As My Day Goes

Menu 3/8 to 3 /14

2009-03-09T18:20:00.001-06:00

Sunday: Turkey Noodle Soup

Monday: Fried Fish, Hush Puppies, Green Salad

Tuesday: Pork Stew, Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Red Beans and Rice with Sausage,

Friday: BBQ Chicken Breasts,

Saturday: Leftovers

The Care and Feeding of Your Pre-teen Daughter Or Day Nine

2009-03-04T10:10:00.004-06:00

It's been a few days since I have updated my journey to being a better wife, mother, employee, person, friend. Today was a trip to good, or should I say better, mommy land. My 9 year old, Hannah, is growing up so fast! It's so hard to believe sometimes, and fastenating to watch. At the first of the school year we got her size 10/12 girls clothes. But she has shot up so fast. I have had to replace all her clothes in the past few weeks for a size 14/16. I got a call last night inviting her to a swimming party this weekend. So, I had her pull out last years swim suit. Needless to say, it didn't fit. So we went out last night to find her a new one. Luckily, the stores are starting to put them out. Unluckily, they don't have much of a selection yet. We went to Target. Disclaimer…. We don't DO bikini's. Target only had 2 different one pieces and all the rest were either bikini's or tankini's in the girls section. Well neither of the 2 one pieces had her size left. So we went to the women's section….. NOTHING….NADA…. Not one single suit would work. All inappropriate for a 9 year old. So…. Off to Wal-Mart we go. Girls section…. Again…only 2 different one pieces. So we found a tankini that she liked and I thought might work. We went to the young women's department. Yet again….. Only 2 different one pieces. But we found 2 tankini's in a size she might be able to wear. One was very adult in its fabric design. But the other was more youthful. We then went to the dressing room. Tried the one from the girls section first. Fit, but quite snug and not comfortable for her. Tried the more youthful of the other 2. Fit her very well. A 7/9. But the bust was padded. Luckily there was a place you can pull the padding out. Bottom was a good fit as well. The top was long enough and she really liked it. We tried the top of the more adult one on… just too big and not right. Sooooo…. It was #2! Very nice fit.

Well, I got to thinking, actually I have had it in the back of my mind for a while, this girl is growing and developing fast. With my boys, giving them "THE TALK" was a matter of them asking a question and getting answers from me. Just as much info as they asked for. With Hannah, it's different. She needs to know certain things. Things she hasn't asked about. Things that might scare her if she isn't ready for them. So, I went to Barnes and Noble and got a book called The Care and Keeping of You: The body book for Girls but The American Girl. It's a very informative book, without delving into the hairy area of sexuallity. It should help me open a channel of dialog that isn't easy to do sometimes.

Well, that got me to thinking about a few other things. I grew up with very low self-esteem. And I really want to instill in my girls something different, better. I had seen the The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty and decided to look into it a little deeper. They have this neat Real Beauty Workshop for Girls and after looking into it a bit, I signed up to be a workshop facilitator. I am excited about helping both my daughters and maybe some other girls to feel better about themselves. And maybe it might help me along the way. :) Later Gaters, Kai!

Menu 3/2 to 3/8

2009-03-02T11:01:00.003-06:00

Leftover Hot Turkey Sandwiches and Sides

Turkey and Noodles Italian-Style

Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet

Stuffed Pepper Soup with French bread

Sweet-and-Sour Pork Chops, fried rice, egg rolls

The list isn't complete yet. But as soon as I'm done I'll update it. Later Gaters, Kai

Kristen's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2009-03-02T10:42:00.002-06:00

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1- 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
18 oz. Chocolate chunks
1 1/2 cups rough chopped pecans

Directions:
· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
· In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
· In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
· Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
· Stir in the chocolate chips.
· With your fingers, place golf ball-sized dough portions 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
· 7. Bake for 9-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown. Makes 30 cookies.

One big key in the success of these cookies is to use REAL butter and vanilla. You can replace them with margarine and imitation vanilla but they will not be near as good. Be careful not to cook these too long. It becomes tempting to keep cooking these because they don't seem to be done after 10 minutes, but they will continue to cook for awhile after you take them out of the oven. When cool, will be nice and chewy.

Good Sunday

2009-03-01T13:46:00.002-06:00

We are spending today cleaning and organizing. I will be starting my new job in the middle of this week. So, I am working on what needs to be done to have things run smoothly with me gone in the evenings. I will have to have all meals planned and figured out for Mark. Plus, the kids all prepared for school. I want to have 5 sets of clothes put together on Sundays for the whole week so that we won't have to worry about it the rest of the week. That's the goal. So….right now I'm working on putting together Caleb's new desk. I just finished the girls new cubby's. After the desk will be folding and putting away laundry. A ton I have on the couch. I spent yesterday resting cuz I wasn't feeling very well. The cough isn't quite gone, but getting better. Yesterday I hurt a lot. My chest especially. But it's better today. Dinner is going to be roast turkey, taters, stuffing, peas, and pie. I think. I don't know about the pie yet. I have to look into if I can find my pie plate. I have pie dough and pumpkin. So, maybe. I will be spending tomorrow doing more cleaning and organizing. More laundry. I am soooo sick of looking at it. That's all for now. I need to get back to work. Later Gaters. Kai.

French Onion Soup

2009-02-27T12:18:00.003-06:00

By Kristen Ashby

3 T. Unsalted Butter
2 Medium Onions Sliced
1 t. minced garlic, fresh or jarred
4 cups water
5 t. beef base
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. dried thyme leaves

Melt butter in 3qt. pot. Add Onions. Sautee' until caramelized.
Add garlic and cook an additional minuet. Add Water. Bring to boil.
When boiling, lower flame to very low and add beef base, bay leaf,
and thyme leaves. Simmer over low flame for 15 minuets.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings or 2 main dish servings

Traditional serving is in a crock with a toasted crouton and melted
parmesan or Swiss cheese over the top. This is optional. I just like
it in a bowl all by its self, but that's me. And don't forget to remove
the bay leaf before you serve.KKA

Just for fun- Meme

2009-02-25T15:47:00.002-06:00

Meme

For fun...

1. What do you think of when you see the color red?
Love, Blood, Life.

2. Which of your family members has the worst temper?
Mark. Me. Mark. Me. Mark. Me. UMMM…. I think it's a tie.

3. Have you ever thrown something at someone out of anger?
Yup. My sandal.
4. When you're mad do you prefer to glare and scowl at them or yell?
I do both. But yelling is my M.O.
5. What's your main goal in life?
No clue....really....no clue.
6. Do you want to have children?
Yes. Have. Do. 4 of em. Enough! Done!

7. Is it better to have loved and lost than never loved at all?
I am glad there is love. I am glad I have love. I never want to loose the love I have, but will be grateful for what I have had if it ever happens.
I know that our love will last an eternity. That is my promise. I am glad for that.

8. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Nope. Only in love.

9. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
We have strep going around my house. So…yep my throat! My face full of schmutz. And oh did I say my throat?
10. What city was your last taxi cab ride in?
Kodiak, Alaska
11. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?
UMMMMM….NO!! But have caught my kids licking batteries before….. Sometimes I wonder if they actually come from me???
12. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
Never ever. Nor will I ever allow my girls to be either!
13. Have you ever won a trophy?
No trophy's but a few medals for music in high school.

14. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
I' a chef. I wear a chef coat to work. Does that count?
15. Ever thrown up in public?
Out the car door while pregnant. Other than that, no.

16. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
My hubs, Mark, after his stroke last fall. NOT FUN!
17. What is the message you have set up for your voicemail?
Just one with my name and info. Simple and direct.
18. What was the name of your first pet?
Sampson
19. Is your first name a common/popular name?
Pretty much….unfortunately. I hate it too!!! I'd rather be Kate. Kristen is soooooooooooo boring.
20. Would you share a drink with a stranger in a bar?
Don't go to bars….so, um, no!

21. Would you ever become a vegetarian?
Never ever. I love veggies, but meat is my friend. Besides what kinda chef would I be without meat!

22. Have you ever had a guy best friend?
Not really.
23. Favorite food to eat after you've been drinking?
Don't drink, so I couldn't say.
24. Is your bedroom window open?
Nope.

25. What are you listening to currently?
Emma singing. Nice sound since she hasn't been off the couch in a week sick with strep and all kinds of other crap!

26. How old will you be in 3 birthdays?
3 years older
27. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping. With feaverish 4 year old feet crammed into the small of my back.

28. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed?
Yep. The right side.

29. Do you know how to drive a stick?
Yep. Sure can.

30. What are you allergic to?
No clue. Junk in the air. Other than that couldn't say.

31. What is your favorite salad dressing?
Catalina
32. Would you rather wear a big poofy dress or a short party dress?
Um…a long one is fine. Nothing short. Nothing "poofy"

33. Do you ever cry during a romantic movie?
Not usually.
34. Would you ever leave the house without make-up on?
All the time. I hate putting the crap on. But gotta with my new job. YUCK!
35. Would you kill for chocolate?
I wouldn't kill for anything. Espicailly something as unsubstantial as chocolate.

36. Do you think it would be possible to kill someone using shoelaces?
Probably not. They are not strong enough. Ok…is it scary that I would know that.

37. What is the largest sum you are willing to spend on a haircut? Just a cut, nothing fancy.
Whatever super cuts charges I guess.
38. How often do you wash your bed sheets?
Once a week.
39. If you could change one thing about your work schedule, what would it be?
No clue. Don't have my new schedule yet. Should be getting it later today.

40. Do you believe that online social networks (such as Facebook and MySpace cause more drama in people's lives?
Don't spend much time on either. So don't really know. I do have a myspace page. But don't mess with it much.

To pamper or Not to pamper? or Day 3

2009-02-25T08:20:00.005-06:00

Okay, yesterday wasn't very fruitful around the house. But it was productive. In a way. I wear glasses. I would like to have contacts, but can't afford to have both contacts and a back up pair of glasses and won't do contacts unless I have a pair. So, once every other year, I get new glasses when we get tax returns. Well, I wasn't going to get them this year, because we have no income right now. But, between my best friend and my husband, I was convinced that it was a real need and not just a luxury.

So….. Yesterday I went out to the mall and got new glasses. I had to wait 2.5 hrs for them to be made, so I spent some time shopping, something I don't get to do very often. I only ever shop clearance or really good sales. I hit a few clearance racks in Penny's and Sears. Didn't find much worth my time or money. Did get Caleb 2 shirts and got myself a sweater and one top. I also went to Bath and Body works. That is where, "To pamper or Not to pamper", question comes into play. So, is it wrong to spend money on something that you can live without but you only do once a year? I buy cheap shampoos and use cheap deodorant body soap all year round. When I realized I may have a job coming that I am going to be in front of customers while I work, I decided that I am going to have to wear makeup on a daily basis. Not something I usually do. But am determined to because it makes me feel more confident and out going. Something I am going to need in this perspective job. The other night, I went to Wal-Mart to get some eye makeup remover. I came out of there not only with what I went after, but a total of $50 worth of stuff. All just for myself. Face cleanser, nice shampoo and conditioner, a woman's razor and shave gel, a new brush. Stuff like that. Plus a tub to keep it all in on my bathroom shelf.

But wait there's more! I also went to Bath and Body works in the mall. Had a coupon for 10 off a 30$ purchase. They had buy 2 get one free. So I got myself some of their new fragrance. Black Raspberry Vanilla, YUMMMMM!!!! I got shower gel, body spray, and some body lotion. That plus two other small $1 things, and I came out of there with $40 worth of product for only $20! First and foremost you must know about me. I said it earlier….I don't buy things, except food, unless I get a good deal. Either it's clearance or on a good sale. I saved 50%!! So…. That's good, but I feel bad. I spent money on something that could be construed as frivolous. Is it bad to get something for yourself? Something that you could live without? All year I don't do for myself. I do for everyone else. Husband and children always come first. They eat first if we are low on food. I buy them clothes first before me. So am I wrong? I just don't know.

It will be done or Day 2

2009-02-24T22:46:00.001-06:00

I am very much determined to do better! I have troubles following thru though.

I get this way about once a year. Usually towards New Years. I just don't how to follow through with it. I am making small doable daily goals. Not over thinking things. And keeping it simple. I just hope I can find a way to make it work.

Getting new glasses today. I'm pretty excited. Going to go to the mall and have a little fun shopping and picking out new frames. Wish I had a friend to go with me, but Stacie and Mary are working and Rhonda bailed on me. Oh well…. I will just have some alone time.

Dear Lord, help me to accept and apply Your loving discipline to my life. Thank You for loving me enough not to overlook my faults. You want me to be all that You have planned. Forgive me when I stubbornly stand in the way of the work of Your great love. It warms my heart to know that You accept and cherish me in Your heart, even enough to discipline me when I need it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Today's prayer:

Father, Thank you for all my blessings.

Thank you for my loving family. Thank you for my health and home. Thank you for all I have and am able to do. Help me to make the most of my day and life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Today's prayer:

Father, Thank you for all my blessings.

Thank you for my loving family. Thank you for my health and home. Thank you for all I have and am able to do. Help me to make the most of my day and life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A New Beginning Day 1

2009-02-24T22:16:00.003-06:00

Here is my goal: Become more organized.

I know that is kind of broad. And I will be narrowing it down to something more workable. But for now become more organized will have to do. I go thru this about once a year. I get a strong urge to clean up my act. Be more "adult". And now that I have a degree and career it is also along the lines of be more professional.

As a wife and mother, I have an urge to make a comfortable home for my family. To please my husband. To have a safe and healthy home for my children, and to teach them responsibility along with that. To do as Heavenly Father wants me to and lead and teach my children the right.

As a professional woman, I want to be able to find a balance between my home and work life. To be the best employee I can be. Being unemployed , currently, I wish to find work, and keep it.

So, those are some basic, beginning ideas. My first step is to get up at 6am and spend some time organizing my thoughts. Writing out my goals for the day, and get a head start on the family.

Today's Goals:

Laundry
Clean off counter
Take pictures of house

Today's Prayer:

Father, Grant me the ability to go forward in my life. Help me to be a better wife, mother, friend, employee, and all around person. Open my heart to thy will. Give me strength to do all these things so that I might be closer to thee. In Jesus name, Amen.

Kristen Kai Ashby

Wordless Wednesday

2007-11-07T22:38:00.000-06:00

Okay...one word of explanation....this is is a pic from my classes Grand Buffet. We have 2 of them. One for bakery and one for Garde Manger...that's the cold kitchen. We had to have 1 hot and 1 cold appetizer. I did 2 hot and a cold. It was lots of fun. Our theme was Hells kitchen. We decorated like a Haunted house. It was tons of fun and very successful. Later Gaters, Kai.

7 random facts.....

2007-10-30T14:50:00.000-06:00

about me.....I have been tagged by Kayla...so here goes....

Seven Random Facts about me...Kristen....

1- I have more fabric, notions and crafting items then sense!
2- I really do love to bake and cook.....honestly!
3- Like Kayla, I do not like baking in the summer!
4- I'm scared of the future.....really scared!
5- I'm tired of my life and am determined to change things!
6- My #2 and #3 toes on both feet are stuck together half way up. I have a brother who's toes are stuck all the way up.
7- I love my husband....gripe as I may.....and as often as I do....I really do love him.

Okay..that's me....
Tagging....

Phoenix

She's the only one I can think of.....So....you go girl! Later Gaters, Kai!!

A few minutes.....

2007-10-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

It took me a few minuets to decide what I'd like to post about today. And I truly only have a few minutes to spare, so here's my thoughts.

I know I have neglected my blog for the past 6 months. I am still trying to get used to being out of the house most of the day. After spending almost 20 years at home with my kids and only working part time occasionally, it is a new experience for me to not be in control of my home at all times......not that it is ever under control but you know what I mean.....LOL. Anyway, I am looking to, again, try to gain some kind of peace and contentment with my life. I am very tired of the way things have been in the past and am determined to change that. That's why I'm in school. BUT....I miss being at home. I miss having the time to spend with my kids with no worry about the next assignment or test. I spend a TON of time doing school work at home and it's really taking a toll. Not to sure what I'm going to do, but leaving school is not an option. I have to do something to better our life. Anyway, today I'm going to spend the day working on the house, being with the kids and sewing Halloween costumes. We are in a very sorry state financially so we are improvising this year. With little extras purchased I'm putting together things we have here to make Hannah into a devil girl, Emma into a flower fairy and Caleb into a Poe....which is a ghost thing from the Legend of Zelda games. So...I may be spending maybe 15$ altogether on their costumes. That's only 5$ per kid...not bad I think.
The picture I have posted is from the American impressionist artist Mary Cassatt. (I had an art class not to long ago) Even before I took art I loved her work. She does alot of mother with child studies. They are all so beautiful. This piece is called "Young Mother Sewing". If you do a Google image search under her name you can see many of her paintings. Here is a link to a site you can go to to read more about her..... Mary Cassatt. I hope you take th time to look her up. I think you will enjoy it. Later Gaters, Kai!

Wordless Wednesday

2007-10-24T21:49:00.001-06:00

Pork Medaleons with Peach chutney....as soon as I have copies I will post pics of todays Grand Buffet! I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO SEE!!!

School and life

2007-10-24T21:35:00.000-06:00

It has been a VERY VERY VERY long time since I last blogged. Life is extremely crazy since I started culinary school. Things are going quite well for me there. I'm in the top of my class, and am excited about starting my externship in February. We had our Grand Buffet today and it was fan-freakin-tastic! We were told it was probably the best one ever. We had a theme of Hell's Kitchen and it was a spooky haunted house. I am glad it's over though. It was kinda stressful. I am hoping to be able to post more soon, but I'm tired and want to go rest now. Later Gaters, Kai!

Muffins for mom

2007-05-12T07:48:00.000-06:00

Well.....yesterday was Muffins For Mom day at my kids school. They do it as a Mother's Day celebration. I didn't have school, but both kids requested that I wear my chef's uniform when I went. I guess they are proud of me! It was sweet. Hannah made me a cute card, and Caleb wrote a little essay about why he love his mommy. There was a photographer there and I asked her to take a pic of us and email it to me. She also said she was going to put us in the local paper.....COOL! I am not very fond of having my picture taken, and I don't have too many of me with the kids. I'm glad I had her take this one. It's pretty special. Love, Kai!

I love modern medicine!!!

2007-04-20T19:38:00.000-06:00

I have been off the puter for a few days due to the illness I came down with last week. I have been flat on my back, sick as a dog! I haven't been this sick in years. I get a cold or two or a tummy bug once in a while, but not like this. I have been coughing so much I thought I would pass out from the pressure of it. I kept peeing my pants and have gone through my underwear quite frequently.....and man do I hate that! Anyway.....I finally broke down and saw a Dr. today. I usually just wait things out, but I couldn't stand it any more. He said I have acute bronchitis and pharyngitis.....or in other words....a sore throat...LOL. He gave me a shot there in the office of an antibiotic and gave me three scripts for another antibiotic, an inhailer and a pain pill that will not only help with the pain in my chest from coughing, but also help with the cough itself. I just took one of the pain pills a little bit ago and I feel alot better already between it and the shot I got. I don't usually go to a dr....we don't have insurance on me and hub, so we only go if there is no other choice.....the scripts alone were around 100 bucks....UGH! But I felt it very necessary to go this time. I was ever so ill, and school starts on Tuesday. I really need to be better so I can get this thing going. Okay...I'm tired now. Gonna go back to the couch. Later Gaters. Love, Kai

Yep....it's a BUG!

2007-04-16T15:49:00.000-06:00

It seems that what I have is indeed a bug of some sort. I spent all of yesterday in bed on the couch about sick as a dog. Coughing my head off and all the goodies. I am feeling alot better today though. Still coughing a little, but not near as bad as over the weekend. My chest hurst alot, but otherwise I am none worse for the wear.

I went this morning and paid my regestration fee for Culinary school. I'm glad that's out of my hair and I don't have to worry about it any more. I am, however, getting pretty excited. Class starts next Tuesday at 8:30am! I have my satchel all decked out with a binder full of paper and dividers. I have pens and pencils, highlighters, and black markers. And even some post-it notes. Not sure what all I'll be needing, but I'm set for the moment. I got a cute binder with a butterfly on it that says "Dreamer". I thought it fitting since this is the first step to making my dreams come true! Wish me luck. I am a little nervous....I imagine I will probably be the oldest in the class with the most kids. It will be interesting. Not sure how I'm going to handle it. We shall see I suppose. I want to get a new chain to put my birthstone babies on so I can wear them to school to remind me of why I'm doing this.

Since school is just a week away......my goals for this week are to get the laundry as caught up as possible and do as much organizing as I can. I have a long way to go to get to where I want this house to be, but it is getting there....one little baby step at a time. That's all for now....Later Gaters, Kai!

Not feeling too well....

2007-04-14T21:54:00.000-06:00

I haven't felt too well lately. I am either having severe allergies or some kind of virus. I'm not sure which. I have a bad cough and it's driving me nuts. No other symptoms. I absolututley hate coughing. It is the worse. So if I'm not on much...I'm not feeling well. Sorry. More when I'm up to it. Later Gaters, Kai!

Fable of the Naked Baby Butt

2007-04-05T13:58:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time there was a mommy of 4 kids who wasn't feeling too very well one day. She had alot to do and no energy to do it. She fed her kids leftovers for dinner, cuz she didn't feel like cooking, even after spending the day "resting" on the couch. Then, being Wednesday, it was time for chuch. She probably would have skipped this week, except that she had promised to help the Young Women with a craft project. So, she piles the kids into the car and off they go. Once they got to church, the older boy went off to Cub Scouts and Mom took the girls with to Young womens. The girls didn't want to stay so she let them go to the nursery to play. But the youngest 3 year old girl didn't want to behave, so Mom found an older 10 yo girl to watch her for $1. After about 30 minuets the older girl came and told the mom, "I took the baby tinkle, but she took her pants and undies and put them in to the toilet." So, mom runs out to the car and realizes her baggie with spare pants and undies are in the van and she has her sons car this evening. She hurries to the ladies room and has her 7yo daughter giver her sweater to the mom. Mom wraps the sweater around baby's waist and zips it up into a makeshift skirt. Making her appoligies she leaves with the kids and goes home to deal with the naked butt baby. The moral of the story.....make sure ALL your vehicles have spare pants for your naughty babys! LOL....Love, Kai! PS.....she's naked as I type...this kids just won't keep her pants on! UGH!!!....LOL

Potter Puppet Pals......

2007-04-04T17:37:00.000-06:00

I thought this was sooooo funny that I had to share....hope you get a giggle. Love, Kai

I'm tired....

2007-04-04T17:19:00.000-06:00

Not too sure why I am, but I am. I spent most of the afternoon on the couch "resting". I layed down while Emmie watched tv. What a bad mommy!!! Oh well....I suppose I am just emotionally wore out right now. I have alot to do and no energy or help doing it. I need to go shopping for Easter for the kids, but can't get away from them long enough to do it. I sure wish Kayla lived near me so we could go shopping together!!.....LOL. Right now she's my bestest friend. No one else seems to want to talk to me. I can't even seem to get my own mommy online to chat at. Anyway.....I have still been cooking and adding recipes to my new blog. The addy is..... http://www.canwecook.blogspot.com I haven't posted anything new in a couple days, but I will probably do some tomorrow or the next day. I have to get going and take Caleb to scouts. I will catch you later. Later Gaters, Kai!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2007-04-03T20:46:00.000-06:00

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2007-03-28T16:57:00.000-06:00

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-03-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

I am trying to get the house in order so I can have things in good shape before I start school. Problem is we are having plumbing troubles. The brand new dishwasher stopped draining. So, we had someone come look at it under the warrenty. The guy was here on Friday, and said it wasn't the dw....it was the plumbing....UGH! Not like I need this! We also have some other major problems under the sink as well.....needless to say, a bucket is our plumbing at the moment. Anyway, my inlaws said to call their plumber out and they would take care of it. He's supposed to be here tomorrow or Wednesday. I have started painting my kitchen wall and can't finish until he comes and I can get rid of all the dishes. I know I could wash them all by hand, and Mark has been doing some of them, but I absolutely DISPISE doing dishes by hand. I remember standing at the sink for HOURS doing them as a kid. So...I am letting mark do what he wants to do and the rest are waiting. If he doesn't come tomorrow I'll do them all up and finish my painting. I am redoing my kitchen in gingerbread man and am anxious to get done.

I got the wedding dress altered this weekend. I am glad it's all done. It was alot easier than I thought it would be. I had to take it to a friend to have her figure out just how I am needed to do it, and once I sat down with her and we got looking into it, it was pretty easy. I took it to try it on the Bride this morning, and it fit her perfectly and doesn't even look like it was ever touched! I am good! No....I'm kidding, but I am glad it didn't take any more messing with.

Well....I'm going to go. It's getting late and there's lots to do tomorrow. My Goal is to get more of the kitchen done and the kids room finished. It's a huge mess. Later Gaters, Kai!

Life goes on and Playing with my food

2007-03-21T21:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a long and interesting past few weeks. We have delt with alot of illness...between Emma comming down with Pneumonia, a while back and all of us having a stomach virus, it's been very interesting around here. I spent the other day cleaning the LR carpet cuz it had gotten a healty dose of kid sick over the past 2 weeks. Thought it was time to break out the steam cleaner and give it a good once, twice, third and fourth, over...LOL. In other words...it took quite a bit to get it clean and I am sure if I were to go over it again I'd proabably pull up just as much gunk as I already have. But I am very greatful that I have my own cleaner to do it with. It's a good thing.

Since my decision to go to culinary school, I have been playing around with food a little bit. I have made risotto, Alfredo sauce and a few other fun things. I had never done risotto before. It was alot easier than they make it look on Food Network.....LOL. Anyway, I decided I needed an outlet for my culinary adventures, so I made a new blog all about cooking and my school experiences. I sure hope you will come and take a look at it. I will be posting recipes and tips and all sorts of fun ideas there. I am sure it will be very educational....or at least I am hoping it will be. www.canwecook.blogspot.com Come take a look when you get a moment or two. Okay...that's all for tonight. I am going to go eat some strawberry shortcake with the kiddos....you gotta love sping....we eat tons upon tons of strawberries when they come on sale in the spring. My kids anxiously for "strawberry season" every year. Later Gaters, Kai~!

My new Blog....

2007-03-15T18:47:00.000-06:00

I have a new cooking blog....please come visit!

http://www.canwecook.blogspot.com/

It is a blog about my new venture into the culinary world. Hope you will visit and enjoy the information found therein. Love ya, Kai!

Big news!!!

2007-03-10T20:02:00.000-06:00

And NO I'm not pregnant....LOL. I will be attending Culinary school. Classes start on April 24th and I'm very excited! I will post more later, but I just wanted to make a quick note and let you know what's up. Later Gaters, Kai.

I'm alive....I think?

2007-02-24T23:34:00.000-06:00

I haven't been online at all this last week. We have been passing around both a stomach virus and an upper respiratory virus. I took Emma to the dr on Tues and she had an ear infection. Then I took her to the ER last night and she also has Pneumonia. UGH! She has been in my lap non-stop for the last week. Her fever has been undaunting. But she is starting to feel better today. She still isn't eating much, but I am sure that will come in time. Needless to say....I'm very tired.

We got our tax returns and I have been able to get a bunch of stuff done that has needed to be done. I got new glasses...YIPEE!!! We also got a much needed new dishwasher. The other one wasn't completely dead, but it was on it's last leg. This new one is 100% quieter and does a superb job. I have been running it all day. It was installed this morning. I really like it alot. I also just LOVE my new glasses. They are completely different from my last ones. You can see them in my picture to the left....these new ones are rectangular, a metalic brown and very flattereing....at least that is what people tell me.

Well...that's all for tonight. I'm very tired and am ready for bed. Night all. Later Gaters, Kai!

New CD's, New Motivation, and Carb addiction

2007-02-17T13:04:00.000-06:00

Okay....I'm a sucker for a good dance beat. I never used to be, but lately it has been what I want to listen to. For the last several years....like a decade or so....I have gotten out of listening to music very much. I used to do it alot, but have gotten out of the practice and spent too much time watching TV instead. So...for Valentines day, my oldest son, Joshua, bought me 2 new CD's I've been wanting. They are both by Gwen Stefani. I really like her music. I liked it when she was with No Doubt, but I also like her solo stuff. I have been wanting her albums since her first one came out a few years ago, but haven't broke down and bought them. I also bought for myself the new Justin Timberlake CD. All 3 CD's are very dance oriented and I am thoroughly enjoying them. I find that I want to get up and actually do stuff when they are on, instead of sit on my butt and watch the boob tube. HMMMMM......What an inspiration. LOL!

I was watching Oprah....yeah...so cliche...I know, I know....anyway..... They were talking about "The Secret", a book about living your authentic life and what it takes. I didn't get to see all of it, but I am going to get the book and read it to get some ideas. Anyway....one of the things one of the speakers said hit me.....He said, "Trying is failure with honor. Do it or Don't do it, don't try." And that really made me think. I find myself saying to my husband all the time, "But I'm trying!" Well.....NO MORE... I will no longer TRY....I will DO! I am no longer "trying" to get my home and life in order. I AM getting my life and home in order. Okay...enough sap for today...LOL.

Alright now....I admit...I am a major Carb addict. I suppose that's the first step. Admitting that I have a problem. My new obsession is Pappa John's Pizza's bread sticks! Dang....these things ROCK....they rock out loud! We got pizza for dinner last night and I didn't eat any pizza....just a bunch of bread sticks dunked in their garlic dipping sauce......can you say.....YUM! YUM YUM YUM YUM.....YUM!!! I knew you could! LOL. So...I'm sitting here right now eating leftovers of them for lunch and dripping butter all over the place, but they are OH SO GOOD. If you have a Pappa John's near you.....order some and pig out!

My goal for today is to get the Living room deep cleaned. I have started already. I cleaned off and dusted the entertainment center. And believe you me.....it was a HUGE job. It was so cluttered with trash and junk. I was amazed. But now my CD's all have a place and it doesn't look so junky. I am hoping to get to cleaning the carpet, but we'll see. I have to take both Josh and Mark to work and make a trip to "HELL"mart. We will see. I'll be happy with it being clean without the carpet done. So...that's the Goal.

That's all for today my little ones. Later Gaters! Kai

Cold, coats, breaks and hot water.

2007-02-15T15:32:00.000-06:00

It is sooooooooo cold. I broke down yesterday, when it was 15 degrees outside, and bought me a nice big coat. I haven't owned a real coat in years. I am usually ok with sweaters or a fleece jacket. But I was just too cold and had to do it. Right at this moment it is 17 degrees out with a wind chill factor of 7. I haven't dealt with cold like this since we left Alaska! Okay....I suppose I will quit gripping about summer now.....LOL.

We lost the breaks on the van last week. I had to slam them to avoid a jerk that cut me off. And then we lost all the break fluid. I took it to my friends husband and he replaced the rear wheel cylindar and the shoes. Now they are better. It's a good thing too cuz we have snow on the roads now and it would not have been good the way they were before. I am very greatful that he is able to do some work for us. It is much cheaper than taking it in to a shop.

Last but not least.....we have no hot water right now. We forgot to run it in this cold and it froze. We do have cold....praise God....but no hot. It's supposed to get in the 40's tomorrow....so hopefully it will thaw....and also hopefully it won't have busted a seam. Keeping my fingers crossed. SO....if you have cold weather comming, don't forget to leave your water running...and not just the cold....some hot as well. That's my advice for today.

Okay...my toes are cold...I'm going to go find my slippers and turn the heat back up. Take care. Later Gaters, Kai.

Long time...no blog

2007-02-09T14:18:00.000-06:00

I was informed by my single loyal reader that it has been a while since I blogged last. So....Miss Kayla...here I am! LOL!!! Things have been a bit crazy around here in the past couple of months. First the holidays...they always seem to put me in a tail spin. Then I was without my meds for a couple of weeks....don't wanna do that EVER again! Then we had several snow and ice storms around here. Kids ended up having a WHOLE week off due to the crappy road conditions. On top of it all I have been having some bad troubles with my back hurting. It has kept me in bed, and on the hot pad an awful lot the past few weeks. I sure wish it would quit so I can go on with life. Or at least some semblance of one.....LOL.
On the up side.....durring the week sebaticle the kids had off from school, we managed to switch the bedrooms around. I put the 3 in the master bedroom and moved my bed into their room. They now have alot more room and spend WAY more time playing and hanging out back there instead of out in the livingroom. It's been kinda nice. Before they would never just go play in the bedroom cuz it was cramped and we couldn't keep it clean.....Now it's nice and tidy, most of the time, and they have a TV...I left mine in there. They can watch or play games. We watch movies in there on the weekend and snuggle under blankets with soda and pop corn. It's alot of fun. I am pleased that I decided to do it. My room was only used as a dumping ground and to sleep in anyway. Kids are happy to and that's the best thing.

THE BEST TIME OF YEAR!
I love the holidays, but they stress me out. My favorite time of year is when we get tax returns. My dh would probably think I'm a bit greedy or something, but the reason isn't rooted so much in money as it is in the need to do alot of things we can't do without money and never have any for. Like...I am in desperate need of new glassese. Emma go a hold of mine and lets just say....they now sit crooked on my face and I can't keep the right lens in. Also....we have been putting off car repairs. Now we can get those done. I am very grateful we can take care of our needs with the returns. It is so helpful I can't even say. Most of the time it's hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck. There isn't any extra to take care of things like glasses or repairs. Now we can and it feels good. I sure hope this doesn't sound too crass. It is just how I'm feeling right now is all.
Okay....off to get back on my hot pad. It is another bad back day. Gonna take some Doans and rest again. I'd like to do some other things, but I just cannot move. Later Gaters, Kai.

Sorry so long.....

2006-12-23T20:26:00.000-06:00

I have been terribly busy the past few weeks. I have been sewing and baking for people at church to make some extra Christmas money. Sorry I've been gone so long. Right now I am in crunch time trying to get the girls Christmas dresses done for church tomorrow morning. I am done with Emma's and am about 1/4 the way done with Hannah's. I will post more when I have more time. I hope to do a little bit tomorrow. I am all done shopping and after church all I need to do tomorrow is wrap presents. So....if I get a chance I will make a catch up post. Later Gaters! Love, Kai!!

Off we go...

2006-11-26T21:44:00.000-06:00

I am starting to follow my daily schedual tomorrow. I wrote it out down to when I do what things. I sure am hoping I will be able to do this. I'm a bit worried I won't be able to do this and have a hard time following up.
I made a nice dinner this evening. Homemade mac and cheese with sliced smoked sausage in it, beets, and garlic bread. It was yummy. I was also good and cleaned up after. Did the dishes, wiped down the counters, table and stove. And swept. It is a step towards getting off on a good foot tomorrow. I am about to go and layout everyone's clothes for the morning and maybe lay down and watch tv with Emma for a while. I am very tired tonight. I am also going to do a quick sort of the laundry so I can start on my laundry schedual tomorrow as well. I have each day broken down into different things to wash....Like, tomorrow will be bedding and towles...aka linen. Then all the other days have a person's clothes to be done with Joshua doing his things on Saturday. I am also hoping that if I know what I am supposed to be doing each day I will be more likely to do it. Thing with me is I always feel so lost. I don't know where to start and just get bogged down feeling overwhelmed. I really am hoping that a strict structure will help me know what to do when and I will feel better able to handle things around here.
Wish me luck. Night all. Love, Kai.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

2006-11-22T22:29:00.000-06:00

Just want to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving day and hope you have as much to be thankful for as I do. Love, Kai

Accomplishments for 11/17/06

2006-11-17T21:57:00.000-06:00

Today ended up being another bad day. But...I'm not going to dwell on it. It is just a fact that is. So.....I didn't get much done. On top of being a bad day, I was in pain and unable to accomplish much. I spent most of the afternoon on a heating pad. I didn't manage to get the things done yesterday that I wanted to, and didn't get to them today either, but they are there and will eventually happen.

What did get done was the dishes are still all finished, cuz I did them just now. I didn't do alot of cooking today, so I only had one load...plus the kids eat on styrafoam plates and that helps a bunch. I made dinner of loaded baked potatoes with all the fixins and some green beans and spinich on the side. Easy peasy...just baked the taters, fried up some bacon and warmed up the veggies. Before I head to bed here in a minuet I will be having the kids help my re-pick up the LR so that it is clean before bed. That's all that got done today. But it's better than nothing.

GOALS FOR TOMORROW:
Keep up with the dishes and living room pick up.
Clean off "Crap" counter.
Start on embelishing Hannah's dance recital that have to be done by Wed.
Prepare for Church on Sunday.

That's it for now. I'm going to bed now. Later Gaters. Love, Kai!

Accomplishments for 11/16/06

2006-11-16T17:36:00.000-06:00

So....even though I am still very upset about the happenings of last night. And even though I am scared and worried...I am still concentrating on getting my home in order. I am taking baby stepping toward my goal. I am overwhelmed and frustrated, but I know it will come with time... Gosh...I sure hope it comes with time. So....this said...I am going to be posting my daily accomplishments so I can see what I have done.

I got Josh and Josh their lunches. I have done all...and that's...ALL...the dishes up. They were kinda backed up and now they are completely finished. I went to Walmart and got 2 utility selves to use as sort of dressers for Caleb and Hannah. I plan on working on my bedroom tonight while I watch Survivor and CSI:. And hopefully I will be able to get the shelves up on the counter and all stocked with the clean clothes I have folded on the dryer. I know I haven't done much today, but I have a screamer of a headache. But....I do plan to do more. UMMM...I may start doing a what I accomplished yesterday in the mornings so I can put it all down. I don't usually get a chance to get on this thing in the evenings. Anyway...that's all for now. Later Gaters. Love, Kai!

FUBAR

2006-11-15T21:05:00.000-06:00

Just when all seems to be looking up.....just when I think I'm on a roll and starting to pull my head out of my ass and that we were going to be ok cuz Mark is working again. Just when I am now starting to enjoy the holidays I was dreading cuz I didn't know where Christmas was going to come from. Just when I thought my husband might have been able to get back to the place he wanted to be. Just when I thought I could relax, breath, feel good again if even for a brief moment......Things get all forked up!!! I am sooooo upset. Mark got a call from the temp agency that hired him for the bank job he started just 3 days ago....and they said the bank no longer needed his services. The reason being that he didn't show enough initive....????? Well....Hmmm....no one told him what they wanted of him. The didn't give him his own drawer. They didn't give him any kind of "training" because they were going to change their systems over...UM...TODAY. So for the first 2 days he didn't have much to do and today there wasn't much business cuz of the weather. We are both very upset....we had a huge fight...and I am at a loss. I just want to curl up and disapear. As I am sure he does as well. What next? How much more of this can we take? Where is He? Kai

This is my new Mascot....

2006-11-15T11:43:00.000-06:00

I'm calling her Holly Homemaker......

I did not sleep....

2006-11-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

At all last night. I have so many thoughts and ideas that my brain just won't shut up. I honestly was awake all night long.
The main theme that has been running around in my head has been it's time to grow up and get busy. I have waisted the last 19 years waiting around for someone else to live my life for me. Someone else to do the work. Well......no one else is going to do it. I can't control or change anyone else but myself. Well, it's time. I have decide that I am going to need to make myself a very strict structured plan to help me take care of the things I need to take care of. I believe that in the structure I will find freedom....at least that is my hope. There will be several steps to my plan and as soon as I get them all hammered out I will post them. I will be using my blog as a sounding board for my ideas....don't know if anyone will even read them, but I don't really care too much. It's more for me than anyone else anyway. When I have a better idea of what the steps to my plan are I will be back. Later Gaters! Love, Kai!!!

A quick update....well, kinda quick....

2006-11-15T01:00:00.000-06:00

As per Miss Kayla's request...I am updating my blog. It was a rough day, and I am not going to go into details because I am just now getting over an upsetting incident that happened this morning, but suffice it to say....It was a less that stellar day. I am tired and sad, and determined to make tomorrow a better day.

Anyway.....Off to the good news....Actually the GREAT news!! As I posted a while back, my husband lost his job. Well....As of yesterday...He is now gainfully employed. And the best part is that he was able to get back into the banking industry....Which he likes so much more than retail. And if any of you out there have worked in retail, you know it is only one step up from working Fast food with even worse hours and treatment by upper management. I am soooo happy and proud that he was able to go out and find this job and now be able to take care of us in a way that he both enjoys and is proud of. I just send up a prayer that this place will be good for him and he will be able to do what he needs and wants to do. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Okay....Now....Lets see.....I have been on the Prozac for a while now, and I AM feeling better, but I am still not doing all the things I both need and want to do. I am trying, but I am failing most of the time. I desire to get both my home and life in more order. I have the sincere feeling and hope that if I do this I will help my husband be the man, husband, and father he wants to and was ment to be. I love him and want to be his help, and not his hindrance. And I feel that is all I have ever been to him. So...It's time to grow up, and step up. GOD HELP ME!!! So...I am going to be honest here. Flat out and bold face and up front. This place is a wreck. It has always been a wreck. I am not good at organizing things and I am very very bad about procrastinating. I have come to realize the the key to any kind of peace is going to be getting organized. The past few days I have been good about getting everything together for both Mark to go to work and the kids ready for school all the night before. That is a big deal for me. I haven't been able to do that very well in the past and it really makes the mornings alot easier for everyone if I do this one small thing. Instead of running around like a chicken with my head chopped off....I have everything at my fingers all ready, pressed and clean. So...That is a start....Just the first step of many. I hope...LOL. Anyways.....Tomorrow Miss Kayla and I are going to get started on my Homemaking Binder. I sure am hoping that it will help me to become the kind of wife and mother I am both ment and want to become. And again....GOD HELP ME!!! Please wish me luck. Later Gaters! Kai..........Ps...I was going to put a cute picture with this post, but I can't get silly Blogger to work with me...UGH. Maybe I will figure out why later, but I'm too tired right now. Night! Kai!!!

So far today......

2006-11-06T16:13:00.000-06:00

It's been a few days since my last post. So I thought I should maybe pop my head in here and make a drop a quick note. Mark is out job hunting and he has an interview with Bank One on Wednesday.....PLEASE!!! Keep him in your prayers that he will find something soon!
We had a BBQ dinner on Friday at church. I took some shredded pork with homemade sauce and a pumpkin cake....they both went over very well. And we had alot of fun. I took the kids to see The Santa Clause 3 on Saturday. It was cute and they enjoyed the outing. Right now I am tring to get caught up on the Laundry. I am hoping to get it all washed and sorted through with the summer clothes put away by Friday. It's going to take me at least that long. I have alot to do.....4 full to overflowing hampers. UMMMMM.....I am also going to start on making some Christmas stuff too. Exactly what I'm not sure yet, but I am going to pull out my fabric and patterns and go through and find things to make, cuz it's gonna be a lean one this year. I know I have the stuff to make the kids each a set of pj's and a bath robe. I also need to think of things to make Marks family as well. I did that last year and it was a ton of fun. I am going to make candy and baked goods as usual..... but I haven't decided on what just yet. I am thinking about doing some homemade hot chocolate mix. We'll see. Everything is kind of up in the air at the moment. Okay....my break is over....back to the laundry. Later Gaters....Love, Kristen Kai!

IT'S OVER!!!...THANK HEAVEN!!!

2006-11-01T11:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a whole lot of fun!!! But I can tell ya....I sure am glad that it is over!!! I finished Brittany's costume around 4pm then she came over to get into it and ready for the DECA thing at the High School. Which we decided to go to for a while since it was SOOOOOOO cold outside. The kids looked really cute and had alot of fun. Then after the carnival at the HS we went to Marks parents house and Trick or Treated over in that neighborhood. My MIL loves to see the kids in their costumes and gets such a huge kick out of it. But as I said before I am glad that it is over.

Well...today is the first of the month and I have my FS allotment. It came to be $740 for the 6 of us. It's alot! And I can use it. That's for sure. I am going to start getting supplies for Christmas baking and candy making. I started the other day making plans for it. This morning I did my once a month Aldi shop. It it a great place to stock up on staples. We aren't to fond of any of their meat products, but I get things like chicken and beef on sale at Albertsons...which I also went to this am and got some assorted pork steaks that we will be having for dinner with a nice big salad and jazzed up stuffing. So far I have spent $121 at the two stores, but I won't have to go to Aldi's again until the 1st of Dec. I still need to get some things at Walmart that I don't get anywhere else...like deli meat and such. I also want to go to the bakery outlet, but I may not do that until tomorrow. We'll see. So for now I have $621 for the rest of the month.

Oh.....of subject...just to let y'all know. Dh had one interview with a personel placement office yesterday and they are going to try to place him back with a bank!!!!! He is really excited. He really likes working in a more professional setting. But he also had an interview with Kohls this afternoon....and he said if they offer him a possition he will go ahead and take it cuz we need money now....but it will just be a stop gap measure until Express Personel comes through with something else.....So things are definitely looking up! Keep us in your prayers.....Thanks!!! Later Gaters, Kai!

Pleasent Sunday

2006-10-29T16:52:00.000-06:00

For once I actually had a pleasent Sunday. Usually they stress me out something awful...but I was a good girl and planned ahead and got everything ready last night. Seems that I am much more able to do the things I should/want to do lately. I think my meds are finally working....LOL. Anyway.... I enjoyed going to church and actually got something out of it for once. Emma went to the nursery and stayed in it without much trouble after she got over her initial reaction. I even got a short nap after all was said and done. Only about 45 min, but better than nothing and it did me alot of good. I took Joshua to work and got some biscuits from the store so I can make biscuits, gravey, eggs and grits for dinner. Sounded good to me. I am hoping to get a bunch done on Britany's costume tonight. I am actually feeling pretty good for once in my life....LOL. Later Gaters, Kai!

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.....

2006-10-26T11:58:00.000-06:00

Well....I spent Tuesday with a friend eating lunch and doing some shopping at the store...then we talked for the rest of the afternooon. I did manage to get my counter cleaned off and Emma's costume cut out before I went to bed that night. So...I did manage to accomplish something that day.

Yesterday I spent the whole day sewing....and I did manage to finish the costume just in time to get it on her and out the door to go trunk or treat at the church. It was fun...but hectic. The upside being I am finished and when it's time to trick or treat on next Tuesday I don't have to worry about it..... The down side is I still have to make one for Joshua's girlfriend, Brittney. UGH! Oh well....at least the counter is already clean and it is also red and black like Emma's ladybug.

I overslept this am and didn't get Caleb and Hannah off to school...... I'm sooooo bad! But I was sooooo tired that I just didn't get up. I turned the alarm clock off, then layed back down......just for a minuet don't ya know....and didn't get up until 10am. That's when Emma woke me up. So now they are home for the day. But that's ok....no big deal. It isn't gonna kill them.

My goal for today is to get my dishes done and Brittney's costume cut out. I have until Monday to do it, but I don't wanna be cramming it in if I can help it. Dinner is Hamburger Gravey over mashed potatoes. We are running low on food at the moment and that is what I have on hand. Our next FS alotment isn't until next Wednesday and I am hoping that they will have our loss of income on there and it will be bigger. I can do with what we get now, but it is easier with more....of course. UGH...I sound so greedy...but I'm not! Just worried. Please pray for us! We really need the help. Later Gaters.....Love, Kai.

2006-10-23T23:59:00.000-06:00

I'm starting a journal. I am striving for alot of things and thought it might be good to start writing things down and seeing if I can find somekind of focus. Right now my big goal is to get this house in order. It has been out of wack for so very long and it's time to be a grown up and do the things I am supposed to do. So...here goes! Wish me luck!

Today I did about 8 loads of the mountain of laundry I have to do. I also worked on the bathroom a bit. It isn't done by a long shot, but it's better than it was and will probably be finished tomorrow. I need to buy a new toilet brush.....where to other one went I have no clue, but went to clean the bowl and it was missing. I also need a trash can for in there. I'm kinda tired of paper rolls and trash all over the floor. Going to get them tomorrow. I still have much more laundry to do and a bunch to be put away, but I need to spend some time cleaning my room before I can put anything away. I do have it all in a basket however.

Tomorrow.....big goal is cleaning off the crap counter and get busy on Emma's costume. I have to have it done by Wed evening....UGH. I should have been working on that today, but I got busy doing other things. I am going to have to find some time to defrost the freezer so I can pull out meat for meals...UGH again!!! It has frosted over and I can't get at our food. HEY....maybe I can talk Mark into doing it since he isn't working at the moment. Tomorrow is also my counseling appt. that's at 11am. Okay...dinner??? UMMMM.......Chicken fettuccini I think...if I can get to the chicken tenders that is...LOL. Okay...I'm off for now. I'm tired and need to put the food away and finish filling the delapadated dishwasher. Later Gaters, Kai!

Rough times ahead....

2006-10-20T16:53:00.000-06:00

It is a bad time of year to be out of work. We have the holidays comming up and several birthdays in December, but we now find ourselves once again without income. I am praying for a miracle....please pray for me! I really really need it right now. My husband lost his job today. And now I am worried about so many things I can't even think. I think I shall drown my sorrows in some PUMPKIN CAKE and diet be damned. Later Gaters, Kai.

My crazy life.....

2006-09-20T16:59:00.000-06:00

Things have been kinda crazy around here the past several weeks. We were going to move to Colorado....and I was so busy working on getting ready for that, that I didn't get on here much, but it fell through and we are still in Oklahoma. I am very upset about it, but I know everything has a reason. I was looking forward to getting into a nice big house (the reason we were gonna move was the availability of a 5 bedroom house for lease option). I am sad about that, but I wasn't happy about having to pull Josh out of his Senior year in High School. But anyway.....we stayed and are just going through everyday stuff. I was able to get Hannah in a dance class. She is so thrilled and she looks to adorable in her little outfit and ballet shoes! They have changed my antidepressant from Lexapro to Prozac. I am hoping this will work better and not give me a tummy ache. Well.....I gotta take Caleb to Scouts here in a few minuets, so I gotta go finish dinner and feed the kids. Later Gaters, Kai!

I'm back....

2006-08-13T16:48:00.000-06:00

I have finally gotten all better from my ear infection. Took a long while for it to go 100% away, but it finally has. Not much else to tell at the moment. We are gearing up for the new school year and just trying to withstand this heat. I haven't been online much. I have started taking anti-depressant meds, but they aren't working....yet. I am hoping to feel better soon. I just really need to get my act in gear. Life just isn't any fun and I need to do alot of things and just cannot make myself get up and do them. Well...that's about it. Later Gaters, Kai.

Labyrinthitis

2006-07-23T15:51:00.000-06:00

I am down and out....I have something called Labyrinthitis. It is an infection of the cochlea in the inner ear. It is causing me some major dizziness and sent me to the ER a few days ago. I am having a hard time sitting at the computer screen for very long cuz it doesn't help with the dizzies! So I may be gone for a while longer until I am feeling better. Take care y'all. I will check in when I can. Later Gaters, Kai.

5 things about me....

2006-07-04T16:29:00.000-06:00

I been tagged by Dawn with a 5 thing about me meme......

5 things in my fridge...

There's alot in there right now cuz I did alot of shopping this weekend, so I'll pick a few I don't usually have.....

1. Cherries
2. Fresh Parmesean Cheese
3. Zuccini
4. Lots of deli meat and cheese
5. Kids Yogurt

5 things in my closet.....

1. Boxes of fabric
2. Boxes of patterns
3. Boxes of keepsake stuff
4. Hannah's porceline dolls for when she has her own room
5. Clothes and shoes

5 things in my purse.....

1. Diapers
2. Butt wipes
3. Several backup pacifiers
4. Zipper bag with my money and cards
5. Sugar free gum for the kids

5 things in my car....

1. Car seat
2. Various cups and fast food trash....LOL
3. Jumper cables
4. Magizines and mail
5. My change can

5 people I'm gonna tag....
Anyone that decides to read my blog...LOL.

Gotta go make dinner......Later Gaters, Kai.

I have a Crush!

2006-07-01T19:07:00.000-06:00

I'm in love....or at least in lust. I have a secret crush. Don't tell my hubby. There is someone that I just really dig and get the biggest kick out of. Luckily.... there is absolutely no way in the world I'd ever meet him, much less get to even speak to him...EVER. This person is a celebrity. Now...a little bit about me. I just HATE people that go ga ga over celebrity. They bug the crap out of me, but I really DIG this guy. Now....I don't think I would ever, you know, like, faint or anything, if I ever got to meet him, but I'd be a very happy little camper. Secondly...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.....Food network. When the kids aren't watching Cartoon network or a movie, I almost always have it on. And if you don't get cable or satellite tv, boy are you missing out. So...here's the deal. When we first got cable I really liked Racheal Ray, then Emeril was ok, but I don't like him much any more. The person I relate to most is Paula Deen, but my favorite.....absolute favorite food personality is....drum roll please..... (((((((ALTON BROWN)))))))!!!!! Okay...now, he isn't 100% perfect, but I just get the biggest kick out of him! I especially love his show GOOD EATS!!! It's such a well done, entertaining, and informative program. Very clean...in everyway. And I have learned so much from watching it over the past few years. Anyway....I made a recipe I saw late last night for dinner today and it turned out soooo Yummy that I just had to share. It was CHICKEN FRIED STEAK. Now...living in Oklahoma for the last 13 years I HAVE made CFS before, and it has always been good, but this one was way great! My dh wanted it after watching the episode on CUBE STEAK . After reading the recipe you will see he cubed his own steaks...but I didn't do that. I found some that looked pretty good and used pre-cubed steaks from the store. The other thing I did was I added seasoning to the dredging flour. Salt, pepper, garlic powder and a pinch of chyenne pepper. I did this cuz that is how I make my fried chicken and thought it'd be better, and it was! Anyway, if you get a chance....take a look at Alton Brown and some of his recipes or shows. They are very entertaining and informative. By the way...it's my 8 year old son's favorite show too!......... OH!!! AB (Alton Brown) has a new show launching later this month called FEASTING ON ASPHALT. It looks like alot of fun and I can't wait to watch! Hope you will to! Later Gaters, Kai!

So, I'm lazy!

2006-06-17T15:56:00.000-06:00

I posted 2 days ago about the Flyladys program to help you get control of a chaotic life. And I have yet to do the first step of shining my sink. UGH. Not sure if I'm lazy or just defiant. I have done a few other things, but just not that one very begining thing. I feel like such a naughty thing I'm not even sure I wanna even try any more. The thunder is rumbling and it's really cool here today, and I'm still only want to sit on my tail and do nothing. What is my major malfunction already?? Kai

I say-

2006-06-17T08:43:00.000-06:00

I'm playing along with Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer . It is a list of eight things I say every day. Here goes:

1. Gimme some Sugars! I gotta have my LOVE!
2. What is she squalling about now? (Meaning Emma cuz she will just scream for no reason or for any little thing.)
3. BE NICE TO YOUR BROTHER/SISTER!!!
4. Okay, time to pick up. (Usually the living room)
5. You do that one more time and you will go to your bed!
6. I love you honey!
7. Someone find Emma's binkey.
8. Stop whining. I can't hear you when you whine. Use your big girl voice and then well figure out the problem. (usually to Hannah cuz she whines about EVERYTHING!)

Okay...not much uplifting there, but you get the idea...LOL. Let me know if you wanna play too. Later Gaters, Kai!

Flylady

2006-06-15T19:46:00.000-06:00

I know there are alot of people out there that have tried the Flylady way of trying to get ahold of thier chaotic lives. I have tried it....sort of....a few different times over the last 5 or so years. I am signed up to her reminder group so I can get her daily reminders, but I have honestly never ever followed them. And I probably won't. I don't think I can handle that many things to do in one day. At least not for the first few months. My mind just does not work that way. Not at the moment it doesn't any way. I can't keep up with more than one, or maybe two, if I am in an exceptionally good place that day, things at a time. So....on to trying to get my life in order. I know that getting counseling for my depression will help. But I have to be proactive as well....I guess. At least that's what everyone tells me. I don't know if I'm crazy or not. But I know the Flylady works for alot of people, so I'm gonna try. I'm not going to kill myself. I will do what I can when I can. And if I have a bad day......I just have to give myself the permission to be human. I am only one person! When I have 6 people in a house where no one ever puts anything away and just dumps their trash on the floor....it's gonna take more than one day to get control of it. Especially since I am pretty much alone in it. I have to figure out how to get the kids all involved in helping. And I have a few ideas, but getting them to do things without fighting me....as usual....is the key. Anyway....off to shine my sink and maybe do another load of dishes. Later Gaters, Kai.

Mount Washmore

2006-06-15T09:41:00.000-06:00

I am very grateful that I didn't live in the time before automatic washers and dryers. Gratitude not withstanding.....I DISPISE doing laundry!!! Well.....not the washing and drying. That's not so bad, but I can't stand folding and getting it all put away. Not real sure why. But due to my depression the amount of dirty laundry has gotten so piled up it is scary. It had taken over the back part of the house in the form of 4 overflowing hampers and all over the floor almost up to our knees. We had gotten afraid of walking through it for fear of some strange creature poping out at us. Something kind of like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings. But I finally got sick of it. I'm still not feeling better, but I just couldn't stand to look at it any more. So yeasterday I braved Mount Washmore. I spent the whole day washing, drying, and folding laundry. Though I only did 6 loads, I managed to calm the beast to being only in the 4 hampers. Everything is up off the floor now. The biggest problem is that I have so much junk in my bedroom that I can't put it away. And it is all....YEP...Laundry! Most of it is clean and just needs to be put up. It's just getting time in there to do it without Emma up my butt. I think we have too many clothes. I know alot of people only have enough for everyone to have one outfit for every day of the week, but I don't think I could do that. But I am working on whittling it down. I did manage to get in my room this afternoon, with the help of big bubby to watch the monkey. I got almost all the clothes gone through and put away. I have 3 big black garbage bags full of things to go to the Goodwill. So it's a start. I need to put the clothes on the dryer away, but that has to wait until Emma is up from naps. Anyway....I managed to make myself a laundry schedual ala Flylady. I have tried her ideas in the past, but had a hard time keeping up with her schedual. Just too much for me. So I am gonna to try adjusting it to my needs. Which is her suggestion to begin with. I don't think I will ever have a perfect home, but I can't live like this much more. With or without my depression. I am really hoping that if I get help with my depression, I will be more able to do things. At least that is my prayer. Well.....at least I did something. Most days I don't do much of anything at all, but sit on my butt and watch tv cuz my brain just won't let me move. I don't know what the change is, but I'm working on it. We'll see. Okay...off to get more accomplished. Or maybe not. I'm not gonna push it. Slow and steady wins the race. Later Gaters. Love, Kai.

I'm alive.....

2006-06-09T20:34:00.000-06:00

Sort of. I have started the ball rolling to finally get on some medication for my depression. It has gotten to the point that I cannot ignore it any longer. I have spent the last month sitting on my butt on the couch and doing barely anything that I am supposed to be doing. I can't keep up with anything cuz I can't make myself get up and do anything. I sometimes feel like I am walking into a wall just crossing the livingroom. I haven't been crying or anything like that, but it's been close. I've been trying not to complain about it much here in internet land, but I need to explain my absence. I am alive....sort of. But as soon as I can get seen by the State mental health people that my dh goes to...maybe I'll be able to do more and be better. That is my prayer. If I stay off and don't post much.....now you all know the reason. Cuz if it's not that I'm busy with family and kid stuff....but mostly it's been the depression. I just haven't had much to say that has been good....so I just haven't said anything at all. So now you know. Later Gaters....gotta go get Josh from work. Kai

2006-05-30T14:42:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a Beautiful day. We had a lot of fun. There is a brand new park over by Overholser Lake that the kids wanted to go to. So we went around 10am.....before it got toooo very hot. The kids just loved it. Especially Emma. She just ran and ran and ran. Each time she went down the slide she would say, "I go whee!!!"
Later in the day we went to the Mobile home park swimming pool and they got even more excersise. We all had alot of fun. Emma sat in her ring with a seat and then she kicked her feet too move herself around and kept saying..."I swimming". It was very cute. I so need to do more things like this with them. I felt alot better getting out and doing something other than sitting on my butt. Well......Here are some pics I took at the park. Click on the thumbnails for a bigger view. Hope ya like em. Later Gaters, Kai!

Hannah on slide

Bubba-roo

What a face!!

"I go whee!!!"

Hannah on Swing

Emma Rock-a-bye

Caleb on the rock wall

Birthday X 2...

2006-05-24T13:02:00.000-06:00

We had a really nice evening at the park on Monday. Celebrating Josh turning 17 and Emma turning 2. It was alot of fun. There weren't many presents for Josh cuz we got him a stereo and it was already set up in his room and inlaws got him a nice desk chair. So that was it for him. But he was happy. Emma made out well. Her new obsession is with "Rella" ...Translation, Cinderella. So I centered everything around that. She got a cute Cinderella doll, dress, and plate set, along with a carrier for her beloved babies. Her cake was a Disney princess cake and there was a small one for josh but it was plain. It's hard to plan party things for a 17 year old boy. Never thought it would be, but it is....LOL. He is chomping at the bit to move out next summer, so I am trying to think of things he will need when he leaves. The stereo was something I thought he might like/need, and it was. He helped pick it out, and is very happy with it. Emma loves all her new toys. Her grandparents got her the wagon and an outfit and her aunt and uncle got her a care bear. The kids all had alot of fun playing at the park. But I didn't have a chance to take pics of them.....oh well.....Next time. Later Gaters, Kai!

DADDY AND HIS PRINCESS

DADDY, BUBBA AND SISSY ALL HELP
WHAT A HAUL....LITERALLY!

4 PRINCESSES BIRTHDAY CAKE

ONE HANDSOME DUDE

BIRDIE KIDS. JOSH 17 AND EMMA 2

PRINCESS EMMA IN HER NEW CINDERELLA DRESS

GIGGLE BOT

Kindergarten Graduation

2006-05-22T13:34:00.000-06:00

Today was Little Miss Hannah's Kindergarten Graduation. It was too cute and she was so proud. Anyways...they had a little ceremony, complete with grad hats that none of them could keep on, diplomas, and a small reception afterward. I am so glad they did this. Neither of the boys had anything like this. I can't wait to scrapbook it! LOL. Later Gaters. Off to finish getting ready for Josh and Emma's birthday at the park this afternoon. Kai!

HANNAH AND MELODY....BBFE!!!

THE LITTLE GRADUATE.....CLOSED EYES AND ALL!

AIN'T I TOOO CUTE!!!

HANNAH RECIEVING HER "DIPLOMA"

MY FAVORITE PART OF KINDERGARTEN WAS.....

THE WRITING CENTER.

Midnight visitor

2006-05-18T09:50:00.000-06:00

Well...Miss Hannah isn't a baby any more!!! She lost her first tooth last night. My kids are just growing up to fast. Sometimes I wish I could slow down time to half speed and others I wish I could speed it up and get all the kids stuff over with. But mostly I wish they would stay little, cute, and sweet. Every time Emma says "Wuffoo" I just melt. Translation....Love you! She can be soo sweet and lovey but then she can be a major tyrant that I just want to give her away. But all in all I just want my babies to be babies forever if I could.
Having a 17 year old in the house and a 2 year old at the same time makes me see how swiftly and how short time really is. Especailly since one of Joshuas friends was killed in an auto/train accident this week. It is soo sad. But I'm just very glad it wasn't Josh. I think it'd kill me if anything happened to one of my kids.
I don't know how Tyler's mom is handling it! I know it's a sad note, but I gotta go get Hannah from school. Later Gaters, Kai!

Hapy Mother's Day

2006-05-14T15:30:00.000-06:00

I am not the perfet mother....far from it! That's for sure! But it's nice to be recoginzed for my efforts. My two middle kids brought me breakfast in bed of cerial and juice along with their homemade gifts from school. My oldest gave me a DVD set of Fiddler on the Roof, Westside Story and Guys and Dolls. It was so sweet that he remembered how much I like old musicals. Haven't gotten my gift from dh, but he is working today and I'm sure I'll get it tonight. We are going to my inlaws for dinner tonight. My sil, Amy, and I are making dinner for her. She is making enchelads and mexican rice. I made pico de gallo, guacamole, and strawberry short cake. I will be giving her copies of the pictures of the kids I had taken at Easter. I hope she likes them.

I hope all you mommies out there.....and all you someday mommies....had a wonderful blessed day. I love my kiddos and I know you all do, and that we all love being showed love and appreciation for all we do for them. Have a wonderful day! Kai

Not much blog worthy....

2006-05-09T15:58:00.000-06:00

Lately...sorry guys. I have been dealing with an on going health problem that has had me down and out for a while. And I haven't been able to do much of anything much less post here. And I'm not feeling much better to tell the truth. But I'm here for now and am trying to make the best of it. If I could get some anti-biotics into me I'd be better, but I don't see how that's gonna happen anytime soon. So pray for me and send me good wishes to feel well enough to do the things I should be doing.

_________________________________________

Just a quick thanks to Miss Kayla for the help in figuering out how to play around with my blog template and make it look all pretty. How do y'all like it??? Do you like my doll I made??? I thought it was cute! Anyway.....big GRACIAS to Kayla for the help!!!

Not much else other than that for now. More later....I promise. Later Gaters, Kai.

Rain, Rain...don't go away....

2006-04-28T18:00:00.000-06:00

Please stay for the rest of the day! You are so lovely and refresing...and you so match my miserable mood. Rain, Rain...don't go away! Please, please stay the rest of the day......

At the moment we are having a lovely down pour of rain. After a day of pouty gray skies......It is FAN-FRIGGIN'-TASTIC!!!! Alot of people wish the rain away. Not me. Hardley ever. But mostly not today. I just love the rain. As long as there isn't alot of wind or lightening, like now...I think it is just lovely. I am down, depressed, and sad today, and even though I like rain, for the most part, the dull grayness of it matches my mood. Kai

Poor Hannah

2006-04-26T13:02:00.000-06:00

By the end of the day last Friday, Hannah looked like a rashey red balloon. Her face was so swollen she was unrecognizable. I took her to the ER Saturday morning. They gave her the steroids that her dr should have given her. I was soooo irritated at them. Anyway...she's alot better now. Her rash is doing alot better and the swelling is gone. She has some scaley skin we're having to deal with. I am also having to deal with people thinking that Poison Ivy and Oak are contaigeous....UGH. Ummmm......hello......it's from a PLANT not a virus! Once the oil is gone....you can't get the rash from someones allergic reaction. Don't be dumb!!! Oh well....she's alot better and that's what matters.

Other than that it's been a rough week for me. I have had a hard time just functioning. I think it's been the raiging head of the PMS monster doing me in. Now that Aunt Flow is here maybe I'll feel better. We'll see. I have alot to do. The house is a huge wreck...not that that is any different than usual, but I just can't seem to make myself get up and do anything. Mark was unhappy with me yesterday cuz of it. Oh well.....that's how it goes sometimes.

Caleb went to Tiger Safari yesterday with his Gifted class on a field trip. He had a BALL. Just would not stop talking about it for anything and even got to bring back a piece of lizard skin. Hannah gets to go to Martin Nature park on Friday. She excited about that too. Tomorrow is Joshua's 17th birthday...I sure can't believe he's that old already. It seems like yesterday we were taking him on the plane home to Kodiak to my mom's house. Emma turns 2 on Sunday....my baby is getting tooo big!!!.....Time for another baby I guess....LOL. Later Gaters, Kai.

Rashes and Potatos....

2006-04-21T02:32:00.000-06:00

I got the kids up and going for school this morning. They were supposed to have Doughnuts for Daddy for breakfast at school....both of them were really excited about it, too. So was daddy...give him free Krispy Kreem and he's a happy camper...LOL. Well....I get the livingroom lights turned on and see that Hannah has broke out in this horrid bright red rash all over her face and arms. I take her clothes off too see how covered in the rash she is and low and behold she has it under both arms down her torso. Between her upper thighs and all over her arms and face. It is hot to the touch and itchy. The kid got some poison oak on her hands a few days ago and from what it seems this is an allergic reaction to it. She went with daddy and bubby to the doughnut thing but then Mark brought her back home. I called her pediatrition, and it took them 4 hours to call me back and tell me to give her OTC Clairatin over the weekend and if she isn't better on Monday to bring her in. UGH....I was irritated to say the least. I sure hope the Clairatin helps cuz she is just downright miserable.

The potato bandit has struck again. It is about 2 ft high with curly blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes and a giggle that would turn anyones day bright. Her name is Emmaleigh and she will be 2 on the 30th of this month. And she is the funniest thing ever. She loves her baby dolls alot and her new pink Easter bunny....But her favourite toy by far are the potatos I keep a bin in the Kitchen. She gets a big mixing bowl, or pot and fills it with the taters and carries them all over the house. I took pictures of her putting her babies in the potato bin all lined up with the potatos standing gaurd, and the biggest grin ever. As soon as I can I will post them. My cutesie bootsie...LOL. Later Gaters, Kai.

A change of plans....

2006-04-20T11:56:00.000-06:00

So dinner yesterday was supposed to be homemade chicken fingers with taters and gravey, and green beans.....Well, Marks boss wanted me to come take care of the clothes at the store (which I do once a week) and so I wasn't able to get to make chicken fingers. Was planning on doing it today, but while I was at Walmart I saw a bag of tortilla mix and decided I wanted to try to make some of my own. SOOOOOOOOO.....my plan for dinner has changed. I am going to make chicken fajitas with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole and chips. Sounds really good to me right now. I just love mexican food! It's my favorite.

PICO DE GALLO

5 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapino pepper, seeded and finely minced (leave the seedes and rib if you want it spicier)
1 bunch celantro, chopped
salt to taste

Mix all these things together in a bowl and chill for at least an hour, more if you can, so the flavours can mingle. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or use as a condement on tacos or fajitas! SOOOOO good!

GUACAMOLE

4 avacados, peeled
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons premade salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste

Mash avacado and add remaining ingredients. Taste and season to your taste. You can add hot sauce if you want more spice or add medium or hot salsa. I use mild cuz my kids don't like it hot. I have to usually double the recipe cuz they all inhale it so.

Hope you like these. Remember....they are just the way I do them. I'm not 100% sure if the amounts are right cuz I am writing them from memory. Sorry if it's wrong in any way. Later gaters, Kai.

Abbo's and Ocean's

2006-04-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

My youngest child will be 2 in about 10 days. She is just adorable and as smart as a whip. My husband and I are always amazed at some of the things she does that seem above her age leval and ability. For example: The other day I was sitting in my favorite spot reading my book and she comes to me and pulls on my pants and says..."Ocean, Momma. Ocean, Momma." Well, we do not live anywhere near an ocean, and I am pretty sure she doesn't know what one is. So I told her that I didn't understand her. She says it again....I give her the shoulder shrug and say again "what baby? What do you want? I don't understand." She puts her hands out infront and says, holding out one hand..."Abbo" which translated is apple, and that I did understand. Then, with the other hand out says...."Ocean, Mommy. Ocean." She was correlating apples and ORANGES to get her point across so I could understand what she wanted. She knew that we keep them both in the same drawer in the fridge and the somehow they were related. IE, both fruit or something. It just floored me that she could make that kind of connection at her tender age. What a smart baby!!!

Yesterday and Today.....

2006-04-19T12:31:00.000-06:00

Well....yesterday went well enough. I got alot that I wanted to do done and the kitchen is much better. I got the really bad counter cleaned off and the floor mopped, which I wasn't sure I'd do, but went ahead and did anyway. The dishes are finally all caught up...or at least until I finish the cookie, then I'll have to do them again. Today will be a day to spend with the kids, and maybe get a little laundry done. I hope to work on my bedroom later today after Josh gets up and around to help with little E.

Okay....Lunch is un imaginative...just hot dogs and chips. Dinner will be homemade chicken fingers, mashed potatos with gravey and green beans. Later Gaters, Kai.

Kids n' Cookies

2006-04-19T11:18:00.000-06:00

Well.....Mark had a meeting on the south side of town today and I didn't have a way to get Hannah home from Kindergarten, so she stayed home, which upset Caleb, so he stayed home too. Then Josh woke up with a sore throat, so he's here as well....UGH! Oh well...no biggie. We'll just have a fun day watching movies and baking cookies together. We're gonna do a batch of Snickerdoodles and Chocolate chip if I don't get too burned out. I make wicked, kick butt cookies, if I do say so my self. So...Here's my recipes for anyone interested.....

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar (I used light brown)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
]/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Topping
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars at high speed. Add egg, vanilla, and beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix well. Preheat oven to 300° while you let dough rest 30-60 minutes in fridge. In a small bowl combine topping. Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press onto greased cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes, NO MORE. *Cookies may seem undercooked but will develop. Don't roll your dough into too big of a ball; they may not turn out in that much time if you do that. It's a very good cookie, it's just all a matter of getting the cooking time right.

Kick butt Chocolate chip Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
1-12 oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In different bowl, mix together flour, salt baking powder and baking soda. combine the wet and dryt ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. With fingers, place golf ball sized dought portions 2 inches apart on and ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minuets or just until edges are light brown.

Okay...my biggest thing I do to make my cookies extra good is I alway try to use real butter and not margarine and I also try to use real vanilla. Sometimes I don't have those things and have to make due, but I like spending the extra little bit to make them as good as I can. Hope you like the recipes. Later Gaters....I'm off to make a mess...LOL. Love, Kai.

In the dog house

2006-04-18T09:27:00.000-06:00

I have done something to make my husband angry with me. He won't talk to me...he won't tell me what it is. I think I know, but I'm not sure and I hate not knowing. It drives me nuts! My mom used to let me know she was angry with me and then let me stew about it for hours before she'd tell me and it alway made me crazy. My insides are mush and I am all nervous and upset now. I feel bad for whatever I did, but I can't make amends until I know what it is I did wrong. SORRY HUNNY! Is all I can say for now.

Other than that....day's going well for now. Other than what I just said. I got up and going today...which is always hard for me. I showered, dressed and got the laundry started before Emma woke up...which is always my plan, but it never happens. Then I worked on the kitchen some...it had gotten really bad again and my crap counter is a mess as well. It's still not done, but about 2/3 of the way. I hope to finish it and some more laundry today. It has been too hot to do much cooking the past few days. Had to on Sunday for Easter, but I didn't do anything but sloppy joes yesterday. I want to do a bit of baking, but just can't bring myself to turn the oven on. If it's cooler today, maybe I will. We shall see.

Dinner is Pepper Steak over hot rice, Corn and bread and butter. Don't know if there'll be dessert or not today. Probably not. The kids have been chowing on too much candy from Easter anyway. Later Gaters, Kai.

Strawberries, triffles, and messes.....

2006-04-17T11:14:00.000-06:00

OH MY!!! Ala, Wizard of Oz...Lions and tigers and bears....OH MY! First it was Emma dumping a couple of quart pkgs of Strawberries on the floor and scrambling to get a couple "Bewwies" squirrled away to the "LeeWomb" so she could eat them. Amid stiffled giggles, I washed and hulled her a couple and sent her to the "LeeWomb" aka livingroom, to eat them. Then yesterday I made a brownie, vanilla pudding, strawberrie triffle for dessert and it SUCKED!!! To put it mildly. Flavors woulda been fine but for the fact that it was hot here yesterday and my fridge just didn't get very cold and the pudding didn't set well....so we had brownie, vanilla pudding, strawberry soupy slop for dessert last night. Marks family all said it was fine, but I was WAAAYYYY bummed!!! I am gonna try to make one again....this time with better pre-planning and more time instead of rushing it.

The Easter bunny made his yearly visit yesterday and the kids were all thrilled. Josh wasn't happy cuz I made him go to church and he had to turn right around after and work an 8 hr shift at Braums. Oh well.....he's finding out what life is all about is all I have to say. The girls looked really cute in their new Easter dresses and the boys looked oh so handsome. Even if my black wearing teen was in powder blue.....he looked so nice. What can I say....I make pretty kids...LOL. As soon as I can get Josh to email me the pics I had done on Friday I will post them.

Well, I'm off to try to accomplish something around here. The mess part of my title is the whole bloody house...as usual. The living room is trashed from Easter festivities with grass from their baskets all over the place. Laundry is backed up....again. And the Kitchen is too scary to even try to describe. I hope to get a least some of it done. Wish me luck. Later Gaters, Kai. PS....dinner is Sloppy Joes, some kind of rice mix, baby carrots with ranch dressing and some red grapes that were on sale. Kai

Busy, busy, busy....

2006-04-15T00:20:00.000-06:00

I have spent the past week busily trying to get things in better order around here. I spent Sunday...(sorry, but got the bug and worked even though it was Sabbith, dh had to work anyway, so I thought I might as well too)...working on my mess of a bedroom. I went through all the clothes that were taking up all the walking space, which isn't more than around one side and the foot of my bed. I got them all either in the laundry to be washed, folded and put away, or in a bag for give away. I now have 2 large black bags for Goodwill. I am still working on catching up the dirty laundry. Going through, washing, sorting out what isn't needed or putting up off season clothes now that it is 70+ degrees outside most days. I felt really good about the progress I made, but have kind of come to a stand still the past few days. I am hoping after Easter Holiday, I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

Speaking of Easter....I took the kids today to Walmart and had pictures done at the photo studio there. I got the girls matching dresses. Caleb offered to wear a pink shirt....Shocked the heck out of me. I told him he didn't have to, but he said he wanted to, so he picked out a nice pale pink shirt with darker mauvish colour tie. He looked so handsome. I tried to get Josh to wear pink, but it was no go......Kid usually wears all black, so I compromised. He said I'd have to pay him to wear pink...I said, how about blue. He said that was fine. So I got him a baby blue dress shirt, and he wore one of his dads darker blue ties. They all looked so cute and while we waited on our appointment, we walked around the store. We were stopped several times for them to be ooooed and awed over how cute they were. The down side was that they put the pictures on a 3.5 flopy disc and our floppy drive is on the Fritz. So....I have to wait until Joshua can take it to his friends or school and email them to me before I can post the pictures to this here blog thing.....LOL. But as soon as I have them, I'll post them.

Well....It's after 11pm and I'm tired from running around all day, and Emma is into all kinds of stuff. I need to go to bed. Catch you Later Gaters!!! Kai

Potatoe Soup

2006-04-09T20:22:00.000-06:00

It soothes the soul and is so rib sticking yummers. Everyone here loves it. And it is so easy to make. When I was a kid, and money was tight, there was always Potatoe soup. I thought I might start and post some of my recipes on my blog to share with the world so y'all can enjoy my brilliance in the kitchen...LOL, just kidding. Anyway.....here's

POTATOE SOUP

3 ribs of celery sliced
1 med. onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. Marg or butter or olive oil....whatever you have on hand, or you like.
4 lbs pototoes, peeled and diced
3 Tbs. flour
3 cups of milk
Kosher salt, pepper, chyenne pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg

Ok...here goes.....
Sweat celery, onion in garlic until tender. Add diced potatoes just cover with water, add a couple big pinches of salt to season potatoes. Bring to a boil. Continue boil unitl potatoes are all soft and tender. Remove from heat. Using a potatoe smasher, smash tater chuck until as smooth or chuncky as you like it. Add flour and mix well. Return to a medium flame and add milk. Bring back to a boil. Add more milk if you desire soup to be thinner. Add you seasonings and taste. Simmer for 5 or so minuets stirring frequently, scrapping bottom to prevent scorching. Serve with grated cheese, bacon bits (I used real bacon that I fry up and crumble), sour cream, and/or sliced green onion. One or all these additions are wonderful. My kids love to top their own. I make the bowl then they put on what they want. I usually have some kind of bread, even if it is just some bake off fridge biscuits. Hope you try and like. Any questions, just ask. Later Gaters, Kai!!

Terry Goodkind

2006-04-09T12:54:00.000-06:00

Something I failed to talk about is that I have been reading alot lately. I reread the last 2 current Harry Potter books and some other fantasy books. I haven't read this much since I was in High School. I was at the book store with Josh the other day and found a series of books by a guy named Terry Goodkind called the Sword of Truth series. There seems to be 10 books in it so far.....YIPEE. Gives me alot to read. I am about 1/3 of the way through the first book.... "Wizards First Rule". It's pretty good so far. I really enjoy the escape it gives me. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed reading. I am not too into reading informationg type books, but give me a good fantasy and I'm all over it. Anyway....just thought I'd give you an idea of a good read for me. Later Gaters, Kai!

:D....Hi again

2006-04-09T12:40:00.000-06:00

Life has gotten the better of me lately. I have been having some very difficult times with depression, and because of it, inability to motivate myself to do much of anything. The house is a wreck and I feel like a major failure as a wife and mother and all around person. I have been trying to do a few things different, but it's hard. All I want to do is sit and watch TV or sleep. I also just don't know where to begin most of the time. It is all so overwhelming to me. Our bishop asked if I wanted some help, so he had the Relief Society president come over and we did a lot in the kitchen. Trouble is, I haven't kept it up. It isn't super bad and wouldn't take much to get it back to the way we had it.I just gotta get up off my butt and do it.
I am not going to bother updating on the past few months. I will just say, holidays were fine. Trip was fine. Everything went well. We got our tax returns in the middle of February and were able to get the things we couldn't do otherwise. We got some new livingroom furniture, a new dryer....that I did a happy dance for!!! And a new mattress. They were all very much needed things and we don't ever have the money to get "big" things like that. So it was nice to be able to take care of them. I took Caleb and a couple of friends to play laser tag and took Hannah and a couple friends to Build a Bear Workshop. They all had a lot of fun. Josh got a TV for his bedroom. Right now Josh is working for Braums Ice Cream and he is doing well there. They want him to work full time thins summer. I am hoping he will save enough to get himself some kind of vehicle. Mark is still working for Family Dollar, but he is looking for something else that will pay better. He is hoping for another bank job, but we will see what happens. Emma is growing by leaps and bounds both mentally and physically. She is really smart and as cute as could be, but also as onnery as can be. Her second birthday is in 3 weeks....I just can't believe it has been that long since she was born.
Well...I can't think of anything else to write about today. I am going to post my goals for the day and see how I do tomorrow.....

GOALS FOR 4/9:
Get dressed
Clean up kitchen
Mop kitchen
Work on my bedroom
Work on laundry
Get kids to finish their room
Make nice dinner
Get ready for tomorrow before bed

That's my to do's....we'll see how it goes. Later gaters, Kai!

I'm here.....

2006-04-08T18:04:00.000-06:00

Sort of....LOL. Anyway....I have been off for a bit, but I am back now. Again...sort of. As I have said before....I suffer from depression, and the past few months have been particularily bad. I'm here, but not as good as I'd like to be. Hopefully soon I will be able to get on some medication and be alot better than this. So...please be patient with me. More updating soon....PROMISE! Kai

HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER!!!

2005-11-18T12:11:00.000-06:00

NEED I SAY MORE!!!!! It opens today and we are all jazzed here!!! Or at least Caleb, Hannah and I are. We are going to the 6:30 showing this eveing. It's the first showing they have after school. I will be going at noon to get the tickets for me and for a friend of mine that is also going. I will return and report after I have seen it. Did I mention that I am excieted!!! LOL

Okay on to other news.....we are pretty much over the flu. For the most part. Hannah threw up again this morning, and I'm not sure why she isn't totally over it yet, but I think it may be her tummy just still being sensitive. I still have the other part of it a bit. Having to make some quick trips to the john, but other than that we seem to be past the worst of it. THANK HEAVEN!!! I sure didn't want a tummy bug to hamper or cancel our trip. Speaking of trip...we leave tomorrow evening for 9 fun filled days of visiting my family. Can't wait....To be honest...not looking forward to the actual traveling bit, but the visit I am anxious to get to. 18 hrs in a van with an 18 month old is not my kind of fun. But we have the dvd player and I wil bring some things for the kiddos to do, so we should be ok. Well, off to do some more preparing. Got a lot of time and not much to do! No...strike that. Reverse it! Later Gaters, Kai.

Puking Ickies.....

2005-11-13T19:54:00.000-06:00

So I wake up at 5 am to pee...nothing unusual there. But I notice Caleb and Hannah's bedroom light is on. Very unusual for 5am! So I go in and find poor Hannah with her head in a bowl puking her guts up. And a pair of dirty panties on the floor. UGH!!! She has spent all day throwing up in an old ice cream bucket and wearing pull ups (that I went out at 5am to Walmart to get) so she won't make a mess. NOW....Caleb is doing it! Again...UGH!!! This is all I need. We are supposed to leave for Colorado on Saturday. I sure hope if we are all gonna get it, that we get it quick and get over it quick. I would hate to have to not go cuz we're ill! Or be ill on the trip. NOT FUN!!! Ok...time to pray and hope it all blows over really fast! Kai

YAWN

2005-11-12T10:11:00.000-06:00

Ever wake up...thinking it's for the day...and just wanna go back to bed after about 30 or so minuets??? Well, that's me! Emma is still asleep and the middles are watching Saturday morning cartoons, and all I wanna do is crawl back in bed with E and snooze until she decides to wake up. Which would probably give me an hour or so. You know...that does not sound too terribily bad to be honest. Am I lazy? Is there something wrong with me?? Why can I not just get up at a decient hour and get busy on all the many things I need to do? I usually go to bed sometime between 10 and 12. It is usually right at 11 when Josh wants to watch that nasty South Park and I can't even stand to listen to the thing much less watch it! So...in bed at 11 and when I get up at 7:30 with the kids, that is 8 1/2 hours sleep. Why is it that it doesn't seem to be enough? Why is it that I can't get my butt up and going until after 10am most days? I just go back to bed after the kids go to school and don't get up until the baby does sometime between 9 and 11 usually. What the heck is my problem??? So...do I go back to bed for a bit or what??? And taking afternoon naps...that's another post all together!!! Kai

Thank God for Small Favors!!

2005-11-12T01:51:00.000-06:00

So...we are leaving to have Thanksgiving with my family on the evening of the 19th. I am really excied about the trip, but I don't fancy traveling for 16+ hours with 3 kids under the age of 8. And one being under 2! SOOOO....as I did last year, I am borrowing a portable DVD player, kinda like the one to the left. It has 2...count em...2 screens that are detached from the base and can attach, via a strap, to the backs of the font seats in our van. Needless to say, this helped us ALOT last year!!! We actually didn't own any DVD's when we used it last year. We borrowed movies from a friend and Marks brother. BUT we bought a DVD player since and now own about a dozen or so films. Now...the kids have watched our movies a lot, but that's ok. I am going to buy one new one. Probably Robots or maybe Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Not sure which yet. Then I am also going to try to borrow a few others from my friend again. Anyway, I digress. The point I wanted to make was.... though having their heads stuck in the TV screen all the time isn't the best thing in the world.... having movies on a long trip is the BOMB!!! I would really like to get one of our own. I am going to look into maybe putting one on layaway at Wally world after Christmas, and finish paying it off with Tax returns. That way I don't have to borrow it whenever we want to use one. I think it would be well worth the investment. Peace and quiet goes a long way on an arduous journey!!! Okay, time for bed y'all! Later Gaters. Kai

Fall has fallen!

2005-11-10T21:05:00.000-06:00

IT'S FALL!!! FINALLY IT IS FALL!!! It has been record heat here for more than a week here, but it is finally feeling more like autumn. And it puts me in the mood for PUMPKIN!! So this evening I made a pumpkin cake. It's a recipe that my mother inlaw gave me and it's a super yummy one. You use a cake mix and make up pumpkin like you would for a pie and after it's baked the cake is on top and the pumpkin is on bottom and it is to die for!!! I can't wait to dig in!!! I'm gonna get a big piece here in a minuet. I love pumpkin. I don't like it as a pie...Unless I can just eat the filling and not the crust....LOL. But this cake is wonderful and I make a MEAN pumpkin roll as well.

We are off to my parents for Thanksgiving here in about 9 days and I am VERY excited about it. We went last year and it was a lot of fun. I am hoping to get a lot of scrapbooking done with my sister and have the kids all do some crafting and just kick back and relax and attempt to forget my troubles for 9 whole days! God watch over us that we will be safe from harm.

Well....Survivor is on...so off for now to watch and snarf some cake. More later, Kai!

Update....and a bit more

2005-11-02T10:07:00.000-06:00

Well..........It's over. HELLoween is over...LOL. I suppose I would probably enjoy it more if I just broke down and bought my kids their costumes. Instead of making them. But what fun would that be. I know that they don't really care where the costumes come from. But then I wouldn't have the joy of making them.....But then I wouldn't have the headache either. I suppose I will decide along time for school to start next fall what I'm gonna do. I am pretty sure I will at least make the Emma's. They had lots and lots of fun, though. They went trunk or treating at our church and at my inlaws. Then door to door trick or treating Monday night. I put all thier candy together in a big bowl and am handing it out a piece at a time. My MIL said she just let her kid have their bags and eat it until it was gone. But I don't really like them to eat that much at a time. PLUS I don't want to deal with a fight when one is out and the other has some left and won't share. She said that they have to learn to deal with it sometime. But (((I))) am not willing to "deal" with the fighting. Mommy is a whimp...LOL. I have enough of arguing and fighting without putting candy in with it as it is. But it's over. THANK THE LORD!!!
Now, Mark and I are painting the windows at Family Dollar for Christmas. It's lots of fun, but also lots of work as well. I had 2 people ask me if I would do their windows while I was working on them last night. I hope this will turn into a little side business. That would be way COOL. I could get money for Christmas and maybe some for our trip in 3 weeks as well!!!
Going home for Thanksgiving!! I'm really psyched!!! Can't wait. We had SOOOO much fun last year. 3 WEEKS 3 WEEKS 3 WEEKS!!! YEA!!! LOL....I know, I know....I NUTS!!! But at least I'm in a good mood today.
Off I go. Got lots to do. Need to clean and shop and maybe finish the windows today. Catch you later gaters! Kai

Lost in confusion....

2005-10-18T09:32:00.000-06:00

I am tired and confused lately. Not wanting to do much of anything. Not really confused really, just frustrated and sad I guess. Lately Emma will do nothing but stand by me and cry unless I pick her up. I can't get anything done. And I have a lot to do. She is constantly pushing the computer tray in and saying "UP". It's making me crazy. I have 3 costumes to do in less than 2 weeks and I have no motivation to do them. I am stressed out about the up coming holidays. We are going to Colorado for Thanksgiving...and that'll be nice. But at this point I don't have a clue where Christmas for my kids is coming from. My house is a wreck all of the time and I find myself sitting on the couch holding the baby and wanting to just skip to January and forget about my birthday and dh birthday, Christmas and Caleb's birthday all in December. Just forget them and go on with life and not stress....but will that be possible...NO. Well...mine will be forgotten cuz it usually is. I'm sick of there being no money. Sick of not knowing when or how something is going to hit us and make things worse than they already are. OKAY...can you tell Aunt Flow hit this am? I was PSMing so bad yesterday I am sure my kids thought I was crazy. I ate a whole HUGE chocolate bar...you know one of those big Hershey ones the size of a small notebook? But it was yummy. It had Heath toffee pieces in it...LOL. Anyway...off to see if I can't at least get the Wendy costume made today. It's just a simple dress..... So it should be quick and easy. Then on to Peter Pan and after that the most difficult Tinkerbell for Emmaleigh. Off I go. Kai

Meat, Meat and more Meat!!!

2005-10-14T11:58:00.000-06:00

Meat, meat and more meat. I am on a quest. I want to have my freezer FULL of meat. That way I don't have to worry about it. In actuallity I want a years worth of food storage here, at least. Wasn't very sure where to start, so I am starting with meat. Something I know I will use. Last week Alberson's had assorted pork chops for $1 a pound. So, I got 20lbs of it and seperated it up into double freezer bags of 6 chops each. Got 6 bags out of 20lbs. Buy for less had country style ribs for .99c a pound. I got 10lbs of that, 2 packages. So I just put one pkg each in the freezer bags. Now today Albertson's ad changed. They have boneless skinless chicken breasts and tenders for 1.69lb., regular price was $3.49. Almost a $2 savings per lb. So I got 10lbs of whole breasts and 5 of tenders. There are now 6pkgs of chicken in the freezer. It is now about half to a third full of meat. I want it stuffed to overflowing!!! On from there...I'm going to start on canned goods. Probably go to Aldi's for that. I want to get some cheap pvc pipe shelves from Walmart and put them on top of the built in dresser in my bedroom for canned goods. We are getting alot more money than we are used to spending on food from the state for now, so I thought it might be wise to start some kind of storage with it. Makes me feel good to know that we are starting to get things more in order. More later, Kai.

Crazy

2005-10-08T07:20:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I really wonder if I'm not CRAZY!?!?! Here I am....up at 6am, but I've been awake since 4. I woke needing to pee, then couldn't get back to sleep. Just started to doze off when my alarm buzzed at 5, so I could wake Mark to be a work at 6. I started thinking about the Avian flu again, and couldn't get back to sleep. I have a HUGE weekend ahead of me, and I should be resting, but here I am sitting infront of this infernal machine!!! What the heck is my problem??? Why do I have such a hard time sleeping??? I guess if I cut out naps in the afternoon, that would help, but I wake up and my brain won't shut the hell up and then I can't get back to sleep. If I don't nap I can't finish my day. What am I supposed to do?? I hurt all the time, I'm tired all the time, and I have 4 kids to chase after and a household to run. I'm sick of worrying about things and sick of feeling so out of control.

Anyway...that being said....I'm off to start a VERY busy weekend. Monday is Miss Hannah's 6th birthday!!! I cannot belive it has been 6 whole years since she was born! She gets more and more beautiful every day. More and more smart each day, and more and more silly each day. She is the apple of her daddy's eye, and all she has to do is a little pout to get what she wants from him...LOL. We are having her birthday at my inlaws tomorrow evening. I am making dinner (fried chicken) for everyone, and I ordered a really nice Cinderella cake from Wal-mart. I know I'm getting her the Cinderella DVD, and one outfit for sure. But what else is up in the air at this point. We took her to the mall the other day and she wanted to look at all the clothes. She is such a little fashion plate! It's too funny. I asked her what she wanted for Birthday/Christmas, clothes or toys??? She replied with out missing a beat..."A little bit of toys and a lot of clothes!" Too too funny! I guess I will have to break out my sewing machine and whip her up a couple of new outfits. But not before her b-day....there's just not enough time. Anyway...I have to go shopping for her day this afternoon. Then I have to do the clothes at Family Dollar in the am and make chicken after that for dinner. Then off to Grandma and Grandpa's for a family birthday party!!!
I'm now going to go lay down for an hour or two and see if I can't get a little rest before I have to run around with my head chopped off. Later gaters, Kai

Rough night

2005-10-04T08:32:00.000-06:00

I really hate it when I have to get up after a rough night! I was hoping to get a few extra minuets of sleep, but Emma woke earlier than her usual 9:30 or 10.....DANG! I don't wanna be up and I wanna go back to bed!!! I am not an early riser....or a morning person. Earliest I do is 7:30 when I have to get kids up for school....I try to stay up and get busy...that way I have about 2 or so hours before E. gets up to do things like shower and dress or a little quiet time or even a couple chores. But sometimes I go back to bed...I know that is naughty of me, but I just can't help myself if I had a bad night. I figure it Mark can sleep all day and get up just half an hour before he has to leave for work, why can't I get an extra hour or so if I'm tired. I also know that isn't the attitude to have as well..... Man am I bad or what??? Well...I suppose I should get busy. I need to get some dishes done and maybe go look at the dryer and see if I can't figure out why it isn't heating....YEP...just one more thing to add to my stress...the dryer stopped heating last night. I think it's the dial. That should be easy enough to fix. My father in law can help with it. But in the mean time...I am without! Well...........on to it I suppose.

Cutie Patootie

2005-09-28T12:19:00.000-06:00

I have a very busy day today. Caleb has a birthday party after school, and I am going to have to do a bunch of driving around. I am tired and still sick. I sure hope I can kick this really soon.
Emma is getting so big and is just too cute. She says several words and learns new things every day. She says "Eeths" for Please. And "DaDoo" for Thank you. She also says, Josh, Dadda, Momma, Uh Oh, NOOO, and yes, GaKar for cracker and Up when she wants up. I love just watching babys learn and grow. It is such fun. She also "shakes a booty", waggles her butt with the music. LOL. She loves to sit on daddy's lap and listen to music he has on the computer. It is her favorite evening past time. Kai

Sick, Sicker, Sickerest.....

2005-09-26T19:54:00.000-06:00

Last week was pretty rough. I have 3 of 4 kids on antibiotics now. I ended up taking all 4 to the dr last Wednesday and Caleb and Hannah both had Strep throat and Emma has an ear infection. I also have a sore throat, so I suspect that I, too, have strep. But there is no money or insurance so I can go to the dr....so unless I get super duper sick I am just gonna have to stick it out and try to fight it on my own. I have been taking Echinecea and that seems to be helping some. Caleb missed all week of school last week, and is behind in his homework....he is not a happy camper. Now he is crying at me cuz he can't go out to play since it is taking him so long to do his homework. I feel for the kid, but it shouldn't take him 3 hrs to do this work. He is too smart to sit here for so long. Anyway.........I am off to finish dinner. Later, Kai.

Deeper

2005-09-17T17:32:00.000-06:00

My depression has gotten deeper over the last week. I have been having a hard time doing just minor things. I can't seem to get my big butt off the couch and do the things I am supposed to be doing. I can't stand the kids, I can't stand my husband, I can't stand myself. I am just so down and out at the moment. I am trying to pull myself up, but it is rough. Having sick kids doesn't help. Emma has a horrid runny nose and Hannah was home Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from school with a sore throat, and now her lips are super duper chapped and bleeding. Caleb is coughing as well. I am glad school is back in, but seems as soon as it starts the kids get sick. I don't think I can handle another winter cold and flu season like last years. I swear we were in the dr office twice a month. I have bought some disinfectant wipes to wipe down grocery carts and small GermX for hands to carry in my purse. I am going to take the kids to get flu shots next week. They have been saying on the news it is supposed to be a rough flu year. We are ALL going to get them this year. I have never had one, but I think I will break down and get one anyway. Emma is sooo suseptable to ear infections that I really want to keep her well if I can. If we got through this year what we did last year I am going to make sure they put tubes in her ears. I don't want a deaf child if I can prevent it at all!!!
Anyway, I have laundry going and am about to get the DW running. I may go through fabric and see what I can make for Christmas gifts. It will be a homemade year. Cash is in short supply, and will be for a while. Maybe if I do some crafting I will feel a bit better. I know I'd like to make pj's and robes for all the kids. I can even make a robe for Mark. That'd be fun! Well, off project hunting after I do the dishes and get dinner in the oven. Salmon...YUMMY! Your prayers are welcome to help me thru this. Thanks alot!! Kai

Oh so tired....

2005-09-11T15:47:00.000-06:00

I am having a hard time lately. I have been really tired and I hurt an awful lot. The carpal tunnel in my hands is getting worse. It makes it really difficult to do alot of things. I have so much that I need to do, but no energy to do them. I have been striving to get the house in better shape and be a more peaceful place. The more I try the harder it seems to do. I am STILL behind on the laundry. I do it for a couple of days then get tired of it and stop for a couple of days. I know I need to keep doing it so it'll get done, but I just can't seem to keep going until it's done. I get one thing done then go back and find it a mess again just a few hours later. It's driving me NUTS. Josh and I are having run in after run in. He seems to think it is ok to only do half of what he is told to do, and then thinks being punished for not doing what he is supposed to is unfair.....UGH!!! I am not to fond of teenagers right now!!! Well, enough complaining. I am going to go now and try to get something done before I have to go get daddy from work. Later, Kai.

Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-01T19:01:00.000-06:00

Hurricane Katrina has hit and has really done a number on the gulf coast! The city of New Orleans is devastated as is most of Louisiana and Mississippi. I feel so bad for these people and wish I could do something to help. I can't donate money, for we have none right now. I would like to give time and maybe some things we have around here, but not sure where to do that at. I feel so helpless. I pray so hard these people will be able to pull themselves up and build a new, better life. I sure hope to find something I can do to help. This I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.....

2005-08-24T01:20:00.000-06:00

Well the past few days have been pretty rough. I have a cold and Mark is in pretty bad shape right now. So, we are barely functioning at the moment. I did manage to clean up the kids bedroom the other day. It was a HUGE pit and took me most of the morning to do, but it is sooo much better right now. I sorted through all their toys and threw away lots of broken stuff. And put alot of them in thier "toy'' drawers. They have some plastic drawers and we seperated out things like blocks and leggos and put them in one drawer. Hannah's is pink and Caleb is primary colors. Hannah has the teeny beenie babies in her top drawer, her cooking toys in the middle and her tiny dolls and barbies in the bottom. Caleb has all his yugio dragons and cards in his top drawer, other small toys he likes in the middle and the blocks and leggos in the bottom. I found that if I got all these small toys seperated and where they could find them and not in the bottom of the big toy box, they were more likely to play with them. So this works really well for them. I let the bedroom go all summer, so I had to go through the big toy box and sort all the stuff out again cuz all the little things had gotten dumped back in there. I also had to dig a TON of stuff out from under the bed. But it's now done and it will be much easier to deal with for the school year like this.

I'm sick, and tired, and don't want to do anything today. I get pretty upset cuz Mark feels free to go to bed whenever he feels like it. Not that I have a problem with him sleeping, it's just that I don't have that freedom unless Emma is sleeping too. It's hard. I layed down at around 10 and she came back and would not leave me alone so I could rest. So, since she woke up so early, I nursed her and she actually fell asleep. So I was able to sleep for about an hour, then he came and woke me up to ask if I wanted anything from the store while he was out getting Hannah from kindergarted....well, I could not get back to sleep after that. I have a real hard time getting to sleep most of the time and him waking me didn't help me at all!!! Oh well.........I really shouldn't complain. I don't do that much anyway.

Well, I'm going to try to go get something done. I don't feel like it. But I need to at least try. Later, Kai.

Tears for trees

2005-08-20T12:23:00.000-06:00

I am not really sure why, but I am still really upset about the tree. I layed in bed last night and just cried. Of course it is not the tree, really, but my sons heart break that has me so upset. That and the lack of control I feel in my life. I cried and prayed telling God how tired I am of living this way and begging for some kind of change for the better. My faith is waining really bad right now....I feel so empty, tired and alone. This isn't new for me, but it is really deep right now....deeper than it has been in a long time. It isn't that I am ungrateful for what I do have, it is just that the way things are right now, it is too hard. I can't turn back the clock and change things that I wish were different.....and I can't see the future to make good decisions on now....so what do I do? Almost every major decision we have made in our life has seemed to be the wrong one. We are again thinking on a major thing and don't know if it is the right thing or not. No matter how much praying I do on something, I never feel a definite answer one way or another. I just go with my gut most of the time. I feel so abandoned and alone. I don't want much, really I don't. I just want enough to not have to worry anymore. To be able to have a little put back for a rainy day and maybe some for retirement. A house that is big enough, but not opulent. A vehicle that runs well and enough money to care for it.
I know Marks emotional problems aren't his fault. But I so wish I could wave a magic wand and make them go away so he could keep a job for more than a year. So he could make a better life for us all. I wish I knew what to do, if anything, to help. I am again putting my nose to the gind stone to get the house in shape again, but I don't know if that is enough. How do I be the kind of wife he needs, so he can be the kind of man he is ment to be? I don't have alot of energy. I am just not sure I can be the superwoman that is needed for a man to be successful. I know there are men that do it on their own, but what is that saying....."Behind every great man there stands a great woman." Welll, I am FAR FAR from a great woman...so what do I do to help him? I have lost soooooo much faith. Faith in God, and Faith in Life. I don't want to feel this way, but I do. I have to be honest. I love my husband, I really really do. And I want more than anything for him to be happy...even more than my own happiness. Mainly because I know that if he were happy, I'd be happy. So....what in the world do I do??? Kai

Off again for another year!

2005-08-19T10:50:00.000-06:00

Well....it was back to school yesterday. Can you say.... "YIPEE!!!!" Not that I don't love my kids. I do...I love them alot, but it is nice to get a break. I have concidered homeschooling, but I just decided I couldn't handle it. I don't get a break at all from this house or kids in general, so having them at school is a nice break for me. Besides....I can't keep the house clean, what makes me think I could handle homeschool...right???

Caleb started 2nd grade. I can't believe how big he has gotten!! How grown up he seems now. He is really excited about being able to go to the Gifted Class all year instead of just the last few weeks. He is REALLY smart and I am sooo proud of him. Hannah started Kindergarten. She is in half day morning class. So she gets to eat breakfast in the morning with her Bubby. She is sooo thrilled!!!

And Joshua is now a Junior in High School. I can't believe in 2 short years he will be graduated, 18 and, if he wants, off on his own. I wouldn't mind if he wanted to stay here longer. And he will ALWAYS have a place to live. I would really like to see him have some kind of schooling or vocational training before he went out on his own. I know he isn't going to go on a mission, but I would like to know he can take care of his own needs before he leaves. He is sooooooo anxious to get out on his own. He is going to be in for a rude awakening when get finds out what the REAL world is all about.

Anyway, I sayed with Hannah in her first day of Kindergarden yesterday and helped the teacher. I did the same thing with Caleb. It is a nice way to make sure they are ok and to help the teacher through the first day. Hannah went to preK last year, so she doesn't have a problem going to school at all. I was worried about Caleb since he didn't go to preK, but he did just fine too. So, anyway...it was good I went to help. One little boy's nose started to bleed while we were taking a tour of the school and I helped him so the teacher, Mrs. Parks, could deal with the other kids. It was alot of fun!!!! But they are on their own today. I took the kids to school and helped Hannah with her breakfast. But left after that. I may do that for a couple more days, but she needs to do it on her own soon. She can be kinda inattentive to details, so I want to make sure she understands what to do. Caleb doesn't have a whole lot of patiences with her.

Well...off to work on the laundry mountain in the back hall. I sure hope that I can make a bigger dent today. It has really gotten away from me lately and I feel like I need a chair and whip to tame it again. LOL Anyway, more later. Kai

Symptom of a larger problem

2005-08-17T10:51:00.000-06:00

I'm sitting here balling and it started because the park is cutting down the only tree in our yard. The kids LOVE that tree. They climb in it, they sit in it's shade and enjoy it's ambiance. I am sooooo sad about this that I can hardley stand it. It just broke Caleb's heart when he found out his "swinging monkey tree" was gonna be gone. He cried and cried and is just so upset about it. I promised him that some day we would have a nice big house of our very own with a big tree and yard to have a puppy in. This is just what happened with Lucky all over again. When the other park wanted us to get rid of him. It just killed Josh. Luckily, my inlaws took him in and we get to see him whenever we want.
Thing is....this is just a symptom of a larger problem. It isn't really the loss of the tree that has me so upset...it is only a tree afterall. What I'm most upset with is the fact that we have no control over the situation. It's not our land, not our tree. The park owner can do whatever they want with it. If we had a life that would afford us a home of our own we wouldn't have to worry about things like this. I am tired of begging for help from the state and the church. I'm tired of living a half life. I'm tired of telling the kids no all the time because we can't afford something they want or want to do. Not that I would give them everything they want all of the time, but it would be nice to let Hannah have dance lessons and Caleb be able to take violin. Josh has never been able to be in a sport or do anything he has wanted either. I wish I knew what road to take. I wish there was something, ANYTHING I could do to make a better life for my children. I feel so useless. Kai

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

2005-08-15T12:26:00.000-06:00

Well, kids start back to school this week. On Thursday. So, I have to spend the next couple days getting all ready for it. They are pretty much ready, but I do need to get laundry all done up so they have clean clothes. So that is my #1 priority for now. LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY!!! Since it is kinda rainy and overcast here right now it won't be too bad to run the dryer. So I suppose that is a good thing.

To be honest, I am kinda torn. I am ready for them to get back to school again, but at the same time I always feel a little bit of sorrow when they do. They drive me crazy in the summer, but I miss them when they go back to school. I will still have Emma home and it'll be nice to spend some one on one time with her again. And Hannah is only in half day. But the house feels so empty when they are all gone to school. I sure don't know what I am going to do when they all move out on their own. I know that is the ultimate goal, but it will be VERY hard for me. I have spent my life caring for them and my world centers on them. What am I going to do with myself when I no longer have to take care of everyone else? Oh I am sure I will figure it out when the time comes.... I figured it out...by the time Emma is 18 I will have had kids in my house for 33 years. I think I will probably be ready for a break by then...LOL.

Anyway...to anyone reading this...please pray that my husband finds a job soon. We have help and we are ok, but he needs to find something full time with good pay soon so we can have what we need for birthdays and Christmas. Along with being able to pay our bills. I am starting to get really worried and stressed out about it all.

Well, off to do more laundry. More later, Kai!!

SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT

2005-08-15T10:40:00.000-06:00

This sounds about right to me...LOL! .....

You are a Concrete Random thinker. You are Quick,
Curious, Innovative, Adventurous, Intuitive,
and Instinctive.

What you do best is: Seeing many options and
solutions, Contributing creative ideas,
Visualizing the future, Accepting many kinds of
people, Thinking fast on your feet, and Taking
risks.

You do not do well when trying to: Write formal
reports, Follow routines, Re-do anything once
its already done, Keep detailed records, and
Choose only one answer.

You prosper when: Using insight and instinct to
solve problems, Working with general time lines
rather than specific deadlines, Using real life
experience to learn, Trying something yourself
rather than taking other peoples word for it,
Working for compelling reasons, and Motivated
by being Inspired.

What style of thinking are you?
brought to you by

Killer Headache from HELL

2005-08-10T16:00:00.000-06:00

Well....I have a MAJOR migrane today. Sooo not fun. It started last night and got worse durring the day. I have been taking Excedrin to quell it a bit and some antihistamine incase it is allergy related. It is at a dull roar right now, but any physical activity makes it worse. I am supposed to go school shopping with my inlaws this evening, but I am not sure I can take it. I really hope it quiets down soon. I really would like to get this shopping over with.

Mark discovered yesterday that he was supposed to have his appeal for the denial on his unemployment no later than 10 days after the decision was mailed, and he put it off and put it off and he turned it in yesterday 22 days after the mailing...I am really a bit irritated. I am sure that if he got it in in time he woulda won cuz after reading the reason for the decision it seems they didn't get what Mark told them right. SOOOO we are praying that they will look at it anyway and give him a chance to explain and maybe, just maybe, we can get it all fixed, and have some money to work with soon.
That's all for now....later gater. Kai

Getting ready for back to school

2005-08-09T11:13:00.000-06:00

Well it has been a hard week. I am trying to get the house put back together and back into shape for the upcomming school year starting back on August 18th. We got on Food Stamps to help with our food needs until Mark is working again. But we have NO cash in our pockets or comming in. So his parents are going to help us with school supplies. I hate to ask, but I don't know what else to do. It's that or send them to school with nothing. I don't know if they are getting any clothes or not, but I will find out tomorrow. Josh really needs shoes and some jeans. The others can start with the clothes that they have. But Josh really needs some shoes and pants. I am SOOOOO stressing about it!

As My Day Goes

Menu 3/8 to 3 /14

The Care and Feeding of Your Pre-teen Daughter Or Day Nine

Menu 3/2 to 3/8

Kristen's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Good Sunday

French Onion Soup

Just for fun- Meme

To pamper or Not to pamper? or Day 3

It will be done or Day 2

A New Beginning Day 1

Wordless Wednesday

7 random facts.....

A few minutes.....

Wordless Wednesday

School and life

Muffins for mom

I love modern medicine!!!

Yep....it's a BUG!

Not feeling too well....

Fable of the Naked Baby Butt

Potter Puppet Pals......

I'm tired....

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Busy, Busy, Busy

Life goes on and Playing with my food

My new Blog....

Big news!!!

I'm alive....I think?

New CD's, New Motivation, and Carb addiction

Cold, coats, breaks and hot water.

Long time...no blog

Sorry so long.....

Off we go...

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Accomplishments for 11/17/06

Accomplishments for 11/16/06

FUBAR

This is my new Mascot....

I did not sleep....

A quick update....well, kinda quick....

So far today......

IT'S OVER!!!...THANK HEAVEN!!!

Pleasent Sunday

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.....

Rough times ahead....

My crazy life.....

I'm back....

Labyrinthitis

5 things about me....

I have a Crush!

So, I'm lazy!

I say-

Flylady

Mount Washmore

I'm alive.....

Birthday X 2...

Kindergarten Graduation

Midnight visitor

Hapy Mother's Day

Not much blog worthy....

Rain, Rain...don't go away....

Poor Hannah

Rashes and Potatos....

A change of plans....

Abbo's and Ocean's

Yesterday and Today.....

Kids n' Cookies

In the dog house

Strawberries, triffles, and messes.....

Busy, busy, busy....

Potatoe Soup

Terry Goodkind

:D....Hi again

I'm here.....

HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER!!!

Puking Ickies.....

***YAWN***

Thank God for Small Favors!!

YAWN