What's Cookin?

I was in bed most of the day yesterday so I missed going to Walgreens for after Christmas sale lights and doing my menu for the week. It’s still a busy week ahead so I’m going to make some quick and easy things. I left my new cookbook at home so I’ll peruse that on Friday morning to see what I want to cook out of it.

Monday: we had leftover’s from Christmas dinner
Tuesday: Eat out – errands after my WW meeting
Wednesday: Tuna Casserole with Salad
Thursday: Hamburger helper with Salad
Friday: Something from my new WW power foods cookbook
Saturday: New Year’s Eve party - munchies
Sunday: Ham, Cole slaw, black eyed peas, Mac and cheese

As usual if you want a recipe – just let me know.

Tuesday Morning

And today I woke to snow!  Not enough to be a bother but the first real snow we have had this season.... so pretty!

Holiday Update

I’ve been offline for a few days with the Holiday so I am just now getting around to reading about all your glorious Christmas celebrations. So here is a bit of mine.

I took Friday off to be home with the family. Tom and Erik are both home for the holidays so the house has been full – to overflowing! LOL!


(Doesn't seem like he has moved much since Thanksgiving huh?)


(The sun was very bright coming in the east facing window Christmas morning.)

We headed up to my Nephew’s on Christmas Eve (a four hour drive) and stopped for Monicals Pizza on the way. Tom has a buddy in the Army that lives in St. Joe Illinois and used to work at that Monicals so we stopped there and he came up to the store to visit. Then off to the nephew’s house for lots of good food and family.

This year’s drive home from Illinois was MUCH IMPROVED over last year when we drove in a blizzard and that four hour drive turned into more like eight! This year we had dry pavement all the way home – so much better on the nerves.

We slept in on Christmas day as Bill was having Christmas morning with Justin and his family. Bill found out he is going to be a grandpa again in July – the due date is his birthday too which is way cool since she will be having a cesarean so unless she goes into labor early she can plan it for that day!

On to our Christmas morning – Austen got me a Nook Color! Woot!! I never expected it from just one of the kids, I thought they would all go together and get one if they did at all. Aubri got me a new cookbook from Weight Watchers – Woot - so that I can cook some low point meals now that my points have dropped so low. Tom got me a necklace and tennis bracelet which I’m wearing today. And Erik’s gifts will be a little late as he didn’t get paid until Friday before Christmas.

Bill is chomping at the bit to get heat in the shop so he can get gifts made as well – my birthday will be coming up shortly so maybe he and Erik will be just in time for that!  The turkey turned out delicious – Bill deep fried it and the rest of the dinner was much simpler that Thanksgiving since everyone complained that I made things too fancy.

Yesterday was spent in bed all day as I developed dizziness overnight. Seems every time I moved I was overcome with a wave a dizzy so I pretty much stayed in bed. It progressed to just a fuzzy head later in the day and clear by last night so I’m back at work today. I did get to watch both seasons of ROME all day and snuggle with Bill so the day was not a total loss. ;)

I have one more holiday party to get through (our New Year’s Eve Party) this coming weekend and then it will be back to eating regularly and low point meals. I think I did well this weekend so hopefully I’ll make it as well next too.

Blessed Yule

There seems to be some confusion about the Solstice this year.  Here in Missouri (Central Time Zone) the sun will enter Capricorn at 11:30pm this evening making this Solstice Night (the longest of the year).  But in the Eastern Time Zone this happens at 12:30am tomorrow morning making the 22^nd Solstice.  Most of the calendars in the US are printed in New York which is in the Eastern Time Zone so it is marked on the calendar as tomorrow.  Either way the sun seems to have stopped moving for the last few days and will not seem to move for another few so Yule actually lasts several days – celebrate as you will!

Whatever time zone you live in – Blessed Yule!

What's Cookin?

Monday found us at a funeral for one of Aubri’s coaches from the Outburst so we ate at the luncheon after the funeral then later at El Maguey. This past weekend didn’t do much for my WW plan – I am sure I gained a few pounds. Next week isn’t looking much better except for the fact that I can cook at home – but I have all my boys home for the Holidays so I have to cook meals that they will eat.

Monday: El Maguey
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken from Dierbergs deli with sides
Wednesday: Ham, roasted brussel sprouts, mac and cheese
Thursday: Roast Beast (venison), mashed potatoes, gravy and wax beans
Friday: Bean soup with leftover ham (thanks Cheri for the beans  )
Saturday: Turkey dinner at my nephews house in Illinois
Sunday: Deep fried turkey, corn bread dressing, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, green beans, noodles (maybe if Aubri wants to make them), rolls and pumpkin pie

As usual if you want a recipe – just let me know. “Everybody Cooks” is a quarterly magazine put out by Dierbergs Grocery store. You can find it online here: http://www.dierbergs.com/School/Everybody+Cooks+Magazine.aspx

Solstice Sunrise

Solstice Sunrise at Woodhenge, Cahokia Mounds Illinois

Saturday morning found us at the Mounds at 7:00am waiting for the sun to rise at 7:15. It was a nice morning - not nearly as cold and windy as it usually is on Solstice morning at the Mounds. The archeologist from the Cahokia Learning Center was on hand as usual to give an interpretation of the Woodhenge - how it was found, some history and such.

Across the road where there are several more mounds and open fields of grass grazed herds of white tail deer. I tried to get a picture but they were so far away that my camera on my phone couldn't get them in the picture except as small dark dots on the landscape. But there must have been over 50 deer in all the fields as we pulled up. They were beautiful.

After sunrise we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast as is tradition. Our good friend Charlie was there and so conversation never faltered! :) Naps were acquired once we got back home

The finished tank

Here is the tank completed and filled with water to the top like it should be. Yes, Peter has moved since the last picture but he seems to like this spot so we see him here a lot. If you look above him and to the left a little you will see 'Sharkbait" the other fish she has.

Bill make the top this weekend to replace the lovely screen we had over it before. We still need to get a knob for the lift up door (right now it has a little peice of wire) but that won't change it much. It is also much quieter now that the water isn't falling 3 inches from the filter to the top of the tank. We had about an inch of evaporation this week while we waited for Bill to come up this weekend and build the new top.

So, her little friends are happy and seemingly healthy. :)