Happy New Year! 2013

OK! 

So it's not even New Year's Eve yet, but I may be too busy or asleep over the next few days to get in a blog entry so... Happy New Year to all, today!

Today, I'm a walking old person. 

My knee still hurts from my fall on the icy deck 3 weeks ago. Then, as I was stretching & yawning this morning, a nerve in my neck became pinched & now I'm dealing w/that pain using Advil & a heat pad.

B did a very nice job of clearing the snow this morning. My OCD about snow removal was kept in check! Which was good, since I wouldn't have been able to help him anyway! Thank you, B!

We have plans for our Monday night card game/dinner tomorrow, but only if G is feeling better. In his old age, whenever he catches a chest cold, it morphs into all sorts of problems! He's on nebulizer treatments today to help clear out his lungs. If he isn't better & must cancel, our meals for this week will be "appetizer style" food!

My resolution this year is to get our spending (mostly mine, I admit) under control. I've come to enjoy the life & freedom a part-time job gives me. Our home is more orderly, cleaner & less stressful overall. B has been able to get overtime to help fill in the blanks. I'm hoping to be able to visit Carlotta in February for her 3rd birthday. It's come down to this choice... a short visit w/o gifts or gifts w/o any visit. Stay tuned!

Now, off to watch the Pats vs the Miami Dolphins on TV in the final regular season game!

There may be a slight possibility that my beloved Patriots end up playing against my son in-laws favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks, at some point during the playoffs!

Pats are my fave & always will be, but I've come to know several of the Seahawk players too as they were on my Fantasy Football team this year.

Go Patriots!

Bean Cakes?

Today, I was fortunate to meet several members of Krista's (my #1 Nanny kids) family, including her mom & pop, 2 sisters & a brother. They dropped by Krista's house for a visit on their way to a family wedding in DC. Very nice, friendly people.

One thing they talked about was cooking. Stuff like how bad Krista was & her mom wasn't much better! Actually, the mom said she cooked very well so long as no one interrupted her! LOL! 

Krista spoke of how she was missing her moms Bean Cakes, which perked my ears up! 

Could this be a new recipe for me to try, maybe?

The mom said she makes this recipe a lot & has long forgotten the exact measurements, 

but the ingredients are:

• leftover pinto beans (about 2 cups, drained)
•                                     small, chopped onion (though she tended NOT to use that ingredient)
•                                  black ground pepper, to taste (maybe some salt, but not often)

Mash together w/just enough flour to hold it all together. The mom said it should be like pancake batter, Krista thought it's texture should be more like crab cakes & the other sister said it varied, a lot!

Drop by Tablespoons into 1/2" of hot oil in a cast iron skillet. Fry until browned on all sides. 

No actual time was given, so it's an "eyeball it" thing!

I asked all 3 of them if there were garnishes or special sauces or other foods that went w/this dish & was told... NOPE! TASTES GREAT, AS IS!

Snow Bound! or was it.. Stuck in the Snow?

I am sitting right on the edge of the road! That is a 10 ft drop off into some nasty pricker bushes as well as a few trees! If the drop off hadn't been there, I may have been able to get myself unstuck.
Lived here over 12 yrs & this is the worst condition these roads have been in!
NH is usually very good at sanding & plowing! 

The road only looks clear because I shoveled around my car while waiting for AAA to show up. I was trying to stay warm & make it easier for the truck operator to get my car out of the drifted snow.
At last check, over 7" of snow has fallen. It changed to sleet, then rain & back to snow.

Just another view of how close I was to going over the edge!
I had the tow truck bring me & the car back home. I'm losing a days pay and have made it a bit harder for the kids parents to get into work, but I am safe! I hope C will be safe today.

My iFrogz! Love It!

Well, it looks like my comment issue has been fixed! Thanks for the test, H!

Christmas is over. It was nice, yet quiet. I've had several quiet Christmases now.

 I still haven't become accustomed to them!

Santa (B) gave me a new vacuum cleaner. It sounds like a lazy gift w/hidden meanings, I know, but I really wanted (more like... needed) a new vacuum. Today, since I didn't have to watch anyone else's kids, I tried it out. WOW! I thought I had a good vacuum before! 

Along w/my broom, Dustbuster, Swiffer Vac, I assumed my floors were getting clean.

I was wrong!

Couldn't believe the amount of dirt, dust & cat hair this new vacuum picked up! It's awkward & clunky on the stairs, but I painted stairs, so the Dustbuster & Swiffer should be able to keep up.

Got some Christmas morning Facetime in w/T & Carlotta. Both were very excited for Christmas. 

T talked a mile a minute & Carlotta was also talking fast & high so I'm sure I missed much of what they were saying, but one could tell they were excited. M had worked the night shift & was trying to get some shut eye in before they headed out to his parents house for Christmas dinner.

B & I sent a lot of goodies to our VA family (mostly My Little Pony toys)

C got her iPhone as well as a few other small things. 

She was spoiled beyond belief by her boyfriend, G. She made out quite well this year. 

Money was tighter than in years past as we continue to try & make ends meet w/o me having to work full time. So once again, B got the short end of the gifts. I did get him some trekking poles for his hiking adventures (there's an old guy on NHPBS that uses them when he hikes on his show). 

B thinks they'll make better "scare away bears" sticks. Hopeful that he will actually use this gift.

My favorite "fun" gift was given to me, by me!
I've never liked using my fingertips to run my iPhone features.
Then the kids get a hold of it & use their sticky fingers on it too. The phone is protected w/an Otter case & a screen protector, but it's still irritating to use my fingers.
I tried to use my DS Lite stylus, but it wouldn't work.
Enter... iFrogz!
A soft tipped stylus for Apple products! I guess it would work w/other devices too!
Love it!
I'm a 1-finger text-er & I play a few games. I'm lightning fast now w/this device!
Now, I need to NOT LOSE IT!

Sorry! I'm Clueless!

In my never ending attempt to become more computer savvy, I somehow managed to turn off the comment window of this blog w/o realizing it!

I thought I was just leaving boring blog entries so no one was leaving comments!

I'm hoping that I have fixed the problem.

If I have not, email me & I'll try again!

If I have fixed the issue, I look forward to your comments on my interesting (?) stories!

Foxboro, Again! Yeah!

My friend, Krista, worked her magic on an unsavory client & got 3 tickets to a recent Pats game. She gave me one of the tickets! Best present I could ever get! Pats did lose 31-41, but was on the verge of getting blown out as the score was 3-31 mid 3rd quarter! Brady & friends made some amazing plays to tie the score w/about 5 minutes left. Then, on the impending kick off, the 49ers made an awesome return w/a TD on the following play! They also made a FG a few moments later, making any miracle comeback impossible. Oh well, I had fun anyway!

I'd never been so close to the field! 13 rows from the field on the 35 yd line! I could've thrown objects onto to field, that's how close we were!

I was wearing several layers including a waterproof layer. There was a steady, light rain in 20 degree weather. I was wet, but warm. Also, we stood the entire game since the 12 rows in front of us were also standing. As great as the seats were, I'm only 5'4" and couldn't see a thing if I has remained seated! Krista is in the middle, her friend, Sara is the Wilfork fan! You can't see it, but I had on my Wes Welker jersey!

Thank you so much Krista for fulfilling my desire to attend as many Pats games as possible! I've been to 2 regular season games & a preseason game all thanks to this friend! She doesn't seem to mind that I watch the game more than interacting w/the rowdy fans around us as she does! Thanks again!

We tailgated! A hot bowl of beef stew to start along w/some buffalo chicken dip & chips. Then, as we waited for traffic to subside after the game, we enjoyed some small sandwiches made from a deli platter & brownies. We left for the game @ 3pm Sunday. I finally pulled into my driveway @ 5am on Monday!
Actually, C pulled us in as she had babysat Kristas kids. At least she was able to get a short nap after the kids went to bed! But she had to be to work in Concord NH by 8am. She's gonna sleep well tonight.

The game began w/a moment of silence for the 26 victims of Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Then, a flare for each victim was sent towards the heavens as a visual reminder. Very touching remembrance. The players all had emblems on the helmets in commemoration of those lost.

Whoopsie Daisy!

There was a light misting overnight on Saturday. I was babysitting at my Nanny family #3. As I drove home, close to midnight, I noticed how warm the air was for a December evening.

The next morning, B left early for church. On his way out, he put Gracie into her pen. About an hour later, I got up to get some cold medicine (I've been battling sore throat, cough, mucus etc for about a month). I wasn't feeling well & planned to spend the day in bed, in my PJs. But first, I knew I had to get Gracie back indoors.

Somewhere between the time I got home from babysitting & 8am the next morning, the warm temps had fallen enough to glaze the moisture on our deck.

How do I know this?

I had no sooner put my barefoot onto the deck when it slipped out from under me, sending me crashing with great force! As I lay there, stunned from this unexpected event & the enormous pain I was feeling, I wondered if I would be staying in this position all day! B wasn't due home until late afternoon & C was back at school.

Slowly, I was able to determine that I hadn't broken any bones & other than a small gash on my hand & toe, I wasn't bleeding either. But, BOY, my left knee was knocked up real good! I tried getting up, but the floor of the deck was still icy. Crawling was impossible due to my knee pain. Somehow, eventually... I was able to upright myself, get Gracie indoors & settle on the sofa to check myself over.

The TV was on & the 1st thing that comes on? 

A commercial for those First Alert necklaces for when "You've fallen & can't get up!" 

I got a good chuckle!

Now its almost 3 days since "the fall" and I'm feeling some relief from my knee pain. I put on a Salonpas pad & it seems to be working its magic. I'll know for sure at bedtime. Turning over in bed while sleeping was when I felt the most pain! I can go from sitting to standing w/little pain now.

On another topic... I am going to another Patriots game in Foxboro! It's the Sunday night game vs the San Fransisco 49ers! Krista, her friend & myself! Tailgating too, which should be interesting since I do not drink nor does the friend! I just want to see the Pats win! I'll keep you posted with the goings on when I return from the game! C will be babysitting her kids that night! Thanks C!

Time Flew By

I can't believe my week w/Carlotta has come & gone! It was so much fun to have her here, even if the time was short!

She loves to take baths. Bath toys are well utilized w/her! She's not fond of getting her hair washed, but most kids don't like that aspect of a bath either! She also got her first official haircut! The stylist who cut it was the same stylist who cut her moms hair for the 1st time over 20 yrs ago!

She's a grazer rather than a diner. She such a pipsqueak, I didn't mind letting her have anything she wanted at any time of day. I wanted to stuff her w/calories! She began the week sitting on a booster seat, but by the end, she was telling us that she was too big for a baby seat!

I introduced her to Spaghettios which she promptly named "circle sketties" then spilled them all over my living room floor & sofa! Thank goodness for hardwood & slipcovers!

She was shy when meeting people & was never far from her "buhfly bankie" (butterfly blanket) & hid under it often. As she became used to someone, she needed to be able to reach out & simply touch the blankie. By the end of the week, she wasn't needing it around me anymore!

Books & crafts & moomees (movies) are her favorite things to do. She's very big on princesses right now. Dora has taken a backseat to Cinderella & Belle.

She LOVED hanging out w/the cats! She watched them & later would mimic their sounds & behavior. My favorite was her "happy tail." She would be on all fours and shake her tiny butt! She was the perfect size to fit into my cats outdoor winter house. The weather was too cold for her to stay out there long. She never let the cats have clean water! Every time she would walk by their water bowl, she would drop a few pcs of the food into the water. "Foaties" she called them.

We went to the mall & saw Santas castle. He was there! She wouldn't get close but was thrilled when Santa made eye contact w/her & waved at her until she acknowledged him! We went to the park. She loved the swings & slides & the stairs she could climb by herself.

One of T's friends had dinner w/us on Tuesday. GG & Grampy came over for dinner on Wednesday. Thanksgiving w/Bs family & my mother, sister, sisters partner & a niece came to dinner on Friday. Attended church on Sunday.

She drew chalk pictures on my driveway (she called it a road & pictures are still there today!). While outside, she was jumping off the many tree stumps in our yard. When asked if she was having fun, jumping off stumps she replied, "No, these are fairy stools!" Too cute! Now I cannot ever remove the stumps because they are really fairy stools!

Bought her a pair of pink glitter boots in case of snow (it didn't!) These boots quickly became her must wear shoe for the whole week! She slept uppa stairs though not always in the bed. T found her sleeping body among the dollhouses a few mornings!

Potty training was successful... one time! She can't push down or pull up her own pants right now so I didn't push the issue. She'll get it soon enough.

I'm getting sleepy & I've written a lot of Carlottas visit. If I remember something different, I'll post a new blog entry!

Decorate the Tree, Please Song

This is the song Kaya made up, on the spot, to try to convince her mother to allow her to start decorating the Christmas tree before the branches had enough time to drop. It didn't work, but it is still an adorable performance!

Giving Thanks!

Just about 10 hours from now, I will be starting the best Thanksgiving holiday I have had in some time! I'm thankful that my part time job was able to earn me enough money for 2 train tickets for a rare visit from T & Carlotta (M couldn't get time off!)

Thankfully, that same job has afforded me days off so I can really, truly enjoy time with my almost 3 years old grandbaby!

Very thankful that C & her boyfriend, G, will be visiting too! And the basement project will be done by the time their visit is over!

Sad that B can only spend 2 days w/Carlotta before heading to Bermuda for the rest of November, but super thankful he's doing so w/the intention of earning enough money to send me to VA for Carlottas 3rd birthday in February! Also thankful that he cleaned up his office, even if it was just because his parents are coming over for a visit & he didn't want his mother to see his disaster area & scold him!

Thankful to have a washer & dryer in my house! After spending time at the laundromat today, washing extra large comforters, I was reminded of this!

Grateful again for modern medicine! Antibiotics have done their work to ensure both Carlotta & myself are not on sick beds during this visit!

I could go on & on, but you get the gist of this entry! I'm thankful for so much!

Happy Thanksgiving!

No! Not Again!

2 weeks ago, I held bebe Jorge as far from my face as possible! I washed my hands often & used sanitizer. He had a full blown case of conjunctivitis & I wanted nothing to ruin my upcoming visit from T and Carlotta!

All those precautions were for naught! 

I caught something from him & my symptoms have been mimicking the ones I had for the entire month of February 2012! I made a doctor appointment.

While she couldn't find visual evidence of an infection, I was rather insistent that I leave w/a script for an antibiotic, just to be sure, which she gave me.

Carlotta is also on some antibiotics! She has a double ear infection! Poor baby! At least I know that she nor I will be in pain during Thanksgiving! Our issues may rear their ugly head again later in the season, but for now, Thanksgiving is safe!

I'm so excited for Monday night! 

I hope I have everything all set & in place for my special guest & her mom!

Special Pork Chops

Now that my scare w/Gracie missing is over & done, I can relax & post what I had intended to post on my blog today, a new slow cooker recipe!

Special Pork Chops

serves 6 (2/3 cup)  w/210 calories & 3 grams of carbs

What you need:

• a 5-6 qt slow cooker
• 8-10 small, but THICK boneless pork chops
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground sage
• 1 (14 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 T dried onion flakes

(note: It was unanimous! We all felt this recipe should have the liquid content doubled or tripled! Very tasty, just not enough of it for the egg noodles! So, if you want to have pork chops w/different side dishes, use recipe AS IS. 
If you want some gravy for egg noodles, increase the sage, soup & onions.)

What to do:

• Trim visible fat from sides of chop
• Use this fat to grease a non stick skillet (I used 1-2 T olive oil since I had very lean chops)
• Get your pan & fat (oil) hot
• Sear both sides of the chops. Don't overcrowd pan. Sear in 2 batches if you need to.
• Salt & pepper both sides before placing seared chops in slow cooker.
• Add the sage to the pan (I turned the heat off for this step. The pan was hot enough in my opinion)
• Add the soup & onion to the pan, stirring up the bits & pcs of seared pork off bottom.
• Pour the mixture over the chops in the slow cooker
• Cover & cook on LOW 8-10 hours (I did 8 hrs & it was perfect! 8 chops, 1"thick)

Serve w/rice or egg noodles. I used egg noodles & will make more liquid when I make this again!

Gracie is Home!

Years ago, Maxie (Gracie's mom & Zee's grandmother) disappeared for 2 weeks from the kids house. I remember the feeling I had & thought it funny I felt so sad over a missing cat! And she wasn't even mine!

This morning, B left for work @ 5:30 & put Gracie in her outside pen. She likes watching the small wildlife scurry about in the morning. I wasn't feeling well, so I remained in bed until about 8. I went out to get her, but the gate was ajar & Gracie was nowhere to be found!

PANIC set in!

I grabbed the treats jar (indoors, she usually comes running when she hears the sound of the jar being opened) put on some slippers & headed out to look for her. I called B to chide him for only locking 1 of the clasps & as I was leaving the voice message, I began to bawl.

What IF I couldn't find her? What if I do find her, but she was in the middle of the road? Gracie means a lot to me! Where was she!?!?!?

I called C @ school (sorry for the wake-up call) to see if she could come home to help me look or perhaps knock on neighbors doors. Just as C answered, a movement in the trees caught my eye.

Yes! It was Gracie!

She had found a chipmunk hole (too close to the road for my comfort, BTW) and had been quietly sitting there, waiting for a creature to exit!

I was happy! I was angry! I was relieved! But PHEW! I have my Gracie back again! I never want to feel that feeling again, so I need to pass on before my cats , I guess! 

Just Kidding!

note: Zee most likely witnessed the whole escapade from the window. She doesn't like going out 1st thing in the morning. I'm sure Gracie has told her all about her adventures in the big, open spaces of the yard! And how she almost caught a chipmunk.

Carlotta is Coming!

It has been exactly 1 year since I was able to give my grandbaby a hug & play w/her! Oh sure, I have had mail, phone calls and Skype sessions, but it's not the same!

T & she will be here late on the Monday night before Thanksgiving & will stay here until early on the Wednesday after! Why such weird hours of arrival & departure? T found a good price for tix if she came by TRAIN! Since we are paying for the bulk of it, I appreciate that she was able to find that deal! Otherwise, who knows when I could've seen them next!?

I know I shouldn't be so selfish but I do not want to share her! I hardly get see her & traveling around to everyones home who also wishes to see her, seriously cuts into "my time" w/her! Besides, we paid for the visit, so I shouldn't have to share, right? I'll have my in-laws over for a dinner & we will see B's family on Thanksgiving but anything more than that will be very tough for me! I don't want to share!

OK, I've vented. If there is someone out there who seriously wishes to see Carlotta & T while they are up for a visit, I will do my best to make it happen! Just let me know.

Quick Chili

I know, I know! My blog is morphing into a "try it out" recipe thing!

I work part time so there's not as many cute or annoying kid stories to tell! 

Although, now that the bebe Jorge is 7 MONTHS old, he should get more interesting! 

Today, I read Readers Digest articles while he slept. Fed him some food & a bottle when he woke up. Played w/noisy baby toys w/him before a quick car ride to p/u his sister, A. 

Then I played dominoes w/her while he slept some more. 

Exciting, right? Oh, and I wiped his runny nose a few times!

So, back to the easiest chili you could imagine!

And it freezes well to boot! 

Chili

serves 6 & I didn't figure out the calories or carb count, so deal w/it!

What you need:

• 1 lbs of your favorite ground meat (I used a 90/10 ground beef) 
• 1 chopped medium onion (with 2 T of oil for sauteing)
• 1-15 oz can of undrained black beans
• 1-15 oz can of undrained pinto beans
• 1-15 oz can of undrained petite diced tomatoes (because I don't like big chunks of cooked tomato!)
• 1-11 oz can of undrained corn ( I used frozen corn instead because I don't care for canned corn. Came out great!)
• 1 envelope of dry Ranch dressing mix (1 oz approx)
• 1 envelope of taco seasonings (I used Old El Paso Original & it had a kick! I'll try less spicy next time)

What you do:

• In a sauce pot (I used 6 qt enameled dutch oven pot), saute onions in hot oil 8-9 minutes
• Add the ground meat & cook until the meat is no longer pink. 
• Drain off grease
• Add all remaining ingredients to the pot
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low
• Stir occasionally 20 minutes so the sauce thickens a bit. (Because of frozen corn, it reduced the liquid content perfectly!)

Blackout Beef Stew

That is what I'm calling todays recipe!

As I prepared for Hurricane Sandy to arrive w/her strong winds & horizontal rain, I wondered what I would cook for dinner in the event we lost power. Thankfully, we have a gas stove so a hot meal could be created. We were expecting guests & sandwiches just didn't seem right!

Our guests arrived. One little flicker of power loss & that has been the extent of Hurricane Sandy thus far. Our guests liked the beef stew & asked me to be certain to post it on my blog.
Almost bedtime so I think we have survived the storm! I was over prepared & scared it away!

 I knew I was asking for it when I wrote I had scared the storm away! 
... Moments later, I lost power & 20 hrs later, I can finally get back to the post!

Blackout Beef Stew
serves 4 - 4 cup servings with 648 calories & 63 carbs per serving

Marinate overnight:

• 1 1/2 lbs of stew beef
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Next day... about 2-3 hrs before serving:

In a saucepan, bring to a boil & cook until just barely tender. Don't overcook! Drain & set aside

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3T honey
• 4 red skinned potatoes (baseball size) cut into 1" chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled & cut into 1" chunks

In a small bowl, mix:

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2T paprika
• salt & pepper, to taste

What else you will need:

• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 T additional teriyaki sauce
• 1 chopped onion
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 1 bay leaf

Using an enameled 6 qt dutch oven pot w/lid for best results:

• Cook the meat w/its marinade until no longer pink (about 30 minutes)
• Add the green pepper, garlic & celery & cook a few minutes
• Sprinkle on the flour mixture & stir, generously coating the meat
• Add in the almost tender vegetables
• Add the beef broth, teriyaki sauce, onion, mushrooms & bay leaf
• Cover
• Cook on med-high heat for 1-2 hrs, stirring occasionally & adjusting the flavor, if needed

Could be served over white rice (rice adds in more calories & carbs, though)

What's Been Happening...

Nothing much.

I have finished painting the walls & floor of the 3 rooms in the basement as well as the hallway down there! Now, just biding my time, waiting for the paint to dry completely before I can put on a clear, sealing top coat. Then, everything has to go back into the rooms. Kitchen is my next project but don't be surprised if I don't start that until spring!

Hurricane Sandy is hitting us right now with some outer bands of wind & rain. Her full force is expected around dinner time & we are ready! Should our power go out, we have filled tubs w/water for toilet flushing, our electronic devices are charged up, food is in house & I've showered! All set.

Inghams are due to visit this evening. They intend on coming, but I wouldn't be surprised to get a last minute cancellation! All the more of my homemade, hearty "man-tested" beef stew for us! I sort of wish the power went out only during their visit. It's been a while since we've played cards by candlelight!

Carlotta & T will be here for Thanksgiving week! YAY! M couldn't make the trip since he had no more vacation time this year. He'll be missed but I'll be so busy & happy being w/his daughter (& mine!). Had he been able to visit, he'd felt ignored! This way, his mom & dad can spoil him!

See, told you nothing much was happening!

Low Carb Tasty Cookie (it's tiny!)

Very Low Carb, Peanut Butter Cookie Treats  

serves 60 (1 cookie each)

33 calories per cookie & 3 grams of carbs per cookie

What you need:

• 1 cup of peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 tsp baking soda

What you do:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Line cookie sheet w/aluminum foil or parchment paper
• Using an electric mixer, beat all ingredients until fully mixed
• Drop LEVEL TEASPOONFULs of dough onto pan, about 1 1/2" apart
• Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be puffy & starting to brown on edges
• Remove from oven & let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes
• Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling

I know, they are tiny cookies @ about 1" diameter. 

It's hard to re-train my brain that this size cookie is the "norm" & 3 should be plenty, but I'm trying!

Progress?

It's been 6 months since I began a quest to eat a healthier diet.

I lost 20 lbs in the first 3 months! I've lost ZERO lbs in the last 3 months! 

Argh!

I suppose there is a silver lining... I haven't GAINED any weight in those 3 months either.

My recent blood work results have come back with their best results in a decade! 

Not perfect, but I'm not on deaths door either!

This week, I have not been eating healthy. 

I wasn't losing weight while B continues to lose.

I am very depressed about this. 

So, I splurged on some Halloween goodies & other foods I hadn't eaten in 6 months. 

Yes, the items I ate were delicious & I've probably gained some pounds. 

Now I feel icky! Not sick. Bloated, tired and I have no energy. I need some energy because the basement project is very close to completion!

Tomorrow, I go back to healthy eating. 

This time around, I'll be trying to count calories in addition to the carb counting. 

I found a website where I enter the ingredients of my recipe & they figure out the nutrition label.

I'm not sure what else I can cut out or cut down on! 

No bread, pasta, rice or potatoes! No desserts to speak of & no juices!

I tried to eat a fresh mushroom today. It tastes like dirt!

Songs... forgotten

Today, the girls & I made "Aiken Drum" pictures using the words from a song I learned waaaay back in Kindergarden. I have sung this song to/with every child I cared for... beginning w/my siblings, then my daughters & now, each of my "nanny" families!

I thought it would be nice to send T a photo of the guy & remind her of our frequent singing times from her childhood.

Imagine my surprise when she claimed NO RECOLLECTION of this song! 

How could she forget this song?! 

It was a song we sung often in the car! It was different each time because we had to think of food for his body parts & then there was a chorus to sing between each verse so it was a long song! There was a hand motion to do while singing the chorus. You made a fist w/one hand & hit it into your cupped other hand, the "ladle." We usually ended up skipping the chorus until the end.

There was a man who lived in the moon, who lived in the moon, who lived in the moon. There was a man who lived in the moon and his name was Aiken Drum!

Chorus: And he played upon a ladle, a ladle, a ladle and he played upon a ladle and his name was Aiken Drum!

And his body was made of ______, of ________ of _______. And his body was made of ______ and his name was Aiken Drum.

And his hair was made of ______, of _______, of _______. And his hair was made of _______ and his name was Aiken Drum.

etc, etc, etc until you have "built" a body out of fruits & vegetables and other edible things.

Does T remember "Valder-ree" (the wandering along the mountain path song) I sang to her? Or "I Know a Man Named Michael Finnegan?" 

Surely she remembers more songs other than the basic kids songs like: Mary had a Little Lamb or Twinkle, Twinkle or ABCs! 

What about "The King of the Cannibal Island?" Or "Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be?" 

I hope she remembers our holiday songs starting w/"I'm a Mean, Old Witch", "Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom?" "Thanksgiving Day is Coming", "Mr. Turkey Gobbler"

Oh well. For the record... I DID sing to my children. They did sing WITH me often. 

It's sad for me to know that as they have grown into adulthood, they forgot the things I thought they'd never forget. Well, those singing times were special to me & I won't forget those times or songs! Even in my oldish years! 

A Child's Note

I love the times when a child begins to put words on paper & the note actually make sense, even w/ the misspelled words!

The other day, after getting on each others nerves, Connor & Colin were instructed by their mom to go for a walk down the cul de sac, 2 times & w/o leaving each others side! 

Such a mean mom to make them do this!

Later on, Colin wrote his mom this note explaining his "under the breath" comment that "she was being mean," on his way out the door.

Love it!

His little sister turned 6 last week! He turns 8 first week in November!

Run, Connor, Run!

I may not be in these kids daily life anymore, but I continue to love hearing about & seeing videos of their recent accomplishments.

Connor has always loved to run! He is very fast but doesn't like the attention that comes w/winning so I believe he holds back sometimes.

Here, if you can find him in the starting pack, he is in his city's 4th grade cross country race. Out of 127 entrants, he finished a respectable 40th place! Way to go, Connor!

And on a side note, his younger sister, Kaya, will be 6 (SIX) on Sunday! She was only 4 months old when I first began caring for her & her brothers! Time has flown by so quickly! 

Another CRAZY Cake Recipe

I'm not sure I have the courage to make or eat this cake but it caught my eye & thought I'd post it... just in case I (or someone else) get adventurous! 

If you do make this cake, it has been suggested that you tell no one of your secret ingredient until they have finished eating their portion!

Chocolate Sauerkraut Surprise Cake 

(taken from: Heloise/Cakes)

What you need:

• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2/3 c shortening or butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c cocoa
• 2 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 c water or beer
• 1/2-1/3 c sauerkraut, drained, rinsed & chopped

What you do:

• Cream together sugar & shortening
• Add eggs & mix well
• Add vanilla, salt & cocoa.
• Mix together well
• In another bowl, sift together: flour, baking soda & baking powder
• Alternating, add the dry ingredients & water (or beer) , a little at a time, to the creamed mixture
• Fold in the sauerkraut by hand
• Bake in a greased & floured 9x13 baking pan for 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees
• Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes on a wire rack before you tip it out. 
• When cooled, frost w/your favorite sour cream or cream cheese frosting!

note: You can use a box cake in place of the dry ingredients for a quick recipe!

Shoe Advice

I suffered for years w/foot pain while working on the furniture/bedding sales floor. 

I finally went to a podiatrist who diagnosed me w/heel spurs/plantar fasciitis & prescribed physical therapy, stretching exercises, cortisone shots. 

He made some custom orthotic inserts to transfer from shoe to shoe. If the insert didn't fit a shoe, I was to avoid wearing that shoe! Going barefoot was also a no-no. He suggested New Balance shoes since they seemed to put in good support in the arch.

He warned me my pain would be worse before it improved. The inserts were re-training my feet to be in the proper position which meant using parts of my leg & feet that I had never used before.

It took about 3 months, but sure enough, the foot pain was gone! 

If I went shoeless or had worn out shoes, twinges of pain alerted me that I needed to buy new ones.

Things were going well, for several years.

Then I made a dreadful choice. 

 In an effort to save $$$, I bought cheap shoes @ Wally's World. Looked good, felt good... for a while. Thirty days later, the shoe didn't fit me anymore. I thought it was my weight loss!

I kept on wearing them.

Then, the pain came back! I thought it was due to my increased activity like mowing or painting. 

So, I began using my night splint to keep tendons stretched & purchased "Strutz," an arch support to wear, when not wearing shoes.

The pain wasn't going away! Even when sitting, I could feel the throbbing!

After mowing the lawn today, in the cheap-o shoes, I could barely walk w/o crying out in pain.

ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH!

I took the extra babysitting money I made last week & drove to Olympia Sport. It was the closet store w/New Balance shoes! I bought a pair of leather shoes, inserted my orthotics & laced up. 

Ahhhhhh! Immediate relief! 

The shoe supported me where I needed. It was not loose yet not too tight either! I wore them home & kept them on until just now! 

I did not take any pain pills & am happy to report that I'll be pain free as I fall asleep!

My advice? 

Do not skimp on shoes! Avoid department stores or no name brands! Get the good, quality brands right away & avoid crippling pain! 

Yes, the good shoes will cost more, but they are worth every penny if it takes/keeps your pain away! 

Ghosts in the Belfry

Glue together a cone shaped styrofoam piece onto a round wafer shaped one. Paint entire thing, black

Add some ribbon. I suggest using wider ribbon, but this was all I had today!

Glue on some candy corns on the brim.

Make some lollipop ghosts ( I found coffee filters work better than Kleenex)

Make more ghosts & stick them into the witches hat!

Halloween Triangles

I must thank C for sending me a photo & some ideas of dorm door signs she saw while @ college. That photo inspired these hand drawn pictures I made into a Halloween picture book, featuring TRIANGLES for Carlotta's "fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving" box I'm getting ready to ship. The girls each made there own version of the book w/so fun results! You'll have to trust me, I neglected to photograph their books! Then, they took turns "reading" a story to me, using the pictures as a guide.

Dessert, Anyone?

Finding desserts to enjoy, ONCE IN A WHILE, has been very hard to do since our quest to become healthy eaters began in the spring of 2012. Tasty, low carb count treats are virtually nonexistent!

So when I do find one, I'm going to post about it & share the recipe! 

I've also learned that whether you are on a low carb diet or not, dessert should only be 3 bites big!

Pie Tartlets 

(serves 5, 3 tartlets each w/only 5 grams of carbs per tartlet)

What you need:

• 1 (15 count) package of frozen, baked fillo (phyllo) mini cups
• 1/3 cup of canned pie filling (I use Strawberry as it has the lowest carb count)
• Cool Whip (I use the sugar free variety, fat free would also help w/being healthier)

What you do:

• Using kitchen shears, cut up any big pcs of fruit in the filling
• Place about 1 tsp of pie filling into a fillo dough cup
• Top w/a small dollop of Cool Whip (sprinkle some cinnamon for extra flavor)
• Eat 3 of them & STOP! Three bites big, remember!

More Family Photos

Back row, L to R... GMM, DPM, DAM. DLM, Dad, DLM, PJM
Middle row, L to R... TLM, me, PAM
Front row, L to R... CAM, MLM, NEM, DBM & Mom is holding JRM
approx 1975

Back row, L to R... GMM, DAM, DPM, DLM, TLM, me
Middle row, L to R... DBM, DLM, PJM & MLM
Front row, L to R... NEM, JRM, CAM, SLM (PJMs daughter) & PAM
approx 1978

Concussion Memories

Last week, on a day I wasn't there... little Ana fell down the stairs at her house. She scraped her shoulder & got a concussion! She was woozy, had nausea & even vomited! 

Her doctor (who also happens to be my doctor!) gave an "observe & protect Ana" diagnosis for her parents to follow who in turn, gave it to me!

Do you know how hard it is to prevent a 3 yr old from jumping on her bed, running in the house, walking on the stone wall, climbing trees & roughhousing w/her older sister just to keep her safe from maybe bumping her head again?!?!?!?  

Next to impossible, I tell you! 

It did bring me a memory of my own concussion experience though! 

Let me share it w/you!

It was the beginning of summer, between my 3rd & 4th grade. 

In the summer it wasn't unusual for my mother to kick us outside to play w/instructions to remain outside until dark! With so many kids, I guess it was how she kept sane during school vacations! 

She'd send out a loaf of bread & a jar of peanut butter for our lunch. Sometimes, we got Kool Ade but mostly, we drank from the garden hose if we were thirsty. When we weren't busy w/our chores & other assignments like weeding the huge garden, we had a lot of "yard" to occupy us which included a pond, several muddy streams, trees, hills and an old barn.

One day, while playing in the barn w/some friends, I *fell* through a trap door 

(long ago, used by cow farmers as a way to push manure in the cellar of the barn. It collected on a concrete slab so a tractor could scoop it to spread on crops).

I *fell* about 10-12 feet onto the concrete slab, headfirst!

I don't recall the actual *fall* but I DO RECALL waking up, feeling blood running down my face & having extreme pain in my left wrist! I remember screaming & running. My mother & older sister, PJM, attended to my injuries. I was woozy & had nausea so off to the doctor we went. 

Once the blood was washed away & they could see the wound, I got 2 tiny stitches. Head wounds, even tiny ones, cause a ton of blood!

My wrist was badly sprained, not broken. I was vomiting by now so I was admitted to the hospital for overnight observation. Every so often, a nurse would enter the room & shake me to be certain I wasn't sleeping. I got my own TV! I got to stay up past my bedtime! Hawaii 5-O was on that night! Finally, I was given the OK to sleep, though by now, I was scared enough about being away from home, that I couldn't fall asleep.

When I returned home the next day, it was right back to my "normal" routine, injured or not! I was expected to do my chores, watch my younger siblings & stay out of the house during the summer days! The only difference I noticed... getting screamed at by everyone who saw me favoring my left, sprained wrist! I thought they were just being mean & thoughtless by insisting I use my very sore & painful wrist, but as it turns out, by using it, I speeded up the healing process. Weird.

And that's the one & only concussion I ever experienced.

*fall* or *fell*    It wasn't a real FALL! Unbeknownst to me at the time, my brother, PAM, who enjoyed being a troublemaker, was in the barn cellar & heard me heading towards the area where the trap door was located. He waited until I got close, then... using a long handled rake, he pushed the door open & I went through! 

also, I mentioned my sister, PJM, because I remember she ran away from home (for the 1st of many times) while I was in the hospital. I had thought it was odd that she was being so attentive to me that day, but I guess it was her way of saying "good bye".

Tomorrow, the Painting Starts!

C left for college in August. 

The very next day, I began to paint her room. 

The walls were done quickly, though definitely NOT PROFESSIONAL QUALITY! 

That being said, it still looks better than before I painted the walls!

Over the past few WEEKS, I've been trying to scrape up the old paint the previous owners had put down under the rug. That ugly, blue indoor/outdoor rug! 

Since her room is 3/4 of the basement, I've divided this job into 3 phases. 

It's our hope it will look like a studio "apartment" when done only w/o a bathroom or kitchen! 

Tonight, I've finished prepping the 1st section of floor! I've washed it w/a bleach solution to kill any mildew/mold left over from last years flooding.

The floor must be totally dry before I can paint. 

The dehumidifier is on, fans are blowing & will remain on throughout the night.

Once the paint is on, 24 hours must pass before I can do a 2nd coat w/color sprinkles. Another 24 hrs before we can walk on it & 7 days before I can put furniture back in that area. 

Then, I can finally say, "Phase 1 is complete!"

C will be home for Christmas. 

With the time its taken me to complete the 1st phase, 

what are the odds I'll have her whole room completed by Christmas?

Family History

Genealogy, Family History, one's heritage & ancestry as well as many other similar words have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I loved listening to stories from the "older" members of my family as well as other peoples stories about their own families. I loved the Sunday Sacrament Meeting talks whenever Sister Poulsen would speak. It always revolved around her search for her family's history with the search, at times, being more interesting than what she discovered!

As interested as I am in my family's history, in particular my mothers side, I'm afraid to start. I fear I will not be able to stop, that it will take over my life & I feel I cannot do that.

My mother, SLWM, on her wedding day

My mother SLWM, in or around 1967-68

My mother, SLWM, with her father AW, on her wedding day to my father, GMM

Family portrait 1967 (prior to my mother getting sick)

His, Hers... a blended family.
My best guess: this is our 1st time sitting as a family around the table. Which would make this photo taken around September of 1969.

Photo on left: I'm in the photo, but couldn't be seen unless you had X-Ray vision!
I am in the photo on the right @ or about 1967 or early 1968.

This was what we assumed would be our last family portrait! No one expected anymore siblings!
A year or two later, another sister arrived!
A side note about this photo... my younger brother, DBM, bottom right, in the white turtleneck sweater had just vomited all over the floor moments before this photo was taken. yucko

My older brother, PAM giving my mother a kiss. Taken approx. 1964-65

Camping, about 1965.
My mother, SLWM with from L to R, older brother, DAM (back to camera), older sister PJM & older brother, PAM

From L to R: PJM, DLM (holding, me!), GMM, PAM & DAM in 1965

Official wedding portrait of my parents, SLWM & GMM

My daughter, T, has begun an interest recently in her family history beginning w/her maternal side. I'm excited to hear what she uncovers & eager to share w/her what I know. I'll start w/these photos & see where it goes.

I wish her all the best in her efforts!

Can't Sleep

It's a dark & stormy night.

Got home around 5.

I put more stripper on another section of the basement floor, waited 2 hrs then scraped it up.

Yes, I needed to re apply. Letting this coat set overnight. 

This paint is incredibly strong!

I've set up my Fantasy Football teams roster for this weeks games.

I've done some laundry & dishes.

It's humid enough for me to turn the A/Cs on for the night.

I'm retaining water so I feel all puffy & swollen!

Maybe I'll take some ZzzQuil.

Spent the day w/these 2 munchkins (biggest sister was at school most of the day)

This guy turns TEN YEARS OLD tomorrow! He's only 5 in the photo. Maybe 6, I forget!

Stripper

For Christmas this year, C has requested a bit of sprucing up in the basement bedroom she calls home when she is not @ college. Three quarters of our basement is her domain. I'm trying to fulfill her request, one third at a time, but it's turning into a big chore, like the stairs were earlier this summer!

Several small floods due to sump pump failures over the last 12 years have caused us to rip up & toss out the indoor/outdoor blue carpeting installed by the previous owners. There was a layer of paint under the rug which was chipping & bubbling. All the old paint must be removed before I can apply the correct type of paint for a concrete basement floor.

The "silly me" thought I could scrape it off easily w/a scraper. I mean, it was bubbly & peeling in places already so how hard could it be? I have blisters on my hands, sore knees & had sweat dripping off me every time I tackled the job. Not much of the paint even budged! 

After 2 weeks of trying (during my downtime), yesterday I broke down & bought a small bottle of paint stripper. It's a biodegradable kind so the citrus odor isn't too bad. The old paint though is being tough! I think it may have Super Glue mixed in it! Some spots come up easy. Other spots have taken 3 applications of stripper before coming off. Today, I've used up the last of the stripper & have re-claimed only HALF of the part of her room I'm tackling! I'm taking a break until the weekend.

The stripper is much easier than plain scraping, but still hard on the knees & arms. 

Thank goodness for Advil!