken Hash*, peas
Seasoned Tilapia, Roasted Asparagus on Parmesan Polenta
Pizza Friday

That might be too many new recipes in one week, but we'll see since all the flavors are familiar. New recipes are from Health.com. I get the magazine and really enjoy it.

Homestyle Chicken Hash is from Cheap. Fast. Good! It's a good kid friendly cookbook but absolutley NOTHING is seasoned. I add my own.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-05-17T04:49:00.000-07:00

Again with the menu planning? Yes. It really does make it easier for me.

Chili Colorado*, tortillas, refried beans
Pork** and Bean Casserole, a vegetable*** yet to be determined
Garlic Tilapia, couscous, vegetable
Chicken Ziti Bake****, garlic bread, vegetable
Pizza Friday

*I'm using leftover pork and NOT beef, so it's not really Chili Colorado, but don't tell anyone.**

**Mike grilled a pork shoulder roast which resulted in lots of leftovers.

***The vegetables depend on what looks good at Trader Joe's.

****Sam wants Chicken Parmesan but this is easier and everyone likes it.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

Clam Chowder, salad, crusty bread
Ground Turkey Stroganoff, broccoli
Pork Medallions with Olive-Caper Sauce, vermicelli with garlic and herbs
Mexican Lasagna, black bean and corn salad
Pizza Friday - Pizza Hut has a $10 pizza going.

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie. Her post wasn't up when I did mine, so you'll have to look around for it.

I stand corrected

2010-01-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

I missed a zero in my geocaching post.

As a nice reader pointed out, there are 966,614 geocaches around the world, not just a mere 95,000.

It's going to take a while to find them all.

A Hidden Gem

2010-01-03T05:49:00.000-08:00

While geocaching over a long weekend, we happened upon a great little Mexican restaurant in downtown Henderson. Dos Potrillos Mexican Food was a fantastic Madre y Padre place on Water Street. It was one of those great little "hole-in-the-wall" places that just screams local color.

Besides having wonderful authentic Mexican food, it's located across the street from the El Dorado and Rainbow Club Casinos. Talk about great people watching! It was New Year's Eve so there was an abundance of drunk people already at noon!

And, unlike other downtown establishments, Dos Potrillos is open on the weekends. Many restaurants close Friday through Sunday as they cater to city workers and the city offices are only open Monday through Thursday.

If you happen to be on Water Street, I recommend Dos Potrillos.

Geocaching

2010-01-02T05:04:00.000-08:00

Recently, Mike and I have taken up the hobby of geocaching. There are more than 96,000 geocaches hidden throught the world.

I bought him a hand held GPS unit for Christmas.

We weren't very good at it when we first started. There are a few tricks to learn, but we're catching on.

I also bought him Geocaching for Dummies. That seems to be helping, too.

At first, we were really discouraged that we couldn't find any. Then we changed our outlook. We started viewing it as an activity we can do together outside in the sunshine. If we happen to find geocaches, that's just a bonus.

Now that we've been at it for a few weeks, we are finding more and more caches.

And we get to spend time together outside in the sunshine.

2010

2009-12-30T21:48:00.000-08:00

It's not a New Year's Resolution. Many, many years ago I resolved not to make any more resolutions and I've stuck with it.

I do think I'd like to blog more (and perhaps Facebook less) in the coming year.

I'm going to start with Menu Plan Monday. It helps me prepare healthier meals and I don't have to wonder what's for dinner at 4pm.

We'll be serving more vegetables around here, too. My health is deteriorating since a knee injury. I've found an exercise routine I can do, so I'm at the gym every day now, too.

I'd prefer NOT to have a stroke this year, so changes are needed.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in the year to come.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-26T19:37:00.001-08:00

Mexican Train arrived from Oregon. We had a great time playing it!

The kids being silly.

The tradition is to open one present that came in the mail on Christmas Eve.

Ana got TONS of nail polish.

And Sam got a shirt with a guitar on the front that plays music! Very cool.

She's a Whiz!

2009-12-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

A new post is required because I'm tired of looking at colonoscopy prep!

The wine glass is not hers. The sippy cup is.

Colonoscopy Prep Made Easy(er)

2009-10-23T16:14:00.001-07:00

Let's face it. Colonoscopy prep is not easy. It's long, dreadful and tedious. It's also a LOT more tolerable than chemotherapy and radiation, and so, we endure.

Four litres is A LOT of liquid to consume. And the stuff tastes nasty. I discovered the following on my most recent prep.

The package (TriLyte) now comes with flavor packs! Big whoop.
Throw away the flavor packs.
Buy bottled water (in 16.9 ounce bottles) to mix with the powder
After the powder and bottled water are well mixed, pour the liquid back into the bottles.
Pour Crystal Light on-the-go packs (or something similar) into each bottle. I used Propel fitness water packs since they are clear. NO RED food coloring is allowed!
Chill well.
Be sure to mark your bottles with big black XXX or something so they are not mistaken for plain old water in the fridge.
Slice a lime into small wedges and have ready with your Prep solution.
Drink through a straw as far back in your mouth as you can stand it.
The cold liquid through the straw can produce a slight "Brain Freeze" but pressing the tongue to the roof of the mouth usually fixes it.
If you start to gag (which I do) take a quick squeeze of lime and drink some more.

See #5 on Day Before the Examination on this website. This doctor does the prep slightly different than my doctor, but puts on his website that the use of Crystal Light is okay. The manufacturer says not to add anything else. I'm listening to the doctor in Utah.

All of these things got me through the prep much more easily than the last time where I threw up roughly half of what I managed to swallow.

See you again in five years for an update. The pharmaceutical companies really need to come up with a better prep!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, there is a plan this week.

I went back to old stand-bys that everyone will eat.

Ana has her pre-test to determine her eligibility to test for Second Degree Black in October on Wednesday, so I'm making her favorite, Chicken Dijon.

Clam Chowder, salad, crusty bread
Spaghetti, tomato sauce, Italian sausage (I had Mike grill the sausages with last night's dinner)
Chicken Dijon, couscous, broccoli
Tacos, refried beans

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Sweet 16

2009-08-27T10:25:00.001-07:00

My baby is 16 today.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

What's for dinner this week? So far, this.

Carmelized Onion Penne, garlic chip greens (Sorry. TWO food network recipes. Their website sucks, but the food looked good so there you are.)
Breakfast - Pancakes, eggs, bacon
Turkey Burgers, Macaroni Salad
something else. I'm going to end up at the store again (we're out of dog food) so I'll probably put fish on the menu.
Pizza Friday (which I dislike, but the family likes it so I'll eat salad or something.)

Bon appetit!

Brought to you by I'm on Organizing Junkie.

Happy Birthday

2009-08-22T19:35:00.001-07:00

We have two family birthdays this month.

Ana is Sweet 16.

Mike is 46.

Random Things I LIke

2009-08-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

crushed up saltines in my chili - there was a time when I wouldn't eat saltines because they are carbs!
Earl Grey Tea - Hot or cold
summer
black tea with honey and lemon - hot, when I have a cold
Tropical Black Iced Tea from Fresh and Easy - but I only buy it on clearance, because I'm cheap
the smell of rain on pavement - a rarity in Las Vegas
freshly mowed grass - although it makes me sneeze
being able to provide frivolous things to my kids on occasion
pesto, especially homemade - so bright and fresh and green
listening to Sam play his electric guitar - but I'm still buying him headphones

Naveen Andrews - a little mancake on Lost
Traveling to Utah by car if I'm not driving. Seven and a half hours to do NOTHING!
Las Vegas 51's baseball

Not Quite.

2009-08-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

They look rather the same to me, but I realize upon closer inspection that they are not.

Mark Harmon and Bruce Greenwood

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-17T04:06:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes. Meal planning time again. Here we go!

Turkey burgers, chips (I buy two snack size bags and we split them between four people.)
Ground Beef Stroganoff, broccoli (Yes, I'm using ground turkey instead.)
Chicken something. A family favorite. I have frozen chicken breasts. I have NO IDEA what they will turn into for dinner. I also have frozen vegetables.
Ummm...There's pasta and eggs in the house. Maybe Pasta Carbonara (a la Rachael Ray.) I'll have to buy pancetta, but it's pretty cheap at Fresh & Easy.
Payday! The sky's the limit! I'm hoping to avoid Pizza Friday. I really don't like pizza very much. Don't tell Joe. He'll unfriend me!

Another pantry/freezer week. Somehow I managed to spend all of our money last week so this week is a little tight. Happily, I keep a pretty well stocked pantry.

As always, more menus to steal at I'm an Organizing Junkie. I'm posting the blog, not the Menu Plan Monday entry because it's not up yet and I'm lazy like that.

Bon Appetit!

Food Update

2009-08-14T07:20:00.001-07:00

It's interesting and helpful for me if I have a Menu Plan, but I don't lose any sleep over changing it.

This week:

Monday: Leftover buffet
Tuesday: Baked Teriyaki Chicken (What's that weird sauce on it?)
Wednesday: Karen and kids to Joe's for a karate thing. I made tacos earlier in the day so Mike would have something to eat.
Thursday: Roast Chicken. I found a whole chicken at Fresh & Easy for $2.04. The execution of the dish was less than stellar. Next time I'll stick with my Williams-Sonoma prep and skip Tony Bourdain. Mike's prep of the Tony Bourdain Roast Chicken results in a fabulous meal. Mine resulted in having Mike come home and having to rescue dinner. Sigh.
Friday: Mike's birthday! He's bringing home steak to grill on the barbecue. When he told me he wanted grilled steak, I was sure to tell him that I would ruin it. He already knew that, so had planned to grill it himself.

In case you didn't know: we have a Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill. No gas or propane is EVER used to grill our food. If we had gas or propane, I could probably be trusted to grill. Mike uses kindling, briquets and real mesquite charcoal to build a perfect fire. He then waits for perfect coals and cooks over indirect heat.

Because I know you're all worried about us eating charred beef which will kill us!!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-08-10T04:26:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.
There are many, many menus to cheat from.

My plan looks something like this.

Monday: Leftovers-including: roast chicken, asst cheeses, salami, artichokes, marinated mushrooms, harissa beans, homemade pesto, homemade hummus, pita
Tuesday: Baked chicken. There are two breasts with ribs leftover from the weekend.
Wednesday: Pasta, I think. Lots of it in the pantry. Sauce? Pesto or maybe I'll whip up a tomato sauce. I might just serve it with butter and cheese.
Thursday: There's frozen ground turkey in the freezer. Maybe tacos. Sam likes them.
Friday: Mike's birthday. He hasn't decided if he wants me to cook or if he wants to eat out. He doesn't usually like to eat dinner out, especially after a busy week at work.

Updates as they occur, I guess.

An update before it even posts! I'm making Baked Teriyaki Chicken.

Just Getting Here?

2009-07-23T12:11:00.001-07:00

Then you're too late. The home page of K*Bot World has already changed.

You gotta be fast to keep up with some people!

Getting Famous

2009-07-22T06:46:00.001-07:00

Sam is getting famous! Read the first paragraph on the home page of K*Bot World. He's off to a great start at the World Championships.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

Short week this week. Our international karate tournament starts on Thursday so we're only eating at home on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The kids have not been eating well lately (owing to sickness) so they each had to plan a meal.

Chicken tacos (Sam) Says he doesn't like ground meat in tacos so will dice chicken for him instead. Still sounds good.
Chicken Dijon, Parmesan couscous, broccoli (Ana) A little more knowledgeable with regard to nutrition and balanced meals.
Turkey burgers, potato salad (Karen) This may end up in the freezer since after I went grocery shopping, Mike did his shopping for tonight's dinner and came home with turkey burgers to go with my potato salad. We have a lot of frozen things. Maybe I'll whip up a miracle.

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Friday Food Update

2009-07-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

OMG!! I actually made everything on my menu plan this week. Most of it got eaten, too.

Ana had a status migraine for 3 weeks so she didn't eat much at all for the last week or so.

Finally took her to the ER and knocked the darn thing out of her. She is much happier now and eating again.

I guess I'll give in and do Pizza Friday to stick with the plan. Maybe Dominoes. I haven't eaten theere since I was in college. Or Pizza Hut! So I can say, "I just feasted for five dollars."

Menu Plan Monday

2009-07-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie

In no particular order

Teriyaki Beef with Noodles (We have leftover Teriyaki Tri-tip from the weekend. I'll create something with it!)
Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken (I can't remember where I first saw this recipe or I would give credit but it was probably here.)
Pork Medallions with Olive-Caper Sauce, Vermicelli with garlic and herbs (Cooking Light)
Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta (Cooking Light, April 2008)
Friday, Friday, Friday...I've grown weary of Pizza Friday.

Updates as needed.

The Food Reviews

2009-07-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Potato Leek soup with Chicken Andouille Sausage: Delicious, as always. It's hard to go wrong with this soup and the slightly spicy sausage complimented it quite nicely. I served it with Garlic Naan that I picked up at Trader Joe's.

Mexican Lasagna: Not bad. It's good that the kids did not see it being assembled as I'm sure they would have turned their collective noses up at cottage cheese. As it was I got "What kind of cheese is that?" Also, my family has a preference for corn tortillas rather than flour. And lastly, as usual, it made entirely too much food for my light-eating family of four. I served this with a black bean and roasted corn salad so there was a lot of corn and lots of black beans on the table.

Cheesy Penne with Chicken & Broccoli: This is pasta, chicken and broccoli with cheese sauce. What could be better? Nothing! Don't be afraid of making cheese sauce. It's incredibly easy.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-06-29T11:16:00.001-07:00

brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Another semi-plan for the week. I'm only responsible for three meals this week.

Mexican Lasagna, Roasted corn and black bean salad
Cheesy Penne with Chicken & Broccoli (except that I'm using Mike's leftover grilled chicken from this weekend. It was spectacular AND it's not breaded!)
Potato Leek soup with Chicken Andouille sausage (I had a hankering for sausage, so I'm putting it the soup.)
Thursday is Las Vegas 51's baseball. We eat in the air-conditioned restaurant before heading out in hundred (plus) degree heat for the game.
Friday is a holiday for Mike, so he will cook.

Trying some new recipes from a new website, Meal Makeover Moms. They bill themselves as Healthy Meals with Kid Appeal. I can't seem to get the boy child to eat meat and even he thinks the lack of protein is making him tired. They also have a cookbook. I have a 30% off coupon. Maybe I'll go buy it.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-06-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

I sort of have a plan, so here it is.

Asian Grilled Salmon, broccoli salad
The Marlboro Man Sandwich, broccoli salad
Tacos
Slow-Cooker Turkey Meatballs, spaghetti, broccoli salad
Pizza Friday (Last week I talked them into KFC!)

Mike made (a lot of) broccoli salad so we'll be eating it all week.

The Weather

2009-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas just finished it's hottest May on record with 27 days over 90 degrees.

How is it then, that last night I went to pick Ana up from soccer camp at 8:30pm, had to sit outside for 30 minutes because I was early, and - Dare I say it? - I was a little cold!!

It was 85 degrees out and the wind was blowing. Either my thyroid medicine isn't working or I've become a desert dweller with all rights and privileges thereunto appertaining!

I think I'd freeze to death if I still lived in Oregon.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-05-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This week we're eating whatever is available in the house. There's plenty of food so it shouldn't be a problem.

So far;

Baked oatmeal (I'm trying something new.)
leftover chicken (Mike smoked it on the charcoal grill. I'll turn it into something.)
leftover tri-tip (Same thing. Mike grilled this weekend.)
ground turkey in one form or another (It's in the freezer.)
Pizza Friday (I don't have one, but it's pay day!)

I'll add fresh produce and we'll probably need milk at some point.

The menus are about to change. It will be over 100 degrees this week which means the oven will not be in use again until sometime around late September or early October.

Second Time

2009-05-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

I hit it red again. (Click "red" for the original post.)

I think the emergency vehicles rolling code put the signals out of sequence.
There was a structure fire a few blocks away and fire trucks en route.

Why My Work Isn't Getting Done

2009-05-07T10:15:00.001-07:00

Because today, I discovered these two web sites.

Be forewarned. You will waste countless hours.

Fail Blog

Engrish Funny

Have a fun day.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-05-04T04:55:00.000-07:00

brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Dinner this week will be determined largely by how much walking I can do at grocery stores. The MRI on my knee is Monday, May 4th at 0730.

So far, the plan is:

Tater Tot Casserole*, corn
Bourbon Chicken, broccoli, brown rice
chili (I don't use a recipe. I'll just make it up.), cornbread
fish (whatever I can find), a vegetable, a side dish**
pizza Friday

I'm keeping it simple and using mostly what I have on hand.

*Am I the only person on the planet who does not cook with Cream of Mushroom, Chicken, Celery or any other food Soup? Mike hates it and I refuse to cook with it!

**Who says meal planning is hard?

Chun Kuk Do Tournament

2009-05-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today was the 5th Annual Region 2 Tournament in Chun Kuk Do (our karate style) and United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF, our organization). Our students did very well in the competition.

From left to right: Savannah, Tirza, Angelo, Devin and Maria

Ana and Kobie also competed and did well.

We raised around $900 which will be donated to charity. It's a really fun event with lots of families involved. It's great practice for our International tournament in July.

Great job everyone.

Medicinal Purposes

2009-04-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if an apple fritter is a curative for aching legs, but I'm trying it instead of ibuprofen.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

That's all.

An Omen

2009-04-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

I had high hopes that it was not a bad omen.

As I sat in the chair in my dentist's office today for minor work (seating of permanent crown) on the radio, R.E.M. was singing their hearts out with Everybody Hurts.

After that was Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel. You know, clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right. I was between the dentist and his assistant at the time.

I really don't think the nitrous oxide had anything at all to do with it. Why do you ask?

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

brought to you by Laura at I'm on Organizing Junkie.

In no particular order:

Steak with Sun Dried Tomatoes, broccoli, corn-on-the-cob
Sesame Fish, salad, brown rice
Pizza (for Sam)
Pasta Carbonara, peas
Tacos, refried beans (Sam again)

Sam gets much of what he wants because he states a preference.

Prom

2009-04-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ana went to her first prom last night with Michael.
They looked so young and beautiful.

Spotted on the Dam

2009-04-25T04:53:00.000-07:00

We spotted this box directly under the tall construction cranes on the Hoover Dam.

A stretcher? It looks more like a coffin.

The Photo Shoot

2009-04-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Ana had her first photo shoot.

It's part of the modeling and acting classes that she is taking.

Prior to the shoot. Waiting for the photographer.

Posing with the photographer.

Trying to be discreet and taking pictures from behind.
She did great!

The camera loves this girl.

Dump Truck

2009-04-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

I'm easily amused.

I liked it enough to take a picture AND do a blog post.

Gizmo

2009-04-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

A little tribute to my dog, Gizmo.
This trailer belongs to Professional Rodeo Clown,
Gizmo McCracken
who was on his way to Logandale, Nevada when
we passed him outside Boulder City, Nevada.

Sunbathing

2009-04-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is how I sunbathe.

I'm Irish.

Need I say more?

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

There was a lot of complaining about last week's menu.

We actually ended up eating:

popcorn chicken (on the menu)
turkey burgers (on the menu)
sloppy joe's (on the menu AND they hated them)
tater tot breakfast casserole (yum!)
Pizza Friday turned into Pasta Friday because that's what I wanted.

This week I asked the question again. The following responses were given:

Chicken Dijon, couscous, broccoli *Ana*
Tacos (No, we're having Enchilada Suiza. Choose again.) *Sam*
Turkey Burgers on regular buns (not English muffins) and crunchy (shoestring) fries *Sam*
Whatever you're making *Mike*
Enchilada Suiza
Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta
One day stays open - things happen and we have an early appointment on Friday.

Looks like a decent food week to me.

Welcome

2009-04-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

In the last week I've seen many, many visitors from Alberta, Canada.

And most of them are driving a tan minivan.

Although not this one.

This is a Grand Am.

How a Loss Becomes a Win

2009-04-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

or, if you're the Roadrunners, How a Win Becomes a Loss.

Ana's soccer team played the Roadrunners today for the second time this season. On the first outing, Ana's team lost 9-0. Today, Ana's team lost 1-0.

At the end of the game, one team was jubilant and one team was dejected.

Ana's team - the losing team - was thrilled to have only lost by 1 goal.

The Roadrunners were completely dejected that they didn't smear them all over the field.

Ana and her teammates played a great game, held their opponents to only one goal and very nearly scored several times.

Great job Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Gnome Place Like Home

2009-04-18T04:48:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when the high-energy dog is left in the backyard alone.

I guess they'll have to roam alone.

Survivor

2009-04-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

Enough with the pictures of snakes and talk of dragons already.

Amazing Jakes

2009-04-17T04:37:00.000-07:00

While in Phoenix, we visited Amazing Jakes.
The kids had a great time.
It was an All-you-can-eat buffet so I was happy.
We stayed for six and a half hours!

Quick Trip

2009-04-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

The week prior to Easter is Spring Break. We took a quick trip to Phoenix to visit family.

First stop: The Pit Stop for gas and snacks
Stop two: Gus's Really Good Fresh Jerky
An oxymoron by my way of thinking, but the honey is excellent.

Dinner at Olive Garden

The long road

Pictures of Wickenburg.

We've never done that before.

Hoover Dam

Always a favorite to look at but too much traffic!

The bypass should be done in a year or two!

Belgian Chocolate Mousse

2009-04-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just finished a Belgian Chocolate Mousse from Fresh and Easy. It was half price so I decided to give it a try. It was delicious! Silly girl that I am, I looked at the Nutrition Information when I was finished. With 510 calories and 46 grams of fat I nearly had a stroke!

I guess that will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

At least there is no trans-fat in it!

Always looking for the positive.

The Carpet

2009-04-15T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is the carpet inside Sunset Station.

It's where Ana takes modeling and acting classes.

I don't know how she does it.

Everytime I look at the carpet my eyes start to vibrate and I get dizzy.

I guess that's why she's taking classes and I'm not.

Missed Friends

2009-04-14T04:21:00.000-07:00

Our friends who moved away visited last week.

Denise: click and download.

It's easier than email.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

I asked, as I always do, what everyone would like to eat for dinner this week. I received one response (from Mike) so Turkey Burgers made the menu. The rest of the week is food I like and some of them hate. Perhaps they will be inspired to ANSWER THE QUESTION the next time I ask it.

popcorn chicken, tater tots (Ana has a very early soccer game)
Turkey burgers
sloppy joes (with ground turkey)
more ground turkey - will it be meatloaf (which they hate) or tacos (which they like)?
Pizza Friday (I'm picking the flavor this week)

No ham this week. We stayed at a Strip Hotel and were gone on Easter. Lots of ground turkey, though. We prefer it to beef and it was cheap this week.

Brought to Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Moving Up In the World

2009-04-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

I have lived in my current house for 10 years and 9 months. In all that time, our mail has been deliverd by a nice man in a station wagon. In the last few years, he upgraded to a Saturn Vue. Although I live smack in the middle of a major metropolitan city, my mail is considered a "Rural Route."

Today, I saw that same nice man delivering our mail in a bona fide United States Postal Serive truck!

He must be so excited not to be putting wear and tear on his own vehicle.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Monday: Tilapia Picatta, Orzo with grape tomatoes and parsley
Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta
Breakfast, which will include scones, hashbrowns, bacon and eggs if anyone wants them
Turkey Burgers, potato salad
Friday: Pizza Friday

Monday and Friday actually got planned this week because Friday is always Pizza Friday and Tilapia was on clearance for half price at Fresh and Easy so that will become Monday's dinner.

The turkey burgers may fall by the wayside since I can't find them on sale. We may do leftovers or whatever is on clearance at Fresh and Easy.

This was the second week in a row that Breakfast has been requested.

Things I'm Looking Forward To

2009-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Lunch with Ana this afternoon. School's out early.
A mystery shop I may be doing tomorrow night. I can't say more or it won't be a mystery.
Teaching karate on April 1st.
Big League Weekend at Cashman Field.
Perhaps a quick trip to Phoenix to visit my sister and niece.
Our Las Vegas vacation. (seperate post to follow)
Ka
Opening weekend for the Las Vegas 51s, AAA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays (The Dodgers gave us the release.)
Black belt test (not mine) and Region 2 Tournament in early May
The UFAF Chun Kuk Do International Training Conference and World Championships in July (Ana will be competing.)

Another Quote

2009-03-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

If it makes me laugh, you have to read it, too. I know it's not nearly as funny in print, but it's my blog and I can do what I want!

From Lost again. This time from Mr. Oldham played by William Sanderson.

Maybe I should use half a dropper. Oops.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This weeks meals were suggested by Sam. When I asked, "What do you guys want for dinner this week?" Mike responded with, "Whatever you're cooking." Sam responded with three dishes he likes. We have started a tradition of Pizza Friday and the Lazy Lasagna I adapted from a recipe found on Taste of Home.

One day: Salt and Pepper Salmon, broccoli, Parmesan couscous (Sam's recipe: Put olive oil, salt and pepper on the salmon and cook it.)

Another day: Tacos (Sam's recipe: soft corn tortilla, refried beans (Rosarita green chile and lime), shredded cheddar, lowfat sour cream) The rest of us will eat turkey taco meat, tomatoes, lettuce and guacamole.

Yet another day: Lazy Lasagna I renamed this and will make a lot less of it for my family of four.

And still another day: Chili I don't use a recipe. I just throw this together and let it simmer.

Friday: Pizza Friday

That's it. All simple and all family favorites. I went through period of time where I tried many new recipes. The family likes the old standy-bys, so that's what we're eating this week.

Manga!

Today's Quote

2009-03-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

comes to us from Sun on Lost:

"I lied."

Simple. Direct. Funny.

I'm a Princess!

2009-03-18T12:56:00.001-07:00

That's what it means when I get a new crown, right?

One of the two of these is coming in the near future.
Can you guess which one?

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Monday: Crockpot Peppercorn Steak
Tuesday: Crockpot Corned Beef and Cabbage (This doesn't really require a recipe!)
Wednesday: Crockpot Candy Chicken
Thursday: Tilapia with Roasted Corn (This is a Rachael Ray recipe, but her website is slower than molasses running uphill in January!)
Friday: Pizza Friday!!

Albertson's gives 20% off frozen pizza on Friday. Find diGiornio on sale, use a coupon and get 20% off. Makes for a cheap pizza night. AND...I just happen to have two frozen pizzas in the freezer from last week when the oven broke!

The oven is broken so the crockpot is getting a workout this week. If you like to use your crockpot, check out A Year of CrockPotting. This woman used her crockpot EVERY DAY in 2008.

The Interview

2009-03-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

What do your kids think of you?
This is so fun! Interview your child(ren) and enter their answers...Quite amusing!

Ana's answers are in orange. She is 15 and a half.
Sam's answers are in blue. He is 12.
1. What is something mom always says to you?
Like totally.
Hey, there, Zoodle.
2. What makes mom happy?
Long silence...uuhhhh...hey!...when I pickup my laundry off the floor.

Me being happy.
3. What makes mom sad?
When Sam uses profanity.

Ana being mean and nasty.
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
I don't know.

By being funny?
5. What was your mom like as a child?
Poor.

I don't know.
6. How old is your mom?
42

Wait, wait! I know this one! 42
7. How tall is your mom?
5 foot 4 and a half

5 feet 6 inches
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Play cards on the computer.

Spend time with the family.
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Plays cards on the computer.

Play Wii.
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Bushman eyebrows.

Cooking.
11. What is your mom really good at?
Clearing a room.

Being a good mom.
12. What is your mom not very good at?
Barbecuing.

Being a good dad.
13. What does your mom do for a job?
Random stuff.

She takes care of us.
14.What is your mom's favorite food?
That really good pasta stuff from Macaoni Grill...Pasta Milano?

Stuff that has sugar in it.
15.What makes you proud of your mom?
When she can name the song I ask her about in the car.

She's a second degree black belt.
16. If your mom were a Cartoon character, who would she be?
Pepe LePeu.

Porky Pig.
17. What do you and your mom do together?
Eat and shop.

We go to coffee.
18. How are you and your mom the same?
We have huge butts.
We have brown eyes.
19. How are you and your mom different?
She's white, I'm not.
We have different heights.
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
She buys me cupcakes.
She tells me.
21. How do you know that your mom loves your dad?
When the door's closed.
She tells him.
22. Where is your moms favorite place to go.
Out.
Fancy restaurants.

One way or another...

2009-03-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

they're going to take our money!

Sorry for the curse word. I couldn't find it clean.

If they don't get enough this way, we pay for it in parts when we need a repair.

My mechanic told me today the part I needed for my car has gone up three

times this week alone!

The Apple Test

2009-03-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a lecture on Intuitive Eating.
I have already read the book and am in the process of implementing the objectives.
It's quite liberating.
One of the hardest parts (for me) is determing when I'm hungry.
The best thing I learned at the lecture is called 'The Apple Test' to determine if I'm hungry.

If I'm hungry enough to eat an apple, then go ahead and eat!

It works quite well. Sometimes I even eat the apple.

Speaking of genes...

2009-03-04T10:13:00.001-08:00

(reference the comment on the yummy post)

How do you tell a boy chromosome from a girl chromosome?

Look inside it's genes!

yummy

2009-03-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Rocco Dispirito has been hanging around "The Biggest Loser" lately.

Nevadans Beware!

2009-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

Ana now has her Learner's Permit and can legally drive with a front seat passenger age 21 or over.

My Daily Chuckle

2009-02-24T10:45:00.001-08:00

Today's giggle courtesy of Heroes episode entitled Cold Wars.
I offer two seperate quotes.

Nathan Petrelli: I want Peter brought in alive.
Mr. Danko: Got that fellas? Phasers on stun.

Matt Parkman: You shoulda just taken the damn watch and stayed home!

The first quote amused me for the reference to Star Trek. The second quote is only funny in context. If you'd like to hear the context, you can watch Heroes online here.

However, unless you have regulary watched the show it won't make any sense at all.

I try to find something worth laughing at everyday. I highly recommend it.

Family Movie Night

2009-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Last night we watched Space Chimps.

Quite a few good lines in it.

Plenty of laughs.

I highly recommend watching it all in one shot

rather than stopping 6 times to do other things.

I found when the movie stopped, I wanted to leave.

As long as it kept playing it held my attention.

Lots of jokes and references that aimed at adults

and the kids totally missed.

We bought in on On Demand and they reformatted

it to fit our screen, which I hate. Probably better as

a rental in widescreen format.

Quote - a reprise of sorts

2009-02-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

From Mike to Karen:

"Don't be posting my friggin' quotes on your blog'

And for J, who commented:

Overheard

2009-02-20T20:19:00.000-08:00

Mike, in an unneeded effort to convince our 12-year-old son Sam to watch Resident Evil:

Zombies and Milla Jovovich! What else do you need?

Quote of the Day

2009-02-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

This week's episode of LOST didn't leave me with any great quotes, so I'll go to my personal life.

As I was teaching an Advanced Karate class on Monday, one of my students said to another,

"He's hitting me!"

Amazingly, that's exactly what they had been instructed to do!

ClustrMap

2009-02-18T05:07:00.000-08:00

I just looked at the statistics on my ClustrMap. People from the following countries have visited my blog one time. I often wonder how they stumble upon it.

Iceland (IS)
Czech Republic (CZ)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA)
Lithuania (LT)
Switzerland (CH)
Slovenia (SI)
Austria (AT)
Cyprus (CY)
Belize (BZ)
Jamaica (JM)
Puerto Rico (PR)
Taiwan (TW)
Senegal (SN)
Trinidad and Tobago (TT)
Uruguay (UY)
Colombia (CO)
Venezuela (VE)
Pakistan (PK)
Kuwait (KW)
Malta (MT)
Greece (GR)
Georgia (GE)
Lebanon (LB)
Morocco (MA)
Iran, Islamic Republic of (IR)
Bermuda (BM)
Syrian Arab Republic (SY)
Andorra (AD)

Welcome! Feel free to stop by anytime.

Pierced

2009-02-17T05:09:00.000-08:00

Ana has two piercings.

One in the cartilage of each ear near the top.

This woman, Elaine Davidson, is why I won't let her get any more!

It must be the economy.

2009-02-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

Mercedes-Benz seems to have dropped their standards.

Apparently, knowing how many days are in each month is longer necessary for employment.

I own a Cabbage Patch Kids doll with a birthdate of Feb. 30. I hope it will be worth money someday.

Snow and Clouds

2009-02-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

It's been cold here of late.

Not as cold as most places, but cold for Southern Nevada.

Getting Old

2009-02-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

The car, not me.

Our little Geo Metro has over 80,000 miles on it.

This week the PT Cruiser turned 90,000.

Pay NO ATTENTION to the fact that I was

travelling 65 mph while taking a picture!

It was on cruise control.

I hope both cars don't die at once.

Maybe we'd get a "deal" if we had to buy two cars in one day.

Tagged

2009-02-12T11:00:00.001-08:00

I've never been tagged before. How exciting. From Patty in Life in Oregon.
The rules:
Find the sixth picture in the sixth album on my computer (and post it, I suppose).

Let me just say...this assumes I keep photos in albums on my computer.
Here is what I've come up with.
Grant and Sam boxing on the Wii.

Jungle Kitty

2009-02-12T05:37:00.000-08:00

Guinness

As close to the jungle as this kitty is going to get...on top of my cupboards in the fake plants.

Bird of Prey

2009-02-11T05:34:00.000-08:00

This bird was perched on the light post across the street from the house.

It got nervous as I got closer and glided to a tree down the street.

If I had a better camera, you'd have a better picture.

Ana was excited to see something other than a pigeon.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-02-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

This week! A plan, of sorts.

Clam Chowder - Clams and juice in the pantry. I just need a few potatoes.
(potatoes $1.60) Total $1.60
Chili - In the crockpot? I don't know yet. I might just throw it together one afternoon.
(ground turkey $3.99, chili seasoning $1.00) Total $4.99
Beef roast with potatoes and carrots - inspired by this post on $5 Dinners
(chuck roast for two meals $2.14, potatoes $1.60) Total $3.74
Roast beef burritos - from the same post
(chuck roast $2.14, taco sauce $2.29, fresh tomatoes $2.49, tortillas $2.19, shredded cheese $3.09, refried beans $1.33) Total $11.39

The burritos would have been less expensive using canned tomatoes and shredding my own cheese. We usually have tortillas on hand, but we were out so I stocked up. I also count the cost of the entire item, not just the portion I'm using, so future meals with tortillas and cheese will be closer to free.

And I don't usually use chili seasoning. I was on the aisle and it caught my eye. We'll see how it tastes.

Still not the cheapest meals in town, but I'm working on it.

Enjoy dinner. I know, I only have four meals posted. I have another package of ground turkey and some italian sausage in the refrigerator. I don't know what it will become. I'll let you know.

*brought to you by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Friends?

2009-02-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

If you're going to sleep on the floor,

you should expect a friend to join you.

Lack of a Menu Plan

2009-02-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

I made no plans this week. I went to the grocery store and wandered around looking for something good to eat. This is what happened.

Monday - Salmon and potatoes:
*Rosemary Garlic potatoes ($1.75)
*Cheese pizza ($2.00)
*Blackened Salmon x2 ($6.00)
Veggie pizza (made from ingredients already at home)
* These items were half price because they expired that day at Fresh & Easy.
Total spent: $9.75

Tuesday - tacos:
Ground Turkey ($3.99)
Refried beans ($1.00)
Taco Seasoning ($1.29)
Sour cream ($2.29)
Tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese (already on hand)
Total spent: $8.57

Wednesday - Pasta & Fagioli soup:
Beef broth ($2.49)
Italian sausage ($3.99)
carrots ($.79)
celery ($1.69)
focaccia ($3.49)
tomatoes, beans, pasta, seasonings (already on hand)
Total spent: $11.45

Thursday - smorgasbord (or all the stuff I bought but haven't used yet):
*Stuffed chicken breast ($3.50)
green beans ($2.49)
baby zucchini ($2.29)
To make Baba Ghanouj;
eggplant ($2.99)
tahini ($2.45)
pita bread ($1.29)
lemon ($.29)
other ingredients (already on hand)
Total spent: $15.05

Friday - uuhhh.....
Well, it's not surprising that I'm broke and we'll have to eat whatever we can find in the pantry. The freezer is empty because I threw away (Gasp!) all the ruined food in there that has not been eaten.

Erin at $5 Dinners would have a cow (and then cook and eat it!) if she saw this.

Almost $50 on dinners this week and most of it wasn't even very tasty. This was an expensive lesson in lazy. Guess I'm back to planning meals even if no one will eat them.

Run for a Wish - The Cop Connection

2009-02-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

Prior to the race, this police recruit was trying to warm up
for the 5K run. His little boy was having none of it.
It was very sweet.I tried to get a shot of the police recruits running in formation,
but this helpful volunteer made it a tough shot.
It's an amazing coincidence that the same recruit ended up in my picture.

Thirty-three

2009-02-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to saturation patrols and double shift Wednesday, that's how many police officers I saw on my travels yesterday.

That nearly doubles my previous record of 17.

The fines are double in construction zones. Slow down.

The sorriest one I was was the guy in the Geek Squad VW Beetle. At the company I worked for in Oregon, if a driver was cited for a moving violation in a company vehicle, he was immediately fired.

Hope this poor guy still has a job.

Run for a Wish - People and Things That Caught My Eye

2009-02-05T05:57:00.000-08:00

We were really close to the airport.

The landing pattern this morning was directly over our heads.

Did he forget his pants?

This cute little Jack Russell Terrier wanted to be friends with everyone.

The man in blue was juggling tons of equipment

so the cameraman on the right could get just

the right shot.

Run for a Wish - The Star Wars Contingent

2009-02-04T05:52:00.000-08:00

Storm Troopers

Darth Vader and a future Jedi Knight

Chewbacca

Run for A Wish - Celebrities

2009-02-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

There were many celebrities on hand to help with the celebration. Kendall Tenney from the NBC affiliate, KVBC
Las Vegas mayor, Oscar Goodman
Spongebob Squarepants and his handler
Gary the mime.

There was a clown around somewhere.
I don't like clowns so I avoided him.

Groundhog Day

2009-02-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about Groundhog Day is on this site.

Run for a Wish

2009-01-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend the kids and I signed up for Kendall Tenney's Run for a Wish to benefit the Make a Wish Foundation. The turnout was huge! I would love to know how many people were registered. The atmosphere was fantastic. Fun, friendly, festive, live music and entertainment. And all held at the Town Square Shopping Center.

The kids did what they do prior to the race. Sam leaned on a pole using his phone and Ana paced while using her phone.

More posts to follow in the days to come.

LOST

2009-01-30T05:16:00.000-08:00

I'm at karate on Wednesday evening when LOST is on, so I watch it online when I get a chance.

This week's favorite quote courtesy of Sawyer:

What about you? Do you want to stay here in Crazytown or help me rescue the geek?

Red

2009-01-29T21:07:00.000-08:00

What seems like a long, long time ago, I did a post on a traffic signal near Sam's school that is NEVER red.

I hit it red for the first time since August 25, 2008 while driving to and from school.

January 28th, 2009 at 2:33pm.

The Yard

2009-01-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

There is a learning curve involved with leaf blowers. I had no idea. I recently inherited one so thought I'd put it to use today after trimming the lantana in the front yard.

The first thing I learned is that some stuff just seems too heavy to actually move.

The second thing I learned is that when the wind is blowing, it's an exercise in futility to try to blow debris into the street.

And thirdly, it's a good thing the next door neighbors are renters and are moving, because a bunch of my "junk" ended up in their yard!!

I still maintain that yard work is best left to men. I think they possess a genetic ability to use power tools.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-26T04:49:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

Chili (in the crockpot) from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
Ziti Bake from Cooks.com
Tex-Mex Spicy Meatballs from RecipeZaar
Salmon - no recipe needed. Olive oil, salt and pepper. Nuff said.
Pizza in a Bowl from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly.

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie. Stop by to visit. There are literally hundreds of menus and many of them have links to recipes.

Ouch!

2009-01-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

It only took a few months to virtually erase almost 20 years of investments!

It could be worse! This is my smaller non-retirement account.

Disappointed!

2009-01-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is the giant mural on the side of Sam's school.

The Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology.

Based on our experiences for the first half of the school year,

I'm recommending a name change.

It should be changed to

The Academy of Sub-standard Mathematics, Science and Technology.

The only Algebra class offered is reserved for 8th graders.

I guess it doesn't matter that my 6th grader was doing

math at the 9th grade level when he started last fall.

He is in the Advanced 6th grade math.

Each year NASA chooses 50 schools in the nation to be Explorer Schools.

I had really high hopes that Sam would respond to,

"Houston, we have a problem."

But I guess that's not going to happen at this school.

Oh, well.

Thankfully his zoned public schools are high achieving and that's

where he'll be until he's off to college.

Ravioli

2009-01-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

My friends have a great tradition of making (and eating!) homemade Ravioli each Christmas.

There are three generations of women (and a couple men) making these. I would show you the picture of all three generations, but I wasn't there and my guest photographer didn't get that photo. I'm still grateful to have these photos. It makes me long for family (or maybe just traditions) of my own.

Photos courtesy of Joe

Las Vegas Living

2009-01-22T18:58:00.000-08:00

I drive by this local casino to and from Sam's school each day.

It's the Beverly Hillbillies Gambler Casino.

Some of the lights on the sign are burned out but it reads

78 degrees.

In case you missed it, today is January 22

and it's 78 degrees!

New Levels of Boredom

2009-01-19T20:34:00.000-08:00

Mike has the TV in the family room.
Ana has the TV in the office.
Karen is playing Solitaire on the computer while partially watching the show Ana has on.

And poor Sam is so bored, he's watching me play Solitaire!

This brings boredom to new pathetic levels.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

Again, in no particular order, except that fish will come early in the week as it's already in the fridge.

Tilapia picatta with orzo
Pasta with red peppers and capers
Shepherd's Pie (ground turkey instead of beef)
Chicken and 40 cloves of garlic
Huevos Rancheros

Brought to you by I'm an Organizing Junkie.