Friday, September 28, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Grasp

Five Minute Friday

On Fridays a group of people who love to throw caution to the wind and just write gather to share what five minutes buys them.  Just five minutes.  Unscripted.  Unedited.  Real.  Check out mine below, and then see others at  Five Minute Friday on Lisa Jo's site.

This week's topic is: Grasp

This week I had the opportunity to communicate with some of my friends from my "old" life.  My life as a working woman.  (Wow, that doesn't sound right...working woman...hee-hee..I meant, human resources consultant).  One sent me a birthday card, one emailed me about an old business issue and one sent me a birthday email.  It made me think of the old days and how much I enjoyed working with those people and how much I enjoyed working in human resources and as a legal secretary.

I am in an even better job now.  I'm a stay at home mom!  I am blessed to be in this position.  I grasp that concept of how important it is to be here for my children every minute.  I wonder, though, do my children grasp how important it is, what an impact it has on their lives, what it would be like if momma wasn't around 24-7, that momma used to be a great human resources consultant (if I do say so myself :)), what life would be like if I did still work outside the home?

I hope they do or will someday.  I now understand and am thankful for my mom choosing the three us over working full-time.

I wonder if I really grasp the concept of what it would be like if I still worked as a human resource consultant.  I can't really even imagine what it would be like to not be here 24-7.

Can you grasp what it would be like if your life was different?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Its OK Thursday


Happy Thursday my friends!

Our week is coming to a close and I'm excited to call today Friday Eve, aren't you?  This week has been fun, but my goslings and I are always counting down to the weekend when Daddy Goose is home all day!  For now, we'll keep on truckin' and I hope you enjoy my It's OK Thursday!

It's OK that...

...I've struggled with my 1/2 Year Resolutions.
I haven't given up!!

...Brother Goose was a little scared at his first soccer practice and game!
He didn't quit and eventually had a great time!

...Lil' Miss Goose's hair sometimes (ok, a lot of times) looks a little like Pebbles Flinestone!
She's super cute anyway!

...I was probably more excited than I should have been to find $5.00 in my wallet!

...I didn't win $26,000 at Bingo on Tuesday.
I had a blast with my girls anyway!

...Lil' Miss Goose is laying on the floor watching Baby Einstein right now.
She's had a tough asthma night and day...she deserves a little pampering!

...that I'm a little jealous that my parents are going to spend the weekend with my sister.
She'll be here in October!!!

...that Daddy Goose and I took 6 months to spend our Elephant Bar gift certificates.
It made our date night all the more fun...and well deserved!

...that I'm really looking forward to my next date night with Daddy Goose!
(Um...when are my parents coming back from my sister's house? LOL!)

...that I'm really looking forward to my next Bingo night with the girls!

Have a great Thursday!  What's OK with you today?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Toddler Tuesday: Lil' Miss Goose's 1st Birthday

On July 25, 2011 my life changed forever with the birth of my first baby girl!

You know how the story goes, you fall in love instantly with your baby and mine was no different.  It was love at first sight...

November 15, 2011
My sweet Samantha (aka: Lil' Miss Goose) has kept us on our toes since the beginning.  After three trips to the hospital, countless contractions and an absolutely horrible (yet hilarious now) experience with Ambien, Lil' Miss Goose was July 25, 2011 at 3:00 a.m.


And now...she is one!  We have had a great year, as you can see from this post.  We got to celebrate her birthday in August with friends and family!  It was an amazing time.


The food, weather, family/friends were all perfect!  Thank you all who came, pitched in and celebrated with us!

Luckily for Lil' Miss Goose, she got cake twice this year.  We were actually on our annual camping trip on July 25th and if you think this Momma Goose, Grammy Goose and Nana are going to let her big day go by without a bang...you're crazy!  This is how we actually spend her birthday.



Here's to another 100 years...or so....my sweet Samantha girl!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Monday, September 24, 2012

Mellow Monday: Mexican Lasagna

Happy Mellow Monday my friends!

We are enjoying a fun Mellow Monday in our nest.  The goslings slept-in until 8:30 a.m. and I enjoyed my hot coffee in the quiet, cool morning air.  We are looking forward to a cooler day and hopefully the beginning of fall weather!  The afternoon may not be as mellow as I usually like, but we are taking naps, headed to soccer practice and getting ready for school and a busy week.  What are you up to today?

Today's slow cooker recipe comes from one of my Favorite & Useful websites, Ziplist.com.  If you haven't already checked it out, be sure to do so.  I have the app on my phone and check it many times a week to get inspiration and recipes for my menu plan.  Ziplist pulled the recipe from Weelicious.com.  I haven't had a chance to fully check-out Weelicious, but you better bet I will be soon.


Source
Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 large egg, whisked
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and grated (about 2 carrots)
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 12 oz pkg. corn tortillas (12 tortillas) - (I'm using flour, so you may not need as many)
  • 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
  • 2 16 oz jar mild chunky salsa

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook the onions for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add the ground turkey meat, cumin, salt and chili powder and cook for 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Place turkey mixture aside and cool.  In a large bowl, whisk the egg and sour cream together. Add the cooled turkey mixture, carrots, corn and cilantro and mix to combine. Spread a 1 cup of salsa on the bottom of the crock pot.  Layer 5 tortillas on top of the salsa, cutting them if necessary to fit the crock pot and covering the salsa completely. Place half the turkey mixture on top of the tortillas and top with 1 cups of salsa and 1/2 cup of cheese. Add another layer of 3 tortillas on top of the cheese. Pour the remaining turkey mixture on top of the tortillas and top with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Top the lasagna with another layer of tortillas, pour the remaining salsa on top and cover with 1 cup of cheese.  Cook on low for 2 1/2 hours.  Enjoy!



Monday: Mexican Lasagna in the Crockpot with FF refried beans and rice
Tuesday:  Slow cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps with watermelon (we missed this last week)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday:  Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese with carrots and celery (Using my leftovers from Tuesday) (we missed this one last week, too!)
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick (Chicken "nuggets," or hot dogs with mac-n-cheese and fruit)
Saturday: Crescent Chicken with steamed Broccoli and fruit salad
Sunday:  Football food - Corn Dog Muffins with curly fries and fruit salad

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

What are you eating this week?

Have a happy Mellow Monday!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sunday Social ~ September 23, 2012


Happy Sunday, friends!  Since we are unable to watch the Broncos on TV today (I am, however,  glued to my NFL app checking the scores and highlights), I decided that it would be fun to be a little "social" with my friends over at Ashley's Carnival Ride and A Complete Waste of Makeup.


What is something you have wanted to do but are afraid of?

I would love to sky dive or bungy jump, but I am deathly afraid of heights!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I love my life, so hopefully in the life space I am now
Although maybe with one or two more goslings! ;)

Source
What are you looking forward to before
the end of 2012?

Colder weather!  Maybe it will be here before 2013.


What are your hopes for your blog?

I am enjoying every minute of writing/blogging, meeting and networking with other great writers/bloggers!  I am hoping that it continues to be fun for both you and me as well as maybe even a little helpful for both of us.  I am also hoping that it would continue to blossom and grow!  


Do you always see yourself living in your current town/city?

I am hoping that we will move somewhere with cooler weather. 
Oregon/Washington would be fabulous!

What is your morning routine?

I poke Daddy Goose several times to turn off his alarm and then fall back to sleep for 15 more minutes.  Then poke Daddy Goose several more times to turn off his alarm.  When we finally get up, I pack lunches, help Brother Goose get dressed, make coffee and eat breakfast with Lil' Miss Goose.  After breakfast we usually play for an hour or so before
we get started on our daily chores or other activity for the day.  
(All of this assuming it isn't Monday...if it's a Mellow Monday...we do nothing!)


It's your turn to be social.  What are some of your answers?  I'd love to hear where you'd like to be in 5 years or what your morning routine is!

Always ~ Momma Goose


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

1/2 Year Resolution - Check Up

Image Courtesy of:  Directory Journal
Can you believe it's been over two months since we made our 1/2 year resolutions?  My 1/2 year resolutions were to:
  • Drink more water each day.
  • Be more consistent about jogging/exercising.
  • Find new ways to show Daddy Goose how much I appreciate his hard work.
  • Be more patient of and forgiving to those who hurt me.
I am doing OK.  Resolutions are always a hard thing to keep, don't you think?  Just as hard in July, August and September as they are in January.  The one that I've been great about is drinking more water each day.

I thought it was a good time to check in with you so we can all redirect and re-concentrate our efforts!  It's not that I (or maybe you) haven't done these things.  It's just that checking in and keeping ourselves accountable is a great way to keep from fizzling out.

Sooooo.....how are your 1/2 year resolutions going? (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, look here.) How are some of the ways you've reminded or motivated yourself over the past two months about your resolutions?  I've now got mine printed and on my desk.

I can't wait to hear how you're doing!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Monday, September 17, 2012

Mellow Monday: Take & Bake Pizza

After a fun, jam packed weekend with my siblings and parents, it is nice to be mellow at home today.  In the last two days we enjoyed two days at the lake, a beautiful wedding and a big breakfast outing with the whole fam!  Today, we are washing sheets, vacuuming and catching up with naps.  The treat of our day will come later when our favorite team, the Denver Broncos play Monday Night Football!

To celebrate and keep with a football tradition, our dinner today will be a little different than the usual slow cooker meal...we're having a take and bake pizza.  I bought the pizzas on my usual grocery shopping trip on Friday in anticipation of my brother's visit with us over the weekend.  However, we didn't end up using them, so as a bonus for today, I'll cook them up as an easy dinner so we can enjoy the game tonight.  Is there much better than football, pizza and beer?

I will use my slow cooker this week to make a recipe I've made a couple of times from SkinnyTaste.com  I've highlighted her recipes before and everything I've ever made always turns out super yummy.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
  • 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank's)
For the wraps:
  • 6 large lettuce leaves, Bibb or Iceberg
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch matchsticks
Directions:

In a crock pot, combine chicken, onions, celery stalk, garlic and broth (enough to cover your chicken, use water if the can of broth isn't enough). Cover and cook on high 4 hours.  Remove the chicken from pot, reserve 1/2 cup broth and discard the rest. Shred the chicken with two forks, return to the slow cooker with the 1/2 cup broth and the hot sauce and set to on high for an additional 30 minutes. Makes 3 cups chicken.  To prepare lettuce cups, place 1/2 cup buffalo chicken in each leaf, top with 1/4 cup shredded carrots, celery and dressing of your choice. Wrap up and start eating!

Check out my meal plan for the rest of the week below.


Monday: Take & Bake Pizza
Tuesday:  Slow cooker Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps with watermelon
Wednesday:  Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese  with carrots and celery (Using my leftovers from Tuesday)
Thursday:  "Pigs" in a Blanket with pears and frozen corn (Using turkey hot dogs)
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick (Chicken "nuggets," or hot dogs with mac-n-cheese and fruit)
Saturday: BBQ Hot Dogs with BBQ Beans and watermelon and grapes
Sunday:  Last Lake Day :( - Quick take out

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Happy Mellow Monday and GOOOOO Broncos!
Source

Always ~ Momma Goose

Thursday, September 13, 2012

It's OK Thursday

Its Ok Thursdays
It's OK that...

...it is almost 85 degrees in my house right now.
Our PG & E bill was more than OUTRAGEOUS last month!

...Brother Goose is wearing sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt in spite of the above!
He's happy!

...I am wearing a pair of short shorts and tank top because of the above!

...I may let Lil' Miss Goose wear only a diaper because of the above!

...I did something this week that I knew would really upset me.
I'm over it now...I think.

...I took a 45 minute nap this morning!

...I am in a Fantasy Football league and have no idea what I'm doing.
But, I did win my first game!

...I am sooooooo excited that there is football on TV tonight!

...that we watch the Science Channel more than any other channel.

...I ate dinner twice last night.
Crackers and cheese while the kids ate and a meatball sub sandwich with Daddy Goose.

...Lil' Miss Goose has decided she doesn't like bread of any kind anymore.
Maybe she doesn't like all the carbs???


I hope you're having a better than OK Thursday!  What's on your list today?

Always ~ Momma Goose

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Mellow Monday...on a Tuesday?

Happy Tuesday friends!

Yesterday was anything but a "Mellow Monday!"  Three of the four of us had doctors appointments starting at 8:30 a.m.  It was great to get them out of the way and to be able to spend some time with my parents while we were in town, but phew I was exhausted by the time we got home at 4:00 p.m.!

The funny thing is, I had my menu planned by Friday of last week!  I was definitely more prepared than I usually am.  I didn't want to waste my preparedness, so I decided that I'd share my Mellow Monday Slow Cooker Recipe and Menu Plan today. :)

I got this recipe from I'm an Organizing Junkie's Slow Cooker section.  Not only does she have great organizing ideas, menu planning ideas, but she's also got amazing recipes!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cubes or packets low-sodium bouillon
  • 1 whole chicken (3-4 lb), fat-trimmed, rinsed and dried, giblets discarded
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 3 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 8 small Yukon Gold or baby potatoes, scrubbed
  • 6 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2″ thick

Put one bouillon cube (or contents of packet) inside chicken. Squeeze lemon, reserving juice, and put rinds inside chicken. Place chicken in cooker breast side up. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Add onion and garlic, then pour soy sauce and reserved lemon juice over chicken. Crumble remaining bouillon cube (or sprinkle packet) over chicken. Line sides of cooker with potatoes and mushrooms.  Cover. Cook on high 3.5 to 4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 180 degrees F.
Discard lemon rinds. Divide potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and chicken pieces among 6 bowls, discarding skin and bones.


Monday:  Leftovers...it was a  loooong day!
Tuesday:  Lemon Chicken & Potatoes
Wednesday:  Meatball Subs & green salad with italian dressing
Thursday:  BLT Grilled Cheese
Friday:  Brother Goose's pick
Saturday:  BBQ Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
Sunday:  Lake Day - Pizza!

Do you like to menu plan?  It helps me to stay on budget, stay on track with food choices and frankly, just makes life easier.  If you'd like to see more menu plans, head over to OrgJunkie.com.

Have a great Tuesday!

Always ~ Momma Goose


Friday, September 7, 2012

Friday "Flicks"

We are big movie fans.  However, Daddy Goose and I are not big movie theater fans.  (In fact, the last couple movies I've seen in the theater have been with girlfriends and only because it was the premiere and a fun girly outing.) We enjoy sitting down in the comfort of our home watching a good flick on the tube.  There is just something awesome about relaxing in your favorite spot on the couch, with a cold or hot beverage (at a reasonable price), the perfect snack (also at a reasonable price), the ability to pause the movie at any time or rewind if you missed what happened, and snuggling comfortably with the ones you love.  All things you cannot do at the movie theater.

Brother Goose is finally at the age where he can sit through a whole movie without wandering around the living room, talking through the best parts and/or getting bored and forgetting the whole thing.  So, we've recently started "Family Movie Night."

We are always in need of great movie ideas, aren't you?  With Momma Goose & Gaggle, I am in a great position to get and give movie ideas and reviews...sooo we can help each other pick the right flick for family or date movie night.  What'cha think?!!  Yes - great!  Let's get started!

These is our pick for Family Movie Night:


Nick Jr. does a says the movie is great for preschoolers in Brother Goose's age group.  Here's a little info about the movie from the website:
"Maurice (John Lithgow), a jungle-raised penguin who thinks he's a tiger, returns to the South Pole to help a colony of penguins defend their home from a herd of walruses determined to take over the territory. Preschoolers love twisted tales, and this one is hilarious! Just the sight of Maurice, who has to continually freshen up his stripes because he believes he has a skin condition and who walks around with a fishbowl containing his tigerfish "son," Junior, is enough to make young viewers burst out laughing. Convinced he is "The Great Tiger Warrior," he helps the penguins save their home, beautifully illustrating to children that they can be whoever they imagine themselves to be."

What DVDs will you be watching this weekend?  Kid friendly?  Date worthy?

Let's compare notes next week!

Always ~ Momma Goose

Thursday, September 6, 2012

He DID it!!

I had a super proud "Momma Moment" yesterday when Brother Goose made it (smiling) through his dentist appointment! I actually had to hold back tears of joy.

Look at my sparkling teeth!

It has been a journey getting to this point.  We've been a couple of times to get him used to the idea and our last visit was not so fun.  I won't go into detail, but lets just say we were both very, very, VERY unhappy.  Since our last visit, we've talked a lot about the dentist, we've read "Sammy's Dentist Dilemma" (An amazing book, that was given to us by our dentist, Dr. Treva Lee, written by a dental hygienist!), called Daddy Goose for a quick pep-talk right before we headed into the office and I may have even bribed him a little.  I'm not sure which of my tactics worked, but at this point I don't even care...it was a success!

As we walked out yesterday, he said, "Momma, I'm not afraid of the dentist!"  I could not have been more proud of him overcoming his fears.  What a big boy I have!


Its Ok Thursdays

It's okay that...

...we had to go to the dentist several times before it was successful!
At least we didn't give up!

...I hate paying bills!
Do you know anyone that doesn't?

... I haven't actually cooked all week!
It's been leftovers and sandwiches...easy peasy/lazy week.

...that I don't feel like doing much outside...it is sooo hot out there!

...I finished reading Fifty Shades of Gray in two days!
Now, to find the time to read Fifty Shades Darker & Fifty Shades Freed.

Always ~ Momma Goose