What's on the menu?

I'll tell you, because I made dinner both Saturday and Sunday nights this weekend. In truth, I love to cook. I can follow a recipe and love trying new stuff, but I haven't been making time for it and usually Gran makes dinner so...  For those of you who don't know, I make a BOMB ass spaghetti sauce from scratch that is absolutely legendary. Ok, maybe not legendary but let's not split hairs. It's frickin' good. And Saturday I had a hankering for it and BONUS!!!!, had all the ingredients for it. This time I put a secret ingredient in it and it turned out even better!! If I remember correctly this is how it went...
1 large can of Diced tomatoes
1 small can of Diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 lbs ground beef (I prefer mine to be very lean)
Half to three quarters large onion (chopped)
5-7 mushrooms (chopped)
3-4 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
3 stalks of celery (rinsed, chopped and left in crescent shape)
1-1 1/2 inch of anchovy paste (yeah, I said it)
Olive oil
Italian seasoning (to taste)
Black pepper
Salt
Garlic powder (to taste)

Secret ingredient: Warning! Not to be used to feed the faint of heart! This stuff is GOOOOOD!!!

1 packet of Lipton's Onion soup (yeah, no kidding)

Put Onion, Celery, Garlic cloves and olive oil in pot and saute until onions are clear. Add ground beef and brown. Half way through the browning, add your anchovy paste. Once meat is browned, add your tomatoes and paste. Add about 3/4 cup of water and stir. Add your dry ingredients and mushrooms.  Once all your ingredients are in the pot, stir and let it simmer for about an hour to make sure all your flavors mix and mingle. Make your pasta and enjoy. I like to serve mine with a green veggie. Love me some spinach.

And last night I made a casserole type dish with chicken, rice, cream of mushroom soup, black pepper, paprika and a little bit of shredded sharp cheddar. It was delish!

As for everything else...Monkey is doing well. I go to the ENT tomorrow to beg him to take out my tonsils...the rat bastards that they have been for the past 3 months...grr.  And a guy who lives in Denison seems pretty interested from eH. Meh. We'll see. :)

Oh, and one more thing...

I forgot to mention that I have a consult with an ENT doctor on Tuesday. Not sure if y'all have been paying a whole lot of attention to it but I have been in a constant state of sickness with varying degrees of severity for around 3+ months. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Christmas Eve of this year...scratch that. Christmas Eve of 2010, so last month, I found myself in the ER coughing so badly that I was unable to catch my breath for more than 2-3 minutes before I would go into another coughing fit. And when I say coughing, I mean COUGHING (so hard that my rib cage hurt and I puked a few times..yeah. Ew.). They put me on Erythromycin (sp?), a cough syrup that was basically Robitussin with Codeine, and also an Albuterol inhaler.

The antibiotic they gave me is for 14 days. Four days past the normal 10 that they usually put you on. I noted that. The ER doc also looked into my record and saw that I had been in the ER specifically for similar respiratory and throat issues over the last few months and decided that I warranted a consult with the ENT. Well, no shit!!!!  So, with those four things in hand, I made my way home where I properly dosed myself with the medications provided and attempted to enjoy my Christmas holiday with family. Mission accomplished.  Even though I had made an appointment to see my primary physician, I was not able to get in until 11JAN. I tried my best to suck it up, but my body had other plans.

Here is what I want: I want that ENT to tell me that my tonsils need to come out. No. I'm serious. These stupid things have been swollen and painful for far too long and when I can't lay on my pillow without those damn things blocking my airway...take them suckers OUT!! I'm ok with it. Really.  I will gladly take a few days off of work to recoup if they will just get rid of them for me.  Otherwise, I am left with my own devices. I'd rather not find out what happens then.  ;)

G

I need more time.

So, a girlfriend of mine texted me today and told me that she was bored at work and had nothing to read. Well, I got a Nook for Christmas and for those of you who were lazy and did not Google it like I told you to and still have no idea what a Nook is:



Nook Color: Barnes & Nobles answer to Amazon's Kindle.


It is an eReader. This baby is so awesome that I carry it with me everywhere I go and I currently have almost twenty books loaded on it. I encourage you to research it and if you are a reader, I encourage you to get one. I just finished a book that I had purchased prior to being given my Nook that was close to 800 pages long. It was a PAIN IN THE ASS to carry around and try not to destroy its cover and tear it's pages... If I had had it on my Nook, I'd have never had that problem...

Anyway, I thought that was what she meant and it turns out she was politely telling me to get back in gear and continue telling my story to the masses...Ok, so I only have like, 10 followers but whatever. Semantics...

Over the holidays my brother was in town and now that he is gone again, my sister and I miss him. My brother is one of the most awesome people I know. Hilarious and almost ALWAYS in a good mood. I feel sorry for the girl he brings home because unless she is just THAT outstanding, I will never think she is good enough for him.

Yesterday, Monkey's daycare called me and advised me that he had broken out in little red dots around his mouth sometime during lunch time. Seeing as how I must try and avoid being frivolent with my sick time and annual leave, I asked them a few questions over the phone to see how severely I should take this news. He was breathing normally, he hadn't eaten anything new or out of the ordinary, was fussy but nap time was eminent so that was ok, and did not seem bothered by any of it so I decided to make him an appointment for this morning and to go ahead and let him stay. His pediatrician said that he looks ok and that sometimes if a child eats something that is salty or acidic (think: tomatoes), they can react to it being around their mouth and on their skin. Remedy? Make sure to clean his little mouth area after he eats and try to avoid letting those types of things sit on his skin.  (If he does it again or if it seems worse, I'm going to take him in. But he seems fine.)  He DID however, receive a flu shot booster and was not really in the mood to be at daycare today. Poor thing. Lol

I am still single, single, single.  And I don't have a prospect in sight... But I think that it's ok. It dawned on me today that though I loathe not having "someone to come home to" that I am not yet ready to be in a relationship. I am no where close to being in the shape I want to be therefore EXTREMELY self conscious. I don't know...I just feel like I need more time to work on me a little bit.

I start school next Monday and am pretty excited about it. There is a little time after I leave work and before I go to school that I will utilize to got o the gym.  A few of the guys here play racket ball and have invited me to play with them. I think that even though that means that these guys will see me sweat and I won't be able to hide behind a large sweatshirt anymore that maybe I can just move past that and play a few games and just get over it. *sigh*  We'll see.

I emptied Monkey's 3 piggy banks and took the change to the bank today. They were full and I couldn't get much more in there... I deposited $147.14 into his account today. "His" account is the account I opened up for his Child Support to be directly deposited into and nothing comes out of it that is not directly spent on him. In fact, the only thing that account is used for right now is daycare expenses. The rest of it just sits there.

Another one of my girlfriends and I have recently...reconnected. I guess that's the word I would use. I've missed her and am glad she is feeling better. She is addicted to reading. Self professed in fact. LOL She got a Nook also for Christmas and we have been going at it. Her more so than me because she either reads faster than me or has more time to read but she devours books like no one else. She's always saying, "This was great. That was awesome. Read this next. I'm onto another series by so and so..." and I'm always like, "Dude. Seriously? I'm only on page 40 on the FIRST book you told me to read..." LMAO  It's not THAT bad but you get the idea. I love her and I have missed her and I am glad to have her back in my life. She checked out for a while and it felt like I'd severed a leg or something.  Sometimes you need to be forgiving and how to be compassionate for others.

G

The day after

So here I sit, in my living room, the day after Christmas. My brother is playing Call of Duty: Black Ops, my two cousins are sitting here with us, and my dad is holding Monkey while I type this quick post my Nook. For those of you who don't know, its the Barnes & Noble e-reader. I got the Nook Color and this thing is freaking awesome. It does way more than I thought it would. I am content. I got a few various other things as well but this was the big one. Way. Cool. Google it.

G

Just friggin' great...

It is windy today. Really. Friggin'. Windy.  And I decided that just a little bit before lunch, since I'm at work and bored to tears, that I wanted to go to Target and pick up some things for me and Monkey to wear for our pictures on Friday.  As I was leaving, the wind ripped my car door out of my hand and slammed SLAMMED it into the car door next to me. My SUV is white and there was a 10 inch long vertical line of paint transfer on this door. So I booked it.  Just kidding. I left a note explaining what happened with my name and number (I didn't want to leave my insurance info on a note that was going to blow away just as soon as it worked itself out from under the wind shield wiper blade) and went about my business.  Then I realized whose car it is and told her as soon as I got back. She didn't kill me.

I have recently decided that I want to run a marathon. No. I'm serious. Pick yourself up off the ground and stop laughing at me!!  I'm not gonna just go run one.  I'll start small. A mile. Once I get that down, I'll bump it to two miles. So on and so forth.  Mark my words. Come hell or high water, I will figure it out.  Anyone know how to run without getting shin splints?

And our lovely tree this year...

Ooookay.  I don't have anything else interesting for you. Not really.

G

Grey or Silver?

Ah. There's nothing like the feeling you get when you have just been informed that your credit score just went up...again...by another 20 points. I decided to quit carrying that stupid credit card around. I know I've told y'all that.  (BTW, Randy Rogers Band is playing in the background...Memory...One of my favorites from them...just sayin')  But recently, I was on-line and discovered that they increased my maximum limit on that stupid thing. Two things happened at once: I just about pee'd myself with excitement as that is more money (kinda) to spend and I immediately scolded myself because THAT's the kind of thinking that got me in this debt bind in the FIRST place.  Really, Gracie?  And this is why I no longer carry it. LOL  Now, in doing that (raising the limit), the credit union inadvertently did me a wonderful favor.  The balance is now no where near the limit and does not reflect a high balance...thus making me look good in the eyes of the credit world. Aaand, since I don't carry it but do pay on it, that gap will continue to get bigger and bigger. This is a good thing. So, thanks Navy Fed. You did me a favor. Cheers!

I noticed something today.  I have mixed feelings about it...  There is not one spot on my head where I can part my hair...and there is not silver roots. I have been dying my hair since I was 21 and got my first silver strand at the tender age of 16. Thanks mom.  (She got her first one at 18.)  My hair has been red, black, tri colored (brown base with red and blond streaks...THAT was awwesome!!!), brown, violet, and a delightful shade of eggplant purple.  Strand Therapist got married last weekend and was not able to do work her magic... well, someone asked me what color my hair is "supposed" to be yesterday.  It has become an absolute priority that I receive strand TLC this weekend.  One of these days I will let it grow out and be natural, but I'm just not ready to put 10 years on my face, at the age of 30, just because of my hair color.  Vain, I know. Lord, please forgive me.

We set up our tree last night and I completely forgot to take a picture of it. I'm thinking I might take pictures with Monkey next to it and maybe that will be our Christmas Card photo.  Speaking of which, I REALLY need to get cracking on that!!  I'll post a picture tomorrow.

*Sigh.  I don't remember if I told y'all or not but I was diagnose with Mono a few weeks ago. It was on the heels of three Strep cases and I have officially been sick now for close to 2.5 months. I am exhausted. I am sleep deprived, tired, worn out, and so unmotivated to do ANYTHING that it makes me want to cry. Seriously, I don't think I've spent more than 5 minutes on makeup for weeks and quite frankly, I don't remember the last time I did that.  I'm sure it will pass but I'm going to call my doctor today. My tonsils are so swollen all the time that if I lay a certain way on my pillow, the damn things somewhat block my airway. can we say: So. NOT. Cool. ?  Aside from being tired of being tired, I'm also tired of being in pain all the time.  So, a phone call and finding out what my options are is in order. Wish me luck. 

My lack of motivation has not impaired my eye though. And that "eye" has been on this baby here:

It's the Tarte Jewelry Box 2010 palette.  16 shimmer colors, and 16 matte colors. Hello! No one does that!!  That's why this one is super awesome.

Ok...I'm gonna call the doc now. My throat hurts. :( 

Hope y'all have a wonderful day and remember:  there is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

G

Generation Y

While going through some news this morning, using various avenues of clicking, something caught my eye and immediately alarmed me.  Teen girls getting pregnant to score auditions for reality Teen Pregnancy shows.

WHAT THE F!@# ARE THEY THINKING?  And WHERE are their parents in this?!!! 

Has our society REALLY gone THAT far off the deep end?  The answer is: yes. Yes, it has.  I may or may not have mentioned in a previous post (and I'm too lazy to go back and search for it...I'll explain later) that my generation and I believe this can be said for future generations, if the madness does not stop, that we are an "entitled" generation. We believe (I use "we" loosely of course as many of my friends and I do not think like this...) that we are entitled to special treatment. This entitlement is seen more in our children's generation...but it started with us.  These kids are asking teachers why they aren't being PAID (!!!) to go to school since they are "forced" to be there.  Are you serious?  Geez Louise!!  Bad grades are being REWARDED with shopping sprees, new gadgets...the best of everything. 

I will have no part in my son growing up to be an entitled brat. Yeah that's right. I said it. A freaking brat.  His grades will be rewarded as I see fit.  Pull good grades and I won't ground you until the following year...how's that?  Be polite and respectful to your teachers and other students and I won't yank your butt off of every extracurricular activity you are currently in.  See. This is what gets me.  Bullies. I WILL NOT TOLERATE MY SON BULLYING ANOTHER PERSON BE IT STUDENT OR OTHERWISE.

I know what it feels like to be bullied. I'd have liked to kick the teeth down that chicks throat for telling me my voice grated on her last nerves (and I don't have an abnormal or irritating voice) and to shut up so she didn't have to listen to me in the 5th grade. But I didn't. My self esteem suffered.  I know better NOW. If you don't like my voice, leave. Simple solution to a ridiculous problem.  Kids think they are so cool with their latest model shoes and expensive clothes.  LOL  The joke is on them. They're only as cool as their parents allow them to be.  I'm not saying that I'm gonna dress my son in rags and look like PigPen when he goes to school...but let me find out that he is being a bully at school and picking on some other less fortunate child for their lack of finer threads.  Believe you me.  He will regret it to the inth degree.  I will personally pack up every shred of finer thread he has and give it to that other child. And then I will take him to the Salvation Army or some other second hand store and let him know what it feels like to be teased.  Tell me son, how "cool" are you now?  Teasing a child because they do not have the best of everything is unacceptable to me.  You should not tease the less fortunate.  God has a funny way of switching roles on people...

Eh. Might not go THAT far (taking away all his clothes), but I am choosing to raise my son to know that he has choices in life and that he will have to live with the consequences of his actions. Go to school and get an education so that you can be a productive, contributing member of society with a shot at having what you want in life, or drop out and make life that much harder because you don't have an education.  (***NOT graduating high school is NOT an option in my house.***)  Becoming pregnant just so you can score an AUDITION isn't either. I'm just saying.  I'm a firm believer that parents need to get a grip on bringing up their children and make some more effort to instill good morals and values.  Be a PARENT to your child, not their FRIEND.  Sure. You can teach them that having the finer things in life is good. But teach them that they must work hard to obtain those things.  Nothing worth having ever comes free.