Makin' Pie

Me and My pal Grace made pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving last night! (That is such a bad pic! Oh well...)

There is the filling and the dough :)

And the pies in the oven...

This is what the husbands were doing, and that's Grace's cute dog Flora (I totally named her!)

Here's our finished pies in all all their glory...

Grace is keeping one and this is the one I'm saving for Thanksgiving...

And of course we had to eat one right out of the oven...

Yum...
We used the recipe my family has used for years... My Mom and my Aunt Marcie always make Pumpkin Pie together this time of year... Thanks for making pie with me Grace! It made Thanksgiving feel right :).

New Traditions? Let's Hope Not!

So Fred came out of the oven and he was lookin a little, well, extra crispy on top, so I was scared but...

He done good! Fred was perfectly juicy inside! Toby and I ate dinner at 12am, just like my mama predicted lol... She said it reminded her of her first Turkey experience (not ON Thanksgiving, and WAY later than they should have been eating) it makes me smile that I am carrying on a little tradition, but I am hoping that this is not the start of a new tradition (I would lose my mind)! Toby loved our little all-to-ourselves-Thanksgiving meal though, and I enjoyed it too,

(please don't mind the mess behind food... it was far too late at night to be setting the table... we just kinda dug in) but I will pay for it tomorrow when I can't get up for church because my back is killing me (I pulled it at work Friday and was in bed most of the day on Saturday because it hurt so bad)... Hopefully a couple of Motrin will do the trick tomorrow like they did today (funny that I was reading and watching anti-motrin propaganda most of the day today lol)... Hopefully the magic turkey drug will start working on me soon here! Goodnight!

A Conversation with Fred, My Free Turkey

Me: (standing in front of the fridge with the door open) Hey Fred

Fred: Sup?

Me: So I know you were expecting to be the centerpiece of our Early Friends Feast tomorrow, but I just don't think that's gonna happen...

Fred: What? Then Why the heck did you defrost me?

Me: Well, I thought we would be eating you tomorrow, so I naturally had to decide that a few days ago and put you in the fridge.

Fred: Well that was stupid, you should have made sure first cuz you can't put me back in now you know.

Me: I know, sorry Fred, things happen... Now when am I gonna find time to cook you?

Fred: Tonight.

Me: What? I don't feel like it, it is already 5pm and you won't be done for a long time.

Fred: I don't care, I am tired of sittin here waiting around to finally have some peace! I have been knocked off, plucked, brined, frozen, and thawed! So pull me out and give me the attention I deserve!

Me: Fine. But, you know, I've never done this before...

Fred: Amateur! Alright, you just listen to what I say - get me out of this plastic and put me in the sink.

Me: Alright.

Fred: Now get out some salt, no not that iodized crap, the good stuff. Yeah Kosher, that's what I'm talkin about. Now rinse me with some cold water and rub that Kosher salt all over me real good.

Me: (rolling eyes) What is this, ClubMed?



Fred: Do you want to eat tonight? Then listen up! Keep rubbin! Hey do me a favor, get this junk outta my mouth!

Me: (pulling out neck and other parts) Ewww... what was that?

Fred: I had a neck stuck in my throat, thanks.

Me: Anytime... I thought there was gonna be a bag of stuff in there...

Fred: (let's out a fart and drops giblets) There, ya happy? Toss that crap out, we aren't gonna use it.

Me: Okay...

Fred: Now melt up some butter for me.

Me: What for?

Fred: Would you just stop asking questions and do what I tell ya?

Me: Alright alright, pushy bird aren't you?

Fred: Better believe it!

Me: What next?

Fred: Mix up some salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley and pulse it through that electric grinder Nana got you.

Me: You sure are asking for a lot Fred. I though this was going to be easy since I am not stuffing you.

Fred: Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa missy! Not stuffing me? Are you crazy?

Me: Well, I don't like stuffing and that would just make you take longer to cook...

Fred: (mumbling) Not gonna stuff me, what is she thinking? (Louder) Well, you gotta put somethin in me so I don't have to hold myself up when I'm in that oven roasting. Have some decency, geez!

Me: Well what would you like?

Fred: Carrots, Celery, Onions, and Apples...

Me: Apples?



Fred: Don't question me, I'm feeling fruity...

Me: Okay... So about the butter...

Fred: Lather me up!

Me: Right, then the seasoning?

Fred: Yeah dry rub it on, then stuff me up... Don't forget to put flour in the bag to keep it from bursting, and cut some slits in it for the steam to let out...



Me: Alright, you're all stuffed up and ready, into the oven you go!

Fred: See you in the sweet there after! Don't forget the mashed potatoes!



Me: Bye Fred! (after shutting the oven door) Whew! And I thought Turkey's lost consciousness before they were plucked, guess I should know better since they run around with their heads off... Well, now I better get to those mashed potatoes... I don't want to suffer the wrath of Fred when he comes outta that oven...

SITS

I have a new button on my blog that looks like this:

SITS has such a cool concept, you should go check out what they are all about!
Since there isn't any type of prompt today, I will borrow another from Jennifer P. over at The Peterson's Go Public...
Edit: Okay, the prompt wasn't behaving itself, it was showing things that I haven't done so I am deleting it so I don't get in any more trouble with mi Mama (sorry mom) - Censorship! j/k But check out Jennifer P.'s it's funny...

My Dream Wedding

I was inspired by this post by one of my new fav bloggers, Jennifer P. plus, this blog needs some photos bad, I just have a broken camera :( So ya'll will have to put up with my Wedding Pics...

I could make up a great pretend wedding, but I really feel like I had my dream wedding (I know I know, sentimental mush from a nearly newly wed) but seriously, it was more stylish and beautiful than anything I ever could have imagined it would be! I have to give a special thank for that to my Mother-In-Law, Teresa, who helped me conceptualize the whole thing, and my own dear mama, Terri, for helping me pull it all off those last 2 weeks! You made my day so perfect!

First, My Handsome HUSBAND
(wow, his face has matured so much, he looks like such a youngin' in this pic)

My DRESS
by
Venus
Which I never would have picked out for myself, but I loved it!

My SHOES (2 pair oh yeah!)
Outside (being buckled by my foot-a-phobic photographers daughter)
and
Inside (sitting on the chair so the suede dance soles would not get ruined)



My RING
(Which Toby designed for me specifically)
and
His (which was a loaner because his was not ready, good thing too because he lost this one!)

HAIR and MAKE UP
&
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED
Toby's Nana's Vintage Pearls took care of 2 of those, and Toby bought me earrings to match
(you can't see my SOMETHING BLUE, that would be too cheeky!)




My FLOWERS
(I love this shot!)



My RECEPTION
Before & During



My CAKE
Straight out of Grace Ormonde's Wedding Style
I *knew* this cake had to be *the one* when I first saw it.



MUSICAL STYLINGS
by
SVETTE
(Which includes my two brothers, not just Mike)
Mark Healton and Melanie Krimetz
&
DJ Rick



Our FAVORS
(everyone got a little round tin at their table place labeled with our Name and the Date to fill up)



And Finally
Our GETAWAY CAR
(not as nice as that Aston Martin, huh? It would've fit with my colors!)



The day could not have been so perfect without our
FAMILY & FRIENDS



WE LOVE YOU!

New Job, Class, and So Many Other Things...

I know I haven't blogged lately, it has been crazy nutso over here! I started a new job (back at Starbucks, different store, you know I'm dreading those 4am shifts) and I also started a writing intensive 5 week English class (hence my lack of writing posts)... All the while trying to keep up with the mass of paper taking over my living room (that's why I only wanted Sunday post, but it was much less expensive to get 3 day weekends because of a promo) since I started couponing... I have stopped blowing our rent money on food (lol) and we are all caught up on bills (which I had no idea we were behind on)... I have a freezer full of meat and a pantry back on its way to being full again... Don't get me wrong, we were nowhere near going hungry, but we were using up every canned good I had in my pantry so we could buy as little as possible during those tight weeks... God really blessed us though and they didn't even seem tight!!! Isn't He good? In two weeks we will really see this hard works benefits, first double paycheck (one from Toby and one from myself) that we have had in a while... We also went to Toby's cousin Rachelle's wedding on Saturday... It was 40's themes and took place in this cute club that had a stage and booths along the side... Her dress was so perfect too! I am really happy for them! It gave us our first chance in over a month to talk to his grandparents and they are ready to bury the hatchet, which we are so happy for... It is hard when you feel like you can't talk to someone you love! We are going to go out to dinner with them sometime next week and talk... I am tired but feeling good that we are getting back on track. We went to a marriage confrence called Family Life Weekend to Remember two weekends ago and it was amazing! I mean really life changing! Toby and I were so moved that we attended a staff opportunities meeting for Family Life and decided that if God called us to it, we would be willing to pick up and move to the home base for Family Life in Little Rock, AK... Don't know if that is going to happen, but if we get the call we would begin the 1-2 year process of raising support just like our international missionary friends and then head out there... It is something we are praying about together regularly... I found two new blogs that I really enjoy reading, they have been added to my sidebar... I also somehow lost all my other blogs I had added, I don't know what happened, but somehow I didn't have a lot of them bookmarked, so if your blog was on my list and it is no longer, toss me a comment and back it will go :)... Right now I am cooking two things from Crockpot365, John McCain's Ribs and Baked Potatoes (did you know you can do em in a crockpot?!?)... I am getting hungry! Today I found a use for some of the many eggs (8 doezen!!!) I got on sale... I boiled 18 (we love us some boiled eggs here!), scrambled 2 with tomatoes for lunch, and froze 8 with a little salt in an ice cube tray and am going to freeze another 8 with a little sugar in ice cube trays for using in baking and such later... I might do more than that, but I only have room for 1 ice cube tray perched precariously in my freezer... We have enough meat in there to last us 2 or 3 months (including a free turkey!!!)... GG has really taught me how to shop... I am going to go chat with my good friend (surrogete mom is more like it) Sue to get a few more tips... Sometimes I think I am getting a stellar deal on something, but I am really not, cuz I don't really know any better... I am working on being more frugal but still feeding my hubby and I good food... It is kinda fun actually :)... I really need to fix my camera so I can post some pics of the things I have been making... It would color this blog up a bit :) I am working on making things a little less rambling (clearly not in this post lol)... Anywho, just wanted to update that we are doing well and God is taking care of us! :)

Hard Times? Nah...

I realized last night that we are WAY over budget for this paycheck (not that we had a budget before last night, but you know, still over what we have to spend)... I downloaded a free trial of a Budget application that has a virtual envelope system set up... We will have $42 after all the bills are paid before the next check comes... That is not counting food and gas... Yikes! But we can do this... I am sure I have enough food supplies to last 2 weeks and 2 days... Though we may be mostly veggie for these 2 weeks :) In the mean time I will not be able to start my Grocery Game shopping, but I did order the local paper on weekends only (Fri, Sat, Sun) using a promo code from the MVP circular (because all I got in my regular circular were dine out and fast food Qs... grrr...), I asked to be billed for it, so I will not have to pay for 18 weeks! By then I will have the $20, but right now I just don't, but I can get started on finding the Qs (coupons) I need to play the game (it really is a game and I like it)... The only thing I am worried about is Halloween... We are hosting a small gathering, but I told everyone to bring something to eat, something to drink, and some candy (not that we ever get Trick-or-Treaters, but if it looks like a party maybe at least the neighbor kids will come get some sweets :)... I am going to make something in my crockpot... Maybe chili... I have lots of beans and some ground beef in the freezer... I have also started to think seriously about how Christmas is going to go this year... In the past we have maxed ourselves out to pay for gifts, but this year I am making food gifts for friends and family... I don't think anyone will hold that against me... Hopefully I will be able to score some good deals on candles or something to beef it up... Just looking for ways to get by, and maxing out our credit card again is just NOT the way... With friends we were thinking of doing a gift exchange, but that might even be too much for some of us (mostly newly weds) I was thinking about maybe doing an ornament exchange (bought or made) that could be really funny with our group of friends :) How do you deal with lean times around the holidays? I don't want to get down about this, I am really looking at the bright side, maybe I can use up most of my 50lbs. of powdered sugar that I bought at Costso for cake deco class and didn't make it into the 2nd class (because of time and money issues)... Hot coco anyone? :)

Grocery Game

SO I have never been into clipping coupons, I always seem to forget them if I do. But this website could change all that... The Grocery Game seems to take all the guess work out of coupon shopping... All I have to do is print the color coded lists for my stores and cut a few coupons out of the paper (the list even tells you what circular they are in)... I am going to try this out during my 4 week for $1 trial and update on how it goes... There are people on the forums for the site saving more that 66% on a bad week! I can do this to help save a little cash while I hunt for a job I think... If you link to the site and decide to give it a try, please enter my e-mail so I get my "free trial" extended :) it is my first and last name (no spaces or hyphens) @ gmail dot com... Thanks!

16 Personality Factors Results

Cattell's 16 Factor Test Results Warmth 62% Intellect 62% Emotional Stability 62% Aggressiveness 62% Liveliness 70% Dutifulness 62% Social Assertiveness 70% Sensitivity 42% Paranoia 38% Abstractness 78% Introversion 34% Anxiety 42% Openmindedness 58% Independence 18% Perfectionism 42% Tension 46% Is this true or off a bit? What do you think?

Take Cattell 16 Factor Test (similar to 16pf)
personality tests by similarminds.com

Smart Cycle ?

Well, I guess I didn't get my idea patented quick enough, but Fisher Price has developed a video game called a Smart Cycle which requires exercise to play (beyond WiiFit)... Now if only we could get one in an adult size for the men folk in our lives... I have been saying for a couple of years that if they connected WoW to a treadmill, we would all be a little more fit :)... I would totally buy one of these for my kids over XBox 360 games...

Change

Is not my friend most of the time, at least not until I warm up to it... Tonight Toby and I were talking about how awesome it would be to live more simply... No debt, living within our means, saving money, finishing school... Even to the point of selling almost everything we own and moving out of the state to someplace less expensive... We prayed about it and now I feel like it is out there... Out of our hands, out of our control... Totally in God's... That is scary to me... I know it shouldn't be, but I don't like to give up control, I am human after all... It is something I struggle with daily... Even putting things in my husband's hands and out of mine scares me... We talked about starting slowly by selling my car (our payment is pretty out of control thanks to Toby's meddling grandfather)... I am wondering if his brother will sell my Civic back to me for the cost of what he has put into it (not much like maybe $400)... His parents bought it from my parents (technically) for $500 for him but since he is going to Europe in December to be with his fiance I am hoping he will think of me before selling it to someone else... If we do decide to do that we need to talk to him soon though... I think I can handle that... Downgrading back to my old car... I didn't love it, but it is just a car... It will get me from point A to point B... And it has been taken good care of, well, except for when I had it :)... Toby and I have a bad habit of starting deep thoughtful discussions at bedtime and my mind starts going on them and I can't sleep... Like now... My head is full of "What if's" as my mom likes to call them... I can't seem to shut it off, so I figured jotting down some of my anxieties here would aleviate them... So far, not so good...

Sarah Palin is a good sport...

Since NBC doesn't allow YouTube to post the skit, here is a link to an article that has Sarah Palin's performance on SNL this weekend embedded. I thought she was a great sport and showed Tina Fey up :).

Small Victories

My friend and ADD mentor, Mike, has been consistently reminding me that I need to set myself up for small victories that will lead up to larger ones. One of those is finding a job, any decent job right now, while I try to figure out what my career goal is. I need to finish classes (I will be taking the short term class starting in November so I will not have completely wasted this semester). Tomorrow I am going to go talk to my former counselor (if I can get in to see her for a second) to request my records and figure out what to do once I get home. I am also going to work on fixing my eating and sleeping habits. Going to bed before 1am should not really be a problem, but it so often is because I sleep so late. I know I am perfectly capable of getting out of bed at a decent hour because I did it everyday at Faith's house, we got up around 8 am (and that is late, the boys get up at 6), but the latest I went to bed most nights was 11 or 12. I also need to begin a regular eating routine. I am terrible. I tend to not eat until I am really really hungry, and then I grab whatever is convenient (junk usually). I am working on outfitting my (small albeit) kitchen with stuff that will make it easy for me to make the healthy choices I should be. If Faith can manage 3 squares a day for the boys, Nathan, and herself, I can too :) - I am not comparing myself or anything, I just find her to be a good inspiration for the kind of person I would like to be. I am going to use my Bento boxes to help inspire me to get off my butt (or out of bed) and eat something healthy and creative. I find a good amount of inspiration from Biggie over at Lunch in a Box as well :).

So my goals I am going to be working on when I get back are:

• Find a job (about 20 hours a week) and ask for a regular set schedule
• Eat at least 3 times a day and make healthy choices
  
• Get up by 9am and go to bed before 1am (starting small here)
  
• Go to Family Life with Toby (I know I really didn't talk about that before, but it is a goal)

Help keep me accountable! :)

Doing Better

I am currently visiting my friend Faith (from Blessed Quietness) and her husband and 5 boys in the desert :). I traveled down with her sis, who was my friend first, Grace and her husband David. It has been an eventful couple of days :). We drove all night on Friday got to their house Saturday at 4:30 am and left for the Miramar air show at 6:30 am after a short nap. We were there all day! The boys did so well! They love jets so much (even Issac who does not like their noise but still loves them - especially Fat Albert who flys the Blue Angels "because he is so quiet"). We went to church Sunday and watched the football game. Then we spent today doing school and seeing what Faith does every day (she is a strong woman, I will tell you that).
Edit: We had some fun with tatoos too!





All the boys showing off their tattooed muscles! How strong! Even baby John looks tougher with Batman tattooed on his chest! Tomorrow we will say goodbye and Grace and David will drop me off in LA at my parents house. I am going to Knott's Halloween Haunt to see my little brother at work (I may wet my pants when we go through his maze, I do not like to be scared). I will be there until the 16th! 8 days at home will be the longest stay I have had since I got engaged! I hope to see my friend Dano and my little cousin Mika and the rest of the family if they have time. I miss them a lot. I will probably update again before heading home :).

How Lucky We Are by Meiko

One day we'll get outta this [old] apartment
One day is all it takes for things to turn around now
All I know is I got you and you got me, babe

And when that morning comes
I'll make coffee and you'll read the paper
We'll talk about our plans
And I'll keep saying how lucky we are

One day we'll get in the car and drive anywhere we wanna go
And then we'll stay in a five star, mini-bar, luxury hotel room
Cuz all I know is I got you and you got me, babe

And when that morning comes
I'll make coffee and you'll read the paper
We'll talk about our plans
And I'll keep saying how lucky we are

How lucky we are, oh oh oh
How lucky we are, oh oh oh
How lucky we are, oh oh oh
How lucky we are, are, are...

One day we'll turn on the tv and we won't see nothing 'bout war
And when that morning comes
I'll make coffee and you'll read the paper
We'll talk about our plans
And I'll keep saying how lucky we are

How lucky, how lucky we are
Oh how lucky, how lucky, how lucky we are
Oh how lucky, how lucky, how lucky we are
Oh how lucky, how lucky, how lucky we are

Sadness...

Well, our dreams of owning a house have been put on hold for now, like 4 years on hold. Toby's grandparents and parents hated the house, even after it got a great insperction review and after our friend Steve told them it was a good first buy for us, so they backed out. I understand some of their reasons, but I do not understand the barbaric way in which they went about it. I will have trouble trusting them in the future, but I guess it is a lesson learned.

Wordy Posts... An Apology...

If anyone out there reads this blog and thinks, "Man, that girl talks too much!" I beg of you to please remember that I began this blog thinking no one in particular would read it... I keep writing in it mainly to help remember some of the things that have happened or just some of my random, fleeting, ADD thoughts... If you read it, thanks a bunch, I like hearing from people :) But if you don't, well, that's okay too :)...

The House...

...of my dreams? Well, it is not quite there, but it is a house, a big, affordable house, in the neighborhood we want to live in, and it is almost ours... Dreamy enough for me :)... We saw it last Saturday, put our bid on it on Labor Day (last Monday) and the bid was submitted and accepted by the next day. After the seller (bank) made their addendum and we signed it, the bank accepted our bid!!! We had the inspection today to make sure the pest and roof damage was not over the amount we stated in our Conditions and it was all good! So all we are waiting on now is for the lender to approve an FHA loan on the house (our credit is pre-approved for about 20k more than our bid was for but I guess the house has to be too) and we will be good to go! Our close date is set for October 1st if all goes to plan! I am really excited! It is 4 bed 2 bath on a corner lot (one side of the back yard on kind of a busy street but the front of the house is on the side street) it is 1,378 sq ft of fixer upper, but it could be ours in less than a month. Toby and Josh already have big plans for building a cinderblock wall along the main street side as a DIY project (I must admit the thought scares me a bit). My main goal is to get the kitchen and bathrooms up to par and then put in flooring, pergo or carpet, I'm not sure... Since we are only putting 3% down (when we were expecting to have to put 10% down and therefore have that much ready) we ar going to use the rest of the money to fix it up and pick up some (nice) second hand appliances. There are many people who are selling their barely used stuff (like the newer models that we like) for less than half of what they bought them for less than a year ago. We have already had someone offer us a never used energy star oven and microwave for $200, but since they are the wall mounted kind I would have to redo the kitchen when I want to put them in (the cabnits are falling down, so if we have the money, that will be the first room to get fixed anyways). The roof is in much better shape than we thought, it only needs 1 spot patched and then we have to get a certification to get the FHA loan. Also the front bathroom needs a new sink and the back need a new shower drop in liner. We will probably not got crazy on these two things, just the basics so they are useable. Since our married friends Josh and Kelly will be renting from us for about a year, we will probably set aside some of that money to redo all the siding on the outside of the house so it doesn't look any more patched up than it already does (dry rot, everybody's got it), but that will be a project for next year. For now all we need to do is seal up the windows with caulk so that moisture does not get inside. I'm really excited (in case you didn't notice)! We are putting this in God's hands (even though our imaginations already have us living in this house)... Wehouses fall through before our loan was pre-approved, so we know what it is to get a little disappointed, however this is the furthest we have gone in the process, so we are praying everything else goes well... Soon enough we could all be neighbors!

Homeschooling?

I have been told that I have the gift of teaching, but I have also been told that my ADD may be too great to actually be a conventional teacher. Mind you, I have been an education major for almost 4 years now (I am nowhere near getting my BA or credentials though). I f I am to ADD to teach in a public classroom, would I be able, with the help of other homeschooling parents, to home school my own children? I plan on completing my degree, not sure if I will go through the credentialing process, but I will have the general knowledge needed to teach elementary aged students. I can't really think of a career in which I could use a general education degree, but I know that I want to obtain my BA that I have been working towards for over 6 years now. I have all these ideas about how I would teach unconventionally and still have my students meet grade level standards (although the CA state "standards" are not even at grade level these days, the high school exit exam for example is based on something like 7th grade level knowledge). One example of unconventional learning would be to set up a classroom government when teaching 5th grade history (of course you would need a good sized class), I attempted to student lead this in my 5th grade classroom (surprisingly my teacher allowed me to), but because of my disorganization (come on I was only a 5th grader) and lack of time (we only had an hour per day in this class) it did not get the point across successfully. Another would be to use the game Civilization as a teaching tool for teaching World Civ (I am actually working on a lesson plan for implementing this on the college level for my World Civ instructor this semester). I really like the idea of using the World Wide Web as a virtual assistant in the "classroom" - kids spend 44 hours a week doing "media multi-tasking" (surfing the web, watching tv, playing video games, and listening to music) so they are on it anyway, might as well give them something fun and purposeful to do with it. My generation was one of the first to grow up with home computers (our first was an old Mac, back when they were still reffered to as "Apples," that the school disctric let their teachers (like my mom) take home for the summer so they could learn how to use them. I think I was in 1st or 2nd grade. I remember the only thing it had on it was Print Shop Delux :). My neighbor, who had a PC, made DOS based catsle RPGs. The first computer games I played were Oregon Trail and SimAnt. Both were educational at heart. In Jr. High, the World Wide Web came into our home (after much pleading with my parents). I was very into IMing. While it was a bit of a distraction, I think my generation has benifited from having such an instant link to people and information, but it has also harmed us. Cyber crime is prevolent, which was not really something that our parents worried about when they first heard the delightful sounds of "You got mail" chiming from our computers every few minutes, at the time their biggest concern was that we were tying up the only phone line. However, many groups have been devoted to keeping children safe on the web today and keeping it for what it is intended for, gaining knowledge and staying in touch. Besides, as an adult who grew up as the Internet did, I know what dangers lie lurking in cyberspace and I am better equipped to keep my kids away from them then my parents were when I was learning how to use the computer at a much faster rate then they were (as kids often do). As I get older and technology advances, I know I will soon be in the place my parents were with new wonders and dangers out there waiting for my kids. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with everything. Wow, I really got off on a tangent there. I guess the main point I was trying to get across is that I am not sure where my future will take me, but I really feel like teaching is in it somewhere, no matter if it is conventional or not. I'd like to hear from you homeschooling parents out there. How much of a role does the net play or will it eventually play in your homeschool program?

New Job, ADD (What's new?), and WoW overload...

So I ended up quitting my job at Bath and Body Works the day after I posted about my tiff with the sales lead... She and I probably could have resolved things but it was the Manager's lack of mediation that really got to me... I never started working with Grace, there was a hiring mix up and they over hired, since I forgot to follow up (surprise surprise) I missed out... I ended up with a job that Grace's dad set me up with doing "In Home Supportive Services" for a 37 year old lady named Mel with Systemic Lupus among other chronic conditions... It works well for me since the schedule is so flexible, I was only supposed to have like 10-15 hours a week and I was going to try to pick up a Respite job for one of the families at my church (I have experience working with kids with Autism and other special needs, so it is nice to be able to lend a hand where I can, but not something I can do full time anymore), but the week I started the other girl who was working for Mel dramatically quit... So now I work about 30 hours a week at all hours, which is okay, but now that school has begun I need help... The last set of classes that I was taking (when I started this blog in February) all got dropped because I got overwhelmed... I didn't transfer and got myself on Academic Probation... I had to go to a counselor and make an Ed-Plan that re-evaluated my goals... If all goes well, I will complete the 2 classes I signed up for this semester and complete 2 next semester and get my AA out of the way... I also need to get my FAFSA done in time for next year... Maybe if I figure out what I really want to do (Mike, my ADD mentor, told me I am too ADD to teach without taking meds so I have kind of lost some hope for that prospect) I will transfer next fall... At this point I am just discouraged and don't really care much about school... Maybe Mel is right, maybe I need to start taking meds again (no matter how off they make me feel) so I can get this stuff done... I don't even know what it is I want to do anymore... I really want to be a mom and a good wife... That is my ultimate goal right now and all I seem to care about... However, I can't seem to see the reality in that if I can't get my act together... At the moment I have a pile of dishes 2 WEEKS old that I am having trouble facing (they are the worse kind too - covered in nasty oily frosting from my cake decorating class that I loved but nearly gave up on as well because it was so time consuming) and clean laundry piled on the couch waiting to be put away, along with all sorts of other clutter that is keeping me from having a clean organized house... Everytime my house (which is typically a reflection of the way I feel inside at the time) gets like this, I retreat into World of Warcraft or a TV series or work and avoid it until Toby (or Mr. Loo - I have decided to give up the nicknames) freaks out and goes into ubercleaning mode till he is exauhsted and in a bad mood (have I mentioned he is on his feet 40 hours a week at work?)... Toby and I have been playing a lot (and I mean a lot) of WoW lately... And to make it worse, we play at our friend Jerrod's house, which means we are never home... We have gone straight over to Jerrod's after work/school for the last 3 or 4 days in a row, not getting home until midnight or later and all we do is play WoW... Our other newly-wed friends Josh and Kelly have been hanging out at Jer's playing WoW everynight too, but at least they chose to spend time together at home tonight (they logged in aroud 9pm though)... I feel like thing are unraveling... The house hunt is slow going (even though we are now pre-approved)... We really need to find one soon if we want to be able to rent a room to Josh and Kelly once their lease is up in October... I also feel like we are making a lot of plans without talking to God about them first... That is probably why things aren't going super well... We are going to a Family Life confrence in November (my mom said it saved her marraige before she and my dad even knew there was a problem) and I am hoping to do a short study from FamilyLife before the confrence with the 3 other newly wed couples in our church and any other married couples who would like to join us... It would help us a lot to get back in tune with our Father!

Holodeck I

So my dear nerdy hubby has gotten me into watching Star Trek: Voyager - mind you, this is something I have fought against tooth and nail since high school, it's a new low, right down there with playing the WoW TCG, even WoW itself... But since I have been assimilated into the Nerd Collective, I have begun to accept and even embrace this intricate world of Sci-Fi/Fantasy... When I was coming out of anesteseia after my appendectomy I imagined I was being held captive by the Kazon and being innterogated, but really it was just the recovery room nurses in their brown scrubs and my mother-in-law (an off duty nurse from that same ward) telling me to breathe every couple of seconds... Just now as I lay restless in bed next to my ailing hubby (migraine) I began to imagine what kinds of Holodeck programs I would enjoy if I were stuck on Voyager... I concluded that along with a great resort program (Maui maybe?) I would love to have HoloMusicals! Les Miserables, Phantom, Moulin Rouge (okay I know it's a movie, but it has music and it is my all time fav), Across the Universe, Jekyll and Hyde... My list could go on and on... I mean really, why haven't we come up with something like that, where someone could be the star of their own virtual musical or movie??? Of course there would be the issue of copywrites and such in the here and now, but in the future? Who knows? Okay nerd rant over...

Somethings Missing...

On Thursday I had a bad day... A really bad day... I was supposed to be planning and packing for 2 weeks away from home, one week visiting the fam in SoCal with Mr.Loo (who finally has more than 3 consecutive days off to go down) and the next week at the camp my brother is working at (where Mr. Loo and I actually met) as a high school camp counselor... I got up way too late, started washing dishes (the pile had completely overtaken my kitchen), managed to break both of my favorite crystal toasting glasses that Mr. Loo and I had used on our 1 year anniversary (which was on the 15th), could not find the broom to save my life, blocked off the kitchen so the cats could not get in, and left the apartment in a frustrated upheaval... I went to Ross to get a pair of jeans and some other colder weather clothing for camp, found a few good deals, but got talked out of them by my hubby who conveniently called on his lunchbreak to tell me we just have enough extra cash for the gas to get down and to eat so not to buy anything until he gets paid by direct deposit on Thursday... Bah... Then I headed to Target (ignoring the warning I got)... I have this habit at Target which is almost therapeutic, I go in without grabbing a basket (because I am "just looking"), hit the dollar section, go back and grab a hand basket, fill it up in said section, then proceed with a far too heavy hand basket through the rest of the store just so I can have the pleasure of carrying my "wants" around with me, when I finally get to what I need (that day it was a small gift for my little cousin who I would be seeing before payday and toothbrush covers for traveling), I realize that I do not have enough room in my basket and go put my "wants" back (but on those days when I have no willpower, I just go get a bigger basket), this time I only ended up with what I could've carried in my two hands in the first place... I was starting to feel nauseous and I thought it was because it was hot, I had a migraine coming on and because I hadn't eaten anything that day... I went to my fav little cafe and had half sandwich half salad and lactose free, lowfat, oreo fro-yo (a guilty pleasure that won't kill me)... I ate most of it but I couldn't finish my fro-yo... I went home and felt so dizzy that I just plopped down on the bean bag chair of death (the one thing that I hate that the hubby refuses to part with - it spends most of it's life taking up half of his closet but when my parents came up for the 4th of July he pulled it out because there was no place else for him to sit, the problem with that thing is that once it comes out it is almost impossible for me to get him to put it away) and passed out... Mr. Loo came home from work at 6pm all jazzed to go see The Dark Knight (he and his best friend are obsessed, and that is being poliet) but I did not feel like going right at that moment (his buddy had been there since 4pm for a midnight showing) so I stayed home while he went to "moviegate" (you get the picture)... When he called at quarter to 10 I told him I didn't know if I was up to going and he sounded like someone had just shot his dog in front of him... So being a good supportive wife, I musterd up the last ounces of my strength and drove to the theater... I slouched in the theater seats watching Heath Leadger's final big screen performance, grimicing as the person next to me jumped at every bang and tried not to puke by covering my head during handheld camera scenes... At one point I felt so sick and bloated that I covered myself with a jacket and unbuttoned my jeans... By the end of the film I thought I was going to explode, Mr. Loo was so into the movie that he didn't notice how much pain I was in... I wouldn't let him stay to see if there were any post movie trailers (another fav pastime of theirs) and rushed out of the theater into the bathroom, but I couldn't go... I came out crying and Mr. Loo asked me to rate my pain from 1 to 10 (his mom is a nnurse, it is common vocab in his family) I told him it was an 8 and he said that was to high and took me to the ER... I hate hospitals, really, I hate them... But something has to be said for our timing... I did not have to wait too long before they took me back and gave me some pain meds (the IV hurt as much as my stomach pain)... The nurse started running down a list of questions and had me take a pregnancy test, which filled my mind with possible problems (endoscopic or fallopian pregnancy, bladder problems, ovaries malfunctioning) but nowhere on that list was anything about my appendix... I have never taken anatomy and no one in my family has had an appendectomy (that I can think of) so I had no basis of knowledge on the subject (that and I would not let Mr. Loo call his mom who had just gotten off shift and left the hospital, and I didn't want to get her all worked up when we didn't know what was wrong yet)... The nurse was nice, and checked on me a lot, I was drugged though so I couldn't tell how long I was waiting... The doctor finally came and Mr. Loo realized it was the doctor who misdiagnosed a raging throat infection that he had had three years prior (he did not tell me until later thankfully) the doc ordered tests (bloodwork, X-Rays, CAT scans) and would have misdiagnosed me as just being "blocked up" if he hadn't had a radiologist read the CAT scan, my appendix was swollen around my bowel and everything was stuck inside my stomach... I waited in the ER for an OR to open up... 11 hours later I was taken up to the OR wing (where I laid in the hallway on the gurney for another 45 mins) luckily the OR is right next to where my mom-in-law works (in the recovery room) and they let her come up with me to keep me company... I had to pee (cuz they were loading me up with fluids and antibiotics) and so she wheeled me into the recovery room bathroom... How a family member got away with all that I have no idea, I guess I am just lucky lol... I don't even remember what happened next because I think they put me out in the hallway... I woke up (after a delusion of being trapped by the Kazon Nisstrem - man have I ever become a hard core nerd) in the recovery room with mom-in-law reminding me to breathe and all her nurse friends checking on me... They wheeled me to the building my father in law was in just last week and a bunch of people came to visit me... I was surprised they let eveyone in... I was sad when they booted them out though, I didn't want to be there alone... My roommate was this funny lil lady that reminded me of my Great Aunt Rae because of her spark and spirit... She said the lady who had been in the room the previous two days had snored and kept the TV on even when she was sleeping... I guess mom-in-law had turned off the TV when I was taken in because I remember Sponge Bob being there and then he was gone... The lady (whose name I later found was Berneice) was kinda sassy and told the nurse I didn't need my light on... The guy was like "well that's her choice, isn't it?" I told him it was fine and I could use the rest... All night I had to keep bugging the nurses to unstrap me from my leg massaging things at the end of my bed so I could use the restroom... In the morning I was up at 6am and so was Bernice... I had a nice long talk with her and told her it was our job to tell the nurses if we needed something... She had purposfully pulled out her IV line during the night because it was making her have to go so often... So I made it my duty to talk her into letting them put one back in so she could go home asap... She was so spunky and funny once she had some sleep... We even got a nurse to bring her some coffee (contraband in the wing we were in apparently)... I coundn't believe that she was 91 years old! I made sure to do everything the nurses told me to do so I could go home... I walked 4 times before the doctor came to see me and they had moved me up to eating saltines so I was eating "solids"... I was not hungry, but I ate 3/4 of my french toast and ate most of the apple sauce for breakfast... They let me go home about 10 am... Berniece was bummed when I left but I think her doctor was coming to see her soon... We drove home, but my tummy still felt bloated... I decided to avoid the stairs to my apartment and had Mr. Loo take me to his Nana's house instead... It took me like 20 hours to poop! Once I did though I felt much much better... I spent the rest of the day there and finally came back to our apartment... I need some patience though because the apartment is too small for me to walk around it... Hopefully we can still go to SoCal tomorrow (doctor said I can travel, but said no to camp)... I am really bummed about not being there for the girls or getting to see my brother, but it could have happened while I was there, I guess I better just count my blessings...

Edit: Also found I am allergic to Vicoden... Fun...

Eww... Icky Meds...

I finally went to the doctors because my migraines have gotten ridiculous and she gave me Nortriptyline and Maxolt... The Maxolt works fine, but the Nortriptyline is apparently affecting me adversely... I am supposed to take it daily and increase the dose weekly... This week I have just taken the first dose and I have had mood swings since the moment I began taking it... I have been really thirsty and super hungry... I've felt weak and tired when I should be feeling my best because I have been eating better and drinking a ridiculous amount of water and walking almost every day outside for like 2 hours... I got into it with one of my sales leads yesterday and I don't think we would have had an issue at all if I wasn't so spacy and moody... I didn't go in today because I am waiting for my doctor to call me back and tell me to come in or not... I am feeling really off and I don't really want to keep working at a job that makes me feel like I am not worth what I am... I do, however need to keep this job while we work on buying a house... Not the best reason to stay at a job I am not happy in... I remember why I left to begin with... Hopefully if I stop taking the meds the headaches will stay at bay and I will get back to my normal peppy self... Plus my mom and dad are on their wy into town right now... That'll be good for me I think...

It's Hairspray!

On Saturday I went to the city to see Hairspray with Grace, her mother and sister-in-law and the girls from their church... It was fantastic! I must admit I liked the stage show way better than the movie! I can't help it, it is in my blood... The theater was beautiful and we actors were awesome! The best performers in my opinion were Little Inez, Link, and Motormouth... The others were fantastic, don't get me wrong, I just felt like these three stole the show whenever they opened their mouths to sing :)... Afterwards we walked 8 blocks to the Cheesecake Factory (they wanted to drive, but after paying $20 for each of our 3 cars to park near the theater I vetoed driving and offered people flip flops and flats that I had in my car so we could walk)... It was nice when we walked over after the matinee, but after a 2 hour wait for a table for 13 and poor service, we didn't leave until like 9... We got some very unnecessary attention walking back... But Grace's mother-in-law said, "They don't want to mess with me and my bolsa (purse), I could hurt someone with it!" I cracked up! It was a great day and I felt special getting to be there when Grace shared her special news with her in-laws and the other girls...

Househunting, Babybunting, Workwanting...

Mr. Loo and I have begun house hunting in the past couple of months... We have been outbid on 3 or 4 houses... I guess it is because we have not yet been preapproved... We are in the process, but I am missing some W-2's from '06 when I did not file taxes because I didn't make enough to bother... I have to find them in my massive amounts of paperwork unceremoniously "stored" (read: dumped) in boxes on my porch... I think my organizer needs to come pay me a visit... We have 2 bids in, on on a house with a dinky pool that needs refinishing, and one that is a house away from my best gal pal, Grace (I have given up on code names... They are dumb)... Speaking of which... Grace just spilled the news... She and her hubby of 10 months are expecting their first little one! They got married less then a month after we did and decided to start trying about a month after we did... and yet, they beat us to the punch... Lol... Not that it is any big competition (okay, yes it is... Mr.Loo and Grace's hubby compeate over everything, and so do Grace and I...) But we are so happy for them! Just gives us a reason to try somemore ;)... I also decided to apply for a second job since my first does not offer many hours (about 10 a week scheduled and opportunity for more with call in shifts where we have to basically assume we are scheduled unless the store has not made enough revenue for the day to afford us)... So I will be working with Grace but in a different department... I think I start sometime this week but I don't know if they have scheduled me yet... I have been getting migraines a lot more often, so I am not sure how this is going to work, but we shall see... I've decided to make this blog public esq since I haven't written anything too terrible in it... At present no one knows much about it... I like it when I know the people at least know about it and can read it if they want to...

He's There, The Phantom of the Opera

Just a quick post tonight... Went to see Phantom with two of my best gals and their guys... It was amazing! Loved the Phantom, Christine was okay, Meg could have been better, but who am I to judge, they put on a fantastic show! Went to dinner before and to dessert at this fab little dinner that only serves desserts... So much fun, I only wish all of our friends had gone, I felt bad talking about it when other people who hadn't responded to me quick enough when we were buying tickets were around... I loved every minute of tonight (well, except for the part where the girls had to take off the heels and run 6 blocks in 4 minutes to make curtain)... All in all a fantastic night...

A Lappy of My Very Own!

So Mr. Loo and I have been married for about 11 months now, and in those 11 months we have had a reoccurring battle over the use of his laptop... So yesterday he finally got me one of my own! Yay! Not the most romantic early anniversary present, but a quite thoughtful and useful one... It's a 14" HP and it has a built in web cam (so I can finally respond to my friend kito's video posts), it can play WoW (of most importance), and it is slim, shiney, and cute (also uber important, every thing must be kawaii)... I am hoping that this will also help me get organized a little better... On another tangent, I hired an organzation coach and she came and helped me get the hardest room in our apartment for me to clean, our bedroom, clean and uncluttered... It's very zen... but it took 3 hours and $150... I'd like her to come this week so we could keep moving, but after dropping the cash for my lappy yesterday I don't think we can for a bit... We put a bid on a house yesterday and we have to have the $ in da bank for the deposit... On another tangent, I am not sure this is the house for us, so I am officailly hoping that our bid is not chosen so we don't waste money on inspections just to pull out because of what we already know, the roof is in bad need of replacing and it will make getting an FHA loan impossible... Gay... Anyways, I love my laptop, I am trying to get organized, and I want a house that gives me butterflies, not one that I can barely remember.... WE shall see what happens...