I need one of these. Oh how I need one of these. The super cool antique schwinn Dave got for me is kind of a nightmare. Looks cool and vintage like me but a nightmare all the same. Please oh please pick me!

Lord of the Hemet Flies

Now that I have not died yet. I am going to do another post on my blog. Here's a few tidbits of life. The kids have been running amock for several weeks now while I was trying to die. They think they are orphans. Phoenix has forgotten how to wear a shirt. Poppy goes without panties, and Willow is the queen of the island. They all have sticks that they leave by the front door at night. It reminds me of Lord of the Flies. I hope very much that Lily doesn't become Piggy.

What the CRAP?

You heard it. What the CRAP...? I'm yelling or at least I would be if I could get that much sound out of my mouth right now. I have not been feeling good. I know that seems like a euphamism for her "cheese done slid off her cracker" nowadays. I thought so too. I thought I must be depressed because I haven't enjoyed being back in Hemet all that much. Then it started. I was always tired. Dog tired. Do dogs get tired that's a wierd saying. Anyway I whined to my beloved that I was tired. He came home with a coke for me. I thought well maybe I should see that Dr. who helped me be human again after Lily came. The one that seemed way too relaxed. Working shouldn't make me this tired I kept thinking. Then I got a fever and I thought oh good now I have the flu and it will be done and over in a few days. A week later I still had a fever. Then my lymph nodes all over swelled right up. So I must be infected. So my beloved sent me to Urgent Care they said, ummm Hmmm ophhh uhhhuhh and then they gave me a prescription for antibiotics. After a week on the antibiotics my tonsils swelled up too. Now I can't swallow the horse antibiotics they gave me. Back to the doctors my beloved sends me. This time they suck my blood (not in the oh baby edward way either). I urinated in a cup. And they swabbed my decks again.

I got an email saying that I was positive for mono. Yeah that 16 year old kissing disease. I have it as a 35 year old mom. Cool. I guess I'm what you'd call a late bloomer. This is a picture I got off the internet. But I swear that this is exactly what my tonsils look like. Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of your tonsils? WHat the crap!

The Fruits of my Labor

I was rushing around the other day getting all the little things in the house picked up when I realized it was quiet... too quiet. Then I went in search for the 4 most precious things I hold. I finally found them inthe front yard of all places. They decided to have a pic nic. They dragged out their folding chairs and their lunches and set up camp. I stood at the doorway letting the flies in for a long time. People slowed as they drove by to see what the pow -wow was. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I DID THAT. I MADE THEM. THEY ARE MINE. That is only partly true. Dave helped.

As Mothers Day rolls around I am reminded of all the hours I spent bringing those little ones into the world and all the hours after making sure they know who they left to come here to me. I spend all day trying to teach them about the parents who they left in Heaven and the Older Brother who awaits their return. I am thankful for the time I have with each of them.

Argggg, I bin lookin' for me treasure Matey!

Willow lost a top tooth. The lazy Tooth Fairy finally came (a night late). She couldn't be more thrilled.

Today was a big day for me. I went back to work, kinda... You see in another life I was a School Teacher. I taught highschool spanish. Sí hablo español. It seems like forever ago. Really it was only 3 years ago (in September it will be 4). I went to substitute at the same school that I taught at. The Huskies have changed more than I could have imagined. The Principal is new and so are all the Vice Principals. The Foreign Language Dept has changed. Now German is offered. Some of my old friends are there still, but most have moved on to bigger and better things. One is a Principal, one the Activities Director, a couple others Vice Pricipals. I was a little envious that they had taken the next step in their careers... until 9:00am rolled around. All I could think of was Lily. It was her nap time. Would Dave remember? Would he do it right? Did she miss me? Did he know how to put her blanket so she could feel the silky side? Then lunch time came and I knew that Poppy asked for Macaroni and CHeese... was there any in the cupboard? 12:35pm time to pick Miss Willow up from school. Did they remember in time to walk? 2:45 Dance Class. Phoenix gets a little treat while we wait. I missed them all sooo much. I know I sound a little pathetic, don't I. When I arrived home all was well with the munchkins. Dave had taken great care of them. They did ask where I had been, but no one seemed too disgruntled that I had been gone. I go back tomorrow for another day. We'll see how it goes.

Shamrock memories

Tomorrow is St. Patricks Day. My mom always had us go outside to the front yard to pick our teachers a boquet of shamrocks (long stemmed clover). I had my children do the same when we lived there. (FYI They still grow by the wierd tree in front of the basement window in the front of the house.) It was always so fun. We would put on our greenest clothes and hope all the other kids knew we knew it was St. Patty's day. The leprachaun will come to play a few tricks on us too. Maybe he will hide some of his pot of gold for the kids to find. It depends on how much energy he has by 9:00 tonight. Stay tuned, if I can find the camera I'll take pictures.

I made the most delicious Quesadillas today and thought I'd share: You could use these as your green lunch tomorrow:

1- 2 uncooked tortillas
1 handfull of mozarella cheese
1/2 handfull of Cotija mexican cheese grated (crumbled)
1 cup tomatillo salsa
1 (1/2) avacado (you might as well eat the whole thing because it will just turn brown!)

Cook the tortilla on the stove top on a skillet or griddle, add butter if you must... Then sprinkle on the mozzarella and the cotija cheese on one half and let it melt a little. Cotija cheese is a hard Mexican cheese that crumbles like feta but is really mild and buttery to the taste. It is kinda salty too. I LOVE it. You can buy it at the regular grocery store here in Cali, I imagine you could find it in your neck of the woods too. Cotija is the name of the type of cheese, not the brand. Then fold the tortilla in half and let it toast until all the cheese is nice and melty. Cut the avocado and put it in the tomatillo salsa or add the avocado after if you are going to dip the tortilla in the salsa. If you put the avocado in the salsa you should eat it all so you don't waist it because the avocado's will turn brown. Here's a recipe that I nicked off some website. I didn't make my salsa I bought it from the little young women in the Ramona Branch for their girls camp fundraiser. See what a charitable person I am. Yeah I know I'm a paragon of Virtue.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe

To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, or boil them. Roasting will deliver more flavor; boiling may be faster and use less energy. Either way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos.


Ingredients
1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 Jalapeño peppers OR 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt to taste


Method
1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.
2a Roasting method Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.
2b Boiling method Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon.
2 Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in refrigerator.
Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.
Makes 3 cups.