I'm not a beverage bar!

Yesterday morning we were sitting down for breakfast. I had made a coffe cake and the hubby made OJ to drink. I decided I'd let Baluga try some for the first time. I wasn't sure if she was found of it or not. So I gave her milk instead to go with her breakfast and gave Stir Fry her sippy cup with OJ in it. When Stir Fry finally made his way to the table, since often times it's hard for us to get him to come and sit and eat with us, he asked if Baluga wanted juice. I told him I didn't think she wanted some. He them pointed to my tummy, I think meaning to point to my breast, and said Baluga wanted juice. (I am still nursing her and plan on weaning after we get back from vacation in about 2 weeks.) The hubby and I both thought it was pretty funny. Like I was some sort of beverage bar where she can choose her beverage of choice at the moment. Sorry folks, hate to break it to you, my body doesn't work that way, does yours?

Family File

After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I felt so helpless. I watched the news and saw the destruction that had occurred, and I wanted to do something.

It was horrible to hear stories about those who were missing, and to see their families crying and holding a picture—if they still had one. I noticed so many of the pictures were extremely out of date—there were baby pictures for children who were five years old!

Why was this? If I lost my child or my husband, which picture would I end up holding?

Everything these people owned had been destroyed and they went with the first picture they could find. They did the best they could with what they had, to try to bring their loved ones back.

And so the idea behind Family File was born. Family File is a free website that provides resources and tools to help protect and save lives. It provides a secure place to keep current pictures of loved ones and their vital information for use in case of an emergency.

This site, www.thefamilyfile.org, was created in the hope of saving lives. Family File offers parents the comforting assurance that if something were to happen, even as unexpected and disastrous as Hurricane Katrina, they would have everything they need in one place.

I invite you to visit the website. Check out the background and security information. Take a few seconds to create your own account, and insure your family’s preparation. And then, help us get the word out (post this on your blog, forward as a email, etc.)—the more people that know about and use it, the more children we can all help save. Please forward this letter to your family and friends.


Erin Maughan,

Founder of The Family File

www.thefamilyfile.org

(While Family File is free, donations are welcome for the site maintenance and growth.)

Gardening

A neighbor of ours was nice enough to let us use some of their gardeing space this summer to plant our own garden. It's been quite the experience. We have finally gotten to the point where our garden is getting the type of attention it should be getting. While we could be doing better, things are going well. Inspite and because of the lack of attention it got at the beginning some plants are doing well while others I'm not sure of. The green bean planter box is always the last to be weeded, and by that time the kids are running out of patience, so for this summer I don't know how much vegetables we'll see from them this season. On the other hand the zucchini and cherry tomatoes have done well, and we are starting to see our cantaloup and watermelon start to grow. We have learned a few things so hopefully next year will be a better success.
We have had probably 10 zucchini so far and more to come. With that I've done some looking around and experimenting on new ways to use it. So with that said, I'm going to share with you the new recipe I have found and we LOVE. I have done some tinkering with it, and have added some sausage to it, which is great, and also we love this served up with spaghetti with my homemade red sauce (which I will do later, it's good, it's easy and even turned a friend of mine that wasn't a red sauce fan into one, or at least of fan of this one).

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

A side dish for four, a vegetarian main dish for two. These can be made hours ahead of time, and just stored in the fridge until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Halve lengthwise:
2 medium zucchini
With a small spoon, carefully scrape out the pulp, leaving a 3/8 inch thick shell. Steam the shells cut side down for 5 minutes. Coasrsely chop the pulp. Heat in a small skillet until softened, about 3 minutes:
2 tsp olive oil or butter
3 TBS finely chopped onion
Meanwhile, squeeze the moisture out of the chopped zucchini, then add it to the pan along with:
1 clove garlic, minced
Cook for 2 minutes more. Turn into a bowl and compbine with:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped marjoram, tarragon, basil, or thyme
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
salt and blake pepper to taste
Spoon the filling into the zucchini shells and set them in a baking dish. Drizzle the tops with:
olive oil
Add water to come 1/8 inch up the sides of the shells. Bake until zucchini is tenter and the top is browned, about 30 minutes. Let cook a few minutes before serving.

Unexpected Reactions

Awhile ago, the hubby got something in the mail from the Puget Sound Blood Center. We were kind of surprised and how no clue what it was, since we no longer live in that area. After opening it he was reminded of something he signed up for a LONG time ago. Years ago he signed up to be on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry when he gave blood up in Seattle. They contacted him to let him know there was a potential match of someone who needed a bone marrow transplant, and they needed to do further testing on his blood sample to see if he would be a match. So we needed to discuss it and see if that was something as a family we wanted to do. We decided that especially since he hadn't do anything on our end why not. They had a sample of his blood, they just needed his permission to test it further.
After he called and gave them the go ahead, we had a very serious discussion on what he would do if he ended up as a match. He would have to go up to Seattle for the transplant, and my parents are up there so he could stay at there house and have their help with whatever after transplant help he might need the day or two after. Was there really much of a decision to be made? If you had the opportunity to help save a life why wouldn't you, especially when it's not life threatening to you? Who we were (in a way) to tell a parent, sorry we choose not to help you out in such a tough time in your life and your child's? We decided he would do it, if all came back well with the tests. If we were in their shoes, we would EVERYONE to help us to do whatever it takes to help our child. We couldn't do that to a family if there was something so easy for him to do.
We got a letter back saying that the family decided to take different courses of action at this time, but they would keep the hubby's information on file for use later. It made me think, why aren't I on the list? So I did some research, and unfortunately there aren't a lot of places in the US to sign up, none near me. In order for me to do I'd have to pay some money, which at this time I can't really do. So I think the next time I'm in Seattle I'll see what I can do to put my name on the list.
So now to the title of this post. The hubby decided to talk to his work partners about this and the decision he had made, since he would have to take some time off, if he were to go up and donate bone marrow. I was shocked and baffold by their reactions. None of them really agreed with his decision, although they would support him. They said if they were in his shoes they woouldn't do it. Are you kidding me? Especially since most of them are parents, I thought they would look at the human side of it and think what we did, if it were my child I'd want someone to help, instead of saying sorry it's an inconvience for my and my life, too bad, better luck next time. If I was a potential match for their child, they'd probably ask me to help. Or even if their child needed blood, they probably ask me to donate, since I have O negative which all blood types can have. I was just amazed that they felt the way they did. Am I strange for feeling the way I do? Would you help someone out you didn't know, even if there was some recoop time?

Blog Surprises

Well there is a blog that I have been reading, one of another mommy and her woes. I think I found her because she found me first. Today I made a rather interesting and surprising realization. I think I know this girl!!!
It's funny how I read these different blogs, and I know you do to, you start to feel like you know these people on some level and can relate to them.
Today after reading her most current post, I was surprised that her parents live in the same town as mine. Things started to click. There were a couple of girls I knew by this name, one I knew of, the other I new well. I was racking my brain of last names, finding it hard to remember things from almost a decade ago. As I continued to read, I had it, I knew who she was and I even remembered her maidan name! It was a girl I went to high school with and was in our circle of friends. One of those that we both went to college and got married and just lost contact.
So needless to say I was pleasantly surprised and I won't ever read her blog in the same way again.