Laundry, Lasagna, & Languishing

A week is a long time to go without blogging, and while I do not want to pressure myself to blog every day, sometimes I don't because I think you would think my everyday life is boring. But I have decided to look at this blog more as a journal than just fun info about my family. Which by the way is often funnier than anything I could ever make up!

So to catch up on this past week, I had a great Valentine's Day. Our Krispy Kreme plans started off good, but apparently our Krispy Kreme does not have the heart shaped cutter, so our doughnuts were pink and red sprinkled. Obviously, the kids didn't mind!

After breakfast, we sent the big kids off to school with all their Valentines, and these:
Cookies for Judson's class, brownies for Mikalah's and broccoli and pea pods for Jarrett's. Apparently the kids were allowed to volunteer for whatever they wanted. The broccoli was Jarrett's choice.

The kids all came home from school with stomach aches, saying they didn't want anything to eat. However, they sure ate the heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's.

Mike had planned a dinner out that night with Carrie watching the kids. That's just tradition. I think we figured that she has watched our kids every year for the last six years...what an awesome friend...what a pro!!!

Judson had basket ball practice still that evening and Mike was the sub-coach. So we went for a late dinner after b-ball practice. Great salad, yummy steak, and amazing company. Topped off with a trip to Walmart. That's right, but we had a good reason. Never mind that most of our dates end up at Costco, but at 10:30pm the doors are closed. But, why go to Walmart? Because we needed an extra part for my Valentine's Day present.

I have had my eye on this:surprising, I know. But this is what it was replacing:It took Mike quite a while to realize that I was not tricking him into getting a laundry sorter for me. I was not expecting flowers or chocolate or jewelry. I just wanted the laundry sorter. It doesn't mean the romance is gone, it just means he knows me well enough that I don't really NEED jewelry or chocolate, but the laundry sorter was a huge WANT!!!! I've eyed that thing for months & faithfully waited for the coupon at Costco. It just happened to coincide with Valentine's week!!!

On the weekend, I took the three older kids to Helena for a Bible Quiz meet. the kids did great, and I tend to think of it as a mini-vacation. If you can call a five hour drive to and from in a van with seven children a mini-vacation. (The extra four were Jill's, when she claims them!)

Sunday was a great morning at church - a few new people, and our first class for this session of Financial Peace University. A few had asked who Dave Ramsey was in a previous post. He's kind of a financial guru, in addition to radio host, public speaker. I'm sure there is a better description, but you can check out his site here.

Yesterday, I spent 1 hour with my friend, Terri, and we made four pans of Lasagna. This is the same lasagna recipe I have had since college, where Elaine and I experimented. Elaine, you'll have to tell me how your has evolved over the years.

LASAGNA
Brown 1 lb. hamburger with chopped onion and minced garlic.
Add 32 oz. tomato sauce and 6 oz. tomato paste.
Add a lot of spices...
1 T. garlic powder
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. tarragon
1/2 t. rosemary
1/2 t. italian seasoning
1/2 t. parsley

You will also need lasagna noodles, 1 lb. cottage cheese, & 4 c. mozzarella cheese.

I put the noodles in the sink full of very hot water to soften. I do not cook them.

Layer 9x13 with thin smattering of sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, sauce, cheese, noodles, cottage cheese, sauce, cheese, noodles, sauce, cheese.

Sprinkle top with parsley.

Bake at 350 for 45 min. covered & 15 min. uncovered.


Now, I'm thankful that I made lasagna yesterday, because I also took Jeffrey to the doctor. His ear was draining and that was just not good. Thinking he probably had an ear infection, we went in. Turns out he actually has strep. As does Jarrett who was at home with a fever of 103 and Judson with a fever of 101. After writing three prescriptions, my pediatrician asked if anyone else was feeling bad at home. Well, my throat is a little soar, but not too bad. She insisted on doing a strep test on me as well, and...positive. So I went to the pediatrician for what I thought was an ear infection and came home with four prescriptions for strep including one for and adult.

We've had a rough winter as far as colds. On the one hand I start to wonder what we are doing wrong. We are almost anal about hand washing, eat our vitamins every morning, drink plenty of water, get good sleep (most of the time). My doctor said that we are doing everything right, and Ryan Seacrest said on last night's American Idol that this has been a very bad cold season. So with those two authorities I'm just chalking it up to a bad year and am looking forward to Spring...and allergy season...yeah!