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.