
"Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees takes off his shoes, The rest sit 'round it and pluck blackberries."
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Just...

Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
E-isms
Mom (with a pause): Right.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The Chili That Ruined Our Food Storage...
For about three weeks I cooked 1-2 times a week. And that's if Justin was lucky. Luckily, he's nice enough to just scrounge without telling me to go out and get a real job. Of course, maybe that's only because he doesn't have a real job either. What derelicts we are! Anyway, one Sunday I decided that since I hadn't cooked since last Sunday I would/might/maybe/possibly, cook. Of course, I hadn't been shopping lately either. So, that made the whole cooking thing a little difficult. Add to that the afore-mentioned scrounging, and I'd have to say the outlook was pretty shaky.
In the end, I decided I would cook some bake potatoes and put cheese on them. (Yes... that does count as cooking. After all, I did have to WASH them, and POKE HOLES in them - although I'm pretty sure they wouldn't really blow up if I forgot this step, and WRAP THEM in tinfoil. I even had to turn on the oven, and get out the pre-shredded cheese. This is intensive stuff, my friends. But I did it. Oh yes, I did it.)
Afterward, I went downstairs and got a can of our food storage chili so Justin could have more than baked potatoes with cheese. (I thought about chopping up green onions, but that was much too difficult.) Sadly, when I got the can upstairs both Justin and I couldn't help but look at it in disdain.
Because, my friends, that was not chili. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. And there was no way we could possibly eat it. (Unless we were starving... which is convenient since that is what food storage is for, after all.)
This is not to say this was a bad kind of chili. I purposefully didn't buy a disgusting brand. But Justin and I have been exposed to real chili now. And I'm afraid there is no going back. Needless to say, the canned chili went back downstairs. Cheese potatoes ruled the day, and rotation went out the window. Oh well. At least, we can always chuck the cans at all those people coming to steal our food storage. Waste not, want not!!!
Below is the recipe which foiled our rotation efforts (taken from "Bride & Groom: First and Forever Cookbook"- cheesy name, yes):
1 T bacon grease or veg. oil
2 med yellow onions, chopped - It looks like a lot of onion when you cut it up, but you do want it all.
3 T chopped garlic
3 T chili powder
2 T paprika
1 T cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb beef chuck
1 lb italian sausage links (removed from casings and crumbled) - This is much too difficult for me, I just buy the italian sausage that looks like hamburger meat.
2 tsp kosher salt - I use regular salt.
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes with puree
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans (washed and drained) - I think it would be good with 2 cans, but I always forget until I'm eating it.
1 T minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce - I always use more. Once I used the whole can because I didn't want to waste it. Not such a good idea. But I definitely always use more than it says.
Heat the oil on medium heat.
Add onions and garlic.
Cook 8-10 minutes.
Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano. Stir.
Add meat and 1 tsp salt. Cook 8-10 minutes on medium-high heat.
Add remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
And yes, it's probably bad for you... just like everything else I make.... ENJOY!
Friday, June 26, 2009
I Did It...
a.k.a.
G.Q.Wood
a.k.a.
Prince Charming
...Bet you can't guess who calls him that last one...
Spying and Lessons
Amazing the things you see when you look out a darkened window at 10:30.
Especially when you live next door to an apartment of single UVU students.
Soon enough one of the boys emerged from the apartment with his girlfriend.
Of course, spying is not quite the same with M in tow. She keeps us honest. As soon as she saw our neighbor she began yelling out the window:
"Hi.... Hi.... Hi....."
Our neighbor and his girlfriend looked around, confused. But they could see nothing. So they moved onto the car where a little "leaning" began to take place.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Light-Bulb Ideas
Since M has been de-binkyed, we can just pass those pink germ-fests along to her brother. Talk about a hand-me down.
And maybe size 3 diapers will work fine for him too. I can just roll them up at the waist like sweat pants.
We are covered!!!
(Okay, so I'm obviously avoiding real work again. At least I cleaned the kitchen. Now I have an excuse not to cook. I wouldn't want to mess it up again so soon, now would I? It's all about doing the right kind of work... the work that keeps you from doing other work. I am extremely talented.)
Un-Nesting
And this:
I am not thinking of getting over it soon. Speaking of which, I am also behind on the preparation department. Grand total of items purchased for upcoming July child: ZERO.
No diapers.
No binkys.
No clothes.
This is not to say the child will be naked. (E would be very concerned if that were the case).
You see, usually when I find out whether I'm having a boy or a girl I go to the store and purchase "the first outfit." But with this baby I received a very cute outfit in the mail from my sister before I had a chance to do that. Then I received three boxes of clothes (two from Em, one from Kelli). We also received other gifts from interested parties obsessed with the idea of a Wood boy. Needless to say, this boy will be dressed in style.
Which comes to another point: I think in my house my children will be glad if they are the ones getting hand-me downs. M gets both E's old clothes, and her cousin Annie's. And Annie has cute clothes! I'm always telling Libbi that when I come to visit I'm excited when Annie has a cute new outfit. And as for this boy... let's just say Em has good taste too. It's poor E that's stuck with the $5 shirts from WalMart.
But back to the point (if there was a point)... I suppose I should gear up and get out of the anti-nesting phase. You know, clean the house, cook a meal, buy some diapers.
But apparently I decided to write this post instead.
Oh well.
