Quick and Easy Dinner Idea

With the arrival of the fall season, life has just taken a turn for tremendously busy. We have something going on in the evenings four nights a week, which means that for those four nights, we do not cook dinner.

Our schedule:
Monday night -- My step aerobics class
Tuesday night -- Michael's martial arts
Wednesday night -- Wilton Cake Decorating, Course II
Thursday night -- My kickboxing class

Thankfully, my Wilton class is only four weeks, so by the beginning of October, we will reclaim our Wednesday nights!

So, for dinner... Usually, we have a good stock of leftovers in the refrigerator from the meals we DO make, but last week was also a bad cooking week, so we currently have nothing.

In cases like this, it's necessary to turn to the quickest and easiest meal I can think of.

Are you ready? It's fabulous.

TA-DA! Genius, I tell you.

Cereal for Dinner

Equipment:
- Bowl
- Spoon

Ingredients:
- Cereal
- Milk

Directions:
1. Open cereal box. Pour serving into bowl.
2. Open milk jug. Pour generous amount of milk over dry cereal.
3. Grab spoon. Dig in.

And there you have it, folks.

Easiest. dinner. ever.

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My first glimpse of a blog

Currently, I have numerous blogs flagged in my Google Reader, and check it every morning. I follow a number of blogs. I look back and wonder how it is that I got here. Where did I even learn about half of these blogs?

Back in 2004, before blogging exploded into what it is today, I have to admit that I didn't really know what a blog was. But you know what? I was reading one.

At work one day, I was going through a recent copy of the Dallas Morning News, and I came across an article about a baby girl named Allie. I don't even remember the specifics of the article, but I know it caught my attention.

A baby girl fighting leukemia.

Her mother keeping family, friends, and strangers updated through daily posts on an "online journal." (Funny looking back on it; the word blog wasn't even being used.)

The article provided the URL to the journal: www.scotthousehold.com. I logged on, and found myself captivated by a tiny girl with big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. A happy, bouncing baby who had an all-out war going on inside of her little body.

On a slow day at work, I remember spending hours reading through all of the post archives, getting to know this family through Jenny Scott's words. After that, I kept tabs on the Scotts through Jenny's blog. Sadly, a few short weeks after I started reading, Allie passed away.

This Saturday will mark the fourth anniversary of Allie's death. And you know what? I'm still reading. Her mom now blogs over at Mama's on a Playdate. Since 2004, Jenny has been through a lot. Around January 2005, Jenny teamed up with another mother who had lost her daughter to leukemia. They started a non-profit organization called Heroes for Children, which provides assistance to families dealing with cancer in the state of Texas. Allie not only changed Jenny's life in the obvious ways... she also influenced her career. Prior to Allie becoming sick, Jenny was a teacher. Now, she celebrates as her hard work as a non-profit director results in Heroes for Children growing every single year.

Also in early 2005, Jenny announced on her blog that she was pregnant again. She gave birth to another baby girl, Maggie, in October 2005. I've watched her grow (she's almost 3 years old now!). Very strange to think about.

Through Jenny, I've also found some other blogs that I have been following regularly. Friends of hers, including:

- A bleeding heart liberal from Rhode Island, teacher, and mother of three, who now finds herself living in the heart of a red state. With a wicked sense of humor.

- A child/family photographer who is about to adopt a child.

- A mother of four, including a set of twins.

OH! And it's through one of them that I found one of my favorite blogs: Boobs, Injuries, and Dr. Pepper. Crystal makes me bust out laughing on a regular basis.

My weekday morning routine now consists of CNN.com, e-mail, and my Google Reader blogs. They are just a part of life now!

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A dream come true

Tom Brady, out for the season with a knee injury.

Don't believe me? From NFL.com: Brady's season over after injuring knee vs. Chiefs

Pardon me while I laugh my ass off. I'm sorry, but this is as good as Christmas morning.

I know, I know. I'm an evil bitch. But you have to understand; I am a Bills fan, and I hate Tom Brady with the fire of a thousand suns. And I don't think Bills fans are alone in this. I think there is much Brady hate to be found all around the country.

I first learned of Brady's injury while at my friend's baby shower yesterday. I looked at my friend, Megan (also a maniacal Bills fan), and we both said, "Oh my god!! I HOPE IT'S SEASON ENDING!!" But you see, at the time, we were kind of kidding. News like that would be too good to be true.

But alas, as of this morning... it is true.

Come on, it couldn't have happened to a better guy. You know, since he's so modest. A gracious loser. (How wonderful was the SuperBowl? Best day EVER.) And a fabulous family man.

And Bill Belichick. Aww, how my heart aches for him. Seeing as how he's such a ray of sunshine. Doesn't tell his players to play dirty. No, no. And not a cheater. No way.

So, here we have it. The opportunity. One season where someone else is given the chance to dominate. Am I saying I think it's going to be the Bills?

Don't be ridiculous. I'm not delusional.

I'm just happy to have a one-season break from hearing about Tom Brady and his awesomeness. This injury? It changes everything in the AFC. We can actually have an exciting season this year because now the playing field is wide open. Who's going to the playoffs... this year, we can honestly say, WHO KNOWS?!

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Afraid. Very afraid.

My aerobics classes start back up again tonight.

Twice a week--a step class on Mondays, and a kickboxing class on Thursdays. They don't offer them throughout the summer, so my last class was actually the Monday before my wedding back in June.

This summer? I've been lazy in terms of exercise. Busy, but otherwise lazy.

So I am scared. My instructor is going to kick my ass tonight; I just know it.

I have a feeling I'm not going to be able to walk correctly (or without pain) for the rest of the week. Ahhh... the joys of exercise.

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Bethany's Baby Shower

I still can't believe one of my best friends is having a baby. So weird.

This morning, we left my friend Megan's house and traveled another hour to go to Bethany's baby shower (total of 2.5 hours from my home). This is the baby shower I made the invitations for.

I can't believe how many gifts she received. It was insane. Little girl (who is still nameless) definitely has everything she needs, I think.

All the rest of us girls from college--six of us--threw money in to get group gifts. I was lucky enough to get to go shopping with all of that cash, and I think I did a pretty good job at getting a lot of good stuff for the money!

Here are a few photos of Bethany opening her presents from us:

Diaper bag

Goodies inside the diaper bag -- burp cloths, receiving blankets


Bottles and pacifiers

The big gift from us

Her Pack 'n' Play!

Only four of the seven of us were actually at the shower. It was a busy day! Lacey, Bethany, me, and Megan

It was a good day. The drive home actually was not terrible. My only complaint is that I had to miss the Bills season opener. What a good friend I am, right? And it was a GOOD game, too. :( But friends and family definitely come before football, so that's just the way it is!

I listened to the 4th quarter and then the post-game show on the radio for the entire 2.5 hour ride home, and then Michael watched highlights with me on NFL.com. Now I'm just hoping they put on as good a show next week in Jacksonville. GO BILLS!

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