Thank Me Later Thursday!

So, its Thursday, and I thought I'd bless you again with my geniusness (and sarcasm).
Today, its a practical thing for food storage.
Again, this is not an original idea, my friend Barb introduced me to it.
I was at her house and she was cooking us some burgers and grabbed her ground meat out of the freezer to thaw and it looked like this.



"What? That's genius Barb!" I said. I couldn't wait to get home and buy 5lbs of ground meat to employ my new method of meat freezing!
Instead of leaving the meat in the brick-like form that it is when you buy it, you put it in a zip lock bag and squash it into a thin disk. This aids in a quicker thawing, and more space in your freezer! I'm sure everyone else knows about this, but I just found out about it, and was so happy about this new method of ground meat storage I had to share it just in case you didn't know about it. Seriously, it thaws sooo fast this way.

Now, what to do with your thawed ground meat? The possibilities are endless.
Meatloaf, mini-meatloaves, meatballs, sloppy joes, Shepard's pie, tacos, chili, soup. I always have a ton of ground beef and ground turkey in the freezer.

Here is a completely original recipe I make and my kids LOVE. Really love, like, "Oh MOM! You made Turkey Meatloaf?!! I love you." (if you know my kids and their eating habits, you know this must be some good meatloaf. Scott and I like it, its not gourmet, but tasty and healthy. And honestly, I find great joy when my kids eat my food and like it and ask for more, it makes food taste better.

Kate's Kid Lovin Turkey Meatloaf.

About a pound or more of ground turkey
1 egg
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 apple peeled and grated
1 carrot peeled and grated
1/2 or less a small onion peeled and grated ( probably use less, cause the onion can get overpowering and yuck!)
1/2 cup or more grated cheddar cheese

Mix all that stuff together in a bowl and toss it with your hands till well combined. Now you can slap it on a roasting pan or a lipped cookie sheet (line it with foil first so you don't have to clean up later.) and form it into a loaf (don't put it in a loaf pan, the fat won't escape and it will be nasty and take for ever to cook) Bake at 375 till its done. I use a meat thermometer to know when it's done. It takes about 45 minutes. (ground turkey is done when a meat thermometer reads 165')
OR
You can spoon it into muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes. (again check for doneness).
Sometimes, Scott will make a glaze for the top, which I will put on half of the loaf, cause the kids don't like ketchup.
He mixes ketchup, honey, hot sauce and cumin together and slathers it on. I don't know how much he uses, but just start out with about a 1/4 cup ketchup a couple tablespoons of honey and hot sauce and cumin to taste.
Or you could put more cheese on top at the end and bake it a little longer to melt the cheese.
Tasty Stuff.

You can thank me later.

Have Mercy!

My almost 11 month old baby boy J has learned two things this week. Two things which make me nervous.
He can now climb the stairs.
He can also squirm out of the belt in the shopping cart.
I found this out by turning around in Target to look at something, only to turn back around to find him standing up, facing backwards in the cart. This is not a good thing. Q never did this. B did, but not till later.
This child is much more gross motor advanced than the other two, by all means. (B was still seeing an occupational therapist for his "delay" at this point).
I have a tradition of doing a first birthday theme based on the child's first word. Well, I have a month til J's birthday, and he has yet to say a word. He is too busy being 'busy' to talk. I'm scared. Scared that he will be walking in two weeks and climbing out of the crib in three weeks. Ha! Have mercy!

Look at him! Doesn't he just look like trouble?

You can thank me later.

Because today is Thursday, I thought I'd do a fun if not sarcastic post to share some awesome thoughts, genius ideas or genius mistakes with you. If I feel like it, it may become a regular thing. Cause I'm such a popular blogger, HA! and cause I'm awesome and all, these are the posts you will thank me for writing! But you can thank me later!

Today I will inform you of two great recipes I have stumbled upon via the Internet or iPhone app (which is the Internet, but I had to slip it in there so maybe one day Apple will thank me later for mentioning their awesome product with more of their awesome products. HA! really, I know, sarcasm is flowing today.)

This recipe I found on a bloggy linky thingy, which I cannot find the link for now, so please forgive me original recipe writer, but it was too delicious not to share it with my 4 blog readers. Karen, Shay, Janet and maybe one other person here or there that leaves me a comment.

Cranberry Pork Roast
(for your crock pot)

Ingredients:
1 pork roast or pork tenderloin
1 onion, sliced
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 packet of onion soup mix
1 crock pot.
Directions:
1. Spread the sliced onion on the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Take your pork roast and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
Place the roast on top of the onions in the crock pot.
3. Sprinkle the entire packet of soup mix on the meat.
4.Mix up the can of cranberry sauce so its easier to spread and spread it on top of the meat.
5. Put the lid on your crock pot and turn it on to low for 6 hours. Or more if you have a gihugic roast. Less if you're using a tenderloin.

When its done carefully remove the roast from the crock pot so you don't lose all the cranberry sauce. You then slice and serve. Or make the gravy from the juices left in the pot. Its super easy. Strain the liquid left in the pot. In a pan melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat, then add a tablespoon of flour to make a roux, let that cook a little bit then add the juices and let it simmer till it becomes a thicker gravy. I feel like the gravy is the best part, but you don't need to make it, just slop some of the juice on top of the pork when you serve it. Its delicious. Trust me. Its easy and good, what more do you want?
I served it with egg noodles. (bonus added, my kids ate it without gagging, so its worth it, right?)

And one more:

From Allrecipes:
Marinated pork tenderloin
This one is really easy but really good. I didn't have onion powder so I used about 1/4 onion finely minced and oj instead of sherry. Marinated it about 4 hours and it was tasty. The kids ate it willingly and asked for more (well, B and J did, Q never asks for more of anything unless its a chicken nugget).


Ok, go make yourself some pork goodness and thank me later.
(oh and dude, if you feel like sharing something you want me to thank YOU later for, by all means, leave a comment and direct me to your post.)

Reset

I have recently been wishing I had a reset button. Or a reboot button. A button that would take me back to my factory installed condition, erase my history. To just start over. To start over fresh, without bad habits, bad attitudes, my anger. The anger that sits beneath the surface of my skin every day, waiting to rage out at any infraction someone (most likely, a loved one)can make. I'm tired of it.
Tired of stomping around. Tired of yelling. Tired. Of. Myself.
I don't know what has made me an angry person. I don't have a big event that has caused me to become angry. I could blame my parents, cause that's a popular, acceptable thing to do. But I won't. Its not their fault. They never put me to bed without supper, nor did atrocious things to me. They loved me how they knew how. I WISH I could pass the blame, but I can't, and if I could, I wouldn't. I need to accept responsibility that I have created my own messes and attitudes.
But really, I wish I could start over. Just to get out of the awful lazy habits that I have. And out of the angry habits that I have. Like yelling and stomping my feet and giving people the cold shoulder. (I'm realizing here, I act more like my 3 year old than I should). Breaking habits is impossible for me.
I am reminded that the Bible says nothing is impossible with God, and I can do all things with Christ who gives me strength. I have seen God do the impossible, seen it in my husband, my mom, my friends. I have experienced His awesomeness myself even. But when it comes to this anger that I have, and my habits resulting from this anger, I keep waiting for God to flip the switch in me. Open my eyes and heart and smooth everything over. I know He can do it. Why not right now? Am I not doing something right?
Bleh. Just wish I could not be angry all the time. Or maybe, if I have to be angry, I wish I could just not yell. Or not say dumb things to my dearest patient husband. Or eat a whole batch of cookies.

B's First Day of School

I had to write a post just for him, so I don't accuse myself of being partial to one kid or the others.

B had his first day of preschool on Tuesday. He was really looking forward to school. We have driven past the church that houses his preschool and they have an "awesome" playground (according to B), and he kept talking about going. Last week was orientation and he was sad he only got to stay for a half hour. After the orientation, he kept telling me "Mom, I want you to take me to school and leave me there. Then you leave for a looong time." Ok kid, no problem. It was funny how different this first day of preschool was for me. First of all, at the orientation, I felt like all the kids there were too young. Oddly, B seemed like an old man to me compared to the kids in there. I couldn't understand some of the kids speech, and they just seemed soo young. I don't know why. I also was the 'old mom' this time. When I took Q to 3 year old preschool, I was definitely among the young-mom crowd. Even though that was only 3 years ago.
Then, when I dropped him off, he was the ONLY kid not clinging to their mother and crying like a baby. Truly. Q cried his eyes out when I left him there the first time. B has the same teachers Q had, which is fine with me. And they are doing the same thing curriculum wise as they did 3 years ago.
One thing about B that surprises me is, as much of a talker as this kid is, he gets quiet when he's nervous or anxious. When he was in the hospital for the quarter removal, he said maybe 3 words the whole 12 hours of the ordeal. I thought it was because he was in pain. But I noticed the other day when I took him to the dentist for the first time, he didn't say a word then either. Despite their efforts to chat him up, he only shook his head yes or no.
I think he was nervous about school once he got there, cause he told me later they asked him why he was so quiet.
Any way, when I dropped him off, he didn't hug me good-bye and I only got a picture of the back of his head as he was hanging up his back pack and heading in the class room, he didn't even turn around to see if I was gone, nervous or not.
When I picked him up, he was happy to see me, and didn't stop talking about it.
He was most excited about the cars and the playground at school. He informed me that "I went on the bikes at school! And I didn't even throw up!" (back story: A couple weeks ago, an older girl at the playground across the street, spun him around on the tire swing so much that he threw up. The bikes at school are on a merry-go-round type thing so they just ride in circles.)
He was happy to take a nap after lunch. When I had to wake him up to get Q from school, he instantly started talking about his day at school again. It was cute.
A good day for my little guy.
Scott kept asking me how my "day off" was. Why he thinks having B at school for 2.5 hrs is a day off, I don't know. However, I did waste that ENTIRE time on the computer...sorta like I'm doing now.

What We've Been Up To (in pictures)

Another first day of school.

Q's birthday at the game!

(Can you tell Q was scared in this picture. They were having batting practice and the balls were flying into our sections and he was nervous they'd hit us. I was too!)
Hitting the beach and boardwalk!

Ah, Quit yer Belly Achin'!

Everyone knows I am a complainer. I like to think that I just am analytical and analyze things and point out errors, and suggest ways of improvement for people, as my service to man. But, alas, when I observe this behavior in others, it is annoying to say the least. So, I am trying hard not to complain.

Church yesterday was an eye opening experience for me in this area. Now, our church has been blessed with a large children's ministry that I happen to love. Of course there are probably areas that need improvement, but coming from where I came from, its awesome. I have no complaints. I feel like our kids ministry was being pressured to change up its ways to accommodate its continual growth. So yesterday, they rolled out a brand new children's church. I knew it would be a mess yesterday, I came prepared for chaos, and it was. I tried to check in my kids and they didn't have all of mine listed, but we slapped a sticker on Q and sent him on his way. No biggie. But let me just say, I was sad to hear so many people whining about the process and all the changes. It was discouraging to hear the complaints. And I can only imagine how the people who are working in children's ministries must feel when the catch the comments that were freely flying yesterday in the halls. I made note how stressed all the volunteer's seemed, and felt compassion for them rather than my usual criticism that swirls in my brain and off my tongue. That's weird and different for me. I just thought that these people are trying their best to accommodate the needs of a growing church and it can't be easy.

The sermon yesterday was also a changing and inspiring experience for me. It was a guest speaker, and honestly at first I was disappointed and started making plans in my head to 'check' on J and go to the bathroom to escape him. However, he was a great speaker and I was inspired. He said something about not being in a rut (which I most likely am in), and to stop complaining and to turn it around and be grateful of the things you get to do for Christ. Instead of saying, "I have to (x,y,z...)" say, "I GET to (x, y,z...)". I've already done that a couple of times this morning and it does wonders for my attitude.

On a similar note, I have had some conversations with some young people complaining about this and that about church. Scott and I sort of clam up when that complaining starts cause we know better. We've come from some bad preaching, and have experienced so much worse, that we are truly thankful and appreciative of most things about church. Hey, we get to GO to church and have fellowship (even though that I have complained about the lack of fellowship in the past). My sister doesn't get this privilege. I do have community there (even though its not the same as before). But I do get to go and experience great biblical preaching, solid worship/music and some really great friends there. I guess having perspective is a good thing at helping you realize what you do have. I'm so guilty of complaining about things, and often get caught up in my complaints. I just need to quit it. And start being thankful and appreciative and if I can't do that, I should just be quiet. Right? Right.

Changes

With Q in school all day, several things have changed.
Our morning routine is back and as chaotic as ever from the get go. Q was so excited to start first grade the first couple of days went relatively smoothly. Today however, he did not want to get out of bed. And announced that, "School is not fun anymore!". Dear, its only day 5. And he hasn't even started getting homework yet. (P.S., Thank you dear teacher, for not giving him homework yet). He is so tired when he gets home from school, I don't know how getting him to do homework would go.
B has changed, or I have noticed more about B in the last week since Q is not around. He is so chatty. He also notices J a whole lot more. He's in his face and on his back (literally), a whole lot more. Before last week, I was constantly telling Q to get off J or get out of his face and now Q has passed that brotherly responsibility to B. Fun. B is more and more craving and asking for my attention. Strange.
I miss Q a ton. I'm sure it will get better once I get used to him not being here. But for now, I fee like I'm missing a part of me. He's not here to help me clean and isn't around to shut the van door when we all pile out. I miss his company sometimes too.
The school schedule is messing up nap schedules. Which is not good for anyone. I have to find someone to pick Q up. I need to make friend with some neighbors whom I can share this responsibility with.

There are more changes: however, MY iPHONE JUST ARRIVED AND I MUST GO PLAY!

Gibreckle

Random Tid Bits that I keep thinking about.

-I ordered an iPhone on Friday. I saved my pennies for months and got a $100 rebate for trading in my old 'dumb' phone. I'm stoked about it. I only wanted it cause I think it'd be cool to have. I'm not going to lie and say because I "needed" it for some reason. In order to justify it, I'm cutting my budgeted "blow" money to pay for the darn 'data package'. It really is ridiculous to spend so much money on a 'toy'. But
Its sorta my attempt to stay up with technology, because I don't facebook.

-J is no longer my sweet baby. He's turned into a rather rough little guy, whom everyone is somewhat afraid of. He bites, and scratches and doesn't want to be held. He's army crawling and pulling up on things. And I'm a little worried what the future might hold for this brazen little J. The big boys don't like that he is constantly deconstructing their creations. But all babies do that right? He's not abnormal right?

-B will start 2 days of preschool next week. Already the paperwork for him has started coming in and now with two kids in school, I have so much paperwork and things to keep track of, its a little crazy. I wonder what it will be like when all three are in three different schools (cause that will happen one day).

-With Q in school all day, I feel like I'm missing a part of me. Its really going to take time to adjust to. B is having a hard time adjusting to so much alone time. B is a big time talker. I never really noticed it before, but when you get alone with B, he will talk your ear off. I wonder if Q was the recipient of it, or if Q did a good job of bossing him around enough that B didn't talk as much. B is constantly saying "Hey Mom!" Sometimes followed by a question, but mostly a request for a snack or "did you know that...".

-We went to the beach on Saturday for the afternoon and evening and it went really well. Its the first time (other than family vaca) that we've been there all summer. I was dreading going cause, taking a baby to the beach isn't all that fun to me. But we went late enough that we got to the beach at 4pm (read: did not apply sunscreen to 2/3 of the kids), played for 2.5 hours then hit the boardwalk for dinner and rides.(J had a ton of fun in the sand). I was surprised at how fun it was. Scott was surprised that I wasn't begging to go home by 6pm (and therefore only put in enough money in the meter to leave at 9pm). The kids loved it. I'm wanting to go back so bad.

-I haven't been to church in a month. Between visiting friends, a hurricane closing down church and J being sick, I haven't been able to get there. I miss it.

-I decided to switch bible study again to a day that works better for My schedule. I will seriously miss the ladies in my old study. But I have good friends in the new one (which is an old one), so hopefully I won't miss the old one too much. confused?

-We are taking Q to see a Phillies game tonight, which was rescheduled from last Saturday (Irene). It's for his birthday and we got the package that puts his name up on the scoreboard. I HOPE and PRAY it doesn't rain (its forcasted to). Q has a history of being at a game and it down pouring and getting stuck in a thunderstorm. It has scarred him for life and I would hate for it to happen again. Plus, he turns into a bit of a baby at any chance of rain in the sky. On a side note and post for another day: I think I may have turned Q into a minime and he is annoyingly afraid of any type of weather.

-I have lots swirling around in my brain, but I need to end this boring long post of mine.