Monday Monday....

With both baseball and soccer going on now, we are busy, busy, busy! So I am trying to make easy meals that can be eaten early and quickly. Not sure how this will play out but we will do our best.

Monday: crock pot Beef Strogonof, spinach

Tuesday: Chicken roasted in crock pot, mashed potatoes

Wednesday: Pizza burgers, fries

Thursday: pizza

Friday: going to Baltimore for the weekend

Saturday: Still in Baltimore

Sunday: Steak, potato, spinach salad

The Winner

This is a poem Caitey wrote. I think she did a great job. It just goes to show you she has a pretty good head on her shoulders. I am really proud of her.

The Winner

My heart stops,

I slowly walk up to the block.

My stomach is a pretzel.

The Coach's eye telling me

to try my best.

I climb up on the block.

The sound of the buzzer

rings in my ears.

And I fly.

Into the water

stroke by stroke.

Every ounce of power

into my legs.

I gasp for air,

The water nearly suffocates me,

My legs are like noodles.

The wall is approaching

as fast as a speeding bullet.

I kick, flip, hold my breath,

past the flags.

Only seven more laps to go.

But that doesn't stop me.

The water seems to be warmer,

My legs become weaker and weaker

after every passing second.

I feel like a dead fish.

Someone shouts my name.

Then another.

They're cheering for me.

I am a shark paddling towards my prey.

The clock stops

as my arm pounds the wall.

It's all over.

Sixth place.

Last but not least.

I am a winner in my own small way.

Why oh why is the world out to get me??

You know, I really don't ask for much. I mean yea, I like my Coach bags and Mac makeup and, well stuff. But I for the most part have restraint. I don't just go all crazy and buy a bunch of shit on credit cards and then cry about how broke I am. No, I budget for the shit I buy and then I cry about how broke I am. But anyway, you all know by now that I want to replace my piece of shit stove right? Well I finally made up my mind that I am going to just do it. I am going to embrace Home Depots offer to finance my purchase interest free for one year and I am going to do it. I am going to buy the damn stove. And then I found out they are out of stock. Stuck probably in China having all the parts that heat up, sprayed with lead paint so that when I finally do get the damn thing and actually turn it on, the lead paint will heat up and permeate whatever I am cooking and slowly poison us. But I digress...I still want the damn thing. Lead paint or not. So I came to peace with the fact that I can not get the stove for a few weeks a(month) and am OK with that. Sort of. OK so fast forward to yesterday. Yesterday was my first day back to school after a glorious week off on spring break. I mean glorious people. I did nothing. I just enjoyed having off for a week. So I went back to school and all is well. Until last night. Last night Mike came home and asked me if I had an accident with the new car. Um, I don't think so? I mean, I would remember that right? Well, apparently my car had an accident without my knowledge. Yea, apparently some little piece of shit-for-brains asshole that goes to my school hit my car in the parking lot. I never even noticed it. I am so pissed. So Mike calls the insurance company trying to figure how it will be covered. If it is covered under collision we will have a deductible of 500 freaking dollars. If it is covered under comprehensive the deductible is $100.00. I don't think we should have to pay anything. I mean, we have had this frigging insurance for like, I don't know, 16 years and never had to file a claim. Now some little piece of shit hits me and I have to pay? WTF? SO he calls the insurance company and they don't know. He gets transferred from one person to the next, none of them able to answer his question. If we have to pay a $500.00 deductible, we will just pay the danged thing ourselves and not file a claim. But no one seems to know. Why are so many people so inept? Finally someone told him that he needs to call back today when a claims rep was in. For the love of God why couldn't they just say that to begin with?

So, after I get Brooks off to school, I will run up to his school and do a quick inventory of the shed where we store PTO supplies. Then I will come home and do homework while I wait for my new washing machine (that I didn't want) to be delivered. Hopefully, they will deliver it early rather than late and I will actually be able to start some laundry because we are overrun with dirty clothes (yea right, it will be delivered last, probably during dinner). I also need to call the insurance company. Oh the joy. Then after school Brooks has soccer and then a skating party that is through PTO so I kinda need to be there.

Anyone that thinks a SAHM's life is glamorous is crazy. Of course no one thinks that but if you think we just sit around all day eating "bon-bons" and watching our "programs". Well, you would be right on most days, just not today.

Watcha wanna eat?

Monday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad
Tuesday: cheeseburgers, oven fries
Wednesday: Chicken roasted in crock pot, mashed potatoes, beans
Thursday: Soup(made from leftober chicken), sandwiches
Friday: Dinner with friends-I am bringing a salad and maybe antipasta), kids will have pizza
Saturday: Steak, baked potatoes, spinach salad
Sunday: I have no idea. Leftovers?

Hemorrhaging money............

So how is it I want a new stove/range and my computer breaks? What's up with that? So I finally relent and buy a new computer and I must admit, I was very good. I only bought what I needed and did not go all crazy and buy a really expensive computer with a zillion bells and whistles that I don't need. Nope, I had restraint. I got a pretty good deal on an HP with bells and whistles, just not gold plated bells and whistles. OK, so I get the computer and figured since I was so restrained in my computer purchase, maybe, just maybe I can still get a new stove/range. So I planned to go look at them today. And what happens? My washing machine took a crap. What the fuck is going on here? I mean, really? I just want a frigging new stove. You know, one that sort of matches the rest of my appliances. OK, so nothing I get will completely match since we are white trash/red neck purchasing our appliances one at a time. They are all different brands. So the stove is a piece of shit white GE. Builders grade. The frig was replaced a few months ago and it is a really nice GE profile stainless side by side. I really like it. We got the floor model for $1,000 less than the newer 2008 model. No problemo, I am all for older floor models. So the dishwasher is a Maytag piece of crap and it is black. The microwave is also black and is a Whirlpool. OK, so three different manufacturers. Three different colors. But the frig and microwave and dishwasher all look good together(unless you are an anal asshole and cant take the fact that they are not all black or all stainless and they are all different manufacturers). But really, that doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the ugly ass piece of crap white stove/range. And I want a new one in a bad way. My life would be perfect with a new stove. I would finally be complete. Yea, right. Anyway, the white piece of shit does look bad so I want a new stove. I even know exactly what I want. It is an LG stainless. It has 5 burners and is really pretty. But I had to buy a stupid washing machine instead. Yup, that's right. I had to get that damn washer instead. So we went shopping today and got an LG front loader. Honestly, I wanted the cheapest top loader we could get. I do not care about washing machines. But my husband was jonesing for a front loader so I let him have his way. And I was all ready to sign my youngest child away to get the stove/range and wouldn't you know it, they are back -ordered. Ugh! Anyway, now I at least know exactly which one I want, I just need to wait about a month for the new one. And you know, you all should thank us because we are stimulating baby. Yup. we are stimulating the economy. And we haven't event received our big fat check yet from the government! Woo hoo!.

Dang blasted computer!

So I bought my Dell Laptop in December of 2006. It was great for the first year with the exception of the fact that the keys popped off sometimes. I just figure that was due to my lovely fat fingers or maybe just the way I type. Or something. In any case, I dealt with it. But then a couple of months ago, my computer died. And I lost all of my pictures(cause I am really good about saving stuff). So we bought a new hard drive and also a new keyboard because by then, a couple of keys were actually broken from popping off so much. Anyway, fixed the computer and all was mostly well. Except for the number 5 key that was broken (I am thinking this is a Dell problem not a me problem), the computer was working fine. Until yesterday. Yea, yesterday my computer once again decided to take a crap. Official diagnosis? Hard drive dead. Again. So rather than buy a new hard drive, I am going to buy a new computer. And it wont be another Dell. Now if I was rich, I would get a Mac. But since I am poor, I will not be getting a Mac. Not sure what I will get but whatever it is, it will have to happen soon because I am using my kids laptop which is an ancient IBM Think Pad and is S - l - o - w .....................I asked friends for suggestions and basically they said...Get a Mac, get a dell, get a Sony, get an HP. lol I don't think anyone suggested a Toshiba so that is probably what I will end up getting. Cause I am crazy like that. So, I guess I will be going computer shopping. Believe it or not, I am not happy about this. Oh well, I gotta have a computer. I mean, it is like, a law or something.

Menu Plan Monday

I am on spring break this week and have high hopes that I will be motivated enough to complete a long and daunting list of jobs around the house that HAVE GOT TO BE DONE. Such as cleaning my kitchen cabinets and under the sinks in all bathrooms. Not to mention all the other de-cluttering and just, deep-cleaning that needs to be done. Curtains to be washed, floors to be scrubbed, carpet to be shampooed, etc. So fingers crossed that I will actually make myself do what needs to be done when all I really want to do is catch up on trashy novels and Tivo programs. :) So I did plan a menu this week. Even though last week it appeared that I was on strike, my family did get actual home cooked meals every night. I just didn't plan them ahead of time. Oh well, they all survived. Planning ahead of time does make life a lot easier though. So here you go. Enjoy!


Monday: Traditional St. Patty's Day Dinner-Corn beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes and soda bread.
Tuesday: Spaghetti and leftover chicken, spinach salad
Wednesday: Chicken burritos, red beans and rice
Thursday: leftovers (clean out the frig)
Friday: Good Friday seafood dinner-steamed shrimp, fried clam strips, seasoned home fries
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Easter Dinner at my cousins. We are bringing deviled eggs

Have a great week everyone!

Stupid voters

My brother-in-law Richard sent this to me. Pretty funny and oh so true.

Get Service...

Check out this video. Such a great message. You won't be disappointed. It is called Get Service.

Andy Rooney, I love you too!

Right on, Andy Rooney!

**Andy Rooney said on '60 Minutes' a few weeks back:

**I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers.

**The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television , and Miss Black America.

**Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.

**Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.

**I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?

**I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.

**When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law of Probability.

**I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.

**I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word 'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines.

**I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, tri nket store, or any other business.

**We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.

**I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.

**It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say 'NO!'

**I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!

**I am sick of 'Political Correctness.' I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be 'African-Americans'? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else.And if you don't like my point of view, tough...

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE , WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

Oh Curtis, how I love you....

Have you any idea how much I love this little nugget from Australia? First of all, how freaking cute is he? Adorable! And hello! He can cook. In fact, he can do more than cook. He can freaking cook! My only question for Curtis Stone is when are you going to come to PA to visit me? If you can deal with a picky family and a messy house, this is the place to be! Palease? Come on Curtis. Come visit me. I neeeeed you!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: I don't know.
Tuesday: Something...
Wednesday: Food?
Thursday: Maybe something edible....Maybe not...
Friday: Who the hell cares?

OK, so maybe I will have to actually cook for my family this week, or maybe I will just let them all starve. The truth of the matter is, I am sick of cooking. I am sick of planning meals. I am sick of grocery shopping. I am sick of all of them whining about how much they HATE whatever it is that I cooked for them. That I lovingly planned, shopped and cooked for them. There is nothing worse than planning a meal you think will be a huge hit, altering the recipe to actually accommodate certain members of your families palate. Then having them turn their noses up at it declaring that they don't like it. Nope, nothing crushes a chef(or me) more than that. Why is that? I am not sure but I think as a stay at home mom, I don't get a pay check or a mention from my boss about a job well done. It is my families smiling faces that tell me I am doing a good job. And when I don't get that reaction, I feel that I really suck at my job and then spiral into a fit of despair(not really). But I usually try to plan well balanced meals for my family that are healthy and good and to day after day hear complaints....Well lets just say I am sick of it. Now granted, I am not a chef and some days my meals flop. I am the first to admit that not everything I attempt is great. I like to try new recipes and sometimes they just miss the mark. But for the most part they are completely edible and almost always contain ingredients that my family will actually eat.Most days the meals I cook are very good. I am a half decent cook. I can shake my skillet with the best of them. So why is my family so ungrateful? I mean, approximately 350 days a year, I slave over a hot stove preparing meals for this bunch and they don't even care. Of course if the meals stopped they would care. Oh yea, they would care a lot. I should just go on strike. Let them come up with their own meals. Let them eat cereal. No wait, they would like that.

National Treasure

We went to see National Treasure this afternoon. I don't know why we didn't see it sooner. It has been playing at the cheap movies for a while now and we kept passing it over. But we decided to go today and it was good. We all enjoyed it. Ages 9-48. Not bad! Especially since movie tickets and unlimited refills of soda and popcorn and a pack of raisinettes only cost us $19.00! Not bad huh? So, if your looking for a movie that the whole family will enjoy, check it out!

Bad blogger

I have been a bad blogger this week. I just don't seem to have the time or energy to post. Too much going on. School, kids, etc. But I wanted to post a pic of Caitey. Aint she purty?

Mmmm Mmmmm Good............

Monday: BBQ chicken on grill (it is 58* out today! Feels like Spring!!)baked potato

Tuesday: crock pot chicken burritos (carried over from last week)

Wednesday: Spaghetti and leftover frozen baked ziti

Thursday: Roast chicken in crock pot

Friday: Grilled cheese and soup

Saturday: Wedding(Kids will have pizza)

Sunday: Beef roast, mashed potatoes, slaw