Snow Cream

It is the EASIEST thing ever to make. Yummy. We used to make it in elementary school. And I just found the recipe again.

Ingredients

8 cups of snow (or shaved ice if you live where there is no snow. But I think this winter everyone has had a bit of snow!)

1 Can of Condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. (or however much you like. I'd start with the teaspoon and then taste. You can use peppermint extract too. Yum)

Directions

Place the ice in a bowl, combine the milk and vanilla and mix! And then ENJOY IT! (You could use peppermint extract too if you'd like a different flavor. I suppose you could try chocolate syrup although I never have.)

Of course, I also had someone tell me I shouldn't eat it because of the pollution in the snow but I figure I eat veggies that are grown in goodness knows what and then I eat meat from the store where they inject who knows what. (we are trying to eat local but still you never know)

But it is yummy and cheap. And something hopefully your kids remember making and eating just I like I remember!

Boy am I a clutz!

Tuesday started like any other day. I worked 9 to 5. So I got up and got ready, then got the kids ready for school. Went to work and managed to only work an hour before I fell off the ladder. OK, I missed the step. It wasn't a free fall from the top. I landed on my feet and but my right knee popped twice and down I went.

Clutzy me managed to strain my knee. Of course, the ER told me I strained my ankle. And when I went to the workman Comp doctor I told him I just didn't think it could be my ankle. On Tuesday, he said he would check to make sure I didn't tear my ACL. My ankle is HUGE. It is nice and swollen which is why he can't feel if my ACL is torn.

So I get to watch everyone around me do everything for me. And while that sounds nice and theory, I don't like it. I hate being helpless. I hate not being able to go up and down stairs without assistance. AND

I'M BORED! BORED I tell you! You can only watch so many lifetime movies and facebook so much. And Angry Bird it so much before you are just plain bored.

AND while I'm doing nothing I'm gaining weight. I had these grand plans of doing Couch to 5k and I can't. I feel like I ran a 5k just going up and down the steps.

Sigh....but on a better note at least I just hurt my knee. I mean it could be worse.

I have grand plans of reading Crazy Love. Can't wait to get started! I bought it to read with a book club and never got to it. Everyone has loved this book so I can't wait to get started on it!

Five Question Friday---Happy Freezing Friday!

Wow! I seem so hit or miss with this blogging stuff! But I figured while I'm out of work for a few weeks (sprained my knee), I may as well give this blogging stuff a try.

Today it is FREEZING and we are having white outs. One would think maybe my kiddos wouldn't have had school but they did. I can't decide if I'm sad or happy. Sad because now I have to hobble around and sad because it was terrible this morning and I had to worry about them getting to school. Happy because they won't be here to fight!

Ok enough blabber....on to Five Questions! Join MamaM every Friday for Five Question Friday

1. Where did you meet your spouse and did you instantly know it was love?

My husband and I went to the same high school and elementary school but didn't really pay attention to each other. I was 18 and he was 17 I think. He was pumping gas and I was out in my parents new car (yes I was THAT kid). And goodness knows I wouldn't have known how to pump my own gas. Silly me, reached into the back seat to grab my cash and my tired bumped the curb. He had a good chuckle about it and then decided to ask my brother--my older brother about me. He started coming to see me at work and asked me out on our first date while I was working the drive thru window!

And no, I thought it would just be the end of my senior year thing and then I would be off to college. So no I didn't know it was instant love. But he grew on me.

2. What is your favorite room in your house?

I'd say my bedroom but we haven't gotten rid of the horrible paneling. So I'm going to say my living room. I love my tv, I love the way the light comes through the big picture window and I LOVE my fireplace. And ssshhhh....I love that it is a gas fireplaace not a real one. I've done a real one and don't want that mess!

3. Can you wiggle your ears?

That's a big NO and I don't even have a tongue to nose ability to fall back on....sniffle!

4. What is your evening ritual?

Depends on the day of the week.

If I have off. It is get the kids off the bus, homework, make dinner, clean up dinner, get the kids bathed, get their clothes ready for the next day and get their lunches packed so we don't have to fight in the morning.

If i work til 5, I pick them up at my mom's and fit all the above in minus the extra 2 hours.

If I work til 9, well thank goodness God blessed me with wonderful parents, they help the kids with the homework and generally feed them dinner on those two days a week. My husband picks them up at 6:30 and then starts the evening ritual.

5. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?

I'll be honest, 6 or 7. I love sleep. I love to get lots of sleep. It makes me happy. I don't mean sleep my life away sleep, I just love getting a good nights sleep.

AND now I must hobble out to the kitchen and bring in coffee. All I can say is thank goodness for traveling mugs with lids because otherwise I'd have one cup in the morning when my husband could help and then I'd be coffee-less! YIKES!

Couch to 5K!

Ok so today I am going to start Couch to 5 K. It is a 9 week program. I will do some before and after pics and let you know how I did. Here is the thing, I am 75 pounds overweight. I will be happy with 60 pounds. The extra 15 is a bonus because it has me at the bottom of the weight chart that the docs use. Which I tend not to go by that chart.

I'm certain that I am going to look like this.


But I really want to be able to do a 5K for diabetes and the American Heart Assoc. I want to be able to RUN a 5k not walk. Not that there is anything against walking a 5k. Because I would walk it right now. But my GOAL is to RUN. I want to improve my lung capacity. I don't want to hack and cough and sound like the out of shape person I am when running.

In all honesty to my out of shape body and mind, this plan sounds daunting and hard. Am I up for the task, HECK NO! But I have to be. I see my stomach and it still looks pregnant and my baby is going to be 8 on FRIDAY!

So wish me luck. I'm sure I will fail quite a few times and my 9 week program will turn into who knows how many weeks. But I seriously am going to do a 5K this summer. Not because I enjoy running. Because I most certainly do not. I hate everything about it. But I hate my fat stomach and my chubby cheeks more. Now don't think I don't love me. I LOVE my mind, my attitude, but I don't like my outer shell right now. And fortunately that can be changed.

No More Santa?

Oh my! This year is the first year that both "Cletus' and the Princess believe there is no Santa. It is sad but at the same time it makes Christmas so much easier. AND it helps keep their focus on what Christmas is about. We've always tried to Jesus the very center of Christmas but when you are little it is so easy to think of Santa first.

Plus it makes it easier as they get older and their toys get more expensive. This year Cletus realizes that if he does indeed get that Xbox he is hinting at that there may not be 20 other gifts under the tree. And the Princess wants the hot pink Dsi that I can't find. I found the anniversary addition and the lime green one but no hot pink. So it will make it easier to explain why I can't get it and maybe get the one that comes with a game.

The Princess asked me if it meant there was no more tooth fairy too. I told her to believe whatever she liked. But that I bet somebody would bring her 1.00 for her tooth! I guess it is a concern when you have a lose tooth!

I don't remember when I stopped believing in Santa. I think I was about the same age as the Princess. I had a ton of older cousins who spilled the beans. Poor Princess has a 4th grade brother who I think spilled the beans to her. There always has to be a party pooper. Once I realized what happened, I had to make sure they know they couldn't tell any other kids. I don't want to have the kids who ruin the fun for the parents!

Do your kids believe or not believe? Were you sad or just fine with it?

Our Fall in pictures!

Here is our fall in pics. These are all the important people in my life...well minus my friends cause I don't have their permission to post their pics here!

These are the crazy bums after running around the corn maze for hours!
They look a little crazy but hey that is us on a normal day!

Taking a break from the chaos. Me and Mr. Cutie!!

The crazy Princess and Cletus (that's the boy...that's what his ball team calls him!) My husband was peeking at my nephew and unfortunately that is when the pic was taken!

The princess looking scared cause she is in jail! She's with her friend "H"

The Princess with "H" and "A"



Here is Cletus riding his tractor. He was getting ready to race with his friends!

And here is Uncle "Cutie" with our nephew! If you've read previous posts then you know the amazing story behind this little pumpkin head!

All my pumpkins with their silly looking faces on!

And Uncle "Cutie" again! We just love this boy to pieces!

And this is my family looking like bums on a normal day around here! We often look a little crazy with old bummy clothes and hair undone. But this is the REAL us. But yes the princess has had her hair cut since this... And the boy doesn't like his pic taken as often. I'm thinking that is the 10 year old in him??

Weight Watchers Here I come!

OK--so I bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers. My mom has lost 20 pounds in a month and a half and I figured if she could do it, I would do WW with her. Oh and honestly can I share that I'm a tad bit jealous at how well she is doing. I mean yes I want her to lose her weight. I'm just jealous it isn't me. And I don't mean I'm jealous as in I don't want her to lose the weight cause I'm so freakin happy for her! Like I said, I'm just jealous it isn't me!

Today I have kept up with my points though and still have 9.5 left and it is 6:30 pm so I may just make it...yay! It is so frightening when you look at food you eat regularly and realize how many points are in them. It just shows you how bad the food is!

One of these days, I will be brave enough to post a full body pic of myself but for now, I'm just not ready. I mean honestly it isn't like people don't see me daily. But people aren't generally cruel to your face. There are a few out there but online when weak people don't have to look into someone's eyes and say it, they can be quite mean and hurtful. And heck I will even tell you how much I weigh when I share that picture :-)

So wish me luck and I will keep you posted on my weekly status with Weight Watchers