Friday Fives

I think I"m going to alternate between Finish it Fridays and Friday Fives. Since I'm not in the middle of anything except the need to buy a cell phone, I'll do FF

1.What are the titles of the last three books you read all of?
Honeymoon, Cross, Living on Less


2.What are the titles of between three and five magazines you subscribe to or used to subscribe to?
Simple Scrapbooks, Creative Keepsakes, Scrapbooks, etc., (there's a theme I am about to leave behind), More and Oprah

3.What’s on your night table?
A tray I made at a mosaic place; earplugs, a lamp, some peppermints (top)
phone, alarm clock (middle)
wayyyyy too many books to mention (bottom)
a basket with notecards and a pen (hanging off one side) and a plaque from my girlfriend (hanging off other side)
4.What are the three best things that happened to you in the past seven days?
Paul brought me flowers; talked to Judy and got all caught up; and my phone contract came up for renewal

5.What was your senior yearbook quote, and what would your yearbook quote be this year if there were such a thing?
No quote. This year:  Teach me to feel another's woe. To hide the fault I see: That the mercy I show to others; that mercy also show to me. (Alexander Pope)
 
See ya Monday!!

Thoughtful Thursday

I've been thinking alot lately....about alot of things. Here they are in no particular order.

1. It breaks my heart to see my kids struggling. Joseph with the stuff with Lauren, seeing him cry for the first time in years. Seeing him try to balance what he needs to do for himself and what he wants to do for her, trying to navigate fights and confrontations about values not details, and finally realizing it wasn't working. Cassie with the apartment situation and having to carry the lion's share because Chris procrastinates even making a phone call, balancing being a good mom and trying to pack stuff up all while Chris is telling her she's an idiot for doing it. Thinking that he can bully someone, yet again, and get what he wants.

2. I really don't know what's changed between Paul and I but something has happened and I'm really glad. The walls seem to be coming down by him and I just LIKE him again. I've missed that and am so grateful!!
3. I miss my nieces. I know they are growing/grown up. But I miss seeing their faces, knowing what's going on in their lives, summers, winters, all of it. Paul keeps saying that's life, but for me that's loss.
4. I feel like I have too many relationships to maintain. Like I never do a good enough job with anyone, and I don't know how to fix that.
5. My phone is dying. I don't want to get a phone that is going to cost $30 more a month, but I don't know how I'd do it without the calendar. Honestly.
6. I'm loving making cards right now; and sending them right away. Not hoarding them.

7. I think I'm going into menopause!! WHAT???
8. I think I've found a way to blog that works for me and doesn't make me feel like a failure!! Yep!

This just in!!

The Svelte Gourmet Macaroni & Cheese

Serves 8

7 oz elbow or shell pasta (NOT whole wheat)
4 cups cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups lowfat (2%) shredded cheddar or cheese blend (I used lowfat 4-cheese Mexican blend and it was fabulous!)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2/3 cup 2% milk (skim would make the fat and calories even lower!)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp butter, melted
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
butter spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain well. Steam cauliflower florets until very soft, drain. Let pasta and cauliflower cool a bit while you prepare the other ingredients. Shred the cheese if it's not pre-shredded. Beat the milk, egg and salt together in a small bowl. Mix the melted butter with the panko in another bowl.

Mash the cauliflower with a potato masher, a whisk, or whatever you have handy. Mix it with the pasta until well combined, being careful not to break up the noodles. Take a pinch of each of the cheeses and toss them with the panko/butter. Set aside. Combine the rest of the cheese with the pasta and cauliflower. Spray the bottom and sides of your casserole dish lightly with spray butter, then spread the mixture evenly in your casserole dish. Pour the milk/egg/salt mixture over the top. With your mixing spoon, carefully stir and fold until the milk mixture is combined with the pasta/cauliflower. Sprinkle with the panko/butter/cheese mixture and bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the top just starts to brown. Voila!



For more "magic" recipes, try The Svelte Gourmet: A Month of Main Coursescookbook, available at www.thesveltegourmet.com/products.html.

Whip it Up Wednesday

This was dinner last night. Soooo easy and yummmmmmm!!

Pork tenderloin (1 lb)
1/2 cup Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle marinade
1/2 cup water
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bag corn, steamed
1/2 cup or so Sam's fresh salsa (found in the fresh pizza/refrigerator section)

Throw first set of ingredients in crock pot until meat falls apart. I cooked mine on low for 4 hours (I have a FAST crock pot!!) and another 3 hours on warm.

I served this with couscous last night, but make it with brown rice alot.  You can shred this and make it with tortillas too.

Tuneful Tuesdays

Bon Jovi's Hallelujah is my first song choice. Not sure why. I love the song, whether it's Shrek, Jason Castro or Tim Urban singing it. But this is my favorite version, on Lost Highway.

5 Things I love

So I was challenged to come up with five things I love, other than the obvious.

1) I love this picture. I scrapped it today. I got it repritned at Snapfish in 8x10 and the entire page is "the three girls". I was an overlapping member of the three girls and "the three little ones". The ultimate middle child, I guess.
2) I love the smell of lilacs. I literally stop in my tracks when I smell them, trying to find hte source if I can't see it immediately.
3) I love diet Cherry pepsi. It's my current favorite pop.
4) I love uplifting messages.
Heard one at www.parkviewchurch.com this morning. The May 2nd one. It made me glad I've stuck out the last five years.
5) I love my hair straightener. LOL. But really I do. It's 2", it gets super hot and doesn't damage my hair. It's a purple bedhead brand.

A layout and a Check in on resolutions

I could have sworn I posted my resolutions here, but I can't find that post...so here they are, along with a check in point
Here are my new year's resolutions.

• Organizing Clean out the basement. Finish purging and get it to Goodwill by 3/1
• Basement done; scrapbook supplies not even planned on done so they can be donated to Leeza's place. ALL my scrapping supplies are now in my scrapping room and everyone who ever buys stuff for me knows NOT TO GET ME ANY MORE!!
• Financial Pay off bills. Keep chipping away and no travel plan probably for another year. Sucky but effective. Get at least 3 medical bills paid off and continue to live on cash.
• Paid off Berkeley, Phillips and one hospital bill. Paid off Discover, Carsons, Old Navy. Now just have the two whoppers. Still on cash. Change to travel plan because we got a ridiculous tax refund!
• Treat myself Get a pedicure in May, July, September. See 10 movies, and read 12 books
• Haven't seen any movies since Christmas; have read 4 books; also got a pedicure but that got ruined when I put on my shoes!! LOL
• Stay in Touch Call Mondays-Judy on the way to work; Melissa on the way home. Thursdays-Michelle. Lunch with Lauren once a month, hang out with Cassie 2x/month Go to Scrap Cabana crops with Theresa
• Calls are working really well; spent time with Cassie yesterday and definitely are seeing her, in general, a couple times a month. Next crop is in 2 weeks!!
• Give time Continue to volunteer at the Bin, work with small groups and SW office. Step away from RFKC.
• Stepped away from the Bin, still doing small groups (not sure how long it will last though...they seem to be fizzling) and SW office work is getting more and more. Feel like I'm approaching balance in this area.
• Health Be aware of what goes in my mouth; stay on eating plan; work out 30 minutes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• Getting really good at eating...still not enough but the stuff I am is the right stuff. Still not working out. Definitely have to move it up my priority list.
• Scrapping 365 pages, 12 projects from the tower o'projects and get my pages in albums immediately. Focus on Joseph and Cassie at Scrap Cabana crops.
• Have 110 pages done, 6 projects done (not from the tower o'projects though) and am looking at a box of pages that need to get in album before I go to my next crop.
• Spiritual Read through the NT this year. Be aware of what is coming out of my mouth..especially when I'm frustrated!
• So much better mouthwise; am struggling with the NT but am steadily reading. I think I'm a month behind...at least that's how it feels to me!!
• Marriage Be intentional with Paul…not sure what this is going to look like in action, but something needs to change!!
• Kinda funny but this is great. I've completely let go of expectations with him (which is, I think,  why everything else is so good...my disappointment isn't draining my energy) We're getting along, for now, very well. I'm learning to live in the moment better and better.