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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Etsy Baby Finds!

We are currently expecting our 4th child, so I have been exploring Etsy this morning for possible nursery finds. I have a slight obsession with Wizard of Oz, so you can guess what the theme will be this time

Unfortunately, it just the pattern that is for sale. I wish one was for sale already made!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75365463/dorothy-toy-blankie-lovie-crochet?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share


Seriously adorable! If we have a girl, I may have to splurge and buy this
http://www.etsy.com/listing/72885188/girls-wizard-of-oz-dorothy-tutu-set?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share


http://www.etsy.com/listing/35188524/the-tin-man-bird-feeder?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

So its not Wizard of Oz related, but seriously adorable.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75541493/giraffe-handmade-crochet-hat-newborn-to?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

Friday, March 4, 2011

Mystery Dish from last night that was sooo Yum

1lb smoked turkey sausage
1 box ABC's pasta
juice of 1 lemon
1 jar of pizza sauce
1/2 log of velvetta cheese
dash of oregano
Salt and pepper
1/2 stick of butter
1 can petite tomatoes

Cut sausage into small bite size pieces. Cook noodles and sausage in same water for about 5 minutes. Drain and add rest of ingredients. Heat thru and enjoy.

Friday Plugged In movie review

Rango



Rango has a tough time blending in. Frankly, it's just not in him. He may have been born with the skin of a chameleon, but he was destined to be an actor.

At any given moment you can usually find him staging one of his own plays in the terrarium—starring him, of course. Supporting roles got to his friends: a headless Barbie torso, a wind-up toy fish and a dead cockroach. Rango has not had a lot of success in front of the footlights.

But the dramatic prospects for this Hawaiian shirt-clad lizard are about to change.

An accident lands the scaly thespian in the middle of the blazing Mojave Desert in the little dried-up town of Dirt. And before the sun-scorched reptile and rodent townsfolk can eat him for an afternoon snack, he jumps into character and convinces the populace he's a fearless gunslinger.

At least they're convinced he might be who he says he is. He can sure enough weave a good tale. He's a bit scrawny, but who's to say? Then, when Rango takes out a town-terrifying hawk, well, it's a sealed deal. He's made sheriff.

After all, they need a good man, er, lizard like him. A critter who can sit tall in the saddle, scare off the desperados and, most importantly, help them find water before they all dry up and blow away.

Cowboy hat-wearing savior/hero is a new role for the zonk-eyed green guy, but he's ready to give it a try. Besides, there's that pretty lizard filly named Beans who's caught his interest. If he can keep this lie up long enough it might just all work out.

Positive Elements

When someone steals the last of the town's water, and the outlaw Rattlesnake Jake—with a Gatling gun where his rattle should be—enters the scene, everyone looks to Rango. He's never been much for second acts, but it turns out he's got more gumption that even he thought he had. Although he started out lying about who he is to save his skin, he eventually comes to really care for the residents of Dirt and puts his life on the line for their sakes. And when it comes to Beans, well, he'll even take on Rattlesnake Jake to protect her.

When the town mayor pins a badge on Rango, he tells him that with a new lizard in town, people believe that tomorrow will be better, "And everyone needs to believe in something."

Spiritual Content

The townspeople approach a lonely water spigot in a reverent way, saying, "Prepare the holy spigot." They also shout out "hallelujah" and call the gathering a "sacred" time. Later, when several colorful creatures follow the water line underground, they find a cavern full of pipes. One guy says, "It's like seein' the face of God."

Somebody requests that they all hold hands and together lift up to The Spirit of the West a prayer of thanks for Rango. Later, Rango meets this "spirit"—a weathered Clint Eastwood type. Rattlesnake Jake threatens Rango with, "If I ever see you again, I will take your soul straight to hell."

Violent Content

There's quite a bit of thumping violence played for laughs. And because of the photorealistic nature of the animation, it comes across as pretty graphic (for a PG cartoon, for sure). For instance, a giant hawk chases Rango around town. The bird lashes and snaps at him with an armor-covered beak while the lizard stumbles, tumbles and crashes through things. When cornered, Rango tries to free himself and accidentally shoots a cable that causes a large water tower to crush the bird. Another chase scene features scores of bad guys mounted on bats and dropping dynamite on our scurrying hero and friends. Characters are blown up and hurtle crashing into canyon walls.

Probably one of the scarier locations in the movie is the human highway that stretches through the desert. When Rango walks across it, the oncoming trucks and cars barely avoid crushing him. He meets an armadillo who has been hit; he has a huge tire track smashed through his middle.

Outsized sharp-toothed predator Rattlesnake Jake lunges at the camera, shooting and crushing other characters. A number of folks wield and shoot rifles and pistols. Rango belches flames into someone's face and then tries to put the fire out with a glass of alcohol. Somebody threatens to cut off somebody else's "giblets."

Beans punches several bad guys—and Rango, too—full in the face. Rango knocks an old woman out by punching her in the face. A father mole repeatedly slaps his boys upside the head.

Crude or Profane Language

Seven or eight times the word "h‑‑‑" is not intended to reference the place. "D‑‑n" and "a‑‑" also show up once each. There's an unfinished "son of a …" (The final word is covered by a bird's squawk.) A character calls out, "Madre de Dios." A Greek chorus in the form of an owl mariachi band sometimes sings out choice little blurbs such as, "Watch him lose his cojones."

Drug and Alcohol Content

Cigars are smoked. (Rango eats one.) Saloongoers, including Rango, drink "cactus juice." One patron seems to have passed out drunk on the bar. Bean's father is known as a drunk; she states that he'd "been sober for a month."

The bank manager chews Alka-Seltzer tablets.

Other Negative Elements

Rango lies repeatedly for almost always very selfish reasons. (Partial mitigation comes when his fibs are exposed and he has to fess up.)

The flick sports a number of toilet humor gags that center around everything from an outhouse visit to urine samples to discussions of fecal matter to a joke about an enlarged prostate. There are also a few twisted language jokes that turn off-color. An example: One grizzled critter spouts, "It's a puzzle, like a big ol' mammogram." And Rango says, "I'm gonna strip away this mystery and expose its private parts."

Conclusion

Directed by the man who helmed the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Rango rides to the rescue with a few appealing qualities in his saddlebag. There's certainly a sense of spur-jangling, scrubby, Wild West adventure on hand. And the hyper-realistic animation is a sure enough purdy treat for the eyes.

Rough riders and a bit of scenery, however, do not a hootenanny make. Like its bulging-eyed stream of consciousness-burbling protagonist, the movie Rango tends to ramble about. In an attempt to make the clearly kid-centric flick adult-friendly too, its creators riddled the script with a movie-trivia pastiche that references everything from High Noon to Star Wars to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Not only do these quirky nods make up the majority of what passes for onscreen humor, they're so obscure that almost all the kids and likely even most of the adults in the audience will easily miss them.

What's left is a predictable Spaghetti Western tale that packs into that proverbial saddlebag I mentioned earlier a canteen about half full of toilet humor, an inexplicable string of mild profanities and only enough emotional connection as one might be able to fit inside a shotgun cartridge.

Which means discerning parents will probably let Rango ride through town without no nevermind.

(Pluggin.com)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Our good word from God's Word

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Psalm 27:4-6

Crockpot Shephard's Pie

1lb hamburger
1 small can tomato paste
dash of paprika
dash of oregano
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small onion

Cook all above until hamburger is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain excess grease. Pour into bottom of crockpot. Cover meat mixture with any yummy vegtable of your choice. Then top with mashed potatoes. Cook on slow for 3 hours. Sprinkle a bit of cheese before serving. Enjoy :)

Monday, February 28, 2011

How to properly care for cast iron skillet

How to Season
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Wash new cast iron cookware with warm soapy water and promptly towel dry. Generously coat cookware with vegetable shortening. Bake in oven for 1 hour.
Remove skillet from oven and rub again to redistribute oil. Place in the oven and bake again for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Wipe excess oil off with paper towels, then allow to cool before storing. Store in a cool, dry place, with paper towels below and on top of skillet to protect shelves and skillet.



How to Clean
After cooking, clean utensil with a stiff nylon brush and hot water. Using soap is not recommended, and harsh detergents should never be used. (Avoid putting a hot utensil into cold water. Thermal shock can occur causing the metal to warp or crack).

TIP: If you are having trouble removing stuck-on food, boil some water in your pan for a few minutes to loosen residue, making it easier to remove.

Towel dry immediately and apply a light coating of oil to the utensil while it is still warm.

TIP: Do not let your cast iron air dry, as this can promote rust.
Store in a cool, dry place. If you have a cover, or lid, for your utensil, place a folded paper towel in between lid and utensil allowing air to circulate. This prevents moisture from collecting inside the utensil, which can cause rust.

TIP: The oven is a great place to store your cast iron; just remember to remove it before turning on the oven.
NEVER wash in dishwasher.

 
If for some reason your utensil develops a metallic smell or taste, or perhaps rust spots (maybe a well-meaning relative washed your utensil in the dishwasher or with soap thinking they were being helpful), never fear. Simply scour off the rust using a very fine grade of sandpaper or steel wool.


Friday, February 25, 2011

Friday PluggedIn Video Review

Megamind


It's not easy being blue … and having a head shaped like a light bulb … and having a nemesis who's perfect.

When Megamind was just a baby, his parents jettisoned him from their exploding planet and sent him off to a new homeland called Earth. The only problem was that another newborn was launched from a different collapsing world at the same time. (D'oh!)

That other tyke touched gently down in a life of luxury. But Mega crash-landed behind prison walls to be raised by criminals. The other guy grew up to be handsome, superduper and adored. Our skinny blue hero? Well, let's just say, not so much. (Ugh.)

The two are constantly thrown together and seem destined to be rivals. And since the now full-grown Metro Man has all the heroic bases covered—along with being superfast, über-strong and invulnerable—well, Megamind figures that leaves him with only one choice: He'll be the villain. (Sigh.)

But if he's destined to be bad, he'll be the smartest, evilest and most well-equipped supervillain the world has ever seen! So Megamind dreams, schemes and kidnaps Roxanne—the pretty reporter rumored to be his superfoe's girl—and invents elaborate superguy traps. Metro Man, of course, flies in to save the day. Again. And again. And again. (Grrr.)

Then one day the oddest thing happens: The bad guy wins. Metro Man is no more, and Megamind rules Metro City. Somehow, though, not having a hero to fight makes everything so … pointless. The blue brainiac determines that something must be done about that. Even if it means applying all his superior genius to creating a new hero from the DNA of his fallen foe. (Broo-ha-ha!)

Positive Elements

The fact is, like Phineas and Ferb's Dr. Doofenshmirtz before him, Megamind really isn't a bad guy. But since he doesn't look the part of the hero and is constantly running afoul of the really popular fellow, he figures he's destined to be a villain. With time though, Megamind comes to understand that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Roxanne reminds moviegoers that it's our actions that count, not the way we look or what others expect from us. And as for the question of destiny, Megamind clearly states, "Destiny is not the path that's given to us, but the path that we choose for ourselves."

As Roxanne stumbles onto the truth about Megamind (that he doesn't really want to be bad) we all come to realize that the scoundrel with the bulging noggin isn't as despicable as we first thought.

The importance of friendship is emphasized as well. Megamind's little blue piranha-like pet, Minion, sticks with him through thick and thin. And Megamind apologizes after hurting his pal's feelings. More significantly, Mega says he's sorry for the wrong he's done to the city.

Roxanne points out, "As long as there is evil, good will stand up to it." [Spoiler Warning] Her axiom is ultimately borne out when Megamind takes on the role of hero and stands up against an unexpected and overpowering evil—putting his life on the line for Roxanne and the residents of Metro City.

Spiritual Content

Those denizens of Metro City have an almost worshipful love of their hero Metro Man. And during one speech he uses his flight ability to appear to be walking on water.

After Megamind's victory, Minion mentions that his parents must be smiling down from "evil heaven." Mega creates a hero-making pill infused with the DNA of Metro and says it will give someone "god-like" powers.

Sexual Content

Roxanne's skintight outfits accentuate her overly voluptuous figure. The same goes for the guys' backsides, too. We see Metro Man in his bathrobe. Roxanne kisses Megamind.

Violent Content

As different superpowered characters fight, they kick up loads of boom-bang destruction. For instance, Megamind uses the sun's energy to blast Metro Man with an intense light ray. The resulting explosion demolishes a building and appears to reduce Metro Man to nothing but a skeleton. (We later find out that's just a trick.)

Later, Megamind uses Metro Man's DNA to turn Roxanne's hapless, overweight cameraman, Hal, into a buff superhero. But Hal surprises everyone and goes over to the dark side to avenge the countless slights he's received throughout his life. This new villain starts ripping up the city with his heat vision and superstrength.

Megamind also reduces characters to small cubes with a freeze-drying ray gun and threatens Roxanne with sharp, deadly looking weaponry. He employs tons of explosives to destroy a gigantic statue of Metro Man. As the movie opens (and closes), Megamind is tumbling from 80 stories up and reports that he's falling to his death. Minion uses a forget-me-stick, which is essentially a club that knocks his victims out cold.

Hal drops Roxanne from high up in the air to prove that he can rescue her. After his water tank breaks, Minion appears to go through death throes. (He instantly revives when Megamind tosses him in some water.)

Crude or Profane Language

"Freakin'," "good lord," "god," "gosh" and "crap nuggets" are examples of the film's sporadic interjections.

Drug and Alcohol Content

While at dinner, Roxanne and a disguised Megamind share a glass of champagne. Other restaurant patrons drink wine.

Other Negative Elements

To help emphasize his "evilness," Megamind points out his custom-made baby seal leather boots. To demonstrate his invulnerability, Hal gives himself a superwedgie by yanking up his own underwear. Megamind tells Hal that Roxanne won't find out his secret, saying, "That's the point of lying." One character threatens to "go all gangster" on another. The soundtrack includes the song "Highway to Hell" along with snippets from Ozzy Osbourne and Guns N' Roses.

Conclusion

The trend in live-action superhero pics, as of late, has been to examine the good guy's dark nature. In the animation universe, however, there appears to be an opposite mini-trend toward finding the bad guy's sunny side.

This past summer, Despicable Me featured a baddy who found the error in his ways. And while that earlier release was more creative, endearing and thoughtful than this one, Megamind, while giving nods to the likes of Superman and The Incredibles, has some of the same appeal.

There really aren't any supersized problems here to obliterate things, either. Roxanne's curves are emphasized. And at first there seems to be quite a bit of death-dealing in this bad-to-good tale as well. One of the characters appears to be without any convictions at all when it comes to deadly superpowered zapping. But, without giving too much away, I can say that problem, uh, ultimately comes out in the wash with no lives lost.

I'm also happy to report that the jokes stay good-natured and avoid other DreamWorks Animation productions' more problematic and flushable humor. The 3-D animation is crisp and fun.

Megamind wasn't born to be bad, no matter how much the film plays the song that insists he was. He's a superhero who gets supersidetracked ... and then gathers the courage to say he's sorry and pick the right path for a change

(Review from pluggedin.com) Focus on the Family