Love My Latest Facebook Status...

I Love Me Some Empire!

That's Boardwalk Empire! Sooooo gooood!!!

Tortilla Pizza!

I love making these for the girls and they loooove them! Super easy and quick! I used flour tortilla here, but we usually use whole wheat tortilla and they're awesome! When I was a kid, we used to make these with English Muffins! Great toddler food!! Add anything you like! Here I added mushrooms, garlic & oregano powder.

PS Be sure to toast the tortilla or english muffin before you add toppings so that it doesn't get soggy!

Puerto Rican Holiday...

Alright people! I seriously think I will be making traditional Puerto Rican holiday dishes this year. It's really for no one other than us, but I really feel like I need to pass on our traditions to Brianlily as soon as possible! I want her to watch and help make it all the way I've done with my grandmother.

I'm talking about some serious hard work- Pasteles (scroll down to read about Puerto Rico)! And of course some Alcapurrias! Now all I have to do is find all the ingredients here in West Bubba! I really want to make it happen though. I called family members to get family recipes, I have my grocery list, now all I need is to begin my scavenger hunt!

I will be sure to keep any Puerto Ricans in the state posted by updating this! lol I swear I'm the only Puerto Rican in Portland!!!

I Wish I Knew About These!!

Not sure how I landed on this website, but I found Czelablue and I wish I would have known about them when I gave birth! This would have made a world of difference. Before I left the hospital, I made sure to get a bunch of those mesh not-really-underware-but-so-comfortable things that were supplied. The site says that some woman continue to wear them long after they heal. Pretty interesting, considering I still have super sensitivity at my scar. I should try these!

Adorable Turkey Headdress...Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to make every holiday fun for the girls, so I look for crafts all the time, but finding things that are suitable for a toddler is tough. I found a few headdresses, but nothing that I loved. So I tweaked the mainstream and came up with this!

I used fall colored construction paper, glue, eyes, a roll of brown packaging paper, masking tape (the best kids craft tool EVERR), toddler hand prints, and scissors.

Trace and cut out hand prints in different colors. Measure a 5 inch head band of packaging paper around little ones head. Cut out a large tear drop shape for turkey head, a red waddle, and triangle beak. Secure head band to work surface with masking tape, then have your toddlers glue away! Let dry, and use a little masking tape to secure the head band together.

First Term @ PSU...

I cannot believe my first term is coming to an end already! I only enrolled for 6 credits (the minimum to receive FAFSA). I'm really happy about the way my schedule turned out for me. It was a nice and easy way to get back into school after being out for about 4 years. Plus, this time around I have a toddler and my own business to take care of! I'm still pretty new, and don't have all the complaints that most of the people I speak to have about PSU (financial aid & horrible administration), but I do have one huge one...they do not take care of working professionals. Seriously, how can you consider a 4:00pm class evening!? Most people don't get out of work until 5 or 6pm, and still have to travel to class. At BMCC I was taking classes that started at 7 or 8pm! I have had a rude awakening. It's made it really tough and super stressful trying to work around my schedule and Brian's. How much is his job going to allow? He's going to have to change his schedule every term! OMG I don't even want to think about it...because you DO know I'm going to be in school for a few years yet! So that's my biggest concern right now, but other than that it's been amazing! I feel like an adult again, like I'm using my brain for something other than cooking, cleaning, baby-caring, chores, bills...endless. Plus, I've actually made friends! lol I can't believe it. I've been having trouble with getting out there and meeting people, and I guess college turned out to be the best place! Very happy about that. All in all, I'm super happy and proud of myself, and proud of the roll model I'm going to be for my daughter!

Phaedra, Phaedra, Phaedra!

Ugh, what a horrible person that woman is!

I'm a bit in love with the BRAVO lineup, and of course The Real Housewives of...is high on my list. But this season on Atlanta, I can seriously do without that Ghetto-Ass-Shallow-Ass-Gross-Looking-Phaedra Parks! Seriously, has anyone told her she's wack? She has no emotional connection with the child that grows inside her; all she cares about is whether or not she looks good- and honey YOU DON'T! I saw the episode where she gives birth and she actually said "GROSS" when they showed her her son for the first time! I don't even understand how her husband is with her. She insults him all the time, and when he tried to talk to her about how they would raise their child, she just let her projectish self shine! Apollo had the right idea about not hitting his child, and she brought up the fact that he grew up in a white home. What the hell! That man needs to run from that woman...and fast! I just can't stand the sight of her and whenever she's on I just flip the channel...I hope she's out for next season.

H&M Opening Day...

It was pretty crazy! I didn't shop opening day, but I was in the neighborhood. I stopped in the day after and it was still a mad house. Welcome to Portland! Picked up a cute Winter coat for baby, and a few other things, but the tuxedo shirt I want for her won't be in for a while! Ugh!

My Amazing Toddler!

It's almost that time again...when my little honey is another year older. In just a few months she'll be 2! I cannot cannot believe it. When I think of where she was a year ago, and where she is now I'm thrilled, proud, and super exhausted! lol My big girl is talking up a storm and so amazing us every single day with her intelligence!

Cheers to my perfect little daughter!

Brianlily :o)

H&M Countdown...11/11/10

As I mentioned back in August, the Grand Opening of H&M in Downtown Portland, Oregon is almost here!!!

November 11, 2010

Check out store details here!

Trolls and those of the same likeness...

I need to do a little venting about Internet Trolls and all the other people that use internet anonymity as shield for their cowardliness! If you're going to call someone out, then have the gall and the spine to state your name! Seriously, all these people want to do it start a fight and walk away. I visited a blog that I follow on Facebook, and decided to comment on a post. I, of course, use my name and attach my blog to my post; I'm not here to start petty online arguments, so why hide? I ended up feeling completely attacked, and wanted to fight back but to what end? The low lives that pick fights have all the time in the world and all the anonymity in the world to pick at a fight until you're throwing your laptop at the wall with frustration. So, I walked away. It was my first time posting on that blog and it will be my last. Fighting forums...that's my new name for places like that. They are places were people that have nothing better to do than pick fights for a thrill. I have much better things to do with my time than play into it.

My first attempt at Zucchini Bread!

It as on my list of things to make for the kids, but I've never actually had it before so I was super shocked when I looked at the reciepe...it's sweet!? Cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar??? I seriously had no idea. I liked the recipe I found (again, not sure where I got it from...I know, I have to be better about sources!) but it called for 3 freaking cups of sugar! What the hell!? Are they trying to kill us!? Well, I cut it down to 2 cups, and by the taste of it I could have done 1 cup! I also used Whole Wheat Flour for 2 of the 3 1/4 it calls for, and didn't have a lemon on had so I figured it was just for some acidity and used OJ. Oh yea, and I didn't add nuts because of the kids. And even with all those tweaks it was a pleasant surprise! It was a big hit...with everyone!

ZUCCHINI BREAD 
RECIPE
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini and lemon juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.

Hamantash, Hamentasch, Homentash, Homentasch, Humentash...

However you spell it, however you say it, it's all the same yummy goodness! I'm representing the Jewish Princess inside me!

I went to the farmer's market today and found some Italian Prunes and had to have them. In an instant I knew what I wanted to make...Humentashen!

This is the recipe I used for the filing.


Here is the recipe I used for the cookie.

I tweaked them a little. For the filing I added some blueberries (just because I picked them up today as well), and added corn starch to make it really thick. Then for the cookie dough I used half Crisco and half bacon grease! lol I guess they're not Kosher!

They're delishious and I totally had a nice flashback to my childhood...Lower East Side Manhattan with my mother and grandmother enjoying amazing Jewish snacks! YUMMY!

Cindy's Corn Casserole...

Recipe Here : Cindy's Corn Casserole

Believe me, I've had it before and it's delish! So I decided to make mini versions for the kids, minus the heat! I don't think I followed the directions to the T, and they came out a little too moist. Tasted great, but I wanted them to come together more, so I just added some corn meal to the left over batter and the second time was the charm!




BTW...everyone loved them! Asking for the recipe! I'll pass it on! Thanks MEI!!

Food...

I've been cooking so much food in the last few weeks for the kids, and I haven't taken a single photo! I'm so upset with myself! I MUST REMEMBER TO SHARRRRE!

31...

I can't believe I'm 31...

H&M!

I was downtown the other day, on the Red Line, which I NEVER take, and I saw it...it's coming...I can't even believe it!

H&M IS COMING TO PORTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!

Estate Sales!!!!

I needed some good cookware, especially since I have a few new mouths to feed! :o) I looked around for some Pyrex Bakeware, and it was just too spendy for me. So I did what I always do...headed straight to Craigslist! lol And it worked! I found this amazing guy selling all kinds of amazing things. He buys from estate sales for dirt cheap, then sells them himself! His collection was insanely wonderful! I just wish he had cutlery, knives, and electroics (like the KitchenAid mixer I'm dying to own!) He said his family always gets the good knives! They wipe him out when they come to visit! Lucky them! I was lucky though, he had an Oster blender with a glass jar in great shape...and it was only 5 bucks! AMAZING!

So here's my loot...and it was only $53 for everything! I cannot cannot wait to go back!

I Tweaked This Oatmeal Cookie!

I found this recipe (for the life of me I can't remember where I found it online!) and really liked it, but I HAD to make some changes. First it calls for 1 1/2 cups flour, but I substituted 1/2 cup unbleached flour with whole wheat flour (next time all go for more!). Then it called for 1 cup peanut butter, but I used equal parts peanut, almond, and NUTELLA! lol I can't enjoy anything unless there's chocolate involved! I also used old fashioned oats...I like them better. They came out so abso-freakin-lutely delicious! It's also my first time using a cookie recipe that calls for shorting. I think it gave the cookies a nice gooey texture, with a slight crisp on the outside...LOVE IT!



Here is the original recipe:


PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together shortening, margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats until just combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just light brown. Don't over-bake. Cool and store in an airtight container.

The Final Countdown...

My two little ones will join us in a little over a week! I seriously feel like my year long vacation is coming to an end and I'm NERVOUS! lol I want to enjoy these last few precious days of unadulterated free time!

Lots Goin On...

So much going on right now. The nursery is taking off, I've got two enrolled and I'm so excited; they're great kids! Brianlily will finally have playmates, I'll have an income, and best of all...I get to be home with my daughter. I'm trying to work school into the mix, I just don't know how. I need classes that are late evening and nothing is offered later than 5:30. Ugh!

Life is starting to feel like the motion of a train...starts off slow, then full steam ahead; hard, fast, loud, and seemingly out of control, but on the right track.

Google Analytics...

Damn I love my Analytics accounts!

Children's Place...

Am I the only mother that didn't know about "adjustable waistbands"?! I'm in love! It's genius! I've been buying clothes from Children's Place for Brianlily since she was born, but not until she's been a toddler have I noticed their adjustable waistband. It's incredible! It totally works! I always buy her clothes bigger so she has room to grow, but her pants fall. Now with these adjustable bands, I can cinch them in the beginning, then let them out as she fills the pant in! LOVES IT!! Just checked out BabyGap online and they offer the same feature! I'm sure everyone is on this band wagon!

Photo to come!

Continued...

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! Sheesh! I've been hella busy with getting my daycare up and running, and preparing for my family's 2 week stay!

I've been getting lots of inquiries about my child care services, but all outside of the age range I was hoping for (16-24 months). I wanted to keep ages close to Brianlily's so that no one would be too far behind or ahead. I haven't had too much luck with my "restrictions" so I'm opening it up to children under 3. Frustrating. No one enrolled yet. Here is my website: Lily's Pad Day Nursery.

As for my family visiting...well...it was as well as expected. My grandfather stayed one week, and my mother, sister and nephew stayed the second week. I still can't get over the fact that my grandfather came all the way to Portland! I love that man! It was amazing having the kids together and having my mother and sister here. And we didn't have TOO much fighting between us. The trip did make things hardER on me and Brian. The whole "this is my house" thing made it hard for us to deal with having everyone over. I guess we moved from NYC for lots of reasons and having it all come back to us was tough to deal with. It was nice showing them my "West Coast" life, but I was definitely happy to have some quite when everyone was back home. We got to do and see a lot, which was super cool for me because I've been wanting to do this stuff since we moved to Portland. We showed them the Coast, or at least a little of it. We visited Multnomah Falls, Mount Saint Helens, and the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and Bruce Lee's grave (really for my grandfather...he's a HUGE fan) in Seattle. There was lots of driving, and with 7 people in tow this was not an easy task! In the end, we made lots of memories, and have loads of great photos of our trips.


PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON








VIEW FROM THE HILLS NEAR LAKEVIEW CEMETERY- SEATTLE, WASHTINGTON


SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON





I HAD TO DO IT!


SEATTLE, WASHINGTON


SPACE NEEDLE- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON


MULTNOMAH FALLS. COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, OREGON




MOUNT SAINT HELENS- WASHINGTON


WHAT THE HELL WAS UP WITH MY HAIR!? MUST HAVE BEEN ALL THE DRIVING THAT I DID...ALL BY MYSELF!!!


MY BABY HAD SUCH A HARD TIME WITH THE DRIVE THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS




THIS WAITER GETS NO TIP FOR THIS LOUSY SHOT! WHAT THE HELL!? WAS THERE AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE RESTAURANT!?
THE OREGON COAST- SEASIDE & CANNON BEACH










FOOT BRIDGE AT UNION STATION- PORTLAND, OREGON


JAMESON PARK- PORTLAND, OREGON


UNION STATION- PORTLAND, OREGON

Oh How I've Missed You!

Blogger, Oh Blogger, How I've Missed You So!

What the hell happened to me?! Where the hell did I go?

To be continued...

Potato Stamps...

Potatoes have been on sale for some time now, so I have way to many on hand. What could I do with potatoes???? Make stamps! Brianlily had a blast using these stamps to paint with. They offered a nice alternative to brushes and fingers! lol

Smoker...

I started smoking in 7th grade (12-13 years old), and I smoked pretty steadily through life. I considered myself a chain smoker. I smoked more than any of my smoking friends, and even more when I drank alcohol. I quit a couple of times, but it never worked. My smoking career was over like it never happened the second I saw my EPT pregnancy test read POSITIVE! In that instant it was over and I haven't smoked since, nor do I care to.

Just a little intro before I complain about something that I may even have been guilty of...

Those damn smokers that hold the next cigarette in their hands before they can smoke it! OMG I hate it! Not only is it ghetto, it's so insane to think you need it so bad that you have to have the damn thing in your hand ready to fire! Now, like I said, I may be guilty of doing this when I was a smoker...but I don't remember. I see it everyday. A person on the train, holding a damn cigarette in their hand! Sometimes they even have the lighter too!

Put the cigarette away! It's ok, once you get outside you can pull out the pack and take one out and everything will be just fine!

Strength...

"This too shall pass."

"God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference."

$2 Tuesday!

So excited that today, $2 Tuesday at the Oregon Zoo, turns out to be .50¢ Tuesday when you present your TRIMET pass! Woo Hoo! There aren't very many things to do in Portland, and with the weather being rainy most of the year, when you do have a chance to go out...ALLL OF PORTLAND IS DOING THE SAME THING! So every second Tuesday of the month, Walmart sponsors $2 admission at the Zoo! It's super packed on those days, but for .50¢ you can't go wrong. I actually didn't mind missing some exhibits because it was so cheap! lol Another cool deal is the first Friday of the month, Target sponsors FREE admission to the Portland Children's Museum. Now that's amazing because admission is $8 for anyone over the age of 1! I spent so much money there the first time I went. Now I only go the 1st Friday of the month!

BTW...had this post been written over 2 years ago...$2 Tuesday would have been the best night to get drunk! lolol

Brianlily's Bookcase...

I finally did it! Brianlily has her very own bookcase! I did a little shopping around and ended up buying this one from Target. I had lots of trouble deciding on one. Babiesrus and Walmart didn't really give me anything I had to have, and on the day I went to Target this was the only one they had. It worked well though. It's much smaller than I imagined it to be, but it's cute watching Brianlily take out her books and put them back! lol It has a space under the books for a storage box which is nice, and I love the fabric shelves. My little girl loves to read! Thank god! I'm obsessed with reading to her and now she sits in her room and reads on her own!!! LOVE IT!!!

The Grill...

Thank heavens! We finally got a grill! We've only had it a week or so and we've cooked on it almost every night! Food just tastes sooooo much better off the grill!

The SEX in Sex and the City...

I was never a fan of the show, so watching the movie never interested me. Yes they're fabulous, but I just could never get into the show. Tonight while flipping the channels, I found the movie playing on HBO. It was the scene where Big is leaving Carrie at the alter. I was shocked; I had no idea he'd stoop so low. So I kept watching, and my favorite part was just thereafter. It was just when Charlotte and Miranda are getting Carrie into a car to get away, and Big doubles back. Carrie hops out of the car, pummels Big with her bouquet, and as he walks toward her Charlotte lets out the fiercest "NO!" to him. It was the best thing I've seen in a long time. I really felt like that would be me. The sheer protectiveness and anger! Charlotte was an animal for one second, and not the tender little OCD kitten.

On a whole other note...what the hell was up with the sex scenes??? Did I become the biggest prude or were they wayyyyy to vulgar!? Are they for real with this shit? Then they showed a real penis! I couldn't take it. It just made it seem like they needed to make the movie over the top risque because the movie itself wasn't so great. It totally cheapened it for me.

So yea...I'm super late, seeing as the sequel was just released, but whatever.

I'm a Viking!

Finally got my acceptance letter from Portland State University! I'm a Viking! In the acceptance packet came this temporary tattoo...how funny is that?



BABY VIKING

Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect...

Just got done with one of the last training courses for my licensing, and what a hard class to sit through. I had to hold back tears for most of it. I've always felt strongly about abuse of children, but once I had my own child it turned into this huge monster that puts knots in my stomach. I can't imagine what makes people do harm to children, and I cannot imagine what abused children must go through. Just absolutely horrible.

Empanadas...

I go crazy everyday thinking about what to do for dinner. I saw some recipes for hand pies, which sounds great, but it made me remember making and eating empanadas with my grandmother. I can't tell you how long it's been since I had an empanada. So I decided to make some. I made the dough following these directions, minus the vinegar (didn't have any). It came out just fine. The filling was some salmon I sauteed in butter with asparagus spears, and a cheddar and monterey cheese sauce. Btw...I loooove cheese sauce. It's the best way to fake a home made mac and cheese, and it's great as a spread and topping for just about everything! I made the empanadas small, I used a coffee cup for the cut outs. I figured Brianlily would be better eating little ones. I fried them and they came out great! So good, and totally brought me back to my childhood! I still have to make some mini hand pies!

VOODOO...

We've been here almost a year, and we just went to VOODOO DONUT yesterday for the first time. The line was to the end of the block at 1pm, we decided to pass and try again later, came back at 5pm and it was still the same! Unbelieveable! We waited the second time around, and had the VOODOO expirence. I'm not a big donut fan, so it just tasted like any donut, but it's all about the experience.



Excuse the cam-cording...Brian has yet to figure out how to successfully use a video camera!