Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

I just like random questions and reading other people's answers to them as well.

From FYeahSurveys

  Alphabetty 

A. What are your favorite smells? 
I love the smell of rain.
 B. Can you go a whole day without caffeine? 
I probably could, but it wouldn't be pretty.
 C. Who knows more about you than anyone else? 
My ex-husband.  We were together for a decade or so.
 D. What song did you last listen to? 
I Find You Gone - Wolfsheim

 E. Do you have a crush on anybody? 
Jerry Only from the Misfits


 F. Do you like The Beatles? 
Not really my thing.
 G. If you could choose one color to wear for a whole year, what color would you choose? 
Black.  Although I rarely wear color other than denim anyway.
 H. Do you cook often? 
A lot.  I love it and Steven is a chef so we enjoy cooking together.
 I. What was the last film you watched? Did you like it? 
Stepford Wives - with Nicole Kidman - is one of my all-time favorites
 J. Can you sew? 
Yes.  Quite well actually. I used to sell my crafty wares on Etsy and at craft shows.
 K. What is your favorite fruit? 
Strawberries.  Or bananas.  Or cherries.  Or kiwi.  Or kumquats.  I LOVE fruit.  Just not melons. Unless it is water melon, I don't want melon.  How many times can I say melons and not giggle?  He he.
 L. Are you health conscious? 
I try to be.  I understand what good food is and why I need it, but I work at breakfast restaurant and that tends to be my breakfast and lunch.  But at home I stick to mostly natural and plant based foods.
 M. What is your middle initial? 
D
 N. Do you curse a lot? 
Like a fucking sailor.
 O. When was the last time you had a beer?
A few nights ago I tried a Blue Moon Horchata.  It was really good with a strong cinnamon flavor.
 P. Are you pro sports fan? 
Not really.  I do enjoy going to games, but not a fan of watching them on TV.
 Q. Is there a certain food you often crave for no reason? 
If I don't eat right, I start to crave burgers and steaks.  Usually means my iron is low
 R. What was the last book you purchased? 
Amigurumi World
 S. Where was your last vacation? 
Mini vacation in Glenwood Springs, Colorado less than a year ago.
 T. Do you share your fries? 
I'm nice like that.
 U. Did you ever play seven minutes in heaven? 
No.  Never played spin the bottle either.
 V. Girls, when was the last time you went out without a bra? Guys, when was the last time you went shirtless in public?
It has been a while.  I'm breastfeeding right now so I tend to require the support.
 W.  What's the longest you've gone "unplugged"?
I have no idea.  Maybe a day or so when I left my phone at home or it died at work or something.
X. Have you ever broken a bone? If so, how did it happen? 
Way too many to list.  I was a pedestrian in a hit and run about 13 years ago.  The other times were stupid accidents.  I tripped over my sister's Barbie and broke my foot.  I tripped over my own unhemmed color guard uniform and broke my arm.
 Y. How do you like your eggs? 
Unfertilized.  Tubes are tied.
But really, I am not a fan of eating eggs in general.
 Z. What was your last argument about and who with?
Steven and things I won't air out here...

Saturday 9

I found a fun meme for Saturdays.  Lucky me gets to sling pancakes and bacon tomorrow morning, so this is going up tonight.  Stop by Saturday 9 and join the fun!

Saturday 9: Roar
(recommended by Cat)

If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) The lyrics begin with Katy singing about when she used to "hold her tongue." Tell us about a time when you didn't speak up, but wish you had.

I really have a hard time holding my tongue.  I let responses to rude people fly out of my mouth at full sail.  However, I have learned that at work, my tongue needs to be held often.  In fact, it is held so often that I am sometimes scared to open up.  When I was pregnant I requested two days off a week (that I didn't normally work) for physical therapy.  The added belly weight of pregnancy was not kind to my damaged SI joint.  I told him that I was fine to work at full capacity and would bring a doctor's note if that changed for any reason.  He took me to one day a week.  Then, for two weeks I wasn't even on the schedule.  I waited through weeks of this crap hoping it would just "get better" on its own.  It didn't.  I finally spoke up about the possibility of filing partial unemployment and when told that wasn't possible, my mouth opened and my knowledge of the process spilled out.  I had my shifts back that next week.

This was a lesson for me.  A few weeks ago my hours were cut again.  I mentioned that this time I would have to file and then next week I had most of my hours back.  Restaurants hate paying servers unemployment.

2) The lyrics mention both lions and tigers. In addition to the big cats, the video shows a monkey and an elephant. If we were going to the zoo today, which animal would you want to see first?

The Denver Zoo has an alligator snapping turtle named Bob and we always visit him first.

3) Lions and tigers are carnivores. If we were having steak for dinner, would you order it rare, medium or well done?

I don't really eat meat.  Occasionally I will have a steak and when I do it is medium.  When I was pregnant with Persephone, I craved steak and chocolate cake.  Two things I rarely ate.  I also craved ham and bacon which I don't eat either.

4) Lots of photos are snapped at the zoo. Did you take your last picture with a camera or with your phone? 

My phone.  I have an awesome DSLR but I lost the cord that connects to the computer and the SD card is really small, so until I get a new one, my phone pics will have to do.

5) The "Roar" video takes place in the jungle. The average temperature all year around in the rainforest is a humid 80º. The typical September day in Juneau is 49º, dry and sunny. Which sounds more comfortable?

Once upon a time I would have answered 80 and humid. But now that I am older and weigh a good deal more. Give me the dry and colder temps. In fact, I am ecstatic for fall. Colder temps, hoodies, and lots of soups.

6) In her youth, Katy took dance lessons at the local recreation hall in Santa Barbara. Crazy Sam took tap dance lessons as a girl, too. What about you? Were you sent off to dance class? Music lessons? Art class?

I taught the dance class (gym elective) in high school.  I took many fleeting theater, dance, and gymnastics classes as a kid.  I also dabbled in karate and basketball.  None of them really stuck except dance.  I love to dance.
 
7) Katy recently passed Justin Bieber as the most followed person on Twitter. What's the last message you re-tweeted?
I am not looking that far back. I haven't farted around on Twitter for years. That could change in the future though.
8) Congratulations! You just won the lottery! Do you want it in a lump sum, or would you prefer payments over the next 25 years?

I have argued many of people about this one.  I would take the annuity.  Hands down.  The way I can spend money, I would blow through that lump sum and end up like Dustin Diamond.

9) Did you get 8 hours sleep last night?

Ha!  I have a 4-month old.  Eight hours of continuous sleep is a long time away for me.

The Legend and History of The Shit Squirrel

When Athena was a baby, I was OBSESSED with The Children's Place.  I could not keep myself out of that store.  As a result, she was a very well dressed baby at a decent price.  When the fall clothes came out that year, I could not decide between two sets of long sleeved, appliqued shirts paired with corduroy skirts.  One had a purple skirt and white shirt with a patchwork owl in purple hues and the other was a tan skirt and maroon shirt with an appliqued squirrel in oranges and pinks.  This is how they hook you...you buy BOTH because there is a large SALE sign above the rack.

I loved these outfits and dressed Athena in them every time they were clean.  My ex-husband, on the other hand, did not love these outfits.  Particularity the squirrel set.  He was convinced that every time she wore the outfit, she would have an "ass-plosion" and the poo would go up her little back.  Every time.  I figured she pooed like that a lot and it was a coincidence.  Either way, he hated the outfit and it became known as "the s*** squirrel outfit."

It is a picture of a picture, but here is my little red head in her s*** squirrel outfit:

A few months before Persephone was born, my mom found a box of Athena's old clothes.  I think I had stored them in case Troy was a girl, and promptly forgot about them.  I dug through the box in excitement that the baby could wear some of her sister's old clothes and bring mommy lots of memories.  Among the homemade outfits and occasion dresses, I found the owl and the s*** squirrel.  I squealed.  I was so excited as I REALLY loved these outfits.

Due to my love of scrapbooking, Steven had seen this page detailing the specifics of the outfit:

He was not as happy as I was to see it neatly folded in the box.

Fast forward to today which is a chilly 54 degrees and cloudy.  Perry wakes up and it is time to change her diaper and get dressed for the day.  Can  you guess what she is wearing?  Yup.

The lighting is terrible, but I figured I should take a picture quickly as the outfit might have a curse and not be wearable later today.

Steven is at work today and I sent him a picture of our adorable daughter in this adorable outfit.  He is not amused...at least not as much as I am.

Follow Friday Four Fill In

On my old blog I used to love the memes and blog hops I participated in.  Unfortunately, most of them no longer exist, but this gave me the opportunity to seek out new memes and hops - and new bloggers too.  I found Follow Friday Four Fill-In over at Feeling Beachie and decided to hop right in (pun intended.)

The statements:

1. If___ then___
2. ___ reminds me of ___
3. I think of _____________ when I ____________
4. _________ is the most special thing ________ has given me

1. If try to use the bathroom alone than I am usually interrupted by a child, animal, or spouse.

2. My bright orange colander reminds me of being in the kitchen with my grandmother.

3. I think of my thoughtful kiddos when I use my Hello Kitty notebook and pencil at work.

4. Her collection of recipes is the most special (tangible) thing my grandmother has given me.

Mommy the Maid's Chicken and Dumplings

I used to be a contributor for Yahoo! Voices before it was shut down.  I wish I had saved more of my content.  Many people are asking me for recipes I used to have at the ready from my Yahoo! contributor profile.  One of these being my very loose guide to making my chicken and dumplings.  It has been a favorite at my house for many years and has taken about as long to perfect.

I still don't have an exact recipe, but I can help you make the best chicken and dumplings.  The secrets are simple - shredded chicken, moist dumplings, and turmeric.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Turmeric.  I promise, it is fantastic.  Even my picky little eaters eat seconds and sometimes thirds of this delicious meal.

Mommy the Maid's Chicken and Dumplings

You will need:

Shredded Chicken - you can buy a pre-made rotisserie chicken, roast a chicken (and use leftovers from last night), or like I did tonight, throw a bunch of frozen wings that Steven's mom gave us into the crock pot with some garlic, pepper, and salt.  I usually roast a chicken and serve it with veggies and mashed potatoes and then shred the leftovers and either freeze or throw in the refrigerator for chicken and dumplings another night.  Makes this meal super easy to whip up on a busy night.

Chicken Broth - I prefer to use the Chicken Bullion Base from Wild Tree.  My friend introduced me, and as you will see in this post, I am in LOVE with many of their products.  You can also grab a box or two cans at the store or use your own homemade stock or broth.

Chopped Onions, Garlic, and Celery - (optional) fresh or dehydrated

Baking Mix - I use a homemade blend similar to this recipe, but you can use Bisquick or another store-bought mix.

Milk - 1/3- 1 cup depending the amount you are making.  For our family of 4 we usually use about 2/3 cups.

Spices: Salt, pepper, garlic salt, and turmeric.  Or some sort of version of all that.  I use my collection of Wild Tree products.

Oil - very small mount of coconut, safflower,or grapeseed oil.  Those are my favorites but extra-virgin olive oil or even vegetable oil will work.

Instructions:

Drizzle a tablespoon or so oil into the bottom of a heated stock pot.  Add the chopped veggies and aromatics if using.  I usually put a pinch of salt on top to help pull out the flavors.

Shred the chicken well.  Using leftovers or cooking in the crockpot all day makes this task a snap.  I generally start with two forks for shredding, but usually end up using my hands or having the kids help me.  Just be sure to remove all bones if there are any.  Add chicken to the pot and stir around for a minute.
Then add enough chicken broth and water to cover the chicken and then about 3 times more.  I used about 8 cups each here, but this is a huge pot and a lot of chicken and dumplings.

Add in some salt and pepper to taste and about 1/4 teaspoon - 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric.  NOTE- turmeric can stain is used as a dye so be very careful about wiping up spills right away.  Bring this to a gentle boil over medium high heat.

Now make the dumplings.  The general rule of dumplings is 1 cup baking mix to 1/3 cup milk.  We usually double this as we LOVE dumplings. I then add a good dose of pepper, garlic salt (or something similar), and about 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric.  Feel free to cut back on that amount if you are worried you won't like the taste.  You can always adjust it next time.

The secret to dumplings is to boil them GENTLY.  They need to be large enough that they don't melt away during cooking, but small enough to cook all the way though without being doughy.  I usually use two large tablespoons to scoop the batter and scrap it into the gently boiling water.  Don't let them plop.  Just gently set them on the water.

Leave them to boil with a lid on for about 8 minutes or until the dumplings are floating on the top and looking like they are melting.  Serve and let sit for a few minutes because these will be STEAMING hot.  I usually give the kids a salad or some veggies to start on while they wait for the chicken and dumplings to cool.

And there you have it.  Delicious chicken and dumplings made from scratch like Grandma used to make.  It is sure to please a hungry crowd.  Enjoy!

Tim Burton Swap Received

I received an amazing swap package from the owner of Sweet Serendipty 37 Etsy shop.  She was my stalker/spoiler in the Tim Burton Swap on Ravelry.  The Odd Ducks Swap group has been so awesome to be apart off and this is my 2nd swap in that group.  My spoilee will receive soon and I will post all the goodies I made for her.  But for now, on to the pictures!

Here is the box after I opened.  All those goodies waiting for me to peek inside.

The first thing I opened is this incredible Beetlejuice pillow!  It is going to sit on my bed in all of its awesomeness.

Then I opened up some yummy K Cup coffees that Steven is super excited about nd some yummy yarn that I cannot wait to knit with.  A few more packages revealed a pumpkin stamp, a Batman flashlight (but she said I had to give it to the kids) , black and white ribbon, and the book Burton on Burton which Steven and I have been longing to read. 

But wait!  There is so much more!  Oreo truffles.  Those are demolished already.  See the pics of my kiddos for reference.  There is also a pattern for an adorable sand worm scarf like Lydia Deets wears in the cartoon, and a very nice note.

I have wanted a Zero scarf for YEARS!!  And look!  He is mine...although Persephone likes him too.

And a Jack Skellington shirt.  It fits comfotable and is on an awesome jersey fabric that is super soft.  The note said something about being pajamas, but this is one kind of PJ's I'll allow in public.

 Thank you so much for the wonderful package!  It really made my day.  I am  hoping my spoilee enjoys her gifts as much as I love mine.

A Little Time for Mommy

This weekend I was selfish.  I had Sunday off work (which never happens and at first I wasn't pleased about it) and I wanted to take full advantage of that.  My beautiful friend Nina (who makes the most amazing cakes at Rockabilly Bakery) was celebrating her birthday and I was excited that I would get to go out and cut loose with her and some of our amazing friends.  I rarely get to go out because waking up at 6 am to feed the baby with a hangover sucks.  Plus, I breastfeed and pumping and dumping is actually a very heart breaking thing to do.  Also, I like to be "on my game" for those weekend morning serving shifts - as much as I can be waking up with a small child sporadically throughout the night- so that I can make my money.

So this was a rare event for me.

The day started out normal.  I went to work and served people pancakes and bacon for a few hours while storing my tips in my apron.  After work we rushed straight over to a roller skating party for Nina's youngest little man.  I was still in my syrup stained work shirt that permanently smells of bacon.  Even the brand new shirts my manager just gave me reek of bacon straight out of the bag.  Not sure why this happens, but it is not nearly as cool as it could sound.  

But I digress.  Roller skating fun was had.

That cake was made by Rockabilly Bakery LLC 

We then rushed to the store so that Steven could purchase a new microphone headset for the World of Warcraft raid he had scheduled after the kiddo's bedtime.  We grabbed a few things for dinner and a small birthday gift for my friend.  As soon as we reached home, I had to start getting ready.  Usually if I go anywhere, I brush my hair back and throw on a bit of eyeliner and mascara.  Not tonight.  Tonight I was going all out.  Hair, makeup, adorable retro shirt...the whole nine yards.

I did my hair in a suicide roll and had Steven drop me at Nina's house.  We chatted for a bit and put on our makeup. Then it was time for selfies.

I borrowed a shirt from her that matched my polka dot wedges and we were off the the club.  We had to battle a lot of traffic from Taste of Colorado and deal with lane closures, but we made and met up with our good friend Kelly and a bunch of other people.  There was cake, cocktails, 80's music, industrial music, and lots of dancing to be had.  I danced long and hard until my butt fell off and my heels gave me blisters.

Kelly and I (in Nina's ridiculously cute shirt)

Now, I am not 21 anymore and the next day was not pretty.  I pumped and dumped (crying as I watched all that milk hit the drain), dealt with cramps, and had a wicked headache for a few hours when I first woke up. But it was worth it.  I spent time with friends, saw people I had not seen in a long time, and got to celebrate the birthday of a very beautiful soul.


And I had time for me.

As a mom, I forget how important that is.  I rarely do anything without a baby on my hip, a 6 year old using my shirt as a napkin, or a 9 year old asking if she can use some sort of electronic device.  I get so caught up in making sure the diapers are washed and the dishes are clean that I forget to just stop and be me for a moment.  We mothers need to have time for ourselves.  Maybe that is a night of drinking and dancing.  Maybe it is a date night with your partner.  Or even a stolen Snickers Ice Cream bar in the closet while the kids are engrossed in a video game.  The other night, grandma took the kiddos for a walk and Steven and I just relaxed.  We actually fell asleep on the bed.  Sometimes we parents need that.  It is good to recharge and know that a piece of ourselves does exist outside of parent-teacher conferences and endless laundry.

It may not sound logical, but it makes me a better parent.