PTO Today

MY BOYS LOVE Cinnamon Swirl Bread...In fact I'll only buy one loaf at a time (well two but one goes in the freezer shhhhhhh). It's a yummy treat and now I've found it in whole wheat....yum.

Thanks for the note on VDay CC. It was my honor to have served and I stand in awe of those who still do. My oldest had to do a project for 6th grade and needed to interview a vet. It was cool cause he got to interview 2 - his mom and dad. He learned a lot about what we did on active duty and was a bit wowed by the fact that his mommy outranked his daddy. Ha...now daddy's does big brained stuff in DC and mom beats her head against a computer trying to get a newspaper to pick up my writing. Hope he gets an A on the presentation.

Chocolate covered MMallows--I'm on that baby!

Excuse the blatant promo below but a girl's gotta eat.

d

visit my blog at Random Thoughts While Parenting

d, after I read your piece on the fish yesterday, I just laughed. Our fish were prizes won at a carnival. Some died quickly(under 24 hours), but one of the 4 original still lives on 2 years later. A simple orange feeder fish, who made me smile by blowing a bubble for me when I fed him his pellets this morning. Yes, he comes to the side or top of the bowl for me-the person who makes sure he doesn't have to swim in his own feces for an eternity!

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Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.

Wow--a successful fish owner. #3's tank was in terrible shape and now dad has "washed his hands" of the whole fish thing so I ended up cleaning everything out and changing the rocks (which I think were the culprits on the cursed status of the water). I didn't put any little statues or anything back into the tank because I was afraid they too might be cursed. Well then hubby informs me that the thingies are there to allow the fish to hide so they don't get "stressed out". Are you kidding me? So everytime I walk into the room I expect to see these fish swimming with their little eyes bugged out looking for a place to hide.

You can't make this stuff up, you know.
d

We have some fake seaweed in the bowl, but the only time he hides behind it is when I'm trying to remove him from the bowl to clean it. Perhaps he has just been with us long enough to feel safe out in the open-so far no one has come at him with a frying pan and fork, so he feels secure! I did put everything in boiling water before we put it in the bowl-that's what the package said to do.

The kids and I want a dog, but so far we haven't convinced hubby to commit to that. My daughter has even tried bringing home photos of cute little friends that need homes when she volunteers at the animal shelter. He ignores them even when she made one the desktop on the computer!

__________________
Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.

Okay, new recipe to try:

Beef and Cheese Manicotti-Giada DeLaurentis' recipe except I used 1lb of ground beef instead of 1/2lb. I stuffed the manicotti really full, so it made 14. This required increasing the marinara from 1 1/2c. to 2c. so they would be appropriately covered with sauce. We ate half and froze half. Filling is very cheesy, so if that's not your thing you might want to reduce the ricotta by half. Add a spinach salad with olives and grape tomatoes and a crusty loaf of Italian bread and you've got a great meal for a cold night.

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Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.

Oooooo, I definitely have to try that!!!

OK, here are the headlines I want to see instead of all the fuss over the mortgage and auto industries:

$25 billion PTO "No, Really, NO Child Left Behind" Bill

$25 billion hard-working, tax-paying, still-can't-get-ahead Average Citizen Bill

$25 billion "We Don't Pay Teachers Enough" Bill

$2500 CrewChief is Awesome Bill (I'm not greedy, just conceited....)

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“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

I'll vote for all of them .
d

Okay, since LUVMYKIDS was kind enough to share something I know we will be trying at our house soon, I have to share this wonderful little chocolate treat a friend recently led me onto...

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE (AKA "The Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake in the World")

4 tablespoons cake flour or all purpose (plain, no self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips(optional)
A small dash of vanilla flavoring
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla flavoring, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

WOW--what fun Piperl...I have to try this....d

Oh Piperl, that sounds sooooooo good!!!

One thing I didn't mention with the manicotti: I used Bertolli 4 cheese marinara because that's my favorite jar sauce, but you just use your favorite or make your own. I have Giada's quick marinara recipe, but the jar stuff is so easy to have on hand.

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Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.