Another Monday

6fsn

How was the weekend?

Ours was really good.  DH was off Friday so we took Max to COSI. 

Saturday DH put a ton of food in the smoker and made a bunch of sides.  Now I don't have to cook this week.  I finished up all the kid Christmas shopping.  Saturday afternoon I took the kids to an indoor play place- it's a showroom for swingsets, trampolines, goals, basketballs hoops and it's awesome.  DH got a growler of beer for him and a growler of rootbeer for the kids.  Movies and rootbeer floats were had by all!

Sunday church, lunch at a German restaurant and a trip to the art museum.  I was surprised at how much my kids liked the museum.  They had little things set up in some of the rooms so the kids could be interactive.  Then they had a few areas geared towards the kids.  They had a section full of legos for people to make anything.  Max made a door.  A DOOR.

I asked my boss for a raise yesterday.  Now I'm waiting to see the response.  I've never had to ask before.  It's either been an annual review or as a promotion.  We'll see how this goes.

CharmedPam

@6fsn, I know of two COSI's.  One, a restaurant (at least here in Chicago) and one a museum (in Ohio).  Both are good though! lol.  Good luck on your raise! I'll keep my fingers crossed.

My weekend was really good.  We had two estimators come out for the bathroom with one today and the last one tomorrow.  The first one gave us a good quote, that works under my budget (yay!) but she can't do this until the week of Dec 18th.  It's before Christmas, my goal, but still so far away! I have a HUGE chip in my sink.  I also bring the estimators into my kitchen to do measurements because come spring, I may be adventurous and do a complete remodel there too.

DH put up a new ceiling fan/light fixture which I love and we also put our tree up. Early, yes, but we had a burst of energy.  We won't be the obnoxious people who put up outside lights before Thanksgiving though (it's the laser lights, it's really a stick in the ground).

We saw Thor which was really good.  I also baked and cooked all weekend.  But none of my meals turned out very good.  I took one look at my crockpot "stew" and ordered a pizza last night.  LOL.  

edit for: I also fell in love with this when we were shopping this weekend. It's just that I spend so much on hotels this last week and the remodel, I don't even know if I want to put $130 into some lawn decorations.  ugh.  adulting is hard!

https://www.menards.com/main/home-decor/christmas/outdoor-christmas-decor/enchanted-forest-reg-40-prelit-led-blue-and-white-ombre-deer-sculpture/p-1489818074034-c-12293.htm?tid=-2863613738795612200&ipos=9

https://www.menards.com/main/home-decor/christmas/outdoor-christmas-decor/enchanted-forest-reg-50-prelit-led-blue-and-white-ombre-deer-sculpture/p-1489818074221-c-12293.htm?tid=9015487333204886897&ipos=2

MissKittyDanger

@6fsn Raise vibes!


Friday we went for dinner with my mum and some of her friends. I was feeling sick to my stomach, so I got a small amount. All day my stomach was feeling unsettled Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done. {dr thinks it's likely just a first trimester thing, and if it continues she may see about something else that can settle my stomach}

Saturday I woke up with a headache. It basically stayed with me all day. Idk where it even came from, cuz nothing worked.
I spent majority of the day sleeping or on the couch.

Sunday I was a tad more productive. M went to the football game with sFIL and they also chatted about the announcement photo {he's a techie so we're incorporating that - there's gonna be 2 versions because he wants something his techie people would get I'll show you guys when it's done in about 2 weeks}
Also sounds like sFIL is more excited. He held off because when we told him he was in a strange place emotionally, and hesitant in case something happened. Fair enough. We knew this when telling them.

Anyways .... so I started soup for crockpot, tidied up the living room, took a nap, cleaned the bathroom {omg it was baaaad!}, vacuumed upstairs, cleaned a bit more of living room, and made cookies. I didn't get to the table like I'd wanted to, but oh well. It's slowly getting done.

This week I'm dragging the xmas stuff up. I need to sort through baubles because I want to streamline the colours. M has a lot of ornaments I'd rather put on display than put on the tree, so I'm gonna figure out a cute way to do that.


My crockpot soup turned out meh. The barley absorbed the liquid too much, but I figure I'm gonna salvage it later. Throw in a pot with water or more broth to make it more soupy and less thick.


Has anyone made any barley soup and had this issue? How does one fix it?  

MissKittyDanger

@CharmedPam See I would spend money on that because they're not just Christmas-y. You can keep them out through winter.

kvruns

@charmedPam I was thinking COSI the restaurant too

CharmedPam

@Misskittydanger, very true.  I just love reindeer in general and the colors are beautiful.  I'll end up buying them and cutting corners elsewhere.  Like on homemade food. I swear to god it was the "homechef" gods giving me bad luck.  My homechef meals turn out great!

@kvruns, so we're all wondering what COSI it was, huh?  Come back to us, @6fsn! 

MissKittyDanger

@CharmedPam They're in my colours so I'm really fighting the urge not to buy them also and put them at my front hall lol
Maybe I'll find something similar lol

missJeanLouise

@6fsn someday, I hope to grow up and be as productive as you.

@CharmedPam I hope all goes well with your quotes and renovation.

@MissKittyDanger I like my soups with grains a little thicker but in general, just add another cup or two of whatever broth you were using. 

We have these awesome little containers of dried broths here (they probably exist in the states but we never used them). I actually got confused the other day about what we did without them, lol. DH reminded me but we both had a good laugh.

Our weekend was good. Saturday night, we had dinner on our friends boat, it was fun but bittersweet because our other friend quit the company and it leaving soon.

Today, I had cleaners come and it was awkward as always but needed. Tomorrow I have to gather supplies for my nursery school class. Wednesday, DH took the morning off so we could go look at places. Thursday is my class, fingers crossed it goes well.

I (stupidly?) decided to host Thanksgiving next week. I think I am just going to keep it simple since I will be doing all by myself but I am doing it for a bunch of expats (maybe 10-12) and want to make a good representation of the holiday. If I just stick to the basics will it be too boring???

mrsconn23

Vibeage for the raise, 6!

Ahh the weekend.  

Friday, we went out to dinner and then not much else. 
Saturday, I had to work.  DH and DefConn went to the veteran's day parade with FIL and FIL's BFF.  After work, I went to the store and then we made dinner and hung out for the night. 
Sunday, DH and I cleaned out and organized my office.  (It was in bad shape, as it had become our dumping room vs. the office/den we want it to be.)  We took a load to Goodwill. 

There's holiday drama afoot.  I knew there would be.  It's not on my side of the family.  Everyone needs to stop being so in their feelings and/or catering to the crazy. 

I am going OOT Saturday for a quick getaway with friends to do a pre-holiday de-stress and it cannot come fast enough.   

MissKittyDanger

@missJeanLouise It's super thick, like basically no actual liquid. Recipe called for 6 cups broth, 2 cups water but I'll try more water next time.


Also define basics?

missJeanLouise

MissKittyDanger said:

@missJeanLouise It's super thick, like basically no actual liquid. Recipe called for 6 cups broth, 2 cups water but I'll try more water next time.


Also define basics?

Turkey, stuffing, a pork roast (because I got a smallish turkey before I realized how many people would come), mashed potatoes, roasted fall veggies, Mac and cheese, salad, green beans, cranberry sauce, rice and gravy (for my southern husband) plus a couple appetizers, a couple pies, and a seasonal adult punch/ cider. 

I tend to get over ambitious so I am trying to keep it manageable but it will be everyone else “first Thanksgiving” so I want to be great.

eta: I welcome all suggestions and advice.

CharmedPam

MissKittyDanger said:

@missJeanLouise It's super thick, like basically no actual liquid. Recipe called for 6 cups broth, 2 cups water but I'll try more water next time.


Also define basics?

So it's a stew?  What I was trying to make this weekend but my stew ended up as a soup!

sparklepants41

@kvruns @CharmedPam I was also thinking Cosi the restaurant. Now I want one of their squagels. 

I'm a mess this morning. Had really bad cold all weekend for which I couldn't take anything because I'm breastfeeding. And then Babypants was super clingy and had a low-grade fever again so she was getting up multiple times at night and then refusing to nap during the day unless I was holding her. Which meant I didn't sleep well all weekend and also couldn't get anything done. I was going to do laundry and shower last night after I did bedtime and then ate dinner, but halfway through bedtime the power went out. I guess multiple transformers blew up in our part of town. So that meant I couldn't heat up dinner for myself and not knowing when the power would come back on (it came back on at midnight), we were keeping the fridge and freezer closed so my milk stockpile wouldn't spoil. 

So today I'm exhausted, feel even more like crap, I'm starving, have a headache, and am totally overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have to do tonight. And I just want to close the door to my office, have a good cry, and then curl up and take a nap. But that's frowned upon lol.  

MissKittyDanger

missJeanLouise said:

MissKittyDanger said:

@missJeanLouise It's super thick, like basically no actual liquid. Recipe called for 6 cups broth, 2 cups water but I'll try more water next time.


Also define basics?

Turkey, stuffing, a pork roast (because I got a smallish turkey before I realized how many people would come), mashed potatoes, roasted fall veggies, Mac and cheese, salad, green beans, cranberry sauce, rice and gravy (for my southern husband) plus a couple appetizers, a couple pies, and a seasonal adult punch/ cider. 

I tend to get over ambitious so I am trying to keep it manageable but it will be everyone else “first Thanksgiving” so I want to be great.

eta: I welcome all suggestions and advice.

Honestly sounds great I don't think that's boring

6fsn

Cosi the science center!!  I actually think the restaurant cosi near us closed. 

sparklepants41

@6fsn thank you for clarifying! I love science centers! That sounds like fun!

Also too bad that cosi the restaurant closed near you - the free bread samples while you wait in the salad line make everything better.  

MissKittyDanger

CharmedPam said:

MissKittyDanger said:

@missJeanLouise It's super thick, like basically no actual liquid. Recipe called for 6 cups broth, 2 cups water but I'll try more water next time.


Also define basics?

So it's a stew?  What I was trying to make this weekend but my stew ended up as a soup!

Thicker than stew
Like you know when you put a ton of crackers in soup and it gets super thick it's almost a solid?
Like that.

MissKittyDanger

sparklepants41 said:

I'm a mess this morning. Had really bad cold all weekend for which I couldn't take anything because I'm breastfeeding. And then Babypants was super clingy and had a low-grade fever again so she was getting up multiple times at night and then refusing to nap during the day unless I was holding her. Which meant I didn't sleep well all weekend and also couldn't get anything done. I was going to do laundry and shower last night after I did bedtime and then ate dinner, but halfway through bedtime the power went out. I guess multiple transformers blew up in our part of town. So that meant I couldn't heat up dinner for myself and not knowing when the power would come back on (it came back on at midnight), we were keeping the fridge and freezer closed so my milk stockpile wouldn't spoil. 

So today I'm exhausted, feel even more like crap, I'm starving, have a headache, and am totally overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have to do tonight. And I just want to close the door to my office, have a good cry, and then curl up and take a nap. But that's frowned upon lol.  

Fuck what's frowned upon. Do it anyways.
If people ask why, say it's for your mental health {which isn't entirely untrue}

missJeanLouise

((Hugs)) Sparkles. I hope you can get a full meal and good nights rest tonight.

MissKittyDanger

Quick question:

If I plan on wearing this top:
{photo won't link properly}
http://www.rickis.com/hacci-tunic-9189ED3147NEDT2S.html?dwvar_9189ED3147NEDT2S_colour=Neutral Pattern#q=tunic&sz=82&gsizelink=four&start=1


With black leggings {sparkley eye and matte red lip in case you're curious}

Would black riding boots look good or too much? {low heel}

I'm thinking this style top because I don't look pregnant, I look bloated basically. This will be a month from now for Xmas party - maybe more than one

CharmedPam

Not to much at ALL @misskittydanger, I love it!

MissKittyDanger

CharmedPam said:

Not to much at ALL @misskittydanger, I love it!

Ty
I love it too. I figured the style could also work through most of winter until I get "too big" {which probably won't be until March I'm guessing - I'll be 6 months then}

charlotte989875

Weekend was good, except I'm still sick. H and I went to see Nick Offerman with sis and BIL; he was hilarious. If he's doing a show near you, you absolutely should go see him.

@sparklepants41 it's totally fine to curl up, cry, and nap at work. I did today. Well not the napping part. I'm so frustrated with the non-profit job, seriously I've never felt this bad in any job I've ever had before. I wondering if it's really worth sticking it out. 

short+sassy

@6fsn, good luck on the raise!

@missJeanLouise, especially if it is everyone's "first Thanksgiving", I'd be even more inclined to stick with the basics.  A true representation of the TG holiday feast.  Which I personally don't think are boring foods at all, anyway.  I've never heard of rice and gravy as a southern TG side.  Interesting!  I have to admit I cringed because, to me personally, it sounds disgusting, lol.  But I think that's an UO on my part and most people would like it.  I only like gravy on a scant few things and rice is just meh.  I could take it or leave it.

I had planned to be productive this weekend.  I was not.  Shocker, lol!  Reveling in the fantastic weather, though.  Time to spend more time on my deck and just cool enough in the evenings to hang out at our fire pit.

Not that our spoiled cat Nip appreciates it, lol.  We have a wall heater in our front room.  It was early morning and, inside the house, it was mid 60s.  The wall heater was not on.  Our cat...who let me mention has a nice, thick and soft, double coat...stood in front of the heater and POINTEDLY meowed at my H, until he turned it on for her!  She then curled into a little Nip ball and settled in front of it, for the rest of the morning.

missJeanLouise

short+sassy said:

@6fsn, good luck on the raise!

@missJeanLouise, especially if it is everyone's "first Thanksgiving", I'd be even more inclined to stick with the basics.  A true representation of the TG holiday feast.  Which I personally don't think are boring foods at all, anyway.  I've never heard of rice and gravy as a southern TG side.  Interesting!  I have to admit I cringed because, to me personally, it sounds disgusting, lol.  But I think that's an UO on my part and most people would like it.  I only like gravy on a scant few things and rice is just meh.  I could take it or leave it.

I had planned to be productive this weekend.  I was not.  Shocker, lol!  Reveling in the fantastic weather, though.  Time to spend more time on my deck and just cool enough in the evenings to hang out at our fire pit.

Not that our spoiled cat Nip appreciates it, lol.  We have a wall heater in our front room.  It was early morning and, inside the house, it was mid 60s.  The wall heater was not on.  Our cat...who let me mention has a nice, thick and soft, double coat...stood in front of the heater and POINTEDLY meowed at my H, until he turned it on for her!  She then curled into a little Nip ball and settled in front of it, for the rest of the morning.

Neither have I. I don’t really like gravy, tbh, so putting it on anything ruins that thing for me. DH grew up in Charleston, home of the Charleston rice cooker ::rolls eyes::, so it might just be local but he was flabbergasted the first time he came to my family’s thanksgiving and there was no rice for the gravy. 


Your cat sounds ADORABLE!!

MissKittyDanger

short+sassy said:

I had planned to be productive this weekend.  I was not.  Shocker, lol!  Reveling in the fantastic weather, though.  Time to spend more time on my deck and just cool enough in the evenings to hang out at our fire pit.

Not that our spoiled cat Nip appreciates it, lol.  We have a wall heater in our front room.  It was early morning and, inside the house, it was mid 60s.  The wall heater was not on.  Our cat...who let me mention has a nice, thick and soft, double coat...stood in front of the heater and POINTEDLY meowed at my H, until he turned it on for her!  She then curled into a little Nip ball and settled in front of it, for the rest of the morning.

Sometimes you need a weekend that isn't productive. We had that and I'm glad I got a least some basic things done on Sunday lol {ie; things desperately needing to be done and procrastinated for too long}

Cats are so spoiled
I intended on putting some clothes away, so I tossed them all on the bed {also to vacuum} and both cats curled up on all of them. Angel used M's new (EMPTY) gun bag {holds ammo, etc in it} as a pillow. I'll try to post a photo. It was funny/cute

short+sassy

MissKittyDanger said:

short+sassy said:

I had planned to be productive this weekend.  I was not.  Shocker, lol!  Reveling in the fantastic weather, though.  Time to spend more time on my deck and just cool enough in the evenings to hang out at our fire pit.

Not that our spoiled cat Nip appreciates it, lol.  We have a wall heater in our front room.  It was early morning and, inside the house, it was mid 60s.  The wall heater was not on.  Our cat...who let me mention has a nice, thick and soft, double coat...stood in front of the heater and POINTEDLY meowed at my H, until he turned it on for her!  She then curled into a little Nip ball and settled in front of it, for the rest of the morning.

Sometimes you need a weekend that isn't productive. We had that and I'm glad I got a least some basic things done on Sunday lol {ie; things desperately needing to be done and procrastinated for too long}

Cats are so spoiled
I intended on putting some clothes away, so I tossed them all on the bed {also to vacuum} and both cats curled up on all of them. Angel used M's new (EMPTY) gun bag {holds ammo, etc in it} as a pillow. I'll try to post a photo. It was funny/cute

Nip loves to lie on a pile of clothes also!  It must be a cat thing, lol.

sparklepants41

@charlotte989875 I'm sorry your job is so frustrating. Hugs. 

@MissKittyDanger - If my office door weren't glass I would curl up and cry myself to sleep - but I feel like that might not be the best look lol. 

kvruns

6fsn said:

Cosi the science center!!  I actually think the restaurant cosi near us closed. 

That makes more sense because while I do like food, I was thinking Max must really love Cosi restaurant for it to be the big thing for the day haha

ILoveBeachMusic

Had a productive weekend. Finally finished cross stitching DIL's Christmas stocking! A friend is sewing it for me. So yay! I plowed through emails for a volunteer event I'm in charge of next month. I'm even ahead on my Italian homework for the week.

Now I need to start planning Thanksgiving food. I love rice and gravy but it isn't something we normally have. We do sweet potato casserole. DD can't stomach sweet potatoes right now so we are doing mashed potatoes this year even though I might make a small casserole for DS2 since he loves it. I just don't want a bunch of carb laden leftovers! H is driving me bonkers because he wants to have a fresh turkey and keeps saying he will order it but hasn't! I'm not sure he can still order one! I will probably end up buying a frozen one this week. He has only been talking about ordering one for a month! Let's not rush into it!

I need to pull Christmas stuff out this week so I can do a bit of decorating before Thanksgiving (only the basement). We do the  main floor the weekend after Thanksgiving.

kvruns

Have a sneak peek from the photographers pix this weekend (he looks soooooo chunky with the double chin from that angle) and a cake smash pic from my H phone 
edit: remove pix