Grateful Friday

Today I give thanks for...

Movie night tonight...pizza and popcorn.

  We have The Outsiders in cue.  I forgot all about the rumble between the socs and the greasers until reading Rob Lowe's book.  Actually, I forgot all about the fact that he was even in the movie until reading his book.

I read this piece from NY Magazine recently and then requested Wurtzel's Prozac Nation from the library.  I'd always meant to read it.  I also have Argo, which I plan to read simultaneously with the dark memoir.  I think that the somberness of Wurtzel's journey will be balanced by the triumph of the hostages.

The elliptical.  It really is the perfect workout, and I am especially loving it on cold and snowy days.

When we drove by the ice rink this morning, they were flooding it again.  That makes my Bit very very happy.  After 60 degree temps this week it was a puddle.  Today it's only 4 so hopefully we'll get to use it this weekend.

I followed through on my lofty dinner menu this week.  The kids were not at all fans of the glaze on Deb Perelman's meatloaf meatballs, and preferred my regular mashed potatoes to the brown butter, but the over 40 crowd enjoyed the new twist on old favorites.  The chicken milanese was a family favorite.  There are so many ways you can go with a deliciously plain piece of chicken so it basically is a blank slate.  I never made the soup, but I did make the white pizza.  We ate it, but all agreed that the crust making will be left to Coach from here on out.  The bourbon glazed tenderloin was easy and delicious.  I think this was Miss Bit's favorite as she chose it again on leftover night.  T. Bone opted for more of the chicken.  We'll be eating like kings and queens throughout the weekend thanks to all of the time spent in the kitchen last week.

Peanut Picasso.

He gets his inspiration from the colors in the yard.

Finding a container of oatmeal chocolate chunk cookie dough I stashed away in the freezer for a snowy day.  Voila...homemade cookies hot out of the oven for after school snack.

Homemade marshmallows.  I finally mixed up a batch.  I was reticent after almost losing my mixer to fondant not so long ago, but they were easy.  They taste good too and also make a cup of cocoa extra decadent.

Hot cocoa weather.  The spring rain turned to snow.  We didn't get much accumulation, but that didn't stop the kids from building snowboard ramps in the side yard.  T. Bone is currently engineering his own rail park online and also in his head.  He plans to have it constructed by next winter.  A boy's gotta have dreams right?  

New gear.  T. Bone is all set for a ski trip with friends this weekend.  He's looking forward to a couple days on the slopes.

Perches.

We finished Where The Red Fern Grows and have started a new read along.  Miss Bit chose A Little Princess.  It's new for the both of us.  There are some unfamiliar words so we devised a little system.  Whenever she hears a word she doesn't understand, she touches my arm and I define or offer synonyms to make the text clear.  That way she doesn't feel like she's interrupting and the flow of the story isn't compromised.

Finding the perfect gift for my frister this week.  Now I cannot wait to give it to her.

Remembering Cosmic Charlie today.  It's his birthday.  He was the best dog ever...a gift from my Mom for my college graduation!  I'm happy they are together now, but oh how I miss them both  Happy Birthday Chaz!.  Cosmic Charlie how do you do?

A little Superbowl soiree planned for Sunday. I don't much care for this game, have slight interest in the commercials, but rally to any occasion for friends and family to get together for a little fun and food.