On the menu tonight...

Steamed butternut squash with goat cheese. YUM!
Let me just say that I love the winter squash family. They can sit on your counter for ages, and never go bad. They are good for babies. Put a little garlic salt on them and you are set! This is how I prepare my butternut squash. (I need to try roasting them in chunks with Olive Oil and some kind of herb!) First, I cut off a hunk that I want. If it contains the seedy part, I scrape that part into the trash. Then I put the hunk on a plate (or if my ONE plate is otherwise engaged, a Pyrex dish) with a bit of water, maybe a 1/4 cup? and then cover with that dreaded plastic wrap and nuke it in the microwave for about 7-8 minutes, sometimes longer. You know it's done when you can easily scrap it out of it's hard outer shell. I then sprinkle it with garlic salt (that should be a food group, garlic salt...) and maybe put other things on it. Sour cream as a side dish for Mexican food, cheese, or BBQ sauce; my favorite topping was the Manchego cheese. Manchego is a hard goat cheese. Nutty in flavor- it's a special treat for Ryan because it's so expensive. I got it today for $20.00 a pound. Did I say it's a SPECIAL treat? Oh, but it's SO GOOD.

I got that cheese when I went to the grocery store without my kids. Thank-you Marcie! I didn't even hesitate when she offered. I try to go to the store when I'm near, and today we had a Primary Presidency meeting. I was also out of food. I told the boys to get ready to go to Vons, and Marcie offered to keep them. Usually I weigh the option with "Will my kids torture me or her more?" Not today. Today I flew out the door without looking back because I knew my tired boys would make me miserable. And I went so fast! It was quiet and nice. Ahhhh.

And for the record, this is what I did today:
Primary Presidency meeting
made some phone calls
sewed up Kacy's hood/cape for her Red Riding Hood costume
dishes, twice
swept the floor
cleaned mold out of a hand-me-down freezer
picked up construction debris and filled up our dumpster
took out the house trash
laughed when Ed said "Look Mom, it's duh ribber!" when it was actually the lake. We argued before I gave up and said "Yup, it's a ribber, Ed."
Made dinner (see above, plus grilled beef/turkey burgers), grapes, and cheese
fed/watered the dog
blogged
and before I go to sleep, I will bathe four kids, sweep the floor again, pick up toys, go through the mail, and work on some homework. Hey, I might even shower because I need it. I just rubbed my face and dirt came off of it. I am less grimy than Ed, but not by much. Gross. Even putting myself in the same category as Ed gives me the eebie-jeebies. Shower for sure.
Let's add this: Get peed on by Jessie, because she was wrapped up in a towel after her bath, sitting on my lap while a caught a snippet of news. NICE!