Italian Pasta

Now most people make this as a side dish or something silly like that. :) Hahaha we eat these types of things as a meal. You just eat a bigger helping, and of course have a veggie or bread side with it! :)

Today in the devotions for the boys we were talking about things that may seem normal to us, but weird (I mean different!) from another person's point of view. This just might be one of those things. :)

Italian Pasta




Rotini Noodles
Pepperoni
1/2 can Black Olives
1/2 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
6 sticks of String Cheese
1 bottle Italian Dressing
1/4-1/2 cup red onion

Boil the noodles. Cut up string cheese, olives, pepperoni (halves, or fourths). Mix everything together in a large bowl. Serve chilled.
The onion can be strong, so the amount depends on how much you like that flavor/smell.
I didn't use the onion today because I only had white, not red onion. It makes a difference. Plus it looks pretty. :)

Today I used egg noodles just because I it's what I had and I didn't know what else I was ever going to us them for so I didn't want to let the sit in the pantry forever. And as much as a noodle is a noodle....yes, taste wise....I so much like the rotini noodles better in this. They hold their shape better which I think also helps hold the sauce on it better. They are more to bite into since they hold their shape better....not so mushy from losing the shape. So, maybe next time I'll take another picture when it's prettier. I also usually use the 3 color rotini so it's so much more colorful and beautiful. Oh well. It still tasted DeLiCioUs!! :)


(this picture does not look pretty, bummer)

Also....I tried something new when I boiled the noodles. Maybe some of you already know this. But anyway.....I brought the water to a rolling boil. Put the noodles in, set the timer for 10 minutes while it was boiling, then removed it from the heat, put the lid on and let it sit for 10 more minutes. I'm going to do this next time I have noodles too. I didn't have to keep checking the noodles to see if they were done or not. Worked super slick!



This meal was almost festive....if only the black olives were blue....this would fit the upcoming holiday very well. :)

Cucumbers

This is a great refreshing veggie for the summer time.

Cucumbers with sauce


Cucumber
1/2 cup Mayo
celery salt
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar dissolved in vinegar

Peel and slice the cucumbers and the mix all together. The more cucumbers you use the more sauce mixture you may need. But only make as much as you’re going to eat. It doesn’t last very long to keep as leftovers.

Randomness v13

1. Yesterday we were playing outside in our little pool. The neighbor boys came over to play too. It was funny to watch because they are older than my boys but only a couple years apart like my boys, so I was just watching them and thinking that is what it's going to be like when Monkey and Bear are a little bit older. Then Monkey and Bear were playing in the pool, and the boys were dressed in regular shorts and a t-shirt. They were using our water guns, and accidentally shot it in our direction. TJ tells them he doesn't want to get wet, so if they shoot the gun over our way again he's going to pick them up and throw them in the pool. He looked at him and replied, "I can do the pleasures" and hops right in the pool fully clothed! It was hilarious!!! That was not the response we were thinking he was going to say. So it took us off guard and made it even funnier! He was hoping for this to be a deterrent since they were not wearing swim trunks, so that backfired on him. :)
Then they were running around and saying really funny things, things that my kids would say, weird/silliness, so I started laughing at them, and said to TJ I guess boys are boys no matter the age!

2. Today I was talking to TJ on the phone and he said he saw some deer by his work building this morning. I told him we saw a dead deer on the road, and it was a baby because it still had spots. He replied... "Oh Dear, That's no fawn (fun)." Oh what a punny guy. hahahaha

3. This morning we went to my sisters house and Bear brought the sun screen with. While we are in the car Bear says, "Mom, I brought this stuff incase we want to go swimming." To which I replied...."that's great but you didn't bring swimsuits, so now what?"

4. Monkey- I wish I was a toy.

Not really sure what he was thinking about....that's all he said, he didn't say anything beyond that. It was totally random. :)

5. Monkey- Can I cut my feet off and put them in a jar?
Bear- Sure, if you don't want to walk ever again.

6. Monkey- Can I be.........squirrel.......excused.

If you've seen UP he was being like one of the dogs on there where they get side tracked by the squirrels. It was really funny at the time. :)

7. Bear- Can we call someone?
Monkey- No because no one's online.

8. Monkey asked TJ a question, and after TJ answered him he said, I've been wondering about that for years!

9. TJ was trying to "mouth" a secret to Bear so Monkey wouldn't see what he was saying. Bear said, "WHAT?" so TJ tried one more time to mouth it without Monkey knowing but Bear was not getting it. So Bear says, "Dad, say it out loud!"

Mixed Veggies

Mixed Veggies

A couple weeks ago we had some friends over. I wanted to add one more thing to the menu. Some kind of veggie. But I couldn’t choose which one. So I went to the freezer and got out carrots, green beans and corn. Mixed it all together. Then I added, Lawry’s seasoning, Mrs. Dash, and 3 Tbsp real butter, and steamed them in the microwave. I made them again today. Yummy. :)

They were the most delicious veggies.

TJ even said something about them.
He told me I should put them on the blog, so here you go!

Enjoy.

Public Bathrooms

After being on vacation for 10 days and using quite a few public bathrooms, I have a few things to say about that.

I think they should really make some kind of uniformity rule in bathrooms.

Sinks.....
I do not like the sinks where you have to push the button and it runs for 5-10 seconds, then you have to push the button a few more times to be able to finish washing your hands. That kind should not be allowed.
Then there is the kind that is automatic. I don’t really like those either because I can never put my hands in the right spot to sensor the water to start. Once I find it, it starts but I’ve already moved my hands and it stops, and you do it all over again to try and get it to start again. Annoying!
The other thing about the automatic kind is you don’t get to pick the temperature and it is always cold. How does that clean your hands?!
I think all bathrooms should just have regular warm/cold handle faucets.

Toilets......
I think the automatic toilet is a water waster. When you are taking the kids to the bathroom, they can not reach the sensor for it so it flushes 3 times on them while they are sitting there. I will say though that it is nice to not have to touch the toilet to flush it, but that probably doesn’t matter because you still have to touch the door to get out of the stall, then the soap/sink/door to get out of the bathroom. I just wash my hands and then use the antibacterial stuff after leaving the bathroom. :)

Dryers vs paper towels
I vote for the Dyson hand dryers. I’ve only used them at 2 places....most recently at the World of Coca Cola on vacation. They are the best hand dryers. It’s a cooler air, and as you pull your hands out they feel dry and soft as if you just lotioned them. NICE!
As far as paper towels, I for sure do not like the kind that comes out a small little nozzle. You have to pull so much out and it’s all bunched up, so you’re pulling out 5x as much just to get your hands dry. I like the traditional pull down and rip off the paper towels with the little twisty thing on the side if the towel gets stuck.
Side track.....do you remember the kind they used to have that was a literal towel that you just had to pull it down to find a dry section of towel, and it wound back up into the holder in the back. I wonder if they still have those somewhere?

Soap
The majority of soap is foamy now-a-days. I prefer this kind. I am probably just used to it now, but if it’s not the foamy kind I feel like there is soap residue left on my hands from the other solid kinds no matter how long I wash my hands.
Some of the kinds of dispensers are hard to know where the soap is going to come out and most of the times when the kids try to get the soap, or even when I help them, the first pump falls to the sink/counter. Then you realize where it comes out and know where to position their hand the next time! :)

Stalls....
Too many times the stall doors have such big gaps along the hinges. I don’t know about you, but I hate the feeling of people watching me going to the bathroom. I like the bathrooms that have brick between the stalls, and tight hinge doors.

Lastly.....bathroom positioning.
Especially in same stores. Our Target has the women's bathroom on the left and men on the right. But you go into other targets and that is not necessarily the case. So don’t just presume that it’s the same, or you may be slightly embarrassed when you enter the wrong bathroom! :) There should just be a standard or something.....all restaurants and stores etc, have the men’s/women's on the same side uniformly. That would probably save lots of people from embarrassment.

hahaha....I did not do this, but I’m sure many people have. I’ve come close though.

Lightning

Tonight we had some cool lightning.

I decided to stand outside and take a picture every 1-2 seconds for however long it took until I got a picture of the lightning. It's a hard thing to do. You can't know when the lightning is going to appear, and when it does you have only a second to take a picture before it's gone. So you just have to be one the ball and constantly snapping pictures. So, I was out there probably 15 minutes, constantly clicking, and ended up with 500 pictures on my camera card.....only about 4 of them with lightning in the picture!

It was addicting....once I got the first one I was like....I just have to keep going to see how many more I can get. I would have stayed out there longer but the sky was getting too dark for the pictures to turn out very well.

But there also was an awesome rainbow that I took a bunch of pictures of. Check it out!


This was the best lightning shot.


Another decent shot of the lightning.


A cool shot of the rainbow by my house.


Just a neat shot of the sky during the storm.


It took quite a few shots to get one of lightning and the rainbow at the same time!




A couple more cool shots of the clouds and sky.

Just by looking at the sky, I am constantly in awe of our Awesome God!

Psalm 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

Psalm 97:6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.

I hope you are in awe of our God through the work of his hands today.

BLT's

This is another meal that is easy, and you don't really need a recipe for it, but I put it in my cookbook anyway. That way when I look through my cookbook to make my menu I remember to make this meal.

This is another, no oven meal. Perfect for us right now. :)



Bacon
Lettuce
Tomato
Mayo
Bread

I cook my bacon in the microwave. It makes it stay flat, and doesn't stink up the whole house. I don't like tomato, so My sandwich is just a BL....But I still say blt...my t just stands for toast. :)

Don't forget to add this to your menu every once in a while.

Randomness v12

1.
Monkey- Mommy, today Is the day that your dreams come true.
Me- Why?
Monkey- because daddy married you. What does that mean anyway?

2.
When we were in the aquarium Bear was looking at the big tank with balooga whales.
Me- What is that Bear?
Bear- Jonah.....Oh.....wait.....no.....um.......a WHALE!

3.
Bear- Maybe I left my backpack there.
Me- Yes, you did Bear
Bear- Yeah, Maybe.

4.
We went to the Dixie Stampede, and they had some cups that were shaped like a cowboy boot.
Bear said- You’re drinking out of a boot! Disgusting.
hahaha

5.
We were playing the License plate game while on vacation. I think we got all but 8 of them. :)
While we were playing we would just shout out the name of the state and say, hey do we have that one yet?
So I said, Do we have Alabama?
Monkey says- What’s a Bamma?
Another time we mentioned we were in Indiana, and Bear said, “Are we still in inthecanna?

6.
We were in Lowes looking at the gutter supplies section. The sign by this section says “GUTTERING”. Is that a word? Can you make that word be a verb? That just doesn’t sound right.

7.
TJ- BURP......oh I need some gum. Those onions really did a number on me. I think it was number 5.

8.
TJ- Bear, what time is it?
Bear- one to ten

9.
Monkey- I’m going to go to the Bathroom. How do you think of that?

10.
We were walking through the mall, and they have one of those shower/bath stalls showing how you can redo your bath tub.  Monkey says, hey anyone want to take a shower? Then 2 more seconds of thinking about that he responds. “That would be embarrassing!”

11.
Bear- I can count to 40.
Me- Ok, lets hear it.
Bear- 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.16.17.18.19.
20.21.22.23.24.25.20.21.22.23.24.25.
20.21.22.23.24.25.20.21.22.23.24.25.
20.21.22.23.24.25.......40
See, I counted to 40!

Puppy Chow

What's a sweet treat that doesn't use the oven......

PUPPY CHOW!



As you all may or may not remember....my oven started on fire....and I haven't got the coil replaced yet so we have a stove top, and crock pot but no oven. It's just as well, since it's hot out and you don't usually want to run the oven when it's hot out anyway. The only dilemma for me is that I have a sweet tooth, and like to bake goodies alot! So today I brought back an old classic....I haven't had this for a while.

1 box of Crispix
(some people use other cereals, but it's just not the same if you don't use crispix)
1 cup peanut butter
1 bag chocolate chips
1 bag powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate and peanut butter. Pour over cereal and mix well. Pour in 1/2-3/4 of the powdered sugar bag. Make sure you are using a big enough bowl with a lid so you can can cover the bowl and then shake it up really well. If you need more add more powdered sugar to coat all the chocolate. I don't usually use the whole bag. I don't like having so much powdered sugar sitting at the bottom of the bowl.

YUMMMMMMM!

Enjoy your sweet treat with out the heat! :) That should be a tagline of some kind. hmmmmm...I might have to coin that or something.

White Castle

While we were on vacation TJ said he had to try a sandwich at White Castle.

A guy he works with loves them! TJ has never tried them personally, but has never really heard good feedback on the place, so he had a negative reaction to it, already. But he said, while I'm down south, I'll find one and try it out before I keep saying it's gross.

Well, here's a few pictures to prove he really did try it. It was only $.70. Cheap....but you know what they say....You get what you pay for....

I'll let you decipher if you thought he liked it or not, with the pictures.

Last Day

Friday was the last day of our vacation. We stopped in Nashville to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame.


After visiting there we headed home. On our way home we drove through St. Louis. I've never been there before so I snapped a bunch of pictures of the Arch while we were driving by. I also got some really cool snapshots of the sky with the sun shinning through the clouds. Enjoy!







I had a few more pictures I was going to load tonight regarding this, but it is not working so, this will have to do for now. I will try to get the rest on here tomorrow.

Coca-Cola World & Georgia Aquarium

Today we went to 2 events. First the World of Coca-Cola.

This is the inventor of Coca-Cola....John Pemberton. He invented it in 1886.

We entered a a little after 9am and there were not that many people there. I believe when we started the tour, the lady said something about a 90 minute self guided tour. However.....with the little short videos and everything there was to look at, we were in there, including the gift shop, until a little after 1pm. Crazy!

It was totally awesome though. First they showed a little “movie” on what happens when you buy a coke....it was a commercial that was played during the superbowl and they made it longer to be a short film. It was cute. Then when you entered the museum there was a short 3D film on FIFA.....all the World Cups that Coca-Cola has sponsored. That was fun too. Then Mom and the boys got their picture taken with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear.


After that we saw another short film that was about finding the secret ingredient to
Coca-Cola. It was a 4D movie so the seats even moved. A couple times the movie was by or in water and we got wet too. Then we passed a dragon fly that flew in our faces, and went around us and poked us in the back. I actually yelped when it poked me in the back. Wasn’t expecting that one! :) There was one more movie yet.......it was 3 shorts on Coca-Cola commercials from around the world. It was very interesting.





Then we walked through sections that had a bunch of coca-cola art, big decorated pop bottles and information on how John Pemberton created coca-cola. Then we walked through a small factory section that showed a robot putting the empty bottles on the line.....a conveyor belt that moved the glass bottles very carefully over towards the filling machine, then to the conveyor that put the cap on, and then it took it on another conveyor belt and up over our heads into the room where you get to drink as much pop as you want.







They had all kinda of Coke products from around the world. I tasted, I think all of them. Or almost all of them. Just a very teeny bit of most....especially a good idea because many of them were gross! There’s one specifically people were talking about called “Beverly”. YUCK!!!! It tasted like bad medicine and then there was an even more horrible after taste! Yuck....there was another one that I also thought was on the top of the bad list. I can’t remember what that one was called, but it tasted minty. ICK! I don’t think pop should have mint flavor.

When we were done having as much pop as we wanted that was the end.....and then we each got to take one of those glass pop bottles that we watched the make. After that was the gift shop.....Mom bought the most stuff! :)

After that we went to the Aquarium, which is right next to it.....just across the sidewalk. It is the biggest Aquarium in the World. Or so they say. It was very cool, I will have to say, but we spent so much time in the World of Coca-Cola that we decided to go through the Aquarium a little faster. Here’s a little collage I made of the fish, while riding in the car.

Chattanooga

What do you think of when someone says Chattanooga?

Of course the Chattanooga Choo Choo.....It's just like peanut butter and Jelly....it has to go together. So while we were there we just had to for sure go and see it right?!

Well, it was kinda cool to see, but you couldn't walk through any of the trains, so that would have made it better. Well, I guess you could step into the Engine a little. The boys liked it, and it was still cool to see. I got some fun photos while we were there.


Here's a few.....






Then we went to RUBY FALLS.

This was totally incredible. Another great model of God's handiwork!!!!

First we had to get in an elevator and go straight down 260 feet into the mountain....then we walked and went further into the mountain where we were then over 1400 feet under the rock of the mountain. You wouldn't want to do this if you are extremely claustrophobic. :) But the end result was totally beautiful....this picture will not really give it justice....but it will have to suffice for you.



Thanks for joining us on our vacation today. We are spending the night at a brand new Hampton Inn, in Georgia! I've never been to Georgia before. Exciting! :)

I was going to post more pictures but it's having problems, and taking way too long. There are more pictures posted on my facebook account.

Titanic

Today's main event was the Titanic Museum.

I have to admit....I am my father's child. I love, LOVE museums!!!!!
I would walk very slowly and ready everything, and then possibly go through again, but some other people....I won't mention any names ;) keep me moving and don't let me go through again.

We couldnt' take pictures inside the museum because of copyright laws....or so they say. But I pieced together this pic of the building.


It was so neat inside. They had lots of pictures and drawings of what the ship looked like, where the levels were, what people were on each level. Info on how they built it, what they used. How many people worked on it and how many people were aboard and which classes they were. 1st, 2nd and 3rd class tickets. Plus crew.

When you go in everyone gets a boarding pass with information about a real person who was on the ship. At the end of the tour, they have a huge memorial wall with all the names of the people who did or didn't survive and which level of the ship they stayed on. Me, Mom and Monkey's people survived....Bear and TJ's people did not survive the sinking. So sad!

There was great wreckage footage from when they dived down to see and recover goods from the ship.

There was so much to see! So very interesting!!!

There was also a little part that was what the bow of the ship would have been like and the right side had a "real" ice-berg along the boat that you could touch. BRRRRR....it was cold! :) Then they had some water at 28 degrees which is what the ocean water was at that time the boat sank for you to feel how cold that is. Some people were in that water for 20 minutes or more before they were rescued....others longer than that, and that is why they didn't make it. That is way too cold for people to be able to survive in. The worker told you to put your hand in as a fist and then open and shut your hand. It was very hard and hurt to do that. It was cold enough to put your hand in, but really almost felt colder and hurt when you went to move your hand in that temperature of water. I can not believe what those people went through.

Oh soooo much more to tell you about....but I guess I will end with it there. If you want to know more you'll have to ask!

We had lunch at Fuddruckers...supper was ice cream! ;) Only on vacation, right?!?

Well almost!

We spent the rest of the day walking around Gatlinburg, checking out the touristy things....and rounded off the night with mini golf. The boys liked that.

Vacation Day 4

Monday was day 4....

We drove over to Pigeon Forge. We went to
Wonder Works, and the Dixie Stampede.

Monkey and Bear went in to outer-space!



We had such a great time at the Dixie Stampede. They do not allow pictures, so we didn't even bring our cameras in. However we could have brought them in and atleast taken a picture of the setup, and ourselves before it started. But that's ok. We know were there. :)
It is a bit spendy, but I TOTALLY recommend it!!!! Super great food, and lots of fun.
There is no silverware for eating, which the kid thought was weird because they serve soup. Hahaha...you just have to pick up the bowl and drink the soup. It was so cool.

Smokey Mountains

Last night we had a great drive through the Smokey Mountains. We even stopped to have a picnic for supper.

We drove through Cades Cove, and along the drive they have lots of spots to pull of and walk through cabins that people used to live in long ago, or churches, and barns. I love that kind of stuff!

A pictures speaks a thousand words....so enjoy these moments from our drive through the mountains.

Creation Museum

Monkey kept telling everyone we were going to the Cremation museum! haha..whoops.

This was a totally awesome experience.

I definitely recommend this as a vacation destination for Everyone!



This is such a great way to display the truth of the Bible and the true creation of the world.

First it talks about fossils and dinosaurs.
Everyone is intrigued with dinosaurs and why they are not still around, and how long ago did they really live!



Then there are clear displays giving 2 views...human reason, and God’s Word. Lots of posters showing these 2 views with the universe, vegetation and insects, apes and humans, etc. Great, Great information!

There were models of some of the prophets/disciples from the Bible.

Lots of information regarding the okay to teach evolution in the schools and the push to get rid of the teaching of creation, and how it’s been disputed many times by many people through out the years.

Then we watched a short 5 minute video on the first 6 days of creation.

We got to enter the Garden of Eden, and see Adam name the animals. Adam and Eve together. The tree of life. Adam and Eve’s deception leading to the entering of sin in the world. Adam and Even with their first 2 sons working the land. Cain’s rage against Abel.

(Can you see the serpent?)

There is a large display regarding Noah’s Ark, how they made it, people who helped, tools and other items they used to make it. There were small displays of what the inside of the ark would have looked like, Noah’s room in the ark. In the replica they had a little garden, which I never really thought about before as something they would have had in the ark.
I like this picture.....perfect example of making a bad choice and not being able to go back in time to fix it, or change your mind. These people said no to getting on the ark even though it was offered to all. And there’s no way they can change their mind now even though, I’m sure they are all saying, I believe you now! Please let us in, Noah!!!


Then we watched a 30 minute movie called “The Last Adam”.

I’m so impressed with the way they have put this together to portray the truth of the gospel. Great work Ken Ham!

Lastly we walked around the Nature Walking trails, and visited the petting zoo. Praise the Lord for stopping the rain midway through the day so we could enjoy the outside! But boy was it humid out there! :)

Beautiful Landscaping in the walking path. Enjoy some pics.