Waking up!

Ok, woke up this morning and waiting for the doc to open to tell me whether or not I can go to school! UGH! My eye infection came back last night but I already had the drops from a month ago from having it then! Thank GOODNESS! Somebody call the WEEEEEEambulance? HA! Otherwise all is well, the kids are good. I did take Alicia to the Dr about her knees and he said she has Jumper's knee. Well, we went and saw him and I'm not quite satisfied with his answer. Talking to my sis, I think I need to take her to an ORTHO doc now. BUT I had to go through the chain for insurance purposes!! So, I'll update ya on that as we go!

I'm thinkin I'm going to make a Apple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin hopefully this weekend or beginning of next week. I had it in the hospital and it really was delicious!! (crazy, eh?) So, I found a really simple apple glaze and I'm going to try it! Hope the LORD is with me that day, cuz I'm sure gonna need it! LOL

See, I have this phobia of trying new things because I just don't want to ruin a good meal, ya know? But I'll use something small and try it. I really, really need to get over that phobia!

For dessert, I thought I would try this apple pie recipe that I found in a magazine and they are mini pies but simple to make. Soooo, I'll have to let ya know how it goes and if all goes well, I'll post!

Soups...yummy for fall!

Ok, first lesson since it's fall, I'm going to teach ya'll about some basic soups.

Think of soups this way.....

Ain't nothin but a broth with whatever else you choose to put in it!

So, the easiest way to learn...getchya some stock...beef or chicken...I like Kitchen Basics because of the taste but use whatever it is that is cheap and easiest for you to afford! Now remember you need enough to boil and keep simmering for a an hour or so.

Cut up some veggies if you like..whatever you want to put. We made a Minestrone in class and I actually LOVED it! To know me...veggies are for using a dippin sauce or something on your plate and it doesn't look any color of green at ALL. I do love cucumbers & salad though...go figure! But we did put zucchini, carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic..wow it was great!

Anyway, cut up WHATEVER you want. Now for spices..my idea...smell them. What smells good? Put each spice ya like in a little shot glass or something and then a tiny shallow bowl..start mixing some together and see if the smells come out right. If they do...put it in! Just make sure you remember WHAT and I mean WHAT you use, because this could be a new spice blend for you to use on other things!

Start boiling those together. Now, cut up some meat...ALREADY COOKED! Please do not make the same mistake I did with my chicken and put it in fresh, uncooked. It makes a Huge mess in the pot!! lol Plus you don't want to contaminate your stuff! Now eyeball it and make it proportion to veg, meat and if you are using pasta. There is no right or wrong thing here!

Now let that roll together for a while and turn down the heat to a very low boil/simmer. When the veggies are almost tender, add some pasta if you like. If not, once the veggies are done..voila! You have just made SOUP!

Also, it is OK to taste as you go...just don't burn yer tongue like I did!!!

Also, try different cuts with your veggies! Maybe dice one time, small strips another, angle another or just try different shapes in one pot! BUT if you do that, each veggie takes different times to cook..so think about density and length when cooking!!! Ya'll don't want mush now do ya? lol

Now another idea is maybe to add a low sodium can of cream soup if you want to make it creamy without buying heavy cream. But try it in a small pot if you're scared of screwing up a big pot of soup. I will do this soon and let you know if it works. It'll be a bit but I'll give it a go!

Any questions? Give me a shout! We ALL can learn together

::hugs & kisses::

Where do I want to take this?

I thought about that today.
*What do I want to accomplish with this blog?
*What do I want to do?
*How far do I want to take it?

Well first, having MS...well you develop a sense of humor because life NEVER takes you exactly where you want to go. There are all these stupid bends and twists and even some stop signs inbetween this road of life! BUT, it's all in how you drive down that road!

I decided there are no limits to this and I am going to blog, add things and develop something here for everyone to enjoy. It is hard being a mom, but a mom who had a career being an EMT-B. I LOVED what I did. I was in school full time also while working full time to become a nurse. When the MS struck, I took an oath to do no harm. I take it very seriously and my doctor insisted that it was time to retire. So, I joined the Jaycees! The MS Society! The Autistic Society and joining church activities like the AWANA program that gives back to our society!

I've made plenty of mistakes in my life, raising 4 kids, being an EMT, and now...future CHEF! Why Chef? Because when you feel like crap and don't feel like getting out of bed, food is COMFORT! The taste, quality, smells, sights...mhhmmmm mhhmmm! Nothing quite better! But I'm also interested in taking everyday foods and putting a twist in there.

Until I took Basics in Foods, I never knew how to make soup. NEVER! I didn't know how, through my own fault of not learning. I began to wonder...who else doesn't know how to do this? So here lies in blogging.

Blogging is a way to clear your soul. It's a healing thing. It lets you vent, or talk or do something constructive with your thoughts and feelings. It's validating too because NO ONE can argue with how YOU feel!

Sooooo, as I go through Culinary School, for all those who don't know or want to know and would like to keep up with whats going on in my head and life (that could be dangerous!), here ya go!

Another Thought Again

It's weird. My ex-mother-in-law hates me with a passion and if you know my ex-husband, he can't really totally cut his apron strings.

I learned a VALUABLE lesson...as long as you TEACH your children what is right or wrong, they will follow your lead and values taught to them. Although I do not like the I'll-show-face to the less than Christian woman, I understand she is their blood and they have to survive too.

In the end, my daughter came home happy and excited and everything worked out. Now my ex-mother-in-law will learn a valuable lesson also, last time she puts them in that situation again! I have lines and boundaries and NO ONE will cross them and if crossed, then consequences are handed out unless a truce is drawn. But the history between her and I...there is no truce because she knows no boundaries! THAT is why we never really got along, I had boundaries and held her accountable to them.

On a health issue, I'm still weak but able to walk around the house slowly. Hopefully tomorrow will be better for me. The aches are almost gone and that is a blessing!

There is a method to my madness, that I have control in my life and even though I feel that I didn't do a good job parenting or feeling like when they go there, they will come back hating me...they come back with a smile and know that it is safe here and there is NO pressure to be anything but themselves!

::hug & kisses:: Nitey nite...have a GREAT night!

Dose of Family

I just wanted to let you in on something that just happened to me. Out of the blue, I called my only Grandmother that is left and I am SO glad I did. This woman means the world to me! Out of ALL my extended family (out of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc), she takes the cake...LITERALLY! Our conversation was so awesome and uplifting.

There has been some family turmoil with me and another family member and I realized how important family is. Not to long ago, my Grandmother experienced a beginning episode of Congestive Heart Failure. It could of quickly went south but she prevailed as always. She is 83 and full of spunk still! Although her memory and attitude may not be always what WE desire, she will always be the Grandma who was there for me.

It just brought me such GREAT JOY speaking with her and the way I was feeling just disappeared! So, my advice? Pick up the phone and call someone you love & haven't spoken too. You never know what you have missed but most of all, what could be gone....in an instant. Sometimes you have to overlook the bad to see the good and not everyone is that bad...it is all in what you want to see.

::hug & kisses::

What A Day Already!

Well, I was up all night for no apparent reason, or at least I thought. I unfortunately slept all day again like I did last weekend! Ughhhh! I hate when I do that. Nothing gets done and I feel like it was all wasted even though I knew my body needed it! grrrr.

I did finally shuffle to the bathroom for a quick shower. That wiped me out so I am back in bed blogging! I missed church and that really hurt, I don't like it when I have to miss it! But I know the LORD understands my heart and know that I was there in spirit listening to Pastor's Bible Briefing as I call it!

Jake has been a wonder to me this weekend! Despite me sleeping ALL day, he took care of the house and animals! I was such a proud mom! He even closed the door of my bedroom for a "better rest"!! How sweet is that?!?!? I just hope this lasts!!

Well the fatigue is really kicking my butt and I can barely keep my head up, so I am going to leave this rest til' later.

Blog back soon. hugs and kisses!

Update of Many Things

Well, here is an update on me & the kids:

I took my Avonex shot early today and that was the biggest mistake ever. Now I know why they say take it before bed!! I will NOT repeat that mistake!!!! lol The side effects are pretty bad still but I'm trudging through and praying. LOTS of praying!

I have asked Alicia to drop out of Cross Country. She is having a major problem with her knees and shin splints. She also has swelling in her knees. I am taking her to the doctor on Monday to find out what is going on. She also failed the hearing test last visit and they are going to recheck her ears before I schedule an appointment to make sure it isn't ear junk! lol Mike is doing well and is in auto tech. He LOVES it! He finally got his letterman jacket and looks so grown up and handsome in it! My, how time flies! Zachery is well also..a little alusive but hey, that is my son! Jacob is ok, but having some issues. We are changing his meds to help increase his appetite and it is working but he is having attention problems. ICK! I will let the month run out before making any decision on what to do. I need to let him stabelize before we do anything drastic.

The Jaycees:
I went to my Jaycee meeting and chairing a project that is close to my heart. Some of you may not know, my father is a Vietnam Veteran and I am very proud to be a soldier's daughter! ANYTHING I can do to help any veteran, I am so happy to do so!
So, the project is DVD's for Veterans! I am collecting any DVD's that are not wanted(but still working) and we will distributing them to Veterans and Soldiers! Let me know if you have any you would like to donate! medic4666@comcast.net

The Apple Orchard is having a Halloween Festival and is looking for companies to purchase a booth for $100 BUT this includes the signage, candy and anything else needed for the price. This is a chance for BIG TIME advertisement!! Also, the Jaycees will get a percentage to help with Shopping for Needy kids.

Which brings me to another point, this year MANY kids will not have a Christmas because of the recent flooding in our community. Many lost their homes, items and pets. The Hobart Food Pantry's list is getting longer and the food pantry is running low because of so many victims. (we gather our list from the food pantry.) Funds are low for us also by trying to help as many families as we could through this tragic event. Please help us in any way so that we may help as many kids as we can to have a Christmas this year!

We are getting the process going for Christmas trees again this year, I hope you will purchase one when they arrive.

I also sent a email to my favorite show, Jon & Kate Plus 8! I hope they read it and enjoy my letter. I really LOVE this show and think it is so awesome that they can be so open. No one is perfect and I think America frowns on people being real anymore on TV. What a shame! But anyhoo, I did enjoy taking the time to do it!

Chef:
Chef school is going well. We made Pork Chops on Tuesday with an apple & wine glaze with fresh green beans with breading topping. On Thursday we baked cookies. I made Shortbread Chocolate Chip and they came out well! I did not fair well Thursday with all the heat and stuff so that is something that I need figure out. Hoping it was just an off day!

Other than that...geesh...I think that is about it. I'll post again when I am feeling a bit better! Love to you all and GOD BLESS always!

Drying Up..

Well the Hobart Jaycee's are now looking for donations from the community to help flood victims in our City. Several families have lost EVERYTHING including their home. Please check out this site www.hobartjaycee.com for more information.

Slowly the City of Hobart is drying up and we are ALL thankful for that. It is a reminder though, just how quickly things can disappear. I posted pictures on my myspace and facebook sites. Check them out when you have a chance.

I will be posting about my health with MS soon.

Thanks! :>)

Update Central!

Wow, I finally found this again. I decided to do this as a way to keep everyone informed of what was going on. It isn't easy and Myspace is great, but I guess this is a way for me to blog about everything...whether the kids, MS, family problems or whatever! I started another blog before but this is about everything that is ME!!

Right now I am in a lot of pain. I started Avonex, an MS injection once a week, but the side affects are HORRIBLE! They said flu like symptoms but I didn't think it would be this bad. I can hardly move and I hurt SO bad! But I''m trying very hard to keep a smile on my face and move. Even if it is just from bed to the bathroom, I'm still moving.

Well, that is all for now, but I hope I figure out more things and post them soon!