Hmmm, what shall I do today?

The sun is shining after a late night rain shower. My son is in a good mood. Who wouldn't be when they aren't wearing pee-pee soaked jammies anymore? Other than a quick dust/vacuum and a swish & swipe on the loo, the housework is done. I got the laundry caught up yesterday. I could go play, take Gryffin to the bookstore and let him pick a new book and build houses for dinosaurs out of MegaBlocks. HOLY CRAP! What am I thinking! Gryffin and I are flying to Phoenix Tuesday to see my Mom & Dad and I haven't even thought about what we need to pack. We need to buy a few things too, Gryffin needs sandals, we both need T-shirts and super-duper, ultra high powered, suitable for vampires sunscreen. Ah the joys of being so pale you are practically transparent. I know I'm kidding myself on this one, but a new book to read while Gryffin is (God, I need your help on this one!) sleeping on the flight. Who knows what is living in the BIG suitcase in the basement- so I have to play mean landlord and evict some spiders. I won't feel too bad, they haven't paid rent. AHHHhhhhh! Sorry, tension breaker. Shew, ok, calm down, deep breaths, count to ten do all those crazy little things that don't really work but I always try them anyway. Heart back in chest- check. Adrenaline levels lowered- check. List making supplies ready- check. Mind concentrated- as much as it can concentrate on anything so a partial check. Now, dive in and don't drown! This will help, it is a prayer I wrote that gets me through the day. Maybe you can get some use out of it.

God, thank you for giving me the energy and frame of mind to do this. Thank you for keeping my mind focused on the result instead of what it will take to get there. Thank you for blessing me with this wonderful life so that now I can pass Your blessings on. I release all that I am and all that I have to You so that I can fulfill the potential You have given me.
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The return of Fat Naked Guy

Tonight we enjoyed a nice dinner. Mike had chicken & dumplings with carrots and green beans. I had salisbury steak with the same veggies and Gryffin had a little of both. You guessed it, we walked up to the little Mom & Pop grocery store with the hot deli in the back. Its a life saver! Anyway I digress. We enjoyed a nice dinner right up until Mike said "Turn around, Honey" I did and I did regret it. Fat Naked Guy was walking his dog sans beer. Must be right before government payday. The best thing about it turning cold is that Fat Naked Guy will wear a shirt once in a while. Now that its warm, well we are lucky when he wears shorts that cover the neccesities. He is usually seen walking his dog on a tow chain instead of a leash, stumbling along as he drinks his beer and letting his Dunlaps Disease make us all feel ill. One of these days I will have to snap his picture, it would be great for anyone dieting. No one in their right mind would want to eat after seeing it.
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Things I now appreciate-

Having a garage so I don't have to scrape snow and ice even though my Jeep barely fits in it.
Having a home that is the nicest one I've ever lived in even though it has bad floors.
Having a house that is too small so the love doesn't have to travel far.
Having Mojo and Java (our dogs) even though they shed, slobber and muck up my floors.
Having toys strewn everywhere so that I know my son is playing.
Having to change poopy diapers because at least they aren't diarhea diapers.
Having to hear my husband snore so that I know he is safe at home.
Having to do laundry everday so we can have nice, clean clothes to wear.
Having older vehicles but at least I know they are reliable.
Having a husband who doesn't mind walking into chaos after a hard days work because he understands that Gryffin comes before cleaning and cooking dinner.
Having a family even though they are the strangest bunch of crazies I've ever met but they love me unconditionaly and sometimes inspite of myself.
Having a huge power bill because it lets me know I have a working furnace and air conditioner.
Having a big back yard even though it takes Mike a full day to do all the yard work so Gryffin can run and play on his swingset.
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Gryffin has officially graduated.

He has been bumped up to the big boy class of 2-3 year olds. Previously he was in the 1-2. As I'm sure you are aware there is a BIG difference between 1 and 2. I think his late onset of separation anxiety was a result of him being in a class where he just didn't fit in. He wasn't challenged by it and the kids really didn't play together.
When I took him this morning he didn't scream or put me in a choke hold. He looked around at the new classroom and then headed to the gym. His bottom lip quivered slightly but quickly vanished after he saw all the 'bikes', to him thats anything you can ride on. When I picked him up this afternoon he was sitting in the playhouse chillin' with his buds. Apparently he has made a friend because they were sitting there with an arm draped over the other's shoulders and talking in only a language a toddler can understand. He just didn't want to leave, but finally agreed when I told him that we had to get home before Daddy so he wouldn't be scared. A PB&J with some Goldfish and the kid was happy. Yup, he is his father's child.

Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You?

Gryffin LOVES Dr Seuss. He loves to have it read to him or to just flip through the pages and look at the pictures. I must say, I never enjoyed reading until I was out of college, living on own and couldn't afford cable. Funny how deprivation can lead to good things. Gryffin already has a pretty extensive library started and if I have anything to do with it it will only grow with him. Mike is already looking forward to reading the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings to him. Me? Well, Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland ( the original and only good version, Disney ruined it ).

What a beautiferous morning!

Yesterday after a breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast we headed out to Home Depot. I wanted some flowers for a few hanging pots on the front of the house and Mike needed fertilizer for the lawn. Riddle me this Batman, why would you fertilize something that you already have to cut once a week? I asked Mike the same question and all he said was, "That is why I handle the lawn, Dear".
We came home, had lunch and put Gryffin down for his nap. We took the opportunity to do, what else, yard work. Thats was ok with me because the weather was perfect! After Gryffin woke up he and I headed outside to play on his swingset while Mike finished picking up sticks.
When all was said and done Mike fixed steaks on the grill with baked taters, corn and salad for dinner. Yummy! Its been a long time since we had steak, even longer since we used the grill. That will change though, especially since we have about 20 lbs of various cuts of steak in the deep freeze and I hate heating up the oven when its warm.
This morning I woke up and made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, plenty left if you're in the neighborhood. And now Mike and Gryffin are out mowing the back yard while I sit and enjoy my coffee. Other than that there aren't any plans for the day and that sounds like a good plan to me!

Must read for Husbands...

Finally, a cure for PMS has been found. You know, other than hiding in the garage or basement for a week. This recent discovery was made by a husband at his wits end with having to deal with his PMS'ing wife. This cure relieves the symptoms of: irritability, mood swings and intense cravings. There are no dangerous drugs with unpleasant side effects. No prescriptions needed. Its painless and relatively inexpensive.
And HERE IT IS- Yes men, it's a bouquet of your wife's favorite flowers and Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide.
I may have to get PMS more often. Just kidding, Honey!

Cheap Labor

He does windows, dusting and floors. I'm working on getting him to use the Magic Eraser on the tub but the little guy just doesn't have the elbow grease yet. After getting him a new spray bottle yesterday he went to town today. After watching me do a couple he was all about doing it himself. The only downfall is that anything over three foot still has to be done by me. Thats ok, its fun helping him clean the house! hee hee hee

I got this from my Mom this morning...

Watch your thoughts: They become your words.
Watch your words: They become your actions.
Watch your actions: They become your habits.
Watch your habits: They become your character.
Watch your character: It becomes your destiny.

So true.

Today is going to be a little rainy. Thats cool since yesterday there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Thanks for being wrong, Mr Weatherman! If the rain clears, Gryffin and I will go for a walk. If not we will just have to play inside. Maybe build another house for his dinosaurs out of MegaBlocks- for the umpteenth time or have a pillow fight. They are both his favorite.

At least I know that once a month my house gets scrubbed down. Good thing #1. This usually coincides with a certain someones visit. It wasn't too bad, Mike and I barely got a 'hi' and Gryffin kept her occupied. She did show up 20 minutes early, but still only stayed an hour. I can handle that.
Today's forcast upper 60's to lower 70's and rainy. Good thing #2. I don't mind the rain. I'm hoping it will make our yellow yard green again. Otherwise instead of losing Mike to football or basketball, I lose him to yard work. He takes pride in the yard and it gives him exercise. Me? Heck, if the weeds are green, isn't higher than my ankles and doesn't have a car up on blocks in it- I'm cool.
I have massive amounts of laundry to fold today. Yaaaaay- clean clothes! Good thing #3. And if the rain does let up I am taking Gryffin to the hardware store to get him another spray bottle. The kid loves to help me clean. Good thing #4. He was really ticked yesterday when I only gave him a cloth to clean with. He used to have this little spray bottle that I put water in but it broke. He kept reaching for my spray bottle but I just don't think he's ready for real Lysol yet.

Food, what a concept!

We are finally to the point where we can eat without hearing those evil gurgling sounds from our innards. Apparently though, Mike got his boss sick. Yeah! He deserves it. Not really, just my bitterness springing up like the flowers in our front yard.
I'm just taking a break from cleaning the house for the impending visit of my egg donor and incubator. I don't know why I bother, even at its worst it is still thousands better than hers at its best. Besides, she is the one that ALWAYS wears black pants when she comes over just so she can complain about the dog hair.
Anyway, it looks as if Spring has sprung- finally. Rain and mild temperatures in the forcast for the whole week. And some of our favorite relatives on Mike's side are going to be in town this weekend. Yippee! Hmm, what to cook for them, what to cook?
Well my lunch of saltines and flat Diet Coke are gone and the timer is down to four minutes, so rather than rambling on I will sign off.

Ebola and the Energizer Bunny...

So last week was close to 80, this weekend snow. What the @%*$?! Our house is down with the Ebola virus, or maybe just what feels like it. All these changes in weather won't kill off these viruses and make my allergies go nuts! Like I need anything more about me going nuts! But all this sickness has accomplished something, I've lost more weight. So much so that the jeans I got back from the tailor Tuesday are too big again. Oh man, when I first tried them on they fit like a glove and made my tushy look great! Now, I'm saggy in the butt and need a belt. I've never been saggy in the butt and I don't like it.
Despite Mike and I knowing better, we went to a birthday party for a friend turning 30. We only stayed about an hour before having to excuse ourselves and speed home. But, at least, Grandma Dianne wasn't put off by keeping a pukey slush butt of a kid overnight. It's nice having a mother-in-law who's a nurse. After being thrown up on the past few nights I need a break. What is so weird is that before you even get a chance to clean him up he's wanting to run around and play. I tell you, nothing stops this kid!
Its eight o'clock on a Saturday night and we are sitting home like a couple of incontinent old fuddies afraid to get too far from the throne. Next, I'll be doing the crosswords and reading romance novels while Mike, well Mike, keeps doing what he's doing, reading a book while watching basketball. Hey, at least he's got the head of grey hair to justify it!

Toes, they're not just for breakfast anymore!

Yesterday was perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T! Gryffin woke up happy, the weather was mid 70's and sunny. In the morning he and I played, colored and watched a cartoon or two together. He took a marvelously long nap, 2 1/2 hours! Then we walked the neighborhood until his little chubby legs just couldn't hoof it anymore. We came home, got a snack and played some more. Mike came home and we walked yet again, to the market for salad fixin's. I have a hard time eating hot comfort food when its not cold outside. A little sliced ham, turkey, cheese, hardboiled egg and veggies and we were hooked up. More playing, a bath, couple of books and bed time for Gryffin. I thank God for days like that. They are the ones that get me through the days when Gryffin has turned into a finicky, tempermental toddler. Lets just say, his horns hold up his halo.

Another miracle...Wow!

This week Mike took my Jeep to the shop because the brakes felt funny. I was sure I needed new ones and possibly even new rotors because they squeaked. Preparing for a $300 bill, Mike called me to say that the bill was around $16. SIXTEEN DOLLARS! The shop didn't find ANYTHING wrong with them. They did make a small adjustment to the rear ones but other than that they were fine. A shop that is honest? No way. Holy crap folks, I am so blessed. Thanks to the Big Guy upstairs.
And if you live in the St Louis area, take your car to Terpin's- they are awesome!

Thanks Uncle Sam

Well, I don't have to worry with being audited this year, my biggest fear. We received both state and federal returns this week. We are once again a debt free family. Except for the house of course. No more hospital griping about how much I send them, no more credit card or payments on mattress hanging over my head. I think I've grown two inches just by paying off bills! Heck, there might even be enough to take Gryffin to the St Louis Zoo (its free by the way). That is ok because as long as it was enough to pay stuff off, I'm happy. Extatic even.
I hope the accusatory Uncle was nice to all of you too. Now I think I will point my finger back and say Ha Ha!

Latest piece of kid clutter...

Yesterday I bought (and put together myself) a table and chair set for Gryffin. Now he has a place to sit and color! Unfortunately, he doesn't like to color alone so I get to sit on that little chair too. Ah well- he's worth it!

THE most pathetic thing EVER

Yesterday after Gryffin woke from his nap we bundled him up, strapped him in and headed to the toy store. YEAH! We took him out of the car and on the way in he damanded that I hold him, so I did. We walked in and blaaaaaack! He threw up all over him and me and the floor. We rushed him out and I stood on the sidewalk with him waiting while Mike told someone there was a cleanup on isle 1 and to grab some napkins from the car. He puked again. He was crying and puking and all upset. I tried to calm him down as best I could but nothing was working. I didn't know if he was crying because he was sick or because he didn't get to look at the toys. Either way, they are valid reasons. We cleaned him (and I) up as best we could and rushed home where clothes were changed and he napped on the couch while Mike watched the Suns beat the Lakers. He was mad, but I bet my Dad was happy. No more barfing but the little guy is running a fever. But nothing is stopping him from playing so he must not be too bad off.

Likes and dislikes- either way they're blessings!

I like swiss chard and collard greens (when cooked in bacon), I like jicama and I do not like edamame. I like my MIL because she babysits my kid even when his pink eye has come back along with diarhea. I like my husband because he lets me sit on the couch for a whole day because I feel ucky and I like my son because he, well he's just sweet. I like knowing that when the weather is cold, wet and windy I don't have to go anywhere. I like that my regular coffee joint is FINALLY putting in a drive through! And I like that our almost 13 year old husky, Mojo still plays like a puppy.
What have you learned that you liked this weekend?

St Patty's early

Last night our inner Leprechans came out and we hit a local Irish pub & restaruant. I was a little disappointed in the limited Irish fare, but this is the Midwest where bar food rules. Mike had a beef and mushroom pie that I envied and I had a whiskey & butter chicken. Of course, Mike had to have a Guiness and I got an Irish coffee, non-sissy style (no whip cream). Sorry but any self respecting Irishman I've ever met would never have whip cream in his coffee. Heck, they liked more whiskey than coffee!
After dinner we ran some errands. Mike made me buy clothes- Grrrr. And we picked out some movies. By the time we got home we were too tired to watch them though!
We actually got to sleep until 9 am this morning. NINE! Now Mike is off to get the Pickle and I am off to drink some American coffee.
Have a great weekend!

Miracle of all miracles!

This month something happened that I never thought would. Gryffin called me Mama! Woo-hoo-yippy-skippy! Gryffin in his almost 2 years had never called me that. If you asked him where Mama was he would point to me, but he would never say it. He held power over me and he knew how to use it. I tried bribery (cookies, TV, toys), I tried threats (no cookies, no TV, no toys) heck, I even told him that he wasn't allowed to get his driverse license until he called me Mama! Last month progress was made, he started calling me Dah-ee just like Mike. Hey, at least it was nice. Then he finally figured it out and out of the blue... Ta-Da. I'm the Mama! I bet you can see the smile on my face from there.

yup, I'm a heal.

This is what my husband brought home, along with some strawberries (my fave). To ease my conscious he did say that they weren't for Valentines Day, but because the market had them on sale- and because he loved me. Ok, maybe it didn't easy my conscious that much afterall.

Enjoy your VD!

Don't get your undies in a bunch, VD- Valentine's Day. We don't celebrate it around here. I told Mike long ago that if he had to take one day out of the year to let me know how much I mean to him then he is doing a pretty crap job the other 364. Yeah, yeah, bah humbug and all that. But seriously folks would you rather have:
an overpriced bunch of flowers that are going to wilt in a few days
some bobble that will turn your skin green
yet another stuffed animal
or a high priced bobble that by the time you get it paid off its Valentine's Day again?
What about flowers on a normal, nothing, just because kind of day? Or a bobble that you can pawn if things go bad? Always the pesimist.
Me? I want a clean house and the laundry caught up. Wait, I want that everyday.
Anyway, who can think of romance after listening to the speech Bush gave today. Has there ever been a president that just gave a yes or no answer to a question from the press? 'Cause all I heard was the same hem-haw over and over.
Ok, I'll stop with the politics. I took some pictures of the snow this morning and I was going to post them so my desert dwelling clan could remember what it was like but all I ended up with was pictures of the streaks on my windows! And there was NO WAY I was going outside to get a better one when the temperature was a whopping, stand back now, prepare yourself- 7 degrees. Break out the sandals! Yeah, I'm just being a poo-pooer again. I actually like snow. And I got to find out that the 4 wheel drive on the Jeep still works yesterday. And there is nothing better than having a hot cup of cocoa on a snowy night, especially if it has some Bailey's in it.

Shew, eBay exhaustion

For the past three days I have been listing a gagillion things on eBay.... Mostly Gryffin's outgrown but still in great shape clothes, shoes, etc and some of my clothes that I just never wore. It got to the point where I just started listing things in lots based on sizes. I hope no one gets scared off by the shipping cost, but those many items are HEAVY! Today I freecycled four large trash bags of stuff. I think we may find 4 square feet of space added to the house. Hey, with a house as small as ours you will take every inch you can get!
I am attempting my first beef stew today. The first thing I discovered about this culinary adventure is that I need a bigger crock pot. Who does 1.5 quarts feed- Ewoks?! I doubt it, they swing around a lot and work up an appetite. Garden gnomes? Maybe, afterall they are made out concrete. But certainly not a family of two and a 1/2!

Going postal!

So I'm sitting here trying to balance the checkbook and I find a bunch of charges from Paypal. I go the Paypal site only to discover that a bunch of labels I TRIED to print through the Post Office site were charged to my account. Eventhough I never was able to print a label- you can't print a media mail label at home. Boy I wish they would tell you that somewhere on their site. I got no labels, I got charged for 3 labels and some fee that froze my account. Grrrr. Through rain, sleet, snow or hail they'll deliver but not through their website. This in addition to get a new account with our credit card company because of fraudulent activity and have to set up all my auto-pays again, I'm going POSTAL!
I know it will all work out in the end. Mostly because I'm a feisty little red-head and when it comes to losing money I get mean. Didn't their mamma's tell them that red-heads have a terrible temper?

Cabbage, who knew?

Last night I tried another new recipe. I'm surprised I got it right because Mike and I have been suffering from this weird type of flu. We just had chills and aches and pains. The aches and pains were so bad it was painful to even think about moving. Mike is over it, I'm on the end of it and Thanks to God, Gryffin hasn't gotten it. Anyway, I thought I would post the recipe, mostly for my Dad, because it contains the Holy Trinity of his cooking- onions, garlic and potatoes.

Keilbasa & Cabbage
4 slices bacon
2 T sugar
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp season salt
1 medium head cabbage, sliced
1 lb Polish Keilbasa, sliced thick

In a large deep skillet fry the bacon over medium high heat until browned. Remove from pan, reserving drippings, and place on paper towels to drain.
Stir water, sugar, onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and seasoned salt into drippings. Add cabbage and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for about 10 minutes.
Add the kielbasa. Cook covered for another 10-15 minutes. Serve hot and crumble bacon over the top.
I served this with roasted potatoes. Just chop some taters into bite size pieces and place in a zip-top bag. Drizzle with olive oil, season salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Shake the bag to coat every piece and pour onto a baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree oven until tender.
I think this meal for 6 cost about $4 or $5 total! Easy, cheap and yummy- that's my Holy Trinity of cooking!

Just one of those days!

Our credit card company called this morning to verify some charges on our account and guess what? We didn't make them! Holy crack weasels! Now they closed down our account, opened a new one and we won't get the new cards for 5-10 days. All this before my coffee too! I sure hope we don't need it before then. Ah well, I know everything will work out just fine. If not, I'm creating new identities for us and we are headed to the nearest country without extradition treaties. That was a joke, people. Mike does want to move to Canada but I'm not half polar bear like he is. Of course, yesterday he did call while walking from work to his truck (a good few blocks away) and told me it was FREEZING. For him to say its cold is something.
Yesterday I did get the taxes done. We aren't getting back what we did last year, but enough to cover what we need it to cover. I never realized that if your charitable donations are not a certain percentage of your AGI they won't do you a bit of good on your return. I've been an avid 'Offer-er' on www.freecycle.org and regularly called the Salvation Army for pickups because I loathe yard sales. They usually aren't worth standing outside for hours after hauling all the stuff out and then wondering if these people are just showing up to stake out our house for a burglary. Or maybe that's just my own paranoia. Anyway, I guess I'm just going to have to get back to Ebaying.

Anonymous

To those who have been kind and provided constructive critism- Thank You!
To those who have not I salute you with sloppy raspberries and one finger waves. Because of you I will no longer accept anonymous comments. If you won't sign your name to what you write maybe you shouldn't be writting it.
Besides, anyone who's opinion truely matters to me has my email address.

Taxes schmaxes.

Gryffin's got another day at Day Out today. I know it might seem kind of insane to be a stay-at-home mom and have him in a program like this. But anyone who has ever been a stay-at-home mom to a toddler KNOWS. I take my few hours of solitude to clean the house and do the laundry on Tuesday's and Friday's to do all the grocery shopping and errands. Today however, I have an added task. One most Americans, at least the normal ones, hate- taxes! I bet a chill just went down your spine just seeing that word. I use Turbo-Tax so at least I don't have to sit and wait in some throw together strip mall office and answer questions like "Are you legally blind?" Duh, did you not just see me park my car and walk in here and sign your little book? I know, I know, they have to ask. Anyway, yesterday I got a good chunk of it done. I am having trouble with the deduction finder and getting an estimated value of stuff I've given to various places. I guess I'm going to have insist on receipts from now on. Regardless, as long as we get enough back to pay off a mattress and a hospital bill, I will be happy. Ecstatically blessed, infact. I remember the first time I tried doing my own taxes. Mike and I were just dating at the time and he did his own so I decided to give it a try, with his volunteer to help if I got stuck. By stuck he meant sitting on his couch bawling like a baby and not being able to add or subtract because my brain was in 'What the h@ll does that mean?' mode. He kindly took my forms and walked me through it step by step. I was still in tears at the end, but it was done. Now Turbo-Tax exists and I have gone from crying to cursing, but hey- I get it done (sometimes even without his help). I wish you all an easy and profitable tax return.

Oh, please don't be a wedding DJ!

DJ Diaper here, spinnin' and poopin', throwing some good tunes to you and throwing a tantrum too! Rock on, put my sock on and snack on!

My husband, the superhero.

At 1 o'clock Mike announced he was watching the Lakers game at 2:30. Yeah right, I thought. You see my husband always starts to watch a game but somewhere around the second quarter all he is watching is the inside of his eyelids. Right now he and Gryffin are curled up under a blanket sacked out. So sacked out they are both snorring! I know, from experience, that if I walk over and change the channel he will immediately wake up and say "Hey, I was watching that". So let me just warn the general public and say that my husband has x-ray vision because he can watch a sporting even through his eyelids.

Salisbury steak recipe... Dad you gotta try it!

Salisbury Steak
1 lb ground beef, don't go any leaner than 20%
2 T of your favorite steak seasoning
Non-stick spray
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup water, lukewarm
water, amount depends on how you like your gravy
dash of browning sauce
1-2 tsp beef soup base, I prefer Tone's

In a large bowl combine beef and seasoning. Shape in to four patties. Spray pan with non-stick spray and heat. When you can feel the heat by holding your hand over (not in) the pan, add the beef patties. Brown on both sides. Let the meat carmelize a little, this will add a lot of flavor to the gravy. Remove patties from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they release their water, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and place with patties. Mix the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water and add to the pan with the meat drippings. Over medium heat mix well to remove any lumps. Slowly add enough water to get gravy to the desired thickness. Remember, its a lot easier to thin a gravy than to make thicker. Add a dash of browning sauce and 1 tsp soup base. Whisk well. Taste to determine if more soup base is needed, if so add by 1/2 teaspoons- this stuff is strong. When desired flavor is attained add the patties back in along with the mushrooms. On low heat, cover and warm through. I generally serve this with mashed potatoes, as there is nothing Mike like's better than gravy on his taters. And of course, a veggie.
This would make a great meatball recipe too! Just form meat into meatballs instead of patties and serve over egg noodles instead of potatoes.

To my anonymous friends...

First of all, thank you for reading. Its nice to know that people other than my family put up with my drivelle.
Second, I do not have anything against fat people. Yes, I am conscience of my own weight but mostly because I have watched family members and loved ones struggle against diabetes, cancer and heart disease. I constantly struggle to maintain my current weight not because I'm prejudice of larger sizes but because I have back problems that are intensified by my weight. I found this out the hard way when pregnant with my son. God gave us one body and referred to it as His temple. Should we not take care of it? Until science comes up with cheaper replacement parts that are easy to install I'm going to try and make mine run as good as I can. I know many people that are eat healthy and exercise but are still big. Unfortunately, they got the short end of the double helix. But they still try to maintain a level of good health.
So let me just just simplify my point...
IT IS NOT A PERSON'S SIZE THAT MATTERS BUT THEIR LIFESTYLE
Life is precious, why not treat it as such?

Warning, the following may make sense.

Yup, when I don't challenge myself its $80 gone at the grocery. What cheeses me off the most is that nutritious food such as fruits, veggies, lean meat and milk are the most expensive. Heck, we could eat nothing but frozen pre-processed practically pre-digested crap and fat laden foods for next to nothing.
Do you remember that dude who tried to sue McDonalds because it was making him fat? Well, I'm gonna be the chick that sues the government for not subsidizing the farmers enough to make their product competitive with non-fresh food. Then I'm gonna sue all those companies that make junk food because they ARE making me fat. So no one is holding a gun to my head saying "Eat the Doritos or die", maybe that one is uncalled for, but when its a decision between gas and groceries or being able to buy underwear and socks that don't have so many holes they aren't worth wearing, well- food wins out.
Our government is telling society to eat better, exercise and quit smoking but what incentive do they give us? How do they help us afford the quality food, health club membership and anti-smoking devices? Why doesn't the government give us a tax break for gym memberships or personal training session?
Why don't insurance companies offer incentives to stay healthy? If our insurance company gave us 15% off our premiums just to eat and live healthy I would be more than willing to give them my grocery receipts as proof, along with a copy of a health club membership. Why can't they do what car insurance companies are doing and give us so much off our deductable for every year we go without getting diabetes or heart disease?
I feel most sorry for the kids though. Most families struggle to get by so they buy whatever is cheapest. Most kids grow up thinking that french fries are still vegetables and that Koolaide is considered a fruit drink. Do you not think there is a link between diet and ADHD? Hmmm, lets see my kid is running all over screaming, horsing around and won't sit still for a minute. I don't know why, I just gave him a Coke and some cookies. Holy crap people! Sugar, sugar, sugar- do I have to spell it out- S U G A R. Thats why!
My son gets a diet of fresh fruit and veggies along with lean meats and its rare that I ever fry anything. He has yet to taste a soda, which I maybe have one every few days. Once in a while we all get a treat of a burger and fries, but thats maybe once a month! Gryffin is calm (for a 21 month old) and well behaved. Yes he runs around crazy sometimes but who doesn't want to take off screaming at all the stupidity out there? Even his teachers at Day Out brag on him like he is theirs. I hear from them on a regular basis that he is the best behaved in his class. His teacher even told me that he also is the one with the most healthy lunches. Connection?
Why don't I just give up and get fat? With all the money I would save eating crap I would be able to afford a new larger sized wardrobe!
That is my rant for the day, thanks for sticking through to the end and in the immortal words of Fat Albert, 'You may just learn a thing or two".

We had a great weekend. Saturday we just chilled at home, Sunday we went for a drive, Monday Gryffin spent the night with Gramma while Mike and I went to see Gnarls Barkley and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. An awesome show! And then Tuesday we treated ourselves to breakfast out. The rest of the day was spent either at the doctor's office, the DMV or cleaning and doing laundry. But hey, even the latter wasn't so bad with Mike helping me.
I finally got around to roasting that chicken and for a first attempt I was pretty happy with it. I stuffed the chicken with red onion, lemon, thyme and garlic. Then I wrapped the whole thing in bacon and cooked it at 400 for about an hour and a half. It turned out picture perfect but it was devoured before I had a chance to grab the camera.
Today I'm switching off between finishing the laundry and playing with Gryffin. Man, I've got it good!

Campbell's, you suck.

Tonight I made Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. I'm not one for tomato soup. I think because canned is too sweet. This one I could eat and eat and eat and lick the bowl when I'm done. It was so good I had to call my Dad and make him jealous. Here is the recipe:
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, copped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4-1 jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
28 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp paprika
pinch of sugar
6 cups chicken broth
pinch cayenne
large can of tomato paste
1/4 cup fat free 1/2 & 1/2
sour cream

In a soup pot soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, red peppers, thyme, paprika and sugar. Cook over medium heat until all the tomato juices have evaporated. Stir in chicken broth and cayenne. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid. Place solids in a blender or food processor until fairly smooth. Add puree back to broth. Return to heat and add the 1/2 & 1/2 and tomato paste, stir and let heat through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

It sounds like a lot but it was really easy. The original recipe called for stewing the tomatoes and roasting the peppers and making a roux to thicken. Yeah right. Maybe if my middle name were Martha and I was a felon. I found the jarred peppers, canned tomatoes and 1/2 & 1/2 just fine. I think it would also be good with some corn, rice, maybe some chicken or bacon. Since there was enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow and some to freeze I will have to try it.

Just call me Betty, Bargain Betty.

I hate to see when a bookstore is going out of business. But I LOVE to take advantage of it. After breakfast this morning I mentioned to Mike that (yet again) I was out of reading material. With an ice storm heading our way and likely power outages- that wasn't a good thing. We bundled up and headed to hell, a.k.a the mall. The B.Dalton there was going out of business and today was their last day. Everything in the joint was 50% off. I dove into the bargain bin like a kid in the ball pits of a Chucky Cheese. Usually, I never pay more than $6 for a hardcover book because I scrounge the bargains at the various book stores. Today, however, I bought 9 books for less than $30! Heck, if it looked half way interesting I bought it. That ought to get me through the weekend.
Side note to Dad- when I'm done with them you're library is gonna get hooked up!
Strolling through JC Penney's on the way out Mike spotted a sale on Columbia coats. We love Columbia- their stuff lasts forever. He tried a three in one coat on, it looked really good. We looked at the sale sign and saw that it was 70% off, which would make it about $60. He just didn't believe that was right so he took it to the counter and sure enough, the chick said it was $60! SOLD. We headed upstairs to look for one for me but apparently coats for women only come in 'Can't get lost in a snowstorm even if you tried' colors. I mean really people, are there those out there than feel comfortable walking around in a coat that makes them look like a giant killer lime? It was bust for me there but another stop at a store and I found one for the same price- not Columbia but still a three in one coat that is black and doesn't make my figure look like the Micheline Man's.
Home, a nap for both Gryffin and I, a football game for Mike and the world- at least our little corner of it- is very, very good.

Success!

Well, I did it! With a little to spare in fact. And I bought a few things not on my list because they were, to coin a family term, 'a smokin' deal'. I did have to substitute carrots for the sweet potatoes to use for the roasted chicken though. Anything that 'exotic' is only available around the holidays. Yup, I hate the midwest. If it ain't corn or baking potatoes, its exotic. No wonder everyone around here is fat- we are fed the same thing as the cattle!

Menu a la cheap

Ok, so here is the menu that I have devised for this weeks $56 challenge:

Friday: Stir fry
Saturday Roast chicken with bacon, sweet potatoes, onion and green beans
Sunday: Roasted red pepper and tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
Monday: Out or frozen pizza (Going to see RHCP!)
Tuesday: Wonton ravioli with spinach and ricotta, spaghetti sauce and garlic bread
Wednesday: Honey mustard pork chops, brown rice and carrots
Thursday: Broiled chicken and potatoes with broccoli

Now, keep in mind that I am not including the meat or staples such as flour and seasonings. I don't menu lunches because we usually have leftovers from the night before and breakfast is usually cereal. Also, I already have things like potatoes and onions and rice. With that in mind I should be able to reach my goal.
But if I don't get over this cold my budget could be blown with things like saltines, orange juice and ice cream! We usually don't buy any of those. Snackies in the pantry mean tight panties!

Just for poops, giggles and hopefully savings.

I think Friday when I go to the grocery armed with my list I'm going to do a little bit more research. You see, I don't like what we have been spending on groceries. About $75 a week. Now, thats not too bad when you figure in a bottle of wine and some snackies but... Every week I make a menu which I use to make my grocery list. My grocery list is, well.. a little detailed.


When I need something I just highlight it, or highlight the blank line and write it in. This list is in the same order as the grocery store isles. If I don't need something in an isle I don't go down it. Usually, on a weekday using the self-checkout (I love those!) I can get the shopping done in 30 minutes or less. When I make my menu for next week I'm going to try and squeeze some 'blood from a turnip', in my opinion thats all you should do with turnips- YUK! I'm going to challenge myself to only spend about $8 to feed us per day, or $56 a week. This shouldn't be too hard considering Mike's breakfast of granola bars, chicken breasts, ground beef and pork are all bought at Sam's once a month and aren't figured in to the weekly grocery budget. Although, I'm not willing to cut my weekly bottle of wine. I drink the cheap stuff, less than $4 a bottle. But its worth a lot more than that to sit in a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book a few nights a week. I'll give it a try and give you an update.

I'm gonna get you, Cheerio!

Such determination and dedication! The boy likes his Cheerios and gets quite upset when he can't quite get the last few in the bowl. I was just telling Gryffin this morning that I remember when I had to spoon feed him mush and now he's feeding himself like a big boy. I like this way better and not just because I don't wear more food than he eats anymore. I miss that little baby boy, but I sure do like the big boy he's becoming.

Don't have long to chat this morning. After a couple days of feeling like microwaved poo and a few days of being lazy my house looks like a the dust bunny brigade came through and dirtied all of our clothes. Ah well- death, taxes and house work- the only things in life you can really count on. Better get on with the latter, start on the middle and hopefully put off the first for a very long time!

Hey!

Are you in there? I know you're in there. Come out before I come in!

Before/During

Gryffin helped Mike install some shelves. Helped being a completely subjective word. But i think inspite of all the ups and downs he really did enjoy 'assisting' his Dad.

After

After a long days work, Gryffin has a new room. He officially broke it in this morning and trashed the joint with toys. I will take that as his little decorator touch, but its going to be cleaned up at bed time.

Lil' Stinker

Shew-eee something in here stinks! I think it just may be my butt.
Poor little Gryffin has yet another cold. He had a pretty rough night, coughing and soaking himself and the bed TWICE! Not to mention all the encrusted snot on his face. There are times when I wish he were out of the crib just so I could climb in bed with him and snuggle cuddle to make it better. But then again, I know who would end up sleeping in the pee spot.
Today we took a trip to get him more medicine. The only kind we can get him to take are those stips. He sees a chewable tablet or a liquid and it takes both Mike and I to hold him down. What did parents do before those things?
Right now he is thankfully taking his nap, which is the only reason I can type, sit down or drink anything.

Not from a can...

These are the home made cinnamon rolls I made Christmas morning, minus a few. They turned out really good and were pretty easy.
Oh yeah, and I took the picture with my new fancy digital camera. Thank you Honey, ranks right up there with my Dyson!

We survived!

Christmas is over for another year. Gryffin made out like a bandit, so much so that my living room looks like a toy store exploded. I think this weekend we are going to pack up some of his baby toys to make room.
This weekend is New Year's. I know a lot of people make resolutions around this time. Me? I made a resolution years ago not to make any more resolutions. I got tired of disappointing myself when I couldn't fulfill them. How about any of you? Tell me about the resolutions you are making. We don't go anywhere to celebrate. This is the night where all the drunk novices take to the roads, I'd rather take my chances on a regular weekend when the pro's are doing it. It's been years since I've been able to stay up till midnight anyway.

Merry Kiss-a-moose!

Yeah, some may think that is sacrilege but I don't. I haven't found anywhere in the Bible where December 25th is proclaimed Jesus birthday. Nor do I find anywhere that tells us to celebrate it, only to commemorate his death. In my research, I have found where ancient Christians started celebrating during this time to coincide with the pagans who were celebrating the Winter Solstice and used this time to try and convert them.
I know many of you feel different and that is great. Diversity is a wonderful thing. Especially in this country where many have fought for the right to say what they feel and practice the religion of their choice without persecution.
So, Merry Kiss-a-moose and Merry Christmas, I wish you all peace, tolerance and love in the New Year.

Santa, define good?

The picture is better than last years. The experience; however, was not . We arrived at The Santa House about a quarter to five. At five Santa had to go feed the reindeer. Since we were still in line we decided to get something to eat and come back at six. A little Chinese buffet later we arrived back at, again a quarter till. The line was already a good size and all Gryffin wanted to do was walk around. Ok, no big deal except that he refuses to hold hands. I don't know where the kid got it but he wants to do everything himself. So we took turns following him around until it was quite evident that he was stumbling more than walking. We then took turns holding him and getting our shoulders snotted on because he was screaming 'UUUuuuup'- to him any change in altitude is up. Finally we were next in line! He calmed down so we let him climb up and down the two stairs that led to Santa's lair. The overgrown, fresh from the trailer park elf came to the door and welcomed us in. Gryffin saw Santa, then he saw Elmo . I hate to admit it, but my son likes Elmo. Don't tell anyone because I will die of embarrassment. Anyway, I directed him toward Santa who was holding out a candy cane. The kid doesnt' recognize candy so he kind of freaked out. He plopped down on the floor and started to cry. Santa got a little dismayed and was really kind trying to coax a smile out of him. I picked Gryffin up and put him on Santa's lap, still crying. Bad Mommy, bad bad Mommy. The elf acted quickly, making Elmo giggle and talk where upon he snapped this picture. I then asked Gryffin if he wanted his ball and the kid let out a loud 'YEAH!'. While Mike and I paid and waited for the pictures to print out, Santa was pretty cool. He asked Gryffin about his ball and played with him a little. Then it was time to go, all hell broke loose again. This time because he didn't want to go. Argh! I have to admit, Santa was impressive this year. His beard was real, he didn't have a body odor problem and at least he was smart enough to drink the Peppermint Schnapps so no one would notice. Anyway, to make a long story longer, we got back in the car, Gryffin still screaming so I unwrapped a little of the candy cane and let him taste it. He wasn't much on the taste but there was no way we were going to be able to pry that thing out of his chubby little fingers. Its over for another year, when I will remember to swig on that Peppermint Schnapps before going.
Merry Christmas!

Expecting a visit from my muther this evening. Mike is lucky enough to have errands to run while she's here. I just take comfort in knowing that she isn't here to see me. Basically, I use her as a babysitter for an hour while I do stuff around the house.
I had to go to the Post Office this morning. I was expecting to wait in a very long line but it was deserted! Yeah! Although I found out that the wait is not in the Post Office itself but in getting your item delivered. Their 2 day delivery has now been changed to 3 or 4. Tis the season.
Today I still have laundry and a dust and vacuum on my To Do's. Ain't bad.

So many things to do and so little time left to do them!
I baked 3 dozen cinnamon roll cookies for a food day at work for Mike's Boss tomorrow. I still have to ice them, but that won't take long. I also made a batch of peanut brittle today. I tried to make a double batch the other day and I got peanut chews. I thought I could save them by covering them in chocolate but in the couple of days they sat in the baggie they melded into one ginormous peanut block! No more double batches, just multiple ones.
Luckily I've already made all my cookie dough for my party Sunday. Just scoop and bake! Of course, there is still the cleaning and de-dogging. I love my dogs, but they sure can smell. For snackies (to counteract the sugar high of cookie sampling) I plan on making baked crab rangoon, Cheezit chicken fingers in fat free and parmesaen/garlic. Along with some spicey nuts and a veggie platter and dips, I hope its enough.

Sorry I've been absent for awhile. My mood has been, well lets just say that I felt like going up to little kids and telling them that Santa was dead. Yeah, I've got that holiday spirit. I'm getting better though. Heck, I even wrapped a few presents. Of course, that was only because I couldn't find anywhere to hide them. Our tree will be decorated tomorrow night after Gryffin is asleep. Mike is obsesive compulsive about the lights so the actual decorations won't be hung until about 1 am. In years past we have gotten into disagreements about how the tree should be decorated. Disagreements so bad I went to bed and let him do it himself. I must say, he always does a wonderful job. Amazing how good a color blind (literally) guy can be at decorating. If I didn't know better I would question his sexuality.
I made a batch of 'Hair on your nuts' yesterday and they turned out much better than last year. I don't know if it was old spices or if I overcooked the nuts so I bought all new spices and watched those nuts cook like they were the season finale of Survivor. They aren't so spicey that they are hot, but they leave your mouth pretty warm after a handful. I think this is just right, personally. If you are interested, here is the recipe:
2 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3 T Old Bay
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
6 cups mixed nuts
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/3 c grated Parmesean
Preheat oven to 300 and line 2 baking sheets with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Beat eggs until foamy and gradually add sugar. Beat in seasonings. Stir in nuts, butter and cheese. Make sure all the nuts are coated then spread in an even layer on the baking sheets. Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring 1/2 way through. Imediately remove foil and let cool on a rack. Break apart and store in an airtight container. Make sure the nuts don't brown, you just want them toasted.

The week will be a vacation in comparison.

Mr Weatherman, I shake my finger at you. A particular finger, in fact. You are my sworn enemy now. When I have become a kung-fu master or my DNA mutates to give me super powers you are gonna get it!

These pictures show what we went through Thursday night in the ice storm. We lost a good portion of our fence, a chair from out patio set and a lot of sleep. I will spare you the pictures of the front yard, when you've seen one tree limb on the ground you've seen them all.

When I awoke Friday to the devestation I took comfort in the fact that our house did not incur any structural damage and that we still had power. Until 7 am when it went out. Gryffin and I toughed it out until about 10:30 am. It was cold in the house and getting colder. We went to the mall in hopes of power being restored in a few hours. Now, for me to spend a few hours walking around the mall the situation has got to be bad. I stopped a couple other places figuring at least I will get Christmas shopping done. About 2:30 I called Mike and found out that our power was going to be out for days, not hours. We packed our bags for my MIL's. The nursing home that Pa is in also was without power so we had him in tow as well. We left the dogs though, Siberian Husky's don't mind the cold.

We made several trips back to let them in and out between Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Being that Mike's Mom's house is over a half hour away we spent a lot of time in the car. By Saturday afternoon we had power. We are one of the few in our neighborhood that has power, even now. Lets just say that between a toddler and a man in the late stages of Alzheimers Mike and I were worn out. We wanted our home, our bed, our remote! I can only take so much TV Land!

Saturday evening we had dinner with Dianne(MIL), dropped Pa off at home and left Gryffin with Grandma. You see, two dogs plus two days of an unsupervised house equals dog hair on all the furniture. Saturday night was spent scrubbing the house down. Mike was a big help eventhough he was exhausted.

This morning I put up the Christmas tree, just the tree no decorations yet. Then I couldn't stand it anymore and picked up Gryffin. Hence, no decorations. Mike went out side to start cleaning up only to realize that everything was frozen solid. He did the best he could considering his chainsaw is broken and rigged the fence to keep the dogs in. Then- football. After a trip to the store for snacks and whiskey. Hey, after this weekend we need a drink! Or seven.

Yackity, yackity, Mr Weatherman. Shut your pie hole and give me some SNOW! You keep making these promises of 1-2 feet of it, but so far just cold rain. If its going to be miserable out there I at least want something pretty to look at. And may I remind you, Mr Weatherman, yesterday was 69 degrees so now are you not only shirking on your promise, you are going to give everyone a cold!

Give me this day...

Can you say Yumerlicious? How about scrumptacular? No? What about delectamazing? Tried (yet another) bread recipe and this one turned out next to perfect. It even passed the PBJ and grilled cheese test. The recipe made two loaves so that should last us a week. The braided one for garlic cheese toast tonight with spaghetti and the sliced for sandwiches, French Toast or whatever later.
I didn't get the housework done like I wanted yesterday. I ran out of energy after Gryffin and I went for a walk and helped/watched Mike put up the Christmas lights. Oh well, at least the fresh air was nice.
Gryffin is currently down for a nap so maybe I will see about carrying some laundry down and some dusting.

Happy to be normal?

I've never been one to be accused of normalcy, but now I am proud to say things have become more normal around here. The Thanksgiving festivities are concluded and we made our usual weekend trip to Lowes today. Now Mike is outside working on the yard, Gryffin is asleep and I'm making pumpkin bread. Life is good at the moment.
Of course, my house is a DISASTER area. I don't think I've had the opportunity to really clean in a few weeks and if I don't vacuum soon we will have lovely grey wall to wall doghair carpeting. My MIL came over the other night and I was mortified when she said those inevitable words she always says when over here, "Can I use your bathroom?". Somehow I don't think she really needs to use it, if she does she is the fastest pee-er in the world! I just think she likes to check up on my housekeeping. I used to get offended, now I'm just like "Whatever, sit on my fuzzy toilet and breathe in my doghair air because I just don't have time to care anymore". Now, however, I'm starting to get a little grossed out by it. Since she is coming Tuesday to pick me up for a power shopping session I guess I better roll up my sleeves and scrub something/everything. Well, except the kitchen. No matter what my kitchen is clean. There may be a few dishes from the night before in the sink but that is about it. I can't stand to have a dirty kitchen, it wakes me in the middle of the night. Weird, huh? Well, I can sit here and continue to moan about it or I can do something to remedy it. (Now, if more people/relatives would adopt that way of thinking?!) Off to clean!

Turkey Day rehearsal is over. I just fixed a small dinner here in preparation for the BIG feast at my MIL's tomorrow. Luckily, all I have to do for that is green beans and a pineapple upside down cake.

I hope your Thanksgiving was full of things to give thanks for.

Gryffin just woke up, so I better go!

Happy Black Friday- stay away from the mall unless you are much braver than I!

Better...

The bread turned out edible today! Still a little heavy, but good flavor and crusty outside. Here is the recipe:

6 cups flour, all-purpose
1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon water, warm
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 Tablespoon honey
1 egg, beaten with 1T water
2 Tablespoons rolled oats

1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine the warm water and yeast in a small cup and allow to proof for 10 minutes.
Pour the yeast, buttermilk, and honey into the flour mixture and mix well. If the dough is so dry that some of the flour won't stick, add a bit more buttermilk or water. If the dough is too sticky to knead, more like a batter, add more flour by the tablespoon until the correct consistency is achieved.
Knead by machine or hand for approximately 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and set aside to rise until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 to 18 pieces. If you are a stickler you can scale them so that they are even, but I just cut them roughly the same size. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place in a round dish or spring-form pan close together.
2. When all of the rolls are in the pan, cover again with plastic or a damp towel and set aside to rise again for 45 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425.
3. Uncover the rolls and brush gently with the egg wash. Sprinkle on the grain topping, if you like. I used cracked wheat
4. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, until the rolls are firm and spring back when tapped.
5. Unmold the rolls from the pan and serve warm.

I used 2 round cake pans and put 9 pieces in each, but I baked them at the same time. It looks a little labor intensive but the actual work time was only about 15 minutes. The hard part is waiting for it to rise. I am not known for patience. Thats one reason I'm trying to get back into baking bread.

My bread yesterday was picture perfect. Unfortunately, that was the only way. The inside was still doughy. I am so out of practice with my bread making and it is really frustrating to try to get back into the swing of it. I am trying again today though so keep your fingers crossed for me!

I hear Thanksgiving is Thursday?

Oh crap. This past week has gone by so fast I just can't believe it. Running ragged and stressed to the hilt, behind in the housework and errands, not done with the Christmas shopping (which was a goal) and not having what I need for Gut Buster Day. Looks like I will be at the grocery the day before Thanksgiving. Better than going shopping the day after though. Our big dinner is actually Saturday at my MIL's, but I am fixing a small one here for us and Pa.
So what am I doing sitting here typing rather than working? I'm eating lunch and letting bread rise. I'm a multi-tasker, don't ya know. Don't give me a guilt trip, I've already done and folded three loads of laundry today and got most of my grocery list made. Considering Gryffin is not in Day Out this week, that is a major achievement.
With all the family in town for Granny's service he got used to Daddy being home and gagillions of cousins all wanting to hold and play with him. He went into attention shock yesterday when it was just he and I. He didn't like it much. I think he is pretty much over it though. Thank goodness. Don't get me wrong, I love my kid. But sometimes he gets possessed by the Terrible Two's, which hit early, and turns into demon spawn. Luckily, it never lasts very long.
Ok, chili and pretzels are gone so I better get moving. I hope everyone has a great day and Holiday!

Sad yet beautiful.

Quietly and surrounded by loved ones, Granny found peace and freedom last night. It was very sad yet beautiful. She will be greatly missed by those here and welcomed by those above.

Rattling pipe dreams...

Ok, I want a bigger, newer house with a non-squeeky floor, pipes that don't rattle and lights that don't flicker. But before I can get any of this our lives have to settle down and I need to find more money from somewhere. Maybe I can start selling my worn once undies on Ebay like a woman I read about. She was making good money- at least enough to keep her in new undies and just think of the laundry saved. Yeah, you're right. Thats gross. Maybe I could offer to babysit a couple kids during the day. Hell NO, we would have to be 6 inches from repo before that would happen. How about taking all those dust bunnies my Huskies make, knitting sweaters and selling them? Nope, don't know how to knit and who would want a sweater that smells like dog. I guess my only answer is to quit looking at real estate web sites for houses I like. God blessed me with a non-leaking roof, a big back yard, a kitchen I get rave reviews on and a home that is filled with love. I should be happy with what I've got, take care of it and realize that the bigger the house the longer it takes to clean.

Stirring the pot...

Stand back, I'm about to stir the political pot!
I am glad to see that stem cell research was approved in Missouri. Whoa, don't get your panties in a bunch! Let me explain- eventhough I do not live in Missouri, 12 miles outside of it, I feel that this is a good thing. I do not feel that God will allow humans to be cloned or anything else- unless He wants it to happen. I believe that He is more powerful than the will or intelligence of the children He created. He would not let people accomplish any medical feat that would replace Him or destroy what He has created. Remember the rainbow, people. Now I know a lot (all) of my family is probably screaming in horror and wanting to banish me but God has a plan for this world. He gave us free will for a reason and did not give us super powers for other reasons. Although, I still don't see why He couldn't make me able to fly. That would be so cool. Anyway, He is in charge, regardless of what it may feel like at the moment. There is Divine Order, we just may not be smart enough, calm enough or willing enough to see it. Stem cell research may be the key to helping millions of people, it may be a bottomless pit of disappointment or it may just prove once and for all that God is the Father of this mixed up planet and His will be done. So sit back and enjoy the ride, He didn't put us here to be miserable.

Epiphany...

Last night I learned a little bit about myself. It used to be that I never got jealous- never. I remember one night, Mike was singing a gig at a Happy Hour hang out and one of his ex's showed up and gave him a big, slightly longer than appropriate hug and kiss on the cheek. I didn't even get a twinge of jealousy. And not because I knew I was hotter than her but I was confident in knowing that I had no competition for Mike's affection. Now, a different wind is blowing. Last night I realized after, I won't call it a fight, but an exchange of highly emotional differing opinions, that I was jealous. Not of another woman, 'cause I would just run her over with my Jeep, but of all the other things I've never had to compete with- and don't know how. Between Mike's job, his Grandparents, his whole family and Gryffin, I feel as if most of the time even when its just he and I it is still not just he and I. There is an everpresent cloud of stress that follows him around and overshadows the smiles and laughs that used to come so freely and often. I miss my husband. It seems several times a week he is caught in a tug of war between fulfilling his Grandson obligations and spending time with Gryffin and I. Having to choose, I will always want him to spend time with Gryffin first and I will take what is left. But may I just say again- I miss my husband. I know his family obligations are not permanent. Therefore, my epiphany was that I was being a pouty, jealous child and that if I didn't just deal and get over myself I would cause harm to the man I love. I was not being a supportive wife or friend and for that I appologized. We are always the most critical judges of ourselves but we are also the most reluctant to change. Not me- I want to be supportive and loving and that is what I will be. Maybe not overnight, but I am putting it in the forefront of my mind and heart and will work everyday on it.

What the heck was I thinking!?!

I am hosting a Holiday Cookie Swap. Yup, me. The girl with all the hostessing experience of a hermit with agoraphobia! What was I thinking! Ah well, I suppose there is a time in every woman's life when they have to don the Martha Stewart garb, sans prison stripes, and throw a party. Now the only party I've been to recently probably would not be a good thing to mimick as it was a Halloween costume party with much overindulgence in spirits of the liquid variety. Man, that was a fun party. At least the parts I remember. Anyway, has anyone ever done this sort of thing before? Got any suggestions for a newbie? Any wonderlicious appetizer recipes?

No matter if you're naughty or nice...

This is what is going to be in the Christmas Goodie Baskets this year:
Hair On Your Nuts (spicey mixed nuts)
2 lg egg whites
2.3 c sugar
5 T Old Bay
4 t Worcestershire
2 t chili powder
1 t cayenne
6 c mixed nuts
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/3 c grated Parmesean
Preheat oven to 300. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and coat with nonstick spray. Beat egg until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat in seasonings. Add nuts & butter, stir to coat evenly. Add cheese & mix again. Divide & spread evenly on baking sheets in a single layer. Bake about 30 minutes. Imediately remove from pan onto more foil & let cool.
Note: Do not allow nuts to darken too much or they turn bitter.
These are always a hit! I package up in little ziplock bags and stuff in stockings.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Brittle
I would include the recipe, but this one is a new one this year. I won't post anything I haven't tried.

Pancake Mix
1 c flour
1 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Mix and seal in ziplock bag. This makes about a dozen, depending on how big you like them.
Make sure you attached a card with the following:
To Prepare:
In a bowl combine mix, 1 cup buttermilk and one egg until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 T melted butter and 1 1/2 T maple syrup. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup onto nonstick griddle, flip only when the bubbles no longer burst. Don't forget to freeze the leftovers- if there are any!

Herb Biscuit Mix
1 cup flour
1/4 t pepper
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T grated parmesean
1/2 T oregano
Mix the above and seal in ziplock bag.
Attach a card with the following:
To prepare:
Preheat oven to 450. Add mix to a bowl and cut in 3 T cold unsalted butter cut into pieces. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk. Drop by large spoonfulls onto ungreased sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Sidenote- if you never have buttermilk on hand just add 1 1/2 t lemon juice concentrate to a 1/2 cup measuring cup and then fill with regular milk.

There will also be some caramel creme cookies (recipe will follow when I find it) and pumpkin and banana breads.

Ah, a weekend in bed. Just what I didn't want.

We took a weekend off! Don't get all excited for us, it wasn't our choice. We all came down with a nasty little virus. Mike was in bed Saturday, I was in bed Sunday and Gryffin didn't let anything stop him. Luckily, one of us was able to look after him while the other gazed into the porcelane wishing well. It seems as though it was a quick virus at least as Mike went to work and I am up and dressed. And most importantly, having my coffee.
We were not given a very prognosis for Granny last week. The onchologist, a guy who very much reminded me of a cartoon character, said that with treatment possibly 12-18 months, without 6 weeks. Everyone decided to try a round of chemo and radiation and see how Granny tollerates it. The steroids they have to give her have made her hallucinate and a little combative at times. Her lucid moments are growing fewer. My heart breaks for her and Pa and the rest of the family, but I know God will take care of us all through this and after.
Thanks to yuck virus my house is a disaster. I wonder if I could get FEMA in here to clean up? Probably, but it would take 4 years, tons of red tape and a bunch of beauracratic BS. Speaking of... Don't forget to vote tomorrow. If you don't, you have no right to complain. Me? I voted twice so I get to complain more than most. Just kidding.

I would love to sit down and post but I'm affraid it would be nothing but a bunch of b+itching. I will spare you and wollow in my own pitty/laundry fest and take comfort in the fact that everything is temporary and God will see it through. And in the imortal words of Fat Albert, 'I may just learn a thing or two'.

Living in danger...

Yup, I just read that I live not 10 miles from THE most dangerous city in the country. Are you kidding me?! What a load of crap. I looked into what their criteria was: a ratio of crime rate to population. No wonder we made it- no one lives IN the city! Using their formula everyone was getting mugged or carjacked. The populous of St Louis resides in the surrounding counties and sub-cities. I guess the St Louis government officials didn't grease enough pockets. But don't get me started on corruption and government.

A little rant...

I saw the downfall of the family yesterday on TV. It sent shivers down my spine as in 30 seconds I witnessed a family of four deteriorate into disfunction and sorrow. This may only be my interpretation but pancake batter in a bottle that you add water, shake and pour?! Come on. I've timed it, to measure and mix ingredients takes a whopping- stand back- 7 minutes. Seven minutes, people. Seven minutes to give your family pancake batter where every ingredient is easily pronouncable and recognizable. Seven minutes to know that your kids aren't going to have so many preservatives in their body when they die that embalming will not be needed. Seven minutes where you can teach your kids math- measuring IS fractions. Not to mention, seven minutes to teach your kids that food does not come from a bottle or box. I can see it know, future generations that don't know how to cook and rely only on prepackaged, preservative ridden crap. Soilent Green is people! No wonder society is getting so fat, their bodies no longer have to work to break down food. It is presented in a ready to eat, fully digested form that lacks vitamins and nutrients.
For the past couple weeks Mike and I have gone against everything we believe in and have eaten fast food. Only because we did not have a choice as dinner was on the run from hospital to nursing home. We feel like crap, lack energy and stamina and have gained weight. Last night after leaving the hospital we craved vegetables so bad we stopped by the salad bar at the fancy grocery store and paid $6 each for! That is desperation, folks. Usually, if I pay that much for a salad someone brings it to my table and takes it away when I'm done.
This morning Mike reminded me his haircut appointment and that he has to take some medication to Pa at the nursing home. We decided that it would be better to eat -a real meal- at 4 in the afternoon than to keep up the on the go meals. I'm hoping Gryffin will cooperate enough to allow me to fix a batch of cookies for that evening snack that all of us will be dying for after eating dinner that early. Maybe some whole wheat honey peanut butter cookies, mmmmmm. Dinner will consist of Chicken a la King, using fat free 1/2 & 1/2. If I get time it will be served over home made biscuits, if not it will be over egg noodles. **Reminder to Chris- I am holding you to that promise of showing me how to make your family recipe for noodles** Now doesn't that sound better than yet another burger or taco?

Happy Halloween!

I sent Gryffin off to Day Out today in his little Dalmation costume from last year. It still fit, but I cut the feet off so he could wear shoes. Somehow I didn't think those little plastic dots on the bottom of the footies would work on slippery floors. I saved his new Monkey costume for tonight. Don't fret, pictures will be posted.
I have to hurry and get Laundry Mountain downstairs. Good thing I have 'faith of a mustard seed'. Then its menu planning, grocery list making and shopping to do. This much fun should be illegal, really. But its been a good two weeks since I've done any of it and I'm feeling guilty about it.
Too much to do to keep spurting nonsense!
Burn a black candle to keep the evil spirits away tonight and buy lots of candy to keep the evil kids at bay too.

Update:

I have a few minutes to blog, although I should be cleaning my filthy house. Oh well, dirt waits.
Anyway, yesterday we put Granny in the hospital for tests. We already know that she has brain cancer but we do not know the full extent of it. When that was done Mike and his father took Pa to an assited living facility with an Alzheimer's unit. This did not fare well with Pa. Mike is just drained today to the point of illness. He is currently in bed. We still have to take Pa his chair and a TV today and I've already been to see Granny and take her a few things. Today is also their 56th wedding anniversary. Crap way to spend it since they won't even get to see eachother. Mike and I know that this is what is best for them, even Granny agreed and has said that she will join Pa when she is released from the hospital. But just because its best doesn't mean its easy. Infact, its never easy when its the best. Your prayers are appreciated and still needed. Thank you all.

Too much...

Things around here are crazy, C-R-A-Z-Y!
Not going to go into detail, just going to ask for prayers.
Don't know when I will be back to blogging regular, but soon I hope.

Christmas is coming, looming, impending...

Ah yes, Christmas. That magical time of year when people forget the true meaning and dessecrate it with packages bought at malls and wrapped in shiny paper that kills innocent trees. Ahhh, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it? Oh wait, maybe thats nausea.
Anyway, I'm taking an idea I stole from a good blogger buddy... angelfoodcakeisntacandle@blogspot.com
Christmas presents, except toys for the nephews, are coming from my kitchen. Whether you like it or not! There will be some people very upset by me bucking the commercial tradition but obviously, they don't have their heart in the right place. With some of them, I doubt they have hearts at all. Ooh, that was cold, am I feeling bitter and disgruntled this morning? Nope, just sleep deprived and grumpy. Please forgive.
Anyway, here are thoughts about what I should put in the goodie baskets that will be supplied:
Pumpkin and banana bread in jars
Caramel cream cookies
Sugar cookies (and not from a mix either) hand decorated
Oatmeal raisin or mabye sunflower cookies, haven't decided yet
Homemade biscuit mix
Homemade pancake mix
and of course, pictures of my little boy... that just woke up screaming. Gotta Go!

Stinking wrinkled wall paper be gone!

Love that Febreze and wrinkle releaser?
Yeah, me too. I was using about a 1/2 gallon of Febreze every week. That stuff ain't cheap but it made my house smell so nice. And with two big dogs and a diaper pail, that ain't easy! Do you know what Febreze and wrinkle releasers are? Watered down fabric softener. Yup, thats all. I came across a 'recipe' to make your own, but found that it needed some SERIOUS adjusting.
I bought a bottle of fabric softener at Sam's that does 135 loads. Hey, I even splurged and spent $10 on a brand name too. In a cleaned out 2 liter bottle, I poured a cap full, looks like about a 1/3 of a cup, of facric softener in then filled the rest of the way with water. Shook it up and filled a spray bottle. I used my old Febreze bottle for this. Recycle, reuse! Just use it as you normally use Febreze. I can get enough to last about a year for just $10! Heck, the commercial stuff was costing me that every other week.
To use this as a wrinkle releaser, spray the garment while its hanging then tug at the wrinkles and smooth them. It worked pretty good on a pair of corderoy pants I have. If it works on that heavy a material it will work on anything!
Make a more concentrated version of this and you have wallpaper remover! I talked my MIL into trying this before spending an arm and leg for the commercial stuff. She is Brand Namer. Only buys brand names and doesn't care that her weekly grocery bill is the same as our monthly house payment. She tried it and was amazed. If I can win her over, I can win anyone over!
Become a Frugal Jedi and stop fighting for the Dark Side!

I feel better...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tension breaker.

Whiny kind of day...

Its cold and raining. Not my favorite weather combo, but its better than bitter cold without snow. Its the kind of day you want to take a book, a big mug of hot cocoa and sit by a window thankful for not having to do anything or go anywhere. It might be that kind of day, but it won't be for me.
I bundled Gryffin up and ran to the drug store to get Granny some medicine. He loved it, cold doesn't bother him. Then after I got him to lay down for a nap I ran next door to make Pa some lunch and give Granny her meds. When its just me, I can't take Gryffin over there because its toddler heaven and parent hell. Pills, sharp objects, all kinds of fun things for him to stick in some orafice.
A few years ago we moved Granny & Pa (Mike's grandparents) here from Ohio to help care for them. Pa has Alzheimer's and Granny has, well- lets just say, issues. Lots of issues, some are even medical. She hasn't been out of bed since Friday and is convinced she's got the flu. I'm no doctor but its not the flu. Anyway, Wednesday she is going to the doctor for tests whether she likes it or not. I've already told her that if it takes a gurney and port-a-potty so be it.
The elderly and toddlers are a lot alike. Both are stuborn and know what they want and will scheme and sneak to get it. Both require a lot of patience and a lot of help. And both cause me to want to bang my head against a wall on a regular basis. But both are also loveable and dependant.
I certainly don't regret having to deal with both but I do know my limitations with each. If I don't care for myself, I can't care for anyone else. So I guess what I'm trying to convince myself of without feeling guilty is that I'm going to hurry up, do my chores tomorrow and maybe kick back with a book or a movie while Gryffin is in Day Out.

Bread in a jar...

As promised to a friend, here is the recipe:
2/3 cup shortening
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 2/3 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin, canned
2/3 cups chopped nuts, optional
3 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar, beat in eggs, pumpkin and water. Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, spices and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture; stir in nuts. Pour mixture into 8 greased WIDE-MOUTHED (very important) pint jars filling half full. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. When done remove one jar at a time, wiping sealing rim with a cloth or paper towel. Place ball lid on and screw on tight. The heat will vacuum seal the jar and will keep for up to one year.
Variations: substitute one of the following for pumpkin-
2 cups shredded apples or carrots
1 bag whole fresh cranberries
2 cups mashed bananas
2 cups apricots
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cups fresh peaches

When I say the wide mouthed jars are important, I mean it. I did this one year with regular ones and the bread wouldn't slide out because of the lip on the jar. I remedied this by spooning out the bread, making a powdered sugar glaze and calling it mock bread pudding. It was still good, just didn't look as pretty.

Enjoy!

Daddy, can I have a pony?

"I promise I will be good, mostly. I promise I will never ask for anything ever again, until I want something else. I promise that I will feed it and take care of it, until I get tired of scooping big horse poops. I promise I will..."

You are not getting a pony, but you can keep the cowboy hat.

"Okay, Dad. But can I ride you like a pony then?"

Cherry of a day...

Chocolate covered cherry cupcakes, yesterday's acheivement. I love the jarred cherries from Trader Joe's and Mike loves chocolate covered cherries so...

I used a basic recipe for chocolate cake, altered a little to reduce the fat content and added a bit of the cherry juice to the batter. Then when I poured the cupcakes I put a few cherries in the middle. The icing is a cherry flavored royal icing. Next time I'm going with a chocolate buttercream though. I will also be adding more of the cherry juice as it only had a hint of the cherry flavor unless you bit into an actual cherry. They were really good for a first attempt though.

How to knit and quit...

Half way through another week.
Yesterday saw a flurry of activity as I scrubbed the heck out of the house. Gryffin and I have both had colds so everything needed the Pinesol/Lysol treatment. Funny, I feel a little better today. Connection?
Today is supposed to be pretty yucky. Chilly and wet. Since getting a swingset in the back yard Gryffin doesn't want to do anything but play on it. I can't open the curtain in his room for fear of him seeing it, pointing and screaming. But with he and I still having a little throat tickle and cough the last thing we need to do is go play in some wet grass and chilly air.
Mike's efforts to quit smoking are progressing. Based upon the things he's been hacking out of his lungs, that is a good thing. He struggled with quitting cigarettes several years ago and now is quitting smoking his pipe. Sometimes I think its my fault he started to smoke a pipe. You see, some of my first memories were of climbing into my Dad's lap while he smoked his pipe. I remember how wonderful it smelled and how perfect those moments were. But he is not alone in his battle. Turns out my Mom has begun the smoke-free journey as well.
My parents go to the Indian reservation to buy their tobacco. One day, while there on vacation, I walked into the living room and Mom was watching TV and leaning over the coffee table doing something. I looked down and saw that she was using this little machine to roll cigarettes. I looked at her and said, 'You know, some girls my age have Mom's that knit cute little scarves but no, my Mom rolls her own cigarettes!' We got a laugh and since then, rolling cigarettes has been referred to as knitting. So now that Mom is quitting smoking I guess I should expect a knitted scarf for Christmas. Good luck, Mom and no- I don't really expect a scarf.

Child Labor...

It ain't labor when he likes it, is it? Too bad he still needs adult supervision while vacuuming.

Date night, what do I wear?

Mike and I are celebrating our birthdays tonight. A little late, I know. He received a gift certificate to a nice restaurant from his Mom and he bought me tickets to see Cyndi Lauper. Yes, I am a child of the 80's and damn proud of it. If I still had my crinolyn skirts, fingerless lace gloves and enough hairspray to kill the ozone I would dress for the occasion.
The two of us don't get out much so when we do I like to take advantage of it and savor every moment. I miss dating- my husband anyway. All the other losers I dated I definitely don't miss. Some still give me nightmares. Like the guy who took me shopping for his new wrestling shoes and didn't speak to me through the whole date. The guy who took me to the movies but insisted on walking out 3/4 of the way through to get his money back, cheap bastard. The guy who tried to impress me with the fact that he had worn his best bibs (overalls) and tank top for our date. Yup, that one was in Tennessee, go figure. Or the Bible major studying to be a preacher who took me to the middle of a cornfield. That date was the shortest on record. Funny how fast he drove with the threat of losing his favorite body part looming over his head. Now, why don't I care for organized religion again?!
Anyway, I digress. The beginning of Mike and mine's relationship was very different than most couples. We hung out as friends for quite awhile first, along with my at-the-time fiance. Long story short, fiance went bye-bye and Mike and I kept hanging out. Funny how things work out, ex-fiance is happily married with his own kids, so are Mike and I and oh yeah, ex and Mike still work together. Yup, funny.
Uh oh, I hear Gryffin calling me. Better get him up and dressed, me too for that matter!

Here I sit, coffee in hand, trying to think of something witty and stirring to ramble about. I could tell you how I cleaned most of the house and did the laundry yesterday or how we went for a family walk after dinner that included an ice cream and pinball but...
I could sit here and lecture on the glory of a simple life and frugality but...
I could preach about the body being the temple of God and how I don't feel a poor diet makes a very good sacrificial lamb.
I could tell you about- awe, who cares, I'm going to get more coffee.

Its a mad mad world...

School shootings everywhere! What is up, America? Gryffin is still a few years away from school but I'm already leary of sending him. What kind of world have I brought my son into? I'm not sure, maybe I will just have to raise him to make it a better place.
When I was in school the most violence was either on the football field or a poor freshman getting stuffed into a locker. Now its guns and knives.
I cannot blame the children. They only repeat what they see around them. Whether that be on TV, video games or the adults around them. Don't take this to mean that I am against the TV or video games- I'm against adults. No, just kidding. The government has taken steps to censor material it believes is inappropriate for a younger audience. I don't think this is right, but I understand that a good deal of parents today don't have the time to do it themselves. Or just don't care. It seems so many parents today want the three kids, a dog, a cat, a big home, a new car and designer clothes more than they want to be parents. They provide posh surroundings to their kids but don't spoil them with their time and love.
Growing up I witnessed first hand how shopping and things were considered the equivalent of love and affection. Luckily, later in life I realized this was a bunch of hooey. The love and positive attention doled out on a child will last them much longer than that designer shirt or shiny scooter. It will last them a lifetime and give them the coping skills they are going to need to turn this planet into a place of peace for all.
Give them mad skillz, not a mad world.

Its so hot the pumpkins bake themselves.

The leaves are turning, the pumpkin festivals are starting and its 90 freaking degrees. Are you kidding me?! I was hoping to put away the T-shirts and shorts but I guess not for another week or so. I guess this also means that I have to keep painting my toenails because I cannot wear sandals with bare toenails.
Gryffin has been sick for the past couple of weeks and it looks like he is finally on the mend. No fever and no green slimey worms crawling out of his nose constantly. I hate nose worms.
Tomorrow is Day Out for him and cleaning day for me. I thinks its been a week since I've been able to vacuum so no that is not wall to wall grey carpet. Yuck! And with the MIL coming Thursday to babysit, I gotta get the joint sparkling. Otherwise I will come home and she will be on her hands and knees scrubbing my floors. Hey, maybe I shouldn't clean! Hee hee hee.

Alton Brown, you are redeemed.

Ok, so his ham recipe sucked. Big time. There was too much of a clash in flavors between the mustard and the ginger snap cookies. Yes, ginger snaps.
His mac-n-cheese was great though. Next time I will skip the onions but other than that it was awesome and easy.
Lets see, I cooked last night I should get tonight off, right? There may be a frozen pizza in our future!