Easter Eggs

Ok, so I am late doing my eggs. I boiled them yesterday and we dyed them today. I did 13 eggs and Jack asked, "Mommy why did you do so many?" I told him usually they crack in the boiling and I only get half of what I boil. Well, this time I did it a little different. I put the eggs in cold water and put them on the burner on low. I let them gently warm on low then I gradually increased the heat this way they do not crack. I am usually rushing around and I hurry my eggs to boil and they crack and usually make ugly deviled eggs.

Today we dyed all 13 eggs. None of them cracked. Yeah!!! The kids each got six to dye and Mark got one. He is such a big kid. When we were getting the dye ready he reminded me of the times before we had kids and we still dyed eggs. Yes, we dyed eggs before we had kids. We are still just kids at heart.

Happy dyeing to you all. Happy Easter

The News. . .

Ok, I just saw on the news that the NC Department of revenue is holding tax refund checks because they want to make sure the budget balances before they send them out. I am all for a balanced budget because I don't think they have ever had one. My question is: Would they wait 3-6 months while I balanced my personal budget before I paid them what I owed? I don't think so. I think they would probably send the law after me. Yet I have to wait to get what is rightfully mine to begin with. Yes, I am on my political high horse this morning. This business about waiting to balance the budget is a lot of you know what.

If you or I ran a business the way the government is run today they would all go under. Maybe that is the problem with the car industry. Maybe they have been running it the way the folks in Washington and the folks in Raleigh are running things. Hummm???? Kinda makes you think.

I am not pointing blame on anyone. We did not get this way overnight and it is not going to change that quick either. We did not get this way in 8years either. This has been a long line of miss management. I don't think throwing good money after bad is the answer either. I am referring to the bail out. When the company that was bailed out spent a whopping amount of money to "treat" it's CEOs', the ones that got them into the mess to begin with, to a spa retreat. Now how stupid is that?

I ask you, If you got money from your grandma to bail you out of a bind would you go and treat yourself to a beach trip? I hope not or grandma would probably come and get you.

Sorry for the rant but I had to get this off my chest.

New recipe. . .

I am always trying new recipes but they generally do not come out the way they should. This one is the exception. I got this recipe from Southern Living Decmeber 2008. Yeah, I know it took me long enough huh. Mark fusses so when I leave magazines laying around so I tear out things I want to keep like recipes and file them away for later. I decided I wanted something different for supper this week and picked this one. This is not the exact recipe, I tweaked it just a bit for my taste and ingredients.

Hot Tomato Grits:

2 cans (141/2 oz) chicken broth low sodium
1 cup uncooked quick - cooking grits
2 tomatoes chopped
2tbsp green chiles (canned chopped)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3tbsp. butter

I used my Pampered Chef 12 inch skillet and melted butter the added chicken broth slowly and some salt (just a bit) let this bubble then add your grits and stir. I used medium high heat. Add your tomatoes and chiles return to boil stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes be sure to stir often. Add cheese and let it sit on low then stir and serve.

The kids did not like it but Mark loved it. I liked it too. It was different from our usual meal. This was our side dish to Marks' wonderful grilled chicken. Since only Mark and I ate this we had a lot left over. Mark ate it the next morning with his eggs for breakfast and said it was wonderful. I ate it for lunch the next day. It was good after sitting overnight in the fridge.

Little Compliments. . .

We had enrichment at school today. I volunteer at our elementary school and teach PE to the kindergarten classes on Wednesdays. I dressed a little differently today because it was also Honors Assembly. The assembly is where they recognize the A and A-B Honor Roll kids. I went to it first so I did not wear my typical t-shirt and yoga pants. I guess the kids were shocked to see me in street clothes because I had more compliments today than I have had in months about my appearance. The first class I went in to the little girls ran up to me and said, "you look so pretty." I told them thank you and went on my way. The next class, again the little girls were telling me how pretty I looked. I thanked them and we went on our way. My last class was Thomas's class and one of the little girls ran up to me and said, "you look beautiful!" I am not exaggerating several of the other mothers heard her. It took me back actually.

I must look really bad the rest of the time or I looked exceptionally good today. I don't know which one I prefer. It may have been that I had on their favorite color. I was wearing pink.

Maybe I should wear pink more often. Those kids made my day. Sometimes the little compliments mean the most.

It's fun to be a kid. . .

Yesterday as the wind blew like crazy we were cooking out. Thomas decided he wanted to play with his bubbles. So he took his bottle of bubbles out and was blowing them everywhere. I decided it looked like fun and I was between things cooking in the kitchen so I grabbed a bottle of bubbles and joined him on the deck. I don't think I have laughed that hard in quite some time. I did not even have to blow to get my bubbles going. I just held my little wand in the air and the wind blew my bubbles for me. I had so much fun just being one of the kids.

Sometimes I think we need to be a little silly every now and then. It is good for our kids to see us that way too. It is also a good way to blow off steam. I must have filled the neighborhood with bubbles. You can get your bubbles at the dollar store in a three pack and they are scented too. It's a cheap thrill.

My challenge to you is be a kid this week sometime with your kids. Let them see you be silly and have some fun on their level. I would recommend the bubbles.

Ball field Mom. . .

Yes, I am a ball field Mom. My kids are in to all the sports and I am glad of it. It keeps them away from the idiot box at home. And no I do not mean my husband. I love watching my boys play ball no matter what the sport. We are of course in baseball season now so that is the sport I am loving. Thomas (the 6 yr old) had his first game last night. He plays a modified t-ball. The coach pitches three times and if he does not hit the ball he gets two swings off the T.

Their team won, Yeah!!!! I was so happy for them. Apparently though I got too excited during the game and embarrassed my husband. Yes, I am one of those moms. I can't help it. I try my best to behave but I get so excited watching them play I lose myself in the game. I got a little loud and yelled and whooped and hollered some too. I will try to be on better behavior for the next game. All the kids did really well. Thomas was playing short stop and he had never played that spot before. He did ok for his first time out. He and the second baseman, his best friend, made an awesome play and got an out. There was some issue at the plate and they called it all back and so the out did not count. It will still go down in these books though because it was an awesome play for two 6 year olds to make and make well. Yeah team!!! If you are at the ball field and you hear someone yelling and screaming don't scowl at them just remember it is just a proud parent or grandparent getting excited at what their child or grandchild is doing. You never know it might be me.

Even if you don't have kids you should check out a local t-ball game. They are a lot of fun to watch. If you do have kids get them involved in sports. It teaches them team work and it gives them confidence for their later years. Kids can do anything until someone tells them they can't.
They do not know fear until "you" tell them to be afraid.

Love'em and enjoy them they grow up fast. My oldest is in player pitch this year. I remember his first time playing t-ball he floated around the bases like a butterfly flapping his arms. I will always remember that.

Garden Update. . .

Ok, I have some onions popping through. I think all the rain we have had is doing some great things for my little garden. I may have some spinach coming up too. It is a little harder to distinguish. No lettuce yet. Lowes Hardware has blueberry bushes on sale this week if anyone is interested. I love blueberries. We had two last year and I think one of the neighborhood kids killed one of them. So now I only have one. Mark is going to get me two more. They are really easy to grow. I never really had enough to put in the fridge. Every time we had any one the bush we would just pick them and eat them right there. I hope if I do get two more bushes that I will have enough to put some in the fridge. My fig tree was the same way. I always ate them as they got ripe on the tree. I never had enough to put in the fridge. I love fresh figs. If nothing else I will have onions and figs this year, Yummmm.

I have to brag a little about my kids today. We got report cards. Jack made the A honor roll again and Thomas got all M's. That means most of the time. For Kindergarten that is good. I am so proud of my boys. Jack also got an S in conduct which is good too. We have had issues there due to talking. Wonder where he gets that? I bet it is from his Daddy.