Out With the Old

It's getting closer to the end of the year. This is the time that people start wrapping up the old stuff and making plans for the new. We took some time to look at our lives earlier last year and made some changes that I hope we can continue with. We have also made some new commitments to us, to our family, and to our lives.

One of our first commitments was to our health and the health of our children. We have done so much research on various aspects of our lives and our health. After awhile, the info starts to run together. Hubby and I decided that where we wanted to start was discontinuing vaccinations for the kids. I have said several times that this was not an easy decision and it wasn't. People have shaken their fingers at us and told us what bad parents we are. Do the research yourself and then make the decison that best suits your family. Leave ours alone. We also will not do flu shots of any kind.

Another big commitment was organic fruits and vegetables. Did you know that growers can use over 40 different pesticides on an apple? It doesn't matter if you peel the apple, the fruit has already absorbed the poisons. You eat the apple, you ingest the poisons. We have decided that we don't want to do that to ourselves. The produce that we consume is certified organic. That means that not only has the soil that the produce is grown in has been pesticide free for so many years, but the farms around them are also pestcide free. We eat most of it raw, but we do steam some of the veggies. I will say that there is nothing like fresh green beans that are cooked with ham. I know, where did all the goodness go? Into the flavor of the beans. I am from the south after all. It's good with corn bread, too. The kids are eating more fruits and veggies than they ever have. I believe the freshness is the key. Good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are so important in preventing and curing many diseases and disorders.

I have made a commitment to not be so busy and running all the time. One of our biggest complaints last school year was that we were car schooling more than we were homeschooling. That isn't fair to the kids. It makes it hard for them to learn when they aren't being taught anything. I have made an effort this year to slow down. We do spend several days at home, instead of running like fiends. I am trying to check school work at a decent hour instead of two or three or four days later. That's not fair to my kids. It's also not fair to yell at them because we're running late for something I overscheduled. I am trying to stick with that commitment and learn what the word "NO" means. It is more important to make sure that my kids are getting a quality education than to drive all over town and forget our education.

Another important thing we have done is buy a crockpot. It doesn't seem that special, I know. It has saved us a ton of money on take out and allowed us to eat together as a family at a decent hour. On the nights we're out, it was cook and then reheat when we got home, or stop and drive thru. Those options weren't always the best. We would have to wait for dinner to reheat which could be as long as 45 minutes. That would put us eating dinner as late as 9:30 some nights. By then, we're all so tired, we just want to go to bed and forget dinner. Or we're so hungry we can't do anything but snap at each other. The drive thru option costs too much and just pumps junk into our bodies. The crockpot allows up to sit down at a decent hour and have a nice meal together, and not after 9.

Hubby and I made a commitment to spend more time together. We are reinstating our walks in the evenings. Granted we are power walking, but the warm up and cool down are great times to talk. We are turning the TV off more and just having conversations. I am making a bigger effort to turn the computer off when we are together. He had such a crazy schedule this past summer and it was hard to spend time, but the effort is always worth it. It helps us get connected and stay connected. We get to focus on our relationship, which is so important.

We decided that we will surround our family with people that genuinely care about our family and our kids and share the same core values that we do. That did mean cutting the ties on some friendships that were years old, but also forming new bonds. It has had a phenomenal effect on our family and the way we treat each other. We all still have our moments, but don't we all have those? We needed to pull our family closer together, not let outside influences tear us apart. We spend too much time together to have that happen.

Speaking of outside influences, we started censoring the shows that our kids are allowed to watch and the music they are allowed to hear. At this point, that is necessary. We have seen the negative effects some of the shows were having on our kids and we put a stop to it. The things the kids were saying, and sometimes the things we were saying to the kids, were not acceptable. So we started censoring ourselves as well. If it worked for them, it can work for us as well. And it has. Some of their friends can't believe they don't watch certain shows, but our kids just tell them how our family lives. I am very proud of how they handle the situation when it comes up.

Those are some of the things that we have done. It has made us a better family and drawn us closer together. We are the crazy people that love to spend time together. We will continue to focus on our family in the new year. It is important to us that our kids know how important they are to us and how much they are loved. It is also important that hubby and I focus on each other and continue to grow in our relationship with each other.

Here's hoping your new year is fruitful, prosperous, and joy filled.

Time keeps on ticking, ticking...

Steve Miller had that right. I don't know where the time has gone. Yes, I do. I was busting my hump trying to prepare for about 12 events in three days. But don't let that fool you. I loved it. I am one of those freaky people that likes to have lots to do. Not house work lots to do, but other stuff lots to do. And suddenly, it's almost Christmas.

I was preparing for our home school Christmas party. I love to have people and entertain and kids running crazy through the house. We don't get much company where we live, so I offered my house for a Christmas gathering of our park families. It was wonderful. The kids ran and played outside until it started to rain. Then those wet, smelly kids came pouring into the house. I handed out towels as they came through the door soaking wet. Loved it! When it stopped raining, they went back outside. Everybody brought a dish. I had a meat and cheese tray, made brownies, and put together a fruit tray. The moms, and one dad, talked and talked and talked. That is my favorite part. The conversations were varied and informative and I have a couple of new websites to go to. The company makes all the work worth every minute.

While I was cleaning like a fiend and making sure I had everything I needed for that event, I was also preparing for a Christmas workshop at church. This year we did a Santa's workshop theme. The kids were able to come in and make gifts for their families. They got to make their own wrapping paper to put it in. They were able to make snow globes, decorate hats and shoe strings, paint sun catchers, put together angel and toy soldier clothes pin ornaments, decorate their picture with Santa, paint the inside of a glass ornament, and put together snowman soup. Santa came to make sure they were working hard like good elves, which they were. We had a toss the bean bag into Santa's bag and pin the beard on Santa. Everybody was a winner and got a prize. Then we had story time and milk and cookies. They all had a great time, and so did the adults that volunteered to help. I have heard nothing but rave reviews. Of course, do you think they would tell me to my face that it was bad? I hope not. At least email me.

While I was shopping and preparing for that, I also had to get ingredients and supplies together for a lasagna Christmas dinner with the youth. I made two, and brought a whole one home. Cool by me. That meant I didn't have to cook the next day. That was a lot of work, too. Setting up, tearing down, cleaning up. The youth enjoyed it and we got to say good bye to our associate pastor, who was with us for the last time. She is moving to a new church and we are going to miss her to pieces.

And if that wasn't enough, hubby and I had to do the Christmas shopping. Aaarrrrgghh! Will it end? Yes, too soon. We took our time and even managed to stop and eat sushi for dinner. He had to stop yesterday and pick up a couple of things we had forgotten. I got most of it wrapped, and will probably finish it tonight. Just in time for it to get torn open. I'm pretty excited about the kids opening their presents. We didn't go huge this year, and even put some Christmas money in the Hawaii account. We also were able to do birthday shopping for January and February.

We have all the fixings for Christmas dinner. While I'm out today, I'll pick up black eyed peas for New Year's dinner. We pick up our pasture fed beef on December 31, just in time for dinner. I wanted a roast or a big cut of beef and there it is. We're also having roasted potatoes and butternut squash, broccoli, and maybe some homemade rolls. If you're coming over, let me know. I need to figure out a dessert because we are going to need something sweet. Maybe a cheesecake. Who knows?

So, I've been busy. It has been a great Christmas break for our school. We've taken a break until the New Year, and I am glad to not have that on my plate. We are on hiatus from dance and co-op as well. Hubby has four days off for Christmas and we are going to enjoy every minute of it.

Merry Christmas to you all! May God bless you this upcoming year and through all time. May peace and joy and love be your constant companion.

Messiness

I was cleaning up my room and the top of my desk. My FIL had finally given me the recipe for the stuffing he makes every Thanksgiving. It is a secret he has guarded for years. I printed it out and could not wait to make it. Except for the fact that I lost it. I have no idea where I put it. I didn't even have it saved in my computer anywhere. I had to very humbly email him and ask if he would resend it. He did and I have it in about 14 places now. This post actually has nothing to do with that or cleaning, but what I found when I was cleaning. Tricked you again.

I found a list of books that I have read. One of the big things with my friends awhile back was a list of books that really had an affect on you. It could be good or bad, it just had to mean something to you in some way. I never posted my list because I didn't have enough books to list. I just couldn't think of more than a handful that had a profound affect on my life either way. I'm sure there are many, but here are some of the ones I found.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. That is my go to book. If I need something to read, something for the pure joy of reading, something to fill my time, whatever the reason, that is my book. I have loved that book for many years. It is one of the few that I actually saw the movie first. The movie was incredible in itself, but the book is so much more. It is moving and telling and leaves so many emotions and thoughts and feelings raw about justice and injustice and love of all kinds. When I saw the movie, I didn't know there was a book. My mom used to sit and watch "old movies" and we had to watch, too. That was the time of one TV in the house. Mom always said since she paid the bills she controlled the TV. I hated that as a kid, love it as a mom. When I found out there was a book, I was all over it. It is my number one book on any favorites list. Read it if you haven't.

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton is an awesome book. I tried to read Jurassic Park and couldn't. It bored me, until the movie came out. After I saw the movie, I decided to pick up the book again. I actually enjoyed the book that time. I decided I needed to read everything he had ever written, so I went to the library. Eaters of the Dead kept me up way past my bedtime, but it also kept me engaged and reading until I was done. Most books I can put down and finish in the morning. Not this one. It also wans't a huge book, so that helped. It is not what you think it is. It is about a foe that comes in darkness to fight Vikings. This foe eats the flesh of the dead warriors. It was done as The 13th Warrior, which was a good movie, but was in no way the book. It was different than his other books and I have already requested it from our library so I can reread it again.

Whispers was the first Dean Koontz book I ever read. It scared the crap out of me. It scared me so bad I reread it as soon as I was done with it. It started a long love affair with his books. I normally love them and have read most of them. There were a couple that I didn't think were up to par, but there's always a couple. I could not figure out the twist in this one until almost the end. I pride myself on being quite intelligent, and with as many books as I've read, I usually figure out the plot at least half way through. Not this one. And when I did, I almost slapped myself silly. I just thought, duh. That is also one that I like to reread from time to time. If I see it on the book shelf at the library, I grab it. That, to me, is one sign of a good book- rereadability.

Nancy Drew and the Mystery of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene. When I was a youngster, this was the first one of the series that I read. I had to read every one of them. I even read all the Hardy Boys because of this book. My imagination led me on great mysteries while I read this book and all the subsequent ones. I love it so much, I have led one of my girls to them. Too old right now for the baby, but the big girl loves them. This is a fantastic series for female empowerment. If you have not read them, or your female children have not, I highly recommend it.

That's just a few out of the millions I'm sure I've read. A friend from high school that I reconnected with through Facebook sent me some books. I have only read one of them so far, but I am looking forward to some time to sit down with a little peace and quiet, and devour some written words. I am not one of those people that wants a Kindle for any reason. I don't want digital reading. I want to hold the pages in my hand and and feel the paper. I love the feel of a book in my hand. And if it's a great book, that's always a bonus. I like to turn off all the electronics, turn the lights down low, snuggle in bed, and travel the world and universe at my leisure. Any reading suggestions from the peanut gallery?

Excuses are like...

I could finish that thought, but we all know where I'm going with that. They are all the same and they all stink. I am surrounded by people who say "I would, BUT". You would but you don't want to take the time. And that's OK. Just say "I don't want to". I would much rather you were honest, with me and with yourself, than start offering excuses.

This blog has helped me see that I, too, am good at offering excuses. I can hide my head in the sand with the best of them. If there is an issue I don't want to deal with, I can put it to the back of my mind and not think about it. I can convince myself that I am doing the right thing. Not always the smartest egg in the bunch, but there's my excuse #1.

I was talking about budgeting and menus on Thanksgiving. I make my menu for at least two weeks, but usually three. I base it around hubby's paychecks and our organic co-op. It helps me know what I need from the co-op, and what I need from the store. It helps me stay on budget. It helps me know what coupons I'm looking for. It helps me not feel so panicked about dinner on our long days and nights we're gone. It helps me be accountable. "We could never do a menu or budget. We always change our mind about dinner and have a hard time with a budget." You can't because you don't want to. It's not for you. Continue to live your life, but don't offer excuses. I do it because I want to. I have a financial goal I am trying to reach. i think about being debt free and a trip to Hawaii.

I had a friend who wanted the boy to go to a Boy Scout meeting with her son. I said no, because I didn't want the boy to think he was going to be in Boy Scouts. I have no desire to put him in Boy Scouts. I don't have the time, and it's not my thing. Yes, I know, we're talking about the boy. But we're also talking about the person who would take him to meetings. That would be me. We're talking about the person who would have to shuttle him to all the activities. Again, that would be me. Hubby has been working so much that I am responsible for getting all the kids to our activities. Not shuttling around and making a tight schedule even tighter. Thanks, but no. I told her that was not an activity that we would be participating in, but thank you for the offer.

One of my favorites is "I could never home school". Yes, you could. You don't want to. And that's fine. You don't have to is the glorious thing about it. I didn't think I could either. I love it. Here's the other that just kills me. "I don't want to spend that much time with my kids." Then why did you have kids? Really? It's a choice that not all of us have to make, or feel we have to make. We were forced into a situation and this was the best solution. It has been amazing for us. If you don't want to, don't. But be honest about it.

Hubby is the excuse king. Some of our conversations are him making excuses and me tearing them down. It's like taking down a wall brick by brick. It can be exhausting, but I want him to know what a great man he is and what he's capable of. I do know that he comes by it honestly. I come by my bitchiness honestly, too. Some things just travel generation to generation. The baby is getting really good at offering excuses. I just work on her like I work on her papa. And people wonder why I'm so tired. I bust down walls all day.

I don't always realize that I am offering excuse after excuse. It's like I suddenly hear myself and realize I am doing what drives me crazy about other people. I have to stop myself and just get honest. Isn't that always the way? I point out what others do, then turn around and do it myself. I've done that most of my life. Look, there's excuse #2.

To Give or Not to Give

Interesting discussion hubby and I had tonight. I love my hubby. He talks like a redneck, he acts like a redneck, and well, he is a redneck. But he is also one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. I tell him one of the things that attracted me to him was his brain. Don't get me wrong. I am an ass woman and he has a mighty fine one, but I can't have a conversation with it. I love the fact that I can talk about anything with him. Sometimes he has to walk away and think about it for a little bit. That gives me time to think and see his point of view, too, so that's not a bad thing. As quickly as stuff flies out of my mouth, I can't guarantee I'm keeping up with me either. You've read my blog. You can't keep up all the time. Here's another wild ride.

We talked about charity as gifts. I have this great idea that maybe this year we will give donations to a charity or organization that our family members support, or like, or think is a great organization. If I don't agree with the premise and views of a certain organization, I'll find an alternative that meets the needs of both parties. He didn't like the idea at first. He had to go work in the shed and think about it for awhile. That led to a great discussion about the reason for the season and who's responsibility it is to raise children. We were all over the place with that one.

You should all know that Jesus is the reason for the season. Without Christ there would be no Christmas. It is a time of year based on giving- of ourselves, our resources, our emotions, every thing we have should be for others. We were given the greatest gift ever. How can we not turn around and give that gift to others? How can we not show others by our actions, words, and deeds that there is a precious gift waiting for them?

That being said, there are people out there that would be ungrateful whatever the gift. There is nothing that is good enough except what they want. I have definitely been one of those people. If I didn't get what I wanted, I was disappointed. Hubby and I talked about car stereos and not getting one. Practical gifts suck. Socks, underwear, and rocks are not appropriate for gifts. Because you need them is one thing, but who likes to open that gift. Yeah, I've been ungrateful way too much in my life.

But who needs to explain to the children that a charitable gift is a great gift? Is it my responsibility as the aunt to make sure that my nieces and nephews know that there are those less fortunate that need the money in a far greater way than they do? Hubby's brothers and their families are not well off by any means, but neither are we. We lived for way too long above our income level, but there are times when even that can't be helped. When you have to feed your family and keep a roof over your head, you do what you have to.

Do my nieces and nephews really expect great gifts from me, or do they expect that from their parents? When you were a kid and you opened a gift from your aunt or uncles, did you expect the greatest gift ever? Or did you just know that you were getting a hand knitted sweater with your name across the front? And that it was made a little big so you could wear it for a couple of years? The matching hat was always atrocious. Who did you expect the good gifts from? Your mom and dad, and Santa. We could have the Santa discussion, but that would really piss me off. (Here's your hint that we still believe in Santa in this house.)

I still have some nieces that are too young to understand that a gift to others made in your name is a great gift. When you're 4 and 5 and 6, you really just want the Betsy Wets Alot doll instead of a piece of paper that says you donated $50 to children less fortunate than you or an animal rights group to make sure that pandas will still exist in 50 years. So is that fair to the older kids that can understand? Will they want that piece of paper instead of a gift card to the local video game store? Maybe that's what we'll do. Betsy Wets Alot to all the little ones, and gift cards for the big ones. But what can you get for $10 at the video game store? Not much. We were there last night.

Where do you stand on gifts? What opinion do you have about charitable gifts? Would you rather get a gift card, or a flannel nightgown? Practical, or fanciful? The real reason for the season, or what I want is what I want? We're still talking about it. Hopefully we'll have it figured out by Christmas.

Gobble, gobble

No, this isn't a post about what I am thankful for. My friends have these thankful journals going on Facebook. Every day they list something new they are thankful for. Not me. This post is about one of the most self absorbed I could post. It's about Thanksgiving at my house.


My in laws are getting older. My FIL had a stress test recently and failed. Because of that, the doctors want to do a heart cath. They are doing that in the morning. If that doesn't work, they are talking surgery. My MIL said we may not have Thanksgiving. Whatever! It's on my calendar and I'm ready. I love turkey day. I like to eat so much I put myself in a turkey coma. Do not think for one second that I am not concerned about my FIL. I very much am. I am also worried about how much more crap the doctors can fill him with or prescribe for him. But they come from the time of trusting that doctors are doing what's right for you. They don't understand that we live in the time of I need to pay off my house on the golf course and need to prescribe more stuff for you to pay those bills. They won't even consider that there are alternatives out there that can work better than a prescribed pill. But back to me.


My BIL is going to smoke a turkey. I should mention that I cannot stand smoked meat. Everytime he smokes a roast, or turkey, or ham or whatever, hubby tries to make it a good thing. I just give him that look that says, "We have had this conversation so many times and I cannot believe you want me to be happy about this." He has a rough job being married to me. I know he wants me to be supportive, but I am not eating even one bite. I won't be having any of his turkey because I am making one of my own.


I really want to make oyster dressing. Have you ever had it? My step mom makes it, and it is wonderful. The drawback is that my SIL is allergic to shell fish. Although we don't have the best relationship in the world, I don't want her dead, either. If we do Thanksgiving here, I need to make a traditional dressing. But I am going to make an oyster just for my family, or for whoever wants it. I also have some other things working that are a little different. I don't like being like everyone else. I like different things than most people.


I would like to get the recipe for my FIL's stuffing. It is moist and delicious. I can honestly say that I had never had stuffing before, but had always had dressing. It was never in the bird. This is cooked in the bird. He has done stuffing longer than hubby can remember. It is a recipe that comes from my FIL's mother. I am hoping that he will come off the recipe soon. I try every year, but he isn't ready yet. He's so funny because he always hides a little for himself. He puts what he can on the table, but there's always that secret stash. The funny thing is, nobody is really sure where he's stashing it. We have looked, but can never find it.


Pies are a big thing at Thanksgiving for me. I like to bake pies. I like pecan pies, chocolate pies, pumpkin pies, whatever. I love to make cheesecakes. I do an awesome Oreo cheesecake that is out of this world. I made it for Easter a couple of years ago to rave reviews. By rave reviews, I mean there wasn't anything left when everyone finally went home. I might do the Kentucky Derby pie. That is sooooo good. Sugar in a crust is what I call it.


I got to cook with my mom last year. That is something I haven't gotten to do in so many years I cannot remember. It was a very special Thanksgiving for me. It was great for my family. We got to spend time with Mermie and Uncle Jessie. I loved that part. We used to try to get to my dad's for Thanksgiving. He lives much closer and the trip is easier. The last few years, though, it's been really hard for hubby to get the day after Thanskgiving off. Stinkin' seniority. I would really love for my dad to come here. That would be great for us.

I really am not as superficial as this post may make me seem. I like what I like. I am a great hostess. I want you to like what I like, too. If there is something new that I can show you or give you or expose you to, then bully. I like nice things, good food, and great company. You should stop by sometime. We'll see how much I can get you to focus on me.

History 101

We have very interesting discussions at the park. Most of us are not native to this area, even though there are a couple. One of our moms grew up as a military brat and has lived in several interesting places. One of the moms grew up in family ministry performing and traveling. I grew up in a little Texas town proud to be an American, a Texan, a Southerner. I have always joked that if I stepped foot above the Mason Dixon line I would burst into flame. I used to say that about church, too, but for that we have God's grace. Good thing. As much as I'm at church, I would be nothing but a pile of ashes.

I love to get free curriculum. Don't we all like to get things for free? I have subscribed to a homeschooling magazine for the last couple of years that I absolutely love. For being on their preferred customer email list I get two free e-books a month. Sometimes I really enjoy them. They are uplifting, or supportive, or have some really good ideas that I can implement into our schooling and our lives. Today, I got one that just pissed me off. It really is just my attitude and doesn't reflect on the author, just the subject.

The e-book was an interview with a woman that wrote a book about the Civil War. Her slant was slavery. One of our discussions at the park one day was about the real reasons for the Civil War. Just a quick clue, it really did not have much to do with slavery. It was for the same reasons as most wars. No, not oil. It was about power and money and political gain. Slavery became a go to that most Northerners could get behind and support. That was the red herring.

Most of the cotton at that time was grown in the south. In order to make lots of money, the plantation owners needed a source of free, expendable labor. That happened to be the slave. This is the point that I should tell you that it was not just black men that were slaves. Native Americans were also a source of slaves for many years. They were shipped all through out the south and to Cuba to work sugar cane plantations. The cotton was then shipped up north where it was processed into whatever product it was bought for. The north was advancing far quicker than the south due to the industry. The south was still bogged down in agriculture as it's main source of income. The north wanted the cotton, but also wanted as much money as they could get out of it. That's the nature of business. They wanted the plantation owners to start getting mechanized when it came to harvest time. Faster harvest means more cotton in a faster manner. That would have cost the plantation owners a pretty penny they didn't want to spend.

Politicians wanted to redo the lines of jurisdiction. Gerrymandering is a really cool word I think. I like the way it sounds, I just don't like what it means. It means that the lines are redrawn to give one political party more votes, or more power. The more votes you have, the more power you have. In the case of the Civil War, it also meant more money. The south was very against redrawing lines. It would change boundaries and borders and they would lose out. Instead of playing nice, they had to fight about it.

Another reason was the forcing of one's beliefs on another. I will never agree with the fundamentals of slavery in any way. I also do not believe in forcing my way of life on others. The way I live and raise my family is the way that I live and raise my family. If I want or need your help, I'll let you know. The pride of the southerner was at stake. Pride comes before a fall. Abolitionists were becoming more and more vocal about their views. The more attention you can draw to your issue, the better your argument, the more people will agree with you. It is the same way today. I love a good debate. It has me drawn to both sides as a spectator, passionate as a particpant. Abolitonists drew many supporters and eventually the underground railroad was formed, which encroached on the rights of the plantation owners and the way of life of the southerner.

Did you know that the South won the war? All of the history books that you read say the north won and the slaves were freed. Let me tell you a story that I learned in the eighth grade. My American history teacher was Rhonda Bowen and she was phenomenal. The woman could tell a story like nobody's business. Here is the story that I love to share and am now sharing with you. She did all the research and I would love to have her info. If any of you know how to get in touch with her, please have her contact me. She was one of my favorite teachers. Here we go.

When Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops, he did not have the authority to surrender all of the southern troops, only those he was in charge of. In those days, there was no cell phone, internet, or radio. There was no way to contact all of the troops and tell them that Lee had surrendered. There were troops in Texas that didn't get the message and continued to fight. After running out of ammunition, food, and the ability to care about war anymore, they laid down their arms. Both sides agreed to stop fighting without either side surrendering. They basically just walked away. Many, many years later, a gentleman doing research on the war realized what happened. He was able to find the last remaining southern soldier and the last remaining northern soldier. He had them both agree that they would play a chess match in Denver, Colorado to determine the winner of the Civil War. The flight carrying the northern soldier crashed, killing all aboard. He never arrived at the chess match, which meant a forfeit. The south won.

I love that. When we were discussing the war at the park, it was amazing to me the many different ways that we were taught about a basic fact in our country's history. Many of our northern moms only knew about the slavery aspect. They had no clue about the socio-economic factors or the power struggles that actually led to the war. Many of us raised in the south had different views given to us as well. We will rewrite history many times, distorting truth from fiction. There are things that are going on right now that are causing strife in our country. It may be written that all Americans were in favor of these things. Abraham Lincoln was one of the most hated men of his time, but history shows him as a man of greatness. How do you know truth from fiction? You do the research. You look at all angles, all views. How will history remember you?

Ramblin' Again

I think I have an obsession with bullet points, and it's all Hillside Hollow's fault. Yeah, I'm calling you out. I was fine until I saw them on your blog. Now, I love to use them. I did a homeschool post last night and forgot to use them until after I had posted it. Yeah, I could go back and edit it, but that just screws it up. That and I'm too lazy.

• A professional basketball player got fined because he criticized the officiating at a game. It seems he felt he was called for too many fouls, and the other team was not called for enough fouls. Since I didn't see the game, I can't really say if the refs were doing a good job or not. Anyone rooting for the other team would see things differently, I suppose. The problem I have is that he was fined for expressing an opinion on his own time, on his own blog. Yes, millions of people read it. That's the point sometimes in having a blog. When did his freedom of speech disappear? When he signed his multi million dollar contract? When Obama took office? They didn't, at least not yet. More and more employers have gone to searching the internet and social networking sites to determine if they should hire/fire an employee. I am still a firm believer that if my after work activities do not affect my work performance, get over it. Who cares if my side job is a stripper? Am I still the most productive worker? Just don't slide a tip into my G-string when you come into the club. You're more embarrased that I saw you in a strip club, than worried about what kind of worker I am.
• Speaking of our illustrious leader, I think it's funny that his staff has declared the reporters and commentators from Fox News persona non gratas. It just makes me smile. When you flip the coin, he won't even go on Fox to defend his policies because he's scared they will rip him to shreds. That's their job. If you were doing a better job, they wouldn't have anything to talk about, now would they? His Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, is a full of himself, nothing but hot air jerk. There, I said it. Please don't tell me I'm going to be fined because I have expressed my opinion on my own time. I guess all my time is my own. No one to fire me. Who would do the laundry if they did fire me? I'm not sure why Obama has decided to surround himself with the people he has, but I really don't understand that weasel. If Emmanuel has enough time on his hands to call for a boycott against Fox, he has too much time on his hands. We're fighting a couple of wars, the economy is in the tank still, unemployment is rising and rising quickly, and he wants to whine about reporters. You have all the main stream in your pocket, why are worried about Fox? Oh, that's right. They tell people how crazy you are.
• We have gone back to Direct TV. What a happy move that has been. We switched to DISH Network because we got a discount through hubby's work, but we have never been happy about it. DTV will pay for our disconnect fees, in a round about way, but we are all so happy. I have to say that my favorite channel is Fit TV. I am not a work out junkie, but they have Namaste yoga. It is so good. It was the first thing I set to record on the DVR. The big girl and I did some last night and I may do some shortly. It makes my body feel so good. It is not mamby pamby yoga, but strength training. It makes my body feel longer and leaner and stronger. I don't have near the back problems when I do this yoga. It is great for taking off weight while building strength and makes me feel in order, straight, and tall. For someone who spends a lot of time walking sideways, that is amazing for me.
• We are in the middle of open enrollment. I hate this time of year. Thankfully I have an insurance background and can wade through most of the BS. Most people can't and are even more confused when things change. And big changes are happening. Hubby is supposed to bring the paperwork home tonight so we can look it over. I am not happy with the changes, but I can't do much about that. Hubby and I have been wondering when employees becme unimportant. Without employees, you don't do business. Not much business anyway. With unemployment the way it is, though, the employer has all the advantages. I think Obama should take care of that. He won't because he gets paid too much and he is the ultimate employee. He has millions of bosses. You can't tell, but that's not what we're talking about. Now I need to check if our doctor is on the plan, check for coverage for certain things, blah, blah, blah. Add it to the list.

It's time to go. I need to school the kids and get the crockpot going. Tonight I think will be Italian pork chops. I had to deviate from the menu, but so far, so good. I'll try to stay out of trouble, but I'm still looking for the SUVs.

Healthcare, Smealthcare

It's time for another political post. I feel like our elected representatives are falling down on the job we hired them to do. I also feel like enough people aren't paying attention to what's going on around them. I am trying to educate you before our taxes go up to support people you do not know and stretch our already tight budgets even tighter.

The main problem with the job the House has done is that we don't all need insurance. At the very least, we certainly don't need all the insurance we have. I can tell you that the cost of insurance is about to skyrocket and even your employer doesn't care. They only have to provide the insurance, not pay for it. Let's take this point by point.

The house is insistent that all Americans be covered. What they have failed to do is realize that the system of insurance is broken. Their version has included some bandaids to some critical issues: pre-existing conditions and insurance stopping coverage, for example. The healthcare bill does not say that you have to be covered for a PEC, but it limits the time the insurance compnay has to look and assess a PEC. If you have a PEC, you more than likely need coverage. Most PEC, with the exception of pregnancy, don't go away.There was a time that pregnancy was considered a PEC. Who is the idiot that thought that was right? The idiot that wanted to make money and not pay out for a temporary condition. The bill that passed did have a clause that insurance could not drop your coverage if you were sick. There have been many cases in the past of this. It's like dropping your home owner's because you filed a claim. The issue is limitation of all coverage. Once you've maxed out your lifetime max for benefits, no more benefits for you. That seems right how? Let's just leave a big loop hole for them to wiggle through.

Employers must offer coverage. It can be really crappy coverage, but they're offering it. Our insurance is changing because of two reasons. One is the beginning of the year. We are in the process called open enrollment. The other is that hubby's company just got taken over. Their insurance options are horrible. But they don't care. Many companies have gotten out of negotiating rates, which they could do, and have gotten into charging the employee more. We'll make them pay for it. While I don't have a problem paying my share for insurance, it should at least be insurance that I need and use. Maternity is not an option that we need. Why does a single man in his 50s with no spouse or partner need that coverage? Just wondering. Insurance is too all inclusive and not specific enough. And we all pay for it.

This healthcare bill was written with information and testimony from the American Medial Association, nurse's unions, and hospital administators. They don't have a vested interest in all Americans having coverage, do they?. Let's not focus on the fact that many people use the ER as a primary care physician, but don't pay their bill. Their bills are too high and they could never pay them. It's a vicious cycle that repeats and repeats. That's the nature of a cycle. Then there's the optional abortion coverage for women. How do you know if you need that coverage until you need that coverage? The woman would have to pay for that. Not that I have an issue with that, but why do you need insurance coverage for it? So much stupidity going on.

My plea to you is that you take the time to educate yourselves about what is going on in Washington. The government, as referenced by several horrible decisions in the past, does not have your best interest in mind when they pass bills like these. Get on the phone or your email or Twitter or Facebook or whatever you do and let our reps know that they are our employee. They have insurance and are not going to be a part of this coverage. Listen to both sides of the story. Watch main stream media, but also listen to the other side, like Fox News. I think that's better than being led blindly, by anyone.

More Stuff

Just a couple of things on my mind. You know how that goes. It's time to empty so I can fill up again. That's kind of like eating, isn't it? You eat until you can't move and then a couple of hours later, let's do it all again. It won't stop until my body does, and hopefully that won't be for a while. Hold for bullet points, please.

• We took a great field trip earlier this week. The kids had a blast. The parents had a pretty good time. But the people that work there must be growing their own because they were a little wacky. A couple were just out right rude. If you don't like working with kids, don't. New concept, I know. At one point, the boy and a friend of his were horsing around. Before I could say anything, this old biddy says, "That's not proper decorum, boys. Stop it." in a really prunish, I ate something bad and I smell even worse voice. You know I couldn't let it go. I do not like people chastising my kids that are not involved with my kids. People in stores or out in public or whatever. Their idea of acceptable behavior is usually different from mine. My response was, "That actually is for me to decide. When I need to appoint someone to look after my kids, it sure won't be you." Yeah, I know. Real mature. Whatever. If you don't know my kids, shut up.
• This thing in Ft. Hood just breaks my heart. I know that the Muslim religion is going to take a big hit again. I read a really good book called Standing Alone in Mecca about a Muslim woman that was trying to find the roots of women in Islam. Very good book. Islam started out as a loving religion with Hagar, from the old testiment, playing a large part. I am not pro-Islam or anything like that, but I am not anti-Islam either. It is what it is. And once again, because of one person, it will be seen as a hating cult. Extremists are exactly that-extreme. I do pray for those that lost their lives and their families and all those that are effected by this, including the man that did the shooting. Just another example of bullying gone wrong.
• Hubby still has not gotten the one week paycheck he messed up. It has been a month now. I think it is crazy that they have not resolved the situation yet. According to the person he talked to in the "employee relations" department, there were several hundred people that had a problem, but just a few people doing the processing. To me, that is unacceptable. We're talking about people's lives here. Groceries, mortgages, clothes, and just day to day stuff. The insurance options of the new company aren't great either. But we have to have insurance because they say so. That's a huge load of crap. Such another blog for another time.
• I have found that with my crockpot, and it could be crockpots in general, I need to go a little heavier on the spices. I don't know if it's because the food cooks a little longer, the flavor gets cooked out of it, or just my taste buds. It could just be my taste buds. I don't usually measure spices anyway, unless I'm baking. I just throw a bunch in. I have started adding extra and am much happier with the results. I did lentil stew the other day and really liked it. I have a friend that has a recipe for spicy lentils that I am going to try soon. She had me at spicy.

That's all the steam I have to let out now. I'm sure I'll be back with a great political post soon. There is so much going on in politics, I just can't keep my mouth shut. I can't keep my mouth shut anyway. Just look at bullet point number one for further proof of that. See ya' later.

Hollerween and Chicken Nuggets

Let me say before we begin that I changed my picture. It was taken during the big girl's confirmation weekend. It's not the best picture of us, but I still love it. We actually do not have many pictures of just the two of us because one of us has to hold the camera. It was a bright, sunny morning, and we were on the dock watching the sun rise with some of the kids. Beautiful! I will also say for my new readers, you are allowed to leave comments. You can either leave a comment on here, or Facebook, or email me. I love the comments. You may not be snarky with your comments. You can disagree, but in a nice way. I have the power of the delete button. Those things being said, here we go.

Just an update to a previous blog, McDonald's has not ruled out the possibility of using Chinese chickens for their chicken products, like the nuggets and sandwiches. That doesn't really surprise me to tell you the truth. As soon as I saw the article and the restaurant wasn't named at first, I knew who it was. We don't eat a lot of McDonald's anymore. For one, the cost is extremely prohibitive. To feed our family of five costs us almost $30. If I had that kind of cash, we would go somewhere better than McDonald's. We have started eating off the dollar menu if we go to a fast food restaurant. The problem with that is that the items on those menus are horrible for you. You don't see their good salads and wraps for a buck, do you? Beware of McDonald's chicken, is my advice for you.

On a bright note, Kentucky Fried Chicken has stated emphatically that they will not use Chinese chicken. They have a policy that their chicken is fresh and never frozen. They get their chicken as locally as possible. That way, there is no need to freeze. I like their chicken. Once again, though, the cost is prohibitive to us eating there. It really is a special occasion for us to eat out anymore. If you are looking to go out for chicken, I ask that you give KFC a try. We are trying to support those businesses that support the American business. The more we support them, the more they can support America. Just a thought.

And let me tell you the trouble chicken nuggets got me in on Halloween. My MIL serves and uses Tyson products. Great. Hubby had told his dad about what was going on with Tyson and his dad was a little grossed out. His mom, on the other hand, lives in a bubble. None of this stuff matters to her. But you have to know her. My nephew had a friend over and the friend was warming up some chicken wings. I was telling him what was going on and my MIL had a fit. She screams at me "Those are the only nuggets I like and I'm going to keep buying them. It's just dumb to tell people what they can eat and what they can't."

You know that my hackles went up and it was on. First, you don't scream at me. Second, you don't call me dumb. And third, you don't tell me what to do. I did tell her that my kids wouldn't be eating chicken from her house. I also told her that if she didn't care what she pumped into her body, I didn't either. I see it as my responsibility to inform people about what is happening with our food supply so we can all try to stay healthy. Then as we continued to scream at each other I finally told her that she had her opinion and I had mine. She continued to fight as I kept saying, "That's your opinion." I rounded up my kids and hubby to leave, the better option than laying her out, and she went outside to smoke. As I was helping the baby put her shoes on, my MIL comes back in the house and says, "You just don't do that when people are eating. It's not right." I could have said so many things. For instance, when is a better time to do that? When they've already eaten it? I only replied, "That's your opinion" and helped the baby with her shoes. Do you know what she did next? She went outside where hubby and my SIL were and said, "I guess she doesn't want to make up."

WTF?!? That isn't making up, that is continuing the argument. Making up would be something like, "I don't like that we're fighting", or "Can we agree to disagree?" Hubby and I didn't talk about it in the car on the way home, too many little ears. He actually had no idea what had happened. He just knew I was pissed and we were leaving. When we got home and put the kids to bed and finally got to talk about it, he was just as mad as I was. Thankfully he was more upset at his mother than me. But then again, poor baby has to live with me. I am so glad he loves me. I now that my MIL and SIL sat outside smoking their cigarettes, talking about me. It's their nature. Mine, too. But at least I know my side. My SIL and I have issues anyway so she was probably kissing MIL ass. My SIL and I are married to my MIL's sons. There is no blood between the three of us. Thank goodness for that.

I need to go try to smooth the waters one day soon. I'm thinking Thanksgiving would be a great time. The sermon at church the next day was about fighting and saying wrong words. Once the words have been said, they can't be taken back. Yeah, I live that every day. It was also about running to Facebook and posting what ever had happened as soon as it happened. I didn't. I waited until we got back from church to post. And now I've waited two days to post it on my blog. I know it's still not right, but this is my forum. I need to vent and this is the place. Hubby was really good and let me bitch and moan about all Saturday night. Bless his heart (this one means I love him very much and am thankful he puts up with all my junk). Oh, well. Just another reason to not like the Chinese or their chickens.

Waving in the Breeze

I could tell you an interesting story about hubby and waving in the breeze, but that's for another time. Instead, I'll tell you that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Well, not everything. But it's nice to have a little mystery. I could tell you stories that would make you question my judgement (you probably already do) and wish you were me all at the same time. I love that town and I love my man.

No, this is a story about body parts and flabby skin. I take as many opportunities to hang around adults as often as possible. I need the face to face contact. I talk to hubby all day on the phone, but it's nice to see his face. I have my Tuesday co-op, which I love. You can read the other blog for all of the details. I also volunteer at our Veggie co-op. Just about every day that we have co-op, I am there with the other ladies. We all know how great Park Day is. When I am with these ladies, I feel electric. I feel like a switch has been flipped and I am on. Like the camera is rolling and the director has called action. Strangest thing. I don't feel like I'm acting, I feel like I can be my loud, obnoxious, dramatic self and be accepted. I may not always say the right thing, or the politically correct thing, or whatever you want to call it, but it's ok. They never know what's coming out of my mouth and neither do I, until it's already out. But I digress.

A conversation came up at one of these places about changes in our bodies since kids, what we looked like in the past, and where we would really like for things to be. Talk about a lesson in body image. We are all insecure about our bodies, no matter how good or how bad. There is something about ourselves that we would change, something we feel could be better. I could start at the top and work my way down.

One of the major complaints is the belly. Good grief. We all need to cut ourselves a little slack. After three babies, I deserve a little belly. Just not as much as I have. One lady I dance with has lost weight and looks really good. She started working on it last year at the beginning of dance class. I told her one day she was going to blow away. On, no, she says. I still have this and that. And the hardest spot for her to lose the weight was her belly. Isn't it for most of us?

The other was the skin under our arms. The flag, the grandma wing. That ugly, saggy skin that continues to wave after we've stopped. The reason I stopped wearing sleeveless shirts. How embarrasing is that? It seems like no matter how much working out you do, it won't go away. You may have great arms, but there's that little bit of jiggle. I can't stand it. It pisses me off.

And, of course, the boobs. I always say that I'm tired of kicking the ladies around when I take off my bra. One of my friends said she bought her own, even though she was married, so no man could ever say that he paid for her boobs. You go on, girl. My sister is very candid in the fact that she wants hers done. Don't we all? I just want my lifted. I have enough to share for sure, I just want them to look me in the eye when I look in the mirror. Have kids and everything heads south. Those are the first to go.

My sister is a fitness instructor. Doesn't that suck? She knows I love her and am very proud of her. This is a later in life career for her and she's damn good at it. She loves her job. How many people can say that? That doesn't mean she doesn't piss me off. Her pants aren't big enough to fit on one of my legs. She turns sideways and you lose sight of her. I would slap her, but she slaps back, and hard, too. She has always loved going to the gym and working out. There was a time when she couldn't go to the gym after having been going regularly for awhile. She hated it. She loves the way she feels after a workout. And she looks great for a mom of four. I won't tell you how old she is, but she is older than me.

I have never been a gym kind of gal. I like working out at home. I have that huge insecurity that everyone came to the gym to watch me work out. I know they didn't, but that's the way I feel. I really like to do squats and lunges. I look pretty good in a short skirt and high heels. I like to work with hand weights. I have an exercise ball I like to work out with. Yoga is fantastic and I think everyone should do it. It is not as easy as it looks and when you finally get a pose that you haven't been able to do, it's almost euphoric. But let me tell you how I really feel. My problem is that one little glitch will make me quit. I may do really good for months, and then whammo. Hubby and I were walking every night for awhile. The rain and thunderstorms and hubby's long hours threw us off. And we haven't gotten back on. He asked me tonight when we were going to get back at it. So, tomorrow we start, I think.

I would really like to lose thirty pounds by the time we go to Hawaii. I want to be able to wear a bathing suit and feel a little confident in it. I certainly can't afford a gym right now, but I have a ton of videos and a great street to walk on. It doesn't take long. It's about a mile and a half, almost two by the time we're done. Except for the Mello Yello I just finished, I haven't had a soda in a couple of weeks. I feel like my body has finally lost all that bloating from the sodas. The pain in my thumb went away after I stopped. My next challenge is not having dessert. I've been really lax about that and have been indulging just a smidge too much. Cutting that sugar, too, will hopefully help my thumb as well. For those that are curious, sugar affects arthritis and inflammation in your joints. Mine happens to be in my thumb. Hopefully, it will also help me drop some weight. I need to get back to my regular diet instead of the glutton diet.

And I need to pull out my videos and get my butt moving. And my arms. And my legs. And every part of me from the top down. I know I'll feel better. I'll look better. And maybe there won't be so much to wave in the breeze.

House Hunting

Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen until we win the lottery. We really love where we live now, but after just four years, I feel like we've outgrown it. Isn't that a shame? I feel like I am constantly rearranging or purging stuff or just throwing away the junk. Yet, we still have a ton of stuff. George Carlin had a great skit about stuff. You get rid of stuff to make room for more stuff. Over and over and over, George.

One of my shows that I like to put on the TV when there really isn't anything else is House Hunters. I like to look at the houses and dream. Sometimes I really don't like any of the houses that the people are looking at, but sometimes, I really, really like the houses. That's where the problem comes in. Of course, we would probably just outgrow a new house, too. After watching tonight, here are a few things that I would really like in a home.

I must have acreage. I'm not talking a 1,000 acres or anything. Well, if we had a ton of money to spend I would be, but let's be a little more realistic shall we? I want lots of room for what we want to do. We would like to have chickens and goats. We would love to have a garden. I say we about the garden part, but I can tell you that hubby would probably have to do most of the work. I am really not much of a gardening person until harvest time. I don't mind the planting and doing a little weeding, but I don't really get into hours and hours of work. Of course, if we have a big garden, the kids would get to learn more about gardening than they ever wanted to know. Along with the garden and animals, we want room for the kids to roam and play. Us, too, truth be told. We like to walk our yard and hold hands and just talk. A pool is something we really want as well. You know all about our pool saga, which is still on going. We still don't have one, but we still have a big hole in the ground.

Believe it or not, I would like to have at least three bathrooms. Four would be better, but I could definitely live with three. I don't mind cleaning the bathroms and the kids are getting old enough to help with that. One would of course be the master, one for the girls, and one for the boy. Doesn't seem fair that the boy would get one all to himself, but boys are gross. If you are one, get over it. You know what I mean. If you have boys, you know what I mean. Either way, we all now it's a fact. It would be good for him to clean up after himself. The fourth would be for company or general use. If the kids had to share one and we only had three, that would be alright with me, too. In my bathroom, I like the seperate shower and tub. Our doors wouldn't be frosted like they are now, but clear glass. I like a door that opens as opposed to slides. And I would have jets in the tub. Yeah, say what you want, but I don't care. We have a great garden tub now, but jets would make it even better.

The big girl wouldn't have the biggest closet in the house, let me tell you what. That honor would go to me, thank you very much. It is not fair for her closet to be as big as it is. That has become one of our catch alls, and I need to change that, too. Just one more cleaning project that needs to be done is how I look at it right now. I would like some shelves in the closets for shoes so we don't need extra shoe racks and maybe built in dressers or storage similar to a dresser. We wouldn't have to put dressers in their rooms that way and take up space.

I would like a bigger kitchen and seperate dining room. Our last home and this one have a combined dining room and I would like to have room for a big table to have lots of family over for the holidays or just company for whatever reason. Lots of storage space and maybe a butler's pantry for storage of kitchen gadgets would be great. We have a pretty good sized pantry now, but there isn't tons of storage. Once again, just another cleaning project. Those are really starting to add up, now that I think about it.

A laundry ROOM is a big deal for me. At our last house, the washer and dryer were in the garage. In this one, it's at the back door. When I do laundry you have to turn the TV up to hear it over the washer. You can hear the darn thing all through the house because there isn't a buffer or door or anything to muffle the sound. I would like a table or counter top to fold the clothes so I can get the folding done right away, hopefully. Unless the lazies set in. That's always likely.

I would like two living areas and a homeschool room. I don't want to be forced into my bedroom when the kids are watching something or hubby. I want to be able to have a room for the kids to play and have their things besides their room or the living room. The homeschool room speaks for itself. I would like to be able to change it into a guest room when we have company or when we are no longer schooling. When the kids are done with school it could become an office maybe. Who knows?

Those are just a few of the things I would like to have. It sounds like a lot, but I like to dream big. One day, I'll get what I want. I'm praying for soon, because I have a lot of cleaning out to do. Can you hear the excitement in my voice?

Sex, Vaccines, and Chinese Chicken

Can you tell I have a couple of things on my mind? Not that they are mutually exclusive or anything. I'm listening to the news as I surf around and read blogs and stuff. Between that and some of the news I'm reading on the internet, my mind is spinning faster than ever. Good grief. Like I need my mind to go any faster. Here we go.

I am so tired of people thinking that handing out condoms will encourage kids or teens or whatever age group to go out and have sex. It's not permission, it's protection. Frankly, when I was a teenager, my friends and I, although we thought and talked about sex, were not in a big hurry to have sex. A condom would not have made me run out and find the nearest boy to rip our clothes off and do the wild monkey dance. I had such a horrible body image the thought of a boy seeing me naked just freaked me out. I couldn't even stand the thought of my mom and sister seeing me naked. Condoms don't flip a switch and suddenly everyone who has one is a sex maniac. They won't go running down the street screaming, "SEX, SEX,SEX". Take a breath. I can't say I'll be calm when my kids decide to have sex. I will say that hopefully I am raisng my kids right and they will take the step seriously and responsibly, on their wedding night.

The Guardasil vaccine has now been approved for boys to prevent genital warts. Can we go back to condoms for a minute? They are for protection, not permission. Protect yourself, boys and girls, and cover it up. If you use a condom correctly, if you take all of your precautions, you don't have to worry about that. Most people, roughly 85%, use condoms incorrectly. If you provide them, and teach the proper way to use them, you could cut down on STDs, pregnancy, and a whole myriad of consequences. They are not 100% safe. They will break. But the majority of the breaks are caused by improper use. That being said, I will not vaccinate my children, boy or girls, with this vaccine. There have been too many instances of death with this vaccine. Granted there were extenuating circumstances with some of the deaths, but that should be taken into account as well. Why did you give the vaccine to girls with those problems? Why was every instance of interaction not discussed and addressed? Collateral damage, anyone? It has not been around long enough to determine any affects on fertility or anything else. I don't want the government to say 20 years from now that the vaccine caused this side effect or that. They will, but I don't want my kids to be collateral damage.

And finally, Chinese chickens. Congress has approved, after much help from Tyson, to agree to let chickens be imported from China. What? They put lead in the paint of toys they aren't supposed to, they ship toxic dry wall, they add melanine to baby formula. Why in the hell would we allow them to ship chicken for us to eat? Oh, that's right. Tyson owns the chicken farms. Silly me. No, stupid us if we end up buying chicken from China. They certainly do not have the standards that this country has. Have you ever been to a chicken farm here? It's enough to make you never want to eat chicken again. They walk around all day in all the other chickens' poop. Ewww! The Chinese had to slaughter almost 100,000 chickens a couple of years ago due to the avian flu. The only reason they did it was the amount of sicknes going around and public pressure. And we want to eat their chickens? My family and I do not eat any Tyson products now and I encourage you to do the same. I don't trust anything that comes from China, and now I do not trust Tyson. If they are willing to pay Congress and do business with China, I have no respect for their leadership and no confidence in their products.

I don't have all the answers. I just know what is right for my family. After our big vacation in a couple of years, we are going to be more self sufficient. We are waiting until then to get our animals. It wouldn't be fair to ask anyone to come look after our animals for that length of time. And we will not be buying chickens from China.

Citibank SUCKS!

I got this letter in the mail today. I knew as soon as I touched it that it couldn't be good. It just felt wrong. Since it was a dance night and I had a headache, I set the mail down and proceeded to feed my kids and take a couple of pills for my head. I should have just opened the letter. When I got around to it, I was so pissed I picked up the phone and dialed the 800 number.

Let me take a minute to say that the rest of this post will be full of expletives and a poor man named Alfred that answered the phone. Customer service is not the easiest job to do, but when letters like this one go out, I do not envy the person that answers the phone. That was Alfred. If you are sensitive in any way, pass on by. If not, read on. If you're here to watch the train wreck, pop some corn.

The letter stated that my interest rate would be raised to 29.99%. Are you kidding me? You cannot be serious. Oh, but they were. There was an opt out option. I could close my account, pay off the balance according to the current terms, and not ever use my Citibank account again. All these years of paying on time, paying above the minimum, and being a great customer straight down the drain. Now, it is for new purchases only. All of my previous purchases would not be affected. They can still kiss my ass.

Alfred was the name of the man with heavily accented English that answered the phone. I wasn't even calling the freakin' US. I was calling to bitch to a call center in India, or Abu Dhabi, or wherever they can pay people a buck 0 five an hour to listen to prissy, pampered, spoiled Americans gripe about their credit card rates. I asked Alfred what the hell the problem was and why my rate was being changed. Guess the magic answer. Due to the current economic situation, Citibank felt it necessary to raise rates for many people not just me. Oh, Alfred, you poor man. You do not even know who you are speaking to. Bless you heart (which in this case DOES mean "You're so stupid").

I fucking own Citibank. The American public paid for Citibank to get them out of this jam. What did they do with their money? They paid bonuses to the same idiots that got them in this trouble. Why? Because they are a bunch of dumb asses that are greedy and have no clue how to run a business, much less a bank. My current economic situation has me paying my bills on time and still struggling it out like every good American should be doing.

Hubby has worked his ass off all summer so we could dig ourselves out from under this load of shit. We have not qualified for one damn incentive that the Obama administration has instituted. We can't refinance because we aren't behind on our mortgage. The $4500 for a new car doesn't apply to us because we couldn't find a new car big enough for all of us that got better gas mileage than what we have now. Hubby probably made too much money for us to be able to qualify for money to send me back to school. And now this crap.

I can opt out of the program. Here's what happens when I do that. I kiss all my hard work and my good credit standing good bye. It reduces my available credit, which lowers my credit score. Hubby and I have not always had the best credit. We used to have incredibly bad credit. We have worked really hard to get it where it is. Alfred said it wouldn't reflect negatively because they wouldn't report it to the agencies. You are a stupid man, Alfred. I told him that was what I do. I do credit. I have worked with credit for many years and was even a credit manager at one time. No, they won't report bad credit to the agencies, he was right about that. But it takes several years worth of credit and throws it out the window. It takes all of my hard work and screws me with it. No kiss, no rub, no foreplay, no lube. Just a hard pounding. And I don't even get a good orgasm out of it.

I told Alfred he was the lucky man that answered the phone. I told him that his job was not easy. Then I told him he could take that letter and shove it up his ass. I told him that the American public bailed Citibank out, but they could only continue to fuck up. I unloaded on him and made the reputation of Americans to those overseas that answer these call a reality. Poor Alfred will probably learn more English cuss words over the next few days than he will ever want to know. I taught him a couple myself. Say it with me, Alfred. It just proves to me that once again, the little man gets taken for a ride. I told him if he was smart, he would cut up all his cards.

I could vent for days. I think I am going to close the account and just pay it off. As much as it kills me, it would hurt me more to give them any more of my money than I already owe them. 29.99% is insane. Stupid Citibank. My advice to you: it's coming. Do what you can to pay it off before it does. Just don't bend over or you might get reamed, too.

The Link

You can also use this link to get to the contest. it is a random drawing and you need to leave comments on some blog posts. You can also Twitter, but I don't so that one leaves me out. You could be the lucky winner.

Junk in my Brain

Lots of superfluous stuff floating around in my brain. It's time to empty some of it so I can add more useless drivel. Cue the lights. Add sound. Here come the bullet points. And action.

• I have an addiction to Bath and Body Works. They have been sending me coupons for free travel size products and a % off of my purchase, which you can use together. My favorite scent is Moonlight Path. I have very sensitive sinuses and can't be in the store for long because of all the people that spray stuff to check the scent. Moonlight Path is the only one that doesn't send my nose into a seizure. It's kind of sexy, without being flowery. I can't stand the flowery stuff.
• I am really liking my new camera. At recital last year, hubby videoed the kids and our ancient camera couldn't keep up. We got a new one, that will be ancient by the end of the year probably, but I love it anyway. It's a Kodak and I got a really great deal on it. It cost us less than $75 and takes really great pictures. When I added the software disc that came with it, we got some really cool features. You can turn your pictures into coloring sheets. Very cool, very cool.
• I started a menu plan a couple of months ago. I did really good one month, then petered out. Our busy schedule has insisted that I go back to it. I did, and I love it. There are some really great websites out there for crockpot recipes and I need that. I normally don't like food cooked in a crockpot, but either food or crockpots or both have come a long way. So far, there is only one recipe that hasn't had the "you can make this again" consensus. It has helped tremendously, and I have been trying recipes that I normally wouldn't have tried. I can also take recipes that I already make and adapt them. BBQ chicken is on of those. I normally make it on the stove top, but I can make it in the crockpot and let it cook all day. Fall off the bone yumminess.
• One of my websites for crockpot recipes, is having a giveaway. I will post the website, but suddenly I can't remember if it's a blogspot or dot com. That's weird. I can't check it either, or I'll get kicked off my blog. Look at my last post about the Samsung give away. They are giving away a $200 gift card to Best Buy. Follow the link from that previous post to get there. I keep dreaming about what I would do with a $200 gift card. One thing would be buy Christmas gifts. I wouldn't have to worry where the money was coming from and I could get lots of little things. Then I think I would just blow it on something I want. Option 2 is probably what would happen. Let's just be honest, OK.
• I have started to really limit the amount of sugar I eat. I still have some joint pain in my thumb, and now have joint pain in the pinky of my other hand. It's hard to do that with all the chocolate I have in my pantry. I have cut down the amount of red meat I eat, but not the kids or hubby so much. I can't limit my dairy much more, because I don't eat or drink that much to begin with. I usually have a small glass of milk with dinner and that's it. Before you all go freaking out about my vitamin D and Calcium, you don't get that from your milk. By the time it gets to your table, it doesn't have much anyway. What it does have can't be absorbed efficiently by your body. I prefer to get my vitamin D from the good, ol' sun. It's much more efficient and is plentiful in our part of the country.
• Speaking of Mr. Sun, he just won't quit pounding out the heat. We are having record heat for October because we are on the wrong side of a low pressure system. On the back side of the system, people are experiencing record lows and having early snow. Frankly, that sounds really good for us right now. I am so tired of being hot. I just cannot sweat anymore than I already am. I'm drinking so much water, I would float if I wasn't going to the bathroom every five minutes. A little relief would be nice. Just a little. Please? I just keep thinking, come on low pressure system.
• These are the supplements hubby and I are taking: Juice Plus for overall health and wellness. Good nutrition is key to body function and immune system health. It is whole foods based, and keeps most of the nutrients. 17 fruits, veggies and grains, working in synergy for optimum health benefits. Two in the morning and two in the evening. Complex B for energy. I need this. By the end of the day I feel like I am dragging. I can tell when I haven't taken it and do not like it. I don't want to be asleep by 7 in the evening. COQ10 for bone and heart health, and periodontal health. I'm hoping that it will also help the inflammaiton and pain in my fingers. Fenugreek for our over active sinuses. It is so good for the boy that hubby and I have started taking it. It helped hubby this weekend and so far, so good with me as well. I can inhale through my nose without having to breathe through excessive mucus. Hubby and the big girl are taking Acidophilus and papaya for their tummies. Hubby has previously been diagnosed with an ulcer, but still has tummy trouble not related to that. The big girl has always had issues with her tummy. We'll see how it helps. Please look into the vitamins you use. Usually store brand or those you get at a super store do not have the right kind or enough of what you are looking for. Or they have fillers that you are wasting your money on. Always, always, always do your research.

I guess that's all for now. I will post more interesting fare again. Some day. When I get too much running around in my head, I have to empty the brain. Not all the way, just take some pressure off. I think I've done that.

Samsung Give Away

Samsung gave some reviewers from a website called blogher.com the opportunity to review some of their products. There was a range, microwave, washer, refrigerator, dishwasher and I don't know what else. All I know is that I would love to receive any of the products for free. I review curriculum for a couple of different sites, but this is right up my alley.

I would love to totally redo our kitchen. I would start at one end and not stop 'til I was at the other. I would love to have new appliances that work like they're supposed to. We have a new fridge, so the dishwasher and range would be much appreciated. The washer wouldn't get turned down either, I tell you what.

Samsung is giving away the chance to win a $200 gift card to Best Buy. All you have to do is go to the above link, and look for the Samsung giveaway. You have eight chances to win (seven for me because I don't Twitter). You register by leaving a comment on the reviewers blogs. Go enjoy, but if you win, I want a little something nice for Christmas.

I will end this by saying, as I have said on all my entries: I want the range, I want the range, and in case you weren't sure of what I said, I want the range. Break a leg!

Complacency

Interesting conversations all around this weekend. One of the most interesting was about customer service. That term, anymore, is an oxymoron. It used to be that the customer was always right. Then it was the customer is right most of the time. Now, it's the customer is never right and you get what you pay for. Since everything is made in China by children who get a penny a day, it's not worth very much.

I have almost always worked customer service jobs. I worked the box office and concession stand at a movie theater in high school. I worked as a cashier and worked my way up to office manager of a furniture store. I did payroll for a home health care agency. And I worked in billing at a medical equipment store owned by a local hospital. When you start messing with people's money, payroll or what they are paying out, tempers can get a little frayed.

Our conversation started with the lack of motivation in most places of business. Most people don't start out in life thinking they want to be a cashier at a department store for the rest of their lives. I think after a while they become complacent. When that complacency sets in, they pass that on in their attitude. I have been known to use the following: I didn't ask you to take this job. You took this job of your own free will. If you don't like it, get another job. But don't take your bad day out on me. I do try to say that with a little tact and maybe a little feeling. I do try to get across to them that it's their job to make things right.

Service at most places we go is horrible. People don't care about service, and they certainly don't care about the customer. The worst part of it is that we have become complacent about it. That's just the way it is. No it isn't. It's that way because we've let it get that way. We have let the "service" part slide and have not challenged how we are treated. We just roll along and say OK. Stores like WalMart have taken advantage of that. And once again, we have let them. If you ask their employees where anything is, they have no clue. And they don't care to find out. They aren't making enough to care. Hubby used to work there, so I know of where I speak.

There are some bright spots in the customer service game. Chik-Fil-A is one of those places. Their employees are trained to say "My pleasure". It's not so much that they say it, but how they say it, with a smile and like they really mean it. It is refreshing to go somewhere to spend money and enjoy dropping the cash. It's refreshing to be treated like you matter. It's refreshing to feel important.

We have all become complacent about how we are treated. Here's a hint: stop patronizing the places that don't treat you right. Ask to speak to the manager. Write a letter to the corporate office. Do something, but don't get stepped on anymore. We need to not be complacent about being treated with respect and dignity. Complacency has gotten us car companies we don't really own, banks that fail, a president that hates our country and what it stands for, and representatives that don't represent us. Pretty soon there won't be a customer service department at all. Then what will we have to be complacent about?

Favorite Things

This is one of those containers that you get for free when you grind coffee beans at the grocery store. It is fantastic. I have a couple that I can use for different things than coffee. They are great for crackers or cereal, and they travel well. You seal them on all four sides and they do a pretty good job of keeping things fresh. They make my life easier and keep my coffee ready to go. I like it so much better than the cans preground coffee comes in.

This is a hair "thingy" I got at BikeFest. That's our annual weekend for the bikers to come and invade a neighboring town. We had the in laws keep the kids and hubby and I got to walk around and act like-are you ready- adults. I saw this and fell in love. It is fabric over a malleable piece of wire, or something, and you wrap it around your hair. I can't do it by myself, so hubby has to help. This picture was taken towards the end of the day, but when my hair is first done, it looks really cool. I get all kinds of compliments and it definitely gets noticed. You can stretch it longer or make it shorter. As much hair as I have, it sure has to work overtime with me. Love it, love it, love it.

This is not just a picture of my dirty trash can. The true star of this shot is the green clips on the can. They are trash bag holders and they work like a charm. When we moved into our house, my goal was to have a trash can. Our other house was so small that we didn't have room for a trash can, so we just had a bag on the floor. The problem with the cans, though, is that the bags don't stay. The wider the opening, the harder for the bag to stay. Put something heavy in it, the bag slips into the can. Yuck! We have tried clothespins, but that holds the lid open. I got these at a big box store that I can't stand to go to. They were only $1 and they are hanging in the aisle with the trash bags. My next trip, which will hopefully be a very long time from now, I'm getting another set. I may get some and give them as gifts. They don't fling off like the clothespins, the bag doesn't fall all over itself and get covered with trash, and my life is so much easier.

If you have favorite things, please share. If we can all help each other out, what a better world for all of us.

Kentucky Derby Pie

Here is a recipe that I got from my friend Berta. She made it for co-op last year when we studied Kentucky. This is the pie that they serve at Derby functions. It is sugar in a crust and is ever so good. I suggest you have a big glass of milk standing by.

3/4 C margarine, melted
1 1/2 C sugar
3/4 C flour
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C walnuts
1 1/4 C chocolate chips

Mix in order given and pour into unbaked shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand to cool. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for pie to set.

This is one of the best pies I have ever had. I would suggest you let it set at least 2 hours or overnight. I was looking for a refrigerated Pillsbury crust to use because I don't do crusts very well, but found frozen Mrs. Smith crusts instead. They came in the aluminum foil pan and it was cheaper than buying crusts and pans seperately. If you are diabetic, this is NOT the pie for you, unless you substitute.

Enjoy!

Stuck

We have been stuck in a food rut for quite awhile. It seems like I only cook the same stuff day after day after day. That's one reason we have thought about going a little more vegetarian. That and we get really great produce every two weeks. With our busy schedule, it just seems like I have lost my creativity. Maybe it's more that I don't feel like I have time to be creative.

Recently, we bought a crock pot. That has helped us out of our rut a little. We have tried some really interesting recipes and some that were OK, but probably won't be repeats. I had a friend send me a website that has 1400 crockpot recipes. We are out three nights a week until pretty late, so it's nice to have dinner ready when we get home, instead of having to find something to cook or throw cereal in a bowl. It has also flowed over into the nights that we are home or get home at a decent hour.

I have hit some sales at the grocery store that included B1G1 on shrimp. I like shrimp, but I don't know a million different ways to cook it. The easiest is a stir fry. I have veggies for a stir fry, and we always have rice. But we are so tired of that. I have dragged out my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and found a couple of really neat recipes that I thought would be hard due to the amount of ingredients listed. The first was a Shrimp Mornay that was really good. I substituted mozzarella cheese for the swiss the recipe calls for. I'm the only one that likes Swiss, and I don't eat enough of it to justify buying it. I always have mozzarella for homemade pizza. That is one of our favorite meals to make. Everybody gets to pick their own toppings and put their's together. The Shrimp Mornay is actually the Crab Mornay recipe, but at the bottom it has the Shrimp version and any changes. It was really, really good. It was rich and flavorful and you serve it on toast points. We just used some Chicago bread I had and toasted. Yummy, yummy. Tonight I did Shrimp Creole. It was super good, too. The boy and the baby didn't like it very much for different reasons, so they had rice with soy sauce for dinner. Hubby, the big girl and I ate it like there was no tomorrow.

I have been on a couple of different websites, and even some blogs of friends, that have interesting recipes. I am trying to step out of my box and add different things to our table. I could spend hours on the websites, just surfing around getting ideas. Some recipes will call for things that I don't normally stock, or have never used before. Sometimes, I'm a little scared. Now I try to think about what I do stock that I have to substitute. Most of the time it works for me. Or, if it's something I don't like, I leave it out. Bay leaves are a good example. I don't normally have bay leaves and don't particularly care for it. I just add extra Italian seasoning or basil and call it good. It works almost every time.

The crockpot recipes call for chicken stock with alot of recipes. I do not like to buy chicken stock, so I need to make my own. I would rather do that anyway, because I can control what goes in it. This weekend I will roast a whole chicken and use the bones and any left over meat on the bones to make stock. I am really excited about that. I like having stock when I need it. It's great for boiling noodles, too. It gives it more flavor. Just add a little to the water. When I want to make something that needs stock, I can just grab it out of the fridge or freezer. Wine seems to be another of those things that I don't keep around. Even though we don't drink much anymore, it seems we always have beer in the fridge. I like beer, but it doesn't always substitute well for wine. It's all a learning process anyway.

I might make some chicken spaghetti this weekend. It is a recipe that my Aunt Kathy used to make and is so very, very good. The first time I made it, hubby eyed it for a minute, a little unsure of what he was in for. It is now a favorite. My mom used to make Mexican Chicken that looks a little like vomit, but tastes divine. Don't look at or smell your food, just eat it. That's always an option. I don't know if I've ever made it for hubby. They both called for cooked chicken. I boil it anyway and I would already have the stock. Decisions, decisions.

Tomorrow is park day and I have a fridge full of organic produce. Grocery shopping has become our norm after the park. I need to stock up on some things for the week and beyond. I guess I need to sit down and make a menu. Again. I am great at the starting, not so good at finishing. I need to get better at this so I'm not running around trying to figure out what to make for dinner, or realize that I don't have everything I need to throw some stuff in the crockpot.

I'm off, now, to do some writing. Caleb and Amanda have been screaming at me that their story needs to come out of my head. I'm not posting it, so calm down. I won't make you sit through that again, even though Tyler and Lydia's story was pretty good. I'll let you know about the cooking adventure. Let the games begin!

Guilty as charged

I had someone ask me one time where I get the title for my blogs. They just happen. My friend commented that she never knew what the actual topic was going to be just by the title. Sometimes I don't either. On with the show.

Usually on Saturdays, I spend some time just wallowing in my bed. That is one of the few days I have to just lay there and count the bumps in the popcorn on my ceiling. The kids don't usually bother me and even make their own breakfasts. It usually consists of cereal and occasionally toast. It's not like they are frying bacon and scrambling eggs. Sometimes, they come in one at a time and snuggle. I love my snuggle time. But when they all come in, I kick them out. One is good, two I can handle, but all three usually ends up in a fight about something. If hubby is working, which has been a ton this summer, I have the TV all to myself.

I find myself floating from channel to channel until I catch something that isn't a commercial. I hit the guide button on the remote, find something I want to watch and click the button. If it's a commercial, I hit guide and see what else is out there. That is how I found my guilty pleasure: The Real Housewives series. It started with Orange County, then New York, Atlanta, and then New Jersey. I have to say my favorite is the original, Orange County. I really do not like Atlanta, but those women will fight about anything and that makes me laugh. Who gives a crap if one wears a wig, because that weave on your head is screaming fake.

It amazes me how out of touch these women are with the real world. I used to say that I would love to be able to afford a big house, expensive cars, really expensive clothes. But watching these women, I know that I could never live a life like they do. I could never be that out of touch with the real world and let my kids have that kind of excess. Are they nuts? No, just stinking rich.

Most of the kids are absolutely out of control and think the world, and their moms and dads, owe them something for just being born. And the parents let them think that. My sister and I had to beg my mother for Nikes when they first started to get really big in the 80's. We finally got a pair. Most of the lids on these shows go to private schools and drive expensive cars. My first car was a '77 Mercury Monarch. I never drove it. You want to talk about a piece of crap. It wouldn't run long enough to get it out of the driveway, much less to school. I used to think, "One day when I'm rich..."

The parents aren't much better. One mom spends so much time at work, she and her husband have drifted apart. Not a big surprise really. She would rather be at work than at home with her hubby. I can't wait for mine to come home. He worked today and actually came home after 8 hours. It was so nice. Of course, I had to mow the yard while he cleaned out his truck and cleaned the windows on both of our vehicles. Then there was dinner to cook, showers for the kids, and taking the dog for a walk. Life never stops that's for sure.

I think why I like these shows is the reality check they provide. I can shake my head and wonder how these people think that their life is so important in the grand scheme of things. Their grandiose visions of what life is and the reality of life clash. It also makes me realize that I could never live in California, the land of fake boobs and everything else. At least my boobs are real. I am only really the center of the universe on my blog. These shows really make me love my life and enjoy where I am right now. Most of the families featured in these shows have been affected by the economic crisis on a grand scale. We are slowly but surely trying to put dirt back in the hole that we have dug for ourselves. We haven't qualified for any of the government programs that have come about recently. We fit right on the bubble. But we are working hard to do this ourselves, without help, which is a much better example for our kids than spending $4,000 on a shopping spree when you have no job and no income.

These people crack me up and make me shake my head at the same time. I am drawn to them like a moth to a flame. I am not living vicariously, I am thankful to be living. I also know what not to do and how to not act should the big check ever come in. And if the big check does come in, we're buying the 362 acres behind us so no one can build ginormo houses and film a reality show. I don't need the pressure.

This post is NOT PC.

This post does not conform to today's standard of politically correct. If you know me at all, or follow this blog, then you know that I don't care about that. Today's standards are full of shit anyway. When you read this, please read carefully and thoughtfully.

This is an email I received from a friend of mine:

Muslims who want to live inder Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

Qoute: "Immigrants, not Australians must adapt. Take it or leave it. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorists attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. We speak mainly English, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language.

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.

"This is our country, our land, and our lifestyle, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our pledge, our Christian beliefs, or our way of life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, the right to leave.

"If you aren't happy here then leave. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country you accepted."

Now, supposedly, this was said by Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia. While I can neither confirm nor deny that since I didn't research it, I can say that I agree with almost everything that was said. I don't care who said it. That makes me simple and small minded. It makes me racist and a pig. It also makes me feel patriotic as hell. Insert "America" for "Australia", and that is how I feel about this country.

Discuss the topic amongst yourselves, if you wish. Write a dissertation, or just a simple comment. This is just another wake up call to where our country has been and where it is headed.