A month in review...

Have you looked back through your pictures in your phone recently? Do you relive those memories? All those good times caught in a still frame. I was transferring photos to my laptop to be saved. So much happening in the past month. Good and bad. 

Sharing a laugh with my princess on October 5th. Her personality is addicting. So outgoing and smartalic at times. There's no doubt, she's my daughter. 

On October 7th, I took my oldest to the prescreening for Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We don't get a lot of one on one time, so I try to make it count. 

October 8th we went shopping and decided to play dress up in Targets halloween section. Don't scoff. You know you wish you were doing that too. 

October 11th, we went to the Star Wars Lego build at Toys R Us. Not a bad mini Ghost Ship, huh? 

The 25th was my oldest sons 6th birthday. We went to Bootacular and had a small party with my in laws. 

He's growing faster with every passing year. 

On the 29th, I worked my last shift with this goofball. He wasn't at our store long, but "Clydesdale" was definitely one of my favorite coworkers. 

On October 30th, I went to a job interview with the Lego Store. I designed and built a "set" that described me somehow. 

Creative yet detailed. 

Halloween involved free donuts, trick or treating at the Lego Store as well as in my in laws neighborhood. 

So why am sharing all this? Because I think everyone needs a dip in the fun memories from time to time. Relive the past month. Would you change anything? Did you learn or grow? 

Remember that the past was once the present, shaping the future. 

AND HAVE FUN WHILE YOU LIVE IT! 

Feast brings cute, wordless fun. Enjoy!

Disney has a penchant for making funny "Short" films. Their newest one is called Feast. Watch how time passes with a puppy finding an owner... dealing with the "woman"... and then reuniting the two when things go sour.


Don't forget some of these other titles, coming soon.

Into the Woods brings several fairy tales to life but connects them together.


Tomorrowland. Not really sure how to describe this one just yet, but it has George Clooney, so I'm sold!

Big Hero 6 movie review

This was an amazing movie! Great graphics, comedic moments, and family-friendly. I took my 4 1/2 year old with me to see the prescreening.

Hiro Hamada lives with his older brother and Aunt. Their parents passed away when Hiro was very young. Now that he's a teenager, he's prone to getting into trouble. Particularly when it comes to Bot Fighting (robot fights). His older brother comes to his rescue and their Aunt bails them out when things go too far.
Both Hamada boys are science geeks. Tadashi is in school, putting his brains to good use building medical robots for the future. He designs and builds Baymax, a personal medical robot. Baymax responds to "Ow" and makes you better with his huggable, tech-filled self and won't stop his care until you are "satisfied with your care".
Hiro Hamada, however, has a penchant for getting in trouble and skipping school. His older brother sees potential though, and he intends to show Hiro where he could go if he applied himself better. Hiro is a natural born, robotics prodigy. His mind is sharp, his inventions are innovating.
Tadashi shows Hiro where he goes to school at a big university with a large laboratory for developing technology. Imagine a place where the future is born. That would be this University! And the things that Hiro witnesses, has him changing his tune. Tadashi introduces Hiro to his fellow classmates. Honey Lemon, Wasabi, Fred and Go Go Tomago. Each one has their special gifts. They show him a world of possibilities that has him wanting to pass on Bot Fighting. He enters the contest for showing off his abilities and reasons why he should be chosen and given a scholarship to the University. He creates a project that has eyes popping. All using mini bots. Millions of them. And all controlled by his neuro system. But just as he given the future in the form of a white envelope and things seem to be going along gloriously, there is a tragic accident at the show. Flames claim the life of someone Hiro holds dear in the attempt at saving a professor. Tadashi's world is plunged into sadness. He doesn't know how to go on or how to proceed with his future. His aunt tries to push him into still enrolling in the University. His brothers friends are continuously reaching out to Hiro. Then Baymax comes back into the picture. Hiro didn't realize that his older brothers invention had so much potential until a single "ow" wakes him up.
A series of events uncovers a sinister and dangerous plot that plunges Hiro into crime-fighting and maybe even revenge mode. He recruits the four friends from the University and transforms them all into the Big Hero 6 group that will save the world, starting with San Fransokyo.
This movie was fantastic. Its family-friendly, funny, and touches the heart. Hiro learns what true friendship is. He learns to deal with heartache and move on in a positive way. I definitely recommend this one!

Check it out for yourself and enjoy! http://www.disney.com/BigHero6


 

Chicken étouffée recipe

The weather is changing and cold fronts are moving in. With this, warmer foods are far more pleasurable. One of my favorite recipes is Chicken Etouffée. Its a Cajun tradition that my family ate more often when we were around my Nana and Papa. While I haven't mastered it like they had, I'd like to think that I came close. My children and even my picky husband enjoy it from time to time. Bon appetit!

You will need:

3 large chicken breasts
Any spices you want (I use oregano and garlic)
Oil (about 3-4 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
Onions chopped (how much you want. I use about half an onion)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
Fresh garlic if you want (I use powder)
2 cups of chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I add mine to my food and not to the whole pot, and its more than 1 teaspoon)
1 bunch of green onions, trimmed and chopped

 You will need to cook rice to eat with it, so make however much your family uses.

Time to cook!
Cut each chicken breast into strips then season with your spices. Heat a large, heavy, covered pot over medium-high heat until it is hot. Then add a couple spoons of oil until it's hot (lightly bubbling). Add chicken and cook until light brown. Put the chicken aside and add the rest of the oil.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until it's a golden brown. (3-5 minutes) This is your roux. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic - stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the browned chicken to the pan.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender. Skim any fat from the surface, then stir in the green onions. Serve hot over cooked rice.

***I enjoy it spicy. Adding hot sauce, or even red pepper to give it some tang is always a plus.

 Serves 8, though you can certainly freeze portions to be used later.