What's For Dinner Dear?

Remember TV Dinners?

Let’s face it; grill season is over (on our side of the hemisphere). Women are reclaiming their kitchens and men are going back to what they do best, staying out of the kitchen until the magic words, “Dinner is ready!” If you love to cook and have the time and money to do it (let’s face it, good food costs-- which means better produce = more money) then you are in luck. On the other hand you are on a budget and your time is spent on a dozen other things. You know… things like a paying job, children, pets, errands, not to mention the book you are working on, or a project that is important to you. For some of you, “Take-out” is the answer. For some it would be frozen dinners or pizza, and for a lucky few it will be the words, “Let’s go out for dinner sweetheart.” Yeah right, here that only happens on special occasions and not always even then. A simple hamburger plate with fries in Norway costs the same as a gourmet meal in the states. I put away my restaurant clothes and shoes a long time ago.

So, you have stumbled onto my blog today and want to know what’s for dinner. Maybe you are like me, the dinner decision maker, the almighty coupon queen, (I really miss coupons) and the leftover expert. You found out the hard way that putting all leftovers in a pot and adding water does not make good soup. Despite my needs, not all leftovers go together. At a time of crises when both your credit card and bank card are as empty as the wallet in your pocket, and your cupboards are bare, your leftovers are not an option, what do you do? You still have options. Our mother had emergency supplies for such an occasion. We always had milk, butter, bread and flour in the house so toast with white sauce can do miracles with the right kind of what- ever else you have in the fridge .My favorite option  is to call up one of my children and ask them the question they have asked me so many times before…What’s for dinner? If you don’t have children there is always family or friends. If none of these options apply then you are out of luck. All other options I can think of are illegal. Tonight I am lucky, my left- overs go together.

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Have a great week-end and stay out of jail.

Shopping Cure

Do you ever feel like this?

For days now my brain has not been functioning properly and my moods are lethal. If anyone looks at me so much as sideways I am bound to snap their head off.  I don’t know if it is menopause, quitting smoking or just an accumulation of being fed up all the time. It is also that time of year when cold replaces warm and darkness slowly strangles light. If your temperament suffers from light sickness as mine does, living in a winter dark country such as Norway is challenging. We have the midnight sun during summer, but winter is just as dark as the summer is light.

To make matters worse, October is just around the corner. My birthday and the birthday of my two children in the states are approaching fast.  Unlike last year I will not be able to spend this time with them. If you have children that live very far away then you know how difficult birthdays and holidays can be. Slapping myself in the face, I need to fight this brain malfunction and diffuse this mood bomb before I hit the self-destruct button and end up blowing myself to pieces. Shopping helps, especially when you get to shop for presents! I love giving presents, but figuring out what to give is challenging when you have to deal with the International postal service. Ewww…Most times it costs more to send the package than what is inside! Well this year I have gotten tricky and have ordered something over the internet which is going to be shipped directly to them, I have also discovered Blurb. I cannot tell you what I have done with that discovery because I never know when one of these children decides to take a peek at my blog. Internet has truly made the world one big shopping center!

So now that my shopping has made me feel a bit better, it is time to be creative and design a happy meal for the family that has had to put up with me these past few days.

How do you deal with depression, does shopping help? Have you checked out Blub or have any other great ideas for gift shopping the international way? Have a great week-end and come back on Monday for some of my favorite things.

Take a Chance for Dinner

Today I want to share with you some interesting news. The first of which concerns my friend George Clooney. If you have been following my blog for a while then you know that I have a tendency to name my kitchen and household appliances. 

Johhny Depp

Good old George, my Nespresso machine, has moved to our family cabin. It has been replaced by Johnny Depp. I wanted to name it Simon, but my daughter convinced me that Johnny would better suit its more flamboyant style. If you have seen the movie Chocolat, then you know what I mean. My husband spent a small fortune on it which is rather concerning since my taste for coffee has lost its appeal.  How could that happen? The answer is that I quit smoking. Coffee, beer and even wine has lost its appeal. Now all I want to do is eat. Poor Johnny sits on the kitchen counter full of fresh coffee beans just waiting to temp me with its rich dark liquid. I say to myself, “This must be a phase I am going through,” but what if it isn’t? Could it possibly be that I am turning into a tea drinker now? I shudder at all these unexpected changes in my daily rituals.

Usually on Fridays I share some food with you. My posts in the series, “What’s for Dinner Mom” is not always just about food. It is also about family and sharing part of my family with you. Since I am having dinner alone tonight, I thought today I would share with you a link to my daughter’s new blog called “Take a Chance.” If you are interested in reading about a Norwegian girls college life written with an unusual and humorous perspective then you definitely should check it out! Of course I read it just to find out what she is up to. As it is with most parents, once your children hit a certain age, they tend to forget to tell you things. I doubt keeping me informed was the reason she started this blog but it suits me fine.

The College Student

The college student is home for the week-end but busy with her friends, so today I am going to clean out my fridge and take a chance for dinner. How about you? Hope everyone has a wonderful week-end!

Mood Medicine for Dinner

Once again Friday has come around in full speed. It has been a busy week with my daughter settling into her new dorm, and us adjusting to her cat and dog moving in here for good. The change from a house full of teen-agers to one filled with animals is not so different, but dinner time around here has sure changed. The human portions now tend to be smaller and quickly stored away before one of the beasts can sneak it away. Believe me, they use any given opportunity they get in order to steal food. My posts on “What’s for dinner Mom,” are most likely going to reflect the changes in our home and at our dinner table.

Max likes to steal Nani's food, but Nani does not mind sharing.

Nani (my daughter’s dog) has been a frequent visitor here, but Max is new to this household. Usually cats do not adjust too well when they are moved out of their environment, so we were all surprised at how easily Max fit in. I assume that is because Nani believes herself to be Max’s mommy and vice versa. They sleep together, eat together, go on walks together and even enjoy the same litter box. One deposits and the other cleans. Some of Dogs habits are not very appetizing and eating cat sand is just one of those things.

So onto other appetizing things, after all it is Friday, and you know how I love to talk about food. Today I decided to make shake and bake chicken sandwiches on fresh baked bread. Every once and awhile I am inspired to take out my Kenwood kitchen machine and bake bread. I know of no one that does not love the smell of freshly baked bread. If you ever need to be cheered up, baking bread is mood medicine. Here is my mood medicine for today: 

• 1 kilo flour makes two breads. Use half a kilo of regular flour and mix the other half with rye, oats and whole wheat.

•  1 package dry yeast.

•  A few pinches of some spices like salt, you can even use Italian seasoning if so inclined, a pinch of sugar, and even some seeds if you want. I usually use some if I have them.

Put all of that into a bowl and mix it by hand with a wooden spoon.

In a separate measuring cup mix together approximately 1 quart hot water, which includes about 2 tbsp. of oil and a little dark syrup or molasses. If you have some old milk you can mix that in too. Gradually add this into the flour mixture and let your kitchen machine do the work. You want your finished bread dough to be slightly sticky. At the same time, you do not want it sticking too much to the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle just a little flour on top of the dough, put plastic over the bowl and let it rise until it is double the size.

Next you put your bread dough on a flour surface and knead it, adding a bit more flour if it is still too sticky. Let all your frustrations out as you knead away. You cannot over do this part. If you want you can start out with the kitchen machine and do the rest by hand, but I have found that the more I knead dough the better I feel. You will know when you are done and the dough is smooth and round like a babies behind. Cut the dough in half and form each half into two greased bread pans. Cover the bread pans with a cloth and let it rise again for about half an hour or until double the size. Finally bake at 375 degrees for around 40 minutes. You can tell when your bread is done by its color and by tapping on it. If your bread sounds hollow then it is done. Take it out of the bread pan and cool it on a rack. 

 I can not get this picture to turn around! I miss my phone...

Fresh baked bread topped with philadelphia cream cheese, salad, tomatoe and sliced shake and bake chicken breast

  All that is left now is to enjoy the smell and the taste of your mood medicine.  No matter how you slice it, or what you put on it, fresh baked bread will make you and everyone around you happy.

 What is your mood medicine? Do you have any animals in your house with strange eating habits? Enjoy your week-end everyone, let me know if you have something fun planned! I will be back on Monday to share more about what it is like being a tourist in Norway.

Food,Free Books and Something Unforgettable

 Today we are digesting something spicy for dinner. Chorizo Chili Dogs. You all know that I am a left over specialist. My crock pot has prepared many yummy dishes this week, including Pot Roast and Beef Stew. So what to do with the left overs? Chili and Chorizo is what I came up with. I mixed my leftovers together, added some more diced tomatoes, more onion and chili spices. I grilled the chorizo hot dogs, put them in toasted buns and topped them with the chili, cheese and raw onion. Nummy!

Now for other news, I want to tell you about a Labor Day Blogfest and Book Fair. I am letting you know now so that you have plenty of time to sign up. Mark the dates and sign up now...Sunday September 2nd -Tuesday the 4th. (Some free eBooks included!) Wayman Publishing is holding a book fair in honor of Melynda Fleury--who has bravely been fighting diabetes and almost completely lost her eyesight--Wayman Publishing is offering unlimited free downloads of their top ten bestselling books to all entrants during this event! 

 In addition, they are featuring some great books you should check out, one of which is the Fantasy Anthology "Open Doors."  My short story, "Secrets of the Ash Tree," is included in this anthology which is being released on Sept.4th. Check out the details for that blogfest and book fair HERE!


I wanted to do something special as well so I am having my own blogfest starting on Monday the 13th of this month and lasting until Wednesday the 15th. For this blogfest I want you to post about some strange and unusual place or person you have visited. A place or person that has left a lasting impression, one that you can not forget. I am curious to see where your travels have taken you and who you have met there. Come back on Monday to hear about mine. Don't forget the Unforgettable Blogfest!

Here is the banner, you know what to do with it.

Also, add your link to the tool below so others can visit you as well. Are you going to join the book fair and my blogfest? I hope you help me spread the word. Isn't that picture of our dog adorable? So what are you having for dinner? Don't forget to fill out the submission form for your free giveaways HERE. Hope you all have a wonderful week-end!

Swedish Made in China

My crock pot and I. Continuing with my series called “What’s for dinner Mom?” I want to tell you about the newest member of my appliance family.  Her name is Betty Crockpot and I had to go to Sweden in order to buy her.

Being an American mom who loves to cook and lives in Norway can be a challenge. There are so many things that you cannot get over here. Two things that I have really missed in my kitchen are a garbage disposal and a Crock Pot. When we built our new kitchen I finally got a garbage disposal through E-bay and talked the plumber into installing it, you see I am not entirely sure it is legal here.  

While my son was here from the states we took him on a ferry over to Sweden and as all Norwegians do, we stopped at the big shopping center to buy food and drink because it is so much cheaper in Sweden. My husband needed an adapter for the cooler so we stopped into a hardware store and there she was. It was as if I had found a long lost friend as I touched her black stoneware sides and stood there in awe. She was beautiful, just as I remembered her. My husband finally found me standing there with big round dewy eyes and it didn’t take long before I was walking out of that store with my baby in arms. There was no room for her in the back of our car, so I sat with her in my lap for the long drive to our family’s cabin.

Three people in the backseat and my Crock Pot

It was hard to leave her in the box for the week-end, but I did much to my dismay because when we arrived home I unpacked her only to find the wrong size and model inside. This was not my Betty, but her sister. A smaller round crockpot more suited for soup then roasts and with no thermostat. My heart sunk. Back into the box she went and my husband, who is forever proving to be my hero, took and exchanged her a few days later while making a service call near Sweden. I waited patiently for his return and when he did I had a piece of beef already waiting to be turned into a delicious pot roast. I plugged Betty in and ZAP! All the circuits in our kitchen went out. As it turned out there was a major problem with her wiring and no amount of surgery could fix her. I packed her away and made my pot roast in the oven. Needless to say, I was totally heart broken and lost all faith for made in China and bought in Sweden. Maybe I was just not meant to have a crock pot.

Once again my hero would not give up and he took the dead crock pot back with him into Sweden and exchanged it once again. This time before coming home he stopped at our cabin and tested it out with his Dad. Now Betty is home and resting comfortably on my kitchen counter. She can’t wait to get started cooking and to show my family just what she can do, even though she is from Sweden and made in China, she is totally American to me.

CROCK POT CHICKEN CACCIATORE    

 3-4 lbs. boneless/skinless thighs and breasts
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large red or green bell peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon each basil and oregano

1 teaspoon suger
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 (8 oz.) can stewed tomatoes with chiles
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups burgundy wine (any red wine will really do, if you don't have wine use beef boulion and 1 teaspoon lemon juice and some grape juice if you have it :)
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling before serving

Place sliced onions on bottom of crock pot. Add chicken.

Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cook on low 7-9 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve over pasta or rice, with a salad on the side.

Enjoy!

There is a secret I have been dieng to share with you, as well as some exciting things happening this week-end so come back tomorow for an extra post from me! If you haven't visited Minnie yet, go pay her and my Gibberish friends a visit HERE. Rumor has it that she is coming back from vacation on Sunday.  Have a fantastic week-end!

Weeding through the Kitchen

You promised me a rose garden!

Something or another put me in a deep sleep and when I awoke much later than I am used to, my body felt like it had taken a trip through the garbage disposal. A tiny bite on my hand that wasn’t there yesterday could be the cause. Too much sun and sweat while working my way through the weeds of what used to be my beautiful garden could also be the cause. Renovating our house has cost my garden dearly. The other day we spent hours putting our outdoor sitting area together. When we were done and finally sat down with a cup of coffee to enjoy our handiwork, the view of the garden suddenly became clear. 

Living outdoors

What had happened to my beautiful garden? For a couple of years now, I have been in denial. When we started building an extra addition on to the house, trees were cut down, the bushes and flowers that survived were moved, and the lawn was replaced with gravel and building materials. Weeds and creepy crawlers took over what little was left! There is no way I want to relax in a weed garden, so it is time to tackle the unwelcome invaders. 

Runaway Garden

Weed Attack

Wouldn’t you know that with my elbows up to weeds full of unseen spiders, snakes, and insects, I am taking the easy way out today when it comes to making dinner? What's for dinner Mom, that’s right; it is left-over time. We have been eating a lot of Mexican food lately so I am taking all of it, putting it in a big pan and calling it Mexican casserole. Chicken, rice, beans, spring onion, corn, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic, salsa, tomatoes and a dash of extra seasonings. What is so great is that this tastes good warm or cold. Serve it with some good bread or tortillas and not only is the fridge cleaned out but a good and easy meal is ready when you are. May not look so pretty, but it tastes amazing. If you don't like your food too spicy, sour cream on the side, does the trick. NEVER throw away left-overs, unless they start to crawl around by themselves. Usually everything you have eaten for the past 5 days can be stuck together in a casserole or on a pizza.

Mexican Casserole

Enjoy your week-end everyone. Have you been ignoring your garden? How about left-overs, what do you do with yours? Next Friday, Minnie and her Gibberish, so make sure to come back and play!

What's for Dinner Mom?

Me the Mom Bee reading "Just Nonsense" by Melynda Fluery

The week-end is here already and as you can see I am very busy reading my kindle. So if you ask me what is for dinner you are bound to be disappointed.. Mom is staying out of the kitchen today so make yourself a sandwich. That's right, I don't make dinner everyday. Tonight I am going to a summer concert to listen to my husband sing. No he is not in a band, although that would be cool. He sings in a choir. Mr tough guy, body guard, fireman also known to many as "Saw-man" sings in a choir during his free time. 


Maybe I will get lucky and get some of this on video, so if there is no video here now come back later for some entertainment. In the mean time enjoy your week-end! Tell me, what are you having for dinner tonight? Do you go out to eat a lot? Do you always make dinner? Do you wish you had a hat like mine?

Rakkestuten Blandakor-"What do you do with a drunken Sailor?" Sorry about the sound quality, but hey....Not bad for a phone...

Italian Norwegian style

Homemade Pasta with Italian sausage, meatballs and a spicy garlic tomato sauce

It is Friday and I am known for my "Friday Pizza," which I tend to make out of leftovers. Today however I feel more like pasta. I LOVE spaghetti and meatballs, actually I just love spaghetti any which way. Have you ever made your own pasta? It is not so much work, but it is time consuming, and oh so good!  So, “what’s for dinner Mom?” Today we are going with Pasta. To make pasta you need flour and egg. If you have a very fine flour “type 00” that is the best, if not then use what you have. Use 100 grams flour per egg, depending on how much pasta you are making. I would say 1 egg per person, so if you are making pasta for 2 people, 2 large eggs and 200 grams flour. OK, so I am using metric and you might need the American measurements which are 7 ounces for 200 grams. Make a heap out of your flour on a chopping board with a hollow well in the middle. Crack your eggs into the hollow and mix your eggs with a fork gradually adding flour to the eggs. At first it will form crumbs and won’t look like it will ever come together. Keep working and it will. Eventually you will have to get your hands in there as well and knead the mixture. Squash it with both hands and then stretch the dough and fold it back on itself, give it a little twist and repeat. Keep doing this until the dough feels smooth. Wrap your ball of pasta dough in cling film and leave in fridge for about 1 hour, more or less depending on how much time you have. Remove your pasta from the fridge and flour a rolling pin and chopping board. Roll out to the required thickness and cut into strips with a knife, whatever size you decide to use just make sure you cut them as close to the same size as possible. If you have a machine, go for it. Your pasta is ready. You can now either hang it to dry or cook it right away in salted boiling water – it’ll only take a couple of minutes, unlike dried pasta, so keep an eye on it.

Now that you have your pasta, you can do just about anything with it. Eat it with just melted butter and garlic or fresh herbs. Talk about a cheap and delicious meal! You can also get some ground sausage and make meatballs that you can add to a nice tomato sauce . I like to serve my pasta with Italian ground sausage meatballs and a nice garlic tomato sauce, ground Parmesan on top...of course.  Now I could tell you how to make the meatballs and sauce but I think the pasta is enough for today. Enjoy your meal whatever it is and have a great week-end! Anyone have something to say about pasta? Norwegians say that potato is king but I beg to differ and prefer pasta any day. Hungry now? I sure am. Here is a little video that will give you the idea. She is sprinkling on a little salt I think, but I don't find it important.

What's for dinner? Heaven in a bowl.

What do you want for dinner? When I ask that question, do you think I really get an answer? Something good is always on the menu. What? Is that the standard answer? I am still waiting for, "Let's take Mom out for dinner!"

Yeah that is a lot of soup, enough to feed an army.

So judging by Wednesdays post, you guys want a recipe for my (hmm) potato soup. Here you go, in my not so recipe mind...Cook up a bunch of chopped potatoes. How many? I don't know, depends on how much soup you are making. If you like celery, chop that up too and cook with potatoes, about 1/4 to the amount of potatoes.  Fry up some bacon and onions, yes you have to chop it up! If you are a vegetarian skip the bacon part. I think I added garlic too. How much? that depends on you. OK, Bacon is fried with onion, etc. NOT TO FRIED! You want it translucent. Now you want to add some flour to all that yummy fat. OK...Vegetarians, don't be offended! Do your thing here with mushrooms and butter that is yummy too. Potatoes are just about finished, yippee!You need that water to add to the thick flour paste you made. Did I mention that? Gradually add some of that water, OK you need some milk too and cream if you have it, until you get the right consistency. You do know that cream and butter makes everything so much better. (Yeah, yeah, yeah) Chop up some broccoli, throw that in. Salt...I love pepper...simmer, simmer... You got the idea? Yeah, cheese as a garnish on top is good!  BTW: This is my sons Potato soup recipe. I think I got it right, he will let us know if I didn't. On second thought, blogger is not his hangout place so I can do what I want with his soup recipe and he will never know. I love soup, do you? What is your favorite kind?

There is a holiday soon, right? Soup works.  Minnie, next week in case you are wondering.

Grill Master Weber-Mans Best Friend

One thing that I love about nice warm weather is that when my children ask, “What’s for dinner Mom?” I can point a finger at Dads best friend, and say that he is cooking dinner tonight.

What is it about men and grilling/barbequing? Have you ever noticed that at parties all the men gather around the grill, and the women gather around whoever is holding a baby? Most men shy away from the stove or oven, but put a grill fork in their hand, and a slab of meat on a plate, and then they are happy as can be. 

We barbeque a lot during the summer which saves me time because basically all I have to do is make a salad or two. Depending on what kind of salads you make, these can last for several days in the fridge. Because salads are cold, you don’t have to worry about the timing of your food. Just grab it out of the fridge and onto the table as soon as Mr. Grillmaster presents his work of culinary expertise. He will brag about how great it looks and you will compliment him. “Yes honey, it looks and smells fantastic, great job!” At that moment all is right with the world. Yes, this would be one secret of a good marriage. When he stands there with that smile on his face, proudly holding that plate in front of you, (even if the meat is burned) then just smile back.

As long as there is meat in the freezer and a grill outside, believe me you will not go hungry. Even a little rain will not keep a man away from his grill. Well, not in this house anyways. On the menu this week-end, come rain or shine: Pork Chops, BBQ Spareribs, Pork Tenderloin, Potato Salad, Pasta Salad, Grilled Veggies on a spit and for dessert Strawberry and Blueberry Cheesecake. I made the salads and the cake last night, so all I have to do now is stab some vegetables, sit back and read my Kindle. Want to know what I am reading?  Michael Offutts new book Slipstream and so far, I am having a hard time putting it down.

Who does the grilling in your family? What is your theory on Men and their grills? Have a great week-end everyone. Leaving you with a few pictures of my daughter during and after her big 17th of May "Russ" celebration, tired but satisfied!

With a Friend in Warpaint

"Russ" have to do crazy things, this is one of them-crawling over a bridge.

After a long night and day without sleep..not exactly sober either

Monday maybe I will tell you what it means to be a "Russ".

The Avengers and Pasta

As I open the door to Fridays, “What’s for dinner Mom?" there is something I need to say:  Guess what? Today I managed to put on my super power apron and in true Avenger style, conjured up Captain Americas Macaroni and Cheese. Not an easy task without American cheese. Before I reveal to you my secret ingredients, I have a bone to pick with Mr. Marvel Comics.

How did Thor get so lost in the world of comics?

Ever since I saw the movie Thor my noodle has been cooking, and last week while watching The Avengers my pasta really started to boil. Why? Because Marvel Comics have taken the liberty of changing the Norse God Thor into a demi-god alien from the planet Asgard, with a half- brother named Loki. Since Thors mother was not human, but mother earth herself in the form of a giantess, and Thors father was the father of all Gods, then I would call Thor a full-blooded God.  Norse Gods; no more live on an Alien planet, then the Greek, Roman or any other God of mythology. It can be debated as to the relationship between Thor and Loki, but according to popular Norwegian legend, Loki was Odins blood brother. This would make Loki more of an uncle to Thor than a brother.  Ok enough ranting, and believe it or not I did like the movie The Avengers. There was a sense of humor which was lacking in the movie Thor and the acting was far superior. This is where I confess that I have a huge crush on Robert Downey Jr. and would love to serve him some of my pasta any day.

Back into the kitchen, let me share with you my secret to making Macaroni and Cheese, yes the American kind made with American/cheddar cheese. We do not get that here in Norway so our melted cheese is like stringy topping on a pizza. I found a way to get that smooth and creamy goodness in every bite! I added sausages to mine, but there is no need---I just like sausages. Here is what you need if you are Norwegian, if you are American you don't need my advice:

 Americans in Norway have to compromise when it comes to many favorite foods.

Instead of following the instructions for the cheese dip, you add double the amount of milk as is instructed on the packet, and you have a cheese sauce. If you are adding sausage or any other kind of prepared meat, make sure to cut it up in pieces. After you mix everything together, put it in a large casserole, top with shredded cheese and bake it in a medium warm oven for about 30-45 minutes. Here is the finished result:

Serve with a salad to make this dish more healthy.

Captain Americas Macaroni and Cheese, a guaranteed heart-breaker! Enjoy your week-end and if you are going to see The Avengers, don’t be fooled by Thor and Loki. Neither one of them are what they appear to be, unless of course you would rather believe in Mr. Marvels Comic book world. Either way, there is plenty of action and humor to keep you and the popcorn machine happy. Back on Monday with a story about first loves.

Have you seen the Avengers? Let me know what you think.

Age makes you smart..Does it?

Beautiful, Isn't she`? I am so dead for posting this!

So it is one of my daughter’s birthdays today. I had to stop and do the math, that’s because it seems like just yesterday. She was 10 in the year 2000, 20 in the year 2010, so I guess that makes her 22 today. She is 22 years old and all knowing. Remember that age? Well I had to stop and think about it.  When I was her age I had already given birth to two children. One of whom I had to give away. By the age of 22 I had been desperately in love more than just once. Again I am thinking math and that would have made me married for the first time. The years just peel away like an onion, and suddenly I am in another county, giving birth to another child and then other one. You would think I just spit them out, right? I can honestly say that each one of my children was born out of love. Maybe along the way, I made some mistakes. God knows, I keep making them but I will never regret making them out of love. I woke up this morning so happy that she is here, a part of my life, and although she thinks maybe sometimes otherwise, I will always be there for her. She does not read my blog but I say this anyways, I toss it out in the Air---Happy birthday “All knowing Daughter”---I hope when you are my age, you will be just as smart as you think you are now. By the way, just so everyone knows..I have the secret for having pain free birth..

Have a nice week-end everyone, any cause for celebration?