Birthday for my Baby!!! well he's 19 but still

Another birthday...Elijah...my youngest..hard to believe he will be 19 on Thursday!  Kids...best thing that can happen to you

I made his favorites...pot stickers and spring rolls...and Chocolate cake with raspberry filling!

Before the lighting

Make a Wish!!!

We had a great time...his sister actually come up and saw us here in the north...for those who don't live in Kansas City...anything over a bridge is far.

Back to the food...pot stickers I started making when I lived in England and couldn't find any good ones.  Spring rolls I learned how to make from someone who worked at Girl Scouts with me.  My kids have a different sense of eating.  When they were much younger...I took them to Lawrence to walk around.  They each brought a friend.  When I asked what everyone wanted for lunch my kids said...Thai food...their friends....sandwiches....

you can tell they liked it!

On the Edge

Well another birthday has been celebrated.  Christa has turned 16!  In honor of that I made one of her favorite dishes...Tuna Fish Casserole!

IT was really good...honest!  And then she wanted something with lemon so I created a cake called...."Lemon on the Edge" catchy title huh...I was quite pleased with it.  Got some funky candles and we were set!

Christa with all the candles aglow

Now here is what's left...I added the extra marshmallow frosting with a touch of lemon...made me lick the bowl!!!!

It was a great meal...Jordan might have other thoughts on that but I think Christa liked it..

Peas and daffodils

As you can see from the picture below I am still loving the daffodils...Trader Joe's has the best deals on cut flowers!  So I made some split pea soup Monday night...now some of you maybe saying YUCK...but when you add the love and maybe some ham...its very yummy!  Hubby said yuck til he had some and he likes it...can't say love but likes it. 

Last night I made corned beef over noodles (another The Chew recipe) it turned out great and again Hubby said Yuck! because it had cabbage in it and he liked it! 

We've had the rain going on 3 days now so has kinda put me off doing any spring cooking or cleaning for that matter.  Makes you want to sit and read...watch the rain and enjoy the fact its neither ice or snow!

Let's talk cake!

Celebrated Wizzy's Birthday yesterday...She's 23...have I told you I still can't believe it!  So the menu for the meal...back when they were little I let my kids pick what they want to eat for their birthday...doesn't matter that it might take me four days they get it.  Its the one thing I don't complain about when they ask.  I started this when there where times when I couldn't get give them much for a present... so make the day and meal about them.

Wizzy decided on bruschetta and chocolate cake.  Then I decided on Chicken Marsala since she couldn't figure something out.  Now my bruschetta is different than most...I cut up tomatoes, add garlic (tons!), basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and then add mozzarella cheese!  I let it sit at least overnight and then spoon over bread or toast...my kids would eat just a bowl of it as a snack.

The chocolate cake...Wizzy & I were watching Pioneer Woman and she made a cake for her husband and I changed it...which those who know me is quite common.  So I deemed it the Hunka Hunka Birthday cake! It was quite the success!

As you can see...very very yummy!  She loves chocolate and raspberry so we got er' done!

Chicken Marsala turned out great...I tried onion fritelle...which I saw on The Chew, but they still need some tweaking.

And this was all paired with some great wine and prosecco!  From the smile I think she had a great time!

Mission

Got my mission statement done...now to figure out a name for the business?!?!

Had some Cornell chicken and baked beans...from scratch...yes both of them.  Would've taken a picture but Elijah ate it too fast.

Tomorrow more classes...Another two weeks and then I start on something else...

AND what a beautiful day.....Makes me miss California!

Mondays!!!

Its Monday...still haven't gotten over that even with me not working still brings a very small sense of dragging my feet.  I've taken two classes today.  One on resumes and the other on...Career Exploration...one of the careers the survey said I should take up is being a pilot or transportation management like train conductor..funny didn't see me as the train conductor type!!!  HOOT HOOT...get out of my way!!!  Best horn noise you'll get from me.

Now I have to work on my Mission/Vision/Values statement for my business....and no clue where to go with it....talk about writers block.  And you can tell I am avoiding it because I am on here.  Has to be done by tomorrow morning 9:30am.   I should actually be outside...its 73 and gorgeous....Reminds me of California!

I did get a bunch of daffodils when I was at Trader Joe's...makes me smile just looking at them.  And yellow isn't really one of my colors but I always buy a bunch when I'm ready for spring.  Actually going to do my clay pot garden...well it does include some other containers, since we rent we can't actually dig up the yard.  Doing onions, lettuce, garlic and tomatoes...and I always have some herbs growing.  My wonderful husband made me some boxes to grow them in. 

Well off to go actually try to figure out my future...

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Birthdays!!!

This week marks one birthday down...My daughter Elizabeth turned 23 on March 8th!!!  I can't believe it.  Doesn't seem like that much time has gone by.  The next birthday is my stepdaughter Christa who will be 16 on March 18th...another milestone...then my son Elijah will be 19 on April 5th...Dennis & Jordan happen in August.

Today is a day for sorting, organizing and some cooking...I know my momma would be proud.  Getting rid of the junk and excess in my life...well except the wine...chocolate and other things that I love so much.  Yes...I do love my family but sometimes the others come first.

My other goal this week is to get my mission, values & vision statement for my business.  And the business would be....??? So far we know I like wine and cooking.  Thinking we start a wine tour business and I do some cooking at the wineries...put my Cali spin on things in the Midwest.

For those not in Missouri we have over 110 wineries...shocking I know and they have some great wine out there.  Kansas I am sorry to say only has 22....Again the "Show Me" state wins!

In planning tours there are several close to Kansas City...YES...we've tried all of them...which could be a good or bad thing.

So now I'm off...doing my spin on bread sticks with BACON!!!  Let me tell you...that's a great appetizer in itself...I put some pics up later with what I come up with.

Changes

Changes...sometimes they're made because we want to or pushed into them.  I have had alot of changes in the last year...almost a year since cancer was found...almost a year since we kicked its butt....now I've been laid off from work. 

If that isn't change I don't know what is.  I am going to change the name of the blog...haven't decided what to change it to but going to talk about a few things in my world and the world around me.

I know having cancer has changed alot of how I view things, but let me tell you....losing your job steps that up a notch.

I am at the crossroads...where do I go...where is my new direction.  Thinking I may start with a compass...plumb line?  Something that will help me decide.  My main issue is that I have alot I would love to do but I have to pick one. 

Who would have thought at 47(almost forgot I had a birthday!!! Happy Birthday to Me!!!), I would be trying to figure out which road to walk...some call this time an encore career...didn't think I really had a career to begin with, lol

Now a new direction...new blog....new adventures...