Fun with Cauliflower

No really. This week we have been trying some new recipes with cauliflower. And both were pretty good! The best was - roasted cauliflower. A bunch of friends had tried this and proclaimed it great, so we gave it a shot. It is really easy - first you cut up the cauliflower into little florets. Put them all spread out on a cookie sheet. Then cover liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper (we use Crazy Salt). Roast at 425 for about 25 minutes. If you can turn them once, that's good. YUMMY!! These were so good. Little roasted salty goodness. I personally think the cauliflower is just a delivery method for the oil and salt - but whatever. Yummy.

Also, with my low-carb thing, I have a hard time with my dinner plate. I am a traditional - meat, veggie, starch girl. That is what a dinner plate looks like to me. Well, I am not eating starches at dinner. So my options are to serve it, and just leave a gap on my plate - or come up with alternatives. One I found this week was cauliflower "rice". Basically you use a cheese grater and grate some cauliflower down to little grains (like rice). Put them in a bowl with a cover and microwave for 4-5 minutes. Remove, add some butter and maybe soy sauce - and its kinda like rice. Definitely still has a cauliflower flavor - but not bad.

So there you go - fun with cauliflower. Enjoy!

Snow Day

We had the first real snow yesterday. And it wasn't much - an inch or two (which is now covered in ice!). But the kids loved it. Here they are playing when we got home from work/school (in the dark!).
And of course it had to be followed up with hot chocolate. Except they don't like hot chocolate. (well, Big Man does). So we had Disney colored "hot chocolate drink" - it comes in pink, blue and purple and tastes more like hot vanilla. But only Big Man liked his - but they all liked the idea, which I guess is what counts. DH finished the girls ones for them!

Valentine Day Gift Ideas

So if you are looking for something to get your wife/girlfriend/partner for Valentine's day - I have the perfect thing. I don't know if any husbands (other than my DH) read this blog, but here we are. I already have this, so DH is off the hook. But ladies - buying it for yourself works too!

Mommy Tags (well that is what I call them)- these are great necklaces with the names of your kids on them. Love mine, wear it alot, and very reasonably priced. Hop on over to Lisa Leonard. http://lisaleonardonline.com/


Another great one are these - I LOVE these. They are really cute necklaces, and my girls love em. Got them new ones for Valentine's day. Also got them for many little girls I know - so if I know you IRL, check with me before you buy! These are DIRT CHEAP too, and so CUTE! visit the girlie shop at http://fourgirlieshop.blogspot.com/

That's what I got for now!

A Week in My Life

So this week I am tackling an interesting scrapbooking project - A Week in My Life. The idea has been well fleshed-out by Ali Edwards, a scrapbooking author. It looked like fun, so I thought I would give it a shot.

I have been carrying my camera around everywhere and trying to take as many photos of my life as possible. My biggest fear is that this will demonstrate how completely boring my life is. Oh well...I think it will be interesting to see. Shutterfly even has a cool kind of kit to help you make a digital scrapbook.

Will let you know how it turns out. But in the meantime, if you see me taking pictures of random crap - you know why!

Totally Rad

We went to see the Legwarmers again on Saturday night. It was really great. I had found some awesome 80s fashions at Goodwill last week, and so was all decked out. I made a Flashdance sweatshirt and wore it with a bright blue tanktop, had dozens and dozens of metal bangles, a bright yellow bow in my hair, the world's smallest black flared miniskirt, black lycra leggings with lace, pink legwarmers and lovely white pumps. The music was great (it was scary how many of the songs our kids sing in RockBand), and we danced for hours. Here are some pics.

Contested Cooking

So I love to cook. I don't get to do it often, but I really enjoy it. For years I have wanted to enter the Pillsbury Bake Off. And this year, I am going to do it. By posting it here on my blog, I hope to guilt myself into definitely entering this year. They even have a great category for me - "Dinner Made Easy". That the only kind of dinner I do. I have a few ideas I am going to start working on. I have until April 20th, so I should be able to make it. I don't have any dreams of winning (well, ok, I do have a DREAM of winning - but not an expectation), but I finally want to enter.

I may also enter the Betty Crocker Mix It Up contest - but I have to get a move on - deadline is February 15th. That one is doctoring cookie mix. I can DEFINITELY do that.

Anyone else in with me? I will share my recipes here once I am not selected as a winner.

Love for the Mouse

We had a blast at Disney without the kids! We only ended up with a few hours at the Magic Kingdom on Friday (I hit a traffic jam on the way back from working), but we made the highlights - Buzz Lightyear, Stitch's Escape, Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Snow White and of course, Wishes - the fireworks show. We also made our own custom Mickey ears. Mine were pink with fake fur on the edge - silver ears with rhinestones all around the edges, Minnie on each ear, and an "Its my birthday" sticker with a crown on top. Kathy's was similar.

We each got a "its my birthday" badge when we got our free admission - which caused every single "cast member" (employee) to say "Happy Birthday Megan" all day long. What fun!

On Saturday we had a blast at Disney Hollywood Studios. We woke up early for Extra Magical Hours and managed to ride 2x on the Rock n Roller Coaster - oh my Gosh- amazing - 0 to 60mph in like 2 seconds. AWESOME! We also got on Toy Story Mania - SOOOOOOO FUN. You get to shoot at carnival style shooting targets and play against your riding partner. It was really fun. We also saw the High School Musical 3 show, the parade, rode the Great Movie Ride, saw the Magic of Animation, Muppets 3d (welcome to my paaahhhk), etc. We didn't do Tower of Terror, as I am just not into falling rides.

I highly recommend the Disney free on your birthday gig. It was really great, such a blast!

We Did It

Barack Obama is the President of the United States. I get chills just typing that. Could it have been a greater day?

We had a viewing party with some close friends today. Ate one of Obama's favorite foods (chili), I made Michelle Obama's shortbread cookies, we drank Hawaiian beer, played Obama Bingo, and toasted with Champagne.

The kids had Obama coloring pages, and we did did Inauguration trivia.

But most importantly - we watched and listened, were inspired and had hope. A great day for our nation.

History Makers

Still can't tell you why the damn video comes out sideways (I have filmed both directions and it makes NO difference).




I have nothing to add.

On My Way to Mickey

So I am off to a work gig in Orlando, FL. The best part is my GF Kathy is coming with me so we can go to Disney World and celebrate our birthdays!!! We go down tonight and hit an awesome Orlando restaurant. Then tomorrow I have to give 2 seminars. I am done by 3:30 and then we HIT THE PARKS!!! We go Friday for Kathy's bday and Saturday for mine. Fly out Saturday night.

We are staying at Port Orleans, French Quarter, and I am interested to see how it is. We plan to hit Magic Kingdom Friday and Disney Hollywood Studios Saturday.

Wasn't going to tell the kids, but I did. Promised to bring back fun stuff. Will definitely be stopping by Once Upon a Toy to get the My Little Pony stuff for the girls. Big Man will probably get some kind of Mickey toy. B specifically asked for cotton candy.

Can't wait to ride the roller coasters and such over and over again! YAYYYY!

You Know You're A Mom When...

among the contents of my (actually pretty small) purse:

• rice krispy treat
• multiple pony tail holders
• pink sash from Bippiti Boppiti Hair Boutique
• package of fruit snacks
• a green crayon

• Excedrin tension headache medicine

The fridge in my office also contains a sippy cup of milk (i found a week or so ago in my purse after daycare dropoff).

If Only We Could Bottle It

Big Man has soooo much energy. All the kids do, but he is really nutso! This is a video of him from about 10 minutes before his bedtime the other night:





Obviously we need to work on the pronounciation of the ABCs, but at least he got the melody right!

(this is from my digital camera. I CANNOT figure out how to get it not to be sideways. Anyone have an ideas??!!)

We Got the Beat

So we got Rock Band for Christmas. I also made a cd of some of the songs that I knew were in the game that we have been playing in the car constantly so the kids learn the words. The girls can now sing Volcano (although they call it "i don't know"), Livin' on a Prayer, Hungry Like a Wolf, and several others. B can identify all of them when they start on the cd. It is actuallyhysterical to hear them singing these types of songs - cracks me up every time!

Their favorite is definitely We Got the Beat. Now whenever we get in the car, Big Man starts yelling "we got beat! we got beat!" - he wants to hear it all the time. He even played drums the other night when we were playing the game. I was playing guitar and was trying to help him by telling him which drum (they are colored) he should hit. I would say "yellow" - he would say, "no red". He scored a 7% on his best time out. But hey - maybe we can get him singing We Got the Beat soon!

What's Gotten Into Me

So I just finished the carb-deplete cycle of my diet again. I am excited to be allowed carb and sugar again! yay! I have to say I really love this diet plan. The weight keeps coming off (down 39 lbs now!), and with the exception of that first week, I don't feel really denied.

But what is getting to me know is my current attitude towards exercise. Over the weekend DH bought me "My Fitness Coach" for the Wii. And it is great! It doesn't require the Wii Fit (which I still hope to get for my birthday - hint hint), but is a personalized exercise program. You have to fill in all your pertinent information (including taking measurements!!) and complete a fitness test (how many situps/pushups in x time, resting pulse, pulse after 2 min of cardio, etc). Then it personalizes an exercise program based upon your goals. It is really cool.

I also love the Thirty Day Shred by Jillian Michaels. Quite a workout and only 20 minutes.

But the scary thing is that since Sunday - I have not only worked out every day - but 3 days I have worked out 2x (morning and evening). I have NEVER done that in my life. Seriously. I don't know what has gotten into me, but I like it!

Sad

For the last 24 hours or so I have just been sad. I heard bad news about 2 people I know. Neither are people I am particularly close to, but still it is heartbreaking.

A former colleague of mine committed suicide on Sunday. He was only in his early 30s. He had gone through a divorce in the last year, and had recently lost his job. Apparently he had also just broken up with his girlfriend. But his friends were with him the night before, and nobody had any idea. So sad ....such a waste.

A current colleague of mine who is just the sweetest funniest guy in the world had an operation for a brain tumor yesterday. Looks to be cancer. Unreal. At our recent conference in Florida we had all agreed that he was just the funniest guy. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Sometimes life is just sad.

Starting the New Year off Right

Ok...so I kinda fell of the exercising wagon back in November. I had my annual convention, followed by our Disney trip, then Thanksgiving - where I caught a horrible cold, that lasted until like, last week, then Christmas, etc. All lovely excuses.

But now I am back. I started it off with 2 hours of ice skating on Saturday(which while I suck at, I don't actually fall down) with my girls and a friend. Let me tell you - ice skating for 2 hours while trying to hold up a four year old is hard work! I was pretty wiped.

Then yesterday we went bowling (ok, not so much exercise) with friends, and then I used my brand new Wii Fitness Coach that hubby bought us! Yay! I did the training exercise so it could figure out just how pathetic I am, and then did a short yoga workout. Not bad for a Sunday.

This morning I got up earlier and got hammered by Jillian on the 30-day Shred. Killer. Tonight I want to try a custom work out on Fitness Coach.

I can't run for another week, as I am on the carb-deplete cycle of my diet, but at least I am starting off in the right place!

2008 in Review

Saw this meme here, and thought I would do it too. I apologize for the weird spacing - blogger is being strange.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
hmmm...take the girls to DisneyWorld. Makes me think I need to try more new stuff!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I really had any. For 2009 I want to keep losing weight (and keep it off) and exercise regularly.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Sabrina had baby Emma - yay!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
nope. yay

5. What countries did you visit?
France!!!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
less debt

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Election day - forever.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
losing 37 lbs

9. What was your biggest failure?
on and off exercising

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
nope - except a silly cold I've had since Thanksgiving.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My red circle purse from a street vendor in Paris.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The American people for making the right political choice - finally!!!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Bigots and close-minded people during the election who completely lied and made stuff up.

14. Where did most of your money go?
where did it not? vacations, toys, silly stuff (oh yeah, mortgage and daycare too!)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
our vacations - PARIS! and Disney. SOOOO AWESOME!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
man, this is hard! It might be Bon Jovi's Livin on a Prayer after hearing K and Lizzie scream it out on Rock Band.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? SAME

b) thinner or fatter? THINNER - YAYYY ME!

c) richer or poorer? SAME (made more money, spent more money)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

enjoy!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

complain - yell at the kids

20. How did you spend Christmas Hanukkah?

at home with family and friends - perfect

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

more and more with my kids, DH, and friends

22. What was your favorite TV program?

hmm...Brothers and Sisters or Entourage (on netflix)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
nope

24. What was the best book you read?
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
ROCK BAND 2!!!

26. What did you want and get?
Rock Band 2. A Wii.

27. What did you want and not get?
kitchen cabinets

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Mamma Mia - sing along version

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
turned 40. Think I had some dim sum and good dinners. And of course, my Paris trip!!!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
can't think of anything

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
smaller clothes!!!

32. What kept you sane?

my amazing girlfriends!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

hmmm...jon stewart? still a sucker for Brad Pitt

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
our amazing election. And my very strong feelings on the differences of the candidates

35. Who did you miss?
my mom, as usual. Duffy who lives to far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

didn't meet a lot of people - reconnected with some from Facebook.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
you can have it all - if you pace yourself.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
man that's hard. Maybe - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Just One

So there is a movement in the blogging community to come up with one word to describe your goals for the next year. I think it was started by Ali Edwards a scrapbooker and blogger, but I am not sure. Anyway, I decided I would do it.

My word is WILL. As is will power, and I WILL. It is being positive about everything and having the ability to accomplish. I WILL get back into running. I WILL continue my weightloss. I WILL find happiness in the little things, I WILL do it all, I WILL organize my house, I WILL I WILL I WILL.

WILL. I will. that is my 2009 goal.