a little of this and a little of that

Another unseasonly warm day in Cache Valley.  I actually went for a walk this morning without even a jacket.  This is just wrong!  We should be having subzero temps with a foot of snow frozen on the ground.  Instead, there were birds chirping in the trees outside my gallery window all afternoon.   And on the other hand, I understand that the winter is hitting hard back east.  The forecast promises nothing for another week.  Please pass winter! 

After getting the babes off to school, with very quickly made homemade breakfast burritos and wrapped them to go, (ya gotta love that crazy first morning back to school after a long winter break!) I went back to bed for a few hours to catch up on some sleep. I rarely do that, but apparently, I needed it because I slept a few hours until Denise texted to see if I was ready to go.  Talk about getting busy quick! Denise and I enjoyed a couple of hours at Chili's, catching up after a few weeks of seeing each other very little.  Her son came from med school in DC the day before Liza left, then her husband had shoulder surgery, plus the holidays.  It mean very little time actually together, so we had plenty to talk about today.  Love it!

Since Denise and I were still playing, Kelly dropped Zaylee off at my mom's for a bit until I got home.  Nana loved that!  Mom brought Zaylee at naptime and we watched "The Help together while Mom did my ironing.  My mother lovesto iron.  And I don't mind that she does at all!  I'd texted to Natalie that Mom was coming over to watch "The Help" and do my ironing.  Nat texted back, "How appropriate."  (hee-hee)

Zaylee awoke up from her nap near the end of the movie.  The scene has a woman on a porch yelling at another woman, mentioning a cold sore on the one woman's face.  Zaylee, still half asleep, came into the family room, watched intently for a few seconds and then, yelled at the TV, "GO HOME NOW AND WASH YOUR FACE!!!"    We all just burst into tears of laughter.  She doesn't miss much!

And one other "must record for posterity" story.  Quayd was asked to teach the Teachers Quorum last Sunday. He spent serious time preparing and when Quayd is prepared, he has no fear. 

Doug attended his lesson for moral support.  After church, they told me that the lesson went really well and he did a great job "until the last few minutes".  WHAT?  Apparently, Quayd was leaning against the wall, with his legs locked, as he was asking the boys a question when BAM!!! , he fainted and fell flat on the ground.  His eye is bruised and his glasses scratched his cheek when he hit.  Hard!  Doug said that he'd noticed that his legs were locked and that is a common cause of fainting.  Quayd's eyes were wide open, but he was completely unconscious for a few seconds.  He lifted Quayd's legs to get the blood circulating again.  Quayd "came to" and asked "What's happening?"  He was clueless.  However, he got up, Doug pulled up a chair for him to sit on, another to prop his legs on and then Quayd completed the last few minutes of the lesson without missing a beat.

That was Doug's version.  Quayd's included that he felt really "tired" and he said to himself, "I have to stay awake."  Then, he said that "it felt like the room was getting dark". He had no clue that he had fallen, that his eyes were wide open because it got so dark, so quickly.  When I asked him if he was nervous about giving the lesson, he said "No, I was fine because I was prepared."  When I asked if fainting scared him, he said, "YES!"   However, he did add, "But, I'm a Corbridge and Corbridge's finish what they start, so I got up and finished the lesson."   Love that boy!

The funny part of the story came when the Young Men's President called to check on how Quayd was doing on Monday.  Aaron commented that he was most surprised at how casual Doug was when it happened,  that he'd just helped Quayd up and Quayd picked up right where he left off.  He said, "I was surprised by Doug's casual reaction, but I figured if he was okay with Quayd continuing, I guess we should be too." (The Bishop, a counselor, the YM President and his counselor were also there.)  What they didn't know was that Doug watched me faint up to thirteen times a day for ten years, before I finally had a hysterectomy at age 28.  Fainting is no biggie in our family.  ;) 

So, those are a few ramblings from the Corbridge home.  I also wanted to share this recipe, a favorite today.   Nat called and asked for it and I thought it had been posted before, but it wasn't.  It's a must try!  One of my blogging goals this year is to be better at posting all recipes, both here and on the cooking blog, so that they are easier to locate later.  Here's the first!  

1 16 oz. bag penne pasta, cooked till almost done

2 15 oz. jars of Alfredo Sauce  (I use Cheesy Ragu flavor)

sliced fresh mushrooms (I use a large box from the produce section)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 - 2 cups diced ham  (diced finely)

1 - 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

cooked, chopped bacon, if desired ( Not bacon bits.)  (And trust me, you desire!)

2-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Saute mushrooms, green onions in butter, adding the ham, chicken and  bacon.  Pour one jar of Alfredo sauce and cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan.   Add and mix the pasta with the remaining ingredients into the pan.  Pour the second bottle of Alfredo over the mixture and cover in shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for half an hour.  Enjoy!  

 

The happiest people do have the best of everything,
they make the best of everything they have.

Comments

[Nicole]

Thanks for the recipe, I love anything "pasta". What an amazing young boy you have!

[Debra Guerrero]

yep, fainting is in the blood. I fainted twice in morning formations while I was in the Marine Corps. No biggie! Glad he was able to finish the lesson, strong minded young man.