Owner: An Ordinary Mom URL:http://anordinarymom.wordpress.com/ Join Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 22:40:14 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Just an ordinary mom doing ordinary things, but hopefully making an extraordinary difference in the lives of her children. This is the story of my many colored days with a little bit of humor, tips, reviews, recipes and more included along the way.
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My "Little" Birthday Wishes 2007-01-12 09:01:57 “Each of us can do a little better than we have been doing. We can be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can live with respect and appreciation for those not of our faith. We can improve the world about us, in our homes and in our social activities. We can do it, if we will be prayerful and faithful.” [Gordon B. Hinckley]
Each year as my birthday rolls around, I like to stop and take a look at my life to see where I have been and where I am now heading.  I like to look at the goals I made the previous year to see how I am doing and then I also like to look forward and set new goals for the coming year of my life.Â
During the last few weeks one thought has constantly been on my mind, “Life is precious.” I don’t say this flippantly or lightly, I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart. A few things recently have sparked this particular thought process. Just last week there was a fatal Read more:Birthday
, Wishes
Kind People Still Exist 2007-01-11 21:42:03 I woke up this morning to hear my son Cory screaming, crying and gnashing his teeth … and I mean literally gnashing his teeth. All four of his two-year molars are trying to break through at the same time. That is 16 different sharp white peaks that are just dying to erupt. I was thinking it is going to be another one of those Batteries Weren't Included Days because besides just teething, he is fighting off a cold and another infection. Some days I wish I could just take the batteries out of me.Â
As if one cranky and crabby child isn’t enough, I also woke up to hear Keri whining and upset because Cory is getting snot on her and snot on her blanket and snot on her toys (she is a little OCD when it comes to staying clean). I thought to myself, at least she will be off to school soon, but no so fast. There was a snowstorm in the Pacific Northwest last night and we all know what happens to my area when snowstorms come around, the whole city shuts down. Today all
WFMW: Eating Healthy (A Few Tips and a Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe) 2007-01-10 06:58:40 Â
Today’s Work-For-Me-Wednesday has a theme, “eating well” and “eating healthy.”  Everyone is supposed to share a recipe that fits in this category so stop by Rocks In My Dryer to find a plethora of great recipes to add to your cookbook.
Before I get to my recipe, I thought I would list a few things that help my family and I lead a healthier lifestyle. I know we all have different body types and different metabolisms, so what might work for one person, might not work for another, but here is what helps us. (Feel free to skip ahead to the recipe at the bottom if you don't want to read these.)
 1.     Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. We like to use (more…)
Read more:Sweet
, Chicken
Menu Plan Monday - January 8, 2007 2007-01-08 06:37:54
IÂ decided it might be kind of fun to try out “Menu Plan Monday
” which is hosted by Laura, the Organizing Junkie. In her own words, this is why she created this blogging carnival:
“Some of the reasons I menu plan include:
1. I never have to come up with a last minute meal idea off the top of my head.
2. Our meals are for the most part healthier and well balanced which helps keep my weight in check.
3. I always have the ingredients in the house for whatever I’m making because I make up my menu plan before going grocery-shopping.
4. I always know what (more…)
Read more:January
Chocolate Catan Birthday Wishes 2007-01-07 17:51:06 I just wanted to wish my dear, sweet friend Minerva (wife of Nerd Boy) a very Happy Birthday
! She is an extremely talented and amazing person.  She’s kind, generous, thoughtful, smart, funny, she sings, she sews, she’s a wonderful mother to her children and and she is a remarkable example to me.  I hope you have a fabulous day and an incredible year! (By the way, I tried to find a picture of us to post, but apparently we just take pictures of the kids … and the few pictures I have of you are pre-digital camera and I don’t have a scanner. So enjoy the flowers!)
If you lived a little closer (or in other words if there wasn’t so much water in between us) and if it wasn’t the Sabbath, I would say (more…)
Read more:Wishes
, Chocolate
My SMART Habit Saturday Debut 2007-01-06 23:16:37 Kudos to Lara at The Lazy Organizer for creating SMART HabitSaturday
. In a nutshell it is a challenge to establish a habit that will help you in Saving Money, Associations, Resources and Time. She explains it further by saying:
“We can make huge changes in our lives by taking one small step at a time so I hope you will do this with me. We've all heard that it takes 21 days for something new to become a habit so it will take more than a week to develop your new SMART Habit. You can work on one habit at a time or you can start a new one every week while continuing to work on your previous habits. I can't wait to see you back here on Saturday so we can inspire each other!”Â
So the habit I want to establish is (more…)
A Double Jointed Ballroom Dancer with a Scary Fetish 2007-01-06 06:47:33 Miss Lionheart tagged me for this meme, “Five Things You Don’t Know About Me.”Â
I have had to rack my brain to come up with five unique things about myself because some of you have known me for quite awhile. So if I was to tell you that formerly I was a high school Biology teacher and volleyball coach, that I am the fourth of nine children, and that I love to read, be organized and eat yummy dessert, none of that would be new to you. So here are some more unusual things that you might not have known about me:
I took ballroom dance classes for 5 years when I was younger. I even won the Miss Elegance award one year Read more:Ballroom
, Dancer
, Scary
, Fetish
Menu Plan Monday - January 15, 2007 2007-01-15 05:39:49
Here’s my menu for the week:
Monday
:Â Kidney Bean Tacos
Tuesday:Â Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Wednesday:Â Leftovers
Thursday:Â BBQ Chicken and vegetable cous cous
Friday:Â Tortilla Soup and homemade (more…)
Read more:January
Remarkably Good Meatloaf 2007-01-15 05:10:59 I know sometimes people laugh or gag at the thought of meatloaf (or they think of the singer Meat Loaf whom some people like and other people detest), but meatloaf the dish can actually be a pretty decent meal. The key is to have an incredible topping.
Meatloaf
1 - 1.5 pounds of ground beef or ground turkey
1 clove garlic
1 small onion, minced
1 cup bread crumbs (I usually use 3 slices of (more…)
"I Have A Dream" 2007-01-15 19:04:56
I have vivid memories as a child learning about the heroic acts of Dr. Martin Luther King. My kindergarten teacher was an energetic and remarkably kind African American and she taught us many things about her hero, Dr. King. I still remember her singing to us in her gorgeous gospel voice the famous song, "Free at Last"
In honor of his birthday and Martin Luther King Day, which both happen to be today this year, I would like to post the following excerpt from his “I Have a Dream
” speech. He originally delivered it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 23, 1963.
*******************
“I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.
I have a dream that one d
WFMW: Healthier Muffins Even Toddlers Will Eat 2007-01-17 05:41:57
I am positive that most of us are familiar with the fact that kids are picky eaters. I am definitely no stranger to this because both of my kids are incredibly picky. What most kids will consume in about 2 seconds flat, my kids won’t even touch with a ten foot pole. No pizza, no hamburger, no hotdogs … I am not complaining about this, though. Keri tends to eat extremely plain food like simple grains, fruits, veggies and some wacky versions of protein. Straight pepperoni or tuna anyone? We did reach a major milestone last night, though. She actually willingly tried and liked the Chicken Broccoli Casserole I made. Shocking! Miracles never cease.
Cory used to be the best eater out there and I was so excited that he would eat anything and everything. That all came to an abrupt halt, though,  when he was about 18 months old. Now I am lucky to get him to eat anything that isn’t yogurt, cereal or crackers. At least he will still eat a handfu Read more:Muffins
, Toddlers
Are You Prepared In Case of a Fire? 2007-01-18 22:53:54 On Sunday night just as I was climbing into bed and getting all comfy and cozy warm and just as I was starting to drift off into the wonderful world of dreamland, I all the sudden get rudely awakened by a loud and obnoxious screeching noise. A little disoriented I tried to figure out where in the world this piercing noise was coming from. At first I thought my DH’s Sonic Care toothbrush had blown up or something since he had just been brushing his teeth, but I quickly realized this was not the case. As I scrambled to get out of bed I glanced at the clock and saw that it was just after midnight. What was going on I thought? I ran out to our hallway and was promptly greeted by Rudy brushing his teeth and frantically waving his hand in the air next to the fire alarm trying to disperse the imaginary smoke.
Not knowing if our smoke alarm was merely malfunctioning or whether or not there was indeed a real fire in our 27 unit apartment building, I dashed to our front door a
Tortilla Soup 2007-01-21 17:56:44 The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. However, I have somewhat tweaked our version. I use a cooking spray instead of oil and surprisingly I like the taste of the soup better. And instead of using a jalapeno chile, I just sprinkle in a few dashes of crushed red pepper flakes. I also cook the chicken in a separate pan with complimentary seasonings. It speeds up the process, especially when I let the chicken simmer on low heat throughout the day. I then use the broth created from the boiling chicken as part of the necessary 8 cups the recipe calls for. Finally, I put the chicken back into the broth instead of layering it separately.
Here is the original recipe, though.
Tortilla
Soup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use cooking spray)
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use (more…)
Menu Plan Monday - January 22, 2007 2007-01-22 04:44:34
Another week, another menu. If you see something on here from last week, it is because we didn’t get to it since we were busy consuming leftovers Read more:Monday
, January
Sun? In the Pacific Northwest? 2007-01-23 20:51:53 I actually had to dust off my sunglasses to use them today. The sun was so bright it had me squinting. January 23, 2007 will go down in the history books - at least the PacificNorthwest
history books! Perhaps Mr. Punxsutawney Phil won’t see his shadow on Groundhog Day next week … at least I can pray for an early spring! LOL!
And speaking of the sun, this reminds me of something my sister said to me last June when she was visiting from Los Angeles. As we got in the car to run some errands, I happily remarked, “Oh, I am so glad it is sunny today!” She then proceeded to laugh hysterically at me as she claimed, “Sunny? No this is (more…)
WFMW: My Unbeatable Stain Remover 2007-01-24 06:03:53
Â
I detest stains. I detest clothes that have nasty, grungy marks all over them, unless of course you are wearing them to paint or something. It kind of grosses me out, at least when my kids wear clothes like that it does. Call me uptight if you want, but that is just the way I am and I am OK with that! Yes, I let my kids get dirty. Yes, they have played in rain puddles and mud. Yes, they feed themselves spaghetti. But that doesn’t mean they have to always go around wearing their food.Â
Here is what works for me - a mixture of liquid (more…)
Read more:Stain
Ethnicity and Primatology 101 2007-01-25 01:04:55 In case you were wondering, according to 5-year-old Keri the color of our skin is, “Peach.”
And according to me, I think my two year old son is (more…)
Read more:Ethnicity
My Passion for Lifelong Learning 2007-01-25 22:32:38 It seems like the older you get the faster time moves and the more you wished you would have paid attention in the classes you took while in high school and college. Ever since Rudy and I got married we have talked about where we eventually want to settle down and buy a home. Of course on our list of things we want are a safe and quiet neighborhood, an excellent school district, a town/city that isn't too big but yet isn't too tiny, a place where the cost of living is reasonable and a place where there is a reputable university or community college. We both have a fascination with lifelong learning and there are a myriad of classes out there that I would love to eventually take. My major in college was over 100 hours (Zoology: Biology Composite Teaching) so I never had the opportunity to just take classes for fun.Â
Here are just a few of the courses, in no particular order, that spark my interest.
Computer Science and Programming. I have always found computers inter Read more:Passion
, Learning
First Annual Hidden Treasure Blog Awards 2007-01-25 22:17:14 Everyday Mommy is hosting the FirstAnnualHiddenTreasure
Blog Awards
. The idea is simple. She wants to recognize blog authors of excellence, with deserving posts that are off the beaten path.Â
So put on your scavenger cap and start hunting. Scour the mommy blogosphere for hidden treasure by reading through archives, visiting new blogs and find that well-written gem.
For more detailed information and to find out how to submit your nominations, please click here.Â
~Happy Hunting~
Read more:Blog Awards
SMART Habit Saturday: Vol. 1, Ed. 4 2007-01-27 05:28:36 I must admit that when I first heard about SMART HabitSaturday
, the idea seemed admirable, but I wasn’t quite sure it was something I personally wanted to be a part of. After all, I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water with everything else that was already going on in my life, how could I possibly commit myself to one more thing? Well, I figured I could at least give it a try and get my feet wet. Needless to say I have now jumped in with both feet and I keep coming back for more. Â
The SMART Habit forum has a magic aura about it.  It motivates you to do better, partly because you are being accountable for things, but more in part because it gives you an incredible sense of satisfaction knowing that you are taking little steps in your life to create and develop positive habits.   As Kimberly of Ramblings put it, “It doesn’t make sense mathematically, but small steps equate to big joy!” Â
I also delight in the fact that (more&
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