trying to get stuff done!

so i’ve been having issues getting pictures up here from our trip. but they’re all on facebook now, so you can see them there if you so desire. we had a good trip and now i’m dealing with the whole post-trip thing. so much to do. house is a sty. laundry never-ending. and i’m totally lazy from not having to do the normal stuff while away. ugh.

but anyway, i’m going to try and make a to do list here for the week. hopefully i’ll get things done so i won’t have to feel depressed about it. yes, it’s my birthday, but stuff still needs to be done.

wash lindsey’s sleeping bags and return.
set up tent to air and sweep out all the dirt.
pick raspberries.
check pool, add water.
get skimmer for pool.
clean up stuff in backyard.
clean out cooler and return to mom and dad.
clean bathrooms.
catch up on laundry.
fold and put away the pile of sheets that has been in my room for weeks. :(
sweep and mop dining room and kitchen floor.
plan meals and grocery shop for the week.
costco run.
put away all camping stuff in a somewhat orderly fashion.
vacuum rug in garage.
put away doll house in garage and stash toys.
clean mom and dad’s on thursday.
return pei’s lantern.
work on mom’s shawl.
get shane’s bike.
pick up library books.

ugh. that should be enough. there’s a million other things that need to get done as well, but i’m not super enthusiastic about that list so far, so i think i’ll leave it alone. if i, by some miracle, get all that done and then some, i’ll be impressed. i wish i could make a different list… maybe something like:

drink coffee.
get plenty of sleep.
knit.
catch up on kids’ cartoons.
blog.
waste countless hours on facebook.
watch kids play outside.

i think i could handle that.

Comments

beef stew recipe

another taken from the betty crocker cookbook, but i mess with this one so refer to the disclaimer … 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove of garlic, pressed (or some good shakes of garlic powder) 1 lb. stew beef 3 cups of hot water (I probably use closer to 3.5 or 4) 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 3 medium carrots, cut in thick coins 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1-2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 tsp salt 1 bay leaf *optional: 1/2 bell pepper of your choice; 1 turnip; 1/2 tsp browning sauce (whatever that is) 1/2 cup cold water 2 tbsp all-purpose flour heat oil in large pot. cook beef and garlic in oil about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. add hot water, 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. cover and simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until beef is almost tender. stir in remaining ingredients except cold water and flour. cover and simmer

tater tot casserole recipe

i realized i forgot to post this last week when we had it. i actually like it a little better than the hash brown one, but both are good. it’s VERY similar. once again, this is something i’ve made so many times that i just kind of wing it now, although i do have the recipe that kate sent to me after she made it for my family when micah was born. i like to keep the recipe because it has some little ‘britishisms’ throughout, just like kate! ;-) who, by the way, rocks, having called to check up on me the other evening when she saw that the power in our area was out AGAIN! thanks kate, smooch smooch! but now i’m getting distracted… big surprise. here goes. you will need: 1 lb or so ground beef (or ground turkey) 1 chopped onion a bunch of veggies (kate’s recipe calls for a ‘tin’ of mixed veggies, but i use fresh carrots & celery if i’ve got’em, frozen beans, peas, corn, whatever). maybe 2-3 cups. 1 can (or tin) of cream of something soup (i use celery usually

it just keeps getting better...

so obviously, from my earlier post, the dinner-making portion of my day was a little less than spectacular. oh, that was just the beginning. dave worked late today. after dinner, i ran a bath for the younger 2 and in the process of getting them from the dining room to the bathroom, micah knocked the container of cheerios off the table and they dumped ALL OVER the floor. i scooped up what i could and threw it back in the container, then, mindful that the water was still running in the tub and i didn't want to flood the bathroom, i herded the kids into the bathroom and dumped them into the tub. i went back into the dining room and proceeded to sweep up the mound of cheerios that was left on the floor, all the while keeping an ear open for both voices and giggles in the bathroom (as long as you can hear them, their heads are above water, right?). that took all of about 2 minutes. i looked in on them (both happy as could be) and discovered that both of my younger, happy ch

a blue period...

i'm feeling really lazy lately. well, some might think i'm lazy all the time, but it's worse right now. i always get really down on myself when i'm having trouble keeping things organized, when my house is a mess, when we eat mac and cheese for dinner, etc. usually that's appropriate motivation to get me off my butt and make me keep things in some sort of relative order. but night now it's really bad. i don't feel like doing anything. there are toys all over, and i purposely make myself not see them because i just don't want to pick them up. same with the dirt behind the door in the bathroom. the pile of clothes that need to be ironed, the mess in my bedroom, the crap falling out of the drawers in my bathroom, the garage. i don't want to go grocery shopping. i don't want to cook. the floor needs to be swept and mopped in the kitchen and dining room and the sink is dirty. the backyard is a total disaster and i just don't feel like

oh come on! seriously???

so i just discovered something unpleasant. my favorite bagged salad (not very green, i know) is packaged in the bad #7 plastic! this is the one that canada just anounced they will be banning for use in food and beverage containers because it leaches BPA into the food it contains. i'm so ticked. i am a major fan of packaged salads because i love salad, but i HATE to wash lettuce. no really, i despise it. i'm not sure exactly why, but it's a very unpleasant task for me and i avoid it at all cost. so i'm majorly bummed. i realize that i can still get salads in the little plastic boxes, which is probably better since they are usually organic, but they don't have the ones with all the nifty extra veggies in them that i like and they usually have lots of extra greens in them which dave (aka, mr. iceberg) won't eat. LAME!!!

rachel's continued ramblings

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