By the numbers

243 - number of tulips in my front yard, yay, so pretty and nice to look at while I am nursing Jack.



7 - number of times I have asked Joey to stop bouncing on me and Jack while nursing today.

0 - number of times Joey stopped.

67 - number of times Joey has asked to watch "that funny music" since I got home last Thursday (I let my kids watch some of the music videos from glee).  He has now moved on to "Turn Around" and "Run Joey Run".



As many times as Joey has asked to watch it - number of times I have questioned why it says "FIN" at the end of Run Joey Run. Why does it say FIN?  Does anyone know?



8 - number of times I watched Run Joey Run before I figured out the dad was the old pedophile glee coach.

What can I say, glee makes me really happy.  And so does the fact that Friday Night Lights is back on.  And Tim Riggins.  Does it sound like I watch too much tv?  For some reason, reading while I nurse has never been my thing.  Watching tv is.  And now that there is glee, I can watch and watch and if my kids are hanging out, they request the music vids. 

Once upon a time when I was in college, I lived in the sorority house with a bunch of gals.  At one point one sista, we'll call her Ginger, dated a guy named Jesse.  This was in between break ups with her now husband.  And every time Jesse would come over we would blast "Jessie's Girl".  And then, when they had finished dating and she was dating her now husband again, we would play it when he came over.  We weren't very nice.  Did you know that Finn is singing it tonight? 

Yum

We went up to our friends' cabin last weekend with all the kids - so fun.  In between laziness and snowmobiling the hostess whipped up this yummy pasta dish and I made it again last night.  Super yum.  My only problem was that I made it with sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil.  Use the sun-dried that just come in a packet dry.  So so so good.  Call me when you make it and make me some extra - my family probably wouldn't want to eat it as much as I want to make it.  Add some crusty bread with oil and balsamic and you'll be happy.

Chicken Milano

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 8 ounces dry fettuccini pasta

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a slotted spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the meat feels springy and is no longer pink inside. Transfer to a board; cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the skillet.
3. In the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup chicken broth to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce; stir in basil and adjust seasonings to taste.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce.
5. Cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and coat with the cream sauce; serve. 

And, I got to catch up a little bit on my DVR last night (this big belly inhabitant is wearing me out, dragging me to bed early which is not usually my M.O.).  I have been anxiously awaiting Parenthood.  Mostly because I have missed Lorelei - I mean Lauren Graham - so much since Gilmore Girls left us 3 long years ago.  I'm halfway through the first episode but really kind of like the feel of the show.  Did you catch it? 

Yesterday I was in the yard clearing out the gardens to get them ready for Spring (we are planting our peas in the next few days) and this morning I was shoveling neighbor's walks.  Enough already!!!  Have a great weekend!

Fall TV

I quite like TV. I may have made that clear with my affection for Glee. But my husband and I have our shows that we watch together - Lost, um... I can't think right now because my mind is totally focused on one we watched tonight.

I can't tell if it was spooky awesome or spooky give me nightmares. Did anyone else watch FlashForward? It was definitely good, but I am seriously fidgety. One highlight - the Oceanic Airlines billboard near the beginning of the show. That is the airline that crashed in Lost. But I can't figure out how the two shows are related. There are some actors that are the same like Penny from Lost and Olivia in FF and Charlie from Lost is someone in this show. Now I am beginning to sound like a total geek. Another highlight - the main character has some serious doppelganger abilities to my husband. Maybe just a long lost brother. Interesting.

Anyone see it?

Don't forget to check out the giveaway - really. Pass the word along.

~mavis

So gleeful

I've already mentioned how excited I am about this show but I thought I should put it out there again. Fox is rebroadcasting the pilot episode of Glee this Thursday. Might I suggest you watch it? And smile, maybe cringe a bit, but then smile? I can't wait for the soundtrack.