Adventures in Life

Well, Gabe is still sick. I have been the sole care provider for Alex for four day now. Since he is sick and running a fever Gabe doesn't hold or touch Alex. Alex will stare at him and smile. Then he gives Gabe a look like, remember me dad? I think he misses Gabe putting him to bed at night. Every night I put him in his crib he wakes up 3-4 times screaming. So, I am not getting a whole lot of sleep. Gabe is going to the doctor today.

Random picture of Alex sleeping, so there is more than just a picture of a box meal (keep reading and you will understand).

There was a major scare on American Idol last night. Adam was in the bottom two. Luckily Matt was sent home. I think I might actually vote next week. I always assumed the final would be between Danny and Adam, but now I am not so sure. It seems like Allison and Danny might be a strong possibility. I still like Kris too. Decisions, decisions.

Gabe and I watched Yes Man last night. It is a movie, staring Jim Carrey, about a man that always says no to everything because he is afraid to embrace life. He then takes a self-help seminar and starts to say yes to everything. The movie had both Gabe and I laughing out loud. I would have laughed a little more, but I was holding Alex and he was sleeping.

I never really followed up on the NCAA basketball bracket from Gabe's work. I won!

A friend from Illinois is coming to visit me next week for a long weekend. It should be a lot of fun.

Last night when we checked the mail I had a package. It contained a lot of awesome things from Macaroni Grill. I signed up for a blog giveaway on Hip2Save and I won! It had a colander, serving spoon, Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken & Pasta, cheese grater, and three coupons for three free Macaroni Grill Entrees. I am looking forward to trying the chicken meal. Maybe we can give it a try tonight.

My surprise package! Thanks to Hip2Save.

We are scheduled to have Alex's 6 month pictures made on Saturday. I hope that Gabe is feeling better. Otherwise, we might not be in any of the pictures and they might be Alex only.

Posted by at 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Happy Birthday Nicole!

Graphic courtesy of Pat's Web Graphics.

Posted by at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today is Alex's 6 Month Birthday! Maybe I should have made a cake or something. Hmm...I guess the day isn't over yet. Anyway, here is his 6 month picture next to a 12 month outfit.

Alex 6 months next to 12 month outfit.

Alex is pretty long, but it is next to impossible to get him to straighten out while taking a picture, so yes, that is my hand attempting to straighten out one leg.

The way things are going, the 12 month outfit may be too short at 12 months. Maybe he will give it a try for the 9 month picture.

I am looking forward to the Dancing with the Stars results show and American Idol tonight. I really hope that Melissa has enough fans to keep her on the show. I think that Ty or Chuck might be going home.

On a happy note, I spoke with a very good friend that I haven't spoken with in a while...a good day. Okay, maybe not the best day, Gabe is sick. So, tonight we are relaxing and watching movies and TV shows.

Posted by at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Sweet & Sour Chicken (3 Servings)

*This is a combination of a bunch of different versions of Sweet & Sour Chicken.*

Ingredients
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups cubed chicken
1 sweet red bell pepper chopped
2 stalks of celery sliced
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
1/4 of a cucumber sliced and in quarters
1 carrot sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Hot cooked rice, optional

1. Drain pineapple juice into a bowl and set pineapple aside.
2. In the bowl with the pineapple juice add the ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar. Combine.
3. In a skillet, cook the chicken and saute the bell pepper, celery, cucumber, and carrots to desired doneness. Then add the sauce mixture.
4. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into the skillet.
5. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Reduce heat and stir in the tomatoes and pineapple until heated through.
7. Serve over rice (optional).

Check out the other yummy recipes over at My Chihuahua Bites.

Posted by at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Saturday Gabe, Alex, and I had dinner at a sushi restaurant with some other people. It was a lot of fun and the sushi was really good. Thinking about it now makes me want some more.

Alex hanging out on the floor while I was working on my swap packages.

We watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua and I was a little disappointed. I really expected a lot from the movie and I think that is the reason for the disappointment. Oh well, it was a free movie.

Sunday we relaxed. Today I received a package in the mail. Brandi painted a dish for Alex and I love it! Alex does too...you can tell from the picture :)

Alex and his Alex plate.

We have watched The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice and The Librarian: The Return to Kind Solomon's Mines. We have watched the series in reverse order and now we just have the first movie left to watch, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear. The series is a comical Indiana Jones. It is great to watch if you are looking for something that is relaxing, entertaining, and doesn't require a lot of though.

I watched The Promotion. It is about a guy, played by Seann William Scott, that is essentially guaranteed a promotion in his Chicago-based grocery store chain until a new guy shows up, played by John C. Reilly. It had its funny moments. If you don't have anything else to watch, it is worth a rent.

Gabe and I are currently watching Speed Racer. It is based off of the comic book and it was Gabe's choice. Maybe if you really liked the comic book series you would be a little more into the movie. It isn't bad, just not my choice of movie.

Posted by at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

If you have a redbox movie rental station and a credit card you can get a free movie today (Monday 04/27/09). If you aren't sure where your closest redbox station is you can look it up on the website. Go to the red box station and choose the option to rent with a promotional code. Enter your code, select your movie, swipe your credit card, and go home and watch your movie. Your credit card will not be charged as long as you return the movie by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday (04/28/09). You can either return the movie to the redbox it was rented from or to any other redbox location. Here is this weeks code 4CW33N. This code can be used once per credit (or debit) card.

If you are actually paying for the movie there is a neat option where you can reserve it and it will be there when you go to pick it up. This is particularly helpful if it is a new release. Unfortunately, this option does not work with the promotional codes.

The codes SHPNSVE2 or REDBOX are available for first-time redbox customers and these are ongoing codes that are available for use anytime, not just on Mondays.

The codes BREAKROOM or DVDONME are for a free rental and are also ongoing codes. They do not have to be used on Mondays.

SHPNSVE2, REDBOX, BREAKROOM, and DVDONME are limited to once per credit (or debit) card.

Posted by at 12:24 PM | Permalink

This one is for Nicole.

Posted by at 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Graphic courtesy of Wonder Cliparts.

Posted by at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

This recipe is very yummy and definitely worth the effort. A friend gave this recipe to me.

Chicken Wonton Soup (6 Large Servings)

Filling:
2 chicken breasts ground up in a food processor (you can use ground chicken or pork)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger (you can use 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger)
½ teaspoon garlic (you can use 1 garlic clove minced)
3 scallions, chopped into rings
1 egg white
½ teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
1 package of wonton wrappers (about 48 wrappers)

Soup:
6 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 scallions, chopped into rings
1 carrot, chopped into slices

1. In a large pot combine chicken stock and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
2. Combine all filling ingredients together in a bowl (except for the wonton wrappers).
3. Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of each wrapper.
4. Dip finger in a bowl of water and run finger around all four edges of wonton wrapper.
5. Bring the four corners up to the center and form a pouch, making sure the filling is sealed into the pouch.
6. Once the stock is up to a boil, place the filled wontons in the pot. Boil for 2 minutes or until they float to the top. Add the scallions and carrots. Simmer for 2 minutes and serve.

Enjoy with edamame on the side.

Check out the other yummy recipes over at My Chihuahua Bites.

Posted by at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you have a redbox movie rental station and a credit card you can get a free movie today (Monday 04/20/09). If you aren't sure where your closest redbox station is you can look it up on the website. Go to the red box station and choose the option to rent with a promotional code. Enter your code, select your movie, swipe your credit card, and go home and watch your movie. Your credit card will not be charged as long as you return the movie by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday (04/21/09). You can either return the movie to the redbox it was rented from or to any other redbox location. Here is this weeks code M6FR97. This code can be used once per credit (or debit) card.

If you are actually paying for the movie there is a neat option where you can reserve it and it will be there when you go to pick it up. This is particularly helpful if it is a new release. Unfortunately, this option does not work with the promotional codes.

The codes SHPNSVE2 or REDBOX are available for first-time redbox customers and these are ongoing codes that are available for use anytime, not just on Mondays.

The codes BREAKROOM or DVDONME are for a free rental and are also ongoing codes. They do not have to be used on Mondays.

SHPNSVE2, REDBOX, BREAKROOM, and DVDONME are limited to once per credit (or debit) card.

Posted by at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Happy Birthday Tammie!

Graphic courtesy of Pat's Web Graphics.

Posted by at 12:00 AM | Permalink

We picked up my car on Wednesday evening. Friday, Alex and I ran most of the errands that I wanted to do on Wednesday. This included picking up the rest of the stuff that we needed for the party on Saturday. We had a good time at the party and the weather was nice enough to sit outside and enjoy the outdoor ceiling fans that Gabe installed. Today we did a little shopping. We bought a few supplies at Sam's and I hit up the paper sale at JoAnn. I really want a Cricut, but I can't justify the cost (even though one version is $110 off right now at Michaels). I have been checking ebay and Amazon. I still can't decide.

Posted by at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We can all use new blog friends. So, go on over to My Chihuahua Bites and join in the fun. Here is this question for this week...who are your top five celebrity crushes?

Hmm...this is a toughie. I don't really have any celebrity crushes, but if you made me choose (in no particular order)...

*My list isn't necessarily about a physical crush. Maybe more a mental crush if that makes any sense.*

1. Sean Biggerstaff. He played Oliver Wood in the Harry Potter movies. Unfortunately, they cut his character in the films before he actually graduated.

2. Adam Lambert. There is just something about him.

3. Simon Cowell. I like him for his brutal honesty...and his accent.

4. Severus Snape. I know he is a character in the book, but like Adam, there is just something about him.

5. Robert Pattison. I am talking about the Cedric Diggory (Harry Potter) version. I know most people won't agree, but he just isn't my idea of Edward Cullen.

Three of the five are from Harry Potter and two are from American Idol, lol!

Posted by at 9:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)

I am participating in the Crisp & Clean White & Green Swap over at Foxgloves, Fabric and Folly!!

You can also sign up for her monthly newsletter (starting in May). It includes recipes and decorating tips.

Posted by at 11:37 PM | Permalink

I am participating in Mamarazzi's Favorite Things Swap. It you would like to join, head on over to her blog and reserve a spot...they fill up quickly!

Posted by at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

On Saturday (April 4) I decided we were cleaning out the garage. We got a head start by working on it a few hours on Friday night. We finished it Saturday! We had a ton of recyclables, some trash, and a truck full of items that we donated to the local thrift store. Gabe had to wait until trash/recycle day to be able to park his truck in the garage, but it is there now!

My parents flew in on Tuesday evening. Wednesday we went to the mall and did some shopping while Gabe was at work.

Friday morning Gabe and my Dad dropped Elsa and Clara off to get their teeth cleaned and we all headed to Tombstone. We walked around the downtown area and had dinner at a local restaurant.

Tombstone Sign

Tombstone Carriage Ride Tour

Bird Cage Theatre

We were stopped by the border police on the way back. I think that was my parents first border check. We came back and picked up the dogs. They have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks. When we came back from Tombstone our yard was mostly finished. There are a few finishing touches here and there that should be completed this week. So, I am going to hold off on posting pictures of our yard until it is completely done.

We went out to dinner at Solaris on Friday night.

"Air Alex". He likes to stick his tongue out when he "flies" through the air.

Gabe & Alex at Solaris

Stephanie & Alex at Solaris

Saturday night was a lot of fun. We played Wii and had prime rib. Yummy! They left bright and early on Sunday morning.

We worked on organizing things in our house Sunday. Gabe managed to hang one of our two outdoor ceiling fans and we rearranged our patio furniture. We had some leftover prime rib, so we had it for Easter dinner. If things weren't so busy, we might have invited some of the other people from Illinois that are living in Arizona over for Easter dinner. Maybe next year.

We didn't take Alex to have his picture made with the Easter Bunny this year. So, I snapped a picture of Alex with one of our decorations.

Alex and bunny.

Yesterday we dropped my car off at the dealer. I need a new fan belt. I received a phone call this morning and they informed me that they don't have the part they need. So, I will be without a car until Wednesday evening. I was going to the post office, grocery store, drug store, and Wal-Mart today, but it is a little difficult without a car. I guess we will be running a few errands once Gabe gets home from work. At some point I will post some pictures of our house. Most likely it will be sometime next week. We are getting ready for our party this Saturday (the one we previously canceled due to illness).

I have recently started using Google Reader and I love it. Instead of having to look at all of the blogs I read, I can quickly go to the blogs that have new posts. An added plus, I can post to blogs that only allow individuals with blogger accounts to comment.

I hope everyone had a great Easter!

Posted by at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Happy Birthday Sissy!

Graphic courtesy of Pat's Web Graphics.

Posted by at 1:01 PM | Permalink

Here is a fun little thing you can do when you have a few extra moments...or just do it anyway :) The idea came from Corinne over at So September.

Go to google or your favorite search engine and type in Unfortunately, your name. So, I typed in Unfortunately, Stephanie and see what shows up. Here are some of mine.

Unfortunately, Stephanie is quite the catch but Eugene is a bit of a nerd.

Unfortunately, Stephanie did not have any hits in the U.S.A.

Unfortunately, Stephanie's website has been woefully neglected for the last 9 years, so this new and improved website is a welcome change!

Unfortunately, Stephanie has a bad habit of leaping first and looking later, and it seems that she has leapt right into a very dangerous situation.

Unfortunately, Stephanie is now broke and has to close the 24-hour Church of Elvis in Portland, OR.

Unfortunately, Stephanie always has a wet diaper.

Unfortunately, Stephanie's quail breast with lobster ravioli is marred by leeks that are both undercooked and unnecessary.

Unfortunately, Stephanie knew she didn't have enough energy to make it through the entire meal.

Unfortunately, Stephanie, when you use a cryptographic hardware device, it isn't possible.

Unfortunately, Stephanie isn't interested in Michael for he isn't a T-Bird.

Unfortunately, Stephanie cannot speak to me directly, as her phone has been stolen, but she is happy to converse by email

Unfortunately, Stephanie was slightly allergic.

Posted by at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you have a redbox movie rental station and a credit card you can get a free movie today (Monday 04/13/09). If you aren't sure where your closest redbox station is you can look it up on the website. Go to the red box station and choose the option to rent with a promotional code. Enter your code, select your movie, swipe your credit card, and go home and watch your movie. Your credit card will not be charged as long as you return the movie by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday (04/14/09). You can either return the movie to the redbox it was rented from or to any other redbox location. Here is this weeks code J89LA2. This code can be used once per credit (or debit) card.

If you are actually paying for the movie there is a neat option where you can reserve it and it will be there when you go to pick it up. This is particularly helpful if it is a new release. Unfortunately, this option does not work with the promotional codes.

The codes SHPNSVE2 or REDBOX are available for first-time redbox customers and these are ongoing codes that are available for use anytime, not just on Mondays.

The codes BREAKROOM or DVDONME are for a free rental and are also ongoing codes. They do not have to be used on Mondays.

SHPNSVE2, REDBOX, BREAKROOM, and DVDONME are limited to once per credit (or debit) card.

Posted by at 9:23 AM | Permalink

Graphic courtesy of Pat's Web Graphics.

Posted by at 8:13 AM | Permalink

If you have a redbox movie rental station and a credit card you can get a free movie today (Monday 04/06/09). If you aren't sure where your closest redbox station is you can look it up on the website. Go to the red box station and choose the option to rent with a promotional code. Enter your code, select your movie, swipe your credit card, and go home and watch your movie. Your credit card will not be charged as long as you return the movie by 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday (04/07/09). You can either return the movie to the redbox it was rented from or to any other redbox location. Here is this weeks code TS473G. This code can be used once per credit (or debit) card.

If you are actually paying for the movie there is a neat option where you can reserve it and it will be there when you go to pick it up. This is particularly helpful if it is a new release. Unfortunately, this option does not work with the promotional codes.

The codes SHPNSVE2 or REDBOX are available for first-time redbox customers and these are ongoing codes that are available for use anytime, not just on Mondays.

The codes BREAKROOM or DVDONME are for a free rental and are also ongoing codes. They do not have to be used on Mondays.

SHPNSVE2, REDBOX, BREAKROOM, and DVDONME are limited to once per credit (or debit) card.

Posted by at 9:24 AM | Permalink

If you have a redbox movie rental station and a credit card you can get a free movie today (Wednesday 04/01/09). If you aren't sure where your closest redbox station is you can look it up on the website. Go to the red box station and choose the option to rent with a promotional code. Enter your code, select your movie, swipe your credit card, and go home and watch your movie. Your credit card will not be charged as long as you return the movie by 9:00 p.m. on Thursday (04/02/09). You can either return the movie to the redbox it was rented from or to any other redbox location. Here is this weeks code MMM401. This code can be used once per credit (or debit) card.

If you are actually paying for the movie there is a neat option where you can reserve it and it will be there when you go to pick it up. This is particularly helpful if it is a new release. Unfortunately, this option does not work with the promotional codes.

The codes SHPNSVE2 or REDBOX are available for first-time redbox customers and these are ongoing codes that are available for use anytime, not just on Mondays.

The codes BREAKROOM or DVDONME are for a free rental and are also ongoing codes. They do not have to be used on Mondays.

SHPNSVE2, REDBOX, BREAKROOM, and DVDONME are limited to once per credit (or debit) card.

Posted by at 9:38 AM | Permalink