Mary Poppins

Brooke has been obsessed lately with Mary Poppins.

 Last weekend, the girls got to have a sleepover with Grandma Mary Anne and Papa. We heard that they were very good and had a fabulous time. We also heard that Brooke requested to only be referred to as Mary Poppins.

The following Sunday, she made the same request of me at home. If I slipped up when asking her a question (and calling her Brooke) she would immediately correct me and ask to be called, MP herself.

We used to have the DVD...until Brooke decided it was a chew toy over a year ago. When we stopped by Grandma Etta and PaPa's on Sunday...we got to watch their VHS copy. Brooke was enthralled...can you tell?

 There is always time to stop for a picture...and yes she is wearing Grandma's shirt.

No more pics...Spoon Full of Sugar is about to start...

ONE Dance

This week at dance class, they invited the parents in (unexpectedly) to watch the girls perform. Brooke wasn't on her 'A Game' having mom & Caroline in the room...but I was so excited to see her perform LIVE!

As soon as they started their tap routine....the song ONE came on. If you keep up with my blog, you know that was my Grandma Johnson's SONG. The fact that they played that song while Brooke was tapping just SO reminded me of my Grandma. Brooke was so uncharacteristically shy the entire class, but then that song came on-she perked up and did all her moves. It was awesome.

I'm sorry-can you say Mary Jerry was in the room or WHAT??

Friendly Recipes

So lately I have been in a cooking rut. I have asked some friends to provide some of their favorite recipes for me to try out. Let me tell you...they have been a HIT!! Gary has said that they are some of the BEST dinners that he has had! I am not sure what that says about my previous meals, but I will take it. A huge thank you to Katie H. for her meal masterpieces :)

Campbell's Kitchen Chicken Enchiladas

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 cup sour cream (*I went with the light sour cream)
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces) (*I used the 2%)
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion.



Baked Ziti

· 1 pound dry ziti pasta

· 1 onion, chopped
· 1 pound lean ground beef  (*I used ground turkey breast)
· 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
· 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
· 1 1/2 cups sour cream  (*I used light sour cream)
· 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (*I used 2%)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.



I have a couple new ones I am trying out the rest of the week too-I will let you all know how they go!!

Field Trip

Yesterday I ventured to the post office to apply for my pass port. It was all that I expected and so, so much more. It is such a great idea to take a 3 year old and a 1 year old with you to the post office-I highly recommend it. Especially if your going be be there for 45 minutes.

After physically carrying them both into the building (maybe I don't need P90X after all??) we grabbed a number and waited in line. After 10 minutes, we were finally called up to the desk where we met a lovely postal worker (insert HUGE level of sarcasm) named Linda who asked me a standard list of questions. It was almost as if she was trying to weed me out of the pass port applicants for the day.

Question #1: Do you have your birth certificate?                           YES
Question #2: Do you have a drivers license?                                 YES
Question #3: Do you have a check book?                                    YES...but why??
Question #4: Do you have a picture of your self?                          Well, I have that drivers license..??
Question #5: Did you fill out the brown form?                               NO

Apparently by picture she meant pass port picture which I didn't not have. I also was unaware of this brown form that was a requirement pre-approval. We were led to the 'back office' to take my picture. We were a sight to be seen. I sat down to have my photo taken while both kiddos were trying to climb on my lap-it was awful.

After hearing back from family and friends regarding the facial expression during the photo session, I asked Linda if I should remain serious. She let me know that their location allowed a, "slight smile." What is a slight smile?? Since I wasn't sure, I told her I would just be serious. After all, I had practiced in front of the mirror before we left. She took my picture and told me that I looked a bit "surprised" and she would like to see a "slight smile." The resulting pass port photo is of me-looking incredibly awkward-with a crooked lip slight smile.

Linda then told me to fill out that brown form and get back in line. At this point, both kids were getting restless and were climbing me like a tree while I filled out paperwork. We got our new number and waited another 15 minutes to be called up. I looked at all the childless customers around me and thought-If I am ever here by myself with nothing going on, I would totally give my number to a mom of children.

At last, number 69 is called and we head to the desk. As they begin to process my paperwork, Brooke tugs on my jacket and starts to do the potty dance.

You have got to be kidding me.

I asked my new (actually super  nice) postal worker friend if they had a bathroom. He said no, but to meet him at the post masters door. Sounds fancy right? We ran (actually ran) through the back area where all the mail is sorted (running was required as Brooke was growing quite distracted by all the junk mail surrounding us...it is magazine heaven) to the employee bathroom....just.in.time.

Back to the desk. My new friendly post worker friend told me that he was going to head to lunch and that Linda would be happy to help me.....great.....

After 10 more minutes of hell standard questions, we were DONE. I have never been so happy to leave anywhere in my life. Brooke immediately feel asleep in the car. I wish I could have. Good thing you only have to do this every 10 years.

Crazy Baby Buys

Do any of you read / follow on FB BabyGizmo.com? If not-you should. They have tons of giveaways, reviews of baby products, etc. I am a fan.

Recently, they did their annual list of crazy baby products that are actually available on the market. In case you don't click HERE...I just had to share my top two favorites.

Who comes up with this stuff??


Does it get any more disturbing then this?? Who spends over $50 on these 'hands?'



For when you need to hang your baby on a wall so you can use the public restroom.

SIDE NOTE: We are back on the X. Instead of doing my one a week update on the program and how Gary and I are doing....I have added a separate page on the right. It is listed under, "Meet the Flemings." That way I don't bore you every Monday and can post about something WAY more interesting then Core Synergistics.

P. Port

Yes, I am the only person left I know that doesn't have a passport.

I really wouldn't care, but apparently you have to have one in order to enter Jamaica. After talking with a few close friends and family, I was informed that they also take 6-8 weeks to arrive. What??

Additionally, they cost (for a first timer) $135.00!! I am totally naive and seriously thought these babies ran somewhere around $15.00. I mean...it is just paper right?

Wrong. Gary said that they are, "way more important then a piece of paper. Kelly, this is your identification to the WORLD."

Way to make it all awkward and serious Gary.

So, off to the post office I go...tomorrow...before 4:00 p.m....with drivers license and birth certificate in hand. With my two kids which should make for a good time.

My sister told me that you cannot smile when they take your picture. Is this true? If so, I am nervous. When people tell me not to smile I get all uncomfortable and start, well, smiling. It is making me smile just to type it and think about it.

I hope that I get copies of the pictures that they take because if they do...I may make it my new FB profile pic-serious and all.

First step to Jamaica...Check (well, check tomorrow).

Snow Day!

Although I am a few days late on this...it was still snowing this weekend-so it still counts.

This past week was FILLED with snow. Too much if you ask me. I am VERY ready for Spring. I love the clothing the Winter brings...but the temperature and driving conditions?? Not so much.

Brooke, however, is a HUGE fan. I guess I am kind of a fun less mom and had never let her outside to play in the snow. I would actually bring the snow inside and let the girls play-wild, I know. Since Gary was off work, though, he 'volunteered' to take her outside. After many, many layers of clothing, they were ready.

 They had SO much fun! I would have lasted maybe 5 minutes-they lasted about 25. Pretty impressive.

Gary may have had the most fun of all :)