My felted wool sweater!

After reading this post over at The Sky is Pink, it reminded me that I had seen this episode of Martha, and always wanted to try and make a sweater. First take a felted wool sweater (mine was $2.50 after the 1/2 off discount on Wednesdays only at my local thrift store), some felting needles, and a foam or bristle brush pad.

I forgot to take a picture, but it was a man's large, before I felted it. So I cut up the felted sweater, sewed it into Kelly size and ordered some roving from my good friend Lindsay at Etsy. I had the felting needles and backing because I have a thing for felt, as some of you may know.

So this is how it turned out. It took some time, but was so much fun to do!! The supplies aren't all that expensive if you want to try it! I bought mine here.

Let me know if you try it!

Physical Trauma

Warning: This episode of my story is not for those who do not want to hear all about “female things”, it’s not pretty…You’ve been warned.

Conveniently, the procedure had happened on a Thursday, so by Sunday I was feeling fine and was able to do my regular routine. Oddly on Monday, in the very early hours I was having some really heavy cramping and the bleeding had increased….hmmmm. I told hubby about it and he said he would go get some pads for me (of course I was out) after I took the kids to school (I figured I could handle the 10 min. roundtrip to get the kids there).

Our usual morning routine for school, was eat, brush teeth and drive 10 mins. down the road to school. I went to the bathroom before leaving…just to check on the bleeding…it was heavier, hmmm strange. BTW, I was totally out of pads, but didn’t think I’d need anymore, since all the bleeding had stopped. By the time I got in the car to drive the kids to school. I could tell I was having a problem after we had driven about a mile. There was this huge pressure in my nether region. You know, when something wants to come out, but you’re desperately trying to hold it in, wink, wink. I get to school and drop the boys off…it’s car to door service, so I don’t ever have to get out of the car.

I call hubby and tell him, I can’t wait until later for him to go get something, I’ll just swing by the grocery store on my way home. I get to the parking lot, park and get out of my car. Standing up was my mistake! Everything comes out. Note to the men: graphic language here, sorry. I figure the store’s empty I can run in, pay self serve and run out. I walk into the store and feeling a big gush I look down to see I’m leaving a trail of blood on the floor behind me. Now let me just state that I am not dizzy, light headed or pale. So I know I’m not hemorrhaging. I’m just completely embarrassed. I turn around quickly and leave the store. I call hubby and catch him up on what’s going on. Now try to understand that I can tell this isn’t just a “flow”, there are clots releasing themselves from me to come out. It only takes me 4 mins. to get home. By this time I have bled through my pants, onto the car seat cover (get ‘em) and need to get in the shower immediately!

Meanwhile, I tell hubby call my Dr.s office to report what is going on, because I have no idea WHY this is happening. As I get undressed I see these large clots and have to dump them. I jump in the shower and can feel more things coming! I have to yell at hubby to bring me a bowl so I have a way to collect and dump all the “chicken innards” coming out of me. That’s what it looks like, and I have to say, I’m getting a little freaked out! What the fuck is going on. Everything was fine. I can tell there’s no baby in this stuff, but seriously WTF!!!

The nurse gets on the phone with me, and I explain what’s been happening for the last hour, now. She says come in right away and they’ll look. Oh great, I get to pick new pants to bleed through. So quickly I get dressed, wrap a beach towel around me, and drive to the office. Oh get over it, of course I could drive. Remember, there are 2 little one’s home still.

To make this long story a little shorter…the clots have stopped at this point, and the bleeding goes back to it’s very minimal amount that it had been prior to this morning.

It turns out fibroids are tricky little suckers. They can bleed on you. So after my DNC the fibroid had bled, pooled because I was lying down for a couple days, and then needed to expel itself.

Next time: The emotional damage.

Deer, Park...that's good pumpkin

The last few years I have taken to chopping up my Jack-o-lanterns, cooking, purreeing and freezing them. I grew up doing this and we always had wonderful pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread anytime we wanted. I cannot tell you the difference between canned pumpkin and fresh. Oh. My. Lord!! Once you have it you'll never go back! Just passing the cans in the grocery aisle make me a little queasy. I feel bad if I see someone buying it. I want to tell them "Hey, it's not too hard, try and do some fresh pumpkin."

If you want to try it and not spend a whole day in the kitchen, try cooking up just a quarter of your pumpkin. They hold a lot of water, so your yield will go down after it's cooked. But try it and see. Make some bread with your fresh pumpkin and tell me how wonderful it really is! One large pumpkin will usually give out about 8 quarts of puree.

This year, after speaking with my dad who informed me he broke a knife just cutting up his pumpkin, I decided not to do it. I checked my freezer and realized I still have enough to make pumpkin bread a number of times throughout the next year. Besides, if I run out I'll know where to go :)

So this year we played bowling with our pumpkins. We back to parkland so it was easy. We just rolled them out back so the deer could enjoy them. And they are!!

Recyclying her clothes

May I present for your pleasure (well, really Kelly's) Ms. Pennypig. As I was spring cleaning and changing out the summer clothes for winter, I came across some of Kelly's old clothes that were just too small for her. I could've gone the old give-away route, but I wanted to do something different. I was just in the mood :)

So I got my scissors, sewing machine and some buttons out. Here is my humble result of Kelly's new "friend". It's nice to see her play with something that I can look at and remember the shirt, jacket and pants that helped create Pennypig. Each part of her is composed from something different. So Kelly and I both got something special.

I want my mummy

How on earth did it get to be the middle of November and I didn't share anything about Halloween? I guess I've been a litle preoccupied with my memories lately. We had a blast at Halloween this year. Kelly was a butterfly, Dunn was Frankenstein, Finn was a mummy and Jack went as Indiana Jones (seriously, what else is a 12 yr. old cool boy gonna do?).

Familyfun.com saved me this year. I always wanted to make some Halloween costumes for my kids, but never got started early enough. So this year I planned ahead. The first week of October, I let the kids peruse the list of costumes at Family Fun and pick out something (within my doable range), and I'd try and make it for them.

Dunn did "monster", Finn did "mummy". Check them out, they really were pretty easy.

Sure, Dunn's green face was a little darker, but at night you couldn't really tell and he looked fantastic! The whole thing was easy to put together. A quick trip to the thrift sore for a $5 blazer, $2 old jeans (fringed the bottom) and $3 big black clunky shoes. Finn's was really a lot of fun to do. After searching for plain white/off white thermal underwear (Walmart) and buying about 4 yards of muslin, we ripped the muslin into 3 in. wide strips and hot glued them to the underwear. White and black face makeup and we were done.

Maybe next year I'll try something a little more challenging :)

Okay not this challenging:

Nordic Bo Peep and Long Lost Sheep Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

Losing

As I drove home, don’t worry I waited until the hysteria had stopped, all I could think about was that the baby inside me was no longer living! That is about the craziest thing I’ve ever had to wrap my mind around. Let me start by explaining that even though the baby’s heart had stopped beating nearly 10 days prior, I still felt pregnant. I was still having my morning (evening) sickness, had already gained a ton of weight (yeah, weird), major league gas (clear the room) and was extremely tired. Oh yes, the cruel irony is that I had been able to enjoy that morning sickness and not being able to eat for 10 days even though technically, I wasn’t pregnant. Evidently the body still makes all those pregnancy hormones leading you into a false sense of security. My false sense of security! Believe me, I had thought about the possibilities of the pregnancy not going full term. After all, I was 40 years old and no spring chicken. But I didn’t REALLY think that it would happen to me. I was thinking like a foolish teenager who thought they could drive home after having one too many beers…Yeah, it happens, but not to me. Crash!!! Fatality - 1.

The next day was my birthday (Oh Joy!). Since I’d had no cramping or bleeding, my Dr. wanted to do a DNC as soon as possible. I let him know I just couldn’t do it on my birthday, so we scheduled it for 2 days later. I didn’t make a cake.

After I got home, hubby and I had the unpleasant task of telling our children. Yes, we are one of those couples that can’t wait to share our news and pretty much call everyone from the bathroom, after the stick shows us the plus sign. Now I know plenty of you are saying, “See, that’s why you should always wait”. Honestly, I just can’t do it. For one, I’m a terrible liar, I am always just ridiculously happy, I can’t keep something like that from my BFF and after waiting so long to have children and all the troubles we had gone through just to have our first, this is who we are. Don’t be hatin’.

The 2 oldest, Jack and Finn took it especially hard. They remember what it's like having babies and look forward to it every time. Dunn and Kelly really didn’t get it and were pretty much like “ok”. I didn't make a cake.

So we get to the day of “the procedure”. I’m nervous and don’t want to talk, even in the car when it’s just me and hubby. We arrive and everything goes “smoothly”. I get home and stay in bed for the rest of the day, and half of the next. No real pain, and some very slight, I mean slight bleeding. At this point I’m thankful that it didn’t have to be a big physical and painful reminder. Until the next day... which changed me forever!

To be continued.

Not a Celebratory Anniversary

I’m coming up on an Anniversary. It isn’t one I’ll celebrate, but it is one that I’ll always hold in my heart. November 26th is the one year Anniversary of my one and only lost (as in no longer pregnant) baby.

I was 12 weeks along and was going in for a diagnostic sonogram because I was measuring 4 wks. larger than my gestational period. This was normal for me ever since I became pregnant with baby #2 when I developed a fibroid. Fibroids will enlarge due to hormones during pregnancy, and shrink back down after birth. For me, it never caused any problems except the oh-look-she’s-4 months-pregnant (when in reality I was only 3) stares, and necessary early maternity clothes. To top it all off I carry big anyway. Go ahead, laugh.

So to me this was just another sonogram to see how large the fibroid was, and make sure everything was fine. I had had a previous sonogram the month before, just to date the pregnancy officially, and due to my AMA (advanced maternal age), see how everything looked.

Yes, just 4 weeks prior, the baby’s heartbeat was “strong” and we looked good to go!! But, on November 26th after I hop up on the table, and she turned the machine on – with sound- I saw and heard a flat-line, under the picture of the baby. I can’t explain it but even though I knew what it meant, I instantaneously pushed that thought away and rationalized that she was checking the blood flow in the cord, or something like that. I didn’t say anything. She didn’t say anything. I didn’t look at her. She quickly turned the sound off. But I knew. I waited. I waited for her to tell me everything was fine. I waited for her to start taking measurements. I waited for something, anything.

After about 3 minutes I just looked at her and said “There’s no heartbeat is there?” She said “No Sweetie, there isn’t.”

I laid there quietly. Still. Hardly breathing. I still thought the baby would suddenly move around…like it had been holding it’s breath. Not dead. It couldn’t be. I’ve never lost a baby. 4 pregnancies…4 babies. This was number 5, why would it be any different? But it was.

I managed to hold it together, throught the measuring and chronicling of the baby. All I really wanted to do was run out of there screaming No, No, No.

Luckily my preferred Dr. was in that office on that day. I got to see him, which was some comfort since we have a history. We talked about the options of what to do, why it happened and how to proceed.

Mind you, I’m still holding it together. My Dr. handles everything, and I am free to go. Until I see him in another 2 days for the DNC. I get in the parking lot, pull out my cell and call hubby. Instantly, this is when I lose it. Completely. I’m amazed he understood anything I said. Although, when your wife is calling you after a sonogram appt. and she’s hysterical, you pretty much know it’s not good.

Come back as I share more of the details on what went wrong…so very wrong.

Mean Nasty Antivirus 2009

Warning, Warning, Warning...Antivirus is NOT a real spyware from Microsoft. In fact it is just the opposite. I'm telling you this so you will not get into the computer trouble that I got into a few weeks ago.

Innocently it will pop up on your computer telling you that there are dangerous items on your computer and to run Antivirus 2009. Do not click on it. DO NOT CLICK ON IT!!! I clicked on it and followed the prompt, but when it asked me for $49.95 to download I thought skip it.

Well, the next thing I know...Everytime I go to Google, there's a box telling me I have unregistered Antivirus 2009, and I should register it. I realized this was a virus when I couldn't access my email site, much less account. It was constantly redirecting me on many sites I had previously gone to with no trouble.

So don't be like me. Naive. Stupid. Dumb. Blind. Follower. BUT, if you are like me, and are looking for a solution to get rid of Antivirus 2009 follow these easy steps.

1.Click on your control panel
2. Click on Performance and Maintenance icon. If you don't see performance and maintenance switch to "category view" in your control panel...look for it on the top left.
3. Click on System Restore
4. A calendar will present itself to you. Go back and pick a date that you know you didn't have Antivirus 2009 on your computer. And restore to that date.
5. Relax. Breathe. Tape your hair back onto your head. Problem solved.

Now, wasn't that easy?!

xoxo ~L

Caramel Candy Corn...Love - Hate

So I'm at the local grocery store, minding my own business, when I walk up to the express line, and what do they have there? They have CARAMEL CANDY CORN. I can't stand candy corn, it's so sugary and over the top with sweetness. But this, this could be a whole new thing. Never mind that I just made the most incredible caramel, chocolate, oatmeal bars. So I had caramel on the brain. This caramel corn was speaking to me, it said "just try me, I'll change your mind about candy corn...I have a caramel flavor". So I bought it. I really wanted to say...Oh thank the candy gods, they've come up with a solution to the grainy sugary taste of candy corn by adding caramel. But noooooooo! It's still grainy, sweet and just too much. At least for me. So goes my love-hate relationship with cand corn. I really want to love it, but I just can't seem to get the tastebuds on board with this.

Goodbye summer

This is the old, old, very old summer house our family gets to use on vacation. Don't let it's looks decieve you. The kitchen is as big as the average large area rug. Approximately 12' x 14'. No dishwasher or kitchen cabinets, and the stove...well let's just say we grill a lot!

There is also no air conditioning. But where we are, there's always a breeze to waft through the screens, and keep us cool. Yes, the house is old, buggy, and just plain dirty, but me and the family wouldn't trade it for nothin'.

So goodbye summer house...we'll be back next year to dust, sweep, vacuum and grill :)

Playing just got a whole lot greener

Ok....is this not the cutest homemade kitchen you've ever seen?! Wondering what makes it so "green". I made it out of cardboard!!! Yes, ladies and gents, cardboard. Thanks to a wonderful pattern from Laura at fortytworoads who seems to be inventing all kinds of things lately! Check out her blog to find out all her latest plans. FYI, she just got featured in Craft magazine for this. Anyway, I'm just glad I happened across her shop on etsy, while looking for a play kitchen for the Kellster.

So here's my version. The instructions were easy to follow. Getting the cardboard, not so difficult with all the big box stores around. For some reason it was scary to cut the cardboard. I had been dumpster diving for the morning, and didn't want to mess anything up. But once I got going...man was it fun!!!

I'd say overall this was a weekend project. One morning to gather supplies. One afternoon to cut and glue together the cardboard. One morning to cover it in contact paper, and put together. Then voila...

Now you're not only going green, but you've made something sturdy that will last, and is so much more attractive than those big plastic kitchens :)

xoxo ~L

Need a hip new phone

So, I have this really, really, really old cell phone. Seriously! Believe it or not, I didn't even own a cell phone until just a few years ago. This is about what my current model looks like. I'm thinking of something a little smaller?! But I want to keep the fancy features of this one. Displays the number I'm calling and...well that's about it. Now I don't even own an mp3 player either. So I've narrowed it down to these 2 phones:

The LG vu

or

The Sony Ericsson 580i

I really like the feel and look (hey it's pink!!!) of the Sony. But I know how "hot" the LG vu is right now, what with the cool touchpad screen (Think iphone). Personally, for me, if I have to hold that phone to the side of my face it's just going to be a simulation of what Tammy Faye's (May she Rest In Peace) pillow, surely looked like. My makeup will be all over that screen ;) BTW, this will have to double as an mp3 player. You didn't really think I had one of those, now did you?

Anyone? Ideas? Pros or cons? Have one of these?

xoxo ~L

Breakfast of Champions?

It's not toasted, golden, buttery or even warm. Personally, just making it gives me the heebie jeebies, but my #2 son loves them. If you can't tell it's a bagel with cream cheese. A plain bagel with cream cheese. Can you tell it's not toasted? Yes folks it never saw the light of a toaster. No, the cream cheese is not melting as you spread it, becoming nice and gooey, because it's not even warm.

With 4 kids, you gotta figure one of them is going to be a little different when it comes to eating. This is only one of the things...

xoxo ~L

Let us not forget!

I've been thinking about this day for the last few weeks. I really believe from all that I'm seeing and reading, that many Americans in our country have forgotten how they felt this day, 7 years ago.

If they would really reach back into the recesses of their minds, and recall the outrage, gall, and despair we were all feeling, no one would be complaining about our current government!

Watch, and remember!



I pray that the victims and their famalies have found some peace. I thank the soldiers fighting for our country! I am proud to be an American!

Never Forget!

xoxo ~L

Sweet, sweet baby girls

Hi folks, Kelly here. Mom seems to be up to her eyeballs with homework, cooking, cleaning and trying to keep her sanity. Somehow she seems to think we all have a hearing problem.

Well, at least the boys do...not me :) I'm an angel, sent from up above! I never get into trouble or mischief! For those of you not aquainted with the lovely sweet nature of a baby girl, let me fill you in. We only shriek when we need something. We only throw a hissy fit when we need something. We only take all our clothes and diaper off (like Houdini) and run around naked when we feel like it. And can I just tell you how much FUN it is! I mean really...the birthday suit is just so freeing! I love to run and laugh and giggle while my mom pulls out her hair. Don't worry though, those spots are starting to grow back in:)


No, if you haven't had a sweet little girl baby in your casa, I suggest you beg, borrow or steal to get one of us! Well, not the steal part.

xoxo ~Kelly

Clean slate, so to speak!

Does this look familiar? Do you have a ton of stuff on your refrigerator? Mine is like everything else in my house...over run with CLUTTER. I always start the school year with the best of intentions. I tell myself I will only put up the things that I absolutely need to see at a moments notice! This would include the school calendar, and what?...What do you really need to see right away at a moments notice? Do I need the cutie pie picture of Kelly when she was 6 mos. old, and it was her first Christmas? Do I need the chronological pictures of the "kids" for Christmas cards since 2004? Bottle opener? Toys? Multiplication table? Nope, not needed.

I am trying to organize myself. The anxiety and stress I feel over the amount of clutter on top of every surface in my house overwhelms me sometimes. Yes, I have issues, but at least I know it :) I am proud to say I have cleaned up the front of my refrigerator! There's a trick...

Stainless Steel!

Now, I don't want to present the illusion that I have de-cluttered, hired a "family coach" and/or have become extremely organized! I honestly did not know my things wouldn't stick to our new refrigerator. OK, stop laughing. You're hurting my feelings. I know I'm not the sharpest stick in the woods. Is that a correct euphimism? Is that how you spell euphimism?

Just to "keep it real".

Don't even talk to me about the fingerprints, ok? I didn't say it was clean.

xoxo ~L

Abracadabra

Wondering if it's worth the money? Oh yeah, baby, it's worth it! I can not stand the fact that whenever I make a cake the center rises up and I'm forced to either pretend I'm a professional cake decorator and cut the "top" off horizontally. Or decorate my cake as a dome. I'm pretty much screwed with either option.

So when I saw these in the store, and I have seen them for awhile, I figured why not! I had a couple family birthday's coming up. Besides $8 didn't seem like too much to part with for a magic trick.

Please note the overall flatness of this cake. Oh, and the creamy frosting center...mmmm! Anyway, it worked! Inside the box, are 2 strips of a padded silver fabric. Think oven mitt. You soak them in water, ring out the excess, and pin them (similar to floral pins) around your cake pan. The beauty is you can use them on a 9x13 pan also. Just pin the strips together. Then cook as normal, and watch the magic begin :)

I'm no science whiz, so I don't even pretend to know why they work, just that they do! So feel free to use them. They are not a hoax.

No, I do not moonlight as a cake decorator. This is just a new obsession for me. Need that like a hole in the head:)

xoxo ~L

There goes my baby!

I haven't been here the last couple days. I've been a quivering, watery, blubbering mess that's been hiding under the covers, now that my 3rd baby is off to kindergarten.

I have to admit, I surprised myself with these emotions. After all, I'd done the kindergarten routine twice before. Jack way back in 2001 and Finn went back in 2004. The big difference was when Jack and Finn went they were in a private school, where I drove them everyday.

We have since decided to pull our kids out of private school (way too expensive, now that we were going to be paying for 3), and go to our local schools. This was after a lot of talk with our kids, the local school staff, and other parents in our neighborhood.

But, I digress...So here I was packing Mr. Dunny off for his 1st day of kindergarten. Super hero backpack, check! New lunchbox, with favorite sandwich, check! Drilled into his head the bus he rides to and fro...even though his brother rides with him, check! Knows our home phone number, check! So we covered everything again, and walked up to the bus stop on this beautiful sunny day! Everyone was so excited. This was going to be a real treat. One no one in our family had done before. This was big, I mean huge. I think it was on par with taking a spaceship to the moon, it was going to be so fun!

We had only waited a few minutes, until the big yellow bus came around the bend. Ohhhh, the excitement was building even more. It was here. At this point I was fine. Nothing to it. I took a picture, and was all ready to wave. But as I watched him disappear into the abyss of the bus aisle, and then saw his little head in the window, just barely above the window line. He had a big smile and was waving furiously, as if I wouldn't see him! The bus doors closed, the blinking flashers stopped and the engine roared to life moving my precious cargo forward.

Oh my word, I couldn't take it. The tear ducts just opened up and started flowing! I was so surprised at myself. Oh, I'm a romantic sure. I cry at commercials, movies, tv shows all that good stuff. But I've never been emotional sending a child off to school. Usually, I'm just happy for them. The great world of learning, independence and socializing...woohoo! But not that day. That day I bawled my eyes out. So here's to you my littlest man going on the biggest journey ever. I love you, and can't wait to hear, everyday, all about it!

Don't miss out...

It's here! It's finally here! The answer to one of my biggest issues. How do I talk on the phone, cuddle a baby, read, eat, play a game, or pet my dog without getting tangled up in a cumbersome blanket?

Answer....The snuggie!!!

Yes, you're days of gettin all caught up inside a blanket are over. Now some genius has invented the snuggie. A blanket with sleeves! It's made of warm soft fleece, and comes in a few different colors.

Yes, I know I was thinking the same thing...isn't this a robe put on backwards? No, No...this is truly different. It's floor length. OK?! FLOOR LENGTH!!! I mean dragging behind you long! That way you're warm "from head to toe".

So, I really felt it my duty to let you all in on this wonderful opportunity. So don't miss out...



Your Welcome!
xoxo ~L

15 years...

When you get married, you know it's going to last forever, right?! I always thought that. I grew up with that. My husband grew up with it, also. Both our parents are still married. Well, my dad is a widower, but you get the point. They showed us how you get thru it. Stand by each other thru thick and thin. I must admit, this isn't always my strongest trait. Hubby on the other hand, has it in spades! His mantra in life is all about loyalty, and integrity. I have to put them together, as they really are one in the same for him. This is why I love him so.

Can he be a pain? Sure, you bet. Does he get on my nerves...daily? Pretty much. Do I nag him no end? Uh, Huh!!! But, we have that ability to see each other as we are. Flaws, and all. We accept them, cherish them and actually find comfort in them. Why? Because no one is perfect, and if you start thinking you are, watch out you're in trouble.

Lest you think this isn't much of an anniversary, lovey dovey post. Let me tell you all the wonderful things we (more hubby, than I) do for each other.

He does the dishes, and cleans the kitchen every night. I make dinner :)
He reads to the children and has a fun bedtime routine with them. I watch :)
On the due date of our lost pregnancy/baby this year, he wrote me a wrenching heartfelt card (nevermind, that his pain was just as great as mine).
He will give me a "day-off" every once in a while, just cause he knows I need it. I let him :)
Whenever I have a complaint, he listens, accepts, and works on whatever it is I've suggested he work on. I do this a lot :)
He cleans bathrooms, does laundry, knows how the dishwasher works, and won't ever hire a housekeeper...because he's willing to help out :)
He is my pitbull. I am the labrador :)
He is my champion. He is my love. He is my life.
He has had to jump huge hurdles in life, and yet never complains once.
He will surprise me by just offering to do something, or the way he'll respond to a certain situation.

Most important of all...he is funny. I mean really, really funny. He is a big goofball, and is never afraid to make a fool of himself in front of the kids...just to get a laugh. He walks around the house singing his own made up versions of songs, or a clip of some favorite song. The kids have taken to do this as well. It is extremely hilarious!

So honey, I thank you for some of the best and also the hardest times of my life. Fifteen years. I know sometimes I didn't think we'd be here. But you...you always knew we would!

I'll love you forever! You are my soulmate, and one hell of a guy :)

Oh, and by the way...I think this pretty much set the tone :)

xoxo ~L

Alert...Notice to song of the day listeners.

Lately, I been trying to work out, and become a little healthier. My mother died very early in life due to poor reperatory/circulation problems. Nevermind, she smoked her entire life, and her parents, brother, and sisters all had the same issues. I will actually learn from my parents mistakes. I can't believe I just said that...now I know I'm an adult.

In this quest of better health, I usually find myself very gung-ho at first. Only later to be petered out by a bunch of rationales. You know...Oh, I'll do it tomorrow. I can't overload myself, that's not good either. I've done really well, what's one more day?! Could I be any more pathetic?!

So to keep myself more motivated, I've been listening to a lot of my "old" music, whle working out. I will more than likely be posting a lot of these, as I run across them. Some of these bands you may not have heard of. But I hope you will perhaps learn a new song/band that you may like the sound of, and even look into getting a cd. I learned about these bands back in the 80's mostly, when I dated a guy who listened to "alternative" rock. I think they still use that term...but a lot of those "would be" alternative bands nowadays have made it into good old regular pop music.

Not the best video I've ever seen, but this is a rockin song.

So, let me know if you have a favorite, or if you've found something you liked here, at song of the day.
xoxo ~L

Ahhh....The Good 'Ole County Fair

Ya know, there's nothing we enjoy more, or look forward to more, than our annual county fair! So much to see and do! The sweet soft pink piglets sucking on their momma, who's completely conked out whilst they do this! (Not that I could relate to that). There are the ducklings, all yellow and fuzzy sitting under their heat lamp. Again, not that I would ever do that! Oh and yes, the baby calf who had been born just under 36 hrs. prior to our visit. His little legs were still wobbly, he looked knock knee'd. Somehow this reminded me of my painful, awkward teenage years. I have issues, alright?!

So there we are strolling along, admiring all the other exhibits. There were all the judging categories. Cakes, pies, largest tomato, best watercolor, primitive art, etc.... Then I spied a new exhibit booth. One that was colorful, eclectic, funky and kooky...


Okie dokie!! Evidently in these parts "toilet decorating" is an art form that deserves a blue ribbon at our county fair. Hmmmm...looking forward to next year with much anticipation ;)

xoxo ~L

Dear Breyers...

Dear Breyers,

I'm writing to let you know that as of tomorrow, or maybe right this minute, I will be calling my broker to buy as many shares of your stock as possible! Obviously, since you've made your packages smaller (1.75 quarts down to 1.50 quarts), your profits will be huge! I know, I know, it's really the fact of the rising cost to transport your yummy ice cream, wink, wink. Also, undoubtedly you didn't want to hit your faithful, loyal, and I suppose generally stupid customers with a price increase. Hence, the brilliant idea to just make a smaller package.

I'm sure as it was discussed in your executive board room, you instinctively knew no one would notice a little bit smaller pakage. But, oh they would notice a price increase. So for obvious reasons, you don't even have to make a "comment" on this latest downsizing, just keeping the one that occured a year ago on your web site. Ingenious!

I will warn you though, that Edy's has caught on to this little gem of an idea as well. So truly I find myself at a quandry as to which company to invest my money in. But again, I say bravo to those of you at the top (who I'm sure are making huge salary sacrifices) just to meet your margins. By putting all these strategies together you're sure to see more and more greenbacks headed your way :)

Let's just hope that Turkey Hill doesn't find out about this! They've made a huge miscalculation on letting their packages stay the same size. So their 1.75 quart packages are going to look awfully funny next to yours. Hahahaha...the jokes on them!

So, thank you, thank you, thank you! Once again big business has come out right where they should be...on top!

xoxo ~L

Back From Vacation

Well all, I am back! And boy am I honked off!!! First of all the "new foodnetwork star" was such a disapointment! I couldn't believe it. I was explaining to hubby that they had their bases covered, and it really just depended on what kind of show they were looking for.

I thought Lisa and her Beautiful Basicshow was down to earth, and I would definately watch. She had a lot of hidden talents...the girl has got some lungs! But, I came home to catch Bobby Flays The Main Ingredient on lifetime (this show debuted in 1996). Now, I don't think Bobby is the kind of guy who feels threatened in his greatness, but maybe, just maybe, he thought Lisa was doing a take off of his show?!

Well, for whatever reason, I guess I have to say congratulations to Aaron McCargo Jr. I hope you become the star you worked so hard to become :)

xoxo ~L

On Vacation

We are off for 2 weeks, will miss you all!

An oldie, but a goodie! Family Ties

Who didn't want to jump into their TV set and live with this family? Or were you someone that decided you were more like one of the characters on the show, and just enjoyed watching? Either way, this show became an instant hit, and it's obvious to see why. Boy I miss this kind of family TV show. Now that I have children ages 2-12, these shows are sorely missed. Where, ow where are the 80's executives, that recognize the value of "family values". Uh, hello?!

Somebody, please help!

xoxo ~L

What a Hottie...Jim Rockford

Yes! Yes! Yes! I was a lovesick teen. Man, this guy had everything a rebelious girl like myself could want. Attitude, penchant for trouble, and an awesome car! Oh, and he always found a lady in there somehow. I'm sure if he'd known me, he would've really, really liked me. Maybe I could've passed his producer a note in gym class.

Hey a girl can dream, can't she :)

xoxo ~L

Continuing with TV Themes...Greatest American Hero

Man, I loved this show! It had everything going for it...goofy guy, heart throb girl, tough guy to help out the goofy guy! This song just popped into my head the other day, and I have yet to get it
out. So now I'm just singing it all day long, and my kids think I'm crazy.

I can remember buying the 45 for my record player (this was before the CD), and playing it over and over in my room. It just made an awkward pre-adolescent girl with no figure, acne, short hair and who was skinny as a rail feel a little bit better about who she was.

Sigh...ahhh, the good old days...when I was skinny as a rail. None of that other stuff:)

Then there was this to freshen up our memory...

T.V. theme week...tune in...Hahahaha.

I don't know why, but it popped into my head about all the great songs that came from television. Not that Love boat was a "hit", but we all...admit it, own it, c'mon now...loved that show! I couldn't wait to see who the crazy characters were. The couple that found each other, because of the destiny of The Love Boat. I'm a sucker for romance! How about you? What shows made you wait with baited breath to see the next episode (o.k. besides Dallas)?

Happy Anniversary to My BFF and her Hubby

Well, I really wish I had a picture of the 2 of you! Happy Anniversary...15 years. I think I speak for all of us, when I say...I know what you're doing tonight :P

xoxo ~L

Happy Birthday to my Firstborn

Wow, twelve years goes by fast. But I remember your story like it was yesterday!

We had tried for years, and years to have a baby. We'd seen a specialist...the best in the area, and had tried a very expensive medicine to help me et pregnant. We could only afford one cycle, and during that cycle, my egg just disappeared one day. The nurse said sometimes that happens, and we could try again next time. I let her know we would get back in touch when we could afford it. After a few months, hubby was going to get a big commission check, so I called the nurse to say we would be able to do a treatment the next month. Of course, I hadn't had a period since the last time I'd seen her. This wasn't unusual for me, and there is a medicine, that can induce your period. She told me, by law you must have a blood pregnancy test before the prescription can be filled. So at lunch I went in for blood work. Later as I was getting ready to leave my office for the day, the nurse called. I was expecting her call, and would let her know which pharmacy she could send the Rx to. Imagine my surprise when she says "Lisa, you're pregnant." I didn't actually believer her! I said it's me Lisa S****." She said "Lisa, I know. You really are pregnant." For those of you that have gone thru this, you know the tight bond you have with your nurse. I could hear her smile through the phone. We were both just in shock! It felt soooo good!

I couldn't believe it. Who do I call? What do I tell my co-workers?...I know they've heard me on the phone. When did this happen? Holy Moly!

I couldn't wait...I called hubby right away! He could barely believe it either. We rejoiced, cried, laughed, and thanked God.

The very next day, I had a sonogram to "date" my pregnancy. It wasn't unusual for me to go a number of months with no "monthly visit", if you know what I mean. So imagine our surprise when my fertility Dr. starts the sonogram to see how far along I am and we see a little baby moving around. I mean full fledge head, legs, feet, hands, spine, eyes, etc... an actual little baby...Holy Moly!!! We all were in awe, and immediately started crying. I've never ever felt those tears of joy in the same way again.

Our joy was shortlived. The next day my regular OB/GYN Dr. called and told us something was wrong with the baby, and to come in right away. He did a sonogram, and showed us that there was very little amniotic fluid, and that this ALMOST ALWAYS meant that something was WRONG with the baby. What?!?! This couldn't be happening! He suggested an Amnio to find out exactly what was wrong. Being my first pregnancy, I figured we should go along with that. It made sense, didn't it?! The day came for the amnio, and I was so nervous, I was sweating in places I won't mention. I told my OB/GYN that I didn't like the odds of miscarriage after amnio, and he asked me this simple question:

Dr: What will you do with the results of the Amnio?

Me: Nothing.

Dr: Nothing?

Me: Well, I most certainly wouldn't terminate this pregnancy!

Dr: Then lets just skip the amnio, and we can keep a close watch on things, by sonogram. We'd have to do that to watch the baby grow, anyway.

Me: Really? (with great relief!!!)

Dr: Yup!

Me: OK!

Dr: OK, get dressed and I'll see you in my office.

That was that!! Anytime I would hear Natalie Merchant sing "Wonder", I felt as though she were predicting the outcome or our pregnancy. Listen to the words...my heart still fills with Joy everytime I hear it.

To make a long story short...our faith told us that God had given us this baby, and God would take care of this baby. We knew to let His will be done.

6 mos. later and a few complications along the way (bed rest, diabetes, still no improvement in fluid) our beautiful son Jack was born. He was 2 weeks early (not considered preemie) and healthy as a horse. None of the Dr.'s or specialists I saw could ever tell us why the amniotic fluid was so low. Frankly, it didn't matter! He was here, and he was in our arms safe and sound.

So here's to my first born son. All my children came to me in a special way, but I consider you our very first miracle! The one who started it all!

Dude, You the Man!

Love, Mom

Mmmmm...NC Style BBQ

Well, I haven't been able to stop thinking, drooling, salivating, figuring on a way to marry it BBQ. Not just any BBQ, no siree, an authentic vinegar based saucy style pulled pork BBQ.

Oh, come to mama! This delectable sandwich that looks so divine, is one of the most heavenly things! Trust me on this! The tangy sauce, with no overpowering vinegar. Just the right blend of seasonings, pulled pork and sauce brought together on a simple bun.

Quick to the kitchen! First you're going to need a pork shoulder. Mine weighed between 4 -5 lbs. That was plenty for my family of six with enough leftovers for a sandwich or 2 the next day.

Next you want to gather up 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 an onion, and about 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar.

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Don't be afraid of the garlic. Embrace it! It's easy, don't rely on that pre-minced refrigerated stuff. Let me show you how easy it is to make garlic your friend!

Next seperate out 3 "cloves" and remove the papery layer. So you may chop the garlic. Prepare you're senses for the warm, sinus opening smell of the garlic. Oh, I love it!

Place a large chef's knife on top of your garlic clove and press down so it gets a little smushed. Then you get to take out a little agression and smash down onto the knife, crushing the clove of garlic. Ahhh, I feel a little less stressed already.

Grab hold of the end of your garlic clove where it comes to a point.

Give it a little squeeze and push at the same time, so that the garlic starts to slide out of its skin

Ta Da...you are now an expert at peeling garlic, without using one of those silly tools you find on the kitchen gadget wall at most stores.

Then you get to finely chop the garlic and release it's heavenly aroma. I am just dying here! I would eat this garlic right now, except I'd like to remain a functioning acceptable person in society. Plus keeping my friends is always a bonus :)

Just start chopping! Chop, chop, chop!

Heat some olive oil in a pan, and throw in the onion and garlic and saute until just tender and translucent. Don't you love that word "translucent". It sounds so authoritative, and all knowing! Like you actually know what's going on in your saucepan. Me...I haven't gotta clue, but it sounds good!

Add in the vinegar. Next you will need to trim the fat off your shoulder (pork shoulder). I'd personally love to be able to trim the fat off my stomach, thighs, behind and neck, but that's a bit off track.

Get out your largest stock pot, put it over a medium heat, and add in about 4 tablespoons olive oil. Once heated add in the shoulder and brown on all sides. You may think this step isn't necessary, but the falvor off the bottom of the pan will bubble and cook and seep into your meat. Ahhhhh!

Slide your delicious mixture of onion, garlic and vinegar over the shoulder. Cover your pot and put into a 350 oven. Now comes the hardest part. Waiting!! Oh my word, what to do whilst you wait for the glorious 3 hrs. it's going to take for this meat to be so tender, moist and delicious, that you'll just sit and pull it apart with only 2 forks?!

I did laundry. Do not try this at home. Please make my heart happy, and do something fun. Read a book you've wanted to read. Get a trashy magazine, and let me know how poor Heather Locklear is doing. Anything, but laundry!

Once the meat is falling off the bone, you may pull it out, and shred until your heart's content! The shoulder will soak up all the juices, onion and garlic from cooking. All you have to do is add in about a cup to a cup and a half of your favorite BBQ Sauce. Make it thick, thin, somewhere inbetween. Your call. Just make it. Now. Do it. Go on.

P.S. You'll need a great coleslaw to have with it. I had to buy some slaw, because I have to put just a little on my sandwich. Oh, the contrasting flavors of the sweet slaw and the tangy BBQ, it's almost too much for me to take! It's just who I am. Hopefully you'll be better than me, and actually make your own coleslaw...you gourmet!

xoxo ~L

For all the Service Men and Women...

I thank you for keeping me and this land I love free! Happy 4th of July.

GOD BLESS AMERICA