lets get this show on the road

Today I finally go for my consult with the breast specialist.   Unfortunately my last appointment was moving along at a great pace and I went to schedule my surgery only to find out the surgery center was not in "network".  I chose to change Dr.s and head to a more "in network" surgery so as to save costs.  Lord, should I really be penny pinching right now?   

So, today...the new consult.  Because I am an RN I know what they will say.   " this is no big deal...lets get you scheduled for the wire surgery and see what we are dealing with....please talk to the receptionist to schedule"   and I will leave the office just as confused as before.     I'm guessing the entire day will be a waste of time and I'm guessing they wont be able to schedule me quickly.  so i will be waiting again.   

Stupid

I filled out all the paperwork and printed off info for FMLA so that when it does happen I can take time off work with out repercussions from the higher ups.  

After my appointment I will be Easter Basket Junk Shopping.....after all it is my favorite holiday

The Chocolate Holiday

I cant believe this kid is smiling

write ya later

and hopefully these posts will be a little less Bummery soon

xo

m

Vegan Samosas w/Ilin and Olive

The kids were both home today.  I sometimes hate the fact they disappear to the basement or bedroom and just do what they do.  So, with that said, today I made them come out of their caves and join me in the kitchen.  I need some kid time after the tragedy of yesterday.

(the reason we chose samosas)

While in San Fran for my sister, Susie's 75th birthday, we had these yummmmmmy samosas at the picnic.  We all loved them, except for Bobby who stayed at the rental sick…but the kids and I ate them up.  So our goal today was to have a little mom/jackass time and attempt to cook those bad boys.  First thing first…I did NOT want to fry anything, my cholesterol is bad enough.  Ilin argued the point everything taste better fried, but I won…seeing how we don't have a fry daddy.  I opted to use Phyllo and probably after all said and done, the same amount of oil that would have gone into the fryer.  Seriously.

We used the basics of this recipe from "The colors of Indian cooking"   and started upon our cooking adventure.  The potato part was easy, the funny part was toasting the seeds because they popped all over and made Olive scream, and the best part was the outcome.

I'm not going to rewrite the recipe because I really did just use her recipe…of course her kitchen looks nicer and she didn't make quite the mess we did, so just look at her pictures and pretend it's my kitchen, you'll probably never see my kitchen any way…so let's keep it mystical.

I want to tell you to not be scared of this recipe.  It's easy, yummy and I've found when kids help cook, they tend to eat it.  It's a weird thing.

there were a couple things we changed in the recipe.  

I boiled the potatos with the skin on and mashed them…there were still big chunks in them…not mashed to oblivion.

I also used veggie oil instead a pound of butter.

This keeps the recipe vegan.

Now look at the result and happy smiles.

we had extra potato/pea mix which I put a lid on and am going to freeze.  

This would make a great gift, because I think Tamales don't have to be the ONLY lil xmas cooked gift.

these are yummy, and look so presentable.

Last but not least.  If you have only cooked cookies and sweets with your kids, venture out.  Let them help make dinner.  Like I said, they are more apt to eat a new food if they cooked it.  

Give it a try….

write ya later,

xo, 

m

Let's rock this thing

Happy 4th!!!

Vintage Schwinn~ V8grrl

Santa Tea and Deer Run

It's Saturday, and it snowed.  Its divine, yet oh so cold.

It made me think about the Holidays we shared years ago.  The entire family on Deer Run.  Together, divorced, shunned and loved.  It didn't matter, we were all there.

The kids played like no other day.

The house had a rope swing from the top of the basement stairs which swung directly into the laundry area, and if you did it just right... you wouldn't hit the pole directly in the middle of the basement.

A trampoline which could apparently hold 50+ kids.

I don't remember ever getting hurt, and even if you did, the "adults" were drinking "eggnog and Hot Toddies" and were never to be disturbed unless a limb was missing.

We played kick the can…and hide and seek.

We slid down the stairs on old quilts and cardboard boxes piled 3 kids high.

(we did often get hurt doing this, but never said anything)

We never watched TV…

we didn't play video games

We looked at the "corkboard wall of pictures" on the second floor.

We peeked into adult rooms and sometimes used the potty that wasn't for kids.

We tried to read Babaar and Madeline in French 

(always convienently placed on the bottom shelf of the never ending book shelf)

we sometimes read MAD magazine, while warming up…

then headed right back out for snowball fights and hikes in the woods.

I have a fond memory of the boys building a sledding ramp which hopped the street until a semi sober adult realized it wasn't the best idea.

Deer Run…

the street memories were made of.

I wish I could have grown to experience it as an adult…

with my kids playing in the yard with family galore.

dream a little dream

the vacation Homey week

We did some cooking of Vegetarian Stroganoff

 ( I hate that word)

Tday we went to the Bart's and for some reason I have no pics of the women or me…

It was quiet and good and the kids kept entertained.

The boys went snowboarding a few times…and we even got the Xmas lights and tree up, thanks to the 65 degree weather!

It's a boring post but it was a non eventful week (good)

Now I have to get working on Christmas ! 

Unremarkable

Bubba's lab results came back unremarkable, unremarkable.  

It sucks not having an answer.  As with life, there are often NO answers to what appears to be a simple problem.  So, if any of you fellow blog readers have lost your hair in big clumps, can you let us know what to do.  They gave him some steroid cream to help regrowth, but in the interim he is bitchy and depressed…and I can't say that I blame him.

On a more remarkable note.   I have been starting my holiday gifts.  I still have a few I need to send out for a FB challenge of homemade in one year.  That was started at the beginning of the year and I have of course waited til the end!

I am making PJ's for the household.  Easy Lounge Pants for the guys and a Nightey for O.  I'll post when done.

I have made the commitment to buy homemade and USA.  As much as I LOOOOVE Target, just look at every tag: Made in China.   I just can't do it.   I want to buy USA, so that is what I'm doing.

from: Your Destiny is Stone Golden

I'm off to workout…then to make PJS and shop Etsy….and hopefully get some Knitting in

Let me know what you are buying for the holidays!

thank you friends and family

:))))))

Here's my pile:

Pink Helmet for Motorcycle I never ride

Pink glitter stars to put on Motorcycle I never ride (in hopes I will ride because it looks girlier)

Patti Smith Book (Yessss)

Stitch markers for knitting ( didn't even know what they were because I always use washers from Bobby's tool bench)

Big ol Lip Smackers  :)

So awesome hand made Jean Rug from Paulette at Queen of the Trailer Park

Hand Knit Neck Warmer from Synda at Synda Rorex Photography

Movado Watch from Bobby...(??? never wear watches but I'll start now)

Knit Picks knitting needles

Vintage Knits book so that I can apparently knit my own smocks

Skull Lil bag.

Eddie got a bunch of bones and a new man dog studded collar (leather)

Olive got everything under the sun...including this years fav:

a pillow pet shaped like a unicorn

she got these cool Ghoul School Barbie like dolls that I like

and some adorable sushi earrings.

Ilin got this cool thing from

Cyanide Stitches

along with awesome DJ ear thingies

and a flip camera

All and all it was nice, now my type A personality is having a breakdown because I am out of dish detergent and there is wrapping paper all over the house and the recycle bin is full.

AARGGGHH

xo

m

360 days of my life 342?

off to try to gather from holiday spirit and thought decorating my mug would help.

It did, for a minute of two.

Whats on the agenda today?

gonna get outta this house and bust a move.

finish my holiday wrapping....

Boycott any more purchases

Finish up the few gifts I have made this year.

(can't post pics because they may see)

Get my Gown for the Ball hemmed

(there is no Ball, but I have a dress and I'm going to wear it even if it is to sleep in)

possibly whip up a batch of cookies?

we will see we will see.

xo m

Thanksgiving, non thanks

Thanksgiving... It's right around the corner. 

 I am probably one of the few, but I hate it.

It's not because I'm vegetarian, or because I'm not a big sports person, it's because we have no real family here.  Coming from a HUGE family when I was younger to moving as far away as possible has been a bit of a strain.

I chose my path so it's ok...I'm just saying, it's a start of the Holidays and all the things that it could be, but really isn't.

We have our own traditions and we make do...

but it can never make up for when I was a kid and waiting for my brothers to come home...or to see what my Aunts had brought...or better yet the gobs of nieces, nephews,cousins, and such that showed up for the day of festivities.

I don't remember all the arguing my now older family is often involved in, but I'm sure it was there.  I only remember the greatness of November.  The tag football, the trampoline jumping, and the late evening kick the can.

It is now eerily quiet.

A trip to the Zoo.

A turkey for one.

A late afternoon movie

followed by bed.

NEW FAVORITE CRAFTY WAFTY

Miss Cindy Lou at "Skip to My Lou" has fun easy crafts you can do.
Some for Xmas/ holidays...whatever....
party stuff and cute things to do with little ones.

also a build your birdhouse! how fun is that?

I'm inviting Synda over so that we can have a nice crafty day...take a break and relax.
I hope she comes...does anyone else want to come? Email if so.

still need a costume idea

So, I found a few that you still have time to whip up.  Let me know how it goes.

this first one is quite clever.  I'm sure you can put your own spin on it.

(click on the links to see where they came from)

fake midget  

this next one kind of freaked me out...but it is good.

really check it out

WTF costumes

Maybe a few costumes for the entire family?

Just think twice before wearing these to the Neighborhood Halloween Parade...or at least don't email me back and bitch if you do.

anna maltz

How about a set of costumes for a night out with the girls?  I guarantee you will be a clit...I mean HIT.

Vagina Ladies

you and your husband could go as He devil and She devil

Oh wait...those aren't costmes.

how about for your 2 bestest guy friends

the Ambiguously Gay Duo?

Or this for your gross friend...

Me no likey

Well, anyways...whatever you choose have fun

where a rubber...and don't drink and drive...

and for the parents out there.... when trick or treating parents come to your door.  ahve a cooler of beer and small cocktails for them to trick or treat out of....make it worth their while.

hey de ho neighbor...

It's Tuesday...but you can see that from the time stamp.  I had my frst Operating Room Clinicals today.  Saw a double bilateral total knee replacement.  Not nearly as bloody as I thought it would be.  Not nearly as exciting either.  The scrub techs had a more exciting job than me.  Wah wah wah...  One more day of OR then I can move to the next subject.

I want to take a minute to not write anything great.  I should be writing a paper...but instead I'll take a minute to tell you about how much I love the Pumpkin Patch.  We went this weekend.  The big thing was the Tractor Ride.  It was such a big deal that Olive thinks she wants to be a farmer so that she can tote people around on a tractor.  She doesn't seem to understand that unless she is ONLY going to have a pumpkin patch...the only people she would be toting around would be migrant workers.  Oh well, why ruin the dream?  The Pumkin Patch is free and we get to get as many Pumpkins we can carry.  I LOVE FREE!!!  I got us up at 7 AM so that we could get first pick at the best pumpkins and we did GREAT!...Also got some cute pictures.  I edited them on Picnik...Does anyone else use Picnik?   

So what else you ask?  I'm sick of school and on top of that cooking dinners have become my least favorite chore in the world.  Is that wrong?  Is it wrong to offer your kids Pasta every night? I don't know, I just can't get my pea brain together enough to actually make anything worth eating...Why oh why can't kids just drink beer like me?  It's got everything we need.  Damn that business about growing and needing nutrients.

Next....Ilin wants to learn how to crochet so that he can make those little creatures and I don't have time to sit and teach him.  Anyone know of a super easy kid friendly book he can read and learn on his own?   He's been making these cool softies...they aren't perfect but they are creative and he thinks he wants to try to sell them on Etsy to earn money for his snowboard pass or something.  So I want to get him a book with actual patterns in it.

that's all for now. I need to write a paper

Synda's Etsy Shop

Hey...It's time to start thinking about cold weather hats

click on Synda's shop
right there to the left...no I mean right...
Tonsyn.

The most awesome hats and now they come in baby and little people sizes!
sooooooooooooo cute
Go look. Perfect for presents.

STP and Red Rocks

It was a nice night. We got backstage passes which involved some free catering and backside look at the band playing. Our seats were good. Bruce got seats right to the left of the sound guy(I guess this is the best area) and we enjoyed the show...that is until the idiot EMO Junkie lost his cookies down the back of my legs...fucker. I heard this "familiar" sound but couldn't quite place it til Burt and Jimmy yelled "get that lil shit outta here before we kill him!" At that point I knew that it WASN'T a dropped beer on my backside...Bummer. I'm all for people have a good time...but jeez. For me...if I'm not standing behind the 6'5" giant (I'm 5' on a good day), standing next to the crazy underdressed groupie shaking her ass and taking up too much room, then I'm being puked on.



We used our VIP passes to go down to the front row on the last song and just guess what happened there? You are thinking Scott Weiland came over and asked for my hand? No...the guy standing next to us started to puke...but his girlfriend got him outta there quick, which was good, because Bobby looked at me and I said, "Lucky guy, Cause I was gonna have to beat him".

All in all it was a great night. Red Rocks is always great. Tomorrow is the 4th...not sure what is going on then.

Hope everyone has a great one!