Saturday, January 30, 2010

During My absence

So much for the weeks of Weight Watchers menus. I had the best of intentions but life came along and kicked me in the balls and I really didn't feel like blogging at all.

The week of MLK my youngest brother got a blood clot in each lung and landed himself in the hospital for almost a week. He is only 33 years old so it was a huge shock. He is at home resting now and hopefully healing fully.

That same week my laptop left this world for a better place. It had taken too much abuse and refused to work any longer under such heinous conditions. I have a new one coming in a few weeks so in the meantime I am on Erik's old laptop. This one has a messed up letter "P" key which you have to push really hard, so for the rest of this email just ut in a "P" where you think one should go. It's really hurting my inkie finger having to ress it so hard.

Another thing that has been reventing me from blogging is that my kids no longer na. They still do quiet time but it's not that quiet. They want me to read them stories, feed them snacks, change the t.v. channel, and lay games. I also have to hel my 5 year old with homework and mediate fights and kee Jake from causing roerty damage.

Jake is another reason I haven't felt like writing. Long story short, we knew as arents that Jake has a seech delay. We had him assessed and it turns out he may have some other delays as well. Fairly significant delays. I got this news a few days before Xmas and it was a kick in the balls for sure. We immediately enrolled him in seech theray and he is excelling. We also enrolled him in a class called Infant Devlopment Program at the same school his siblings attend. It's very intense and structured and he is doing very well there. Jake has no diagnosis yet and is scheduled for a sychological evaluation in March. Wish us luck.

My oldest son Mike is also scheduled for an aointment with a delomental ediatrician in March. I just breed quirky boys. Wish us luck for that one too.

I have realized now that my goal as a mother is to get my kids through high school, emloyed and living on their own. I just want them to be indeendent and self-sufficient. Anything else is gravy. College, healthy marriages, glorious grandchildren etc. is all gravy. I am just focusing on the fact that my kids are healthy and absolutely gorgeous and if they do become suer stars then I will burst with joy. My goal for Bekah was to cure cancer and Mike and Jake are to be outrageously wealthy rofessional athletes. That could still haen.

And what about Bekah you ask? She's fine. Sassy and bossy but that's comletely normal. And I am being esecially nice to her because I realize she will be the one taking care of me when I am old.

I feel better getting those events out there in the oen. Thanks for listening. Maybe my writer's block is over now that I have gotten those heavy things off my chest.

I am all about hay endings so here's what has been keeing me from going over the edge: WE ARE GOING ON A 7 DAY CRUISE AND LEAVING ON VALENTINE'S DAY! I can't fucking wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't even care that I am still chubby from the holidays. If you are good while I am gone I will take a icture of my tits in a bathing suit and ost it here for you to enjoy.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Weekly Weight Watchers Menus Week #3

This all I have for this week.


Martin Luther King Monday



Breakfast= 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, with 2 Tbs. raisins and 1 tsp. brown sugar= 3pts.



Lunch= Egg Salad Sandwich: 1 chopped hard-boiled egg, 1/4 cup chopped celery and minced onion and 1 Tbs. light Mayo between 2 slices of wheat bread and as much lettuce as you want=5 pts.



Dinner= Courage Chicken Salad

It's actually a Curried Chicken Salad but in honor of MLK Day we shall call it Courage Chicken Salad. May he rest in peace.



Veggie Sunday



Breakfast= Light yogurt any flavor= 3pts.



Lunch=1 can Minestrone soup= 2pts., 2 tsp. Parmesan cheese= 1pt., Salad with 2 Tbs. FF Italian dressing=0 pts.



Polenta with Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce 8 pts.

Adapted from Bon Appetit



Ingredients
8 cups water
5 tablespoons (or more) olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups
polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce (recipe follows)
Fresh basil sprigs (for garnish; optional
)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish on rimmed baking sheet. Combine 8 cups water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons salt in dish. Gradually mix in polenta.
Place baking sheet with polenta in oven. Bake polenta 1 hour. Add pepper and stir to blend. Bake 20 minutes. Stir again and spread evenly. Bake until polenta is very thick, about 20 minutes longer. Cool polenta to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours (polenta will become firm). Using metal spatula, press polenta all over to even thickness. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.



Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut polenta lengthwise into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 6 squares. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares. Sauté until crisp and beginning to color, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer polenta to small baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining polenta, adding oil to skillet as needed.
Divide polenta among plates. Top with warm Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs, if desired. 8 servings.


Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce




Ingredients
4 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree (from two 28-ounce cans),
4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/8 teaspoon (or more) dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil, divided
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, and 3/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons chopped basil, wine, and oregano. Simmer sauce until flavors blend, 5 to 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more dried crushed red pepper, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Monday, January 4, 2010

2009 Year in Review, for the Not Easily Offended Part 2

March 2009

*I posted a few Weight Watchers recipes.

*I came clean about the post-partum depression I had after weaning Jake.

*I wrote a lot of shit about American Idol and the only reason I am going to watch American Idol this year is because Ellen Degeneres will be a judge. I think that is Fox's apology to gay people for Adam Lambert not winning last season.

* I wrote a post about Recession Proof Jobs in March of 2009 and made a comment about giving my husband a well-earned blow job. Months later his 83 year old grandmother told me she read that and couldn't sleep that whole night. I was/am mortified.

* I received the most comments I have ever received after I grumbled about kids on leashes.

*Four Oakland, Ca. police officers were shot down by an asshole felon.

April 2009

*My brother and his wife came to visit and brought Swine Flu with them. OK, actually I don't know if it was really swine flu but we all got really sick after they left. Everyone had it including the grandparents, it was brutal.

*But the visit overall was awesome and we had a great time!! And it was nice that he came home alive from Iraq.

*Sandra Cantu and Melissa Huckaby, tragic.

* I got published again on an online newspaper.

* I got on CBS 5 Eye On Blogs

I am going to have to finish this later.