Trader Joe's - GOOD!

There are a few Trader Joe's stores close to me - mostly closer to where I shop.  Usually, I pick up a few items to add some pizzazz to my otherwise ho hum and frugal Weis shopping.  But on Christmas eve, I stopped there and had about 30 minutes before the store closed to get Christmas dinner purchased.  (There is nothing like the last minute to have you throw money at a situation!) 

I picked up meat, and veggies and whatever else.  I also bought pie crusts because I planned to make a strawberry pie.  Then Kim arrived with dessert so I saved the pie crusts.  Sunday I finally made the quiche I had been threatening to make for months now.  I used the pie crusts and a made up recipe and didn't even let the crusts thaw properly.  and guess what - It Was DELICIOUS!  This pie crust is flaky and crispy and lawd a mercy I was happy I hadnochoiceasthestoreswereclosingandIneededChristmasdinner.

This got me thinking about other TJ products that I have tried and liked.  Their Vodka cream sauce is delicious.  Their polenta is very good and so easy to work with.  It comes in a tube in the pasta/pasta sauce section of the store.  You slice it up and it can be baked or fried and then put a little sauce (or for my very italian readers - gravy) on it and some mozzarella - delish.  You can also mash it up, add a little EVOO and parmesean cheese (which brings me to another TJ recommendation - their hunks of fresh parmesean cheese is a great value at 5.99 per pound). 

Another cool thing I tried once was Naan.  Naan is a Indian flatbread and TJ's version is very good.  From their fresh foods you just buy and eat in the parking lot cause you are starving is the curried chicken salad - with some Naan!

Now please share with me your favorite TJ products and how you use them.  If you have never been to TJ's - is it because you have have none near where you live (or shop) or some other reason? 

Febuary Wrap up with a little January thrown in prolly too!

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?

Well I ended the month by getting the Flea Market Style magazine that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. Found it right at my little grocery store. I really enjoyed it. I did listen to Rich Dad/Poor Dad on CD on the work commute. That book really puts a damper on buying fun stuff.

What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?
Well, we got something really great at our house - this TV antenna thingie - and therefore we now have 9 channels and some weather channels. So I have seen some telly lately. My favorite is Big Bang Theory. I find Sheldon hilarious.

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends? In January I celebrated my mom's birthday by spending the day at the Tyson's and doing some shopping. 

Did you take any trips or vacations or did someone come and stay with you at your house?
We had to babysit for three precocious kids and their house is quite resort like but we were busy and did not spend any time in the huge tub with jets - maybe next time. 

What special or unusual purchases did I make? Well I had one splurge - I got the baby pink Uggs. Yes genuine Uggs - I kept trying to buy them from eBay and then one day in January I walked into Nordstrom and plunked down the Amex.  They are adorable. 

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

I had a run in with a cold - sneezy congested coughing dizzy fever missed a few hours of work.

What gifts did I give and/or receive?

I finally sent Julia her Christmas gift and Gaby her birthday gift.  At work we always had a joke about how on your birthday someone brought you breakfast, took you out to lunch, there was cake and then you went out to dinner so you were stuffed and any other day of the year you couldn't get a stick of gum.  So I sent her birthday present from Novemebr in late February.  I bought her the Pioneer Woman cookbook. 

What were my accomplishments this month?
The aforementioned gifts in the mail. 
The baby and all her new tricks - like standing, and climbing the stairs, and waving, and clapping, and saying Mom! 

What were my disappointments this month?

I am quite sure there were some - but all in all it is all good.  I would be so thrilled if there were more comments and followers of my blog!  HINT

Anything else noteworthy to include?
The record breaking triple blizzard of 2010!!  So much snow - oh I never saw so much snow.  And I got a ticket - for having expired tags - FROM AUGUST!  Yes I drove around for 6 months with expired tags - I had no idea and went to DMV straight away to correct the situation. 

I need to remember this...

March 2 2010. The last few weeks have been difficult. D caught a little bug and so did I, so neither of us was feeling well. Nor were we sleeping or eating or breathing. D was taking up loads during the night. I worked all weekend - babysitting the side job for three adorable but full of energy kids and a friend. I was tired! Really tired and I kept freaking out that I needed a break. And that I might not survive. All weekend she was tough but the kids would no leave her alone which just made her more grumpy - they just love her so much. See the fussy baby??

And then last night - everything fell back into place. I increased D's lunch size and she is on medicine and taking them easily. I am feeling better. I changed my sheets and worked on some laundry. D had dinner, and I even had a nice healthy dinner and then took her last bottle and then went upstairs and snuggled and fell asleep - no fighting me. no being awake at 10pm which is quite simply past my bedtime.

It felt so good to have my baby back - she is already 9 months old. She can do so many things - like say mom, and clap, and occasionally on a whim wave bye bye, and crawl and stand and go up the stairs, and she knows where we keep certain things like pacifiers. She can eat a cookie, and bananas.

And me I pray all the time - that I am teaching her good habits, that I am loving her enough, that I am lucky to have her be healthy, that I remember all these moments and capture some of them on film and video and some of them just fovever in my heart.