3 days till Halloween...

and I've already eaten too much candy.

I filled 24 goody bags last night. Mini painted pumpkins (thank you Jenn and Pumpkin Patch Pals) pencil, eraser, rings, chocolate, gummy eyeballs, bouncy ball and silly bands. They look awesome. I made the best gross out box too. I looked online and there was nothing that wasn't typical and if there's one thing that I know about 4th graders- they are tired of the same ol

 same ol'... so I started looking around the kitchen, feeling stuff with my eyes closed.

I came up with the "dirty litter box" which is bulgar (or rice, cracked wheat or even oatmeal) and then I took some white rabbit candies (you could use tootsie rolls) and I heated them in the microwave for like 5-10 seconds (watch them, they melt quick and it turns into magma) then kinda roll them out, or pull them so they get long and lumps... yuck.

The second one is the cockaroachs. I used whole dates (Quattro assembled these) and then we cut pipe cleaner and stuck two ( 1.5 inch) under the "belly" of the date.

The last is "zombie guts" I am scooping out the insides of a pumkin.

So yeah, good stuff. Pictures to come soon, I am having problems. I will now be asking Santa for the new Mac air for Xmas.

The best carnitas

2 T cumin

2 T oregano

1 T salt

2 t chipotle

1/2 chopped onion

4 cloves, smashed garlic

3 T olive oil

4 # pork shoulder, tied.

1 1/2 cp of water

Mix all spices together (first four ingredients)

Put oil in a hot pan (but not smoking)

Sprinkle all the spice mixture on the roast. Covering all sides.

Brown all side of pork, until crispy brown- not burnt and not "kinda" brown.

In a crockpot set on high, put in onion, garlic and then roast with all juice from the pan.

Add enough water to cover almost half of the roast. Lid on, leave it alone. About 5 hours in (or when you come home from work) flip the roast (not necessary if you forget, can't, whatever).

Roast is done when it falls apart with a fork.

Enjoy and your welcome.

Kick 'em while he's down.

I have been thinking a lot about standing by people, you know, through thick and thin.

I have a hard time with this, I think I was raised in a way that when things were good, they were great and then when they weren't, big changes happened. No rallying together, no working through the hard stuff... no rising to the top. I did not have a life full of cream. I was the whey-runny, fragile and only good enough when mixed with other stuff.

I'm trying to be different.

Like everyone, every person who has ever loved, ever had a family of their own, I am trying to show my kids different... and myself I guess.

That's all.

Need some good news here, people!

I am so tired of bad news. Nothing in particular but I have been getting my share of the shit.

I would like to put the word out. I am looking for some smooth sailing weeks ahead. I have a whole lot on my plate and I plan to do it all with a smile on my face but may the powers that be send only good vibes my way? Please and thank you.

I'm part Indian and butternut squash soup.

At least I think I am... anyway here it is.

Roast a butternut squash.

375 for about 25-30 minutes. Just halve it and add a little olive oil, sea salt and 1/4 t. cumin to the cut side, roast cut side down until you can pierce a fork in the neck part easily.

Cool slightly and scoop out of pull skin off.

Saute a half of sweet onion, salt and cinnamon, about 1/4 each

for about 5 minutes, add 2 cloves chopped garlic. 1 minute

Add 2 T tomato puree

1 cup chopped spinach

Butternut

1 cup of lobster stock, veg broth or 2T fish sauce plus 1 cup water

2 T lemon juice

2 t. cumin

2 t. turmeric

1 t. paprika

1/4 or less cinnamon- taste it. Go ahead, taste it.

Add water to cover squash and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Use and immersion blender or put soup in a blender to puree- leave the hole on top of the standing blender off- believe me.

Put back into pot and add more water if it is too thick.

Salt and pepper garnish with yogurt and serve with naan or rolls.

I made Martha Stewarts "no knead dinner rolls"- yes, yes I did.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/no-knead-dinner-rolls

Alcohol

I was just thinking about how glad I am that I am not an alcoholic. I am not sure how I avoided that whole thing, not selfish enough I'm guessin', but I sure am happy about it.

Because today I need that glass of red wine. I just watched Eddie and the kids (both dogs included) walk out the door heading for the park I'm sure, I filled up the tub with super hot, bubbly water and I am going to pour a heavy handed glass of vino. Some days I just really look forward to it. Some days I forget how relaxing it is.

Not today Zurg.

Ambien

So I was going to write, since I have been typing all day but now that I have taken an ambien and had a glass of wine- I'm out. I'm going to go snuggle with this really sexy man upstairs. 

Which makes me think about Tiger Woods. Did they say that he used to love Ambien sex? Um, how in the hell is that possible? Seem like I would fall asleep in the middle, wake up upside down or something, a real weird-o experience. And riddle me this, why would he want to have so much raunchy sex and then take a sleeping pill that basically makes the scenes from last night a little on the "did that happen" side? Maybe if he would have gone through one of those nights sober he would have woken up in the morning and saw that nasty chicks face and said "wait. a. minute." and that would be that.

I am not against having a one night stand. I think relationships can get through them. As long as there aren't too many details and the girl still loves you, go for it. And just know forever and ever- you not eva da boss. Anymore. Ever.

She's my best friend.

I have noticed, as of late (okay, as of always) that it is pretty hard to make a new friend.

Not that I don't like my friends, I do. I have plenty and they are all good ones (well, most of them) and maybe this is all I get but I can't help but notice that when I am out and meet someone interesting, that's where it ends. The meeting. Then poof! we are all on our way and most likely never to meet again.

Why is that? Why is it so weird, taboo or just plain not something that is done, to ask for a number, share email address'? Is this just me? If I were out at a bar and met someone and "clicked" I'd exchange numbers... right, isn't that what we used to do? I say "used to" because when I got out now it is usually to watch my husband play a show, I sit it in the backstage before and usually after the show, never so much as using the public bathroom. Hmm, maybe this is why it is hard for me to meet friends? I am totally my own shrink right now.

I was out with Q, baby and Eddie last week and we met this interesting couple with kids and when we parted ways I said to Eddie "man, I really wanted to ask them for their phone number but thought that might have seemed desperate. Would that have been weird?" and he says "Yes.".

Boo.

Tonight we were at Top Ten Toys, and ran into this guy (with wife and three kids) we didn't speak to the wife who was busy with two of the three and anyway we chatted, he seemed cool, our babies were a week apart and then, we left... as we got in the car I said "SEE! They seemed like people we should hang out with and here we go, leaving and we'll never see them again" and to my surprise, Eddie said "I know, I almost asked for his number but I didn't because I thought it seemed weird".

So why do we feel so paralyzed? I feel this way a lot. I will see a Mom walking down the street with her stroller and her cute (brushed) hair, dresses like she means it, with a bottle hanging out of her pocket and I'll think "we should be friends" but running across the street screaming my email address seems a little crazy.

Aside from crazy though, I am going to think of a way to approach my FBFF ("future best friends forever") because, like it or not, I don't have too many friends that are in my same boat, or even sailing the same sea as me. I am 34, married with two kids with more in my future. I am completely normal, living a completely abnormal life... but aren't we all?

I'm picky, I guess. I don't want the uber anything Mom as my friend. I'm sorry, if you are on every new bandwagon, we will not get along. I don't want to make friends with people that have given up on life... hmm, this is sounding like an ad. So I should stop, or should I keep going? Ha!

When I was pregnant, I checked out the new mom websites. None of the groups seemed to fit me, they were either not in my neighborhood ("need friends, won't travel", kidding I would but these were like far) or seemed way off base in another way. But I have friends that met their BMF ("best mommy friend") at said groups... so maybe I should give that another try?

I feel like I owe it to Elvis to let her grow up with kids. Quattro grew up around adults and as much as I don't regret that at all and it made him who he is which is the most socially adjusted, radical 9 year old, we just have a different life right now. And we will for the next couple of years. We plan to stick around for the next two, then possibly pack it all up and travel with Eddie, take Q out of public school and live a different life. Until then, "hello playdates!" and continual quest for my female better half.

Racket

I think the idea of having to buy, oh I don't know, on average 3 or 4 car seats in your childs lifetime is a bunch of bullshit.

We just plunked down like $200 for a "convertible" car seat, after Elvis has grown out of her infant one. This one will last until she is like 40 or 50 lbs (she is 25 already), then she will need another one and after that a booster... I get it, it keeps them safe, ya ya, I know, I'm buying it- literally.

But Hazel Downing said it right, "nowadays you have to strap them in like they are going to the fucking moon".

Yep, that was Eddie's Grandma.

Sick, sick, sick.

I have been under the weather for about 2 days now. I feel like I need to just shake it off but I can't.

I am sure there's something going around, at least there's a "Flipping Out" marathon on TV.

This illness is really putting a twist on my week. I am basically accomplishing nothing. I have student council things to figure out (election slated to be first week of November) and I want to get my etsy. com shop open in a week and of course Halloween. I have costumes and decorations...

you know typing thing makes me think of something that has always bothered me. The amount of work that goes into what someone like me does, getting cast off like it's some sort of easy way out.

I am a mom, a "stay at home" mom- meaning I do everything. I could list the things that I do, but it would just seem dumb to me but I would like to give a shout out to all the Mom's and Dad's that choose to stay at home, that don't send their kids to daycare. They choose to sacrifice. Because believe me, I know plenty of people who proudly state that they work to get out of the house, that they just don't want to stay home. And that's cool. That doesn't bother me, some people are great parents, in doses. Ha ha. No but really- I am just tired of people saying shit like "if I had as much time as you do I would have time to do stuff too"-, um, okay. I feel like the working people, my job is never done. At the end of the day I'm exhausted too, but I have 2 kids and that's what I'm building on, I making their lifetime memories.

Ugh! If you go to work and choose to have kids, when you get home- you're works not done and I know a lot of people that act like they can't be bothered with their kids at the end of the day and that's not me.

I work from home, let's just say that. I would like to universally coin the term "work from home mom", cause I mean really, what Mom or Dad actually stays there? It's a mess. Ha!

Watch your kids, people.

I went onto youtube tonight to show Quattro some footage of Evel Knievel.

I was shocked to look at the sidebar on the right and see titles like "boy dies in school bathroom" and "man killed by train"... I guess I was under the impression that there was some sort of, hmmm, not like sensor but a limit as to what youtube would show.

I'm mistaken.

Just wanted to make sure I spread that around like head lice because it is not cool.

Michael Douglas.

Is it just me or is this super sad? I can't believe he has cancer.

For the love of god people, STOP SMOKING!

Shit, if my Mom can do it, you can.

My Mom quit smoking in April of 2009.

Yay Mom!

Evel Knievel and Beetlejuice.

Costumes. 

That's them. 

Time to get busy kids.

Take me out to the ball game

and don't let me eat too much salt.

I think it is mandatory that when you go to a baseball game, you feel like a bloated pig when you leave. No?

I do it every time, I like baseball, sure, but I like the food more. I can barely type that sentence because of how repulsed I am feeling now, but seriously, park food rocks.

Speaking of rock. 

It has been brought to my attention that Eddie's song writing has gotten "soft"... I do and do not agree. I am of course always compelled to stick up for him, whether it be his ways or his wears, I am always going to go up to bat for that man (wow, no pun intended) but this time I am torn I guess. I see how it may be thought that because someone isn't singing about bangin' dope, screwin' chicks and the devil (makes three) that they have somehow lost their edge, but personally- I'm not into that shit (anymore) either.

I guess I feel compelled to write about this because he won't. He doesn't give a damn about any of the talk, he has been surrounded by "talk" for 20 years, so to him it's not worth it but to me, I don't know, I guess, even though I'm all grown up, I like to fight.

Bring it.

Etsy

I will be opening shop on etsy. com in the next couple of weeks. So please take a look and buy something. I will not charge you $60 for a clutch, I will sell things at a reasonable price, I don't know how some people sleep at night with their prices. I want to sell stuff I'd be able to afford myself.

It's

LoveYourmom

Hot dog stew.

I have been out of the blog world lately for a couple of reasons. Some personal and some not but I'm back and I hope that this will be a little more consistent.

So what's new you ask? Well, everything. I have been cooking a ton and to add to that I have taken up the sewing machine. This machine was given to me by my husband about 4 years ago. Over the last 4 years I have, on occasion, brought it out, tried to get it going to no avail. It's always a learning curve with me. I want to do what comes naturally and if I find something where I have to really get down and teach myself something... well, I usually quit. This is going to change.

My Mother was here visiting and I had her give me a real lesson (thanks Mom!) and I haven't put it down yet. I can't stop, it's like 2 a.m. and I'm in the "sewing room" (office turned craft mecca), cross eyed, exhausted but finding that I just can't put it down.

I have created a diaper clutch that I think is going to be my thing. I wanted to make something that was simple where I can make a lot of them but still really cool. I have a baby so yes this blog might turn into all things baby (not likely) but I will do my best to keep it interesting.

Like recipes, and this one is called "Hot dog stew"

3 T. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 turnips, diced

3 T. gumbo file (it's powdered thyme and savory)

3 T. flour

2 cups lobster or veggie broth

2 cups water (or less)

1 lg can of diced tomatoes with juice

4 hot dogs, diced

In a lg pot

heat the oil and add onions for about 4 minutes

add gumbo file, salt and pepper stir until heated, about a 1 minute

add veggies, tomatoes (with juice) and broth, add water so that the veggies are covered by about 2 inches.

put a lid on it and boil for about 12 minutes

when the veggies are done, you're done.

Add the hot dog to the bowl, I usually serve this over bamboo rice, and cover with soup. Garnish with sour cream. Yum.

And yes I know hot dogs are disgusting but I love them and so does my son. I use all natural ones from Trader Joes, they are still disgusting but better for you... like American Spirit cigarettes I guess.