I tried to vote yesterday at the Bloomingdale Library early voting site, but when I pulled into the parking lot, there was a line out of the library reaching the road and then wrapping down the sidewalk. I decided to pass on that. (Glad I did because later I heard it took 3 hours for some people to get through that line).

I decided to try again today and headed to the Supervisor of Elections location on Falkenburg Rd. I had to take Imac with me, but I figured she would be okay as long as I had snacks. There were about 10 people standing outside the door, so I figured it wouldn't be too bad. Little did I know that the voting line was much like a queue for a ride at Disney World. You think you're getting close, but then realize there are 100 people in front of you! So, as I had already been standing in the cold for 10 minutes and finally was able to move inside, I felt committed to sticking it out. Imac woke up with a head cold this morning, but she was doing so great - I kept her supplied with snacks from home and bottled water provided on site to those of us waiting in line. As we waited in this never-ending line for about 45 minutes many of the people around me kept commenting on how well behaved Imac was. As we moved closer to the TRUE entrance for the voting area, I felt that twinge of excitement in getting ready to cast my ballot. The process of filling in the ovals and scanning it into the machine was painless and we were finally finished - only took an hour! Imac was rewarded with her own "I voted" sticker and a cute coloring book (no crayons this year according to one of the voting attendants).

As I arrived home, my neighbor was pulling into her garage. I had to deliver some cookie dough to her (fundraiser) and she looked at me and said she had just voted. I said "me, too!" She said "We rock!" and we do.

I forgot to post for TMTT so here it is for Wed. Made this on Sunday (3rd time making it - it's very good). I serve it with orzo pasta and I cook the sauce on the stove rather than in the microwave. Adding the balsamic vinegar gives it a little "something" extra. Oh, and I use a shredded six-cheese blend rather than provolone for the top. Enjoy!

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

We recommend rice-shaped orzo pasta with this saucy entrée, but you can serve spaghetti or angel hair pasta instead.


1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen Organic)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Yield: 4 servings
CALORIES 308 (30% from fat); FAT 10.4g (sat 5.7g,mono 3g,poly 0.6g); IRON 2.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 249mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.2g; SODIUM 808mg; PROTEIN 35.9g; FIBER 1.8g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

Go here if you would like to donate to GA's school Walk-A-Thon scheduled for Friday, October 24th. Any amount will help and all money goes to the school's technology program. Just look at this face:

Please donate if you can.

Too funny not to share -

Friday morning was spent making phone calls for appointments, running errands (Goodwill, Home Goods Store, Joann Fabrics). R was home from work for a Dr. appt. so we took advantage of both kids being in school and went to lunch at Chili's had to stop for gas on the way. Lunch was yummy and relaxing. Made a quick stop into Pier 1 before heading to preschool.

We picked up Imac from school, came home and R went to get his haircut and go to the Dr. I picked up GA, came home, had snack, then got ready for our Daisy Scout Meeting. There are 11 girls in the troop and we all had a blast. We will be meeting weekly. Our meeting ended and we headed home to start dinner (got home at 5:15) Gnocchi with Vodka sauce, salad and garlic bread (green beans for the girls).

Played, did the night routine for the kids, wasted time on the computer, caught up on a few shows, went to bed.

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Saturday.

Up around 8:30am - the girls let us sleep in! Yay!

GA showed us that she can now reach the top shelf in the refrigerator to get the milk. She then poured her cereal into a bowl and then poured the milk on. Wow! Imac wanted the same breakfast, so that was easy.

R spends the morning washing the new car. Girls are inside playing. I'm cleaning. We eat lunch and then the neighbor's granddaughter comes over to see if the girls can play. Of course the girls are thrilled to have a playmate. It's such a gorgeous day, they play with the sidewalk chalk, spraying each other with the water hose, ride bikes/scooters, play tag, etc.... I sit outside with them and try reading. R heads to the pet store to pick up bedding for the guinea pig. He gets home, I trade with him and go inside and he sits out with the kids. After about an hour and a half they get bored with each other and decided to go inside. I give the girls a quick shower to clean all of the mud and chalk off and sit down to watch some football.

Kids play quietly, decide to watch a movie on the computer. R takes a nap. I'm getting ready for the FSU v. Miami game at 3:30. Watch the game, pause to eat dinner - chicken tortilla soup with fritos - then back to the game. It's a close one but FSU wins in the end!

Time to get the kids ready for bed.

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Sunday.

R heads out for the day at 8:30. Imac is still sleeping. GA is up and has been playing quietly in her room. I make them breakfast and then check my email, blogs, etc.... Make a grocery list. Girls want to make an "aquarium" so we get that set up and play for an hour or more.

Change sheets on girls beds.

GA wants Arby's for lunch so we head out to pick that up and bring it home to eat. I'm feeling tired and a little headachy. Talk to R on the phone to see when he'll be home. Still have to go to the grocery store. R gets home around 3pm. Imac goes to her room and falls asleep. GA, R and I cuddle on our bed for a while. I head out to the grocery store. It starts pouring down rain. Get to Publix, run inside, shop. Home around 4:30. Start thinking about dinner, watch a little of the Bucs game, make Pizza burgers on the grill.

Spend about an hour doing online banking. Make a phone call to my co-worker & prepare for class Monday night.

Look at GA's take home folder, sign the box, pack her towel in her back pack for rest time, make both girls' lunches for Monday. Spend some time with R after girls are in bed.

Today was an emotional day.

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Now I have to work on getting all of this together. Can't wait!

Woke up feeling refreshed! Yay!

GA up on her own and happy. Breakfast - frosted mini wheats again. As she's eating we wake up Imac.

Imac eats the same thing as her sister.

GA gets dressed - navy jumper and burgandy shirt, white socks, black shoes. Leave the house at  7:43.

Come home. I decide to make cranberry-orange muffins. Imac helps. Get the coffee started while the muffins are baking.

Debbie comes to the house at 9:15am to discuss our Daisy Troop - first meeting is tomorrow! We talk and figure things out for about an hour.

After our meeting, Imac and I head out to Michael's arts and crafts store. GA has decided she wants to be Word Girl for Halloween so I'm searching for some items to use on her costume. Need to head to Joann Fabrics tomorrow to see what my fabric options are for a cape. Imac is TERRIFIED of the Halloween display they have in Michael's. I guess Halloween will be interesting this year!

Home for lunch - frozen pizza, apple slices

Sort laundry, get ready to pick up GA from school.

Get home from pickup. Snack time - apple parfait for GA, fruit snack for Imac. I didn't forget the bottled water for our walk home today so GA was in a much better mood. She and the neighbor boy from down the street basically rant the entire way home.

Imac complains that her tummy hurts and she wants to lay down. She falls asleep and naps until 4:15pm. GA and I make her pumpkin craft together then she colors and plays a game on the computer while I do some reading.

R home at 5:30pm. Dinner is Breakfast - scrambled eggs with cheese, southern-style biscuits, bacon. I cooked the bacon in the oven for the first time and I really like how it turned out. Much less mess, very little shrinkage and crispy. R cleans up the kitchen after dinner. Girls play, clean up their rooms, get ready for a bubble bath.

Bubble bath, vitamins, brush teeth, stories, lights out.

Time to veg..............................

Wednesday.

Morning routine much the same as Monday as both girls go to school.

I struggled to wake up this morning, not sure why. Both girls had a happy wake up time which was great because my mood was not that wonderful.

Breakfast this morning for the girls is Frosted Mini Wheats and OJ. GA gets dressed (navy skort and white shirt), brushes her teeth, gets her socks and shoes on then I brush her hair. Imac stays in her pj's while we take big sis to school.

Came home. Got Imac dressed for school (tie-dye dress and pink leggings, hello kitty socks and light up shoes)and turned on the tv. She likes to watch Little Einsteins before school. I have time to address the thank you notes we made yesterday and pay the electric bill. I stick it all in the mail box on the way to drop off Imac. Ate my breakfast - bowl of maple & brown sugar organic oatmeal before leaving the house.

After kids are dropped off I head to the hair stylist. I'm in need of a cut and all-over color as it's been about 2 months. Hair is finished at 11am and I head to Publix for some groceries. $96 later I head home. Put the groceries away, move laundry from washer to dryer and make lunch - ham & cheese panini and some cheez-its and a Dr. Pepper. I check email before I eat, respond to some emails and blog surf for a few minutes. As I'm eating my lunch I start reading Breaking Dawn again. I glance at the clock and it's 12:30 so I still have plenty of time before I have to leave to pick up Imac. I become engrossed in the book and then there is a ring at my doorbell. I look up and it's 1:01! I have to leave RIGHT NOW to pick up Imac (should have left 10 minutes ago). Realize our neighbor's granddaughter is ringing our doorbell. I explain that the kids aren't home from school yet (she is 4yrs. old) and that I have to go pick up Imac. I get to school, give Erica the luggage topper when I see her in the parking lot. I run into 3 more people on my way in to get Imac to talk about school business. I finally break away and it's 1:15 - the front doors have been locked and I have to ring the bell to get in. Imac is hanging out with the after care kids patiently and we all have a good laugh about why I was so late.

Arrive home at 1:30. IM with R. Get ready to pick up GA. Girls are home from school and have a snack - yogurt - and then get changed into play clothes (GA). We play, I took a video of GA putting on a show with her pocket puppies, the girls play together nicely, I call Amy back and we chat for a while. Turn on the TV at 4pm for Martha Speaks and get back to reading before R gets home.

4:35 R is home early. Stop reading, we chat for awhile and then I get dinner started Tilapia, salad and french fries. R does the dishes while I do a craft with GA. Girls have some computer time and I'm updating my blog for the day.

Night time routine is pretty much the same. I'll be watching Grey's tonight, though!