Really?!

B is in the kitchen @ 5 in the morning cooking breakfast for himself. Usually, not an issue w/me.

Today however, I'm heading into day surgery for a procedure, which means I am fasting! Hearing the sizzle of eggs cooking & smelling the cheese melting is not fair! I think he could've waited until I was out cold, under the influence of drugs, then snuck out to a breakfast place for an egg muffin. 

I suppose I should be grateful that he will be waiting for me @ the hospital the whole time, but when my tummy is growling, I'm not much in a grateful sort of mood! Grr!

On the bright side, when this is over, he will most likely have all sorts of funny stories to tell about my words & actions when "drugged"! I hope I don't do anything too embarrassing! Coming out of anesthesia is as close as I ever get to being drunk. After my colonoscopy last year, I had my little sister (she was my designated driver) in stitches w/my unbridled humor & slurred words!

Well, the smell of breakfast is still lingering in the air. My tummy is churning, but it will have to wait for lunch. I'm so hungry! 

I'm hoping my several sisters in-law will have a wonderful bachelorette party w/B's youngest sister who is getting married next weekend. Sorry I couldn't be there! Have fun, girls! 

A "Frozen Charlotte" Doll

In all my years, I had never heard of this doll, the frozen Charlotte. 

It's a porcelain figurine & came in various sizes which were given to children, back in the 1800s, as a reminder to "listen to & obey your mother or bad things will happen!"

I'm retelling the story & may have a few facts mixed up but it was a very interesting story to me.

A young woman named Charlotte was going to a fancy ball with her beau, Charlie. She had a beautiful gown & wanted everyone to see her in it. It was a cold, maybe even snowy evening when Charlie drove up in his one horse OPEN SLEIGH! Not heeding her mothers warning about the coldness of the night & her warning her that she should wear a wrap, Charlotte got into the sleigh. 

She sat up straight & tall so all passing them could see her in the beautiful gown!

When they got to the ball, Charlotte was still sitting up straight & tall. However, she was frozen, literally, to death! It is said that Charlie was so distraught. It has been said that he died a short time later, of a broken heart.

When a child got one of these dolls, it served as a reminder to them that they should listen to their mother & obey her. Or else, they too could become frozen to death.

I see a few other life lessons that could've been taught too, but apparently, obeying one's mother was the main lesson of the story & doll.

A rather morbid, scary way to keep children in line! I'm glad parents don't use such methods anymore!

 Or do they?

She's Talking More!

I got a video of Carlotta from T today. 

It has been a few days since I got one. It was a music video featuring Carlotta singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I shared it w/C because that one was all mine!

I love her singing videos too much to share.

This video is short... all Carlotta videos are short because I don't know how to take & post longer ones!

I think you'll be able to understand her words.

And YES! she is topless. 

She was being stubborn today & wanted to wear a specific top but she had gotten it wet. She refused to wear another one until her shirt was dry.

Stubbornness? I wonder where she got that trait?

Too Early for Christmas?

NEVER!

I began my Christmas shopping today. Of course, the first thing I purchased was for Lil Miss Carlotta! Since she still cannot read (she's only 2!) I can post about it here!

She loves "My Little Pony" toys, books & videos. Both her mother & Auntie C also enjoyed these toys. In fact, T's first birthday present was a yellow "My Little Pony" baby named "Snippy," which is currently in my collection box. I assume, one day, that T will ask for it back. 

I tried last week to purchase her a "Zecora" @ Toys R Us. Zecora is a zebra not a pony. On the HUB series, she plays a wise sage who lives in the forest near Ponyville. All three of the girls I care for want this toy! Due to its popularity, Zecora was sold out, even on-line! Auction sites were selling her for over $50! She only costs $10 when in stock so I resisted the urge!

I had my pre-op appointment today, just down the street from the Toys R Us store.  Of course, I just had to go in & check for a Zecora, one more time. 

OMG!! There was 1 on the shelf!! 

I am going to be an awesome Nonie this year! I grabbed it for Lil Miss! I wish there had been more, I could've sold those in an auction & made some extra spending money! 

Oh well! My grandbaby will be very happy this Christmas!

The popular "Nightmare Moon" 6 inch figure remains elusive to me! I need to keep my eyes open.  

Cat Pictures for C!

Save or Toss?

I was taught to never toss unused paint away. So I don't. Now I have lots of old paint that I won't ever use because, well... it's old paint! Most of my "collection" was left here by the previous home owners. I'd like to, no... LOVE to see this collection disappear! But w/all the rules & regulations in tossing paint... 

In the meantime, I refuse to make my collection of unused paint any larger.

This means I'm tackling another project before I get to the kitchen! Knowing the cabinets needed a new coat of paint is how I got started on house projects in the first place! The color paint I have is not what I want in the kitchen. Where is a good place to use my leftover paint? 

Three quarters of our basement was "finished?" by the previous owners. They put up some framing & nailed some 1970's looking paneling onto the frames. A blue indoor/outdoor rug on the floor meant they were finished. Not very pretty, but functional.

The basement has a sump pump, a dehumidifier and a drainage system to keep it dry. T had her bedroom in the finished area for a few years (she left a lot of graffiti on the walls!)  C has the large bedroom now.

Sadly, there have been wet mishaps over the years like the sump pump doesn't work when there is no electricity, water softener pipes bursting & rain/floods! The panels have buckled in places & 1/2 of the ugly blue rug had to be tossed after the last flood, a year ago.

I'm using my leftover paint to see if a fresh coat of paint will help make this area inviting again. I have leftover floor paint too which I'm hoping will work on concrete so we don't have to purchase another rug or tiles! Wish me luck!

A Quick Catch-up

It has been a year since I began working as a childcare provider for my Family #2. It's flown by! The oldest heads off to kindergarten on Monday. The middle child begins preschool the following week. I'll be caring only for the baby boy until I pick up his sisters after lunch. 

Then, it's all 3 of them until a parent comes home!

(I see the kids from Family #1 less than originally planned. Their family structure has changed since I left. I'm very happy & excited to see them whenever I can!)

I watch the kids in Family #2 about 2-3 times a week so I've had time for my lawn, garden & a few house projects this year. I feel less stress... most of the time. 

I have been trying to get healthier. I've been stuck @ the "15-20 lbs lost" mark all summer! 

I wish I could drop lbs fast like B! At last check, he was @ "55 lbs lost!"

I had an emergency room type of medical situation back in March & while I haven't had a repeat of those symptoms, it still is frustrating that the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint the cause for certain. 

Next Friday, I'll be going in for a procedure which will hopefully help the doctors understand the problem. My doctor is very optimistic that it will turn out to be nothing at all & chalk it up to unusually abnormal menopausal issues. 

My recovery from the procedure on the following day or two will prevent me from visiting w/family @ the lake. B may still go, he hasn't decided. He recently returned from a week of Scout Camp where he was the only Scout for the 1st 3 days! He's been very good about taking off his black soled shoes before walking on the newly painted stairs & hallway.

C has returned to SNHU for her junior year. She's doing well & likes college. I'm hoping she'll keep on a good path & not get distracted by worldly influences! She knows what I'm talking about! Her boyfriend, G, is going to miss seeing her as often as he did this summer, but I'm sure they'll adjust. She has been keeping up w/her car payments which makes me very happy!

As for my other daughter, T with her husband M & my Carlotta... things are going well. Or so I'm told. M still does the overnight shift & Carlotta is growing by leaps & bounds! T has a freelance job at a local family friendly publication in the Roanoke area. She's been working hard at it & their 1st edition is due out NEXT WEEK! I hope she remembers to send me a copy!

That's all I guess. I could go on & on, but I wanted to keep it short & sweet. Hope your summer has gone well & your kids are excited to be returning to school.

Two Monday Recipes

It is Monday again! 

Time to try out some new recipes on some old friends!

First one is a vegetable one. Our home-grown tomatoes are beginning to turn red, all at the same time, so I needed to use them up in recipes other than sauce. The produce department had lots of squash coming in from the local farms. Maybe next year, I'll grow some squash too.

Squash & Tomato Bake   

 serves 4-6 (depending on whether your guests like vegetables!)

What you need:

• 1 medium zucchini squash, sliced very thin
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced very thin
• 1 medium onion, sliced very thin, in half moon slices ( I use Vadahlia onions)
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
• 2 T olive oil, divided
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh, Parmesan cheese

What you do:

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a 9x9 baking dish, drizzle 1 T olive oil on bottom of the dish
• Starting w/the zucchini, layer the squashes & onion.
• Top off w/the tomato slices
• Drizzle remaining olive oil & salt & pepper, to taste
• Cover w/foil & bake for 40-45 minutes
• Remove foil, sprinkle the cheese on top
• Return pan to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
• Serve

This next recipe is a variation of a Southern classic dessert. It's made to be a bit more diabetic friendly than the original. Its simple to make & requires NO COOKING!

Millionaire's Pie  

serves 8 (34 carb grams per serving)

What you need:

• 1- 9"  graham cracker crust, store bought
• 1- 1 oz package of Instant Sugar-free Fat-free Vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup of cold fat free milk
• 1- 8 oz can of crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1- 8 oz tub of sugar-free Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional if you don't care for nuts. I used only 1/2 cup in mine)

What you do:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the pudding mix & milk until thickened (about 2 minutes)
• Gently fold in the Cool Whip, pineapple & pecans
• Stir gently until combined
• Pour into the prepared crust & chill for at least 2 hours. More chill time is better.
• Before serving, you could top off w/some more Cool Whip & some maraschino cherries.

Have a good day!

Nice to Meet You!

Today, the kids from the 2 different families I have cared for got the chance to meet for the first time. They had heard about each other from my stories & were excited to meet.
The boys hit it off right away. How hard is it to amuse a 4 month old baby?
The girls were a bit shy w/each other. Kaya was the most vocal, trying to make suggestions of what they could play, but Sof was being timid (which meant Anna did what Sof did).
I turned on an episode of "My Little Pony" & by the end, the girls were pals! They sometimes forgot to include Anna, but w/gentle reminders, all was well in no time!
All in all... a great day of new friends & Olympics (Miss Jen style!)

Kaya is holding Bebe Jorge while his big sister, Sof, tries to make him happy again.
His bottle wasn't in his mouth, so he was upset!

Colin & Bebe Jorge were fast friends! Colin takes his role of feeding the baby, very seriously!

Connor wasn't too sure about holding a baby! Looks like the baby would rather play with Colin anyway!

Our Olympic medals! 

These girls met for the 1st time only 30 minutes prior to this photo being taken. 

Bebe Jorge was thrilled to be watching BOYS play with BOY TOYS! He sat in his Bumbo for a good half hour just observing them. He never lasts that long watching his sisters play w/their toys!

Extra silly Olympians! 8/17/2012

A Visit from 3 of My Most Favorite People

Connor will be 10 next month! He's entering 4th grade!

Colin will be 8 in November & he's entering 2nd grade!

Kaya will be 6 in October & is excited to start Kindergarden @ the same school where her brothers attend! She's enrolled in full day Kindergarden, five days a week. She will be ready for 1st grade in no time at all!

They are still very silly, fun kids! Today, they did Slip N Slide w/dish soap as a lubricant. This turned part of my lawn into the Mud Bowl, but I don't mind! They had fun! Waffles & bacon & fruit for dinner, Nerf gun fights vs G & C then into the house for dress up time! Later,  s'mores @ night, brush teeth & movies to fall asleep to. Tomorrow... they get to meet the other kids I watch! We'll be having our version of the Olympics! Medals & fun for all, I hope!

Oh, I Couldn't Eat Another Bite!

This is a cake. I know it is a cake! I like cake. It is only a cake in a shape of a snake. I know I shouldn't be afraid to eat this cake. I could not even be in the same room if someone was serving a cake like this! This is one scary cake! 

Cool Things I May Never Try

A homemade chocolate bowl you can eat! Cuts down on the # of dishes you have to wash, but doesn't cut down on the calories you ate in order to cut down on the dishes you have to wash!

My friend collects soda can tabs for her son to make his own chain mail garments.
I think this is a more practical reason to save the tabs.

Gross! Great for Halloween or April Fools Day!
I dislike Jello, so I won't be trying this one!

Getting Bigger!

She's FIVE and a HALF now going on 16! She's a lovable diva & a personality to match! I love this kid!

These 2 have grown MUCH TALLER since I saw them last! They still enjoy a good knock down wrestling match! It was fun to see the middle child not getting the brunt of the fight anymore. He can hold his ground! 

This is a "fighting pose" they wanted me to take so they would be able to show their mom the evidence of who was beating up who this afternoon! 

Who me? I did nothing! 

A Reprieve

Today was a beautiful summery day, warm, sunny & NO HUMIDITY! Whoohoo!

It'll be returning throughout the day tomorrow & be w/us a few more days! Ugh!

So, Bebe Jorge rolls from his back to his stomach & from his stomach to his back pretty regularly now. Oh, he still gets himself stuck & cries for help, but he's doing it! He's always been a creeper, but as he gains control of his large muscles, he does it w/purpose now instead of by accident!

His sisters are doing well, for the most part. Since behavior therapy has started (she's had a few sessions) the oldest one has had fewer episodes (in my presence). I have noticed the little one doing quiet, annoying things to her sister who gets worked up & riled into a full blown ODD moment. Then she sits back & enjoys the show. I'm trying to nip that in the bud!

In other news, my 5 1/2 yr old friend from my 1st nanny job has lost her 1st tooth! I was there during the growth of that tooth! I remember her drool, crying & chewing as the calcium deposit ripped through her baby gums! Now, it's gone.

I'm going to try to visit those kids on Friday. Feels weird not being there for such a milestone!

Some Things I Learned This Month

• Do the sanding BEFORE you paint anything! The dust goes everywhere! Wiping down the new paint job is tedious!
• Check on your cats location BEFORE painting the floors. Fingers crossed that I'm not wiping up white paw prints in an hour!!
• No matter how hard you try, there will be some bleed-through when using painters tape. Even the new green FROG tape isn't totally bleed-through proof! Don't OCD about it, let it go!
• Don't paint unless you want to be painting for a few months! New paint makes everything else look bad!
• Painting my 12 pane windows will suck. I know my MIL doesn't like that word, but I couldn't think of another word to describe what I'm feeling when I begin painting windows. Which I have to do now because I began painting in the first place!