Etc...

Summer school has started. Two days down only 20 or so to go. Only 6 of 14 students graced me with their presence the first two days of class. The other eight are in for a rude awakening on Tuesday.

We have had a crazy weekend! We picked Chris up from camp Saturday and the kids and I spent the evening at our church's July 4th celebration. I unloaded my two kids only to end up with someone else's five year-old. It is amazing how much less annoying other people's kids are than my own. Dare I say they are cute?

Yesterday, we spent the morning at the pool and then caught Karate Kid and The Last Airbender at the Theater. Better than the movies was the Kahlua Mudslide I had at the theater? If you haven't it is a must. I can't believe I've made it almost 35 years without ever trying one before. I must make up for lost time I tell you.

Off to another pool party and then we have to either clean the house or burn it down. I'm leaning towards burning it down truth be told!

Not Me Monday - The Road Trip Edition

I did NOT spend just shy of 19 hours in the car this weekend to get no farther than 250 miles from home. I did NOT fill up at a gas station with a running truck filling up to me on one side and a trailer marked EXPLOSIVES on the other side.

It's NOT a miracle I'm still alive!

Isn't It Ironic

Isn't it ironic that a spilled gallon of laundry detergent makes such a big freaking mess? As if the giant puddle of blue stuff wasn't bad enough, we have Dexter worthy amount of spatter that made it all the way out of the laundry room and up onto the stairs in the hallway.

I'm back

Just a quick post to say that I am in fact alive and plan to start blogging again soon. We have been busy with work, the end of school and camp and I am sorry I have neglected you all. A few updates for your consideration:

I am again gainfully employed. I start teaching summer school July 1st. I am sure I this will give me plenty of material for the blog. It will be so nice to have a boss I am not married to.

The Christmas tree is still up. I have resigned myself to it making it until next Christmas. We are already over half way to Thanksgiving, so I am just going to roll with it.

After two weeks at the pool more or less non stop my children are in fact brown again.

I have found about 3 pounds that I need to lose, but I just can't make myself quit eating crap.

I decided my cell phone was dirty so I thought it would be wise to wash with the sheets from my bed. Apparently that wasn't a good plan.

Holy crap, I typed this entire post without a single mispelling.

I'm in Love

with the old meat bin at the grocery store. That's what I call it. I'm sure they call it something that sounds much sexier. Needless to say that when it comes to buying red meat the old meat bin and I are monogamous.

Today, I was able to get hamburger meat for $1 a pound, Extra Lean Stew meat for $2 a pound and a rump roast for $4. I got at least 6 meals worth of meat for $10.

I threw the meat in the freezer and predict that next week tacos, roast and stew will be on the menu. What's even better is I already have most of the grocery's I need to complete these meals.

As for this week, I am hoping that after I make the tortellini tonight and a pot of pinto beans tomorrow, the ham will be all gone. I have a sneaky feeling I am going to have to pull one more itteration of ham and something out of the air to get down to the ham bone and make the pintos.

Any ideas other than the standard stuff you find on the internet when you search leftover ham?

Oh No I Didn't

Just feed the kids ham and Easter Eggs for dinner.

Left-Over Ham Recipe

I might have accidentally bought a 9 pound ham for the 4 of us for Easter. OOPS. We may be eating ham until the end of time. I may have just become the Bubba Gump of ham.

Here's what I am cooking tonight or tomorrow. It's different than most of the leftover ham recipe's you will find out there and it is really easy and good.

Tortellini with Ham and Peas

• 1 lb cheese tortellini
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 lb ham chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini until just al dente as package directs. Add peas for last 30 seconds of cooking time.

Drain tortellini and peas and return to pot. Stir in butter, cream, salt, pepper, parm and ham. Turn stove on to medium and cook, stirring until everything is heated through about 2-3 minutes.