Saturday, January 30, 2010

Question of the day


Do you make your kids do housework? If so... What do they do? At what age did you start them working? Did you have chores to do as a kid? If you don't make them do chores, why?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Free Advertising for DeNae

If you want to know why I chose to do this particular post it is because I can't think of anything better to blog about. (See previous post.) All I have to say is I loved this post by DeNae and everyone should read it.
That is all.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

I should be posting more, I know this. The problem is that I don't really feel that there is anything good to be blogging about. I have been very depressed lately. A lot of that is due to the weather, and a lot is due just to me. I also feel that everyone has heard me complain enough lately and that if I don't have anything nice to blog I shouldn't be blogging at all. So this is my dilemma. Do I blog because it helps me get things off of my chest, even thought is turns out to be nothing but a complaint session? Or do I keep it to myself and just wait to blog until I have something cheerful to cover?
What do you think?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Procedure

I had a little "procedure" done today. Before you get all concerned it was nothing like my last one. Not invasive, not even something that I had to be knocked out for.
I have arthritis in the base of my spine. More specifically in my right hip area. It causes me a great deal of pain. We think it has been caused and aggravated by lifting my almost 60lb child and her 50lb wheel chair. (Not at the same time.) For a long time I just thought it was a chiropractor issue. It would go out on me about twice yearly, in the spring and fall (the two wettest seasons of the year) and I would dutifully go and spend hundreds of dollars talking to and getting adjusted by my awesome chiropractor. Whom I love and did wonders for me. It did help a lot, really! However the pain never really went away. Well after years of having this problem, I decided that I just needed to see a regular doc. I went to see mine, and he recommended an MRI. I had it done, (that is a whole other funny story). The result was that I have severe arthritis in the base of my spine. Well that meant onto the spinal clinic. I met with them and they recommended I get steroid shots. I had them done about a year and a half ago. It was getting a little uncomfortable again so I decided that it was time again.
Here is the thing, I like to think I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I went all the way through labor with a placental abruption. That is suppose to be very painful. I literally stub my toes every day. I have a child that hits, pinches, bites, scratches, etc. I have learned not to react too much to this over the years. I do however have a HUGE problem with shots. I was told once by my dentist that blonds and red heads have more nerve endings on the surface of their skin so shots hurt more. Well I am both a blond and a red head (yes this is possible) This explains why I am a complete baby when it comes to shots. They make me cry every time! I am thirty five years old and shots still make me cry! That is just pathetic.
I told myself that this time I was going to be brave.
I would not cry!
(crickets chirping)

Yeah right!
So much for that. I did at least hold it in long enough to get to my little room afterward. OK, I shed some tears in the operating room too, but not as many as I wanted to.
BUT MAN THAT HURTS!!!!
Imagine the most sensitive and painful part of your body. Now imagine someone poking a needle into it and wiggling it around for a few minutes. It was like getting the shot you get at the dentist but in my back.
It just emphasized to me that I am actually a huge wimp.
Please don't judge me for this.


(By the way I am just fine, the pain doesn't last long and the back is feeling much better as a result, so no worries.)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Menu Monday IIII (With a product review)


So I got one of these for Christmas. It is an electric skillet from GE. Before anyone out there starts feeling sorry for me or thinks that my husband is a looser, I asked for it OK. Actually what I asked for was just an electric skillet to replace my old one that the handle broke off of. What I got was three times bigger and completely awesome! I haven't used it much since I got it because it is so big, in fact I have only used it once until Saturday night. I was making a new soup recipe and I thought instead of doing it in my usual soup pot I would whip this baby out and see how it went. I was beyond impressed! It has several different settings for cooking as well as for keeping thingswarm. It cooked really evenly and I have but one complaint about it.
IT HUGE!!!!
This is going to be a little bit of a problem because I am used to using it for smaller things but I am sure I can adjust.
Anyway, this is the recipe I tried in it and it turned out fabulous!

Corn and Sausage Soup
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
6 tbsp butter
1 1/2 lb fully cooked smoked sausage
diced into about 1/2 inch chunks
3 cloves garlic minced
4 cans tomato sauce
2 cans corn drained
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cup beef broth
3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper

In a heavy pot (or electric skillet), heat butter and add celery, carrots, and onion. Saute until soft, and add sausage and garlic. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Use beef broth to de-glaze pan and add remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves before serving.
I made some modifications to this recipe but they are reflected above. The original recipe called for green and red peppers instead of carrots, but I don't like them. I used canned corn instead of the frozen it asked for. It also called for Italian diced tomatoes, and sauce and I didn't have either so I upped my herbs and added regular of both. I also replaced the water that it called for with beef broth for a deeper flavor. It turned out really well. I added salt because the recipe didn't call for any but realized that it didn't need any with the beef broth and the sausage. It was almost too salty, but we really liked it that way! I made home made bread to go with it, and it was the perfect winter soup.
I highly recommend this recipe and the skillet I cooked it in!



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Question of the day?


Having spent a lot of time the last couple of days watching children play. I have started to wonder about the "art" of playing. Yes it is an art. If you define art as something that is creative that you throw your whole effort and heart into. I have watched children run and jump and laugh and cry, all in the name of play. They don't need much either, maybe a ball or some snow, but the majority of the time there is nothing but their imaginations. So the question I ask you is...
Do you play?
And what do you play?

Monday, January 11, 2010

An open letter to the child puking into a bowl in the other room...

Dear beloved Child,
I love you! There is no disputing this. I do however wonder sometimes about your timing. Did you know that today is suppose to be my first day at my new job? I know that you are far more important, that is obvious. As mom however it is very difficult to teach you the important qualities of follow through, and responsibility if you force me to have to get a substitute for my first day of work. Just sayin!
I hope you feel better soon! LIKE TOMORROW!

Your Loving Mother

Friday, January 8, 2010

Fridays Randomness and Tunes

I am so tired lately.
Why, you ask?
For about a two week period of time every month I have very vivid dreams. Last night I dreamed an entire new Terminator movie. Seriously right up until the terminators emerged from my washing machine, it was totally plausible.
I wake up completely exhausted. I am normally a very heavy sleeper, and rarely remember my dreams, so this is a very frustrating thing. It seems to have been getting worse as I get older too. I also can't sleep on my stomach any more because of my back problems. I used to love sleep, now it's just a chore.
---------
The Bug had to have a hearing test the other day. We requested it in order to make sure that everything was working fine so that when they ask if her hearing has been tested, we can say yes.... Now listen to us and hold her back a year! Apparently she was trying to fail it. She was suppose to raise her hand every time she heard a noise. She was not raising her hand but would look up at the speech pathologist every time. So
Angie,
(speech person extraordinaire!)
told her that if she heard all the noises and passed the test she would get a treat.
She passed with flying colors!
Amazing what a little treat will do for my child's ability to hear. Her resource teacher called to tell me about this and we both had a pretty good laugh about it.
--------
So good news about my kids, I know it is rare so when we get it I have to share. The Bug is seizure free. As per her last EEG there was no seizure activity. Which means that we can start whittling down her seizure meds and start her back on the ADD meds.
HEY!
I know it isn't great news, as far as meds go... but it's OK news and we'll take it.
---------
So as of Monday I have a new job! Yep that is right, I will be officially employed!!
YEAH!!!
OK so don't get too excited, it is just part time, and I have hardly any hours, but it is just what I was looking for. So do you want to know what it is?
I am....
the new recess duty at my girls school!
It is just the right thing for me, I will have all the same holidays off as my girls. I will have summers off without having to actually quit my job. It is just the right hours, and best of all I have acquired a new nick name to go with it!
DOODIE!
Yes this is what all the kids will be calling me!
AWESOME HUH!
The down side is no more lunches out with the girls, No more MAK's. No more hanging out reading a book all afternoon.
But hey I am being paid to go to recess... I'll take it!
-----------
Is the whole world pregnant? Just wondering...
(it sure seems like it)
---------
I have decided to start taking pictures of the modifications we have made over the years in the name of keeping our child safe. There are several things we have done that seem ridiculous on the surface, but have really helped keep Lou Lou safe. I have also received submissions from other people, if you have anything you would like to submit for this future post just email me a picture.
------------

Here are the tunes off of my favorites list
1. I Turn My Camera On- Spoon
2. Ricochet- Shiny Toy Guns
3. Hit Me With Your Best Shot- Pat Benatar
4. Sex on Fire- Kings of Leon
5. Jivetalkin- Bee Gees
6. Alone- Heart
7. Birdhouse In Your Soul- They Might Be Giants
8. It's the End of the World as We Know It- R.E.M.
9- Voices Carry- 'Till Tuesday
10. Pepper- Butthole Surfers (I hate the name of this band but I love the song!)

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Question of the day

Would you use one of these? If so... why? If not... why not?


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Review: Pasta maker

I have decided that I am going to start reviewing items that I buy (well technically I was given this as a gift, but whatever). This is my first, so here goes.
The Al Dente Pasta Maker


Like I said I was given this by my parents for Christmas, and I just have to say... This thing is awesome! You make a simple dough, recipe for which is in the instruction book that it comes with. You have to do very little needing, because it does it all for you. As long as you follow the instructions it all turns out great. I found that it took a little practice to get things right, but I played with it for a full afternoon and got it down. It makes flat noodles for Lasagna, which I made last night and it was fabulous. It also has a cutter for making spaghetti, and fettuccine. Plus you can make them as thin or thick as you like. I think the next step is drying my pasta that I make and seeing where that takes me. The only down sides I saw to this machine, is that when I first started using it there was some kind of metallic shavings that were embedded into the dough from the machine. This is why I suggest playing with it for a while before actual use. The dough seemed to kind of clean it out. It doesn't beat the convenience of just opening a box of pasta, but it sure does taste a lot better. Maybe it is the whole idea of "I made it all myself" that made it taste better. Whatever it is I think it was worth it.
I give this machine 3 1/2 stars!
(Out of 4)
 
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