It's HOT!

For those of you that do not know me reading today.. I live in Texas!  To say " it's hot " is really a huge understatement.  We are on our 20th day in a streak of days over 100 degrees and there's no end in sight.  This morning the 5 day forecast looked like this:

Friday       Saturday       Sunday       Monday       Tuesday         
100             103              104             103             100               

Can I say R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S. 

I look out the window and it looks so beautiful out there... and I go out to turn the sprinklers on and come in drenched... AND NOT FROM THE SPRINKLERS!

We are accustomed to heat and our bodies do adapt.  A friend of mine that lives in Maryland asked me.. "how do you go out and run errands or go to the store...?"  I thought this question was so odd.  What does she mean??? I just go to the grocery store or to Target if I need to.  I just get in the car and go.  Yes, It's hot.  Damn hot!  I have to start my car and let it run for 10 minutes to cool off enough to get in so that the seatbelts don't singe the hair off of me and my kids, but let's face it.  Life just goes on... and we will start school and it will probably still be 100 degrees or more.  It happens.  I guess it's no different than my thinking this past winter when we had RECORD miracle snow over 12 inches here and EVERYTHING shut down and closed because none of us could get our cars out and we certainly weren't prepared for dressing for that.  I always wonder.. "how do people in the north do it"  I bundle my kids up in layers of clothes from their tiny head to their toes -everything covered but their eyes- and then they get in the car with the heater and stifle. I hate being cold.  But I will tell you.... I hate being hot too... this is ridiculous.  Can I please have my sweet 80 degree days back?  I rememeber a couple of days in March that were like that.  I'm going to pretend it's like that today.  I'm also adding a "Let it Snow" blinkie on the sidebar...
Love to you all, Jennifer

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Time come back!

It's summer here in Texas, so of course, it is about 104 every day on average.  This is no new thing for us.  We are used to it and we adjust.  When it's that hot, you can do some errands during the day, but after about an hour or 2 you have to go home and just sit.  And I know what you guys that aren't from TX are thinking... "why don't you do things early in the morning".. well I know this may be hard to imagine, but most of the time we don't even get below 90 until after midnight, and that's IF we do.  Most mornings, we begin at 85-90 degree temps, so by 9 or 10 we are well up into almost 100 temps already. So usually, with a 2 year old and a 6 year old, the afternoon is a great opportunity for nap time.... OH how i love nap time (for myself too) So every year, I say.. things are going to be different this year.. we are going to stay on a schedule! Every year I'm wrong. So nap time gets later and later every day and then we end up pushing bedtime later and later and then we sleep later and later in the mornings... My kids are off schedule, I'm off schedule, aghhh... I just want my nights back.  During the school year, my kids go to be around 8:30 and I have until around 10 or 11 when I go to bed to MYSELF.  Now, my kids are up until 10 or 11 and I don't get up until they get up... I want my time back. I'm alone zero time. I must work on it.

Welcome 2011

Happy New Year. 2011 is here and we welcome a new year and a new beginning. This holiday season was great and went by way too fast. Today was our first day back to school and work and so on and so on, and although it was rough on our little one to go back after 2 weeks home, I think the rest of us rolled into 2011 just fine. Jack is luckily staying with his Nanny and Papa this week because he doesn't have to go back to school until Thursday, so his vacation is still going strong. Lucky boy!
So 2011, This year I do not wish to make resolutions, but instead I want to spend each day being kind and encouraging to others around me. It occured to me during the break while talking and joking around that I do not wish to be 'known' for some of the things that I've been 'known' for before.. like "pulling a jennifer" in a store, or "being late" I think that I want people to remember me as someone that encouraged them. Oh sure, I'm sure people can say lots of good things, like.. 'she's a good mom... or she's a good teacher, .. or at work I'm kind of known for having cute handwriting, so I get called to write "cutesy" on several things or signs... but really do people think of me as an encourager to them??? I want that. I will work on encouraging this year. I hope I run into you for practice. If you see me, make sure to come and see me, so I can encourage you!
I will also try to keep up with my blog better too. Have a good 2011~~jen

Tacos... you can do it!

Hey if you are someone that thinks they can't make tacos.. you need to raise your hand and slap yourself right now.... Now that you have some sense knocked into you.... let's talk. Tacos: once a week dinner at the Macdonalds. All five of us love tacos and we have it once each week. If we have left over meat, we use it later in the week in our eggs for breakfast or on a salad for lunch. So to make tacos you can buy a packet of taco seasoning at the store for about 75 cents. Brown your meat (we use ground turkey because we don't eat a lot of red meat here and it tastes the same when you add seasoning to it anyway) when it's brown drain the grease if you have a lot.. if it's just a little.. who cares! Add the packet and then add 3/4 cup of water and let it simmer about 5-10 minutes. It will take you this long just to get your tortillas heated up (in the microwave with a small bit of water on a paper towel for steam - about 3 minutes) your tomatoes cut and your shredded cheese and sour cream out. Then dish up and dig in.

HOWEVER...

If you're like me and you love tacos and make it a lot or want to make it a lot.. you do not have to buy those silly packets every time. You probably have the ingredients in your spices right now to make it.

If your spices are from a spice rack that was a wedding present from someone.. I hope you just got married, because otherwise.. they're probably too old to have much flavor. Just go spend the one dollar and 50 cents to get new ones, folks!

Here's how you do it.

Taco Seasoning:

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt or salt

1/2 tsp oregano

I love to add 1/2 tsp of cumin too. I just love how it tastes. It's up to you.

It's that easy. Enjoy!

Anyone Cook anymore?

hey guys.. as I spend time talking with friends, I'm amazed at the amount of people that don't cook dinner for their families. I guess as we began to grow up it became more important than it had been before to be involved in activities around the community and school. I think we didn't spend time with our moms in the kitchen as much, or our moms didn't spend time there and in turn it didn't run down to our generation. I have talked with so many people that have babies and as their kids grow and they begin to eat dinners as a family will say to me.. how do you know what to cook? or You made that??? How?? how did you learn to make it?? I'm no expert in the kitchen, but I do know my way around and have a few standard recipes that I think anyone can make or turn into their own. I'm going to try often to post some of them and share. Please feel free to make them your own and add or change as you need.

Last night we had twice baked potatoes. Now for my 5 year old.. we call this "mashed potatoes with hot dogs" for some reason she'll eat it that way, but only if she thinks it has hot dogs. It's really ham of course, but she doesn't know.

Here's how it goes... this recipe is demanded from lots of my friends.. I just made this up folks, so just make it up how you want it.. i'm sure it will be good.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES:

You will need potatoes. I use big baking potatoes.. one for each person that will eat a baked potato. I estimate 1/2 for my little kids.. so we use 4. Wash the skins and stab a couple of holes in them to vent while they cook. I stab my holes just down the center where I will cut them in 1/2 later. Wrap them in paper towel and cook them in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes PER potato.. so it's going to take a while to do 4. Don't underestimate your time. They take a while to cook, but will take 2 or 3 times more in the oven.

While the potatoes are cooking, put into your bowl all of the things that make a good baked potato. A big scoop of butter and sour cream for each potato you make, about 1/2 a bag of shredded cheese or more if you like. Then the best part is the diced ham. I get this in the grocery store usually with the breakfast meats (sausage, bacon, etc) but sometimes it's by the lunch meat. We use about 1/2 the package, because we like it in our omlets later and in our mac and cheese. Do however much you like. Don't leave it out it's sooo good. Don't forget the salt and pepper!

Beep Beep Beep! When they're done, cut them in 1/2, and just scoop the potatoes out with a spoon. IT WILL BE HOT> i have to do it with oven mitts. Although, I try everytime with just my hands and end up yelling. Scoop it out and into your pot and then mix it up... You can just mix with a spoon, I just prefer to use my mixer... I want the least amount of work possible. Put the peels into a pan. I use 9x13, but I have more people. The peels will fall apart a little. That's ok... who cares, they'll eat it anyway. So after you mix up your yummy mixture.. it's time to pile it back into the peels. Just lump it all in there anyway you can fit it. It's ok to pile them up high. Now for the best part of all. Stick it into your oven ON BROIL for about 5-6 minutes. The broiler gets really hot.. I mean really hot! So, watch it. This is just to brown the tops a little. When it's brown and yum .. it's ready. Enjoy!