What's for dinner-meal plan and Potato soup recipe

This week was a bit funky after the Baptism, so it was sort of work with what was leftover

Mon: leftover pizza

Tues: homemade pork tacos (own taco seasoning)

Wed: Chicken pot pie soup

Thurs: Chicken, broccoli, and rice

Fri: ???

Sat: baked potato soup

Sun: dinner with our small group

Here's my potato soup recipe--you know me--terrible with amounts.  I just go by looks and taste.

4-5 red or Yukon golden potatoes;

1 lb bacon;

carrots, diced

celery, diced

onion, diced 

salt and pepper;

3-4 c chicken broth; 

butter; 

flour; 

heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk; 

sage (and any other herbs you desire);

salt and pepper to taste, cheddar cheese.  

Garnish: scallions, cheddar cheese, bacon

Drizzle 4-5 potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper- wrap each in foil.  Bake in oven until just tender- about 1 hour.  Brown bacon.  Drain off fat, reserving 2-3 T of grease.  Meanwhile, chop carrots, celery, and onions.  Brown veggies in reserved grease until just tender and seasoned.  Add chicken broth (2-3 c depending on your desired consistency).  Add desired seasonings and potatoes.  Bring to a simmer, cooking potatoes and veggies until tender and broth is almost absorbed.  Can refrigerate at this step until ready to serve.  

Mash the potatoes and veggies roughly with a potato masher.  Create a well in the center of your potatoes or in a separate pan-melt 2 T butter.  Add 2 T cream and 2 T flour.  This will create a roux.  Add this to your potato mixture.  Add more chicken broth and cream until desired consistency.  Sprinkle a small amount of cheddar cheese in soup. Bring to a simmer and then serve immediately.  Garnish with crumbled bacon, scallions, and cheese.  

Commited to blogging again

I think E has finally gotten herself into somewhat of a schedule now, so I hope I can rejoin the world of blogging again. Missed everyone.  I will never catch up on everything I've missed unless you linked it through F/B.  Let's do this!

Bullying Post part 2

And if your curiosity is burning here are the types of comments made.

“Something has bothered me about this child since I saw her.  I felt like I had seen her somewhere and I swear I almost fell out when I realized why.  Toy story came on last night & BAM it hit me.  I know I’m not the only one that saw the resemblance.  And I’m so going to hell for this but.”

Followed by a beautiful little girl’s picture in a side by side with Sid from Toy Story along with the following comment

·         A sweet little girl’s photo with the following comments:

“As my 2 year old says—no, just, no”

….Baby….Ruth!”

“An ugly baby thread…I have died and gone o heaven why can’t you guys live near me so we can do this over cocktails”

·         Another sweet baby girl wearing an adorable headband—her mom was just displaying here new outfit, followed by,

“…Now, #1 is this a he or a she? Some moms are CRAY CRAY enough to do this to their son #2 bless its heart #3 you can absolutely not fix ugly. This is a God given example of such

·         Another toddler  girl and the following comments

“Found the baby that belonged to the scary picture I posted a few days ago.  The Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”

One of the bully’s responses to a mom’s concern,

“Get off my page with you bull#$%&.  This is facebook not the Salem Witch Hun  It’s a free country and I was laughing because it is funny.  The same kind of funny I see here all of the time when moms are cat fighting…Not like I knew who the kid belonged to Don’t attack me because I laugh at something! You don’t get to control that”

Who gives you the right!?!

Mom sees her own toddler-aged daughter show up in her Facebook newsfeed being described as “You can’t fix ugly.”  

Imagine scrolling through your news feed, and discovering a picture of your 2 year old daughter being ridiculed for her looks, her clothing , or her expression by virtual strangers.  Sounds like a day-in-the-life of a celebrity, right.  You might assume I am referring to a celebrity, and shrug it off, thinking it’s the price a celebrity pays for fame.  What happens though when this is the reality for us non famous peons? Unfortunately for a few very shocked mamas this experience is all too real. 

In the recent wake of outcries of bullying, especially cyber bullying, it is important to stay aware of the latest types of problems occurring in social media.  These issues of cyberbullying call into question the amount of information we should share on social media sites like Facebook.  We harp at our children, “Should you really post that photo?  Everyone can see it, it is part of your digital footprint.”  We make these blanket warnings about risqué photos or oversharing to our teens, but what about what we share as responsible adults? Like when we share our photos of our beloved children doing what we consider precious things. Or a photo of ourselves in a normal activity? I have to admit, I share photos a lot.  Well, the sad news is if someone is your Facebook friend or you don’t have your photos locked down, they can easily take a screen shot and share that photo in many ways.    A recent explosion over a secret group, the now defunct “Chat Soup” opened many a protective mama’s to how problematic cyberbullying is.  Who ever thought their precious 2 or 3 or 4 year old would be the object of an adult's ridicule?

Here is a little backstory.  There is a whole world of Facebook pages that the average user may not know about.  Did you know one person can have multiple Facebook pages?  That’s right.   People use fake names all the time.  Gasp right?  Lots of crazy people out there, but lots of normal people have secondary Facebook accounts for not so nefarious reasons.  Just one example are secondary pages used to Buy, Sell, and Trade all sorts of items without nosy friends and relatives knowing about those activities.   Well these pages often become friends with other secondary pages and that is when problems begin.  The mom—actually moms-- who were affected by this child-bashing were in a closed group with these types of pages.  These bully moms created a secret group to malign other moms in their Buy, Sell, Trade group.  Well the wrong mom got added and BAM!  It all blew up.  The boards of clothing lovin’ mamas exploded with vitriol against these bullies.  The bullies’ Facebook pages were instantly pulled down, and likely re-created in new forms. 

So how do we respond?  I’m not sure.  I think there are major flaws in how easily we can repost things with the advances of technology.  Sure they are convenient, but convenience always comes with a price tag.  The sad reality is bullying is a problem in the adult world as much as for our children.  There are also groups dedicated to making fun of other moms and I’m sure a host of other niches I’m sure.  Have we all been elevated to celebrity status by the connection of social media?  Have we all willingly consented to be “fair game” for other’s entertainment?  I hope not.  I hope common decency wins.  I know the support that was showered on these mamas has been overwhelmingly positive.  Salve to bitter wounds that should have never been created.  You do not want to anger these mama bears. 

Should there be repercussions for these bullies?  Should we post their names, contact their employers?  I think not because I am generally of the "turn the other cheek mentality."  Had it been my daughter, maybe I would yelling a battle cry. 

Spain--part 4

Finally a day to explore Barcelona--1 really wasn't enough.  My impressions are it is beautiful but touristy.  They have a good thing going tourist-wise.  It is a fairly new (as in new for European ages), so the buses navigate easily.  They have created large photo-op areas and pedestrian areas.  A harbor and beach area.  It is very safe because of this.  Gaudi is their main man--Modernist architect of the late 1800's for those of you unfamiliar--like I was.  He was full of weird building ideas.  I wonder if our word gaudy is derived from his name?

His famous Cathedral--still under construction over 100 hundred years later.  Over 4 architects have worked on it.  You can see the different hands.  It is no where near completion.  The line to get in is hours long. 

A building in his Park Guell--looks like Candyland--seriously

Cathedral again.  It is so tall and weird

more of the park--really amazing architecture.  he was really into recycling items for this work.  he created natural shade areas as well.  it was supposed to be a huge neighborhood and market, but it never "took" in his lifetime.  now it is a huge tourist spot.

sorry for the back and forth. more segura familia church

Then it was over.  What a whirlwind trip. 

Spain--part 3

We left Basque country and flew to Barcelona.  We got in fairly late, unpacked, and then walked around the harbor/beach area for a restaurant with no luck.  All the kitchens were closed.  I was not happy.  I thought this was happening Barcelona.  Evidently not down there.  Clubs were open, but not the kitchens.

Our first day in Barcelona we spent taking the Bullet train to Catalayud--about 50 miles East of Madrid.  The third wine growing region is there. They grow Granacha grapes for Granache.  Yummy red wine, truly.  Catalayud is really arid.  Totally different landscape.  We returned to Barcelona for dinner that night.  We were treated to the region's dancing at our winery lunch at Las Rocas at Bodega San Alejandro.  The manager there knows how to do a tasting and a lunch. We had dark chocolate, their special almonds, and cheese and Iberican ham with our wine tasting in their cellars.

We had empanadas and rose up in their vineyards.  It is so dry and arid, their vineyards look nothing like I've seen before.  

traditional dancing

a quote inside BSA

Spain--part 2

From Gallicia we flew to the Basque country into Bilbao.  Bilbao is gorgeous and somewhat modern.  One of the Guggenheim Museums is there.  We did a 30 min dash through the museum.  Modern art is crazy! We then drove almost 2 hours--kind of through the Pyrenees to Rioja.  Rioja is gorgeous.  They grow temperanillo grapes to make Rioja wines.  You're welcome!

We were only here 1 night and 2 half days.  Wish we had more time.  We explored Bilbao, toured a winery, and we visited the largest wine museum in the world.  It was cool, but we were all so exhausted it was hard to fully appreciate it.

Leaving modern Bilbao--on to Rioja--sorry for all the photos.  It is breathtaking