the corner of insanity and chaos

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T22:45:00.000-08:00

Another year has come around.

So many things have broken our hearts around here this year, and it seems like our very souls are trampled upon. Our spirit is strong yet, and we will make it out of here in one piece and rebuild a life filled with the joy and happiness we once knew. It isn't too far away!

Happy New Year, may it bring everyone the joy and happiness that an optimistic eye on the future sees in store!

Birthday

2010-12-07T23:23:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting because I really haven't had very much to say. Which is odd because in real life I have a lot to say, just nothing translates well to the internet, as everyone should know.

Today was my husbands 44th birthday. It is the seventh birthday I have spent with him. I made him a delicious stir-fry dinner and we took a nice nap together during the afternoon. That's really about all we did for his birthday this year and it is okay.

This year I have grown in leaps and bounds since moving back in with my family. It really is hard sometimes knowing how much I have changed, and how much they stay the same. Before I met Kelly I would never have considered a long-term relationship something to be proud of. I was carefree and un-attached and I was totally okay with that. Now I don't even remember that girl and I can't imagine living that lifestyle any more.

Last night I spent a long time playing games with Kelly. (Sid Meyer's Civ5 to be exact.) While we were playing midnight finally came and I was so excited because I knew I was the very first person to wish him a happy birthday this year. I spent a nice day with him topped off by a delicious dinner, and just before he went to bed he got a kiss and his last official happy birthday wish from me. This is something I found very exciting, and it made me happy to be able to share that with him, something that I think I've taken for granted in the past.

Yesterday I began the epic adventure of taking each child out to shop for the family. Amaya bought wonderful gifts for her brothers and sister, and even one for the dog. The Dollar Tree is a wonderful store for a tight-budget gift giving season, and I think this little tradition really gives the kids a chance to shine. They are picking the gifts out and wrapping them to give to their family, and I bet they will all have a world of fun with it!

Well, I suppose that about sums it up.

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-11-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
50's, mild~ it was 60 at 5:30 am, and now it's like chilly cold? LOL!

Things that make me happy:
Pumpkin pie with cool whip~ yum!

Book I'm reading:
Magnolia Wednesdays and Calico

What's on my TV today:
We are listening to "The 100-year-old Secret" a 2011 Sequoyah Nominee as a family. I'm not sure that counts for "on TV" but it is our entertainment. ;)

On the menu for dinner:
Leftovers, or maybe Spaghetti

On my To Do List:
Bathroom deep cleaning
Take trash to curb

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Eggplant Enchiladas ~ YUM!

In the craft basket:
I wonder if I'll ever finish Kelly's blanket. -.-

Looking forward to this week:
Payday. ^.^

Tips and Tricks:
Follow your heart.

My favorite blog post this week:
No blog reading yet

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
Sometimes people are hard to understand, and the sheer ambiguous nature of the world takes me by surprise. I'm trying to say what I mean, and mean what I say with as few words as possible to cloud up the meaning. "Yes." instead of "Yeah, if I have time." etc etc!

On my mind:
The Bourlands and their struggles with their childrens' school environment. School should be a place for learning, and all this other non-sense needs to be seen and addressed by teachers long before it reaches the ears of parents. As a nation we need to revitalize our education system, even if it means pulling our kids out and teaching them ourselves. Passion for learning and knowledge isn't going to be learned from a bitter ninny of a teacher who just wants to retire.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. ~Psalm 37:7-9

Black Friday

2010-11-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over, leftovers have invaded the refrigerator and are now occupying it, and most of the world's population is taking advantage of the outrageous sales at almost every store in the world.

My brother's new fiancée, Ashley is probably somewhere exhausted over the sales! She worked hard to be there at 4am for the opening! I can't think of any good reason to be at a sale that early, myself. -.-

It is cold outside, the kids are out of school, and I'm content to sit around and do as little as possible. :)

Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

Some of my best, and worst, memories surround this wonderful holiday. The whole season is a time for love and family, and it really ought to last the whole year through. Good food, good friends and beyond that? Love!

I remember my first Thanksgiving with Kelly. I spent the whole night getting up and basting a turkey, roasting it in the oven to golden perfection. The first time I ever cooked the holiday dinner by myself. It was like a little ball of chaos in the bit of my stomach, because I didn't know him as well as I do now, and I was so worried I would burn something or he wouldn't be happy with my cooking! (My how far we have come from those panic-filled moments watching him take the first few bites!!!)

7 years later I know he will eat literally anything I set in front of him, no matter how burning hot, freezing cold, half cooked, burnt, or otherwise inedible it may be. :D

After we moved back to Oklahoma I have become the one who cooks Thanksgiving dinner for not only my husband and five beautiful wonderful amazing children, but also my parents and my two sisters and brother. This year it is extending out to include family friends, my brothers fiancée and perhaps her mom, and anyone else who walks through the door! (While I don't really mind cooking for all these people, I can't help but relive some of the bad memories I've endured at the hands of people who are closest. It is a real drag to hear echoes of laughter from melting cranberry gel sauce that was home made, to the burnt pie left in the oven and forgotten because of having too much going on.)

Stronger than the sad memories are the happy ones. Watching everyone sit down together for the only meal all year that everyone is together for. Thinking of the past years the same scene at different and far-flung tables. Loved ones lost grace our table in shades of the past as they were when they were with us. It is a strong together feeling, and it is a blessing every year to be able to share this time with family.

It may include wrestling kids into sitting at the table, a three ring circus in the kitchen, months of shopping and menu planning, days filled with baking cookies and candies, 5 turkeys, pounds upon pounds of side dishes~ but when it is all said and done and we're still eating left overs a week later it sort of seems worth it! I know I'll curse Thanksgiving while I'm finishing up tomorrow in a crazy flurry of activity! I'll throw my hands up and crash in bed after dinner leaving someone else to worry about any left over dishes. I'll happily do it again next year. ;)

Life is full of moments, and these are some of the best ones available.

The Countess

2010-11-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

The Countess by Rebecca Johns is based on the infamous Countess Erzabet Bathory de Esched.

During the late 1500's and very early 1600's there was a woman in Hungary named Erzabet Bathory. Her infamy grew around names like the Blood Countess, or Countess Dracula, for the many murders she is said to have committed. While she never went to trial, 4 of her most loyal servants did go to trial and were burned for being skrata (witches) for the parts they had in the murders. While they only got convicted for 80 murders, there was said to be closer to 650 murders of young women in her various estates. So many stories were spread about these events, one of which saying that Erzabet went so far as to bathe in the blood of her victims to maintain her youthful beauty. The evidence was so thin that many believe it may have been nothing more than lies to gain control over her very wealthy lands during a time of war and unrest. Erzabet herself was never tried, although she was walled into a set of rooms in 1610 where she lived out the last 4 years of her life in solitary confinement.

As a child she was raised by a governess, and betrothed at the age of 11, married at the age of 15. Her husband was a brilliant soldier, frequently away on campaigns. He became known as the Black Bey of Hungary for his ruthlessness in battle. During the course of her life her father, mother, brother, two children, and her husband passed away. It is after her husband's passing that her murders were mostly reported, lending more power to the argument that it was all a set-up and political maneuvering on the part of the palatine to aid her two sons-in-law and the guardian of her underage son heir who openly supported the shift of power in Hungary at that time. Many people believe she was never tried and put to death because her death would have reverted all her lands to the crown with no male child of age to claim the titles and rights of her family. This is a small sacrifice on the part of the crown who had owed her and her husband a great deal of money for loans made during the wars, which the king then never repaid.

Overall Erzabet Bathory sounds like a normal noblewoman of the time period, and I can honestly say I don't know to which side I lean as to if she was a torturing murderer, or a helpless widow trapped in the political mechanizations of nobility after her husband's death.

As for the book: it is well written and left me relatively upset at the way she is said to have treated people. I had a difficult time reading it because the author seems to feel sympathetic with her at times, painting her as a wounded woman with a slim grasp on her faith. Other times she made her sound like a madwoman with no control over her emotions at all. There is at least one point where she writes her as a woman completely at odds with the world around her, beset at every side by hatred and jealousy which causes her to lose her grip on reality and makes her seem as if she were the victim.

I would suggest this story to anyone who has a love of historical fiction, although there are a couple of gory parts it is much more focused on the trials of Erzabet as a noblewoman than it is on her as a "demon woman" who "bathed in the blood of her murder victims." I enjoyed the use of Hungarian words throughout the story, and wish there had been slightly more facts on the war included~ but the narrow perception of a noblewoman fits with the story better, I suppose.

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-11-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
LOVELY! Upper 60's, sunny skies and a fair breeze!

Things that make me happy:
Kelly and Zachary and their nerd giggles ringing out at random times over silly things. ^.^

Book I'm reading:
The Countess by Rebecca Johns

What's on my TV today:
House? I don't know, it depends on what's new on fancast. <.<

On the menu for dinner:
oh, crap.

On my To Do List:
Put away laundry
sweep out some corners. :D

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Pecan Divinity. I can't wait to get boxes together to send people! :D

In the craft basket:
Kelly's blanket, still. I have never made a blanket before and this seems like a rather large undertaking. -.-

Looking forward to this week:
TURKEY DAY!! :) I can't wait!! I may not like all the people I will be spending the day with, but I know I can hide myself away with Kelly and the kids and ignore them! :D

Tips and Tricks:
I found the best recipe ever last year. Bacon on the turkey before you cook it! You weave the bacon over the turkey and hold it down with toothpicks. While the turkey roasts the bacon cooks, and lends the flavors to the turkey, while also crisping the skin and holding in moisture! YUMMY!!!!

My favorite blog post this week:
anything on Kelly's blog. I'm so happy he's blogging again! :D

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
none

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days:
He who laughs last, tends to sound awkward because they didn't get the joke. -.-

On my mind:
Thinking up ways to make money since I never hear back about the applications I'm putting out. I love being at home with the kids, but I would rather make money so we could be in our own house in Idaho!!

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:3-5

Still SICK

2010-11-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

I still feel like I've been hit by a truck today. I slept until 3 in the afternoon, LOL! Ah, but I had at least enough energy to make dinner and clean up the kitchen.

We watched a couple of movies tonight. Charlie St. Cloud and Disney's A Christmas Carol which was AWESOME. The first movie was a bit too sappy for me, and I was cooking during the serious part. So my review of it may be a bit biased towards the dislike side. I also think Zac Efron should've been the one to play Edward in Twilight. Moving on! The new Disney version of A Christmas Carol boasts stars like Jim Carrey, Cary Elwes, Gary Oldman, and Bob Hoskins. They made it with some new fangled animation thing, so if you see this film I suggest you also watch the "making of" option on the disc. It is pretty neat to see how they did it!

Well my headache is flaming back up, but my dad forgot to turn on the roaster when he started the turkey this afternoon. This means it was started at 7pm so it won't be ready to be cut up and put away until midnight. :( Which means~ I volunteered to carve it up so my parents could go to bed! What a stupid move. I think I'll just go lay down and set my alarm for midnight! :D

<3 THANKSGIVING IS COMING! <3

The Elephants Within

2010-11-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

Sandra from familycorner.blogspot.com has been so kind as to share the elephant she has sitting on her head and upsetting her sinuses. Thus, I feel as if I have an elephant sitting on my head upsetting MY sinuses.

I've been sleeping a lot all week.

That's all.

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-11-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
cool and cloudy/rainy

Things that make me happy!
Listening to kids help eachother with homework.

Book I'm reading(listening to):
Dragonsdawn by anne McCaffrey

What's on my TV (fancast!) today:
Nothing!

On the Menu for Dinner:
Spaghetti. Should've been Ham and Beans, but I forgot to soak the beans. -.-

On my To Do List:
reorganize clothing
laundry :(
bathroom

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Cheesy Hashbrown Chicken
Y-U-M!

In the craft basket:
I am STILL working on Kelly's blanket. I finished the hats for Amaya and Sarah, and a purse for Amaya!

Looking forward to this week:
Gearing up for TURKEY DAY! :D

My favorite blog post this week:
none :\

Blog Hopping:
http://driftwoodandsanddollars.blogspot.com/
Kelly doesn't post much, but his entries are always well thought out.

No Words Needed:

I know it says "No words needed" but it's sort of hard to tell...those little geese are laying in a small puddle of water!! The momma goose is just looking around like "I can't believe my kids are doing this!" It was such a cute family moment. :D

Lesson learned the past few days:
Working hard isn't enough, sometimes you have to work harder.

On my mind:
Family and friends.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

:\

2010-11-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

I'm so sad that the surgery I had to make me feel better is causing me more stress than the situation that caused the surgery. I've never really understood people and their complete distrust for doctors until now. I'm getting bills from doctors I have never heard about for things I never recalled having done! They're all spiteful and I'm sure that every doctor who walked past my room has billed me and jumped on the bandwagon of "GIVE ME MONEY NOW BEFORE OBAMA CARE KILLS US ALL!" or something similar. It just doesn't make any sense!

Of course, even the bills I HAVE paid keep coming back because they "have no record" of my payment, even though it has gone through the credit company and been paid in cash as well!

What a headache, and a heap of stress.

I wonder if they'll give me a refund if I take the gal bladder back. >:|

Menu and Such!

2010-11-14T12:12:00.001-08:00

Menu is all planned out, unfortunately the shopping isn't done yet. Crest is having their annual holiday pricing on turkey, so we are buying our groceries in $25.00 chunks. LOL! :)

Dinner Menu~
Sunday~
Cheesy Hashbrown Chicken (from Sandra's full bellies blog!)

Monday~
Ham and Beans

Tuesday~
BBQ Chicken

Wednesday~
Pot Pies

Thursday~
Spaghetti

Friday~
Arozz con Pollo (family recipe!)

Saturday~
Pork chops & baked potatoes

Sunday~
Cheeseburger Meatloaf (from Sandra's full bellies blog!)

I made Amaya this adorable hat!! Unfortunately it is too big for her, so Sarah is wearing it. I'm going to make Amaya a smaller one! :)

It didn't come out exactly like the picture, but it is still pretty cute! :)

That's all for now!

It's Almost HERE!

2010-11-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

MY BLOG HAS TURKEYS!!! ;D

CUTEST blog background possible for the upcoming TURKEY DAY!!! :D

Thanksgiving is one of my FAVORITE holidays!

I love cooking, especially for my ungrateful and often horribly mean family. (Not my husband and kids, the other people! My husband and kids love me and my exploratory cooking style!!) It is a time for making yummies and enjoying the people you love and even expressing how awesome and wonderful they are! Sort of like Valentine's Day, only so much more fulfilling!

I went shopping today and bought my first turkey of the season! Overall I will end up cooking 3 or 4 with different flavors and styles of cooking! It's going to be an amazing and delicious dinner, to say the least! :D

Today we had leftovers, and I sliced up some ham and fried it up for Kelly and me to eat. I added some shredded cheese to make it melty yummy~ but then I had a bad idea. I thought it if put a little mayo on it, then it would be JUST like a ham sandwich without the gluten rich bread we used to eat sandwiches on!

.........Just in case you've never tried to make a sandwich with two slices of ham, cheese, and mayo let me help you and tell you it is a terrible idea. I think this is the first time my cooking made Kelly gag. HAHAHA :D Aw, well it sounded like a good idea in my brain! :)

I also made some delicious chocolate chip cookies. The recipe did not call for any plain white sugar, and so I was nervous to say the least. It came out pretty well, but the cookies pretty much collapsed. They looked all ...weird. Here, take a look!

You can't really tell, but the dough is all flat and the chips look like huge bulbous things. They look lumpy and while they are delicious, they are not big fluffy gooey cookies like I favor!

This is the recipe I used tonight:

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 stick Crisco Butter Flavor shortening stick
2 tbsps. milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (we used regular size for both!)

Heat oven to 375.

Combine brown sugar, crisco, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat egg into creamed mixture.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. (I use parchment paper because it makes cleanup SUPER fast and easy if you have any accidental burnings!)

Bake 8-10 minutes for gooey cookies, 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies.

Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to cool completely. (This step seems pointless, because the cookies don't last 2 minutes out of the oven!)

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Anyways, as I said~ an odd recipe in my opinion. We tried it! It was yummy but I didn't like the texture much, so we probably won't be including these ones in holiday boxes!

SO ANGRY!

2010-11-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

Today when I picked the kids up from school they were shivering! Of course it was like 50 degrees outside, and raining and dreary! The REASON they were all shivering is because the teachers at their school made them sit on the COLD, WET concrete waiting in the "car rider" line! Their pants were soaked, and they were shivering cold!!!

The principal had already left for the day, so she won't hear from me until Monday. I'm hopping mad!! Who makes kids sit in cold rain water?!!? Worst of all, we are all recovering from a pretty nasty cold (Kelly is still in bed with it!!) and I'm so worried it will be another week of coughing kids and nagging headaches! My poor babies! I'm so mad mad mad mad mad!!!!

In other news, I spent all day making yummy chicken and rice soup.

It is deeeelicious!! :D

Also, we had a girls day out at the library! It was a lot of fun, but I forgot the library here closes early (6pm!) on Friday nights, so it was an EARLY fun night! This is okay though, because we had soup waiting at home as well as Star Wars Clone Wars!

Aren't they cute reading together!?!?!? :D

We had a lot of fun, we found a lot of great books, too! I'm looking forward to listening to another Dragonrider book, which I've probably already read but I'll enjoy listening all the same! :)

<3

Thursday

2010-11-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

I'm making a blanket for Kelly. In my opinion it is going to be very cute, even though it will be crudely made. (No pattern, and I'm really not very good at crochet anyhow...so...yea.) Sort of like the socks I made him. (Poor guy! But he wears them all the time and swears he loves them so, I guess it is okay they look horrible!)

Anyways, blanket. It is going to have a little pouch on the end for his feet to go into, and then it will be long enough to cover up his legs. It gets pretty cold in here during the winter, and this will help keep him warm when he's at his desk. :)

We got the kids' school pictures back today. (Well 2 yesterday, 2 today, and I guess Zachary will bring his home whenever it is the "cool" thing to do. LOL) They are so cute! They sent home magnets and plastic laminated "gift tag" pictures, which are cute but sort of "what in the world would I do with them?" So I think we'll only be keeping the magnetic ones to send out to family. YAY!

I made "mulligan" for dinner tonight. It is a family recipe and every time I make it my mind gets flooded with memories of my grandfather who was the genius behind the recipe. He taught me how to fish when I was teeeeny tiny, and I still remember spending time with him at his cabin...he had flannel sheets, and it was nestled right up against a lake...so beautiful! Thinking back on the amazing life he had, and the amazing memories I had with him, it makes me feel very bittersweet that I drifted so far away from him as time went on.

Anyways, it is now 10:30pm, and I suppose...I should head to bed. ^.^

Happy Homemaker Monday!

2010-11-08T08:07:00.001-08:00

The weather around here:
56, mild and clear

Things that make me happy:
Report cards!! Yay good grades!!

Book I'm reading(listening to!):
Dragongirl by Todd McCaffery

What's on my FanCast:
House
Glee
Castle
Cougar Town

On the menu for dinner:
Homemade Chicken and Rice soup

On my To-Do List:
Kick this cold's patootey

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
Herb & Cheese burgers from Sandra! YUM!

In the craft basket:
Kelly's blankey!

Looking forward to this week:
Parent/teacher conferences today!

Tips and Tricks:
Because my parents disagree on what a good dish soap is, I have found that adding some bleach to dishwater will cut grease like nobody's business!

My favorite blog post this week:
<.<

Blog Hopping (a new discovered blog you would like to share with the readers):
Girl Gone Primal - http://girlgoneprimal.blogspot.com/
I love the recipes I find here!!

No words needed (favorite photo or picture, yours or others you want to share):

Lesson learned in the past few days:
Think before you speak.

On my mind:
Family and friends.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses, Inspirational Quote:
Be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Ghandi

Blarg.

2010-11-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

I finished reading the comic at http://www.xkcd.com (to date) which is 816 strips long. It made me laugh a great deal, and scratch my head at times. (I still don't understand the Higgs Boson, but Kelly says this is because it is theoretical and isn't supposed to make sense.) ANY way, that's my main accomplishment this week. This is a great comic for nerds because there is a lot of math and science integrated into the humor. (For those of you who cringe at the thought of math or science being funny, this probably wouldn't be a good comic for you!)

Also, working on finishing Dragongirl by Todd McCaffery. It is an audiobook, which means I have to listen at the rate someone else reads (slow) and I have to find time when I can actually LISTEN to the book, which is more challenging than I thought it would be. I have also found that it is very difficult for me to listen to a book. As with most of the books in this series, I'm really enjoying it! I would love to live on Pern!

Making chicken soup for dinner in an attempt to kick the cold out of my head. I dislike the lack of energy almost as much as I dislike all the mucus that comes along for the ride. Also my left eye looks like something from the black lagoon. It is red and swollen and very angry. Very. Angry. Indeed.

This morning the local gas company has their meter readers out in our neighborhood. The funniest thing, really, is that this is a new guy. He has no idea where our meter is. Why would I know? I never have to look at the blasted thing!

Oh yea, HAPPY MONDAY. -.-

Something..

2010-11-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

So often these days people are very thoughtless. They don't even consider the impact their words could have on other people before they speak. This happens a lot online especially because people have zero accountability online! However, my concern is more for the face to face interactions that people take for granted every day.

Adults need to be extra careful especially when they speak to small children they don't know very well. For instance, a young man who has hearing problems and has had them his whole life will probably not take snide comments from someone he looks up to very well. Has it really become so okay in today's society to say the phrase "Are you deaf?!" that we don't even consider the hearing capability of a child before saying it?

I know I'm guilty myself of saying mean things when I'm angry.

"ARGH! I just want to STRANGLE you sometimes!"
"What part of NO is too complicated for you?!"

Just to name a couple. I'm sure there are more I say that I would be ashamed to admit to after I've calmed down, and I'm not a mean person by nature! I would like to think I was never so out of my facilities that I would utter such a hateful phrase as "Are you deaf?!" in anger to a child who really had hearing issues.

I think it is about time everyone became more aware and started watching their language when interacting with other people. For sure I will be watching my own from now on, because even though I'm not a mean person I realize that my words are just as dangerous of a weapon as a knife when wielded the wrong way against someone you love.

Out-Of-School Friday

2010-11-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

So much going on it's like a little slice of CHAOS!

The kids got their report cards, and so many good grades! I think we only had one C between the four big kids, 2 B's and the rest~ A's!!!! Brilliant children! :)

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Today is the grand opening of Freedom Crossing at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. I'm feeling some mixed results about this. First of all, it looks like an awesome shopping center for military people! They say it sports a theater, playgrounds for the kids, a nice array of specialty stores, and a respectable food court. It sounds like the perfect small mall for any large military installation. The only real problem I have is the talk of it being open for the general public. I don't think any land on a military base should be used for the general public, it just isn't safe. Also, it isn't supposed to be about making money but about helping out the members and family of our military! This sounds like a money-making venture to me, and it shouldn't be on the base! Other than that, it sounds like an awesome deal and I hope they find a way to make this as safe as possible.
News Story:
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_16527738?source=most_viewed

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families effected by the recent shootings on Fort Bliss!
News Story:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/20/shooting-fort-bliss-army-base/

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Last night for dinner I made Herb & Cheese Stuffed Burgers from Sandra's Full Bellies, Happy Kids food blog!
Link:
http://fullbellies.blogspot.com/2010/11/herb-cheese-stuffed-burgers.html

The meat we used was waaayyy to lean, 93/7 and so they came out a tad bit on the dry side. I would suggest 80/20 as the perfect meat for this! Even though they were a little dry they were AMAZING! It was even easy to make, which is a huge bonus in MY books!

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The kids are out of school today. We have parent/teacher conferences on Monday ~ which I'm sure will be uneventful since all of my children are quite brilliant! ;D

They are currently watching Toy Story 3 with my sisters, and are going to have yummy Arby's sandwiches and CHOCOLATE TURNOVERS for dessert! YYUMMMMM!! :)

We are prepared for a fun weekend ahead!

:D

2010-08-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

I suck at blogging. -.-

It's so hot here, can't find motivation to do anything!

XOXO people!

Lalalalalala

2010-04-20T02:01:00.000-07:00

So I ended up making Beef Burgundy the other day when I was going to make Sandra's yummy pork in white wine sauce. For some reason the beef case sang out to me! So I bought some Cabernet Sauvignon, and made the beef!

My family tore into it! But, as usual my little sister says I cook "too fancy" and thus, refused to even try it. Her loss!

Over the weekend I finished reading Here Burns My Candle, and let me tell you; that story was an inspiration! To lose your faith in everything, and then find strength in God really makes for such a touching story. There are so many lessons to be learned here, and so much to take away from it. A review doesn't do the book much justice, because you really have to read it! :)

Anyhow...I'm just puttering around the house on my "day" off, wondering how to spend the weekend. There's a good chance I'll just spend the weekend in bed. ;) LOL!

Another Day

2010-04-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we've made it through another day. :)

My allergies are killing me! I really really hate Oklahoma, especially during spring when all the stupid trees are blooming and their flowers are flying everywhere clogging up my nose an lungs...yech!

I'm currently reading Here Burns My Candle, by Liz Curtis Higgs. It's an awesome book, and I'm really enjoying it- I'll maybe remember to post a review when I finish it.

Having trouble deciding what to do for dinner. I think I may try Sandra's pork in wine sauce recipe..it looks so yummay!

<3 world

Amaya is 5!!

2010-04-12T14:00:00.001-07:00

Today is Amaya's 5th birthday!

I worked all weekend, and since I worked last night I thought I would just stay up all day and spend time with Amaya and Kelly for her birthday and catch up on sleep later. This has proven to be a horrible idea, as I've made Kelly sick by feeding him large quantities of wheat in the past 3 days. So he's been in bed, and I've been running around with Amaya like a zombie!

Anyways, we made Amaya's cake. She made a lot of decisions regarding this sad sad lookin (but oh-so-yummy!) cake. First off, she chose a "pink" cake - strawberry Betty Crocker- yay! I got to pick the frosting ingredients. (whew!)

2 packages Philly Cream Cheese
4 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese
8 oz heavy whipping cream
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 small cartons of fresh strawberries!

After whipping the cream with the sugar until Amaya demanded that I stop (still runny, sigh!) I added in the Ricotta and sliced strawberries. (I only used about 3/4 of the strawberries, because I had intended to use the last of them to decorate, but she nixed that idea at the last minute in favor of sprinkles.) I also used my mom's SLAPCHOP to puree some of the strawberries into this yummy bright red salsa looking moosh! Anyways, added the strawberries and cream cheese to the mix, and poured it over the mis-shapen cake that I was forbidden from in any way sculpting. It looks like a huge pile of pink mess, but man it's good! :D

Thus, the name: Strawberry Avalanche

Perhaps if I ever make this again I'll be able to make the topping a bit thicker, and it will look better. ;)

Also, the birthday girl picked "Clown Sandwiches" for her birthday dinner. When I asked her at the store what I needed to buy to make her birthday dinner she replied: "bread, beef jerky, and clowns." We're going to settle for lunch meat, but if she ever asks--it's clown meat.

Yark! ;)

2010-04-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

I bought this new cellphone. It's making me nuts. It has so many fun games, apps and such you can install, I spend most of my time playing games! Which, on the bright side, keeps me out of a good deal of trouble I'm sure I'd otherwise be getting into.

Well....shucks. I guess that's really all?

In the family realm...I've been bragging to everyone because my kids got their report cards. When we were living in the city and the kids were attending an "inner city" school I wasn't surprised to see them getting A's and B's. The teachers were awesome, but most of the community was really blah. So it was a happy surprise when we moved to Edmond, which is a "classy" city with more money and better schools, that my kids not only caught up mid-year, but have excelled! I definitely had faith that they could do it, and it's so nice to see it coming true!

The only downside? I think Zachary's disappointed. At the old school the straight A students got to go to lunch with the principal--there were only 10 or so in the whole SCHOOL. Here in Edmond I think most of his classmates (by that I mean yearmates, I guess?) are getting good grades. It's a completely different world around here, really.

My little brother has his girlfriend over. I must go finish off my "morning" by telling her embarrassing stories before I head off to work! ;)

Easter!

2010-04-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Okay...first off, we started with a few eggs...

In case you can't read it, that's 5 dozen eggs.

We filled up a large silver serving bowl with the eggs, and then mixed up the colors, and set the kids to work.

As with all family gatherings, all the usual suspects were there...

.........LOL! :)

There were no survivors.

I'll post more pictures when I figure out how to make blogger not take so long. For now, I must prepare for work.

As a side note, I've been too busy to get anything done online lately. I've been working, sleeping, and running errands in the real world.

XOXOXO

-sigh-

2010-03-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

OKAY OKAY! As soon as I have a phone that can take pictures, or a webcam, I WILL POST MY PROJECTS! :P Are you happy now Sandra!?!? hehehehe

Really though, I always thought having a camera was like whipped cream. Really a nice way to add a little pizazz to a dessert, but not really necessary for it to be enjoyable. However, since we don't have a camera anymore I have realized it's more like pound cake to strawberry shortcake, or the ganache to a chocolate volcano! (Or, for cheesecake fanatics--it would be like a cheesecake with no cream cheese!)

Anyways, I'll try to get something soon! :P

CornbreaD

2010-03-30T06:33:00.000-07:00

I made ham and beans, it's simmering now just WAITING for dinner time!! I'm going to have to stop by the store and get some corn bread now, but that's okay it's so worth it! :D

Agenda:

Sleep
Wake UP!
Get Kiddies from School
Go to Library
Go shopping!
EAT YUMMY DINNER!
Finish Kelly's sock!

Oh, I'm making Kelly some cozy socks. He's gonna love 'em!

<.<

BYE!

Singing in the...sun?

2010-03-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've been having so much fun at work. It's nice to work with your hands! It's also not so bad working overnight. I go to work when the kids are going to bed, I get home in time to run them to school. Then I sleep while they learn, and I'm up with them when they get home in the evening. It's working out really well. :)

Tomorrow is LiBrArY day, but I don't know what to check out. Last week I got a book on crocheting and a book on calligraphy. I almost finished Pandora's Box, and I don't know what else to read now! :)

Happily the weather here is much nicer than it was a week ago. It was snowy and gross, and now it's sun-shiney and 74 degrees! :) The bad part? I have the roaster oven going with ham and beans, the oven going with pot pies for the kids, and the dryer going with load after load of laundry. So...it's hot in here! :)

We are working through a lot of issues with the kids, but this is normal everyday life. They are all doing well in school, and with their home reading. :)

Off to go finish eating :D

Time Off

2010-03-23T18:47:00.001-07:00

Well...I just had my first "weekend" it was pretty exciting. I started a crocheting project with "Air and Earth" colored yarn from Red Heart. Not really as soft as I wanted, but I loooove the colors! :)

Anyways, off to work!

Kill 'em with Kindness!

2010-03-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

I got up today and my horoscope on facebook tells me to "Kill them with Kindness" and my quote of the day on here is Mother Teresa saying "Peace Begins with a Smile" and it has me thinking that maybe I've been a little bit too abrupt lately.

So, I checked out a book on knitting and crocheting, and I'm going to be practicing slowing down in my private time. I've been slowly turning away from video games, and focusing more on the other hobbies I enjoy. It happens in cycles, Kelly will tell you. I'm either gung-ho for games, or reading, or some other thing that grabs my attention. Right now, I feel crafty--so I'm going to get going with it! :)

My first full paycheck will be in on the first along with Kelly's pay, so I'll be able to support these habits. ;)

Kelly's watching a stock: TRXAQ - he is cleaning out his computer's cookies so I'm putting it here so when we both forget it, at least I'll have a record of it. ^.^

We had spaghetti for dinner. Well, the rest of the family did. Kelly and I ate our spaghetti sauce over rice. (We cut wheat out of our diets!) Anyways, I fried up some leftover rice in real butter and then added in my mom's left over egg drop soup that she will never eat, and then some Parmesan and Romano cheese blend...so once we got the sauce on it we found it was a perfect substitution for the pasta. :)

I cheated, though. Mom made GarLiC bread, and I couldn't help myself. I'm sure I'll be paying for it all night, but it was soooooo tasty!!!

Off of work again tonight, so I'll be puttering around the house. Maybe I'll go buy some yarn and make some loops. :D

Nights

2010-03-21T18:46:00.001-07:00

Working nights really sucks on nights off. Mainly because it's dark, quiet, and everyone is in bed sleeping peacefully--except for me. I really want to crawl in bed and go back to sleep, but I know that if I do, I'll regret it when I have to go back to work. :(

C'est la vie!

Woo!

2010-03-19T14:28:00.001-07:00

I love the library here. If I find a book I really, really want to read I can put it on reserve. They mail the book from one library to the other, and I go pick it up. (All the libraries in OKC are linked like that...yep.) Anyways---the best part? I can do it from the comfort of my own home! Our library is all online, and I can renew my books, post reserves, pay late fees-- everything!-- at home!

Of course, it is still fun to go to the library and browse the spines, but I like knowing that if I want a book really badly I'll be able to grab it at a moment's notice.

Anyways, still worn out! A bit stiff but in less pain now, since I got my boots out and wore them to work. Maaannnn are these things comfortable! :D

Ow.

2010-03-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have a pretty diverse work history.

It's important to keep that in mind while reading this, because I really have tried out a lot of different jobs.

Any position where you have to stand up is going to be painful to start, you have to work kinks out of your body and the like, and get used to being on your feet. I'm not sure there is really ever a time when it's 100% pain free, but perhaps it comes in time. :)

That being said, I worked my second official shift last night. We had a lot of goods to put away. I was working in housewares, which I must say is by far my favorite section in Wal*Mart. There are about a million different pieces, and most of them hang on little pegs on the shelving units, which means you have to lift up one or two at a time and hang them up. Sounds easy enough.

1. Go to stack of goods

2. Open box with nifty box knife.

3. Put goods in cart, collecting a few boxes..

4. Run around the area you're in putting items away.

5. Rinse, repeat for 8 hours!

Okay first off, vacuums and microwaves weigh wayyyyy too much. :(

Second, after being out of work for 9 months, I have got to admit that this sort of go-go-go lift-lift-lift work is absolutely killing me! :) I'm going to try to go to the store and pick up some insoles or something....

Anyhow. I just woke up about an hour ago- and I may have to take a nap again before work. :D

Kelly made some delicious leftovers. He combined all the leftovers from dinner lastnight (cabbage and potatoes with carrots and onions - as well as the corned beef.) and added more cabbage and onions. I'm eating it right now, and it is truly delicious. I bet I'd enjoy it better if I wasn't in so much pain! LOL!

Well, off to stretch and try to come back to life.

St. Patty's Day

2010-03-17T17:56:00.001-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Corned beef, potatoes and cabbage for dinner tonight. It smellllls yummy!! :)

Work in a couple of hours.

Nothing much to report.

Things I've Been Reading, etc.

2010-03-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

I recently got a job at Wal*Mart, as a stocker. I have been out of work for nine months now, so even though this is not my type of work, I'm thrilled to have it!! I started last Friday, and did training over the weekend. I start my "real" work tomorrow night. I'll work 10pm to 7am, which is just about the most perfect shift ever for a night owl like me. :)

We're having delicious tacos for dinner tonight. Mom can't eat corn, so she has substituted baked potatoes for the taco shells--which as it turns out, is a delicious substitute!

I've been stuck in books lately. I read the entire "Undead and.." series by MaryJanice Davidson. Also, Remember Me and Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. (An author I met because of Sandra! Never would've picked up those shopaholic books without her stamp of approval!) I've also read Seventh Son, and the Red Prophet which are the first two books of the Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card. (He wrote the Ender series, another of my favorites!) Over the weekend in breaks at work I finished up Blood is the New Black, which was a little bit far-fetched even for me. Currently I'm reading a book called Pandora's Box--which is odd to say the least. It's about a doctor who finds a woman on fire on his door step one night. He takes her to the hospital, and ends up being the doctor who reconstructs her body from the extensive burns. He ends up marrying her...and then she vanishes. This is about as far as I have gotten, and it's an odd book. I'm not sure I'll finish it, but I enjoy the change in pace from the chick books I've been through.

Oh..another series I tore up was "Tall Dark and Dead" by Tate Hallaway. She's such a cute author, I enjoyed reading the series. It was a bit predictable, but that isn't why we read in this genre is it? No, it's the character interactions! Anyways, this was an enjoyable series. :)

In all I've been reading quite a few books in the last few months. I know I read more, but they weren't as exciting. I guess I'll have to keep a better log around here if I expect to ever remember what I read!

Anyways, Happy ides of March! ;)

again?

2010-03-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

I always forget about this silly thing.

Have I mentioned I'm horrible at keeping up with blogs?

Well.. I want to try again, because I want to document things at least for this month.

Basic updates...Wellllll....Zachary is 11 now. Joshua will be 10 on Thursday, and Amaya will be 5 in April. 5!!! Zachary rolled his eyes at me today, and it made me realize I have gone from being a cool mom to being an "omigod don't drop me off by the door of the school while wearing your sweats and sunglasses!" mom. Hoorah.

Most important, Kelly and I are going to be switching to something called a Paleo Diet - well, our variation of it anyways. Basically we're going to be cutting glutens out of our diet, in hopes that it will help out with his gout and our general health. (Or lack thereof!) Also, getting rid of high fructose corn syrup!

Yesterday for lunch we went to Chelino's, a local Mexican food chain. We both sort of cheated in that we ate flour tortillas, though if we had eaten corn it would've been fine, but we're learning. ;)

Dinner we made steamed rice in my brand new rice cooker (LOVE THAT THING!) along with tilapia in fried up bell peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos and teriyaki sauce. It was deeeelicious, and even though we skipped breakfast I felt like I'd had a satisfying day's worth of food.. Better than that, we had a desert including RedBull and Skittles. (Best thing here...RedBull has caffiene and carbonation, but no high fructose corn syrup like sodas have. Skittles also don't have high fructose corn syrup like so many candies have today!)

We also did a bit of research, seems we can buy Coca-Cola from Mexico made out of real sugar and not high fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to Leptin resistance...I'll post more on this later.

Today we had for dinner fried up rice with bacon, eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, jalapenos and green onions. I would never have thought it possible to ENJOY making rice. Let me tell you it's one thing I mess up so much. I either make it into mush, or mush with crunchy pits. I never thought a simple machine would change this for me, but my rice cooker is my new hero. -.-

We aren't going on a hard-core Paleo diet, because that would mean cutting out all grains and legumes and replacing them with animal protein. Clearly this is going to be an expensive thing to do, and we don't have the resources for it right now. High hopes for cutting out the glutens though, anything to help Kelly's gout will make us happier. :)

If anyone has gluten free recipes - or ideas on how to add more Omega Fatty Acids to a diet, I'd loooove to have them!! :)

chaoooosss

2009-02-08T09:29:00.001-08:00

i always get caught up in things.

people, places...etc.

i focus too much in one spot, and not enough in another. the result is chaos.

i no longer work for ihop, even though it didn't even last a year. i need to find a job that doesn't require quite so much dedication. i was working 60 hours a week, and bringing home decent money--but what good is money when i have to miss field trips with my kids? when i can't get off on birthdays, anniversaries, or even on new years eve to kiss my husband at midnight?

im a stay at home mom at heart, and my family will always come first. so i'm taking some time off to re-organize, and play with the kids.

for those of you i missedddd....i'm sorry! i've let a lot of relationships suffer for the past several months, and i hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. :)

Wow. Hi!

2008-11-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

HAPPY ELECTION DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And if anyone actually reads this today: GO VOTE NOW.

Vote for someone who supports free market, a healthy economy, and most importantly our TROOPS.

I voted! I even got a sticker for it! WOO.

<3

Some things...

2008-07-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

So, I think Amaya is too brave. Way, way too brave, and far too independant for her own good. Anyways, at three years old she's quite addicted to the pool and is learning to swim quite quickly. Here, she's going in circles pretty much, down the slide, to the ladder, around the slide, up the slide, down the slide, to the ladder, etc...

The kids always have a bunch of fun when we go over to my Mom and Dad's house. They have a huge back yard, filled with fruit trees!, cats and dogs to play with, grandparents to spoil the kids, and best of all the pool. My Dad loves buying the kids new things to play with in the pool. (It gives him something to do. LOL!)

Here's Zachary the shark. hehe

Anyways, off to work! :)

OH MAN!

2008-07-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post pics, I'm terrible. I know. I'm sorry. :):)

Here's Amaya and my dad in the pool...

And these are taking forever to load and I have to get to Mom's so I'll post more later. BYEBYE!

Interesting.

2008-07-26T13:28:00.001-07:00

Well, court was boring.

Mom went with me.

We sat in the holding room from 0830 til 1200, and never even got to see the courtroom. I didn't get to stand up and make the heart wrenching speech you always see happen in the tv shows, and there wasn't some badass A.D.A. backing me up to help tie up the case....it was pretty boring, really. We watched some tv, read some magazines, played checkers, and pretty much tried to stay awake.

Oh well, maybe next time.

WAIT! No, no next time. I'M HAPPY IT WAS SO BORING! Less drama is good in real life. :)

**waves**

Court?

2008-07-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Did I put the story of my robbery on here?

I don't think so.

On May 11 I was robbed at gunpoint. I tried to play it off. It's messing with my head--a lot. I had to quit my job, and went for almost an entire month without working--fearing even leaving the apartment. I was deeply upset by the fact that someone (it turned out I knew him, even!) would dare to threaten my life. Life is sacred, and it scared me out of my mind to think I could've lost mine. My children, my husband...my life, it's too important. It's all too important.

Anyways, I have to go to court Friday and see this young man. His name is Mychael, and he's 17. His father is a police officer, and he was a good boy until he started hanging out with this group of gang bangers....anyways, he has now ruined his entire life. He's going to jail, he was caught less than a block away with the clothes, costumes, money and bank bag that I described to the police. There is no chance of worming his way out of it. It's really sad.

So, I guess I have a prayer request for anyone who's up for it. Please pray for Mychael, pray for his life that he can find the right path in life during his incarceration, work towards furthering his education while in prison, so that when he gets out he can be productive and happy instead of returning to the life of crime that has now ruined his young life.

Hugs to all!

oh man

2008-07-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

WHY DO I FEEL SO OLD LATELY?

Seriously. I'm not that old.

But it seems like everything is going so fast, and sometimes I just want to scream for the world to stop. I don't have enough time to get everything done I want to do!!

Did my post go through about my story? I don't think it did. I'm formulating a story idea, and it's going to be lovely. I just need Sandra to answer a few questions for me, and give me a few permissions, and then...viola!

I suppose I should maybe get that email out with those questions, hrm?

Anyways...off to play with the kids!

<3

hrm!

2008-07-12T13:44:00.001-07:00

Blogspot hates me. The past few days I've been trying to post and it won't go through.

So, I'm going to try yet again.

TEST! :):)

2008-05-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Happy (late) Mother's Day!

the zoo

2008-05-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Gabriel and Sarah's class went to the zoo today. I decided to take Amaya along, and then Kelly came as well too--so it ended up being pretty much a family trip, only Zachary and Joshua had to stay at school. Joshua went last week, but all the pictures are on my phone and I don't know how to get them anywhere, lol.

Anyways...yep. Off to do the things that need doing. <3

Too much work, indeed.

2008-04-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

I work too much, that's a given.

Joshua has started basketball. His practice is every Monday. He seems to be really enjoying it. I'm glad, it's a positive outlet for his energies. I want to put him in a kung-fu type thing as well, I think it would be really good for him.

All my other kids aren't into extracurricular activites. Yet.

Anyways, just a short update. I have to get Joshua from practice, and then get my tail into work..

<3 <3

Floods!

2008-04-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

First tornadoes, now floods?

Joy.

Well, Amaya turns 3 Saturday. ((Can you believe it Sandra? It's been three years since she was born!! You were the first non-medical person to see her other than Kelly!!! That means you should be excited too. hehehe)) She doesn't seem like she should be that old. It surely hasn't been that long, has it?

:(

Anyways, I have to go get laundry done. It's waiting for me. :

Spring Weather

2008-03-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

For anyone who keeps up with weather reports around the country...

...Most of Oklahoma had fun lastnight. There was a tornado about 2 miles from my mom and dad's house lastnight. It tore up houses, threw power out because of hitting relay stations and whatnot...

....anyway, I had worked for about 12 hours yesterday, some at work and some doing laundry at mom's. When I got home I was so tired, I glared at the blaring storm alerts and told Kelly to wake me up if we were about to die. ((To which he replied, he'd be so kind as to let me sleep through my death, so it would be more peaceful for me, isn't that sweet?? He loves me :))) Anyways...I pass out. In the morning I hear on the radio a tidbit about Edmond not having power, so I call my dad on his cell phone to make sure his power wasn't out and to help them get to work if it HAD gone out. So he's telling me about how everyone's okay and not to worry blahblah...and I'm like whaaaaatever, just wanted to make sure you woke up on time!

Only to find out that so close to their house a tornado had hit. I felt kind of stupid, because it's really only a few miles from here---faaarrrr too close for comfort. I didn't even care lastnight though, so tired!

I made some yummy food lately, but I don't feel up to posting recipes. Maybe I'll put them up some other time. :) :)

I'm currently reading Death is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury, which my sister so kindly loaned me. YAY!

OH! I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy. I know there are small things about yourself you always wish you could change. Mine is usually my hair and my weight, but the hair is always something that frustrates me. I go through billions of shampoos trying to find one that does my hair any good--and let me tell you, I found it! I bought Herbal Essence "None of your Frizziness" and it MADE MY HAIR SHINEY. It cut the frizz in only one use---not PERFECTLY, but soooo much better than it was. I'm sure God loves my hair frizzy, but I don't, so this shampoo has made me happy. :):) Also, there's a body soap called "Tahitian" something by Caress---you don't have to buy it, but at least sniff it the next time you're wandering through the soap section. It's so yummy!

I'm going to bed now. <3

Spring Break

2008-03-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

I wish school was a year-around thing, like it is in some areas of the country. We're on Spring Break right now, and as I watch my kids eat us out of house and home I wonder how we'll make it through the Summer with them home for two months. Eeek!

I'm still looking for a job, so if anyone has a lead on something I could do from home, please let me know. ((Or anything else, I suppose I'm not that picky.))

Alright, well...off to do whatever it is I have to do around here.

heedelydoo

2008-03-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

So, we've been away-ish from blogland. We started playing WoW, so I could play with some of my old friends, Gabriel's Godfather, and his family and the like. My older sister plays too, and now she's talking about transferring to our server.

I'm a little sad, because I expect a lot out of people I game with. I enjoy playing with Sandra and Curtis, because they like to be social as well as play, and this is not the case with my other friends. In fact, I found out in an off way that my friend is getting married soon. I completely expected it, he's been with his girlfriend for years, but he didn't mention it to me---or invite me. Or his Godson. :

Anyways, we're having a lot of fun exploring WoW. Wish we had more people to play with.

If anyone plays, we're on the Stormrage server, Alliance side. We may switch to a different server to play horde for a while, just to make sure we have a good fit where we are now. :)

Funny story!!

Amaya, our two year old found a small bottle of hand sanitizer. She also had a popsicle stick from her bomb pop. So she's walking around spreading the hand sanitizer on her tummy with the stick! It's so cute, and very sanitary. LOL!

So...that's where we've been. I've been dragging Kelly around in WoW! :)

<3

In a funk

2008-02-29T14:04:00.001-08:00

Lets see if Blogger will let me post this.

Bleh.

Alright, so what I posted was that we're all sick, and we're not up to doing much.

So we'll be back soon.

Happy Blogging everyone!!

Room to Speak

2008-02-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to post another poem, but I suppose I will anyways.

"Room to Speak"

She always wanted to be
Something Special in those eyes,
Regarded with respect- not whimsey,
To the man who'd painted her skies.
But who was she to want or
Ever wish for more?
Just a little girl in ribbons
Waiting behind a closed door.
Like a dream so long forgotten,
Just a whisper from the past,
She'll never make him proud,
For she will always come in last.
In the darkness of night she
Can whisper of her love for him now,
All she ever wanted was for
Him to love her- to see her somehow.
But she so far from perfect
Never really had the right way,
And she'll never find time to recover from
The words Daddy was too busy to say.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Oklahoma is the worst state to live in if you don't make large sums of money. We can't move, we can't progress, and finding work here that is higher than minimum wage is difficult at best. I don't like to sound like a victim, and I really detest people who do, but just how much trying must a person put in before it becomes obvious that the odds are stacked against them?

Minimum wage is a joke. It's barely enough to stay alive. Even with welfare suppliments, I can assure you, there is no room for forward movement. The only break you can possibly get at low income levels is the hope that tax season will bring a decent return so you can purchase the things you haven't been able to afford all year long.

This leads to a bunch of stress and frustration. It's a wonder there are millions of people getting divorced over money troubles, younger and younger people who throw school to the winds and think they can make it alone only to find they CAN'T make it without an education--far too late.

We need to- as a society- promote education above dreams of being famous and making fists of money. I know there are several people out there in the world who say they promote education as much as possible, but really it starts at the lowest level possible - every single person. Teach your kids it's okay to be a nerd--afterall, nerds like Bill Gates make much more money with a more reliable and stable foundation than "famous" people- who grow and fade overnight. We need to teach our neighbors, our family and friends--that it's okay to embrace education over fashion or popularity.

Bleh I turned this into a rant, and for what good? Hardly anyone ever reads this blog. Those who read it already share my opinions, so what good is to preach to the choir? Ah well, maybe if you all pass it on too, someone who doesn't already believe education is vital to modern society will see it, and believe it and pass it on themselves.

- Song of Love -

2008-02-25T06:37:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to say who this is dedicated to, but I think he knows. I think. Well, I don't really think. But, I believe. LOL!

- . Song of Love . -

Sing me a song of love
To put my mind at ease
Rest my eyes for moments
Locked in a question.

Sweetest moments,
Watching the sun rise
Bathed in golden hues of
Pinks, and orange,
Colors you gave me.

Heightened sensation,
This enchanting innuendo,
Distance bars even a touch,
A taste
Of heaven in you,
Of those lips
Like sun-kissed dewdrops.

Sing me a song of love,
And I will dance for
Your words, and hope,
The heady passion in you.

Heightened sensation,
This enchanting innuendo
Spoken promises of a touch,
So soft in the moonlight
That doesn't cool
With the morning sun.

Sing me a song of love,
So I can rest
From the pain of living
life alone.
Call out my name,
That I may hear your voice,
From miles away,
Your call draws me
Across the distance and
Deep into your heart..

Sing me a song of love,
A love we shall share
From a distance until
We're sure the time is right,
I'll take you in my arms
And softly whisper
On breath alive with you
A song of love come true.

--------------

Oh yes, it's gag-me sweet. Bet you didn't think I had it in me. ;)

Kelly, Finished it!, Up Next--etc

2008-02-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

We took Kelly to the hospital lastnight. He has bronchitis and an acute exacerbation of his gouty arthritis. (That means a gout attack, but the doctor had to say it in such big words it amused me, and thus I'll relay it in those terms.) They put him on some medicine and he's doing much better today. :)

Now, for the book world..

I finally did it!

I finshed the entire Ender's Series.

1. Ender's Game
2. Speaker for the Dead
3. Xenocide
4. Children of the Mind
5. Ender's Shadow
6. Shadow of the Hegemon
7. Shadow Puppets

What a delightful series, if you're into strategy, armies, honor, family, love and life in general. It's hard to follow at times, and a few of the books suck, but if you read them all together the story is awesome. It's pretty much a futuristic military space sci-fi heavy into science kind of series though.

Very good books.

My next conquest is going to be the Xanth series, the Homecoming Harmony/Earth series, or maybe even the Foundation series by Asimov again. :)

Or some other random set from my harddrive *shrug*

<3

Making Pizzas

2008-02-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

The kids and I decided to make pizza today. It's been very fun, and very messy.

First was the supplies.

3 boboli pizza crusts
1 - 3pk boboli pizza sauce
3lb bag mexican blend cheese
1lb hamburger meat
Pepperonis - which we already have, we always have it on hand, lol

First of all, I put the sauce on all the pizzas. It's a messy step so I did it. Next, Sarah and Amaya put pepperonis on one pizza, Zachary put pepperonis on another pizza, and Joshua topped those pepperonis with fried up hamburger meat. Gabriel spread cheese over the pizzas, with Amaya helping and stealing toppings as they went. Then we all munched on pepperonis and cheese while those two pizzas cooked.

Last pizza was supposed to be cheese only, but it's got pepperonis and meat on it too, because we had too many toppings left over. LOL! :)

We had a lot of fun making these pizzas, and it was quick and easy. (Even for the two year old!)

I felt sorry for my mom as we did this, because she never did anything so fun and involved with me and my siblings when we were younger. She missed out on such great adventures, re-learning and re-exploring life through the eyes of her children. It's something I take for granted, and yet it's such a blessing.

<3

A Love of Fate

2008-02-22T19:06:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking of posting this for some time now, and Kelly says I should go ahead and post it. For any military wives who read this---well, not all of course, maybe I'm the only one who ever feared losing the mind while keeping the body. Anyways, this story came from a fear I had during Kelly's deployments. It is very emotional, especially, in my mind, to military wives.

To: Wife@ homeinAmerica.com
From: Husband@ war.com
Subject: Re: Come Home..

I wish I could say soon, I miss your arms around me at night. I never thought it could be so cold in the desert. I miss your smile, the pictures I have aren't helping. We should be leaving next week, I hope to be there before you receive the letter I mailed you.

Yours Truely,
The Man Who Stole Your Heart.

On Feb 14, 2003 Wife@ homeinAmerica.net wrote:

> Dreams are intense.
> I woke up screaming your name last night.
> It seems like lately I can't stop thinking about you...when are you coming home?
> I miss you.
>
> Love in Eternity,
> Your Wife

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was Valentine's Day, the letters that they wrote were from miles away. Years seem to pass in between a family when they're seperated with no way to touch. Dreams are lost in time, lost beneath the changes time always brings.

He returned home safely, when the war was through with him. She feared for a while, he didn't write because he had been taken prisoner on the way home. He was tortured, tormented, and was clinging to the mere thought of his wife for survival. But what did it give him but images of who she was? He returned home to a woman who had grown. She was used to his not being there, and his presence made her nervous and edgy now. He needed her touch, but her touch was hesitant.

A wedge was driven between them, and their love- as strong as it was- could not survive. She left him, scared of who he was now- the man who had nearly died and had killed to live for only her touch. The pain was so much, to know he still lived and she could hear his voice, but the loving touches with a worshipful taste so hungry for her that it scared her, the midnight tears that soaked his pillow, and his withdraw so completely into his own tormented hell; she could not longer stand it. The love of your life changed beyond recognition, beyond hope of redemption. What kind of God lets love like this run dry?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He was sitting in the living room as she left. His eyes were bleek, muted pain veiled the laughing glimmer they once held. She couldn't even look at him, her bags were packed and sitting by the door.

"I'll - uhm - be at Mom's," her voice trailed off uncertainly, waiting for him to ask her to stay. Begging him silently, but nothing, and her mind clicked back on, "My Mom's I mean. If you need anything," and again her voice trailed off as she stood staring at the broken man she once loved so passionately. Leaving him didn't hurt her, because he wasn't the man who left to become a hero. He had come a hero, no doubt about it--but she couldn't even stand to be in the same room as the stranger that replaced her beloved husband.

There was a tightness in her chest that told her that her heart was breaking, and a stinging in her eyes that let her know the tears would come again very soon. It was a cruel joke, and fate wouldn't let them go for a long time.

He didn't even acknowledge her words, he just sat there. His eyes were unfocused, though the tv was on in front of him; but even she knew better than to think he was watching it. In his mind he was still in that cell, he was still being hurt. She wished he could let it go, that he could heal and come home to her for real; instead of living in this ghost-like shell so shut off from her. Even then, she knew, the damage had been done and he would never be the same again.

Slowly, she turned and opened the door letting in a violent riot of sunlight that cascaded over the tile entryway, pooling atop the terra cotta tiles and splashing against the grout between them carelessly. Memories of the installation haunted her, teasing her as laughter echoed around her and she saw them again, happy and in love as they set the tiles and smeared one another with grout.

"Eek!" Her squeel echoed in the empty house, "You can't do it like that! It'll look crooked!" She slipped on an ill-placed tile and stumbled, paint brush in hand as she fell and grabbed his shoulder. He fell with her, catching her and cradling her in his arms as she splashed paint everywhere.

They lay in a pile on the floor, the tiles only half installed and yet completely forgotten as his lips met her's. The passion of their love reignited by even the simplest of things.

The remote location of their house made it a perfect spot, the sun hot across their nude bodies as they made love, clinging to eachother as if for life itself. The room faded to hot pinks and oranges as the sun set, and beyond the doorway they could have seen such spectacular colors as God painted the sky for them alone.

But as they were for so many years, they were lost in each other. The beauty of nature was lost for their enrapt attention to eachother that lasted until long after the sky had become an inky blue.

He still hadn't moved, and she shut her eyes more against the tears that were burning them than the familiar sunset that bathed her face in golden sunlight. She stepped out into the fresh summer breeze, and slowly stumbled her way to the car climbing behind the wheel in an emotional wreck. How can I ever live without him? she thought, through her sorrowful tears.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Knowing she was leaving, he could hear her coming downstairs, he wondered if maybe he had acted too soon. Surely she wouldn't come to kiss him good-bye. Not this time, of course.

He heard her speaking, but was too drained to even turn to give her the attention she deserved from him. The dull pain pulsing from his wrists gave the only sensation he felt in these final moments, the crimson stain crossing the couch they picked out together.

Will she miss me, his mind tormented him now of all times. Will she miss me as much as I will miss her?

He was drowning now, falling into oblivion, and it was far too late even if she did come to him. He could hear the shudder crisp and clear as she took a ragged breath. He heard her murmer of love and eternity. His eyes fell shut, but his life didn't flash before his eyes as he had thought it might: only her face. Her smile, her golden hair washing over her shoulders as she leaned over him and a smile painted across her beautiful face. The sunlight in her hair was like a halo, and he knew he had never deserved such a love. But her lips, those rosy full lips, how they called to him--even with his last breath, as he felt himself dying, he heard her words and felt her breath against his ear.

"I'll never leave you," she was whispering, "not until the day we both die."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tears were stinging her eyes as she drove, and she blinked hard trying to focus on the road and where she was going. Finally she stopped, pulling over to the side of the road where she cried. For hours she cried, letting out the pain she had held inside since he returned home. He may have lived physically, but he died so long ago, and without him she was dead inside as well. She couldn't stand his face, that placid mask that used to be so animated with life and love. Seeing him made her remember the loss, to feel it so much more keenly than she had during his deployment. She remembered the promises, her mantra she chanted as she prayed for him while he was captive. It was so long ago, lifetimes ago, their naive promises of forever.

Without looking she opened the door of her car, and stepped out into the road. She felt the cool breeze against her face and leaned against her car, shakily lighting a cigarette as an afirmation of her new habit to soothe the pain. Her hand shook as her chest heaved with left over sobs that weren't ready yet to subside. A soft rain began to fall, making the pavement his and steam and she stood there, letting the rain wash her tears away and plaster her hair to her face and neck. Not even the lightening or thunder rumbling through the sky shook her from her shock.

She may have seen the headlights veering uncontrollably as a drunk driver slid dangerously along the road slick from the fresh rain. The driver couldn't control the car from drinking so much, and she snapped into reality just in time to hear the final squeel of tires, the blinding flash of a light---and then she was knocked down, and under and over...

She could have survived.

Fate didn't let her. Her death was quick and painless, and as she took her last breath staring up at the storm and the raindrops she saw only his face, smiling and radiant as it had been when she first met him.

He held out his hand to her, and she found herself reaching up to accept her death.

"I thought you'd intended to lay there all day," his voice was saying from far away behind that blinding light.

There was no rain.

He was moving away from her -- but no! Wait! She wanted to call to him but her voice was thick and uneven, and she couldn't form the words to express her fear.

But then she wasn't under her car, and there was no night pierced by headlights. She was sitting in a grassy field, vibrantly green and alive. There was a faint imprint of where she'd been laying tracing her head, and arms, and no doubt her legs which were still lost in the green.

"Sally?" Dave's voice came again, and she looked up to see him a few steps away. "Are you coming?" He was facing her now, concerned.

"Is..." she looked around at the sun, the beauty of nature and the park around them filled with happy and laughing people. "Is this heaven?" She was hesitant, and confused.

"Don't be a goose, you didn't get hit that hard did you?" he was walking back to her, and running his fingers through her hair to check for contusions. "Come on, you don't even have a bump!" He picked up the baseball that was laying several feet off, and this time lifted her to her feet and led her to a crowd of their friends they had known for years. "This is Memphis, no where near heaven."

She shook her head as she followed him, then stopped him short of the crowd waiting for them and kissed him cautiously. "I guess I'm just worried about the war..."

"What war?" He looked at her again, arching an eyebrow and only the depths of serious concern for her was shining in his eyes back at her. "There hasn't been a war since the Clinton administration, since the Iceland Pact. You know that."

Once again Sally shook her head, lost in his eyes as she so often found herself. "I, uhm...nevermind. I love you." And the fog in her mind that was telling her this was wrong was dissipating, and she felt warm again as if she had just had a great burden lifted from her shoulders.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, just a bit too much sun maybe? I think I need a drink."

He smiled now, still concerned as he dashed off to get her a drink.

She stood watching him, the confusion fleeing from her mind as she remembered the Pact, and their plans to play baseball today. Surrounded by their family and friends she had thought lost so long ago- she wondered idly if time could stand still for a love that fate was bound to get right.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

~Fin~

- . Symphony of Summer . -

2008-02-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

For those of us who lived in rural America ...well, you know. :)

Golden lit memories
Shifting like photographs,
Starry nights beneath
A canopy of sapphire
Dancing lightening bugs
Floating on the breeze,
The cry of the frog,
And a coyote's howl
Symphony of summer
Sung in memory.
Children's laughter,
Sweet like lemonade.
Running in the meadows
Flying on the wings
Of an old tireswing.
The cool refreshment
Echoing from the river,
An old swimming hole
Long since forgotten.
I was there, so long ago
In those fields so sweet,
Among the hidden glory
Symphony of summer.
Song of birds softly
Mixed with cadydids.
A trembling blossom
That survives eternal
Locked within a memory.

Rag-time Blues

2008-02-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

I don't like this poem anymore, but maybe someone else will if I only post it here for them to read. This poem means many things to many people, and I won't taint it by telling you where my brain was when I wrote it. Suffice to say it no longer applies to me, and therefore I don't personally enjoy it like I did when I wrote it.

<3

Dream in sultry rag-time blues,
When the darkness comes for you.

Hold your head up high again,
Walk the path without the pain.
Keep a leash on wild desire,
And be lost within the fire,

Dream in sultry rag-time blues,
When the darkness comes for you,

Knowing that with time will be,
A time that your heart is free,
To soar in the starlit night
A time when all will be right.

Dream in sultry rag-time blues,
When the darkness comes for you.

Cast away the doubt and fears,
When the shadows gather near;
Walk with pride into the light,
Leave behind the darkened night.

Dream in sultry rag-time blues,
When the darkness comes for you.

How CUTE!!!!

2008-02-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/02/robot-dinosau-1.html

This thing looks so cute!!!!! I'd love to see a parade of dinos in my house, but it wouldn't last! Anyways, cutest toy ever.

kkthxbai!

Is it too late?

2008-02-17T12:17:00.001-08:00

Okay, this time I'm going to actually write a post, instead of just the title. ;)

I didn't do anything on slow cooker thursday, because I work all day and I'm quite lazy.

Kelly has appealed to me to make the nachos Sandra made a while back, and I've been thinking of how yummy it sounded. But for some reason God has not given me the ability to follow a recipe to the end, without altering it so much that there shouldn't have been a recipe to start with for all I listened to it. :)

So here's what we did different.

First, I fried up two lbs of 93/7 turkey meat. (Honeysuckle white--yum!) I make Kelly eat turkey because it doesn't mess with his gout or stomach too much, so most of our recipes use turkey instead of other ground meats. Anyways...fried up the meat with 2 tablespoons of chili powder, a heaping helping of minced garlic--about 3 large cloves, I kid you not--and a ton of fresh ground pepper and some cayenne pepper too!

Then I opened up a large can of WIS-CON nacho cheese. We've never tried this before, but I really dislike the consistencies I get with Velveeta or chunk cheeses. This one starts smooth, and mixes well with the other stuff I'm putting in. :)

Anyways, dumped the cheese and meat into the crock pot, added 1/2 cup of Pace Medium salsa, and 2 tablespoons of jalapeno juice.

I've got the crock pot on high right now, because I want it to get hot quickly and I'm impatient. We haven't actually tried this mess yet, but I hope it tastes yummy!

We have some lettuce and sour cream to add on top, as well as some refried beans!

I'll have Kelly let everyone know how it turned out, lol.

The Spider and the Butterfly

2008-02-16T08:13:00.001-08:00

This poem has been published http://www.ritro.com/sections/poetry-prose/story.bv?storyid=2793 here, in September of 2004. I was thrilled, as I was published somewhere--and yet hesitant to celebrate it much, since it's just a website, and as I've seen they don't have very strict rules on what they actually publish--the best of the bunch I hope. Anyways, it's my favorite self-written poem, and some of the lines stick in my head even now.

The Spider and the Butterfly

The shadows cast a spell
Of wanton disbelief
Design of higher power
Trapped within the grief.

Like a spinning spider
Dancing on spun glass
Winds borne of Avalon
Gently come to pass.
Winding down the day
Like a sunset's grace,
Dreaming of eternity
Within this hollow place.

A yearning held inside
For that simple perfection,
The hatred that is found
Inside a slight inflection.
All is lost for just one kiss,
A mild and lusty sin,
Like butterflies in flight,
Their beauty lies within.

This a quaint observation,
From a mortal mind
All this beauty in a field
In springtime to find,
The spider and the butterfly,
An oddly couple in short,
One never sees a stolen kiss,
Or thinks the butterfly the sort.
To engage in affairs
With the spider's disception,
Leading to her gentle fall,
And immediate suspension.

We're--and by we're I mean I'm--going to look at some places for us to move to. One is out in the country and it's on 2 acres. If it's anything livable, we'll be moving there. I'll have to get decorating tips from Sandra, I've been so much into ecclectic and techno-savvy I haven't any idea how to decorate a country home.

It's cold, freezing, and raining. So I need to hurry and get this out of the way, so I can come home and be in the warmth. It's supposed to snow tomorrow, and we're having a "family" dinner, with my dad, mom, sisters, brother and all their respective signifigant others. It's to celebrate Carol's (my older sister, who's 29 now!) and my birthday. Her's is the 11th, mine the 19th, and we're going to celebrate it all at once--weather permitting. I don't usually enjoy these large dinners, because the kids get all bored and fidgety, and they never enjoy themselves at all because it's an adult thing--shrug.

I wish I had a camera, so I could get pictures of the new (hopefully!) place and post them, but alas our camera was broken. :(

midnight highway

2008-02-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, I never thought to post my writing in my blog. I've always posted it on deviantArt, and after they went commercial, I sort of faded away from my public eye. Kelly said something that struck a cord, and made a lot of sense--which he does quite often--that I should post it here. I'm a writer, and I should post what I know.

So here, a poem--"midnight highway"

darkness
shadows falling over
cement and paint
dreams have brushed this highway
glimpses of happiness,
all passed by-
but once
once they were here,
if only for a moment.

bathed in the soft glow
of moonlight, a soft summer heat,
the haunting sound of laughter,
wafting on the air,
fading....
...fading.

dusty wind, and darkness,
there is nothing permanent here.
nothing lasts forever,
not even memories.
i remember this place
i've been here before.
the midnight highway..
lost in the darkness..
..always alone.

Is it Cheating?

2008-02-15T10:27:00.000-08:00

...if I came home from work to pick up Kelly and the baby to get them out of the house for a maintenance issue....and then stayed here because the guy didn't show up? I should go back to work soon.

I've been having a very bipolar week, it's making me feel wildly confused to say the least.

I joined facebook.com, which makes that like the fourth or fifth social networking site I've joined. I'm hoping I can actually network though, I miss some of the people I used to know. Most of them drifted off as I moved on, and while I doubt we'd be fast friends again, I'd at least like to know how they're doing every once in a while.

Maybe I can even talk my family into getting on there, so everyone can see how disfunctional they all really are. ;)

Kelly started a blog, he says because *I* told him so, but he really wanted his own blog. He just didn't know it until I told him. :)

Anyways, off to do things...

Happy St. Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

Hope Everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day, and it's filled with all the love you can handle.

Check out this link for the Legend of Saint Valentine, a little holiday history for you! http://www.novareinna.com/festive/saintval.html

Hugs and Cuddles!

snarf

2008-02-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

oh yea

kelly says my blog looks like someone puked on it.

i'll change it later. maybe. it sure does seem to fit my mood lately.

oklahoma is draining my soul, and even when i try to look at life in a positive light, someone has to shoot me down. it's like i've had a target painted on me somehow, and i just can't shake it off. i'll get them back though, i've decided my ultimate payback is to get out of here. i'm not going to be happy stuck in a rut my whole life -- i'm moving on, and someday in the far distant future i'll look back on this place, and these people, and i'll thank God they gave me the strength to run as fast as i could the other way.

Subtle Interactions

2008-02-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

I went shopping lastnight. While I was there, I saw the manager from Sonic who did me the most harm. He lied to me, falsly promised and gave me hope of a future, led me on; and in the end, he's the one who told people over the phone he'd fired me. In truth, I had not been fired, I had quit -- but there was always a chance I had wanted to go back after my days off, and I wasn't really as fed up as I thought I was. ....Some people may remember how fed up I was. ;)

So, I did the best thing I could think to do in that situation. For a moment, I stared like a deer in headlights, watching his interaction with his husband. He is so hateful, and even watching them together I realized that while his husband adores him, worships him in fact, he has no respect for anyone but maybe himself. I hid around a corner, and walked as far off as possible, disrupting my shopping pattern and causing general chaos in my own schedule to avoid a chance meeting.

Now I wonder, why was it me hiding and skirting around like a criminal? *I* didn't do anything wrong. I didn't lie, I didn't cheat and take for granted the best and brightest of my team. I built things, I fixed things, and yet.....and yet I'm the bad guy. I'm the outsider, the castoff--the unwanted one. No one ever called me, the way he called so many people to beg them to come back to work. No one asked me to please stay, they couldn't survive without me.....and why do I even care, it's just Sonic. :

Anyways.

I waited for two months to find a job to replace Sonic. I was excited, thrilled, overjoyed! I lost two months worth of income, two months worth of saving to move back to Idaho! (hehe) Now, I go to work very hesitantly--because I don't want to work outside of the house anymore. I'm not happy, I don't like my co-workers, and the entire insanity of the place makes me want to rip out my hair. It's the most disorganized warehouse I've ever seen, and they're trying to re-organize it so it's even MORE disorganized, because it will be "easier" for them. But they know better than me, I'm just the new girl.

There has never been any secrets about my employment here. I'm a temp. I was placed by Aerotek, and I can be moved at will. It's still frustrating to see on my timecard "Temp" handwritten and smothered in highlighter. Yes, I know--I'm only a temp....why does that seem like such an insult this week?

My sister turned 29 yesterday. I got to talk to her briefly, and I felt incredibly guilty. My dad was off working, and didn't even take off for an hour or so to go to dinner with her, because he claimed he was too sick----and yet he still went to work. Mom spent the evening cleaning up her yard to try to get rid of my little brother's pit bull puppies. Instead of taking her oldest daughter to dinner, or doing anything with her at all. I don't know about my brother or other sister, but what I do know is that I went shopping, ate dinner, and went to bed early with nothing but a brief phonecall for her, and now I feel incredibly guilty because I know what it feels like to be abandoned by your family on your birthday, and I know how much it hurts, and I just did the same thing to her. :(

This post turned into quite a rant. I hope I can find some strength for that positive energy I've become so fond of finding in my faith lately, but it's flagging through this trial and I wonder if I'll survive it at all. I'm sure I will, there isn't a task set before me that I cannot handle. It sure does feel like it's still Monday, though.

yippee

2008-02-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

it's the 11th already?

i want to be at home chasing amaya.

i don't like working. i'd really rather be at home making sure everything is running smoothly.

bleh.

and now lunch is over.

<3

Blah

2008-02-05T03:31:00.000-08:00

We all caught a virus. It's pretty miserable, especially since I was very excited about the roast I put in my crock pot before work yesterday. I was so sick when I got home I fell into bed and just now got up with the alarm. Now I'm stiff from head to toe!

It also means my clothes were still in the washer, lol. Oh well.

It's raining outside. Yesterday was so beautiful it was 74 degrees outside. Today it's supposed to be 40, with a chance of snow. Ew. I really dislike Oklahoma weather, all the wild hops and jumps make my allergies go nuts. I mean, what a tease giving us a beautiful 70 degree day, and following it up with snow! We had snow last week too, thankfully it only messed up two days of traffic, lol. Oh well, can't wait for .....oh man, spring and allergies and tornadoes. Why the heck did we move back to this God forsaken place? ugh.

Go go tax season.

<3

Work, and stuff

2008-01-31T16:44:00.000-08:00

So my new job is really easy. I get to work with a computer a lot, and think very little. I don't have to interact with very many people, and when I do--I don't have to worry about making them happy. Hell, I can't communicate with half of the people I work with because I'm too lazy to finish learning and use Spanish.

I hope the girl I'm filling in for doesn't come back--that way I can stay. :D

It snowed here. I hate snow. The kids lost their gloves again so they couldn't go out and play in it, so they're all kind of upset.

We had lasagne tonight, but we cheated. We used the 2hour oven version. Zachary made garlic bread out of a loaf of sliced bread. ^.^ We're also having yummy creamy smashed potatoes with butter and garlic.

Anyways, not much else to say. I'm really tired.

New Job

2008-01-30T03:20:00.001-08:00

I'm off to start my new job.

How exciting.

I hate waking up this early, but at least I'll get off early to be with the kids. :)

See you all later!

Job Interview, and Stuff bnhjgujusxvv

2008-01-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

I have a job interview tomorrow! Yay!

It's not the job I'd originally wanted, but at this point in time I'll take what I can get. It's full time, it's semi-casual, and it's not in a stuffy office. YAY.

The other half of the title is from Amaya.

Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation

2008-01-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

It's coming, it's coming!

The annual Walk to Cure Diabetes is coming. It will be held on May 31, 2008. (Our local one, anyways!) It's going to be at the Oklahoma City Zoo. My father will be walking to cure type 1, or Juvenile Dibetes.

Diabetes is a life-altering condition that is serious, and painful. However, researchers have announced that it's very possible we may see a cure well within our lifetime!

Be a part of the cure, and support the JDRF in their mission to find a cure!

Make a donation by sponsering my father's walk at the following link.

http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=86961724
'
Every little bit helps.

The Secret Life of....

2008-01-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

...do you ever wonder what life would be like if everything you knew to be true were suddenly reversed?

My Dad has several times told me he was in a crisis, like losing his job or life or whatever. (Wow that sounds insensitive.) I guess you'd have to understand our relationship to see why I don't care anymore. So, he told me lastnight he would be getting laid off in March. Why do I feel like it's a case of the little boy who cried wolf? Well, I guess we'll see what happens when March rolls around.

In the mean time, welcome to tax season. I've been running so many errands for my Dad and his co-workers I feel like a rubber band. I have a bunch of signs in the van that I have to go put up at his office today. There is a couple of cute ones, they look like street signs and say "Rebate Dr." and "Pro Filer Pkwy" - although the second one sounds like a show, but it's cute.

I thought I had more to write, but I really don't.

Unless I go back to bragging about how much I'm enjoying playing Anarchy Online for FREE! Man I love free games. -.-

I'm going to go finish digging out my Sims CD's so I have something to do.

Thanks a LOT, Sandra.

2008-01-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

So, I've been tagged by Sandra for a...meme? I'll have to look into this a bit more.

I'm supposed to list 7 weird things about me. (I had to consult my husband, because I don't think I'm weird. LoL!)

1. I cannot follow a recipe to save my life. When I write them out, I have to have Kelly edit them because I go off on tangents about how you can change or alter it. I often never look at recipes, although I've become quite addicted to slow cooker recipes. :)

2. I'm a hardcore gamergurl. I've played over 6 betas for MMO's, over a dozen MMO's, and billions of shockwave and java games. I'm addicted to console games as well, from Atari all the way to the Wii skipping very few in between. I heart games. (And boardgames!! And electronic machines like pinball, etc..)

3. I learned to type playing MUD (Multi-User-Dimension online textbased role playing games) and can type over 100 WPM because of that. I do not use the traditional touch typist methods, and have a more of a hunt and peck type method that only uses about three fingers per hand. -.-

4. I'm mildly paranoid. We have to run fans at night so I can even get to sleep.

5. I'm the mother of five, and my fifth child was born when I was 22. All of my children will be 18+ the year of my fourtieth birthday.

6. I edit my kids' schoolwork (3rd grade and under) for grammatical correctness at a college level based on APA standards. ((Although, I don't let them see it, or make them correct it..yet.))

7. I've written over 500 poems, most of which only my husband has ever read.

And...since I don't really know anyone else, the tag ends here. Sorry :(

Friday...Already?!!?

2008-01-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

A few things today..

First of all, my Grandma has a pacemaker put into her heart. Since thing she's had an irregular heartbeat, that has caused dizziness and a few other problems. Well, she went in today and they "shocked" her so now her heart is beating regularly and she's doing much better. We're very happy for this great news, she's an amazing woman and I hope she sticks around a lot longer.

Secondly, it's just tax season. Don't panic. Do not panic. You can handle it. The papers come in the mail, you fill out the forms, you send them in. If you aren't lying--you have NOTHING to panic about. We use TurboTax online, because we don't trust tax preparers. (Especially ones we're related to.)

Third. I haven't had a chance to rant about the "natrual" mother of my little angels in this blog yet. Mainly because she's done the normal dissapearing act. Well, her oldest son- who still lives with her...or is supposed to when she isn't pawning him off on her family, bless his little heart!- recently emailed Zachary to say she would be calling on his birthday. Guess what she didn't do? She hasn't called since last summer, early--before I worked at Sonic, so I'll say around May. When she called THAT time it was 9pm, and she wanted me to wake the kids up so she could talk to them. WTF? I'm not waking my kids up for a chat, let alone a chat with a complete psycho!

Anyways, before that I think it was around 2 years since the last time she called. Regardless, she's insane. She calls to wish the kids a Merry Christmas in May, or a Happy Birthday in June when none of our kids HAVE birthdays in June. She lies endlessly, and harps on the kids for not calling her mommy. LIKE SHE DESERVES IT? Anyways, I've decided to be nice to her. She never follows through with her idle threats of visits and phone calls, I might as well humor her.

What really breaks my heart? She's using Cody to lie to her kids now. They all worship Cody and adore him, I really don't think it is fair to him that she's ruining his reputation now as well. Luckily, Zachary calls her a liar and knows that the messages Cody passes on are only as good as her word. He's such a mature young man!!

My job waiting continues. I've been upgraded now, instead of a $10.00 an hour part time job with the electric company, I'm not being offered a $12.00 an hour full time job with overtime possibilities. This is an AWESOME opportunity, as it'll give me more income. More income means more money to save for our move back to Idaho. YAY!

I made some bread lastnight, and it came out pretty decently. I'll share the cheap recipe. ;)

2 tubes Pillsbury French bread
butter
sugar
cinnamon
Honey

Pre-heat oven to 350!
Remove bread from tubes, twist and put in a spiral pattern in a round pie pan. Cut slices randomly into the top- the more you cut the more patterns you get at the end, and it looks really neat with a bunch of cuts!
Spread butter over the top of the bread dough, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
Bake for 45 minutes or so, until the break isn't doughy in the center, it'll look dry all across the top.
Cut out slices of the bread, butter, drip honey over the top and sprinkle with additional cinnamon and sugar.

Yum!

That's all folks! :)

Yummy Split Pea Soup

2008-01-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

So I modified this recipe from a Good Eats episode--which, by the way, everyone should watch. Before you say "ew peas!" and run away, you should so give it a try! This is the yummiest soup, and all of our kids LOVE it.

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
32 ounces dried green or yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water (or so)
5 or 6 slices of bacon, well done
2 Tablespoons of flax seed, ground
1 sprinkle basil
((*substitutes? You can leave out the chicken broth, and use more water. You can use leaks instead of onions, and technically you can use table salt and pre-ground pepper, but it changes the taste. :())

Start by putting water and broth in crockpot and turn to high. Fry up the bacon slices and crumble them up. Put about 1/3 of the bacon into the crockpot now. The rest will go in as it is served to add crunch. :) You may need to add more water later in the cooking process, depending on how thin or thick you'd like your soup.

In a small pot melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Keep the temperature below a simmer, and stir frequently until the onions are soft.

Now you're going to want to wash, and sort your split peas if you haven't already. Make sure there aren't any rocks or any other objects in there! Add the peas to the water, as well as the onion/garlic mix.

A pinch of kosher salt, and liberal grindings of black pepper should be added as well. Obviously this is to taste, since we enjoy pepper we add a bunch. :)

Since peas don't take long to get tender, if you put the crockpot on high it will be done in around an hour. Make sure you take a hand blender and mash up the peas, making sure to leave it lumpy for the texture. Add the flax seed, and turn to low/warm until ready to serve.

Serve with sprinkled crispy bacon on top, or shredded cheese.

This is what we're eating today. :) Yum.

Almost a Decade

2008-01-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

Zachary's 9 today.

What an exciting day! We're going to go out to dinner, and spend time together as a family.

Not much else going on, we're all excited about his birthday!

HmMmMmm

2008-01-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, now I'm sure I *could* be a bigger nerd, I'm just not sure how. All I will say, in my defense, is at least I didn't use DAoC screenshots.

We got report cards for the kids today. Zachary is still getting all A's - he's so brilliant! I wish his teacher would send him home with more homework, so we could be more interactive with his learning process. I haven't even had the chance to meet his new "Texas Imported" teacher, who had to leave town during conferences, and short of showing up in the middle of class hasn't given me the opportunity to meet her. (grrr.)

Sarah is over-performing, which I'm very proud of. Her teacher is very fun, I enjoy talking to her. She's going to have such an easy time with school, I'm going to have to find a way to keep her interested so she doesn't let her mind wander like I did.

Joshua's a helper in class, always helping everyone. His teachers always love him. (It's easy to do. ;)) Unfortunately, I think his teacher is a bit flakey. (And I swear it has nothing to do with her 5 foot 9 slender model figure and flowing golden blonde hair--augh!!) She drives me nuts with her circle talk and "smoothing over" skills.

Gabriel is getting along decently well, although he aparently gets distracted by Sarah being in the class next door to him. His teacher was teaching second grade last year, because her class was next to Zachary's class last year. Was putting her in charge of K a demotion from 2nd?? <.< >.>

Joshua and Gabriel's report cards are things I will be discussing with the principal sometime soon. They both show lack of mastery in several areas, and I disagree. They show proficiency with these things all the time, and I feel like their teachers are slackers to say the least. I'm really just not impressed with this school. :( I forgot how much I hated the Oklahoma School System, but I let Mom talk me into believing it was just perspective. Well, it isn't.

Amaya's getting so big. She's addicted to Telletubbies now. These shows drive me nuts. Anyone know good shows ? -.-

Anyways-- tomorrow is Zachary's birthday. He's going to be 9. When did he get so big?? I remember just yesterday he was starting school on base, and ....and.....sigh.

No News

2008-01-11T18:58:00.001-08:00

I Miss Idaho

Still no word on the job, I guess I'll be getting dressed Monday and heading out with resumes. How fun!

I miss having adult friends, but we can't seem to get along with the people in this state. We talked briefly to a couple with two kids who lived a couple of doors down from us. For some reason one day they snatched their children bodily back into their apartment to keep them from playing with our kids. Since I wasn't outside, I'll never get the whole story, but they wouldn't allow their children to come out to play with us after that. Screw them anyways, they have a problem with my kids, they have a problem with me---and....then I have a problem with them and it gets really sticky at that point. -.- lol

We've made a choice, and we're sticking to it. We have a plan made out and everything.... It's pretty big news, for me anyways.

We Are Moving Back To Idaho!!!

I'm so excited. We're saving up, making plans, and hopefully we can move soon because Oklahoma is just not working out for us at all!

The kids are so happy to be back in school, and I'm happy they're back in school. Don't get me wrong, they are the reason my little world goes around, but 5 kids in a 3 bedroom apartment over winter break with no yard to play in and no parks nearby? ....ugh I hate this city. Can't wait to move!!!!!!

Anyways, I'm off to put pictures on these keychains Dad bought for Mom and Grandma. They have little LED screens, and were only $17!! Anyways, since I have pictures from my sister's wedding on my laptop I got volunteered for the job.

Have a Yummy Day!

School's In!

2008-01-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad the kids are back in school. It's so quiet around here for a few hours now! I would like to say it gives me more time to get things done without distractions, but it isn't true. I haven't done anything really, just chilled and enjoyed the quiet.

Anyhow, today is Mom's 50th birthday. We're all going over to her house. It's making everything very tense here, because we have some pretty different views from my parents. Like about how to raise kids, how children should behave, and well---life in general. I know we have great kids, I've had a small hand in raising them to be as bright and wonderful as they are. I shouldn't need my parents' approval, but for some reason as with all things in my life great and small, I sort of wish they could see how great their own daughter is. Yea, right.

Not sure what Dad has planned for tonight, but I'm sure it'll backfire. Or my little sister will show up and throw a fit like she usually does, until everyone's angry at her or eachother and wishes they had never shown up.

My parents changed the locks so my little sister wouldn't be able to "move back" into their house---again. So she's pretty pissed at them. I don't blame her--they've had the same lock on that house for 15 years, and change it because of her. In their defense, she was stealing painkillers and is quite addicted. In her defense...they're her parents! THEY SHOULD BE HELPING HER!! .......anyways, they didn't tell her about the small Christmas get together they had. It wasn't formal, I had gone over to wrap kids' presents since we didn't really have the room here. My little brother was there, because he fell at work and couldn't move (lol, trapped him!) and my older sister and her husband showed up, and then Mom came home from work. So, it was basically Mom and Dad's whole family, minus my little sister. They lied to her over the phone about people being over, lied about what was going on, and I left soon after that because I was mad at them for treating her like that.

Then a few days later my little sister called me, and I was shocked as I looked at the caller ID, but happy she'd think to call me at all. ................but all she wanted was to know if we had any left over pain killers she could get from us, because she's in "so much pain." I really want to believe her, but after 5 years and dozens of doctors unable to find anything wrong with her, my faith is being testing a bit too hard.

Oh...I didn't mean to rant. :

I'm sure there will be another post later, after the fiasco at Mom's birthday.

Have a wonderful day!

Put on Hold

2008-01-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

There really isn't anything worse than being put on hold.

Especially when it's about a job, and you're in desperate need of money.

Anyways, this job I've been waiting on for half of forever is aparently waiting on my background check to come back; which seems a bit fishy to me, as there's nothing they could possibly dreg up about me unless they're hunting down ex'es. ;) I mean seriously I went for the drug test/background test starting paper work the week before the New Year. Doesn't that seem a bit too long? Well, it does to me.

So I've put my book on hold for a few days while I let my brain veg out. I've been playing Anarchy Online, since it's free. It's a pretty fun game, but it's way complicated.

Oh, I have a fun story about my apartment to share. When we moved in here, we complained at length because there was paint on the carpet. Not only on the carpet, but on everything including sinks, and the heat elements of the crap stove. It looked like they gave a monkey a roller brush and a vat of paint and set it loose on this place. Plug faceplates painted over, cable outlets, everything, coated in this tacky cheap paint. On some walls, there is debris all over that was painted onto the walls, and it won't come off and it just pesters the hell out of me. Anyways, the bathtub has been chipping for some time now, and lastnight I got a glimpse of the tub beneath the paint. Brown, stained, and gross! So I dumped a bunch of bleach in, scrubbed until I wasn't angry anymore, and now it's all pretty and white and paint splotched. :) It was another sign of how gross this complex is on top of all the other problems we've faced!

Tomorrow is Mom's 50th birthday. Dad called to invite us to her dinner, or well....I think it was "us," he didn't really say who all was invited. I'm going to have to call and clarify later. If he didn't invite all of us, then no one will be going. I hate to sound really petty, and I know it's Mom's birthday and we should all be nice and get along or whatever, but I refuse to go to a family function if I can't take my family and have us all be welcome. :

So I'm excited today, to say the least. I could have a job by the end of this week, and it'll be so fun and such. I know there's nothing on my background report, so it's a pretty positive thing. :)

Have a great day#$%^&*!

WOO!

2008-01-06T16:28:00.001-08:00

Oh yea, I'm awesome! I rock! blahblah..

I finished the outline. I'm starting the rough draft. This is going to be so exciting!

I need proof-readers! :D

I did it!!

2008-01-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

I did it!! I finished the entire series.

Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Abroad (Shopaholic takes Manhattan)
Shopaholic ties the Knot
Shopaholic & Sister
Shopaholic & Baby

-----what fun! I haven't decided where to go from here, though. I wanted to read the Divine Comedy, but it's slightly harder to follow than the Shopaholic books where, and I find my mind wandering at length.

I went sorting through more boxes, and got my livingroom back in order over the weekend. It didn't take much effort, really, since I force the kids to keep the livingroom clean every day. :)

I'm also plotting out a new schedule for the weekly cleaning. I find myself slipping, and focusing too much on one room and ignoring others. Being out of work has thrown me for a loop, because I'm definately not used to being at home all the time. I miss it! I recently got a letter from the Social Security Administration and it listed off the amounts of money I'd made each year since I started working. It almost made me cry, to see the year that I just didn't work at all, because Kelly was in the military and we lived on base, and I didn't need to work. I miss that, sitting with the kids all day and playing games. I really enjoyed spending so much time with them, but now with them in school it wouldn't be the same anyways.

Oh well, I've been working at length on my book, and I've sorted through my contacts on deviantart.com, and I may even start posting on there again some time soon. I haven't had a chance to write much for all the work I was doing.

Amaya has become quite addicted to this show called Boobah. It's cute, but after so many times of watching it the stupid things become mildly annoyoing. It's definately an adorable show, because through most of it they have sounds of children laughing, little kids mostly, and it's very infectious.

Anyways, off to clean and cook. Enjoy!

!!!

2008-01-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot lately, the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. I completely blame Sandra for it. (http://familycorner.blogspot.com) as I got the idea from her book blog.

Also, had a lot of time to think about the outline for my book, which is really starting to flesh out quite nicely. I've changed the setting and characters quite drastically, and I think it'll work out a lot better this way.

We have been playing the Wii my parents got the kids for Christmas a lot lately. The baby has gotten quite good at one of the games, the one where you race cows. It's pretty hilarious.

It's so cold here....well it was mild today, but it HAS been cold. Since our windows are terribly insulated, we put sheets up over them, which has helped keep it much warmer in here. I really hate how terrible this apartment complex is, I don't know why I thought we'd get anything decent at such a low price. In fact, we're probably getting exactly what we pay for, bleh!

Anyways, not much else going on. I'm off to read "Shopaholic & Sister" which looks like it's book 4 of the new series I'm hooked on. Hope it's as fun as the others!

Early Spring Cleaning

2008-01-02T18:35:00.001-08:00

I've spent almost an entire week now, sorting through everything we own. I've thrown things out, sorted, repacked, and forced the kids to help with the whole mess. Needless to say they are not really happy with me right now. If only I had eBay figured out a bit better, we could sell all this clothing, I think we'll just donate it instead. Either way, we've had a very productive Winter Break to say the least, and now we're all excited and ready for school to start again next Tuesday.

I've decided to pick up a few hobbies again, mainly writing and sketching. Hopefully it will help clear my mind, and rid me of the limitless frustration I've had going on lately. Winter always brings a certain level of restless energy to our house, and since we moved to "this neighborhood" the kids are unable to play outside as much as they desperately need to.

Reading is another thing I'm picking up again, and I'm getting most of my book suggestions from my husband, and a friend who posts in her blog here at blogspot as well. (http://familycorner.blogspot.com) Her blog is amazing! Hopefully if I keep up with it I can have as much fun with this as she does. I'm currently in the process of downloading the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, as well as persuing the Divine Comedy.

We're also working on an outline for a story I've had brewing for several years. My husband enjoys being on my creative team, lucky for me! I've also decided to begin posting again at deviantart.com, my page there is http://toxic-erotica.deviantart.com. It will start slowly, as usual, but hopefully I can dedicate more time to the persuit of these hobbies this year. A little time management will help!

There is also another blog I'm working on, a family friendly gaming blog. http://confessionsofagamergurl.blogspot.com.

Idle hands are the devil's tools, so I'm finding a way to keep them busy.

Happy 2008

2008-01-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

Here comes another year, and another blog. I've wiped all my previous entries, and decided to start this thing over again. I went from a tech blog, to an artsy blog, and my last terrible blog was a political thing, which I'm not too good at. Now, I'll just post at random and see if anyone can keep up.

I'm a working mother of five. When I say working, I mean: I work, but my family comes first. I also enjoy online gaming, reading, and writing. I dabble in some artistic crafts--but never anything serious. It's pretty much a simple life of family and hobbies. My husband is a retired USAF Sgt. and computer geek, who's always right. We have five beautiful children, (by age) Zachary, Joshua, Sarah, Gabriel and Amaya. They range in age (currently) from 8 to 2.

The kids are out of school for Christmas break, and since I abandoned my most recent job before the break, I've gotten to spend a lot of time with them. It's been a lot of fun!

Zachary got an award for being one of the top students in the school. This is from his great grades, willing and helpful attitude, and lack of disciplinary problems so far this year. He's on the principal's honor roll, and got to go out to lunch with the principal because of it.

Joshua is progressing as well, although at his grade they don't do the same awards they do at Zachary's. He's ahead of his class in most areas, and his teacher adores him--it's an easy adoration to catch on to. He's a helpful child, and enjoys going to school.

Sarah and Gabriel are both doing well in their classes, Sarah is somewhat a teachers pet and is far ahead of her class. I feel at times I should've let her go to school last year, although it would've ended up being late. I realized in around January that her birthday was before the cut-off date, unlike Gabriel's. They enjoy being in the same grade, their classes are next door to one another, so it worked out for the best I think. Gabriel's a bit on the shy side, and I think having his sister closer helps him out.

Amaya is learning her letters and numbers with flare, and taking great pride in herself for yelling them at random moments. She may be going to daycare soon, which I'm sure she will absolutely enjoy--she's so lonely during the day when the other kids are at school.

Overall the children we have in school are all brilliant, and continually out perform the rest of their classes, I'd like to say it's genetics, but I think it's just good parenting.

My recent persuits include a book titled "Coyote" by Allen Steel. This is a sci-fi book about a group of political dissenters who basically hijack a multimillion dollar space ship and rocket off to a new, uninhabited planet. It highlights the life of the teenage generation of settlers, and follows the trial and error of living in a wild environment. I greatly enjoyed this book, although there are times when the technical side got to be a bit long-winded. It did give the story a sense of reality, but it distracted from the immersion factor since I don't always understand the theory behind the long-winded descriptions. Either way, it was a great read and I happily give it a 7/10 subtracting three for the long-winded nature of technical explainations. The character development is delightful, although there are some chunky spots towards the middle.

Well it looks like it's way past bed time. I have a billion things to wrap up, and a pile of books to dig through.

Happy Surfing!

**Our children enjoy their learning experiences at school, and at home. We promote Study Dog and StarFall.com, great tools for all young minds! Our schools have StarFall in their classes!