Friday Freebie - MEGA Event!

Welcome back to Friday...you can always rely on the fact that the week will end and Friday will come. I love that. I love me some reliability.

As has become custom here at Sacred & Profane, we're givin' something away to congratulate you on making it through another grueling week. Only today? You can win one of THREE prizes! Yeah, that's right - three prizes and three winners. Can I get a woot woot?!

We're shaking it up a bit, though - I'm teaming up with the ever lovely Kameron over at A Wrinkle in Time and she's giving away one of her delicious wares. Have you SEEN the goodies she makes? Here...take a peek:






She also makes the cutest little pillowcase dresses and diaper cakes. You can go check out all of her designs at her kid's clothing site.

One lucky winner will win a custom made onesie or kid's T-shirt from Kameron!!

Two other *also* lucky winners will win 1 year subscriptions to this magazine:



Oh yeah, babe. Who doesn't need a free magazine subscription? GREAT bathroom reading material. Scouts Honor.

How do you win? Same as usual - leave a comment and let us know which onesie design is your favorite for one entry and blog about Friday Freebie with a link back to me and Kameron for another.

The hitch in this here giddy-up? You have no idea where the winner will be chosen! Will the winners be chosen from here or from Kameron's place? We'll never tell! Well, I mean, when we announce the winner we will obviously tell but not before that. So comment here and comment there and make a blog post at your place...that's good for 4 entries (if you link to both of us in your entry).

This Friday Freebie will close at Noon PST on Saturday (that's tomorrow!) So hurry up and get your groove on!

Happy Friday!!!

I will be seeking legal action

Last night after I got out of the shower, I heard a familiar song. The girls were downstairs sleeping in the tent we set up in the living room and I wondered aloud to Rob, "I think they're watching our wedding video." We kind of laughed and then I said, "Crap..I hope the reception's not on that video!" And down the stairs I came.

They were, indeed, watching the wedding and I sat down with them just in time to hear the vows. Rob and I sure promised each other a lot. I'm going to have to go back and see if he's upholding his end of the bargain. (I apparently agreed to greet him with a smile each day. *buzzer sound* FAIL.) We were pronounced man and wife, the pastor prayed and then we made out in front of God and everyone at our church.

The problem came when the pastor was praying. He prayed for health and happiness and love. He prayed for wisdom and guidance. He prayed for all those good, happy, shiney, rainbow things. Then he prayed for enough adversity to keep us together. Just enough trouble to keep us hand in hand. Enough hard times to keep us on our knees.

Yeah.

This is all HIS fault. Sienna's brain junk, B's surgery stuff, Corban's sensory disorder, the marriage problems, us losing our house, the Jerry Springer family drama, both of us working our butt's off and having nothing to show for it? All that pastor's fault. I *knew* it wasn't our fault!

I fully intend to sue him. He's a pastor, he's probably rolling in the dough, right? Drivin' a caddy, wearing pimped out suits, solicitating "donations". We're gonna be rich.

I highly suggest you dig out your wedding video and see if your pastor is at fault for your life troubles, too. Maybe we can get, like, a class action lawsuit going or something.

Iron Chef: Kid Chef WINNERS!

Thank you SO much to all the kids that participated - those that submitted recipes and those that were guest judges. You guys SERIOUSLY Rock!

While everything we tasted was yummalicious, only 1 person can win in each category. According to the poll added to the guest judges votes, the winners are....

Main Dish: Mini Pizza Cups by Lillian

Dessert: The Best Brownies EVAH by Corban

How funny that the two YOUNGEST contestants won!

Congrats to Lillian and congrats to Corban!

Shelby, email me your address again and I'll get that $5 Target GC in the mail to you.

Self, get a $5 GC for Corbs.

Thanks for playing along!!

Blogstyle Iron Chef will be taking the month of August off but we'll be back in September for some good cooking competition!

Seriously.

*ahem*

*cough cough cough*

Sorry.

So very, very sorry.

Seriously sorry.

Thought I could move Seriously Tuesday to Seriously Saturday and that it would work out ok, but it didn't and it doesn't and it won't judging by the comments and emails I got. So, yk, here ya go. Seriously Tuesday.

It's the 3rd Tuesday of the month so it's ....



On Saturday someone said:

Anonymous said...
Serously secret. I'M PREGNANT!!!!! Again, finally. I've been bursting to share for weeks but shhhh I can't yet. But please, would someone make the darned room stop rocking? It's making me sick to my stomach. (Seriously profane.)

July 25, 2009 9:35 PM

...and since I don't have a secret to share, I'm going with that one. Do *you* have a secret?

Welcome Back to Tuesday, Seriously.

Seriously Saturday

That's right ya'll, Seriously has moved days. I know you were all (purplemoose) wondering where Seriously went...and here's your answer. I moved it to Saturday. Why? Cause I wanted to. HA!

I'm changing the rules, too. You can leave me a comment and start it with Seriously (Sacred or Profane or Secret or Stupid) and let me know what's on your mind. You can STILL do it anonymously or you can leave your name with your comment. OR you can grab one of the buttons and make a post on your own blog and link back to me.

Now, I'm not saying it's a blog carnival or anything - cause Lord knows there's enough of those already. I'm just sayin', yk, if you want. Just right click, save and link back to me. Word.









There...those are your options. Grab one and post, if you want.

Me? Here we go:



You know what's Seriously Profane? That I had to take B in to the Dr. AGAIN on Friday. Yes, again. I've probably spent $300 in co-pays alone since June 1. It's ridiculous.

So B had to have a blood draw, throat swab AND urine culture. We finished it all up with an antibiotic shot, a call to the Pediatric Urologist (surgeon who did his reconstruction/repair) and an RX for a 10-day Oral antibiotic. He has a probable UTI - we bagged him and cultured but didn't cath due to his recent surgery and the delicate nature of the area, so they're saying PROBABLE UTI but not 100%. The Pediatrician is worried about a scar tissue obstruction in the urethra but the surgeon is out until Tuesday so we're waiting to hear back from him. If *he* wants to see B, it'll mean a trip to another town.

The whole thing is Seriously Profane and we're over it. I'm over the 102-103 degree fevers from the past couple of weeks. I'm over the pain my baby is in. I'm over the lack of sleep for the both of us. I'm over it all, for cryin out loud. Isn't this new penis of his under warranty, still, for the love of pete?

Don't even get me started on how Profane the bills from the anesthesiologist were. Kids, listen up...you want to make some serious money for a few minutes of work? Go into Anesthesiology.

Seriously Profane is also insurance companies that pay less than they said they would - "It was an estimate, not a guarantee, ma'am." Eh, Bite me.

Way too much Profanity has been coming out of my mouth lately. THAT is Seriously Profane, too. Ask my kids who have renamed me "Momma Potty Mouth".

The damned fake Saxophone that my neighbor gave Corban is Seriously Profane, too. That boy is driving the whole neighborhood crazy while he toots his own horn.

Sienna's attitude changes lately are ALSO Seriously Profane. Like...with capital letters..SERIOUSLY PROFANE. Love puberty. Love it. Mwah..kisses and hugs to puberty. Bastard.

I'm ranting and carrying on, aren't I? I suppose you think THAT is Profane, don't you? Eh. Shut it. ;-)

Ok, your turn. Leave me a comment or grab a button and post. Your choice.

Ready?

Go.

Seriously.

Friday Freebie!!!

Welcome back to Friday! You did it! You made it through ANOTHER week. Pat yourselves on the back. No, really, go ahead and do it..I'll wait.

*taps foot*

Did you do it? Oh for crap's sake, just do it already! No one will care. I'll care if you DON'T do it though. What? Oh, I'll know all right. I have a tiny camera in my computer that makes it so I can view into the house of every person that reads my blog. Shyeah, you SHOULDA gotten dressed first, that's for sure.

So, pat yourself on the back so we can move on!

Great!

Once again I'm sending you off for an adventure to win something cool from someone else. I promise that I'll give something away again soon. Something very cool in just a week, as a matter of fact. But anyway.

This week Holly has graciously agreed to host the FF again and has been *horsin around* to come up with her Freebie gift. Yeah, she's a real *character* and shoulda been in the *movies*. Ha!

So, go check Holly out, tell her I said hello and pick yourself a bucket o fun!

Peace out, yo.

I'm writing 'bout the Book I read ...

I love to read. I was the kid that got in trouble in school for reading..too much. I read in math class, history class...hell, I would've read in Gym class if I could have. I adore it. I make my kids read for 15 minuted per day. So I was looking at my bookshelf today, trying to pick my next book...and I wondered what my bookshelf says about me.

(Click on each pic for full view)

Here's the bookshelf in it's entirety:



Top shelf? Dusty pictures of the girls. What? The boys don't exist yet in that world, eh? Yeah..either that or they look just like the girls. Who knows.

Next shelf?



That's where the Bibles are. I think Rob is collecting them. The girls' Bibles and my Bible are there, too.

After that..

My shelf of books to read (click to read titles):



Not all of those. Just from Expecting Joy to Liars Diary. I have 3 more in line to read: Turning Tables by Heather Macdowell; Willing Spirits by Phyllis Schieber; and Fade Away by Harlan Coben. Th rest, to the right? Those are Rob's books.

And I just finished Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward. Good, melancholy book. I love this author. Read her if you get a chance.

The next shelf is full of books Rob's collecting.

Here's the bottom shelf:



Left side is books I've read that I have up on Paperback Swap right now. Right side is Rob's stuff.

So what does my bookshelf say about me? What does yours say about you?

B says "Peace out, yo."

Iron Chef: Kid Chefs

The Polls are OPEN! Don't forget to vote for your favorite recipes!

Guest Judges - please have your vote to me by Wednesday morning (July 29th) by 9am Pacific.

Helpful Hints from heidi

When teaching your children limmericks, tongue twisters and rhymes, it's best to make sure they know the entire thing.

It might be funny when she says it wrong as a cute little girl, but when she's 8 and running around yelling...

Peter Piper Pickles Peckers!

...in public, it's a little embarassing.

Not to mention that then you have to explain what pickled peckers are to her.

I lost on Jeopardy...baby...

I have a few TV shows that I consider "Can't Miss" even though I generally *do* miss them and end up watching them online. Grey's Anatomy & Desperate Housewives are two of these shows. We don't watch too much TV at our house - oh, not because we don't believe in it. No, we're BIG believers in TV, man. Big. Huge. We just don't have cable and only get two channels other than PBS, so we miss a lot. I recently stumbled upon a show after hearing my friends rave about it - it's in it's third season and I'd never once seen it before. Now? I don't know how I live with out it.



Yeah, Army Wives. I went to Hastings to pick up Season Two, Disk 5 today and some hussy has checked it OUT. I'm so mad and sad! I neeeeeeeeed it! *sigh*

So now I'm asking you guys - what's your favorite TV show? What show have I missed that I should start from Season 1, Episode 1 and watch through? I'm nearly caught up with Army wives and then what? Back to the HGTV tapes my mom so graciously records and mails to me.

Alas, even my gay boyfriend can't cheer me up this time.



So, what do I watch next?

Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies...

Remember way back when I said Rob would answer questions? Well, I'm finally forcing him to answer them. After he offered. Slacker. So tonight I asked and he answered. I typed as he spoke:

Some people wished their questions to remain anonymous. They have.

How do you feel about your wife sharing your lives with the entire world?

LOL Huh....usually I'm ok with it.

Me: Well, when are you not?

I don't know that I have, actually had a problem, on this time around. It just depends on what is being posted. She's asked me before if I have a problem with something she's gonna ost so as long as we're communicating, then I'm ok with it.

From Trudy: What do you and Heidi like to do for fun when you don't have the kids...BESIDES that, keep it clean!

With 4 kids we haven't done anything alone in a long time! We don't even know what alone is anymore. At least not together alone. The reason we have 4 kids together is because of what we like to do together..alone. HA! The next time we're alone maybe there'll be a fifth kid!

Has heidi ever embarassed you on her blog?

Mmmm...seems vaguely like something has bothered me but I don't know what so I can't say that she has, this time. I wanna say maybe but I can't tell you what so it must not have been too embarassing.

(Uh, my last blog? He has resentment. I'm just sayin'.)

Kameron said: How do you feel about the fact that you will have 2 teenage daughters at one time. Have you started cleaning your gun yet. I know you have time, but just sayin.

I have not bought my shotgun yet. But I should probably get on it. Ya know, I suspect that somewhere, uhm, I dunno. I dunno that I'm really really concerned Yk, that migth be stupidity - somewhere between hell and my lack of super cnocern may be reality. I'm sure it won't be all that great but at the same time I don't know that our girls' are going to be a major problem. Then again, as long as I'm kept in 'bliss' everything will be ok.

Susie asked: What is it like being married to Heidi?

*snicker* (silence) Well. I'd like to think it's enjoyable otherwise I wouldn't be married to her. She puts up with a lot of crap from me. But also, I'm not entirely sure that her blog personality is her full married personality. I don't know that who you readers see in her blog is 100% her. I think it's a fraction of who she is but not her entire personality. Then again, I have been known to not laugh at everything she says, much to her dismay. I guess it's just a bittersweet mixture. *wink* I think the 4 kids are part of the master plan to keep me around.

HA!

JenT asks: Heidi may have already posted about this sometime, but what do you do for work?

Systems Administrator for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle which is only half the truth - it's somewhere between IT Director and System Admin. I had them change my title this past year to Sys Admin from IT Director because it seemed more accurate. In a nutshell, I'm supposed to make sure that everything technical works so they can get the paper out.

From Jill: Rob, how involved are you when it comes to helping out with the kiddos? Do you change diapers, give baths, the whole shebang? Or do you leave all of that to the missus? :)

I *do* all of that but the percentage ratio isn't exactly equal. Obviously she does most of it, I do some of it and I think heidi would say that I'm more involved today than when we started this adventure. (heidi concurs. He's way more involved now than he was when it was just the girls.) My only concern is that my dear wife is gonna want perfection so were gonna hafta have more to get there.

webberpa asks: How many times a day do you see some gal in, say walmart and ask yourself "I wonder what she looks like nekid?"? Just wanna compare your answer to mine. ;)

If I'm in the store and I feel I'm having an inappropriate thoughtt like that, I pray for some help. I've already been down that road. And since that time I hafta say I don't really have a problem like that. At best, I might see something that causes me to want to "spend time" with my wife but I don't really walk around lookin at women wondering what they look like naked. I certainly try to avoid going down that path.

The Purple Moose wants to know: What's your take on the whole free choice vs. predetermination? Do you think it will be a pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-tribulation rapture?

Okay, I don't believe in a secret rapture. And I base that on Revelation 1:7 which indicated that EVERY eye will see Him, not just ones that are secretly sucked away. Also, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says "According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." Which indicates that those who are alive will not preceed those who have died. And 17 says that those who are alive will be caught up with those who have died. It seems like a cruel punishment for God to play lifeguard and pull everyone out of the pool only to say, "Go back down, I gotta come get ya." As to the predestination vs free choice - I think that mankind has free choice to, uhm, I think mankind has free choice. I think God knows the choices that we're going to make. I, uh, I also believe that knowing that choice, God still persues mankind.

Do you care that heidi blogs? Do you wish she wouldn't?

I don't care that she blogs. I'm fine with it. I wish *I* blogged. HA! (Rob HAS a blog, he just posts very infrequently! Click on his picture in my sidebar to check it out!)

Mimi is dying to know: Who is easier to raise...boys or the girls?

I don't know. The boys are too young. They both seem tempermental - they're vastly different but that's a question I'll need to be aske din twenty or so years. Remember, we haven't hit the teen years for either of them.

And there ya have it, ladies and gents, life according to Rob. ;-)

Thanks for playing along!

Friday Freebie!!!

Welcome to the late edition of Friday Freebie!

Better late than never, no? I'm a slacker, I apologize, it's all my fault. Please don't let that deter you from winning an AWESOME prize!

If you're new to Friday Freebies - every Friday we give something aaway just to say "Congrats on making it through another week!" Why? Don't know. Don't care. Do you really care why or do you just want to win a prize? Ok then.

This week is being guest hosted over at my friend Cheryl's place. Cheryl went back to school and recently just got her degree - hooray for Cheryl! I have much admiration for anyone that does that and I know that she had to overcome a whole bunch of JUNK to get it done, so I'm doubly impressed.

Go see her and see what kind of yummy-yummness she's giving away this week. :-)

Happy Friday to ya and see ya next week for ANOTHER giveaway!

Seriously Profane.

Yeah. THAT is what I find profane. People who let their dogs ride in their faces while they drive. It irritates the key-rap out of me.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I've said I'm not a big fan of dogs, it's true. So shoot me. But yk what I AM a fan of? My children and our safety. And, yk, even though I'm not a dog lover I just don't think they should be hurt, either. I'm not heartless for crap's sake!

You dress your beloved pooch in some nasty little get-up and you pamper her at the groomer. You feed him the best kibble and you make sure he has all the necessary shots. Obedience school? Check. Long walks and time to play? Check. Roll down the window when you leave them in the car at the store instead of just leaving them at HOME in the backyard where they can run and play? CHECK. So WHY the HELL do you let them ride right there in front of the airbag?

Oooooh! Added protection for you, right? You don't want airbag burn? I dunno what else it could be because the impact of that airbag is gonna squash your dog into your face. SMASH. Dog guts. In. Your. Face.

Plus? Uh...when your dog is jumping all over the damned car? And in front of you while you're driving? YOU CAN'T FREAKING SEE and you damned near t-boned me. Uh..I mean..uhm...you could get in an accident.

In conclusion - if you can't leave your doggie at home....why not try this on for size:



And that, my friends is ALL Seriously Profane. What about you? What's been profane in your life lately?

Dear Moms at the Library:

The computers here are not your babysitter. I know, I know...the draw to them is amazing, isn't it? Setting your kid up with headphones and some computer games while you work on your laptop or sit and chat with other moms and sip your latte sounds like a fab idea, doesn't it? Oh, yeah, I mean - I totally get it. But here's the thing... my kid wants a turn, too.

They set a 15 minute limit on those games to deter kids from hogging the computer. It's a visual reminder that you have to get off the computer and give someone else a turn. It instills the value of sharing.

Of course, all of this was set in place for the kids, not the parents. It's the parents that click through the timed out messaged. It's the parents that teach the kids how to click through and keep playing so mommy can finish hearing about how Lulu's trip to Mexico was and so she can get just one more stack of paperwork done.

So, I sit there, next to you, clearing my throat and saying things like, "It's almost our turn, Corbs. As soon as their timer goes off YOU get to have a turn!" And you purposefully ignore me and my child who is getting more and more disappointed by your lack of consideration. After the girls 90 minute class and my child not ONCE got his 15 minute turn on the computer, we leave with me promising him that I will buy him a donut.

I just want this to be your warning, ok? Because this time I went and complained to the librarian in my "inside voice" but next time? Next time I won't be so nice and I will embarass you by LOUDLY pointing out that your are, in fact, hogging the computers and we want our turn. And I'm not afraid to get ugly, because this was three freaking weeks in a row of the same moms and the same kids hogging the computers.

I'm not trying to be mean, at all. It's just..yk...if you want to ignore your children can you just do it at home, please?

Snotfaces.

Friday Freebie!!!

Welcome to another Friday! Yay you on making it through!! So, since you made it through we're gonna give something away - just like we do every Friday. I say 'we' because I need you to do something for me.

I need you to head over to the person guest hosting today and make sure you tell her ...



Yeah, this person is SO nice that she's giving away a present for HER birthday.

Thanks Pam! And, uh,



<---Click There.

Helpful Hints from heidi

If you're obsessively watching a TV Show on DVD that you are late to coming to love, it is HELPFUL to know which season and disc you are on. If you don't, you might have something like this happen to you:

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Me: Oh shoot. They're out of the ONE disc I need! I need disc three and it's checked out!
Lady at Hastings: Can I help you?
Me: Yeah - I need disc three, Season two of Army Wives but I don't see it.
Her: Let me check and se if we have it in or not.
Me: Oh! That'd be GREAT, thankyousomuch.

Then I wandered off with the kids to let them pick a .99 movie for the week.

Lady at Hastings: Oh! I got ALL excited because I found disc three but it was season one!
Me: Damnit! I'm so bummed!!! I NEED disc three for season two. *sniff sinf*
Her: I know - I'm sorry. I even checked the system - it's checked out to someone and not due for another 5 days.
Me: SO rude. I NEED that disc.
Her: Sorry!! *sniff sniff* I'm off to get a kleenex because I am just so very sad that you won't be able to watch the show obsessively like you want to and will have to wait to find out if Denise and Frank split up or what happens with Pamela's stalker or if Roxy and your new TV boyfriend can get past this pain-pill addiction. Gosh, I need an Xanax!!
Me: Me too! *wail*

Fast forward about 6 hours to me telling this to Rob:

Rob: Uh, babe?
Me: mmmhmmm?
Rob: Didn't YOU just have Disc 3 checked out?
Me: What? WHat are you TALKING about?
Rob: Didn't you JUST take back disc 3 today? You needed Disc 4, Season 2 - not Disc three.
Me: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!
Rob: Babe. You're losin' it.
Me: How could I be so STUPID?! I DID turn in Disc three today! I'm a MORON! I needed disc FOUR! Damnitall!
Rob: Wow. I can't wait to tell everyone I know that this just happened because I think it's hilarious to laugh at your receeding brain power and lack of short term memory.
Me: NO SEX FOR YOU!

The end.

Iron Chef: Kid Chefs - The Recipes!

All right - the moment has arrived! We have enough entries to announce the participants. This time, though, I'm not cutting ANYONE out. Nope. We had 9 entries and *I'm* not going to be the one that tells them they can't play along. No way, no how. So - they're ALL NINE in the mix. Only - now there's TWO prizes! Yep. Two. $5 gift cards to Target. There's two categories and I wanna know which you like best in each category - Main Dish and Dessert.

Now, ideally you'd have your kids help you make this stuff but that's your call. You don't have to do pictures and document it all - just have them help out and tell you what they think of each recipe. C'mon - they're easy enough!! Crimeny, one of the entries is from a THREE YEAR OLD. Have a little faith in your kids - make it fun! Teach them a skill they'll need anyway.

So, here's how it goes: You have until 8 am PST on Wednesday, July 29 to cast your votes. There will be a poll in the sidebar, as always, for popular votes. I'm still in the process of securing all of our kid judges so if your kid wants to judge, drop me a line and let me know! All of those votes are due by 8 am PST on the 29th, as well. I will announce the TWO winners later that day.
So, make a list, check it twice, let's find out whose naughty and...wait...wrong thing. Uh...oh, right - Let's EAT!

Main Dish Category:
Taco Soup by Cat
Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Fruit Salad by Matthew
Corn Dog Twists by Nathan
Mini Pizza Cups by Lillian
Chili Spaghetti by Cara
Hawaiian Teriyaki Beef Kebobs with Grilled Pineapple by Sienna

Dessert Category:
Banana Split Pie by DD & Nisha
Brain Freeze Ice Cream Sundae by Topher
The Best Brownies EVAH by Corban

Good luck guys!

Iron Chef: Kid Chef Entries

Boy did I just get in trouble. My kids wanna know why THEY can't enter and uh, I dunno why. Not like I'm the only vote so I'm not going to cheat, right? Ok then...so, I'll just go ahead and add these three recipes to the mix. My apologies. I also edited the original post to reflect these recipes.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Chili Spaghetti by Bear

Ingredients:
1 Big Can Chili or leftover chili from a few nights ago
Thin Spaghetti Noodles
Shredded Cheese

Instructions:
1. Boil pan full of water
2. Add spaghetti noodles
3. Heat up chili
4. Drain noodles when your mom says they're done - make her help you because you do NOT want to get burned, I promise.
5. Serve Chili on top of spaghetti noodles.
6. Cheese can be put on if you want. I dont' like cheese so I don't.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Hawaiian Teriyaki Beef Kebobs with Grilled Pineapple by Sissy

Ingredients:
1 pkg of stew meat or steak cut into chunks
1 Tbsp chopped/minced garlic
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2-inch slice fresh ginger OR 1 Tbsp Ginger powder
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 can pineapple slices

Instructions:
1. In a big ziplock bag put these: brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and meat.
2. Shake it and smoosh it around.
3. Let it sit for, like, 30 minutes or 1 hour.
4. Put wooden skewers in a pan of water for 30 minutes so they don't burn up on the grill.
5. After 30 min or 1 hour put the meat on the skewers - about 6 or 7 for each skewer.
6. Tell your mom or dad it's time to heat up the grill - let them help you because the grill gets really, really hot.
7. Dump the rest of the marinating sauce and make sure you wash your hands and every where the meat touched really good because it's raw meat and blood and you don't want to get that stuff ANYWHERE. Gross.
8. Open Pineapple can and drain all the juice out. Put them on a plate.
9. Over medium heat, put pineapple on the grill for 10-15 minutes. Make sure you turn it over halfway through.
10. Add beef skewers and cook for 4-6 minutes or until they're done like you like them. We like them well done with no blood showing.
11. Serve over rice.

P.S. Sometimes we like to put a little honey on our pineapple - it's really good that way!

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

The Best Brownies Ever by Boy

Ingredients:
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. Nestle's cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla (Mom's secret ingredient: PURE vanilla - not that fakey extract stuff)
1 bag milk chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Gradually blend in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into 12-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

***Boy helps me make this every time. He likes to lick the bowl, yo. HA! It's easy enough if you pre-measure and let them just ump the stuff in as needed.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

B likes breastmilk the mostestest so, uh, you're on your own there. I hear there's candy factory in Belgium or something that makes chocolate out of breastmilk. Try that, why don't ya?

Iron Chef: Kid Chefs

Ok, I'm leaving this open until 7pm PST tonight because if not? Then it'll just be battle of the Schweri kids! So - to those of you that emailed me and said your kids wanted to play along - post their recipe! To those of you that commented and said "Woohoo! WHat fun!" Post a recipe! It doesn't have to have pictures or anything - just post the recipe your kid likes to make and submit it.

I DO want to reitterate that it needs to be something they can make with minimal help and supervision. This is about THEM, not us.

Last call! Last Call!!

I'd like to respond to you...

...but you don't have your email enabled.

See, when you comment on my blog, sometimes I'd like to just reply directly to your comment. I really like being able to do that because then I don't forget to go hunt down your email addy and say what I need to say.

So, since I know you're dying to know what I have to say, please go make sure you have your email address enabled to make MY life easier.

Don't know how? Well..it's your lucky day! My friend Jill has given you a step by step guide to get this done. She's done this along with some other helpful blog tips. Go check out how smart she is and learn how to pimp your own blog, yo:



And enable your email addy for crying out loud.

A Menu and some Iron Chef stuff

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there! <---pretend I said that with a Minnesota accent.

Menu for this pay period:

Soft Shell Tacos <---they were yummy
Roast, Potatoes and Carrots in the CP <---Sis's Welcome Home dinner - YAY!
Honey Lime Beef Kebabs, Rice, Steamed Veggies <---didn't get to have it last time
Mexican Omelets
Sausage Quiche
Stuffed Shells
Campfire Stew <---scroll to the bottom
Turkey Breast, Stuffing, Fresh Green Beans
Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki Kebabs with Grilled Pineapple and Asian Slaw
Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Chips, etc. <---4th of July
Pizza, Breadsticks and Cake <---Corban's 3rd Birthday

A lot of the recipes are coming from this book that the girls checked out from the library and they are goign to be helping prepare them.



I failed to mention the deadline for submission in my last Iron Chef post! Deadline is TOMORROW night!!! That's Tuesday night for those of you that are day-challenged like me. So, post your recipes and let me know that you have, so I can link them up. I don't have any strict rules as to what KIND of recipe it is, just as long as your child makes it with minimum help or only supervision. Good luck!

M I S S you much

My sissy girl went to camp this past week for the first time. Not only was it her first time at camp, it was her first time being away from me for a week. Added to that is that we didn't get to talk to her for the whole week she was gone.

Dudes.

I had serious issues. I sent her a card in her bag to find that first night and then I mailed another to get there about mid week, but what about me? No one gave ME a card midweek to tell me all was well and good. *sigh*

I missed her something awful. I love that kid, I tell ya. She is seriously sacred to me and I don't know what I would do without her.

Friday Freebie!!!

First Friday of the month means that the FF is over at Mimi's place! Even though Mimi is on vacation, she's still got some goodies for ya! Go check it out an see what's free this time. :-)



Happy Friday!

Iron Chef: July

Welcome, welcome! If you're new here and don't know what this Iron Chef thing is all about, you can get the gist of it, here.

I'm really excited about the theme for this month's Iron Chef!! I think it's important for kids to help out in the kitchen, don't you? I think it helps to foster a love (or at least understanding) of cooking. And not just the girls, but the boys, too.

We've just checked out this book from the library and are planning to use it to plan our menu over the next few weeks. It's exciting! My girls are forced to help plan, cook and clean up a meal every week. The enjoy all but the cleaning up part. HA!

So, now I'm inviting you and yours to play along. This month's theme is Kid Chefs. I'm looking for kid's that cook a meal - easy or hard, as long as THEY do it. There's no pride in doing your kids science project for them, is there? No. Shame, shame, shame.

Ask your kid if they want to play along. Have THEM pick the recipe they want to post and post it. If they're chosen, they have to COMMIT to trying the other two recipes, as well. The guest judges (minus the popular opinion) are all kids this time around, too. The recipe needs to be easy enough for kids' to make with adult supervision and MINOR help.

So, post and let me know when you do. I'll link you up at the end of this post. Next Wednesday I'll use random.org to choose the 3 finalists and post links to their recipes. Then it's just..yk..game on.

Ready? Bring it.