What's in my bag today...my new laptop!!

I am so excited, to be typing this from my couch!  We've been talking about getting a new computer for a couple of years now.  We've had our Dell desktop for about 7 years.  It still works okay, but it was time for some new technology.  Plus the baby is now in the office, so when she's napping, I can't be on the computer.  I set up a little area in my kitchen at the bar and I got a stool.  I love it.  I have been trying to drill it into Abby's head that she cannot touch it.  So far she's been good, but I still watch her like a hawk.

So I did try a few new meals this week.  The first was a gyro.  I just marinated the meat in Worcestershire sauce, Montreal seasoning, olive oil, and vinegar.  Then I grilled it on the Foreman grill.  The sauce I made the night before because it needs to set.  It was a tzatziki sauce with yogurt, sour cream, cucumber, and some seasoning.  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Greek-Yogurt-Cucumber-Sauce/Detail.aspx?src=etaf  Then we just put the meat in the pitas and poured on the sauce.  I made store bought fries and veggies for a side.  The next meal I tried was Rachael Ray's orange cashew chicken:http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/orange-cashew-chicken-with-broccoli/.  This was really good, the only thing I would do different was add a little more cornstarch to the sauce to make it thicker, and I didn't use red peppers because they bother me.  This coming week, I plan to try a Manhattan clam chowder, and an asparagus and egg frittata.

The last thing in my bag is about being a Mommy.  My oldest is a three year old.  It seems like every day since she turned 3 (39 days, 16 hours, 27 minutes, and 31seconds), she's been a complete mess for all or at least part of the day.  I've come to realize that being a parent gets harder with each passing year and stage of childhood.  There are some days that I just want to put my head through a wall!  But I've also learned that the only way through it other than leaning on God, is to appreciate and savor those really sweet and joyful moments in between the pandemonium.  I try and stop what I'm doing and just kiss my daughters cheek or laugh with her or just sit and hold her.  Sometimes I'm barely hanging by a thread and she says or does something that just stops my heart with surprise.  I guess that's part of the miracle of being a parent and watching this child that is a part of you, grow and learn.  This weekend was my niece's first birthday and it made me think of my daughter's first birthday.  It really does go fast.  It's so neat to see my youngest sister as a mom.  She's doing such a good job.  She jumped into motherhood head first and has not looked back.  My niece is a lucky little girl, she also has a wonderful daddy who thinks the world of her.
 I hope you all have a great week.  I'm going to try the Manhattan clam chowder tonight, so I'll let you know how it goes.  My husband isn't sure that it's actually a meal, but I'll give him some bread  and I think I'm going to add shrimp to it as well.  So we'll see how it goes....