Manic Monday

Yesterday I spent the day prepping for the week as far as meals go... and in between that

I made the MASTER SCHEDULE for our little family.

I took 3 huge pieces of paper, a tea tin, some markers and 5 peoples schedules and made a

humungous calendar.

Each of us has our own color and each and every day we had a sport, work, class, Asb event, or game we plugged it in.

I kinda wish I had never done it. It looks pretty daunting... to see the goings on for the next 3 months on 3 giant pieces of paper. On some days I have to figure out how to be at three places at once. In the next 3 months, we have exactly 2 days where none of us has to be somewhere else. Bill took one look at that thing and just stared at it. Yeah, big waste of time. It just served to overwhelm us. I love being organized, but to see all you have to do in one big reminder piece of paper, is just too much. I know everyone else's lives are just as hectic, might I suggest not putting it all down where you can see it everyday. It looks much to much like we are trying to invent time travel or something.

Baseball starts tonight! I just love our team! Such a great group of nice people!

On Saturday night, we went to the drive in. We saw 10,000 BC and Fools Gold.

Don't know what to say about 10,000 BC. It was different.

My boys loved it.

We couldn't get over how the cavemen had such awesome white teeth, and their bodies were just filthy! I love that they caught that little overlook by the movie makers.

The leading lady is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. She reminds me of Liz Taylor in National Velvet. They really made her eyes shine.

Okay, time for ear drops, coffee, watering my garden (I have lettuce and cilantro!)

and some long neglected Pampered Chef work.

Have a wonderful day!

Ciao!

Baseball Opening Day

Today was Opening Day for our little baseball league. It was a lot of fun.

Our team had a booth as a fundraiser for our end of year team party and other necessities for the team.

My Mama came by this morning... early and dropped off a HUGE load of

homemade peanut butter cookies and biscotti.

I made Pizzeles and Gourmet Popcorn with Angela

and Angela made a load of no bake oatmeal chocolate cookies. When she first said they were "boiled cookies" I almost gagged. There were yummy, and we switched the name to "no bake". ha ha!

The popcorn was not much of a hit, but we love it, so we will take it to the drive in tonight.

We also sold donuts, and those things are a gold mine.

Nothin' but profit.

It was fun because so many of us got along and helped out.

We have a lot of really nice people on our team, and we had lots of help.

Alex won a bat bag from a drawing! It was so cool! Isac won one too!

William took a Umpire class and Johnny just ran around looking cute. (okay, I'm his Mama, I thought he was cute... so there!)

Alex collected cans and bottles from the park and collected $17 for the day!

My little business man in the making!

I am pooped.

The ear is better. Finally got some prescription drops for them.

I can't hear out of it yet, but I hope to be able to soon.

Today, a lovely little girl, maybe about 6 came to our booth to buy a donut. Her Mama was signing to her asking her if she wanted a donut. The little girl had cute little purple hearing aids on, and I told her I loved purple too, and she noticed me pulling on my ear. She asked her Mom if I was deaf too, and I said to the little girl while her Mama signed to her "No, I am getting over a bad ear infection and my ear hurts, and I can't hear out of it unless I pull on it." She asked her Mama if she could please tell me where to get some cool purple hearing aids for me.

I laughed and she started pulling on her ears. I wanted to cry. I really wanted that pulling to work for her ears. Here I am complaining about my stupid ear infection,

and that baby can't hear at all, ever.

Kinda put things into perspective for me.

She was a sweetie. I hope she can hear someday.

Medical breakthroughs happen all the time now. And if she can't, I hope she continues to wish well on others, even though her circumstances pose challenges. If she keeps that attitude up, there is nothing she can't do!

How adorable was she to want me to have some purple coolness too!

Yeah, this little town a good place to live. Good people, good weather, good Mama and Daddies.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Ciao! Ciao!

Friday Frenzy... For Real!

The ear is feeling better every day. No more pain meds... at all.

Giving my kidneys a much needed break.

Angela came over this morning and she made loads of Pizzelles and I made this Sweet and Salty Popcorn to sell tomorrow for our Yankee baseball team.

Lots of parents are donating lots of necessities and it is just great. It should be fun tomorrow.

I feel like I haven't actually "been" this week. Like... I was here, but not here. I was taking so much medication and sleeping off the pain during the days that I feel like I lost my entire week. Yesterday was the first day I felt coherent. I was forgetting entire conversations I had had, and answering the phone and not really remembering who it was or that I answered it.

I am a big girl, but medication really affects me. I don't know if it is from never smoking, doing any type of drugs or anything like that, my system just overreacts to even Tylenol. I was was mixing my meds... Antibiotics and pain meds just messed me up!

My house has fallen out of it's "almost always clean" mode, laundry has piled up, dinners weren't made and the boys made their own lunches this week. They were real troopers though. Never once complained, just trudged through and always asked how I was feeling. Such sweet boys to their Mama.

I did overhear Alex, my middle baby, say... "Oh good, Mom's feeling better, maybe we'll have some decent meals now!" Ah priorities!

They complain loudly when I take them anywhere near a drive through. Very rarely we go get fast food as a last resort, but they really don't like it. I have apparently "ruined" my kids for their future wives, as many of my friends tell me. They like their home cooked meals.

I don't cook gourmet, but I like to cook good, wholesome, easy to prepare meals that don't have a lot of processed food in them.

No canned soups, veggies, or canned anything really in my pantry,I use only real cheese, real or frozen veggies, & lots of leafy greens.

I'm thinking of changing my other blog to

"How to cook... every day... and not kill yourself in the process"

Because let's face it... Having to cook every day gets tiring and with work, sports, life... eating out just seems like the best choice... but I am here to tell you it isn't.

Every week, I set aside 2-3 hours to prep everything I will need for the week.

It is a system that works wonders in the kitchen, and I would like to know how many of you would visit a blog that will teach you how to set up a successful kitchen and prep schedule and get great meals on your table with time and taste tested recipes.

Beware though... My kids love ALL vegetables and eat Sushi and lots of out of the ordinary foods, and I can teach you how to get your kids to eat them too if you wish.

Picky eaters are not born that way... they are made.

So let me know if you would read a blog that has TONS OF IDEAS to get lots of different types of meals on the table that EVERYONE will love.

I'm back... with a vengeance.

I am sick of being bogged down with ear pain!!!

I am Mama, hear me yell!

Ciao!

EAR... THE END IS NEAR...

I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

My ear has completely swollen shut, I can't hear out of it, BUT the pain has subsided and I have switched from Vicodin to regular Tylenol for the pain. I'd say that is major improvement.

My Darling Director and friend Gayle graciously drove my kidlets to school for me this morning because I was so dizzy from medication.

She went way out of her way to do it... and didn't even hesitate when I asked her for help.

Thank you Gayle Shoemaker, for being there yet again for an ailing Mama.

I have had many ladies wish me well and sympathize for me, and to them I say thank you too!

Cheri, Letti, Angela, Jamie, Kathy C, My Mama and Gayle, Thank you.

I have learned a lot during this little ordeal.

I learned that I have limits.

I learned I can say no, and the world will not stop turning.

I learned I can tolerate a hell of a lot of pain (what woman can't?)

I learned I can lean on others and it's okay.

I learned why Vicodin is so addictive... That stuff makes EVERYTHING better! Yikes! No wonder it isn't given out freely! I used it sparingly because I heard about it's ways.

I learned I can gross even my boys out! That was great! Turn about is fair play!

I learned that Tylenol with codeine makes you very sleepy.

I learned why the phrase "Never put anything in your ear except your elbow" is such sage advice.

I am on the road to recovery. I can't hear anything out of my left ear, but I hope to be able to soon. Tomorrow is baking day with Angela and I can't wait. I will hopefully feel like I am in the land of the living again!!

Yeah!!!!

Have a wonderful rest of the day.

Ciao bella!

Before and After of my kitchen

My kitchen has been done for 3 years now... but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't breathe in a sigh and say... Thank you Bill! My husband did this all... by... himself. It took 9 months and a lot of nagging from me. He didn't deserve it, but I was cooking outside for those 9 months.

Before... really small... 1 drawer for utensils. The door is now the small window and the big window is still there, over the sink.

Same view... obviously after... It wasn't decorated yet.

Living room area... before

Same view... after... notice the wall is gone.

That window is where the sink is now.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY IV

SOME RANDOM PICTURES I FOUND. WHILE MY EAR HEALS, I THINK I WILL SHARE LOTS OF PICTURES. HOPE YOU DON'T MIND!

Sabrina, my cloned niece, Johnny, Alex and David, my nephew. Sabrina and David are twins.Oh How I love them so!

Last years Science Fair Project. Blood Pressure... that one was FUN! William, getting his black belt last year... He is very close to receiving his 2nd degree soon. It was a very proud moment. Master Kit Mattson ties the black belt on. He is a wonderful man, and role model, and he loves my men.

Italian Joke

Kathy C sent me this funny... thought I would share it.

A wealthy man was having an affair with an Italian woman for several years.

One night, during one of their rendezvous, she confided in him that she was pregnant.

Not wanting to ruin his reputation or his marriage, he offered to pay her a large sum of money if she would go to Italy to secretly have the child.

If she stayed in Italy to raise the child, he would also

provide child support until the child turned 18.

She agreed, but asked how he would know when the baby was born.

To keep it discrete, he told her to simply mail him a post card, and write "Spaghetti" on the back. He would then arrange for child support payments to begin.

One day, about 9 months later, he came home to his confused wife.

Honey, she said, "You received a very strange post card today."

"Oh, just give it to me and I'll explain it," he said.

The wife obeyed and watched as her husband read the card, turned white and fainted.

On the card was written:

"Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Two with meatballs, one without."

Ear infection... The sequel

I have a scratch in my outer ear canal that has become infected.

It. hurts. SO. Badly!

Ciao for now!

Sick day...

I have an ear infection! What adults get ear infections!

I was supposed to go to the movies this morning... get a pedicure at 2 p.m.,

and grocery shop for the week today... and I can't move my head!

My son brought me my computer in bed so I could look up Adult Ear Infections on Google.

I just licked my lips, and I feel the onset of a fever blister forming on my already huge lips.

Okay... I saw "The Secret", I know how to apply the power of positive thinking.

"I do not have an ear infection,

my lip is not "Angelina Jolie"

I do not have an ear infection...

My lip does not look like a hot air balloon

I do not have an ear infection...

My lip does not have it's own zip code...

Okay... we'll see if that works.

Okay... I'm going to go put a warm compress on my Non ear infection, and some medicine on my totally normal lip.

I'm just glad the kids don't have this.

Thank God for small favors...

Have a great day...

Ciao!

Sunday...Sunday...Sunday!

It's windy, my skin is drier than the Sahara and my pool is full of gunk!

There, complaining over. Just thought I'd vent a tiny bit.

On the bright side... I got my hair colored yesterday by my most favorite woman on the planet... My Mama, and the boys had their "beach bum" bleach done to their hair. I love it when their hair is bleached. It just looks so cool. I forgot to bring my camera for the "bonnet" my Mama put on their heads to pull out the strands of hair to be bleached. No, not their whole head was done, just some strategically placed ones. The bonnet is put on their head so it is less invasive to their scalp, meaning the bleach never touches their skin, just the hair that is pulled out.

My gray hair seems to be growing at a record pace these days. My "bangs" have already grown out well past my eyes and I needed a professional's touch up.

I received an invitation to one of my Zia's in Pennsylvania's 50th wedding Anniversary and we are going to attend! Penn. is one of the few states my kids have never been too, and they were thrilled to have a "real" vacation again. Yeah, my spoiled rotten kids don't consider any vacation a vacation unless they travel by plane. I used to be the same exact way. Still kinda am.

Johnny had requested Jet Blue, because they have TV's in front of each seat in the headrest ahead of you, or British Airways, because they have the same thing. The boy knows what he wants. I played the "guilt" card and told him his behavior must be exemplary for the remainder of the year to earn his seat on said plane. I saw him make a mental note.

William and Alex on the other hand, were worried the trip would coincide with their respective class trips this year... Alex to Hume Lake and William to Catalina and Long beach on some boat, not to mention Alex's baseball games and Williams basketball games at his school. I stared at them in disbelief... and wondered aloud... "When did you guys get LIVES?" Where did the times that all I had to say was "We're going..." and they would scream with delight about the prospect of traveling ANYWHERE... go? Sheesh! I'm gettin old.

I feel really young though. I have been on this sort of detox thing, no dairy, minimal bread, loads of veggies and fruit, and lots of fish for about 3 weeks. I feel great. I had one little "go with the flow day" and had a small popcorn and a huge Icee at the movies. Funny thing is... I rarely get popcorn when I go to the movies. It just sounded good, and it was. I left almost 1/2 in the bag. I'm trying to get healthy and not get all up in my own case about it. Just kinda eating raw, drinking loads of water, a little wine from time to time, very little, and cooking fish 3-4 times a week.

Johnny and I love Michael Buble, and we have been dancing all over the house together for little 10 minute spurts of exercise throughout our days.

You know... I had lunch with a long time friend from high school a few weeks ago, and she looks EXACTLY like she did in high school, and as she walked away to get our food, I just made a mental note that I want people to think that about me too. She is a dietician and gorgeous and healthy, and I deserve to be like that too. Thanks Andrea... you never once said a word, but spoke volumes with your actions and your obvious love and sensitivity! What a great role model you are, to your lovely daughter and to ME too!

Okay, I'm gonna go get some whole wheat scones started for breakfast in the morning. Gonna add some flax seed meal to them for 11 extra grams of fiber, and make 4 lunches for in the morning. School tomorrow!

Have a great night!

I'm going to tape Oprah's Big Give and see what it's all about.

Ciao bellas!

Buona Notte!