Five for Friday

Here are five great things about today...
1. Why is it that some Fridays are easy peasy and some Fridays it is a bit harder to find those five great things....
2. I had to buy some craft supplies for cub scouts tonight and found them on my first stop which is a gift....I thought for sure I would be driving all around town.
3. Husbands birthday weekend celebration.... We are going to see the Canadian Tenors.... I love them...
4. snow is melting but I am sure our basement will be flooded by 8pm tonight.
5. Great friends have posted Paper Mom to their facebook accounts, I appreciate your support.  THANK YOU!

One Proud Momma

Sometimes all aligns in life...
Yesterday my little girl spoke in front of City Council in support of "Loving her Library."
 It was brief but for ten years old, I think she is well on her way to a successful career as a lobbyist.
&
My little guy got a BUG award for citizenship (not to brag but its his 3rd one!)  The sky is the limit for the little cub scout.


I'll simply count my blessings before this day starts... you never know what it will bring.
Have a good day!

The End, Goodnight

Sometimes our bedtime stories say it all.
My little guy is into the Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne.  He thinks it is really cool when we read them fast.  Somehow the length of the story means something.  Last night we read an entire book!  Night of the Ninjas.  Sometimes those ol' Ninjas can teach a lesson.  I thought I would pass it along from the Master Ninja to you, my favorite Paper Mom readers....
"Remember," the master said, "keep a kind heart."

Shrimp, Martinis and Loving...

The World’s Greatest Husband and I stayed in on Friday night and made Champagne Shrimp Risotto (Bettycrocker.com) and appletinis.  Sometimes staying home is the best thing going.  I love when we chat it up, talk about life, the world, our kids, our jobs, our dreams…  The recipe is easy and guaranteed to bring some loving your way….

Champagne Shrimp Risotto

Prep Time

50

Minutes

Total Time

50

Minutes

Makes

6

servings

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Need a killer entrée that guests will rave about? Try restaurant-fare risotto with shrimp.

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1	lb uncooked medium shrimp in shells, thawed if frozen
2	tablespoons butter or margarine
1	medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2	cup brut champagne, dry white wine or Progresso® chicken broth
1 1/2	cups uncooked Arborio or other short-grain white rice
2	cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton), warmed
1	cup clam juice or water, warmed
2	cups chopped arugula, watercress or spinach
1/3	cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2	teaspoon ground pepper
	Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

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1.     Peel shrimp. Make a shallow cut lengthwise down back of each shrimp; wash out vein.

2.     In 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp; cook uncovered about 8 minutes, turning once, until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp from skillet; keep warm.

3.     Add champagne to onion in skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated. Stir in rice. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until edges of rice kernels are translucent. In 4-cup glass measuring cup, mix chicken broth and clam juice; pour 1/2 cup mixture over rice. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is tender and creamy.

4.     About 5 minutes before risotto is done, stir in shrimp, arugula, cheese and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

I am addicted to the Oprah Behind the Scenes Show on OWN.  In my 40 years on this earth, I’ve had a few shows that I watched faithfully, Party of five, Thirty Something, Allie McBeal, Ed, Grey’s Anatomy and Oprah.  Today it is so easy to be addicted to a show… DVR makes it quick and easy… setting the timer, recording every episode, zipping through commercials.  SO FUN!  Well I am finding that the behind the scenes 25 Oprah show may just be like crack for an Oprah addict.  Favorite Paper Peeps, I love, love, love, this show… I wish I worked for this woman, I wish I could hang with the producers, I studied the clip with Steadman, replayed the clip of Oprah in her home, there is something about the behind the scenes, the details, seeing our girl in an off camera sort of way, the clothes, the amazing lighting, it all makes me feel close to my girlies O and Gayle.  Of course now that Gayle has a show too, I can get my girlfriend fill every single day!  OOoooo life is good!  I have now started watching the Oprah show with anticipation of the behind the scenes show that will air weeks later.  Do you think that is odd?

Ok, remember peeps, I’ve met Steadman,  I think Oprah is next….

Five for Friday

Five great things about today...
1.  It's 60 degrees outside.  I thought I would never be able to say that one again! Welcome spring.
2. The World's Greatest Husband and I are quite a team, add plumbers to our long list of talents.  We fixed it, we fixed it, we fixed it....
3.  For the second friday night in a row the kids will be with their other parents.  It is a glimpse of our empty nest.
4.  visited the library as a patron not a employee and that was a treat... 5 new books waiting to be read.
5.  Enjoying a Dunkin Donuts coffee because--- like America, I run on Dunkin.
Have a good weekend...

Happy New Years Resolution - Let's check in...

On January first I stated two things…. I was going to lose another twenty pounds (which would top me off at a 60lb weight loss when all was said and done.) and I wasn’t going to eat fast food for one year. 

So…  now to Mama Kat’s weekly writing prompt…(if you have never visited the queen of blog, click her link now, you will laugh)

 Mama Kat posted… 

How’s that New Year’s resolution treating you?

Well, I have to admit, pretty darn good…

I am down an additional 9 lbs! I am meeting weekly with my cronies over at Weight Watchers, that group of gals seems to never change.  The names and faces shift but the personalities and stories remain.  I am a believer in good ol’ WW.  The last time I participated I wore a bikini.  Although now that I am 40 and fabulous - I am not sure I will be celebrating with a skimpy bathing suit.  No matter what, I know it’s a good thing for me.  The accountability of writing my points down on a daily basis, the accountability of a weekly weigh in and the belly laughs my weight watchers leader, Priscilla provides is enough to keep me moving on the downward slide….  Yippee…

As for fast food, I wasn’t pigging out on French fries and fried chicken but it was a part of my life… mostly for convenience, not having it for the past 48 days makes me feel in control.  I actually zipped through the drive thru to pick up a $1 coffee at McDonalds and felt extreme guilty for being on the property (although coffee is not included in my no fast food commitment - seriously, some things are simply not negotiable and my coffee is one of those things.)  I don’t think anything bad can come from this challenge. 

I hope you can still remember your new year’s resolutions from 48 days ago.

This is hard work

Any regular Paper Mom reader would vouch that lately I suck at being a blogger.  Honestly, it isn't that I don't think of you my favorite readers, it isn't that an inspiration doesn't hit me... it's about my overloaded brain, my job and all the changes that are looming, my crazy hectic life, my children who constantly drain my energy level and wallet and this &^*% weather.... 
........So with warmer temperatures predicted for the next few days I've decided to turn my frown upside down and make a commitment to blog for one week straight, every single day for seven days. Now that is a change in Paper Mom scenery.  I think it will make me feel better.  I think you will feel better too!  So here is the deal, I blog for one week straight, I let that inspiration consume me, I find my groove, you become a happy reader, I become a better woman. 
Now, your part of the deal, spread the word, send my link to a pal or two, you know the type... a crazy overloaded mother balancing things from the top of her head to the tip of her toes, a divorcee who on occasion wants to deck her ex, a fellow step-mo trying to keep the peace, a stationery lover who may want to host a Paperly party, a working mommy who feels the guilt because she likes to get dressed and go to the office, a newbie to fabulous and forty.  You know my reader type because you are here, loving and laughing with me (ok, sometimes at me)  
.........So do we have a deal? I'll write, you help me gain readers? I am in, are you in? Oh yea, paper peeps... you can also find me on Facebook and seriously my fan count has been stuck at 69 for months.... post me to your Facebook as a "likable" entity and I will love you forever! Ok, see you back here in a bit... the challenge is on. Have a good day

Five for Friday -Valentine's day style...

It's Five for Friday...
Here are 5 great things about today.
One...My husband has the day off
Two....I have the day off
Three..... Our children are scheduled to be with their other parents tonight.
Now really, I don't need five things listed for this Friday... I have a night full of great things in the three listed above....
Have a good weekend....

Perfect Mothers... and their little secrets

I’ve wanted to blog about this book for days…

Run… don’t walk to your library or book store to pick up Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile.  It is a read that you can do while cooking, cleaning, or practically driving (ok, don’t try that one.)  It is just simple one page secrets about motherhood that will make you pee your pants.  Just sayin….

So here are a few that made me laugh out loud while I waited in the parent pick up line at school….

• Before my husband gets home I spray Lysol by the door.
• If I repeat to myself  “I’m ok, I’m ok” I hope that I’ll begin to believe it.
• I threw out a pair of shoes my daughter loved and told her I couldn’t find them.
• Sometimes I feel guilty for liking going to work so much.
• I signed up my kid for karate because the instructor was hot.
• When I am at safeway I buy a Nordstrom gift card and charge it as groceries.  I can justify it that way.
• We were once in the grocery store and when we hit the wine aisle, she screamed “That’s Mommy’s Juice”
• I do my son’s homework just so we can get through it faster.  I grab his pencil and he just looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
• I forgot to pick my boy up from kindergarten because I was too involved in a VHI Rockumentary.

And that is just a taste of the sincerity, insanity and humor.  You must pick up this book and read the secrets of honest women who are doing the best they know how…

These two rock star authors also wrote  “I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids” That one is a mommy bible too!

Five for Friday - feeling sexy

It's Five for Friday!
Here are five great things about today:


One... There is no snow in the forecast for the next  oh let's say...20 hours.
Two... The sun is shining today.
Three... It is my first Friday (in awhile) to be off without children home because of snow.  Love my Fridays.
Four... Off to go pick up my internet grocery order. When I place the order - I pick up, when The World's Greatest Husband places the order - he has it delivered.... what's wrong with this picture?
Five... I lost more weight! The best part?  feeling like I can prance around in my underpants while searching for an outfit to wear for the day..  prancing without reaching for my robe or towel to cover me up! Suddenly matching bras and panties are back on my radar screen. The mommyologist speaks of embracing her "mom sexy".... I think I found it....
Hey Favorite Paper Peeps... click on over to Facebook and like Paper Mom - you will get my updates, thoughts and comments on your newsfeed - and what is easier than that?????

snowflakes and my husband's inner child

When one is not in the blogging groove it feels like a ten pound weight resting on my eyeballs as I drift to sleep.  When one is in the blogging groove, the little notepad by my nightstand is full of scribbles. If I had to identify the creative block it would be white, fluffy, cold, wet and icy… yep, I am blaming the weather, the storms, the snow for my bloggy block.  I’ve said it before… I’ll say it again…. I am not a winter girl.  I am not a snow bunny by any stretch.  The anxiety that these storms have brought me is probably on the tad of unusual and on the edge of being odd.  I hate feeling this way, but simply can’t shake it, well how can one shake it when the storms keep coming one after another?   So here is my attempt to see the positive in snow…

The World's Greatest Husband recently snow blowed a fun path around our back yard.  The kids loved it, it made for hours of fun.  Running through the path, building around the path, you get the drift.  I swear the World's Greatest Husband loved it too.  He was practically skipping behind his machine.  I attribute this to the fact that he grew up in Miami and never got to enjoy a snow day filled with snowmen and snowballs.  It was his boyhood inner child shining through as he created this path of snow fun.  So here is the positive…. My children as adults will not have to struggle through this inner child snow syndrome because they will know what snow days are all about and they will be sick of them too!  How is that for finding some positive? 

I think my kids are already sick of snow days and are dreading summer school!

Stay safe paper peeps.