Christmas mayhem

So, it's coming down to the wire and I feel relatively prepared.  All the presents that need to be have been wrapped and placed under the tree, where they are currently being excessively manhandled by the boys.  Each one has pulled out every present with his name on it and given it a good shake to try to determine the contents (and some of those guesses have been pretty darned close, I tell you). 

I do feel somewhat like a slacker though, because--other than a Moms Club Christmas party--we haven't really done much of anything to celebrate the season since school let out.  No family crafts, no parade visits, no "Elf on the Shelf" mayhem to report.  We don't have an Elf.  Mainly because I find them a little creepy looking.  But, a lot of my friends have them and they apparently get into all kinds of mischief.  I figure I already have enough mischief-makers in my house, thank you very much--we don't need no stinkin' elf for that.  But, the boys seem to be getting into the true spirit of Christmas all by themselves.  The Informer and the Destructor are currently gathering random things from around the house, packing them into cardboard boxes and "delivering" them to me,  The Destructor even pretended to ring the doorbell and then told me (in a somewhat surly voice), "Here's your package, lady."  Gotta love it.  This went on for about an hour, until The Informer informed me that because it was 2 days before Christmas, they weren't going to be delivering any more.  Then they ran off to happily play a game of "Zombies Attack".  And where, you may ask, was the PMM (Perpetual Motion Machine) during all this?  Surprisingly enough, he was cuddled on the couch under a blanket watching Curious George  (He's a little under the weather today--bronchitis/sinus infection).  I suppose for the moment we ought to call him the Semi-Perpetual Motion Machine.

So, today, I feel like we should do something to facilitate the making of family memories.  We are going to make cookies.  Should be fun.  I'll let you know later.

Adventures in cooking

So, I made a VAT of chili this past Wednesday because it was cold and rainy and basically my brain always screams "CHILI" at me when the weather outside is frightful.  Don't expect pictures or anything because I can't find the camera and I'm too lazy and sick right now to go and look for it.  I do apologize for that.  But trust me, the chili looks and tastes delicious.   And I made baked potatoes in the crock pot to go with it, because I like my chili-topped baked taters, yes I do.  Making baked potatoes in the crock pot is so insanely simple, I can't believe I haven't done it before now.   It's a technique I first learned here .  Try it--it really is stupid simple (and if you know me, you know that any method of preparing food that can be called "stupid simple" is my holy grail).  The only drawback is this: if you like the skin on your baked potatoes crispy, you won't like this method.  We enjoyed them though. 

Anyway, I froze about half the chili I made to have for dinner on some other night when the weather is lousy (or any night when I'm feeling lousy and don't want to cook).  I saved the other half in the fridge for Gary and I to eat for lunch.  Which, gentle reader, is exactly what I am doing right now, even as I type--enjoying some chili.  The only issue I have with this delicious lunch is the fact that I only put one. lousy. can. of kidney beans in it (I'm not a big bean fan, however I believe that they MUST go in chili--but only in small amounts), and it seems like every other bite all I get is a bean.  Do kidney beans multiply in chili?  Is it like their breeding medium or something?  Hmmmm......

As for tonight's dinner, while Jack was at preschool I cooked an entire one lb bag of rice and put it in the refrigerator for the fried rice I'm making tonight.  I make a mean fried rice, folks.  Just ask Gary.  To go with the rice, we will also have Asian Sesame Chicken and perhaps some fried won tons, if I'm feeling up to it.  This sinus infection has really jacked me up.  Maybe we'll just have sandwiches instead...

And....another domino falls....

Well, the plague I mentioned earlier has now spread.  I am hacking like an 80 year old chain-smoker and it looks like a round of antibiotics are in my future.  I somehow manage to get sick with lightning speed.  It's like one day, I'm fine.  The next day, I'm on life-support in an oxygen tent in the ICU.  I'm exaggerating, but it truly does feel that way sometimes. 

You know what though?  Even in my debilitated state (say that 3 times fast), I still managed to make 5 dozen meatballs for dinners this week, a loaf of fresh bread, and get dinner on the table.  (Pats self on the back repeatedly)

So, that's the fun stuff around here.  Oh, and Gary came home early today complaining of a stuffy head and sore throat.  Lovely.  Guess we need to break out the Level 5 Decon protocols....

What's cooking with you?

Today has been, in my humble opinion, a very productive day despite the fact that I only got two of the umpteen million things on my to-do list (also known as the "List of Absurd Impossibilities") done.  The guest bedroom is now on its way to becoming our home office, I cooked and froze three dozen chocolate chip waffles for the boys' breakfasts next week, made my artisan bread recipe (go here for the recipe), put 4 lbs of chicken into marinade for dinners next week and froze them,  made partial headway on the catastrophe that is my bedroom closet and now, dinner is a-cookin' in the oven (if you want to see what I've made, go here).  **Whew**  I'm a bit wiped out.  How about you?  What did you do today?  :)

Well, gentle readers, a plague has descended upon our happy home.  Both of the older boys had to go to the pediatrician's office today because they spent half the night coughing and playing musical beds (from their bed to our bed, back to their bed then back to our bed  It was a FUN night).  The verdict?  Sinus Infections/Bronchitis.  Lovely.  Little man spent the latter half of last week suffering from the same thing.  I can feel the bulls-eye forming on my own forehead as we speak, and I wonder how long it will be before Madam Sinusitis comes calling for me as well.  **SIGH**