Get Out!

Friday evening we ventured out to hear musical stylings of friends and look at local art downtown. We started out near Stash in this area because they had beer here and I spent the day with children so...

Love their signs!

Like No Place Else

 

Weekend Wrap

This weekend was a bit jarring and violent for my tastes.  The 2 earthquakes - especially the Big One Saturday night - were unsettling and I could not let my mind relax last night when trying to go to sleep. Remember what happened the last time I was relaxed and thisclose to sleep? Every time the house creaked or a neighbor threw something in their polycart or a kid got up to pee, my heart was racing and bracing for another earthquake.

It wasn't a horrible weekend in toto (just the time periods before sleep). Saturday morning, we hustled to Emi's soccer game which is held in the coldest/windiest part of town, and I was single momming it while Scott was working (home game). Poor little birthday girl's nose was running like a faucet so we dropped Emi off and hung out in the Disco reading and playing until halftime when we ventured out to deliver post game root beer. We thought it might have warmed up enough to hang outside, but not so. I got out of the car periodically to toss out our breakfast trash and the squillion wipes used on the Little Ones' noses but that was it. After the game (Emi's team won!), we headed home for lunch and naps and laundry.

The day got better progressively. Emi parked 2 cars in our drive earning another $20 for her bank account and I made some wonderful pumpkin delights that we all feasted on. Ketiesha came over to work on Emi's hair while the game was on (we won that game too but we lost a key player to a torn ACL). While Ketiesha was over, one of our kitties was doing this weird thing where it looks like she's wiping the window (obviously begging to come in) and I was convinced that she knew that Ketiesha was a cat person, but in hindsight, maybe she knew that there was a big earthquake coming.

It's Been An Asian Kinda Day

Recently a friend from high school posted a request  on FaceBook for good lumpia in Norman. I posted that there were no filipino food options in Norman - save for a possibility of some on the buffet at Riverwind - and that I would gladly show her how to make lumpia. Any excuse to make lumpia is a good excuse.

We started off the day with Egg Fried Rice for breakfast and then we got busy working in the yard.

My friend came over at lunchtime and we got busy frying some rolls that I had already prepared. After we had eaten a couple I showed her which wrappers to use (Simex lumpia wrappers) and how to properly roll lumpia. We ate lumpia until our bellies were full and then we sent my friend home with some rolls to fry for her mom.

Throwdown - Pioneer Style

Yesterday was a good day to be in Norman, OK. Pioneer Woman spoke about being active in the media world to OU students and alumni and I had the pleasure of seeing her in person. I already felt like I knew her via her blog and I've cooked so many of her delicious buttery recipes. I got a good look at the cool boots she's giving away too so keeping the fingers crossed...

After Ree finished speaking I rushed home to get the Best Lasagna Ever started (after seeing a glowing recommendation for this lasaga on Tuesday on She Likes Purple I stocked up on the ingredients on the way home to make on Wednesday). I only made a few changes due to time constraints and the fact that I have 3 kiddos who may not like it too spicy.

I substituted Italian style sausage for the hot breakfast sausage (it was easy because the Italian style sausage was right there next to the hot stuff); I didn't cook the noodles ahead of time; I used fresh Italian parsley and I cut down the sauce simmer time to 25 minutes from 45 minutes. I was tempted to use ricotta cheese vice cottage cheese (for authenticity) but I stuck with the cottage cheese and have no regrets. It was much cheaper and the cheese didn't TASTE like cottage cheese (not that I would have minded) in the cooked lasagna.

It worked out very well because my kiddos were circling the kitchen as I was assembling the lasagna and asking when dinner was going to be ready. I let them sop of some of the meat sauce with some bread to stave off hunger pangs and THAT was delish ... like Italian sloppy joes...

Later on we watched Ree put a hurt on Bobby Flay on Throwdown and that was very inspiring for me for the next week's meals... yum!

Norman Cubano

Best Cubano (only really) in Norman, Oklahoma can be found at Penny Hill Deli - thank you! Tastes ALMOST like the authentic ones we get in Florida...

Eagle IRIS

Snow Day

So this past week has been kind of Cabin Feverish for those of us living in Central Oklahoma. Last week we were hit with an Ice Storm followed by several beautiful inches of snow and it was a veritable winter wonderland here. Thursday and Friday were snow days for us. The 4 day weekend was welcomed with open arms. We all were fine with work and school being canceled but when our scout meeting was canceled and also Emi's first basketball game, that made us all a little anxious. We'd already taken advantage of the down time to catch up on DVR'd stuff, read, reorganize the basement & garage, deep clean the bathrooms, shred and purge several boxes of records, play some board games, etc. We were ready for some outside contact! So we tried to integrate back into society on Sunday by going to church and then Home Depot. That kept us from going completely stir crazy (that and FaceBook I should say), but later that night (around 6ish) we got word from IRIS (automated alert system that calls/emails us) that school was canceled for our district because the roads were still bad for bus travel. Okee! That was unexpected because the roads in town were clear. I had to get on FaceBook to check with fellow parents in my district to make sure we weren't getting Punk'd.

Scott took one for the team and stayed home with Emi on Monday and I was G-L-A-D to get back into the swing of things back at the office. So, Monday night was a real nailbiter as we kept seeing neighboring districts canceling school for Tuesday due to Freezing Fog (yipes!) and icy roads. At this point fellow parents were simultaneously volunteering to drive out to pick up kids in the rural areas and fantasizing about run-ins with the school superintendent if he should decide to cancel school on Tuesday and sometime after 8 PM (!) IRIS called us to let us know that school was canceled again (4 days!)!!! Scott and I were starting to wonder if IRIS had taken on a life of her own a la Eagle Eye.

I took time off today to hang with Emi and I have been praying all day that school will be in session tomorrow. I heard a rumor from another mom that school might be out until THURSDAY! I want to believe that I will be taking my daughter to school tomorrow morning because IRIS in fact has NOT called yet, but there is still the element of surprise with an early morning cancelation.

Two years ago much of Norman was without power for a week and we were more sympathetic to school's being closed. But this extended break seemed a bit overmuch. And according to the 4Warn team we are to expect a "winter mix" Thursday and another winter storm on Monday. Please don't let IRIS know!

Little Drummer Girl

Emi performed with Jahruba and her drumming class this past Saturday at the 2nd Annual Norman Music Festival. I felt bad that I hadn't tested her new top out for drumming (only singing, doh!).