Zero Point Soup

The name of the blog was created to insinuate all of life's trials, errors, joys and wonderful moments. You take those items, through them in a pot and there you go - Life Soup. In an effort to justify the name of my blog - here is my first "healthy" recipe recommendation. I must admit that it makes a smaller portion and I don't know about you, but i cannot make anything in a small portion. So I use this recipe as a base and build from there.

Garden Vegetable Soup


Ingredients:

2/3 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat free broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
1 1/2 cups diced green cabbage
1/2 cup green beans
1 Tbsp. Tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup diced zucchini

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, sauté the carrot, onion and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil oregano, and salt; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered about 15 minutes or until beans are tender.
3. Stir in zucchini and heat 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving Size/Points:

This recipe makes 4 servings. About 1 cup each. Each serving is 0 points.

Vacation Download

Where did the week of vacation go. I knew this would happen, but I must say we had a wonderful week. We got to Branson on Saturday 7-19 and of course had to make a WalMart run. What is vacation without WalMart right? The first evening we spent just hanging out around the complex.

Sunday was spent in pretty much the same fashion, hanging out and swimming. Monday we hit a couple of stores and went to Celebration City in the evening. Jase and Mama Mary loved the water ride with the alligators. With heat as extreme as it was the water felt great. Jase loved the rides and so did Mama Mary - except for the scrabbler that is. (is your head still spinning Mary?)

Tuesday morning Tony, Jase, Mary, Danielle and myself got going and took off to Silver Dollar City. I was really excited since I hadn't been since about 5 and Tony and Jase had never been. The park was beautiful - of course - and beside a brief rain shower in the after we had a great day. We saw the Veggie Tales show with Pa Grape and his silly invention. Gotta love vegetables that can talk and walk, but don't have legs or hands. Jase was able to score a couple of surprises here including a roller skate necklace full of his own sand creation, a hand made bat with his name on it, and a Curious George lunchbox and clock. I think the favorite ride of the day was the roller coaster. We took off the first time with Tony and myself and Jase and Danielle all facing forward..... Then of course we hopped off and jumped back in line. This time Jase and I faced forward, but Tony and Danielle sat in the seats right in front of us that were facing backwards. Needless to say Tony and Danielle said Jase's face while on the coaster was priceless.

Wednesday was a rest day - and much needed. Thursday we hit the water park for a few hours and Friday was a fun at the lake day. We took in about 3 nights of miniature golf, the Ripples museum and some wonderful ice cream treats!

I will apologize in advance. There a tons of pictures here, but give me some slack. I am trying to fit a weeks worth of fun into one entry! Enjoy and be prepared they are in total random order.

Pirate Jase at the mini golf park

The three amigos

Danielle and I (of course we didn't flip it - what do we look like amateurs?)

Tony, Jase and I - heading out
Tony, Jase and I - heading in
Looks like some scary pirates if you ask me.

Yes - please be sure to comment on how rough Tony had it on vacation. Please.

Jase and I after hitting the waves.

Jase makes friends everywhere.
Grandma B on the patio
Jase and Mackenzie - looking up to no good.
Yes - We adults go schooled a coupe of times by a 5 year old.

Tony and Danielle
Schooling again
Danielle, Mary and Jase
Someone should tell them this is golf not HOCKEY
How we all felt by the end of the week!

Okay - so I had it rough too. hehe

Jase swimming in the wave pool - prior to the waves
During the waves

hmmmm... looks like another pirate up there.

(In case anyone doesn't know, Jase loved to pretend that he is a mannequin.)
Jase and Danielle

Dad and Jase - just hanging out

Brianna and Jase - water fight!

Now they look innocent - yeah right
Just paddling around

CANNONBALL!

Rocking out - with a fly swatter (gross I know but he is a boy I am told)

Hole in One - #1

Very next hole - hole in one #2

just swimming think someone likes ice cream?Mary chillin on the dock.

Hope you enjoyed - are your eyes tired yet? My fingers are.

Vacation Countdown

It is truly sad how fast time flies when you are having fun, but how slow time crawls when you are "waiting" to have fun. We started our vacation countdown about 20 days ago. Tomorrow we drop from 4 days left to 3 days left. Since the beginning of this year, work days have flown by due to the amount of work on my plate. I must say - the last two days have been 2 of the longest days this year. What is even worse is that the work load hasn't been lighter to give a justifiable reason.

Oh well - only 3 more days! Watch out Branson - here we come.

Rubber Ducky Resumes

So as the summer tickles on and we get to within days of our vacation. The big red muscle is gone and Jase's arm is free! He was such a trooper through the whole process.

The most exciting moment for me was the official restart of "Bath time". No more sponge bath. No more stinky little boy!

Birthday #5

So my little firecracker turned 5. We had a birthday party at the bowling alley and from the looks of the pictures everyone had a great time!

The one armed bowling bandit

Better Batter Baseball - Baby!

Speed - I am Speed

What can I say - just too cute.

Group shot #1

Group Shot #2

THE CAKE MASTERPIECE

Jase and Tony (nice big red muscle Jase)

bowling shoes (courtesy of Holly Hotop)

Jase and Mommy

Jase, Aunt Holly and my unborn Niece/Nephew!

Spit Time

Albert would be proud Jase.

Hospital Recreation

So as some may know, Tony had surgery last Friday to remove some 13 "fatty" tumors from all over his body. Fortunately for Tony, I too was a little nervous for him prior to his surgery - so I didn't take any photos of those wonderful moments. However, Danielle was available for me to bum a camera POST surgery and these are the lovely Tony moments captured in all their glory.

Doesn't he look awake!

Gotta love the anesthesia!

He looks happy with me - Right?

SO....as you can see. Tony was a little groggy when he came out of surgery. After these wonderful photos were taken, the nurse had him go back to sleep because of the trouble coming out of the anesthesia. He went back to sleep for 45 minutes to an hour and woke up much better. Too bad Danielle had already left with her camera!