fAST fOOD fRIDAY

I found this in a SEDOL cookbook from my Aunt Nancy many years ago. It's super simple and Todd & the boys love it.

The Soundtrack: The Flaming Lips,
At War With The Mystics
check out the album under the music tab here
(Rex & Nate love The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song!)

The Meal: Hamburger Stroganoff
this costs under $10 for 4 people

what you need:
1 small chopped onion
1 clove chopped garlic
1/4 cup butter
1 lb ground beef
2 TBSP flour
pepper to taste
handful of sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
egg noodles, about 1 cup per person

what you do:
saute onion and garlic in butter.
add beef and brown.
add pepper and mushrooms, simmer for 5 minutes.
add soup, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
stir in sour cream and heat through.
serve over cooked noodles.

Enjoy!

His & Hers

I had my baby in November. A beautiful baby girl. She has big bright blue-gray eyes, a head full of golden hair, the cutest smile you've ever seen. I love my boys, but being a woman she is the one that completes me. She offers things in her future that they could not. Nail polish, shopping trips, slumber parties, tights. Oh, how I can't wait to put her in a pair of Mary Janes.

I love all of my children equally, for their very different personalities and quirks. With only a glimpse of Lucy's, I already love that one day she may want to go to the prom, have a big fancy wedding, have babies of her own. That is why I wanted her. To experience life as a mom to a little girl. To be able to say that I enjoyed spiders in pockets, lightsaber duels, and tea parties. I wanted the best of both worlds and, so far, I've got it.

Todd got his baby last night. A ginormous plasma TV. To say that he has waited a long time to see its darling frame prominently displayed in our living space would be an understatement. To deny his persistence in attaining this treasure would be unfair to the hours he spent researching them, wooing me with all of the pleasures they promise, stalking them in the stores.

As much as I so painstakingly wanted a chance to have a little girl, Todd wanted this TV. I fought and argued it as valiantly as he did when the visions of a little pink bundle entered my head many months ago. So expensive. Totally unnecessary. Can't we just be happy with what we've already got?

When it arrived yesterday (after another very interesting debacle with transportation...thank you very much for use of your van again, Mike & Lisa) I, much like Todd in the moments preceding Lucy's arrival, felt much more at ease about our decision. When it was placed so perfectly in the space we created for it, it seemed like it was meant to be there. When we watched a bit of the Tom Petty Blu-ray we were given with the purchase I was in awe.

Now, I refuse to compare it to Lucy, since she is far more precious than this thing will ever be in our eyes. I do however, understand kind of how Todd felt when this thing you really didn't want shows up and takes your breath away.

A Hopeful Beginning

Today I flooded the inboxes of many of you with my first round of 'solicitation' for the Avon walk.

I worked all morning and part of the weekend trying to make things just right to send off into the world. I also made a special trip to get some supplies for some of my other fundraising plans. (Keep watching those inboxes!) I'm hoping to find a way to put the F-U-N back in fundraising by making it a family affair. (Not to mention I really think it's important to have the kiddos participate in this stuff too.)

I gratefully accepted my first donation over the weekend from an 'anonymous' donor eager to be numero uno on the list. Unfortunately for the donor, Avon sent me an email disclosing their identity right away, spoiling some of the fun. (I think they want me to know who to thank, it was nothing personal against my anonymous friend.)

I'm hoping this is a bright start to this incredible journey I've decided to make. I am very eager to see how things go and excited about some of the things I have planned for later!

The Last Waltz

Yesterday my cousin threw out a random list of thoughts on her blog. This is what #7 said:

7. I wish I could remember more about my Grandma Ina. I wonder a lot if I'm like her at all...

Her simple words struck a chord, resonating curiosity in me and memories in my aunt.

I don't really want to call it this, but what followed from that post resembles a college lecture. The best, most intriguing, makes-you-want-to-keep-learning-forever lecture, where one person passes on golden knowledge that you feel may be intended only for your ears (and the lucky few there in class with you). The kind of information that you know the instant you hear it, you will not only never forget it, but you will tell people about it for many years after.

My cousin simply posed the question. One I'm sure all of us Kordas girls have wondered for so long. With me being the oldest at 10 when she died, I can only imagine the questions my young cousins have about my grandmother. I remember the little, obvious things a 10 year old would. What she looked like, petite like me and blonde. I remember her always either cooking or gardening, her food always the most delicious, her flowers the most beautiful. I knew she liked sweets and kept her home tidy, I don't ever recall seeing her in jeans.

It was the stuff I didn't know that is fascinating. The things I needed my aunt to say to make me sure I am just as much a part of Ina as I am that big hearted, generous, jokester Victor.

It's reassuring to hear that she is where my junk food gene comes from. That she loved chocolate and McDonald's. In fact ate it, then went home, squeezed in a bite or two of dinner and always kept her teeny figure. That she is where my hopeless romantic streak originated, the kind that has you snuggling on the couch with your guy and crying at (Todd says ridiculous) scenes in movies. That, like me, she was shy until she got to know you, loved floral prints and music (though I can't quite understand her obsession with Englebert Humperdink?), baking and Sixteen Candles.

I like to think that, though my life has had many twists and turns, she would be proud of who I am right now. That she would recognize her characteristics in me. The self will that kept me going when others tried to hold me back, the strength to endure what was necessary when I needed to get through hard times, and the strong family bonds that motivate me through my darkest hours. I like to think she would find joy in seeing herself in the gray eyes of my little children, and giggle at the strong resemblance of Victor in Nate. That it would please her to see them working hard in the garden, baking cookies from scratch in the kitchen, loving the wonders of the ocean.

I'm walking away from this lecture feeling sure of the direction I'm headed in. I feel a bit more confident about why I am how I am and a bit happier knowing the history behind some of it.

Like every good student does, I also printed off my notes. Just in case the kiddos want to copy them later.

fAST fOOD fRIDAY

Oh, I so love this recipe. I just got this from a friend after eating it and raving about it for at least a week after her shindig. I don't think I'll go back to the 'old' way we used to make Italian Beef, at least not any time soon. Since it's a slow cooker, you 9-to-5ers can plop it in on low before you leave in the morning and it'll be darn near perfect when you get home. We serve it up with some chips or a slaw and some fruit for the kiddos. It's a nice simple meal for a Friday night or your March Madness get together!

The Soundtrack: (Ok, this is a slow cooker and I won't be doing much so I'll share the album Rex and I listened to while making cookies yesterday...)
The Muppet Show, 25th Anniversary Collection.
listen to our fave Mahna Mahna here

The Meal: Slow Cooker Italian Beef
I bought a top round roast at Sam's and all the condiments at Jewel for about $25 to feed 7-10 people. Feel free to adjust this to feed your family.

what you need:
6 lb. of chuck roast
2 packets of au jus
2 packets of zesty Italian dressing
2 jars of peperoncini peppers
garlic powder
crusty rolls (we use Gonnella French Rolls)

what you do:
mix 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and the two packets of Italian seasoning together and rub it on the meat. let the meat sit in the slow cooker over night.
cook the meat for 8 to 10 hours. when you start the meat add 1 cup of water and one cup of pepper juice. also add the peppers.
1 hour before the meat is done add the packets of au jus. (you can add sliced green peppers too.)
when the meat is done take it out of the slow cooker and remove any fat. when all the fat is removed, shred it and put it back in the slow cooker.
serve on rolls with your fave cheeses and peppers.

Enjoy!

Love This...

I was searching for a tasty recipe to compliment something I was making the other day and stumbled on this blog. I haven't thoroughly scoured it yet, but I will very soon. So far I love what I've seen and that's enough for me to keep going back for more! (Not to mention I love that the blogger is a veggie, new mom, and knitter!!)

Tales from a Veggie Kitchen

Tween-age Freakshow

As many parents before us understand so well, there comes a time in your child's life where they begin a drastic transformation from darling child to gawky adolescent. I vaguely remember my own transition, hellish torture of my parents being my hallmark. It seems so recent that I subjected my parents to such unnecessary cruelties as riding my bike to neighboring towns to meet boys they couldn't stand.

With my parents' threat that 'one day my own children will (you can fill in the blank here with any number of darn near unforgivable things)' still ringing in my ears, it saddens me to acknowledge we've come to the point in dear sweet Nate's life where he has abandon the label of 'child' and embraced some dreaded 'tween' characteristics. He's sloppy and forgetful, kinda sneaky, a bit irresponsible, totally awkward, and way overconfident. He's absolutely sure he is correct 100% of the time, he knows everything about everything, and he's capable of doing anything. He talks back a lot, gets embarrassed way too easily, has loads of questions about questionable things.

I don't in any way foresee him being our most difficult child, but I am sure he will do a great job preparing us for the little ones. Since Rex is already sneaky and overconfident I imagine I really need this trial run with cool, calm, and collected Nate first.