Chinese Pepper Steak/Wednesday Music Break, Up the Junction

I have been in my kitchen for the past two weeks (since the anti-gluten dairy-free diagnosis.) 

I think I have finally found a recipe that everyone in the family loved.    

Chinese Pepper Steak

• 2 tsp oil (I used grapeseed)
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 2 onions diced
• 3 green bell peppers diced
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 2 T chopped fresh ginger or 3 tsp ground ginger (I used ground)
• 2 lbs sirloin steak cut in strips
• 2-3 T gluten free soy sauce (I swear it tastes the same)
• 1 T cornstarch mixed in 1 T cold water

1. Heat oil in our wok or pan (M heat)
2. When oil is hot add in your onion, green pepper, ginger and garlic.
3. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
4. Take vegetables out of wok and set aside.
5. Add meat to wok.  Stir fry til the meat is cooked well enough for your liking.
6. Add vegetables back.  Add soy sauce.  Cook together another 2-3 minutes.
7. Shut off heat and add cornstarch mix.  Mix well.  Bring mixture back to a boil and simmer for another 1-2 minutes, until the liquid starts to thicken up.

Serve over rice.

Enjoy!  

Thinking of you today, Ms. Julie Lyn.

This one is for you.

  Loves you.

Squeeze – Up The Junction by VEVO

Smurf Master

2 Reasons why I know the kid is mine.

1.  She tells me she needs to to go to the store and comes out with blue hair dye.

2.  When I tell her to put on a crappy shirt she doesn't mind ruining, she comes out in a Grateful Dead shirt.  

I have to be honest, I'm pretty freaking jealous of her blue hair.  She says I'm not to old to still have blue hair.  I wish I believed it.

We had a very busy jam-packed weekend full of pony races, birthday parties, adventures in gluten free baking and potty training.  Lots and lots of potty training.  

For those who asked about my potty boot camp, I will have a post about it by the end of the week.

Happy Monday!

Wednesday Music Break, Virtual Insanity

Man o' man.

This weather is putting me in a FUNK.  

Good news of the day?  

All my babies are under my roof again.

That's reason enough for me to celebrate.  

Also, it's Wednesday.  And you know what that means.

Now lets dance it out.

Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity from Nugroho Christiaji on Vimeo.

Yes, Lori, this is just for you!

Happy Hump Day!

Weekend Research

With our oldest daughter leaving town this weekend...... (so she can attend the inaugeration of our President!  A little jealous over here!)   the Mister, the babies and I settled in for a nice relaxing weekend......

Clara found a new place to hide while we play "dinosaurs" in the park

The Mister hung up a shelf... 

(so I can finally have a home for my records!)

The baby made me some delicious food from her kitchen.....

And I did research.

Lots and lots of research.

We recently were told that we have a gluten allergy in our house.  This means, as soon as I have perfected the cooking without any dairy a new wrench has been thrown in to the equation.

But there are bigger problems here besides the food...(see picture above)......

So on Friday we had an impromptu gluten free beer tasting party.  

All of these beers were either gross or just meh'. 

 (As much as I hate using the expression "meh'")

After we get this new diet thing down we have a new task at hand as well.

Home brewing our own gluten free beer.  

Because there is nothing more devastating to a beer snob then to find out you can never have your most favorite beers........ever again. 

If anybody has any fun suggestions about gluten free cooking and beer please feel free to pass that info along this way.  Please and Thank you.

Happy Monday everybody but more importantly....

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. & Inauguration Day!

Wednesday Music Break, Teenage Dirtbag

After I posted the wonderful feel good Bare Naked Ladies song last week I got quite a reaction.

From my almost teenage daughter, that is.  

I believe the words she used were "That is the dumbest and worst song I have ever heard."  

The more I thought about that response the more it made me giggle......

She was talking about the music I loved....when I was her age!

So I decided from now on to post a music video each Wednesday of music from "way back then" that I really like(d).  Because, if you are reading this, that probably means you are also "old" like me and you like(d) it too.

Also, it's just another way that I can have documented proof of how embarrassing I am to my sweetheart.

And it's Wednesday.  

Everybody deserves a little break and some fun happy music on Wednesdays.

(I'll also take requests.)

I picked this first Mama's Music break out just for you Rhiannon.  

As things are about to get strange and weird and different and new, try and remember that you don't always have to be the cool kid.  

Some of the most genuine, successful and pure of heart people I know, I met while we were just a bunch of teenage dirtbags.

Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag by Max-Power

 Happy Hump Day!

Bovine

*This is a two part blog.  Both parts are about Cows in some way or the other.

This weekend Rhiannon was going out for a couple of her friends birthdays.  This meant a mall trip for the two of us.  I told the Mister to take Clara and have a daddy/daughter afternoon.  He let Clara decide what they should do and she choose the library.  

Sounds like a fantastic daddy/daughter day, right?

When I came home from dropping Rhiannon off Clara brought over her new books and asked if I would read them to her and daddy.

Sure thing!  

After all she did pick out this book and I think cows are really cute.......

(The Authors name is Malachy.  That should have been my first hint.)

So I open up the book and the first thing I notice is the artwork is just gorgeous.  

(The picture doesn't do it justice.)

   

Then as I start reading, I notice that the wording is a bit unsavory, if you will.

But as for now I just assume it is just my brain acting like a 12 year old boy and keep reading.

It continues on and I still find the word choices...interesting.  

At this point the Mister and I are trying really hard not to laugh.  

At this point in the book I am officially UNCOMFORTABLE.

(But still, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that perhaps I am still just thinking like a 12 year old boy.)

Then this page happens....

I am now 100% convinced that Malachy is having a serious affair with a dairy cow somewhere in South Whales.  

Yikes.
This book will never again be read in this house!

On to normal people things...

Watching the Bulls run down the street during the beginning montage.

Yesterday I got a phone call from the Mister at the end of his workday seeing if we would want to go to the Bulls game that night.

Um, YES!  YES we DO!  

If there is one thing about bulls games I love, it is the fact that we all genuinely enjoy going to them.  It is rare that you find an activity that you, your husband, your 12 yr old and 2 yr old all love. 

Plus, when the Mister gets tickets from the boss-man they are court-side   

You never say no to court-side tickets.  

After her kiss!

Here are a few reasons why.

• You get to sit really really close to Scottie Pippen.  And that, my friends, is freaking awesome.
• Benny the Bull will most likely mess with you/your kids.  Last night Benny gave Clara a kiss.  She instantly became love-struck.  It was fantastic.
• You don't have to leave your seat at all!  You get food and beer delivered right to you!
• You get a close view of the Loveabulls.  (Yes, I have two girls.  One used to be a cheerleader and one really really likes to do the hand motions with the cheerleaders.)
• I get to see my most favorite boyfriend (Joakim Noah) up close and personal.  (I love him.  The Mister totally understands though, so it's cool.)

Hello Boyfriend!!!

Happy Tuesday!

If I Had A Bajillion Dollars

If I had a Bajillion dollars, do you know what I would do?  I would have my personal shopper go out and buy my family and myself a new outfit to wear every single day.

But don't worry.  

I would have her/him go to a thrift store to buy said outfits.

And once I were done I would have them cleaned.  

(By someone other then me).

I would then have them taken to a homeless/womens shelter.

Because even as a bajillionaire I would still continue being green.

Also, if I had a bajillion dollars...........

 I would buy you a monkey 

(Haven't you always wanted a monkey?)

And since it's now in your head........

Since I am not presently a bajillionaire, I will now get back to this.......

(Sigh)

And I will also hum that song all day long.  Right along with you!

You're Welcome!

Harriet and Bump

Some of you may remember our beloved Hobbs who passed away two summers ago.  The mister had gotten him while in college, and somehow managed to keep him alive for ten whole years.  

After we moved in together, Rhiannon and I spent countless hours feeding him carrots and playing the "how high can Hobbs jump" game.

(That lizard had some crazy jumping skills.)  

I never in a million years thought I could love a lizard.  However, Hobbs stole my heart almost immediately. 

Here's Hobbs meeting his little sister Clara for the first time.

Now most normal folks would think the Mister picked Hobbs name from the infamous cartoon, Calvin and Hobbes.  If you are one of those people you are WRONG.  He was named after the great Roy Hobs from the book/movie The Natural.

As to keep with The Natural naming tradition and to show tribute to our Hobbs.......

We give to you the newest members of our family!

Harriet and Bump!
(In the movie, Harriet shoots Hobbs before jumping to her death out of a hotel window and Bump dies after running through a wall trying to catch a fly ball.)

These little buggars are the cutest things I have ever seen!  I almost don't mind having live worms in my fridge for them.  

Almost.

This one is Harriet.  

She is holding true to her namesake by showing a little more dominance over Bump.

When we first brought them home we told Clara that they were called bearded dragons. 

 If she hears anyone call them lizards she is very quick to correct you. "No" she says, "Those are my new Dragon Friends".

We are smitten as kittens over here with our new baby friends!

Welcome to our brood, Harriet and Bump!!!!

Unicorn Power!

Once upon a time, when Rhiannon was three years old, she had contracted a pretty severe case of the flu.  It was on a Friday and I had to take her to her fathers house.  I felt so bad for having to leave her in that condition.  

After I dropped her off, I went to the grocery to buy any and everything I could find to make her comfortable in my absence.  In their dollar video bin there was a movie called "The Last Unicorn."  

Do you remember it?  It is pretty fantastic.  

Just in case you don't remember....

Well as you can imagine, this movie instantly became Rhiannon's favorite thing to watch.  

I mean, come on!  

Magical Sorcerers?  

A giant red, flaming Bull?  

An evil King? 

 A dashing Hero-Man?  

And lets not forget the UNICORNS!  

Lots and lots of wonderful magic filled UNICORNS!  

She loved it so much that she only stopped watching it in 3rd grade.  

I am pretty sure she only stopped because the DVD didn't work anymore.  

Flash forward four years:  Clara is on a serious Ponies/Unicorn kick.

So much that Santa even brought her these wall decals.....

(FYI, These pain in the ass tiny decals took over two hours to execute.)

For Christmas her big sister gave Clara her very own copy of none other then......... 

The Last Mother Trucking Unicorn.

And it has been on repeat pretty much since she got it.

I've watched this movie so much in my lifetime, the entire time I was putting up these wall decals I was singing The Last Unicorn Song.  

(I'm aliiive..... I'm aaaaaah-liiiiiiie-i-ii-iveeeee.)

Oh, you don't know it, you say?  

Do not fear! 

It is by the band 'America" and is so fantastically bad I can't NOT share it with you.  

I think my favorite part is when the squirrel cries about the dying world....

Or when the lions turn into stone after one last roar... 

Or perhaps when the unicorns appear in the clouds.

  How about you? 

Whats YOUR favorite part?

.

Zoo Lights

There really is nothing more magical then Zoo Lights.....

Carousel Rides......

And Unicorns.  

Don't ever forget the Unicorns.

(More on that subject first thing Monday morning.)

Distinguished Old Man Dog

This very distinguished dog (with eyebrows!) would like to wish you a very happy Friday.

He doesn't look to pleased about his new 'do, huh?

If you are in the Chicago region and missed out on going to Zoo Lights (due to the ridiculous new hours,) this is the last weekend it is running!  

Have a fantastic first Friday of the year, Folks!

Holiday Favorite Snipets

Tonight we were FINALLY able to have Christmas at our house, so the holidays are now ended for us.

Here are some of our favorite parts........

This is what Clara asked from Santa......

Although when we got there Santa made her do this.....

And she forgot to tell him what she wanted........

So instead of asking, she went to bed clutching the picture of "her crying on Santa"........

And woke up to this........

Then, tonight my twelve year old, who refused to tell me or anybody else what she wanted, got this.

And then she cried Bieber Fever tears.  

It was fantastic. 

I'm ending this wonderful holiday with a bottle of champagne I didn't get to drink on New Years and  watching Up with my baby.  

AKA the best movie ever.

Happy New Year, folks.  

(This year I'm going to try not to be so chubby.)