Pre-TRIP Stress

So, our TRIP is one week away and I'm stressing. We had to spend some extra cash on the van this week: to the tune of $240. Talk about an expensive oops. The passenger side mirror got broken off the van while unloading it from our memorial weekend trip back to Darien Center (someonewhoshallremainnameless*coughcough*itwasn'tme,reallyitwasn't) When you try to throw a duffel bag full of dirty laundry to the second floor balcony, you have to make sure it has the right trajectory. yeah, well we didn't have so much of that! and SMASH!

Anyway, so we have also been on the search for a new portable DVD player. What a headache. I have been reading reviews on Amazon.com for the last 3 days. I think my eyes are permanently crossed. Basically what it boils down to is that there is no portable DVD player out there with the dual screens that gets a consistently good review. They are very lopsided.. i.e. one that I was reading had either all 5 star reviews or all 1 star reviews.

The other thing we want is for it to have a rechargeable battery so that we can take it on a flight. (like the one we have now that refuses to read any discs)

So after buying one from Target last night and then getting it home and realizing it doesn't have a battery at all (its only usable in the car) I went this morning and returned it, then went to Best Buy, then Wal*Mart, then SEARS all to no avail! So I came home and started reading amazon again, and then tried to go to Consumer Reports to see what they say, but you have to be a member to read any of there reports. After switching from website to website and reading so many different reviews I was getting confused and forgetting what I had read and wasn't finding what I was looking for finally I went back to the Wal*Mart site for like the 15th time. and there it was right in front of me an Audiovox Dual Screen DVD player with car adaptor, rechargeable battery and carrying case all for $157.00 DUHH, I had only looked at it like 100X.

Hopefully it will arrive before we leave on our journey! I paid for 2-3 day delivery. Cause to pick it up Site-to-store would take 2 weeks. Good grief! Oh well, wish us luck. and pray that all the evil portable DVD player reviews don't come true for us.

I did it

So those of you who have been here w/ me for a while remember way back HERE when I was contemplating graduate school. Totally didn't go through with it. Then The Missus got wind of my idea and posted this absolutely hysterical post. Which I totally should have plagiarized and copy and pasted into my online application essay. But I didn't because we learned on Arthur the other day that copying and pasting things off the Internet into your paper is WRONG, wrong I tell you!

So anyway, I originally started this whole thing back in September. I have been going round and round with the "What am I going to do when the kids are all in school" thing. I sell Mary Kay products and at one time I was very successful with my business. I even earned this car. But, I was working out of necessity not out of love for the work. I love Mary Kay products and think everyone that can use them should. What it all boiled down to was that i didn't like being my own boss. So if not Mary Kay, what am I going to do with myself. Well I did go to college and earn a BS degree. I did teach 3 years of middle school physical education once-upon-a-time. Why not go back to do that? So I finally made a decision and I'm stickin to it. I filled out my application to Canisius College (I wrote my own essay) and have finally gotten all my ducks in a row and mailed in the other requirements for the application process and now I am just waiting to hear weather I made it or not.
I also went through the process of the FAFSA application and guess what?! We qualify for 100% financing! Good thing those Catholics are 'spensive!

I have also started the process of transferring my NC teaching license to NY. That's a wholenother story, I mean nightmare! But we are working through the long arduous process.
So I will keep you all posted.

The Garden and The Trip

So, Here it is folks: My flower bed. I had promised you back Here that I would post pictures and blog about it. But I have been slow about uploading pictures, so sorry bout that.



I have a good size bleeding heart, some rosecampions, bee balm, other great things that i do not know the name of. But they are and will be beautiful just the same.

I have also started the veggie garden. We will have beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green and red peppers, carrots, broccoli (if I can ever find the seed), green beans and corn. HOPEFULLY, because this is what our soil looks like.

To give you some perspective, I have taken about 10 wheelbarrow loads of just stone, let me rephrase that, ROCK out of this space that is only 12 paces by 5 paces big. we should sell rock to the landscaper who lives next door. We could make enough money to buy our veggies all winter.

But, I digress, its planted and now we are just praying that God will help our veggies grow through the rock and give us a good harvest.


Now on to my other topic of interest: THE TRIP (you have to say that in the movie announcer voice)

We are leaving on June 5Th embarking on an epic journey in our mini-van to the state of Georgia! That would be 19 and 45 minutes according to Google maps, of driving in the van with our 3 cherubs. Hayden informs me that his butt will hurt. Yes, Bud your butt is gonna hurt.
Our dream is to leave here bright and early. The GOAL: to get to Daniel and Christy in Mooresboro, NC (12 hours) by that night. Then spend the next day with them and head out on Sunday for the last leg of our journey (6 hours). Our final destination is Nanny Gwen and Papa Orik's house! Then turn around and do it all over again the next weekend!

WE'RE FRIKEN NUTS!

What I am asking of you all is some Ideas!

• Things to have on hand
• games we could play
• good travel food (we are planning on taking a cooler stocked with good things to eat)
• Tricks that have worked for other people

This is our first longer than 3 hour trip in the van that all 3 of them have taken.

We got some great noise making phonics games from the neighbors, we have our DVD player, but what else is a major necessity for traveling with small children. Remember they are 4, 2 1/2, and 15 months.


Thanks for all you help!

Recipe Swap

So, I make some great easy and quick meals that my kids eat hands down every single time I make them and I thought I would share them with you and was hoping you all had some old faithfuls that you use on a regular basis that you wouldn't mind sharing with me.

So here goes it:

Cheesy Chicken A la King

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
3 T Butter
3 T Flour
1 1/2 C milk
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
1 cup shredded Mont Jack/Colby Cheese (or anything else you have on hand)
1 bag frozen mixed veg (thawed)
1 can refrigerator biscuits (or make your own)

Directions:
Bake biscuits according to directions on package. While biscuits are baking:
Cube chicken and brown in skillet till cooked the way you like it. Set aside.
Melt butter in a dutch oven or medium pot over Medium High heat. Whisk in flour and milk allow it to thicken into a heavy cream base. When mixture is thick, reduce heat to medium and add cheese, salt & pepper. let Cheese melt, stirring occasionally then stir in veggies and chicken. Allow veggies to heat through and your ready to eat!
Serve over biscuits.


Chicken and Ritz

Ingredients
3-4 Chicken breasts diced and cooked
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1T poppy seeds
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers crushed
Preheat oven to 350


Brown chicken.
In a casserole dish combine, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, poppy seeds. When chicken is browned stir in to sour cream mixture.
Sprinkle with crushed Ritz and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with your favorite side salad and fresh fruit for an amazing dinner.

They will be asking for seconds guaranteed! I now have to double the recipe when i make this, I can't imagine how much they will eat when they are teenagers.


Hope you enjoy!

Prom-a-pa-looza or Holy Photo upload, Batman!

1996 So this was Junior Prom. I was 16. My date was Jason Breton. Aka Pork. We went as friends. We rode in his dads car I think. I remember feeling very uncomfortable. Not because of my dress. I loved my dress. I didn't like the compliments I was getting. You have to remember when I was in school I was a slob. I didn't realize I was a slob. But I hated the girly stuff. I was a tomboy. So being all dressed up and getting compliments made me feel very uncomfortable. It was nice getting compliments I just didn't know how to handle it.

This was me when I bought my dress

This was my mom's friend Red Head Debbie. She was about them most stylish person I knew at that time in my very naive life.

This was me starting to become very uncomfortable with the whole "get dressed up and look nice" process.

And here's the crew. Matt Kaus our neighbor to the west, Me, Jason Breton, Ben (my brother) and Tim Pohl our neighbor who lived down front.

We ended up leaving early. I think both of us were just uncomfortable with the whole situation. and then the thought of Dancing (I didn't dance then, I felt stupid and didn't know what I was doing) We went and got Wes (my cousin, we were kinda the 3 amigos, Wes, Pork and I) I don't remember what we did that night (not because I was drunk or anything, I think I spent the night at Pork's house and went to Church the next morning in my dress.

Now Senior Year. 1997

I ended up going to 2 proms. I went with Ian (i don't remember what his last name was) He was a Junior at Attica. He was best friend with my best friend Rachel. She already had a date leaving Ian dateless, so he asked me. (Sure why not) I had a softball tournament that morning. So there for I had some Horrible tan lines. I did my hair the same way that I did it they year before for my Junior prom. (so original) I had just recovered from Ankle reconstruction surgery so putting heels on was not so much fun. I remember my ankle being swollen beyond belief by the end of the night. I drove us. We had a pretty good time. Went to an after party WAY out in the woods somewhere. Attica people! There nuts! I ended up leaving him there and heading back to the house I was house sitting for that week.

Took my dress to the cleaners, so I could wear it for my prom and the cleaners melted the sequens off the front. a few days before my prom I had to go buy a new dress. It was plain black ugly and I rocked the green one so much better.

Now fast forward a few weeks to my senior prom. I went with Kyle Messenger. A great friend during my Senior year. Kyle, Jamie Keister and I all took freshmen Algebra 1 together as Seniors. We laughed our way though. We had some great times that year. So the week of prom we had a softball game and I took a line drive during warm-ups off Coach Falcone's bat right in the eye!



Nice! (DAMN those furry catapillars on my forhead, why didn't anyone speak up and send me to an exterminator)

I ended up getting some special cover up from the make-up counter at Dillard's or something it covered up the black eye, but left my face all shiny in the pictures. Being pissed about the eye, and dress, I didn't do anything to my hair.

So here we are:Me, Kyle, Jenny Williams, Jeff Waiter, Jamie Keister and Brian Kelsey. I think Jamie and Brian were actually dating, but the rest of us just went as friends. We rode in Kyle's new truck. A red Dodge truck. We smoked cigarettes on the way there. We stayed the whole time had a great time. Laughed DANCED!

I dip, you dip, we dip. was a popular song then.

Kyle had some mild acne and had some prescription strength stuff he was supposed to use, but need to stay out of the sun. Well he got sun burned on our senior trip and ended up with that red burn mark on his nose. We were a perfect couple. Me and my eye and him and his nose. We went back to Brian Kelsey's house afterward. We had a bonfire. I got really drunk and puked up my dinner in front of everyone. I didn't care then but when I think of it now. How obnoxious and embarrassing. I guess I was just trying to be cool and fit in. I ended up passing out on the living room floor. got up the next day, Jamie took me home and I felt horrible the rest of the day.

This was the 1997Alexander Trojans Softball Team (10-6)

Jessie, Jamie, Katie, Me, Sarah, Beth, Marcie, Katie, Jaydriene, Brandi, and Stephanie.

I counted up and I think between these girls we have 16 soon to be 17 kids.

Me and Brandi have the most with 3 each. (Brandi is in the gold dress in the front row. Stephanie is about to have her 3rd (she's in the

front row black dress next to Brandi)

Garter shot! mine sucked it was homemade and rolled up all stupid when I took it off.

This 1 I threw in for a good laugh. I was such a dork..

Me in middle school w/ my bitchin perm on top of a bowl cut!

This is totoally an adult temper tantrum

123 magic you can take an effing leap out of the moving van!



I am so sick of whining children!

Who's with me?!

That's 1: stop whining,

whining continues

That's 2.

whining intensifies!

that's 3, take a break!

whining accompanied by kicking and screaming into the time-out spot. Where kicking and screaming now meet a closed door in the face (of said whining and screaming child that is)

Time out is served, whining and screaming child opens door and we start all over again!



"3 children for sale, 3 children for sale. 3 whining and crying young children for sale!" Shel Silversten. Although I think it was originally printed "young sister for sale!"


I am also insanely tired of my children being sick. The amount of snot we have going on in this house could fill the English Channel! The continuous coughing and lack of mouth covering, yea, I'm over that. The sneezing of snot rockets to their little knees, yea, I'm done with that too. The runny nose that just stays caked to the upper lip with dirt stuck in it, yea, its real pretty!

and the incessant asking for things in the whining tone that reminds me of a Bill Cosby stand up routine. Maaa...aaaa...aaaa...mmmm can you get me some miiiiilllllk. (even though I didn't finish the last cup you poured for me and I spilled the one before that all over the floor that you just swept, can you get me some more milk) Mom can you get me some more milk...Mom can you get me some more milk.....Mom can you get me some more milk? What I want to say today is "Get you OWN damn milk!" But I'll just keep that one to myself. and walk like a beat horse to the fridge and get the milk and poor another (soon to be spoiled or spilled) glass of milk. and wipe another nose, and clean up another snot rocket.

Peni grow in Early Spring and the story of 2 dicks

So, we were innocently sitting in the grass for our lunch today, when the conversation turns to peni (which, with 2 boys who are very comfortable with there masculine parts the topic of penis' comes up often). Cameron Eli Come Back Here asked me (for like the gazillionth time) if I have a penis.

No, I state, I have girl parts.

Hayden chimes in "but mom yours is really little. Cause it will grow in Early spring and then it will get bigger."

Cameron adds "and that will make you berry happy!"

RRRIIIGHT!*

*Doesn't every man wish it would grow bigger in early spring?!

STORY #2

Cameron Eli Come Back Here:

Mom I want 2 dicks!

2 what?

I want 2 dicks.

what?!

Hayden: Mom I want one with 1 stick!

Cameron: I want 2 dicks!

Any guesses?

That was pretty good, but the answer is:

have a great day!

Just checkin in

Hey everyone.

I'm just checkin in!

We have been outside everyday for the last 2 weeks almost. We are loving our new house and yard. I have been working on getting the grass off a nice spot for a flower bed, Now I just need to get my flowers from our appartment, 2 appartments ago. They are all being kept nice at the old Farm House in Alexander. My new flower bed is gonna be beautiful. It lines an OLD 1800's era stone hedge. I'm planning on planting some creaping phlox and other ground cover type things along with my other perrinials from the farm house.

I've also got my veggies goin too, I planted some Beef Steak tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, peppers, and for some reason I started my squash and cucs early too! We're gonna have zucs and cucs the first week of June at the rate they are growing.

I'll take some pictures of my new flower bed and post about it next time.

Have a great weekend