Sucker for Soup

I was looking for a soup recipe for some leftover ground beef and I found this recipe.  I made some modifications and I love it! But, to be truthful, there has not ever been a soup that I don't love.  I like to call this...


NOT Campbell's Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

1 1/2 cups carrots

2 cups potatoes

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can corn

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

4 cups water

2 -3 tablespoons beef bouillon

1 teaspoon garlic (optional)

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/ground-beef-soup-209470#ixzz1cbUJgvkd

Here are the modifications I made:


Instead of onion, I sprinkled in Beefy Onion dry soup mix onto the ground beef.  I also added a can of green beans and a cup or so of brown rice once I had in all my liquids.  Barley would be a great addition, but I did not have any.  Instead of beef bouillon, I added a can of beef consomme one time as well as beef broth another time that I made it.  

Brown the ground beef with any spices you wish ( good time to add the beefy onion soup mix).  Then add the paste and water as well as the beef bouillon  or consomme/beef broth.  Bring to boil or just go ahead and add the carrots and potatoes.  Bring up to a boil and cook until fork tender and then throw in the corn and green beans.  You could also just brown the meat and throw it all in the crock pot.  Listen... this is how I roll at my house, especially with soup.. Just use your imagination.  I am sure you will love it. I am going try another modification tonight with this soup.  I am going to make mashed potatoes and add the soup over the top.  DO NOT MOCK ME!  I, and many other foodies that are really uppity people, love the mashed potatoes + soup combination.  Look it up.  Get back to me.

Day 6: Hurricane at Cocoa Beach

Too bad.. our last day at the beach and there was a hurricane wind a blowing out at sea so we couldn't get in the water.. too dangerous or some stupid thing like that.  So we sat on the beach and ate pringles and watched the waves roll in.

 The ocean was a little pre-menstrual if you ask me..

Cocoa beach during her monthly cycle-not so fun.

This pic is from our first day at Cocoa Beach

No Hurricane force winds...

 Good-bye to you Cocoa Beach.

So long, lovely Florida.

We will miss you.

(except you, dumb Magic Kingdom)

Day 5: Magic Kingdom and Disney Quest

Let's just say that the Magic Kingdom was not so magic for us.

Yes.. you heard me right.  We did not love Magic Kingdom.

Look at Tanner's face in the top picture.  This face was the face made by a teenager who had just spent 3 hours waiting in lines for 3 rides.  45 minutes of that 3 hours was waiting in line for a ferry to get us to the entrance of the park.

Yes.. again, you heard right.  You must first park your vehicle and then catch a shuttle.  No big deal.  But the place the shuttle drops you off is not the entrance to the park.  It is a faux-entrance.  You must then stand in line waiting for either a ferry or a monorail to take you to the entrance of the park.

Note the matching NIKE outfits that they are sporting. 

University of Utah apparel and new shoes and socks. 

That was their only bright spot in a day filled with hate.

With this development discovered, both my "men" were very irritated.  There was quite a crowd on the day that we decided to go and Todd was in TOP FORM in regards to complaining and getting onery because he hates people.  Tanner followed along with his dad and decided that he hated people too.  Especially people on vacation, with their children or their elderly parents.  I must say it took all of the cheeriness in my entire body to stand the crowds, lines and my 2 "men".  It was not the best choice we ever made.  Magic Kingdom is for little kids, not teenaged boys and their fathers with the attitudes of little kids.  Tanner was not the least bit impressed with Minnie Mouse and didn't even care if we saw Rapunzel (I was under the impression that she was "hot").  Both Todd and Tanner got murderous looks on their faces when I suggested we go on the "It's a Small World" ride.  Todd said he might drown himself in the 4 inches of water if I made him go on it.  I, too, can't imagine standing in a 40 min line to go on "It's a Small World".  I can't imagine standing in a 1 minute line to go on it either.

So.. we rode Space Mountain, which caused my son's neck injury to recur.  I developed a headache from laughing at us on the ride.  All I could hear was Todd crying out that his legs were breaking in half and Tanner squealing something about his neck... Todd has to fold himself into all rides at any amusement park and this particular ride his shins were pressed up into the metal back of the seat in front of him.  He is like a big human praying mantis and it makes me laugh every time.  Todd did not think it very funny.  In fact, he then got on a rant about how they make accomodations for everyone with disabilities, why don't they make a few rides that he can actually fit on comfortably.  It is quite a funny rant and I like to egg him on when he gets on his soapbox... "I should be able to ride comfortably too!" or "It's not my fault I have legs that are 5 feet long!" or "I could probably sue someone for emotional distress!".  (so could I, truth be told...)

After the drama of our first Space Mountain ride, we gave up our fast passes that we had for the same ride... too much complaining of shin, neck and head pain.  We then hustled over to Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.  We fast passed Big Thunder and then waited in line for Splash Mountain for 30-40 minutes.  We rode those 2 rides and then the boys were d.o.n.e.!  So we made for the exit.  Those 5 foot legs can really carry that man quickly out of the Magic Kingdom.  I had to run to keep up with him.

The best part of the day at Magic Kingdom occurred as we were almost to escape.  Todd was stopped by some non-english speaking people to take their big family photo in front of Cinderella's castle.  This is funny for many reasons... 1) Todd hates when I take pictures, so he was carrying my camera so I wouldn't take any pictures-thus, the cute little foreigner's thought he was a photographer 2) Todd was itching to get out of the park as fast as possible and now he has to play nice and take several different photos of people he doesn't even know and can't "speaka engliss" 3) Todd is a horrible photographer... I can't imagine what the poor people thought of their photos when they got home and looked at them.

Tanner and I had a good laugh at him as he was giving them poses and counting down "1..2..3.." It was fun.  He was totally bugged at us for our mockery, but he soon got over it as we left the confines of Magic Kingdom.

I know that is hurtful to say in a sentence.. confines of the Magic Kingdom... but it is my true feelings.  I will not be excited to go again, I don't think.  I am sure it would have been funner with Sadie and Luke, but I think Tanner and Todd may have ruined it for me for several decades.

We ended the day at Downtown Disney watching "Real Steel" and then spending several hours at Disney Quest which was AWESOME! 5 story building with wall to wall arcade games.  It was part of the package we bought and we really had a great time there.  The best was when we were racing each other on this Nascar game.  There was 8 games lined up side by side and we took up 3 of them.  There was a little boy, probably 10 years old, that kept beating us.  Every single race, that little brat was beating me (I mean us).  So we decided to keep playing until we beat him.  And then it got ugly.  We formed an unholy alliance and we made the little boy wreck and we beat him.  And it made me happy.  Happier than I had ever been at the Happiest Place on Earth.  I know.. I am the devil.

Maddie shouldn't be alive

I found this video while looking at my other near-death video.
You will see Ms. Maddie Maggoo and her cousin Cole being given a ride from hell.
My dearest brothers Ty and Brett were trying to kill these 2 darling children.
If you watch Maddie near the end (about 58 seconds or so) she gives herself quite an uppercut to the jaw.
Enough that she flops off the tube.

Yes, I laughed.  I mean, I laughed HARD!

I shouldn't be alive, Disney-style

Day 4: Temple & Waterparks

Yes, we visited the Orlando temple.

Yes, we were in our swimsuits.

Yes, I am an awful person.

That is why I am not in any pictures.

I am ashamed.

 It was cool watching this skywriter thingy all day long.

He had lots to say:

U + God = :)

Jesus loves You

He flew over all of the Magic Kingdom with inspiration messages.
Almost a bit like General Conference.
It really is the Happiest Place on Earth!
It was awesome!

The first water park we went to was Typhoon Lagoon.

OVER THE TOP!

LOVED IT!

The very best was the wave pool.

Every few minutes you would hear this gigantic whoosh sound.
I actually don't know how to describe it, except it was a very scary
sound that produced this very scary looking tsunami wave.
You would hear this whoosh and then everyone in the pool would
shriek like little babies.
Even the men.
And within seconds the wave would be coming at you.
Scary, I tell you.
Todd and Tanner swam as close to the beginnings of the wave as you could.
I, however, was thoroughly intimated by the tsunami.
I stayed back with the 2 and 3 year olds with their lifejackets and mommies.
I knew if anything happened I could grab someone's floaties and
save myself.  Or yell to a mommy.

 Todd and Tanner waiting for the tsunami wave.

Todd and Tanner in the tsunami wave.

My handsome grown up boy.

Makes my stomach hurt.

In the background of this picture is the boat that was marooned by the

tsunami/typhoon.  Disney does it right FOR SURE!

LOVE my waterproof camera that I purchased at 

BIG LOTS for $30.

That's right! $30!!

So much fun!!

 Me about to be hit by the tsunami wave.

 Me after being hit by the tsunami wave.

 Tanner obviously sustained a facial nerve injury while playing in the tsunami wave.
There is, however, no excuse for the state of my face.
It was that way before the tsunami hit.
IT IS CALLED 40 YEARS OLD, PEOPLE!!

We also played at the other waterpark- Blizzard Beach!

LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!

We stayed until they kicked us out at closing time.

Really, really fun day!!

Good Times!!


After the waterparks, we had to go shopping.
Yes, I said HAD to go shopping.
HAD TO because I was with 2 boys and it was at the NIKE outlet store.
Not necessarily my idea of a good time.
I guess this is payback for Todd having to come shopping
with Maddie and I on her 15 year old trip.
I don't know how he stood several days of us shopping.
I almost started convulsing after 10 minutes in the NIKE store.
I mean, really.. is there that much of a need for 500 different
types of basketball shoes.
Really?
I don't think so.
Put on some sneakers and go shoot the ball.
If you need $100 pair of fancy shoes to make a basket,
you are kind of a loser.
Yes, I am bitter about the NIKE store.

Pirates and Petunias

 Luke soon shed his hat because it was itchy.

I informed him that being itchy was part of Halloween and to buck up.

You would think that Kim Kardashian went to school with Luke.

So many photog's at the parade and class party.

We have overachieving Mom's in this neighborhood.

The party was over the top.

Featured was:

1. Pumpkin bowling

2. Halloween Bingo

3. Bean Bag Toss into Jack O'lantern

4. Storytime with accompanying witches brew and

the kids decorating their own bagel with green

cream cheese and a variety of spooky toppings.

Really fun to watch the kids play and have a great time.

I swear, we never did anything 1/2 as cool when I was in elementary school.

Sophie dressed up as a delicate flower.

She thoroughly enjoyed her costume.

Can't you see her smile?

This is the only time you will see an action shot of Sophie.

Also, another smile.

I am telling you, she loved getting all dolled up.

She is a closet fashionista.

All of a sudden, Sophie went postal on her costume.

She lost nearly 1/2 pound trying to get it off.

She was trying to get the remants of a Reese's cup off his face.

It looks as if Sophie went postal on Sadie, but she was just giving her an open-mouth kiss.

That is the kind of hussy she is.

She is a very sassy petunia.