Thanksgiving Leftover Shepherds Pie

Need something new to do with all those Thanksgiving leftovers? This shepherds pie is super easy and super good. Make it as big or as small as you want!

Combine in casserole dish:
Leftover turkey, shredded
Leftover stuffing

Leftover veggies (or frozen mixed, heated)

Leftover gravy

Top with:

Leftover mashed potatoes
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through. If desired, put it under the broiler for 30 seconds to give the cheese a brown, crispy crust. Serve with salad and leftover cranberry sauce.

Homeschooling Humor

Here's a list that was passed through one of the many homeschool groups I belong to. I thought it was funny, in a biting sort of way. Hopefully I never become bitter enough to respond the way it suggests! (Though I have been sorely tempted at times.)

Warning!
This list is dripping with sarcasm. Read at your own risk!

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List
By Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine, Issue #1, Fall 2007
http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/001/bitter_homeschooler.html

You can follow the link to read the whole list but here are some of my favorites:

#1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

#12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

#16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

#18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

On walking and friends

In response to two friends, Bekah and Brooke.

I've actually turned my morning walks into morning runs (okay, jogs), mostly because I want to get done faster. Walking alone (with my iPod) for 3 miles seems so much longer than walking and talking with friends. And walking makes me sad because it reminds me of all my good friends that I most likely will never see again.

Maybe if I run long enough I'll catch up with you.

My new calling!

And I was just starting to enjoy not doing anything. ;) I've been called as the Ward Choir Director. So Becky is the winner! Yay! I'm actually looking forward to it, though I'm not looking forward to putting on a Christmas program with only 8 rehearsals. Oh well, I'm sure it will all work out! I haven't directed anything since just after my older ds was born, so I'll have to spend some time getting the cobwebs out.

In addition I have been subbing as the Primary pianist for the past several weeks and I'll be playing for their Sacrament Meeting Presentation this coming Sunday as well as directing the hymns in sacrament meeting! I guess I spoke too soon when I said the ward had plenty of music talent. They really do, I just think they're happy to have someone new to call on. And I'm really happy to help. I'm pretty comfortable doing anything church music-wise, even playing the organ (if there's a great/bass coupler! and no real organists in the congregation.)

Anyway, thanks to everyone who participated in my little contest. I promise I'll have some more entertaining posts soon!

Join the choir!

Crochet in the news

Here's an article I ran across in the Deseret News. I knew crochet was therapeutic but I had no idea!

INMATES CROCHET FOR CHILDREN

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Officials at the Salt Lake County Jail are using crocheting in their continuing effort to rehabilitate inmates. Earlier this month, jail officials and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who cosponsor the program, presented Primary Children's Medical Center with a number of crocheted items that female inmates had been working on for the past year.

Read the full article at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695214691,00.html

A great idea, in my opinion. They should have the male inmates do it too. Really, it's okay for guys to crochet! Here's my favorite crochet guy.

Power to the Hooks!

PS In case you were wondering, I still don't have a calling. I'll let you know as soon as I do!

Insectropolis

So we went to Insectropolis and it was really cool! And a little creepy. They had several displays of different varieties of cockroach. Looking at them gave me the heebie-jeebies. But the boys loved it! (Not the cockroaches, but everything else)

After we walked through the displays, we got to the "Zoo" where we got to pet some of the bugs, including a cockroach (shudder), a couple of LARGE millipedes, a tarantula, and a scorpion. I did fine holding the smaller of the two millipedes, but when the big one started to uncurl in my hand I had to hand it off to my dh. I've never thought of myself as the squeamish type, but those big bugs were just too much for me. Maybe next time we go I'll work up the nerve to hold the tarantula.

My younger ds held both the millipedes and petted all the others except the scorpion (understandably) and my older ds (who is afraid of touching most living things) worked up enough courage to pet the tarantula, which he described as "fuzzy".





I hope I never find one of these in my house.


PS That's my dh's hand.

Free Museum Day

When: Saturday, Sept. 29th, 2007
Where: Your participating local museums
Why: Cause it's free!

For more info: http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/museumday/

We're planning to go to Insectropolis. Where will you go?