27 posts from February 2008 (page 2)

If you could teleport to any place in the world right this second, where would you go?

I was going to quote to you Revelation 21 but decided against it because my reasons are totally selfish. I wouldn't mind going to the Philippines to visit my sister&family and dear friends. But you know what? I have to say I'm really happy to be in my chair, at my desk, setting up to knit :D

oh wait! that's selfish, too!

Adopted from this recipe because I don't like bacon (sorry!).

1 package penne, 16 oz.
1 c. ham, finely diced
1 bunch broccolini
12 cloves garlic, finely minced (who are we kidding? throw in more!)
2 tbs. olive oil plus more for pasta
1/3 c. grated parmesan
salt and pepper

Note: this recipe tastes like it would benefit from additional veggies like strips of bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes or olives.

Prepare the penne according to package directions. Two minutes before the penne should be removed, add the broccolini to the pot and blanche for 2 minutes...no more! Turn off the heat and add some cold water or ice to the pot to stop the cooking then drain (you want to keep it all warm). Drain.

While the penne is cooking, saute the garlic in 2 tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Don't let them burn! Add ham and toss until the ham is mixed nicely with the olive oil and warmed through.

Put everything back into the pot including the ham and garlic mixture. Add more olive oil, seasonings and cheese then toss. How much oil depends on you; I guesstimated and I think it was around 1/4 cup. Dish out the still-very-warm pasta and enjoy.

I got compliments from the hubby on this one, as well as from the oldest. NM asked me to chop the teeny little buds from the broccolini and tossed them with everything else. Sure, he left most on his plate but it was his idea (problem solving skills!) and he loudly proclaimed how much he enjoyed it. Yes, he did spend a lot of time stuffing the tiny bits of broccolini, ham and garlic into the penne while he gave us a play by play, Alton Brown-style. Dinner took longer than it should have, especially when J followed suit. But they ate it. They ate broccoli(ni) and liked it!!! (yes it deserves three ! and another parenthetical)

That's how I'm beginning to feel. Well, throw in immature also, I guess.

So I was researching my birthday present today and looked up reviews on Amazon. I kept coming statements like:

"Our kids love it!"
"My mom got this for my birthday..."
"I'm 50 years old but..."

Is it only kiddos who play Dance Dance Revolution? No, I didn't get it, instead I got Dance Praise 2. I've read the Amazon reviews and decided to go for it. I never played DDR or any of the subsequent expansion packs Konami came out with, so I don't know what I was missing if anything. I was going to buy DDR's release for the Wii but then decided against it and went for Dance Praise 2. That way, I can play while everyone else has the consoles since DP2 works on the PC/Mac only. And the songs are nicer. I sure hope it isn't just the under 13 crowd that loves bands like Zoegirl or Sanctus Real or tobyMac (I love tobyMac!), or I'll start to get really uncomfortable!

Best part: it was only $49 vs. $70 for the Wii version rated age 10 and up.

EDIT:  I'm so tired. I hope I can get downloadable content for this thing so I can get more songs. I've already unlocked a couple of songs and can unlock more. Only 50 songs. That's the not-so-good part but considering that's probably a radio station's playlist for a day or two, it's not really all that bad. I'm a newbie so do you think I should be getting 380k+ points for a few dances? "I Was Made to Love You" by tobyMac shouldn't be easy mode, should it? "About You" by Zoegirl is hard, though it's marked easy. It's so fun, though! :D

More books came today!!! We got our schedule, notebooking materials and some more books to read. One of these days I'll get a list of our books together to share with you all.

Today the boys were soooo happy to snuggle on the couch and learn more about American Indian life with me. I think tomorrow we'll go buy some bamboo skewers and leather scraps and see if we can piece a teepee together. Maybe clay for an adobe, too.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:7-11

NM, after hearing an ad for a truck sale in honor of Nissan's 50th anniversary:

"50 years? Wow. In 50 years, I'll be, like, 58 and mom you'd be setting a record."

"What record?" I ask with a straight face.

"Well, you'll be 88 and I dunno, some record..."

J, at the dinner table:

"NM, you know what mommies are? Mommies are cool, I mean cool girl points."

Don't ask me what the point system thing is, I don't really care, they just sound cool.

And there was joy...

Three of the packages we're expecting came. *squee* NM said "boh-ring!", J is claiming all of them for himself.

I'm a bit sad though because we have doctor's appointments for the next couple of days. Interruptions seem to cause difficulty!