I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Hope I Can

My first meal attempt.

This isn't really my first big meal. I have tried before.

In the past, I have totally gone overboard, became overwhelmed and failed. But even I have had some successes, but failed to continue to try. I have always wanted to love cooking. I just don't feel that I know enough about cooking or food to enjoy it, so it always feels like it takes so much effort. I would love to take a cooking class. Maybe that's something that I will try out this year.

I believe that the more you do something, the more comfortable you get. That is what I am attempting to do. Make myself comfortable in the kitchen. I'll be honest. Most nights I plan, make and serve dinner all within a half hour. I know that a good meal takes more planning than that. I have to set aside the time to make more of an effort.

Also, the fact that I have five kids to please is discouraging. Also my husband :) I don't know if I've ever made a meal that all of them "loved", besides the boring basics like Mac and Cheese with hot dogs. I've gotten them all to eat a meal, but the differences in taste buds are working against me.

I refuse to be a short order cook. 

My least picky eater is Emmitt. Most anything I put infront of him, he eats. LOL, past blog. The only thing he won't eat is buttered noodles, which all the other kids love. And again, boring! Castiel is super picky. I never know if he will eat something or throw it all over my floor. He prefers a liquid diet, juice and milk. Cameron has issues with too much on his plate. I think he gets overwhelmed. Casseroles look scary to him. Audrey hates any red sauce and tuna and will only eat take-out pizza. Zoe will eat just about everything, if she can smother it in hot sauce.

Even when I've made a meal that I'm proud of. K.C.'s plate is empty in two minutes. He eats so fast, I can't believe that he's even tasted it. Which in a way, is as insulting as refusing to eat it. In my head, all I am thinking is "I just spent two hours on that".

So along with the new meals. I think I have to come up with better dinner etiquette for my family to live by. It's not like they are a bunch of monsters at the dinner table, but I can feel that things are starting to get out of control. And with five children, keeping things in control is everything. So I think there might be some new changes to our dinner routine besides my cooking.

So, I have bacon, ground beef and chicken breasts in my freezer and I'm going grocery shopping on Saturday. If you have any suggestions of what I can do with them, send them my way. Please don't send me anything overwhelming to start with. Think basic and delicious. Maybe something that your family loves. I will be looking for something too. First meal is planned for Sunday night.

Wish me luck, I'll need it :)

I would like to think I'm not the only mom with these issues. So I promise to share the recipes and let you know if how many of them ate it.

Cancer's Horoscope for 2011

Just when you thought that life couldn't possibly throw any more twists or turns along life's once tedious path, along comes the unpredictable but exhilarating energy of 2011 (operative word being 'exhilarating'). Partnerships continue to confront you with your deepest needs and fears but your career shows incredible promise and renewal. You receive the lucky touch of Jupiter from January to June. Expect major expansion and recognition on all fronts.

Promotions, opportunities to expand your social world and work-related travel are all potential gifts when the wheel of fortune spins in your favor for the first half of the year. The second half of 2011 brings a spectacular slew of new friends, alliances and networking opportunities when Jupiter moves into your house of dreams, goals and community. Venus showers you with extra doses of love and cash for the month of July, just in time for your birthday. And Mars brings the action, energy and work in August and early September.

Get ready to jet set this spring and/or summer when the planet of glamour enters your long-distance travel sector this April. Your homebody instincts give way to the lure of travel and adventure in 2011. Fall and winter bring the return of dreamy Neptune to your sector of transformation for one last jaunt between August and 2012.

I have always loved reading my horoscope and reading into what it means for me.

My 2011 interpretation

Partnership: K.C. and I were kinda thrown on our heads last year more than once. It was the longest year of our lives together. It's amazing how life has a way of working itself out and putting you on the right track again. Even though you fight it all the way, when you finally sit back and except the changes, you realize everything is going to be okay. The best thing that happened to us last year was the loss of a job. I expect all these changes to still be scary, but we're in it together.

Career: My job as mommy will be rewarding, as it always is. I take great pride in being mommy. But also I hope this means my goal list. I expect that also to be rewarding and I hope for self renewal. The recognition would be from all you wonderful people that support me through my journey. And I thank you already for the kind words of support and encouragement. You don't know how hard it was to hit the "share with Facebook" button for the first time.

I believe that I will build new friendships and renew old friendships from sharing in my journey and look forward to my "slew of new friends". And when Jupiter moves into my "house of dreams", I'm hoping that means, I will be moving into my dream house. I know, a stretch right, but that's how I choose to read that part :) I could always use more love and cash, but I guess I'll have to wait until July for that. And I love Autumn. I always feel energized that time of year. I'll need that energy for my last push to finish out the year successfully.

Good news! Mike And Tracy, looks like you'll have some visitors in Spring or Summer. Katie, you should start looking at what it'll cost for our families to travel by RV, nothing sounds more adventurous to me and hilarious at the same time. It's true, I am a homebody and adventure is exactly what I'm looking for this year. I'm looking forward for transformation by the end of the year and welcome it.

So the year sounds like it's going to be a great one!

Check out your 2011 Overview at http://shine.yahoo.com/astrology 

Productive Day turned ER Visit

So. I booted up my computer, getting ready to do my first major back up of 2010 photos. I was planning on having a productive day, going through a years worth of photos while the boys played . . . I start every day planning on being productive, but then reality happens.

Do you see anything missing from this picture?

What's missing is five hours of my day!

The culprit . . . Emmitt, it always seems to be Emmitt. He's just one of those kids that you look at and you can see their brain working, and I'm not talking about baby genius stuff, I talking about any kind of trouble.

So, he swallowed the red disk off the bottom of the stoplight sign, I think. I didn't actually see him do it. But the gagging, then the throw up and the toy in his hand, I'm guessing he did.

So my pediatrician wanted me to take them to the ER after talking to him. And I agree, it's better to be safe than sorry. So after tracking down a neighbor to watch the other two, off to the ER.

On the way to the hospital, I realized I have never been anywhere with just Emmitt. Every errand, outing and even doctors appointment, it had always been at least "the twins". It's amazing how a child loves to be the center of attention. I've never seen him quite like this before. He made sure that everyone at least looked at him, but he got most to smile, some to wave and even a few that stopped to "talk" with him. It's a funny thing watching a baby "work the room". This may have been his first moment of pure attention he's been able to enjoy. Something that is missing in a twins life.

And it would have been fun, if it weren't for the part were I had to restrain him on a hard table for x-rays or wait 20 minutes for someone to tell us that they couldn't see anything on the x-ray, but considering that what he swallowed wasn't metal, it can't be seen or waiting another 80 minutes for a "specialist" to tell me that it should pass in 72 hours and he may have a stomach ache.

I questioned the guy finally discharging us why the x-ray was done if they knew nothing would be seen. "Kids that swallow things that big could have swallowed more, a kid came in once because the parents saw him eat a screw, upon x-ray they saw the screw and an earring and a quarter and a charm bracelet". So, I guess if nothing else, I can feel good about the fact that my son hasn't swallowed anything metal . . . but who knows what else is in there  :)

Now, do I feel like getting something done . . . I'm going to try.

Here's to the Beginning of a Wonderful Year

So . . . welcome to my blog. I see you've found me :) I will enjoy making my entries and pretend that someone might care. I believe I'll have followers like my mom and mother-in-law, maybe some sisters. I figure, most of the stuff I put on Facebook is about the kids. And not everyone on Facebook cares what my adorable children are doing on a daily basis. So I've decided to put them here, with all the adventures of 2011. I plan on making this a productive, adventurous year . . . and I will catalog it all here. It may look boring at this point, no fun pictures. I am still figuring that all out. There will be plenty of pictures in the future, I promise.


So, this is the last day of the kids two-week break from school. It's been a long crazy one this year. We celebrated Christmas about four times, welcomed a new nephew into the world (who I've yet to see with my own eyes  :(  ), visited my sister-in-law's new house (totally jealous), said good-bye to my brother and sister-in-law that decided to put down roots in Virginia for a while (who we hope to visit soon) and brought in the New Year with three of our five children.


Now I'm home with the kids, looking at all the new piles of gifts that I have to figure out where to store, stash and use. Our house is for sale, so it can't stay like this for long. I've already taken down the Christmas tree and all the Santa's, reindeers and elves. I love them while they are up, but also relieved when they are all put away. I left the random snowflake and snowman, after all, snow will still be around for months. Except an unexpected thunderstorm that rolled through, and melted all our snow.


So today I've decided it's a major clean up day. The girls are working on their room, which needs a major overhaul. The usual three loads of daily laundry are waiting. I've already been in the garage in an attempt to make room for my van . . . almost. I also have to give the twins a bath which is always "fun". My eBay project has made our family room look like a shipping warehouse, but I figure I'm okay with that for now, because hopefully soon, it will all be gone and I'll have more money in my pockets. I figure if I get it all done, or I should say, most of it done today . . . I can start out fresh and new tomorrow, even though the laundry will be there again, it's always there. Not to mention, I have to be done by 3:15, because of the Packer/Bear Game which is a must see! Hopefully they'll do better then the Badgers :(


So, if you are interest, follow me. I might say something interesting from time to time. Or you can just laugh at my crazy life with five children. At least I know that the Grandmas will enjoy, once I have pictures of their grandchildren :)


Got to go, lots to do :)