jen24's Blog

I am such a procrastinator....always have been. But in my defense, I feel I work much better under pressure. I remember getting assignments from teachers (especially the PAPERS!) and I always waited till the night before.

Tomorrow morning at 7AM I plan to leave for a week trip to Michigan to visit my sister. Have I packed? NO! Have I done ANYTHING? Uuummm....that would be a negative. And I'm going out with friends tonight on top of it.

Why do I do this?

I could be packing ...but no, instead here I write on this blog. CRAZY!

Eh.

It definately drives some people I know crazy....but as long as it gets done, doesn't matter when...right? RIGHT!

Weird that some of the best papers I wrote while at Marquette I wrote the night before.

PROCRASTINATION.

Sigh.

(just a worthless blog...I know....but Ive neglected...)

I have always described myself as having "white girl tastebuds"...i usually dont like much spice....BUT, i do have a curry chicken recipe that I looooove to make. Even people who have told me they hate curry, liked it. And it is sooooo easy to make I could do it in my sleep.

Ingredients:
1 small onion (thinly sliced)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I cube it)
1 tablespoon butter / margarine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt 2 teaspoons flour


First, heat the butter, garlic, curry and ginger in medium skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken; cook and stir 2 minutes.

Add onion. Cook and stir 3 minutes.

Stir in chicken bouillon and 1/4 cup water.

Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 2 minutes.

Combine yogurt and flour in small bowl. Stir several tablespoons liquid from skillet into the yogurt mixture. Stir yogurt mix back into skillet. Cook and stir just until mix starts to boil.

This is the gist of the recipe. After the first time i made it, i deviated so i can season to my taste. I used waaaay more curry without increasing the ginger (too much ginger makes the curry taste a little funky). I also used more yogurt with way more flour because i like a thicker consistency. I don't even use the measuring tools anymore when making it.

You can serve it over rice....I like it in homemade tortillas....well, I don't know the Indian name for it....but its complicated to make and will have to be another blog for sure (after I get it right).

I made this as a snack and took it to karaoke (cause we take turns making food for all) and everyone loved it....its a basic curry chicken.. and its good.

Hmmmm...seems i cannot log into my hotmail!  This is bumming me out because that is really the only way I keep in touch with the peeps who don't have a MySpace.  I've tried resetting my password, and it wont work.  APPARENTLY, I don't remember the name of my best childhood friend....grumble grumble.  I put in every name I knew.  THEN, i was informed i put in to many wrong choices....so the other option....have info sent to my inbox on resetting my password.....get it....I cant get in, what good does that actually do me?  Kinda funny I guess.  I wonder who thought that was actually a good idea.  Ack.  Its my fault for not remembering I suppose.  Sigh...email-less unless i set up a new one.

It has been waaaaay to long!  My computer died...no internet excpet my phone....so i couldnt view the blogs....grumble grumble....either way....I miss the blogging! I'm gonna have to catch up....woot woot.

I have been reading the best books this summer!  Last week i finished reading Twilight by Stepahnie Meyer....finished that book in 3 days i just could NOT put it down...its a vampire love story...but if your looking for sexy love scenes its not that kind of book...just very romantic and adventurous.  So now I'm reading the second book in the series...New Moon.  Read the first 200 pages yesterday....absolutely and positively COMPELLING....I have heard that the last book is a shocker so I am way to excited to get to the 4th book (kinda nerdy i know).  Now I have all these blogs to catch up on....

Other than that...life has been life.  Hope you are all fabulously well!

xoxox

A friend of mine sent this to me and I thought it was cute...

 If you have raised kids (or been one), and gone through the pet syndrome,
 including toilet flush burials for dead goldfish, the story below will
 have you laughing out LOUD!

 

 Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell me there was
 'something wrong' with one of the two lizards he holds prisoner in his room.

 'He's just lying there looking sick,' he told me. 'I'm serious, Dad. Can
 you help?'

 I put my best lizard-healer expression on my face and followed him into
 his bedroom. One of the little lizards was indeed lying on his back, looking
 stressed. I immediately knew what to do.

 'Honey,' I called, 'come look at the lizard!'

 'Oh, my gosh!' my wife exclaimed. 'She's having babies.'

 'What?' my son demanded. 'But their names are Bert and Ernie, Mom!'

 I was equally outraged.

 'Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn't want them to
 reproduce,'  I said accusingly to my wife.

 'Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign in their cage?' she
 inquired
 (I think she actually said this sarcastically! )

 'No, but you were supposed to get two boys!' I reminded her, (in my most
 loving, calm, sweet voice, while gritting my teeth).

 'Yeah, Bert and Ernie!' my son agreed.

 'Well, it's just a little hard to tell on some guys, you know,' she
 informed me (Again with the sarcasm!).

 By now the rest of the family had gathered to see what was going on. I
 shrugged, deciding to make the best of it.

 
'Kids, this is going to be a wondrous experience,' I announced. 'We're
 about to witness the miracle of birth.'

 'Oh, gross!' they shrieked.

 'Well, isn't THAT just great? What are we going to do with a litter of
 tiny  little lizard babies?' my wife wanted to know.

 
We peered at the patient. After much struggling, what looked like a tiny
 foot would appear briefly, vanishing a scant second later.

 'We don't appear to be making much progress,' I noted.

 'It's breech,' my wife whispered, horrified.

 'Do something, Dad!' my son urged.

 'Okay, okay.' Squeamishly, I reached in and grabbed the foot when it next
 appeared, giving it a gentle tug. It disappeared. I tried several more
 times with the same results.

 'Should I call 911?' my eldest daughter wanted to know.

 'Maybe they could talk us through the trauma.' (You see a pattern here
 with the females in my house?)

 'Let's get Ernie to the vet,' I said grimly. We drove to the vet with my
 son holding the cage in his lap.

 'Breathe, Ernie, breathe,' he urged.

 'I don't think lizards do Lamaze,' his mother noted to him. (Women can
 be so cruel to their own young. I mean what she does to me is one thing, but
 this boy is of her womb, for God's sake.).

 
The vet took Ernie back to the examining room and peered at the little
 animal through a magnifying glass.

 
'What do you think, Doc, a C-section?' I suggested scientifically.

 'Oh, very interesting, ' he murmured. 'Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, may I speak
 to  you privately for a moment?'

 I gulped, nodding for my son to step outside.

 'Is Ernie going to be okay?' my wife asked.

 'Oh, perfectly,' the vet assured us. 'This lizard is not in labor. In
 fact, that isn't EVER going to happen. Ernie is a boy. You see, Ernie is a
 young male. And occasionally, as they come into maturity, like most male
 species, they um…um…masturbate. Just the way he did, lying on his back.' He blushed, glancing at my wife.

 
We were silent, absorbing this.

 'So, Ernie's just…just…excited,' my wife offered.

 'Exactly,' the vet replied, relieved that we understood.

 More silence. Then my vicious, cruel wife started to giggle. And giggle.
 And then even laugh loudly.

 
'What's so funny?' I demanded, knowing, but not believing that the woman
 I married would commit the upcoming affront to my flawless manliness.

 Tears were now running down her face. 'It's just...that…I'm picturing you
 pulling on its…its…teeny little… ' She gasped for more air to bellow in
 laughter once more.

 
'That's enough,' I warned. We thanked the vet and hurriedly bundled the
 lizard and our son back into the car. He was glad everything was going to
 be okay.

 
'I know Ernie's really thankful for what you did, Dad,' he told me.

 
'Oh, you have NO idea,' my wife agreed, collapsing with laughter.

 Two lizards: $140.

 One cage: $50.

 
Trip to the vet: $30.

 
Memory of your husband pulling on a lizard's winkie:

 Priceless!

 Moral of the story: Pay attention in biology class. Lizards lay eggs!

It has been a weird winter / spring in our house! Everyone has been taking turns with coughs, running noses and fevers.

One day when we were all feeling relatively ok we decided to go out to eat. I'm sitting at the table...laughing at Tre (who at 22 months has given up high chairs alltogether since he was 18 months) so he has been sitting on a normal chair and you can just see his eyes peeking up over the table! Sami is coloring with the crayons the hostess put on the table and Bryan is indulging himself in the bread basket while I sip on my beverage (ok a beer).

Suddenly we hear the kid at the next table scream angrily. The man at the table is annoyed and tries to get mom to hush the child. The mom frantically looks through her big ole bag of tricks (I'm assuming for a snack or toy). WRONG! She busts out with the Tylenol and gives her daughter 2 dropperfuls. Mind you the girl looked to be about a year and a half or two at the most. I thought it was a weird thing to do.

"Here here here...here is your Tylenol" mom said to the girl. "Now be quiet".

I brought it Bryan's attention and said "This is why they're starting to pull meds for infants!". As we were finishing dinner, the little girl started wailing again and mom frantically busts out with 2 more dropperfuls of Tylenol.

Now I AIN'T no doctor, BUT, it is my guess that girl had 3 more dropperfuls than she should have been given.

And it didn't appear that the girl was in any pain whatsoever. But judging by the big grin whenever she got the Tylenol, my guess is that she gets it quite often.

We were in a family restaurant with LOTS of kids. Kids cry. Kids make noise. If you're gonna get frazzled at every little peep "johnny" or "suzie" are gonna make, get your food to go...but please don't load your kids on the drugs because you don't know how to be a parent!

Oh it has been way to long. I'm going through blog withdrawal. Really I haven't had much time or inspiration to write.

So this is really just a rambling blog with many points.

UPDATE on my dad: We have seen MAJOR improvements in his speaking and motor skills since he has been taking OFF of seraquel (sp?). I have no idea WHY he was put on it, but he was sooooo overly medicated. Funny that when i questioned WHY he was on it, he was taken off immediately and has been improving (even with his agitation!!!!). Although he does have to go in for a colonoscopy this week which is going to be super hard for him because of the fasting...and the man loves his food.

TV Musings: Ok, was anyone else out there addicted to Rock of Love 2???? I was! And I am so glad he picked Amber as she was the only decent one on the show. The reunion episode looks to be very heated! ALSO----I am THRILLED Hells Kitchen has started. As a person who loooooves to cook, this show is HILARIOUS! Ramsey's insults mixed in with people who get overwhelmed way to quickly...its a recipe for good entertainment! I have to say that I have watched every season of American Idol with great enthusiasm. This season of American Idol isn't really doing much for me! Its not that I don't think they are talented cause they are, I don't know what it is. None of them really make me want to tune in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Eh.

What I am looking forward to: Well, the nice weather this week is something we are all looking forward to! It will be nice to get Tre out for a walk to the park. It will be nice to keep the windows open and get some of the fresh air in the apartment. I am also looking forward to Summerfest! As always I will probably be there all day everyday. Its what I do. And those Saz's combo platters are my absolute FAVORITE. I can taste it now. I am also looking forward to catching some Brewer games this season. Last year we only made it to 3 games, so I was kind of bummed. This year I hope to make many more.

Thats really all i have. I just felt like writing. And now, I have lots of blog reading to catch up on!

Have a fabu day!

Last night I had the HONOR (and I am choosing my words CAREFULLY) of seeing one of my favorite musicians perform live at Shank Hall! The one and only *drum roll please* STEVE POLTZ!


Most people know of Steve through his co-written song with Jewel "You Were Meant For Me". But let me tell you, this man is a storyteller like none other I have EVER heard!


I first saw Steve maybe 8 years ago while her performed at Marquette University with Glen Phillips, John Doe amongst others. I was working backstage security when this man came running up to me. He was an awkward looking man wearing this plaid SUIT. He looked me square in the eyes and said "Does this look ok to you?" I laughed and said "Well, its definately something only YOU could pull off". Then he went on stage with his guitar and sang some of the best singer/songwriter songs I have ever heard.


I was hooked.


So needless to say that whenever he comes to the area (which isn't to often) I am there.


Steve does not need a band to back him up. He takes command of the audience from the first word, to the last sigh. Just when you think he is singing a serious song, out comes his witty sarcasm that has everyone laughing. There is never a dull moment when he is on stage.


Perhaps my favorite songs of the night came from his album "One Left Shoe". I used to put this cd on repeat and listen to it all day long. In fact I still do. He currently has two new cd's out with songs such as Rains, and Haters Union which proves that Steve still has the magic touch with his songwriting. Watching him on stage is like watching a standup comedian sing with all the passion in his soul. His songs with make you laugh, reflect and maybe even shed a tear or two.


Performing with him at this show was the Truckee Brothers band. Although normally a 4 piece band, they performed as only a 2 piece band which absolutely worked. I was in awe with the harmonizing of the two singers. In fact they reminded me of Big and Rich, which is a good thing. They backed Steve up on some songs as well. I picked up a cd of theirs and look forward to giving it a few listens.


All in all....I had an amazing time. If you EVER get the chance to see Steve Poltz...DO SO! It is more of a sit down and listen type of show....but one of the most entertaining shows you could ever HEAR and SEE! Steve doesn't need the stage antics that many performers use to entertain a crowd....his words alone do the job.


P.S. (I put a pic of Steve and I up in my pictures....eeeeek!)

A meeting with my Pastor last night really opened my eyes to what being a Christian really means.

 

During the Lenten season my Pastor thinks it is important to go back to the basics of being a Christian.  There will be these mini "reminder" sessions during Lent where members of our congregation will speak on these basics.

 

However!  Why wait!  Pick up the Small Catechism and refresh yourself.  Or better yet, pick up the Large Catechism and be enlightened!

 

The Preface to the Small Catechism written by Dr. Martin Luther is one of the best reads!  He writes "....everyone says that they are Christians, have been baptized, and receive holy Sacraments, even though they cannot even recite the Lord's Prayer or the Creed or the Ten Commandments. They live like dumb brutes and irrational hogs.  Now that the Gospel has come, they have nicely learned to abuse all freedom like experts."

  Luther was prompted to put together The Small Catechism because he discovered that people who called themselves Christians did not know the basics of what being a Christian meant.

 

A good metaphor Pastor brought up (him being a HUGE sports fan!) put it like this.  When an athlete is going through a slump, what do they do?  They go back to the basics of the game!  Spring training for example is a time for baseball players to refresh themselves on the basics of the game.

 

Of course this is all from a Lutheran's point of view.  But regardless of what religion you practice, it is always nice to refresh yourself with the basics, to get back to that understanding of your faith.

 

 

I swear my 8 year old acts more like a 16 year old!  I remember when I was 8....I cared about my dolls, my baseball card collection, THE GREEN SHEET (hey remember those!?!?!?!?) and mismatching my clothes.

 

My 8 year old cares that each hair is in place.  Loves boy bands already and already has the "Stop mom, thats embarassing" look down pat!

 

When we heard The Jonas Brothers would be playing at The Rave, she begged and pleaded because all of her friends were going as well.  Heck even I admit to occasionaly humming a few of their tunes from time to time.  So I told her we would get tickets and we would make a date of it.

 

Well, tickets went on sale and I forgot!!!!!!  The show sold out and I had one very unhappy 8 year old who was HOPING I would somehow make tickets magically appear (cause us moms can do ANYTHING you know!).

 

Well, I couldn't make tickets appear.  So instead I snagged up some tickets to see a play at the Milwaukee Theatre....you know, The Frog and Toad thing.  I didn't tell her, I wanted to surprise her!  I thought I was doing a GOOD thing.   So I told her I had this surprise and she was really excited!  I figured this was a good way to make up for my Jonas Brothers mishap.  As we walked down to the theatre, she paused, looked at the sign, then put her head down!

 

"Well, I know its not the Jonas Brothers, but it'll be fun....I PROMISE!!" I assured her.

 

Well, she was NOT impressed.

 

She sat and watched and was cordial.  So I was happy about that.  But I could tell she was VERY disappointed, no matter how hard she tried to play it off.

 

At school, the other kids were talking about Jonas Brothers, and she got to talk about Frog and Toad! 

 

So when Hannah Montana was announced, I vowed not to screw this up (to put it mildly).  I was lucky enough to get two tickets (Awesome seats at that tooooo) and the best part is that she has ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA!!!!  I plan on surprising her on Christmas.

 

The only criteria:  She has to go with me, her mom.  Hopefully she will not be embarrased  by my horrible singing and wacky dancing because I will bring it.  Oh yeah, I am a closet Hannah fan! 

 

I wonder if they sell foam fingers?  Hmmmmm....I mean that couldn't POSSIBLY embarass her, could it!?!?!

 

YESSSSSS!  One of my FAVORITE local bands!  What a treat to see them on the news (a little odd though, but NICE).  Look them up on MySpace!

I have a whole list of local bands I'd love to see on FOX6 Wakeup.

Some quick ones that come to mind: Freshwater Collins, Old Mil, Trick Pretty, NUNA, Fat Bottom Special, 9MM Solution, The Buggs, Fire on Your Sleeve,  Way To Fall, and oh so many more.  WHO DO YOU WANNA SEE ON WAKEUP??????

Yeah now I'm pumped for the day!

~jen~

Everyday at the exact same time I put Tre down to sleep.  I lay a blanket on our living room floor, close all the blinds and put Kenny Loggins "Return to Pooh Corner" in the cd player.

 

And everyday it takes EXACTLY 15 minutes for him to fall asleep.  The second he hears the cd, he plops down on the blanket and is instantly relaxed.

 

As much as I think the cd is good....it makes ME very sleepy as well.  Needless to say my mornings are more productive than my afternoons.  The cd plays on repeat until he wakes up (about 3 hours). 

 

Thank you Mr. Loggins for helping me get my child to sleep (and me!).

 

Does anyone else have any other cd's that work well at naptime?

 

This weekend Sami received her first Bible from our Church.  I spent a week talking to Sami about The Old and New Testament, the 4 major Gospels and so on.  Then we were to pick out 1 verse to write in her Bible.

 

ONE VERSE from the ENTIRE Bible.  I scanned the Bible thru and thru until I stopped at the book of Psalms.  Psalms has always been one of my favorite books of the Bible simply because it is very uplifting.

 

ANYWAYS, when finding a verse to write in her Bible I really wanted to find one that she could refer to at any point in her life.  When times get hard, something she could find comfort in.

 

Psalm 28: 7 reads as follows:

 

"The Lord is my strength and my

       shield;

in him my heart trusts;

So I am helped, and my heart

      exults,

and with my song I give

      thanks to him."

 

Psalm 28 has always been one of my favorites to read because it is a prayer that has helped me through many personal problems.  I don't know, it was just a special moment to read the verse and hand her the Holy Scriptures....a promise that I made to her at her Baptism.

I enjoy cooking....so its no surprise that I always look forward to the cooking segments on WAKEUP.

This week, Chef Jerry Garcia was on and talked about how you can make a nutrional meal in under 15 minutes that won't break your wallet!  Soooo naturally that really got my interest!

I watched and took notes as he made the lemon pepper seasoned chicken....and the oregano infused rice....and those VEGGIES!

So I sent Bryan to the store with the list of needed items.

First off, the meal was absolutely EASY to put together.

Secondly....it cost just as much if not LESS than actually going out to eat.

And then once everything was cut, it literally took me 15 minutes to make.

Of course---the true test....FAMILY!  I live in a house of picky eaters.  Sami and Bryan won't eat veggies and Tre likes to see how far he can throw his food.  So I wasn't sure what to expect.

Once I put the food on the plates and onto the table, it was a matter of MINUTES and the food diappeared just as quickly as it appeared!  VEGGIES and all!!!!!  Tre LOVED the asparagus....something I never thought of introducing him to.

I have to say it was a success and everybody was happy....especially MOI!

Thanks FOX6 for the cooking segments!

(my only regret is not taking a picture....those colorful veggies were PURE art....tasty tasty art).

Yum yum.

P.S.  If you missed it, you can find the recipe by typing in Chef Jerry Garcia in the search box.

Here I sit.  Wondering what the heck to write.  There is nothing wrong to write about

 

.Ack....well besides the normal "lifey" stuff....but that stuff is daily and tolerable and I'm tired of writing the same ole stuff.

 

BUT, can I just say that I am reading the best book ever for the third  time!?!?!  (Tis true)!

 

I am reading ONE MORE DAY by Mitch Albom.  I am in love with this book.  I could read it in a day,  I'm shushing people because I can't put the dang thing down!

 

In short....the book is about a man who is an alchoholic who tries to kill himself.  Through a "blackout" moment he is vistied by the ghost of his mom.  He gets his "one more day" to spend with her before she passes.  A moment he had always felt really guilty about because he SHOULD have been there, but opted to not to be there. 

 

Ack.  The book is just good.  If you pick it up and read it, I would love to know your thoughts.  I am going on the 3rd time of reading it and still feel the same.