Free Cloth Diapers!

I have been wanting to use cloth diapers with this baby. Tonight I found a contest where I could win 12 of my dream diaper--at least I think they are. Haven't used them yet! Hee, hee! Check it out at Baby Cheapskate!

Delicious!!

Ralph and I made these Fabulous Zucchini Grinder from AllRecipes.com. My husband ALWAYS wants meat and was able to be content (satisfied might be a stretch) with these vegetarian sandwiches. I loved them! Of course, it didn't hurt when I pointed out to him that Nugget would benefit from all the veggies. Here is this fabulous recipe.

Fabulous Zucchini Grinder
(from AllRecipes.com )
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 30 Min


INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 (6 inch) French or Italian sandwich rolls, split


DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini in butter until browned and slightly tender. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir in the marinara sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is heated.
3. Spoon a generous amount of the zucchini mixture into each sandwich roll. Top with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Close the rolls, and wrap individually in aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bread is heated through, and cheese is melted.

Yum! We didn't have any aluminum foil so I toasted the bread in the oven prior to putting the zucchini mixture on the rolls. Then I put them back in the oven to melt the cheese. Turned out great from our perspective. Enjoy!

Strawberries Work for Me!

I was enjoying the fact that it was Wednesday today and I had time to read Rocks In My Dryer"Works for Me Wednesday." However, I kept thinking that I had nothing to share when my husband came home with my groceries. I was putting away the strawberries and realized maybe everyone does not know my trick for keeping strawberries good. I take them out of their containers and DO NOT wash them (the water will cause them to rot faster). Put them into a Tupperware in a single layer top with paper towels and then add another single layer. Continue adding layers in this way. Then just put the lid on and store in the refrigerator. I've had some last close to two weeks this way! With grocery prices going the way they are, this works for me to keep me in fresh strawberries!

More Good-Byes

I have met some of the most amazing people and nurses working on base here in town! The down side to working with these wonderful people is saying, "Good-bye!" This wonderful woman is one of the few left from when I started almost 3 years ago. I have watched her grow as a person and a nurse. I am so proud of her! She is off to her dream job across the world. I am so excited for her. Ralph and I took her to one of our mutual favorite restaraunts. It was a great night of delicious food and relaxing conversation. I will miss working with her but am so excited for her new beginnings!

Wonderful Anniversary Gift

Ralph and I did not get a chance to celebrate our anniversary on our actual day. We had planned to get away this past weekend somewhere in Ohio to save money and give me a chance to see the state. I've been here 11 years and not really traveled much within the state. I always leave! ;-D Then about a week or so before we were to leave we received an e-mail inviting us to a surprise 30th birthday party for one of my brother-in-laws. I didn't say anything to Ralph because I just assumed we couldn't go. When he saw it he called me at work to ask why I didn't tell him? Then he offered to take me home for the weekend to see my family and surprise the surprise party. We only told my parents we were coming. We left as soon as I got off work on Wednesday, drove to the IL/WI border, slept a few hours, and drove the rest of the way on Thursday. We hung out with family on Thursday night (all who were mysteriously called in to "have coffee" and a little worried about the late family gathering). Then Friday we had more family in for lunch also confused by the random weekday family gathering. Everyone was great sports and it was so much fun surprising everyone. Saturday we drove down for the party. It was so much fun surprising both my sister and my brother-in-law! I am so grateful for my husband who gave up a romantic weekend for some family time--especially with the baby coming and our opportunities for romantic weekends will diminish. We had to be back Sunday morning for a friend's baptism so we ended up driving all night Saturday to get home in time. I think that will be the last time we drive through the night--it was tough! We had a great time overall and are so glad we went! Here are some fun pics of our time there.

4th of July Fun

This was my first 4th of July at home, not working, in years! I was bound and determined to have a fourth of July with all the traditional activities! We went to fireworks downtown after work on Thursday. Unfourtunately, we forgot to check the battery level on the camera so we don't have pics of those! :( Friday we got up and went to the parade in the rain. We were soaked! It was great! Later that afternoon we went to our friends Katie and Clay's cookout. We got it all in--fireworks, clowns, firetrucks, cookout, friends. Yeah! Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

Thinking

This has got me thinking. What are your family core values?

This video made me weep. It's so powerful! Thanks, David, for sharing!