I just cant get the hang...

of this blogging thing can I? I just don't have the time or the energy to do this every single day.  So we shall settle for whenever I think about it, deal?

With that being said!  I will start off with Thanksgiving!

The day before Thanksgiving I went to my SIL's house to fix the turkey and such. Her and her husband are still considered newlyweds, and Jessica had no experience cooking a Turkey, or a large meal for get togethers. So we had a lot of fun while I was picking the leftover feathers off the turkey. I think the greatest part of the night was when I pulled the neck and giblets out of the inside. She flipped out when I told her what it was. One of my best memories so far!

So, the pinterest menu was a complete hit with everyone, and made so much I ended up with plenty of leftovers. It was well worth it!

I made a great dish with the left over stuffing. My stuffing had plenty of sausage in it, as well as onions and celery. I mixed 8 eggs , 1 cup of cheese, and mixed it all together with the stuffing, then put some Parmesan on top, baked for 30 minutes and it was amazing! The kids had seconds and thirds, and everyone was very very happy!

Fast forward to this past week.

Things have been really tight around here money wise.  I have been stressing out about Christmas, and could not figure out how I would be able to afford anything for the kids. We don't even have a Christmas tree!  I figured I was going to do lots of Christmas related crafts with them to try and decorate our home as festively as possible for the little ones. Then, I get a phone call from the school. A local business wants to adopt a family for the holidays, and we were picked! I talked to them, showed them the Walmart wishlist that I have been working on all year, and then the gentleman I was talking to started to tell me about the Christmas tree they would be bringing.... Holy crap, We get a tree!  A live tree!  I have always had the fake ones, yet always wanted a live tree.  I love the smell, it just screams Christmas to me!  So I am very excited about this Christmas! I have completely gotten in the holiday spirit now, where as before I was just sort of blah about the whole thing!

The first visit from the "Christmas elves" was to bring us Elf on the Shelf! I am sure most of you have heard of the mysterious elf that shows up before Christmas, runs to Santa every night and lets him know if the little ones have been good or bad that day! Mind you he also likes to get himself into precarious positions, and lots of messes! The first morning we set him up the kids went running around the house to try and find him! They were so excited when they saw him hanging from the microwave cart! I woke to screams "We found him, we found him!" It was great to hear the kids laughing and trying to figure out what the little elf they named "Happy" was up to! I will be posting pictures of things our wonderful little elf has been getting himself into!

A few weeks ago my children's Nana ran over our little dachhound "Scrappy".  It tore my 5 year olds little heart up knowing that his best friend was gone.  We had a long talk about where he went after he died.  The problem was, he started acting out tremendously. I knew I had to do something. Things were getting pretty bad. He was biting and hitting, and nothing I was doing was working.  So I thought maybe, if we got a new pet, things would calm down a bit.  Craigslist to the rescue! We ended up getting a rat. A beautiful dumbo eared rat Kathryn named Whiskers.

Whiskers is a sweetheart! He is 10 weeks old and very very smart! He likes pretzels, but his favorite is carrots! He is very social, and loves to be held.  The most amazing thing happened.  The day after we got him all the kids went to school. Caleb comes home, runs into the dining room where Whiskers lives in his tank, pulls up a chair, and sits there, for HOURS.  My autistic, ADHD son sat for HOURS watching this little rat.  It amazed me! Such a huge difference from his temper tantrums after Scrappy died.  I am so glad that I made the right move on this. Things have been so much better since Whiskers came into our home and wiggled into our hearts!

Well, off to decorate the house in funky Christmas decorations!

A Pinterest Thanksgiving!

So I decided that most of the items on my Thanksgiving list are going to be made from recipes I have seen on Pinterest! I am really excited about this!  I would say that I am going to be doing step by step pictures... But then again, I probably wont. So I am just going to post the recipes and let you all decide!

Thanksgiving Menu

Ham

Turkey -- Crocpot

corn Casserole

Sweet potato pecan casserole

Bacon Wrapped Green bean Bundles

Cheesy Onion Casserole

Turnip Greens in crocpot

Savory Glazed Carrots

Cranberry sauce

7up biscuits

Jim N Nicks Biscuits

Deviled Eggs

Corn Casserole

Via Pinterest on Pennies on a Platter's website

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6-8 servings

1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn

1 (8 oz) package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9- by 9-inch baking or a 2 quart casserole dish.

Mix together the corn, Jiffy, sour cream and butter in a large bowl. Stir in the cheese. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: If baking in a 9x13, the texture will be different than baking in the 2 quart casserole. The 9x13 will be thin slices where the 2 quart casserole produces more of a corn pudding. Either way is delicious.

Sweet Potato Casserole

via Pinterest at askchef's message board

Ingredients

4 cups sweet potato, cubed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.

In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

(My recipe)

4 (15-oz.) cans of whole green beans ~ not “cut”, not “french-style”

bacon strips, cut in half (I use my kitchen scissors.)

1 cup melted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Gather 10 beans into a bundle.  Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick.  Arrange in a 9×13 pan.

Combine melted butter, brown sugar, garlic salt, and soy sauce in a bowl.  Mix well.  Pour over beans.

Chill overnight or for several hours.  Bake at 375° for 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until bacon is cooked.

Cheesy Onion Casserole

Via Pinterest at Instuctable's

2-3 Tbs butter or margarine

3 large sweet onions or 4 medium white or yellow onions

2 c. shredded Swiss cheese (8 oz.)

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted**

2/3 c. milk

1 tsp. soy sauce

8 or so slices of French bread

**You can substitute cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken to make vegetarian.

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat, and add onions. Saute onions until clear, a little brown is ok. In a shallow 2 qt. casserole pan, layer onions, 2/3 of cheese and pepper to taste.

In a sauce pan, heat soup, milk, and soy sauce, stirring to blend. Pour soup mixture in a casserole and stir gently to mix. Top with bread slices. Bake at 350 uncovered for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, top of bread should be nice and toasted.

Push bread slices under the sauce and top with the remaining cheese.

Place casserole back in oven and finish baking for 15 more minutes. 

Total prep time: 20 minutes.

Total baking time: 30 minutes. 

Turnip Greens in Crocpot

1 smoked ham hock

4 -6 slices thick bacon (optional)

8 cups collard greens, tough ribs and stems removed, torn into thin strips              (kale may also be used)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups water

Serve With

1/2 cup minced mild onion (optional)

red wine vinegar (amount to taste) (optional)

hot pepper sauce             (I like Tabasco, amount to taste) (optional)

Directions:

Note: be sure to rinse collards thoroughly before using.

Remove any thick stems and tear or chop leaves into strips.

Cook bacon in a skillet until the fat renders and bacon becomes translucent.

Place bacon, with its drippings, into the bottom of the crock pot.

Add the greens, ham hock, salt, pepper, and water into crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Remove ham hock, discard skin and shred meat, returning meat to crock pot.

Serve greens with minced onion, vinegar and Tabasco, if desired.

Savory Glazed Carrots

Via Pineterest on Deep South Dish's website

Ingredients

2 pounds of carrots

2 cups of beef stock or broth

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2-1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

3-4 turns of the pepper grinder

Salt, to taste

Fresh or dried parsley, optional

Instructions

Peel, quarter and cut the carrots into 2-inch strips. In a large heavy bottomed pot, bring the stock up to a boil, adding in the butter, sugar and pepper. Add the carrots and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until carrots are tender and liquid has reduced to a thick glaze.

Taste and add salt as needed. Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if desired.

7Up Biscuits

Found via Pinterest on Plain Chicken's Website

from Plain Chicken

Printable Recipe

2 C Bisquick

1/2 C sour cream

1/2 C 7-up

1/4 C melted butter

Add sour cream into Bisquik and mix together, add 7 Up.  The dough will be very soft. Sprinkle additional Bisquick onto the counter and gently pat the dough out to desired thickness (about 1 inch)  Use the bottom of a glass or a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits.    Place melted butter into 9 x 9 pan.  Bake in a 450 oven until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. (Double recipe)

Just like Jim N Nicks Biscuits

Found Via Pinterest on Plain Chicken's Website

1 1/2 cups Bisquick

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 Tbps sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425.  Stir together all ingredients just until combined.  Scoop into a mini muffin pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden.  **I used a medium cookie scoop and got 20 muffins**

Deviled Eggs

(My Recipe)

20 hard boiled eggs 

1/4 to 1/2 cup of miracle whip

1 avacado mashed

1-2 squirts of mustard

salt and pepper to taste

tiny bit of lemon juice

cut eggs in half, combine yellows and miracle whip, avacado, mustard, salt & pepper and lemon juice. mix well. fill eggs, and eat!

So thats pretty much it! Well, that's the plan anyway. But things have been known to change pretty frequently around here!  Hope everyone has a great week!

Do-it-yourself Dish Soap

I was pretty bored today with the kids being over at their dads and I was running out of dish soap...  Since this week I am going to be doing a lot of DIY type stuff - like laundry detergent, and I need to make some new cleaner...  I figured, why not try to make some Dish soap as well...  So... that is exactly what I did.

Following the recipe was the easy part. It didnt turn out the way I wanted it to... most likely because I used the wrong stuff... But I was able to fix my mistake, and I am actually pretty happy with the results! 

You will need: a large pot, Arm&Hammer washing powder (not baking powder!) a half a bar of grated ivory soap, 2 qts warm water, 1/4 cup white vinegar, essential oil (I used lavender  and food coloring (optional) 

Pour the 2 quarts of water into the pot, adding 1 cup washing powder, 1 tablespoon glycerin, 1/2 bar of grated ivory soap and white vinegar, bring to a slow boil. 

You want everything to become all nicely melted and the water will be mostly clear.  Remove from heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Then add in 7 drops essential oil and your food coloring of choice (I used purple).

Let sit for an hour or so.  You will start to see a film on top, stir it every 20 minutes or so.  Pour into a 2 qt jug (I used a V8 jug!) You will see some solids in there, dont worry about it. Shake it every once in awhile. It will get thicker and thicker as time goes on!

The cooler it becomes the more it thickens.  

I spilled a little on my hands, and I love the feel of it.  My hands are smoother.. Not dry like most soaps will do!  It's not completely cooled. But I had fun making it! Definitely plan on doing this more often.  Also hoping that it sets right, but we will see for sure in a few days! Once its completely done I will take pictures and begin the next batch and actually show you all the pictures :) until then, have fun!

ADHD, Asthma and Autism, OH MY!

When my mother told me that my kids would pay me back for all the bad things I did when I was a kid, I laughed. Okay, not entirely true.  I sat down and thought "hmm, I wasn't really a bad kid!" (Until I hit the teenage years that is, but they still have no idea about that, so it doesn't count, right?) It's not that my kids are bad, but over the past several months it seems I have become a circus performer, jumping through countless hoops to get through just the day! Here is the update that is much needed!

Kathryn has been a "normal" 6 almost 7 year old.  Homework has become one more daily chore piled onto my already overwhelming list. For crying out loud seriously, who is in school here, me or her? It's a fight to see who has more stamina, who can sit there and cry, scream, yell the loudest, just to give in.  I can only do so much, right?

Dylan is his typical mischievous self.  He instigates almost all the fights between his brother and sister. Blames everyone else. Everyone sees him as this perfectly sweet, innocent little boy, who never does anything wrong.  I saw through that facade a long time ago. Dylan has 2 settings, Big Helper: Does his chores, even without being asked, homework done and then some. Andddd then there is Little Devil: fights everything I say, instigates everything, battles are usually lost with him standing in the corner. The weather is getting cooler, which means It is asthma season... I am dreading this.  I know a severe lack of sleep is on the way.  Luckily, I am stocked up on medicine and coffee.  For both of us.

Caleb.. He is the reason I have jumped through more hoops than a circus clown.  If you have ever had to have a child placed into the special needs program in school, then you know completely what I am talking about. I have battled (imagine suiting up in full chain and platemail armor and you know what I am getting at) with school boards, psychologists  school counselors  bus drivers (seriously, if you have an autistic child yourself, you should know and understand how he reacts to a big huge bus with lots of kids! HELLO! DUH!) doctors, nurses, and teachers (although his teacher is FRIGGEN AMAZING!) Seriously, His teacher is the best thing that has happened to me since sliced bread.  She completely understands his needs, and she helps us so much! If it wasn't for her I am pretty sure I would not have pushed so hard to get him on the special needs. It took 4 months to get my son onto an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) It has been a very rough and trying road.  But we finally did it!  Caleb is doing better than ever, and I couldn't be happier!

Overall, the kids have been doing very well. Every once in awhile I have one of those moments that I am on the right track, where I feel that everything is right in the world and I am not a complete failure.  But then, something shatters my bubble of perfection.  The whole single mom thing is not easy by any means.  But oddly enough, it is easier to deal with the kids without my ex around.  More and more I feel like myself, and not some screwed up carbon copy that was messed up in the presses.

When I found the second lump in my breast, I had to swallow a huge measure of pride. I already knew what the outcome would be when the doctor examined me but I chose to wait anyway. Needless to say it didn't disappear, but grew. Once again I went under the knife and had the damn thing removed. Stay gone this time!!!  I do not want to be a lumpy, pincushion that the doctor gets to use! (Although I must say I absolutely LOVE Dr Lisa Farmer! She is awesome, laid back and has great bedside manner!) My breast is still a bit tender, but hopefully that will disappear soon.

Kids birthdays are literally right around the corner. Dylans is exactly one week away, with Kathryns and Calebs right behind it.  I don't have anything to give them, which makes me feel awful. I guess it also makes me feel awful that I am doing this birthday party in hopes that kids bring gifts to them, to make up for the fact that I can't afford to get them anything.  *Please don't let the other parents be stingy!!!*

Well, thats about it, so much has happened since my last post, and I am really trying to get back into writing- hopefully that will help me get out some of my frustration in the world around me.  Either that or maybe I should find an abandoned building and start smashing windows...  either or could be satisfying...

Best Dinner... Ever....

I sat there today, debating on what on earth to cook. I was frustrated because I forgot to take out something last night, and I didn't want to wait several hours to cook.  My eyes rested on the bag of Whiting...  Well, it is Just me and the kids.  So... I went online and typed in Whiting recipes...  Many came up...  The one I decided on making though... I ended up changing completely!!! I had decided to make Whiting with Garlic and Lemon. My biggest thing is I HATE frying food. Any kind of food.  So, I decided to bake it, using bread crumbs.

First I took the fish and soaked it with Worcestershire sauce, then dipped it into the bread crumbs, making sure they are fully coated.

 Lay skin side down on baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray.

Put the fish in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. When they come out, they should look similar to this.

Then make your sauce.  I have to say I completely went away from the recipe with the sauce.  I took garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and combined it with some hollandaise sauce.  The sauce came out perfectly!  The end result...  was absolutly amazing!  The fish had a beautifully smoky flavor to it, and it was fabulous! The kids even had no complaints.  I also made cheesy garlic mashed potatoes and buttered french style beans (yes, with Garlic!)  I am a garlic fiend, it's okay. I admit it.  So sue me.  Anyway, here is the final picture!  It turned out fabulous!

Garlic Lemon Whiting

6-8 Whiting filets

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs (give or take)

Worcestershire sauce

Coat fish in Worcestershire sauce, coat both sides with bread crumbs. Put in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes turning over halfway through baking time. Meanwhile make the sauce.

Sauce:

1 pkg Hollandaise sauce

5 garlic cloves, mashed and diced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup 100% lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Make Hollandaise sauce as stated on the pkg. Add in remaining ingredients. Allow to come to a boil stirring CONSTANTLY! Otherwise it will clump up. Continue stirring until thick remove from heat, stir one more minute. Plate fish and whatever other sides you have, place sauce over fish! (Sauce would be great over steamed mixed veggies too!)

No complaints from this family!!! I was worried that the sauce wouldn't come out right, but I am so glad that I went with my instincts! A perfectly yummy meal!!!

Remember that Vinegar and Orange cleaner I made not long ago? Well, it works wonderfully! Smells great, and it cleans like a dream! I don't have to worry about the kids breathing in toxic fumes when they do their chores. A win/win for me! Not to mention the cost is perfect for my budget!  If you can't remember how to make it, it is simple:

1 mason jar (I used old spaghetti sauce jars)

fill it up with orange rinds (from the kids lunch)

add vinegar until it is full

put the lid on, and let it sit for at least 10 days. Mine sat for 2 weeks and smells divine!

Have a great week, Happy Cooking and parenting everyone!

Rice Krispy Treats and a touch of Nutella... Awesome!

So I have been promising the kids for awhile now that I would make Rice Krispy Treats. Tonight was the night! I made them from an easy easy recipe from the back of the marshmellows bag, but once the kids finished pressing the treats into the 9x13 pan... my gaze drifted lazily over to my pantry. I kid you not I swear the Nutella lit up. The gears started turning. Hmmm, Nutella Rice Krispy treats... Now that sounds awesome! At first I was going to do a thin layer over the top, but then I thought how much fun it would be if we just did swirly designs with a spoon. So thats exactly what we did. I must say, it turned out great!  So here is a picture to get you salivating.

Now go make your own... These are mine...(and the kids since I HAVE to share.) Another post to come later!

By the way, I am in a cooking mood...  hehe Beware!!!

Update: ACV and other things I have learned!

Holy cow! (No there is actually not a holy cow anywhere in the vincity.. that I know of, its just a phrase people, just a phrase.) I have been pleasently surprised to learn that ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar, check out my last post if you need clarification to what on earth I am talking about!!) Really is a cure-all. That terriblely painful UTI that I had?  Completely gone. No more problems. I took it roughly 3 times a day in the V8 Mixture, adding a little lemon juice each time = no pain, and completely gone.  I am impressed.  So over the past week I have been doing tons of research on ACV and it's curing properties.

ACV has been around since 400BC. Originally found for curing different ailments in the body. Okay, great. History is awesome, it really is but what we really want to know is WHAT can vinegar do right? Here is a short list:

• Cure UTI's (I am proof to this!)
• help manage Diabetes
• weight loss
• Cures Acid Reflux
• helps in the beautify department: hair, nails, skin etc.
• helps to make warts disappear
• Helps with hot flashes
• gets rid of fleas, ticks on animals
• Helps animals skin conditions, 

ETC ETC ETC!!!


That's alot, but there is so much more, of course I am sure you know that you can clean with Vinegar right? If you didn't, you do now.  Right now, I have 2 spaghetti jars filled with Orange peels and White vinegar.  You're supposed to leave them for 10 days, which I have done, and its supposed to make an excellent cleaner... Which is does! It also smells so much better than the cleaners you get at the store, it's non toxic to children and pets but it is toxic to that nasty bacteria like E Coli and such.  Not to mention that it saves me a ton of money! I go through cleaners like crazy, usually I end up spending around 20 dollars a month on cleaners, But a big huge bottle of White Vinegar is only 3 dollars at walmart, and then you have the oranges, which I buy anyway for the kids. It works out perfectly!

I have been on a mission to find ways to save money. One of those ways is to make my own detergents, cleaners, etc. So in the next few blog posts I will be doing just that! Hope you all have a great week!  Enjoy!

Drugstore Diva's Giveaway

Drugstore Diva's is giving away a pretty awesome gift bag of Nimble Balance Bars for women and several other goodies!  Go check it out at...

http://drugstoredivas.net/2012/06/18/review-giveaway-balance-bar-nimblequickie-chick/

They sound yummy! So check it out- Also make sure you check out Drugstore Diva's site.  She is pretty awesome and has lots of great tips and tricks!  (Not to mention a great resource for couponers!)

Cure for UTI's? Can it be? A Cure all for just about anything???

The bane of my existence just happens to be Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). For anyone who has never had one, it is a terrible burning, need to pee feeling that doesn't go away.
Me: Outta my way! I gotta pee!  ahhhhhhhhhhh... ow ow ow damn't I have a UTI
Bladder: haha bitch!
Me: ok call doctor, get antibiotics and funky sulfur pills that turn my pee orange. Get up, start to walk out of bathroom and...
Bladder: Hey you! You gotta pee again, turn around and get back on that toilet, stay there all day!

That is the average argument I have with myself EVERY time this happens.  UTI's are dangerous. If you let an infection go without getting it taken care of- the bacteria will travel from your bladder to your kidneys, therein causing a mass infection of painfully epic proportions.  Okay enough of the anatomy lesson.  Needless to say that are very painful and make you pee a lot. Wait, correction make you feel like you have to pee a lot, because you actually don't have to pee very much when you have the infection.

Now a lot of people claim the best thing to do is go to the doctor, get antibiotics and sulfur pills, drink lots of cranberry juice to flush out your body... All that is great, really it is. Yet what about those people who do not have health insurance or are afraid that taking all these antibiotics are going to give way to super resistance bacteria. I prefer the more natural, saving money way.

About a month ago, I woke up with the need to urinate so bad that I thought I was going to pee my pants. Jumped up and ran to the bathroom. After the initial "ahhh" feeling, came the burning, ohmygod hold your breath the pain is unbearable feeling. I went to wipe and of the toilet paper was covered in blood. The toilet water was red from the amount of blood in my urine.  I went to Urgent care, they gave me antibiotics, and I started them immediately. The bad news is: it came back.

A couple weeks later I felt the burning sensation again. I almost started crying. Money is tight, and I cant afford these constant trips to the doctor for this. But I also didn't want to be running to the bathroom every five minutes either.  So I did what any other poor broke student and mother would do.. I got online and did my research.  More than once I ran into the miracle cure... Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV).

Really?  Something I have always used in my laundry, is a miracle cure for just about everything from weight loss to UTIs?  hmmm. Alright, I'm desperate.  There are about a hundred different ways to take the ACV, from capsules to drinking mixed with water or for the very brave those who can slam it down straight! (Can we get those people a freaking medal please?) Most recipes called for mixing the ACV with water and honey and sipping throughout the day.  I decided to try something else.

2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons 100% Lemon juice
Mixed with a nice tall glass of V8 Splash Berry Blend

MMM, now that was good. It has just a tiny kick to it. but overall awesome.  Within 15 minutes the feeling of having to constantly urinate was GONE!!! It has been several hours now, and there has been no more pain.  Holy crap. The best thing to do is to keep drinking clear fluids, and that is what I intend on doing for the next few days, and taking this awesome ACV mix 3 times a day until all symptoms are gone. UTI's are usually around for a week once the antibiotic treatment starts, so I will continue the ACV mix that long! I will keep you all posted!

Did I mention that I have also been getting a stuffy nose and a cough? Since I took the ACV mix, my nose has cleared up and I can breathe now, as well as the incessant need to cough has diminished greatly! I am impressed.  How have I not heard about the curing properties of this before?  It is also supposed to help with weight loss, diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure issues. Of course you should always talk to your doctor before starting any homeopathic remedy.  I will keep you all updated as to whether this "miracle cure" really works, and for the budget conscious and frugal person you can't beat the price!

I look forward to hearing other's points of view on the subject, and if anyone has any additional information. Also if you do try it for a medical condition, I would love to hear your results!

Dreams of Velcro, Potty Training, and Cooking

Ever thought about putting a ton of velcro on the wall, and the other part on your kids... and just stick them to the wall?  I believe I am at that point today. Alright, I will drop the act. I am at that point every single day. Some days it is not so bad, but then again, in retrospect it probably is just as bad but the following day makes me think not so much. Oh and don't forget the duct tape! I would give just about anything to be able to put all my kids on the wall... then duct tape their mouths! Can't talk, can't scream, can't fight, kick, or bite. YES!  Of course, I would do this if I wasn't so afraid of child protective services coming to take away my children... although they would probably just start paying me to take the kids back. Yes, they are that bad sometimes.

Take my youngest for example. He is 4 years old, has ADHD and has significant signs of Aspergers (Autism), He has a few developmental delays that impair his speech and bathroom functions. In other words he tends to shit his pants in the most messy way possible. Mind you he does this in secret so you don't realize it happened until it stinks so bad you need to have a perpetual gas mask glued to your face to see through the green haze following him around. It has become so tiresome to constantly drag out the wipes, and have him bend over to wipe around all those areas. Then the task of finding new clothes for him to wear, which you know is futile since they will be wet and or shitty again in a matter of hours.  He has been getting better going potty in the toilet, but number 2?  yeah, nope.  Please someone tell me I am not doomed to be wiping shitty ass for the rest of my life, that he grows out of this and my life will be so much more fulfilling!

Right this minute I am currently trying to cook a Spinach Quiche that my sister in law Jessica makes all the time. it is supposed to be simple and I know its yummy.  So, We shall see how well this turns out shall we? I have decided I will even take pictures as I go along!  Here is the recipe so you can follow along!

Jessica's Spinach Quiche

1 unbaked pie shell

3 T. margarine 
1/4 t. pepper 
2 eggs 
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed 
3/4 t. salt 
1 c. heavy cream 
1/2 c. sharp cheddar

Prick pie shell and back for 15 mins at 400 degrees.  In skillet, melt butter. Squeeze spinach to remove moisture. Mix spinach, salt, and pepper in skillet. Beat eggs with cream and stir into skillet. Pour into pie shell. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.



First we melt down the butter

Then we add the spinach, I didn't have frozen spinach, but I have plenty of fresh, so i am just going to let it cook down. I also added the salt and pepper.

Then we add the heavy cream and eggs!

Stir it around for a moment, then pour into the glass pie plate. Okay okay, by this time you have probably figured out that I don't have any pie crust. Your right, so sue me.  I was too lazy to run to the store today, so we are having Crust-less spinach quiche. Anyway!

I had a little fun with the spinach, making a design with it. I was bored.

And then we add the cheese and wallah! It is time to go into the oven! Wait a very long 30 minutes, and we come out with this!

Now, doesn't that look amazing?! I can promise it's going to taste even more amazing!!  Now, the question is what to cook for tomorrows dinner... I am leaning towards crab cakes... hmmm...

Some days are just Blah!

There are some days I just want to be locked in a padded sound proof room, and start screaming. Get all this anger, pain, and frustration gone. Somewhere I could punch and kick walls and not worry about damage and property values... Hmm, I wonder if I can get Kyle to build me my own little sound proof room... They may just think I am crazy though which if you think about it, they may actually be right.  I need a break- from everything.

So, my ex husband may have a job, so that will be good.  Child support will be a little easier on him hopefully. Its not that I hate him, I really don't. But I do not want to be around him. He has proven time and time again that he cannot handle the kids. I guess that is one thing that I can rely on though.

So I have been stuck watching Sons of Anarchy for the last few hours thanks to my cousin. lucky me. I know I have to get up nice and early in the morning with the kids, so I guess that me watching my show Supernatural is out of the question. No big deal I guess. I am going to be going to bed soon though, just so I can get some sleep.  My mind has been running constantly with things I need to do, things I want to do, and things that are in my prospective mind that I have no intention of doing. I can only hope that soon something will come my way.

I read that putting newspaper in your garden will keep weeds from growing, so I did that and finished up my planting today.  That was a load of fun! I actually made a mud pie, I really miss being a kid. It would have been a load of fun if the kids had been here. I think I will make a mud pit for them. Does that sound hickish? Is hickish even a word? I don't care, it would be fun! There is always something fun to do... Just have to find it :)

As soon as we get some money we will be working on the house, the things that need repairing, the things that don't need to be repaired, but that I want fixed anyway just to say that I can do it. I am a control freak, what can I say? I have this incessant need to control anything and everything around me.. Problem is, so is my cousin. It's a lovingly shitty family trait. Having two control freaks in the same house is never a good idea,   Just as it is never a good idea to have two alpha males in the house...... although equating Cj and Kyle to dogs is pretty amusing... at least I think it is.  Anyway- I am going to find something to eat and then go to sleep. Have a good night ya'll!

Until next time!

Destructive tendencies?

Sorry I haven't been around. The past week has been completely insane- and the fact that I am completely fed up with life. I cant stand the way my life is going right now. Since asking for the divorce, things were going great for awhile. But now, now I feel like I am falling apart, like I can't keep my head above water.  Slowly drowning out my happiness and waiting to see how long it will take.  Good things that have happened this week are: Kathryn has passed Kindergarten, so onto first grade. Dylan has passed Pre-K, so onto Kindergarten.  Caleb will hopefully be going into Pre-K.

My Cousin Cj, his wife Jonelle, and their amazing little baby Corbin have moved in with us.  Hopefully this will help with the money issue once they find jobs. But honestly, so far it hasnt been any different. Kyle has to go in monday to fill out an application and we are fairly certain he has this job. So that will be a huge help, except for the fact that he will be gone during the week, and home on weekends (which I cant stand, but oh well, at least its a paycheck).

Just informed my ex mother in law that I am going for child support, and if Jonathan doesn't pay that the state would go after him, possibly throwing him in Jail, she didn't like that very much, but honestly, I can't do this anymore. Obviously this "wait and see what will fall in my lap approach" to jobs that Jonathan has been doing for the past 4 years is not working. Sometimes I wish he would just get his head out of his ass. But we will see what happens.

The garden is coming along nicely, so that is a huge plus. Hopefully soon we will have some veggies and such that will cut down on the food bill. *I hope* My green thumb isnt so green, brown maybe, but not green- Haha!

Well, Going to clean house in a bit, and work in the garden, try to get things done.  Jonathan has the kids, so it is nice to be able to get things done the way I want to.  Hopefully soon things will start going the way I want them too. Maybe things will start looking up, and I wont have to worry so much.  But stress seems to be a constant right now, and I just want to beat something up, or someone. Taking aggrivation out on my garden does not help so much.  I just want it all to turn out okay. I just want to be happy and almost stress free. Totally stress free is impossible, so I will settle for almost.

Until later, gardening advice, life advice, and any advice is always accepted, always duplicated, and always appreciated!

Pure unadulterated Craziness!!!!

What a week this has been! For starters, lets see...

Got the results back from the doctor on the Biopsy. They found cancer cells, BUT the awesome doctor is pretty sure she got everything.  So, I am happy. No chemo, or anything else.  Fast forward a few days, and I come down with strep throat that turns into a nasty little chest cold. Lucky me. Hence why I have not been around to actually write in my blog. 

School is almost out here, and visions of sleep overs and fun dancing in their darling little heads.  Jonathan has turned into the perfect weekend dad- ie: Taking the kids to the fair, carnival, or whatever else he can to make me seem like that bad guy. But that is okay, because I know that in the end, at least they will be well rounded individuals.

.

.

. 

Okay that's Bull shit. Let's face it, I hate being the mean parent, the one who always says "NO! You cannot build a sky scraper of scrapes and jump off of it!" or "I am not running you to the emergency room if you get hurt! Not this time!" Yeah.. of course I will, but they don't know that. I try to do little things to make life fun for them, but honestly, I feel like I am losing, terribly. But I am doing my best!

I have been working on my garden!  It has been driving me crazy, and yes- I am well aware that it is late in the planting season, but I DONT CARE! Going to do it anyway, and I am going to eat those veggies. so Nyah!  So I am actually going to add some pictures for you today, or try to anyway!  The first one is of the tilled dirt :) 

Behind the dirt you see those vines and bushes? Those are blackberry bushes that managed to find their way to my yard, lucky for me! I have many plans for those :) 

While I was doing all that lovely tilling, I had a nice little surprise jump out at me almost giving me a heart attack...  I actually managed to take a picture as well! 

I was absolutely shocked when I found out how fast my seedlings were sprouting. The second day was when the first shoots appeared. I am so excited! 

Fast forward to day 6... and wow!  I guess I need to start getting them in the ground very very soon huh!!!!

The big ones are pumpkin and Zuchinni!

So yes, I am quite proud of my newly acquired green thumb.. We shall see how well this goes throughout the season.  

Onto other news....

I love my family, I really do.  My cousin, his wife, and his new baby are coming to stay with me until they get up on their feet. This is going to be well, interesting.  Okay, maybe downright scary. They will apparently be here on Saturday, so I will be working on getting things planted in the garden, as well as trying to get this house cleaned. Putting Kathryn's bed and toys in the boys room, and trying to maintain a reasonable amount of composure.... ha. 

I am always on the lookout to make things easier for daily life.  Couponing is a must, but also...freezer meals?  Okay, I'll bite.  Found a great page from a fellow blogger who gives recipes and pretty detailed instructions on what to do!  I think I am going to try this! I will let you all know how it turns out, but to be honest, don't expect many pictures, my life is enough of a trainwreck as it is... But I will try. Check out her site Money Saving Mom, and hope you all enjoy! 

Until next time...

Hakuna Matata!

Earth Shattering....what?

Well, I can't honestly tell you why I am awake and moving around at 2:30 in the morning.  I can tell you that I had an awesome night Saturday! Kyle and I went to this little bar by my house.  It's a quiet little country bar.. Nothing too big, a couple pool tables, dart board.. bands on Friday and Saturdays (in the larger portion, we stuck to the small one!) Anyway, My blind date showed up, he was nice... ok.. Not really. I was actually pretty disappointed. I mean he's a decent looking guy. But from the minute he got there he started bitching about the cost of beer... it's 25 cents MORE than what he pays at his bar... Really dude? Thats why you don't drink Bud Light Platinum anyway! I stick to my Smirnoff Ice...  and my Goldshlogger shot.. he was ok for some decent conversation- although I can honestly say I wasn't thrilled with him. He didn't stay long, I can't help but think he was intimidated by Kyle... Lol!!! I think that is hilarious.. Kyle can be a hard ass yes, but he wont make a move without me saying so. He finished his beer, and told me he had to get up early so he had to get going.. in fact, he even told me "I swear I am not blowing you off" Not sure if I was able to pick up my jaw off the floor and recover in time... Really? In my experience, and please, correct me if I am wrong.. But "I swear I am not blowing you off" is right up there along with "It's not you, it's me" and all those other bull shit lines. I looked at Kyle after he left and I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it!! I mean really!!! So anyway, Courtney the Bartender (She's awesome, best bartender EVER!!) Came over to me when Kyle walked away, asking who the dude was. I told her it was my blind date, she looked at me and goes "but I thought you and Kyle were a thing!?" Once more my jaw hit the bar... huh? "noooo" I told her he was my roomate and my best friend. She just shook her head, and tried to talk me into dating Kyle... haha. I used his age as a reason, he is 6 years younger than me. She laughed and said she is dating a younger guy. She said its the best thing shes ever done. Yeah.. No.

Fast Forward: Courtney and I were talking and showing off pictures to each other. Me with the kids, her with her boyfriend. It was pretty good. Then this old guy comes out, looks at me and says.."Where ya been I was waiting on you to come back so you can dance with me!" EEK! I just laughed, shook my head and said I can't dance. EVERYONE in the bar called Bull shit on me! Even people who don't know me! wtf! So then this girl comes in selling roses and I told the old guy to buy a rose for his girl. He laughed and said no! Then he bought one for me! LOL.  It was a pretty blue rose! I was surprised and he said "Now you gotta dance with me" I rolled my eyes and went for it. Out on the dance floor, the guy was shaking his ass at me! I almost died laughing.  Kyle was watching and laughing. After the dance I told him I had to go and hauled ass outta there.

Sunday I woke up in a fantastic mood. Not sure why, but I did. Started cleaning without any coffee! For dinner I made some fantastic Crab and Shrimp Fried rice. It was beautifully yummy, and yes, I meant beautifully. Kyle loved it. Kids got home from their dad's and I gave them all baths... then it was bedtime.  I had been ignoring the pain in my breast all day.. I kept thinking maybe the string from the stitch was getting caught on my bra or something.. I went to take my bra off and it was definetly red...  all the way up. Lovely. The pain is still there.. and since I cant stand medicine, I refuse to take any. The area is a little warm to the touch. So Tomorrow I am planning on calling the doctors office and talking to her about it. I also think one of the steristrips is caught in the incision...  Which will hurt like hell when they go to pull it out! eek!

Currently as I am writing this I am listening to the dryer turning, and the radio going. Oh, Did I mention by chance that I am out of ciggarettes? I am trying really hard to keep from flipping out about it... Really I am.. Cant wait til morning though! I have been tossing the idea around my head about quitting, but I honestly don't think I am ready yet... But we will see...  If I do, you will be the first to know! Ta-ta for now everyone!

Caffeine overload... Not likely!

My day started out simply... it didn't! I haven't been to bed yet.. Why you may ask? Simple.. pain. The lumpectomy was 2 days ago and for the most part it wasn't to bad. But last night it was a constant burning/stinging/itching driving you up the walls clawing to find some relief type of pain. Not exactly what I was counting on to get some much needed and adored sleep. So this morning the coffee pot was put on with some amazing Vanilla Creme coffee... and I am currently sipping it with my creamer of choice: York Peppermint Patty. I may even decide to fix breakfast for Kyle and I... But then again... maybe not.  






Okay, now back to the lumpectomy...


A month ago I had just jumped in the shower ready to enjoy the blissful scorching heat of the water, when my hand brushed up against my breast. I froze. The room began to spin, and the air was sucked out of my lungs, as well as the bathroom. Emotions pounded through me in waves. Christ I am only 27 I wanted to scream! I finally caved by laying my head against the cool bathtub wall, sobbing and trying to breathe. I made my doctors appointment the following day- Dr confirmed there was indeed a lump there (nah, really?) and send me over to the breast cancer institute.  When I arrived for my appointment I was the youngest girl there. Terrified doesn't begin to describe the emotions I was feeling. Once an ultrasound was done, they (being the doctors) decided because of my age a mammogram was a bad idea since breast tissue is so dense under the age of 32.. lucky me I get to wait a few more years before my boobs get turned into pancakes. My following appointment was with another doctor for a biopsy. I went to this appointment with a clear head, thinking I was fine. Until the doctor told me that the cyst/tumor/lump had grown a mm in a week. Okay... that freaked me out a bit. She suggested instead of just a needle biopsy it would be a better idea to just have the lump removed... and so I did. 


Surgery Day


Went in, was put to sleep, lump was removed and I was horrified to see my once smooth, semi curved beautiful breast had turned into a lumpy, swollen mass of yuck. I am normally not one for looks... but my breast looked...well... unnatural. Two days later, swelling as gone down, and my breast doesn't look near as bad as it did, but there is a large increase in reddness not just around the incision, but all around my breast (and I am a big girl, so my breasts are not small). So now I am torn with a decision to make.. Do I go back to the hospital and demand to know why I have a nagging feeling that my breast is infected with some odd hospital induced bacteria that wants to eat my breast tissue from the inside out... or do I wait and see what happens, continue applying ice packs and praying to the higher being that everything will be okay?  For now, we shall wait and see...


Why am I telling you all of this? Simple: There is so much on breast issues and breast cancer in your 30's, 40's, 50's and so on... But not much for in your 20's. The pressure you feel when you find that first lump, the tumult of emotions that cycle through your brain at such an epic speed that you can't focus on one thought at a time.. This is why I decided to write it down, sort of document my life and what is going on... as a Mother, a friend, roommate, whatever I seem to be to whom at the time.