Welcome to Dana's blog!

baking, baking, cleaning and VERA!

I'm dead and not stopping anytime soon! I got up and mopped and worked out and took a bread to start laundry, get Joey going on school, make bfast, make oatmeal cinnamon chip bars, and then vacuum. I did get Sunday School prepped for as well. The cinnamon rolls and caramel rolls smell HEAVENLY that are baking int he oven!  I still need to ge potatoes peeled and diced for mashed potatoes (to go w/the chicken'n'noodles!) and then I can take a break. I"m sure the laundry is ready to come off the line as well.

I GOT MY VERA BAGS TODAY! She just mailed them priority yesterday! The post office ROCKS! And I LOVE the bags! Mom's medical binder fits perfectly in the curvy tote that I got for her! PTL! I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep the 2nd tote or not. I wished that I'd had more money cuz they would've been AWESOME gifts for Christmas!

cancer update

 I just read the email from my mom that the cancer in her throat is NOT breast cancer!!!!!!!! It's thryoid cancer, which is VERY treatable!!!!!!! PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She still needs to have her adbominal lymph node run to see what kind of cancer that is.

Rain, rain, come and stay!

It'll give my DH a slow day!

I really, really, really like STAYING HOME! I've worked out, dusted and cleaned the bathrooms.  The stock is simmering on the stove and the boys are immersed in school.

I had the boys make their own bfasts this am. Mat wanted eggs, which he is messy w/by nature, but things weren't too bad yesterday. Today Joey got into the Pam (again) and I had to spot mop some areas and he sprayed a few containers. Grrrrrrrr I told him if he did it again, he was getting the amount of vinegar that he sprayed in Pam! I also found out that Mat's been making FOUR eggs! I told him to back off!LOL My egg lady would be happy tho!LOL And Joey made oats. Mat's been making oats since he was 2. This was Joey's first attempt. "Mom, is this enuf water?" I look to see oats floating in water......so I drained that popped it in the microwave. I spent more time cleaning up than it took them to make and eat itLOL

And I printed mom's calendar for her medical organizer. Well, I printed Sept-Dec. She might find another method that she likes better, but this will get her started. 

Tuesday.......

I'm a Vera addict.............but in denial.;)

Oh and I have this TOTALLY AWESOME friend who went to teh Vera sale today and snagged me 2 curvy totes for $15/each!!!! They run $62-65 each! One is for me (maybe a gift--I haven't decided) and the other is for my mom. Her bday is the 12th and this will fill out her gift nicelY (and save me from wrapping cuz I"m throwing it all in the tote!LOL). I thought the tote might be nice cuz she crochets and she can just make it her 'doctor kit'!LOL It's got pockets on teh inside and outside so she can pack whatever she needs for the docs and to occupy her time! I was pretty excited!

Friday

Well I guess I"M ready for the weekend..........

The laundry is on the line, I've worked out, mopped, vacuumed, school is done, chocolate chip scones are made and pizza dough is rising. And I'm ready for Sunday School.

My niece is coming this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait for that!

So we have our 'playdate/pick up eggs' this afternoon. I'm glad cuz I"m EXHAUSTED! I stayed up and watched the debate last night.

canning and cleaning

My neighbor is doing ME a favor! I decided to can today adn needed celery for the BBQ sauce. I knew she had to run the little ones to preschool so I called to see if she'd pop in the grocery at in the small town (2 blocks away at most) and grab me some. Turns out she's running into the big town (shocking, I know) and said that she'd just get it at Meijer. Fine. Then I realized I was going to make a quadruple batch of stuffed shells and had no spinach! So I called to see if my personal grocery shopper would get me some of that as well!ROTFL!

So I'm getting my canning, dusting, bathrooms and several dinners done (nice for soccer nights) today. And I'm going to add honey to the BBQ sauce. I know that you can can w/it. I"m just hoping that it doesn't mean that I need to PRESSURE can it. It's still got vinegar so I"m voting no, but we'll see. I'm going to ask around online. I can always can it and recan them later if necessary. I just want it done and the mess cleaned up right now. This is the last of my canning, too.

I need to plug Mat too. He is an AWESOME help this year w/the canning! He LOVES to chop--HAVE AT IT!LOL It frees me up to get other things done.

Joey comments

Mom, I can't wait until I can weave baskets underwater........ Me: huh? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh (it clicked suddenly!LOL!) Um, where did you hear that from? AUnt Dama said that's what you did in high school!ROTFL!

Last night's soccer game: I was taking pix and when they switched ends, Joey was made goalie so I figured that I'd mosy down to that end in case there was a good shot. Joey, stay in front of the goal. Joey, get out of the net. Joey, move over here. Joey: Mom, you really don't have to stay down here.........ROTFL!

mom

Wednesday

Well it started off well!LOL I got up and worked out and woke the boys and headed on our way. I swung past the grocery for a box of bfast bars since we had none.;) The boys ate those on the way to MOMS. We started our bible study and it's about making decisions. Pretty good so far. From there straight to skating. In theory. I was trying to get out the door and my phone was ringing and sure enuf, "Dana, the rink says that we skate from 1-3 and they won't let us in." UGH! So I get there and talk to the rink and they agree to let us come back today from noon to 2. Thankfully the librarian let us push HS library back to 2 (vs. 1:30) for today. I felt badly, but this was not my issue. So we race to Pizza Hut and the boys get their free personal pans and then try to go to the jewelry store to drop my watch off for a new battery. Nope, half the streets in town are closed and I didn't have time to hoof it. So back to skating, which was GREAT! I got an hour of cardio in! Then straight to library. I dumped the boys off cuz I decided to get my errands done then. I walked and dropped off some MOMS stuff for one mom, went to the jewelry store and he replaced my battery on the spot (and also said that he'd been thinking about me--I haven't been in there in ages and I have NO IDEA why he'd be doing that!ROTFL!), and did the MOMS group banking. Then back to library to claim my boys...... Then do to our personal banking and HOME!

And we did clear up skating from now on. I told her that I had to work something out or I'd be lynched if I didn't have a resolution!LOL Our group REALLY likes to skate!

And an easy dinner of cheesy ham and potaoes that I pulled out of hte freezer.

class reunion

OMW! I had my 20 yr class reunion this past weekend. WHAT A BLAST! Well over half the class participated! I did not go to the football game Friday night cuz I had to be up at 6 on Sat AND it would be 3 trips back home in 3 days! I am SO SORRY that I did not go! There were tons of ppl there! I did however make it in time for the tour of the new high school. WOW! Talk about PAMPERED!LOL It was fun walking thru tho and remembering who our teachers were and seeing ones still there!LOL Ithink alot of us walked down memory lane there! Then to the family picnic. Again, it was so awesome to see everyone's little ones! Our class president (who I see often) has her pics in ziploc baggies by event dating back to forever! Pics of us at her 6yr bday party!LOL THAT was a blast as well!

Then to the dinner Sat night. Wow.........so much fun. It started at 6 and I was at the nametag table so I didn't get a seat. So we (Dh and I) went in and it was time to eat and he told the class pres that he was going to sit by her DH!LOL Which worked out great. We wound up sitting together w/another guy that we went K-12 w/ and SWORE that he would never set foot back in Lapel. ANd said that he didn't decide to come to this reunion, but we started in on facebook! So it was fun catching up. He brought his practice basketball shoes!ROTFL! But the class pres had a waffle fry from 1986. It hadn't molded. And ppl regularly eat that stuff.......but I digress. We were supposed to be out by and it was 1:30-2 when we left! We talked ALL NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I even told the high school jock what I thought of him then ! I really should try to hunt him down adn apologize......

But so many memories and our spouses were great about the whole thing--since they were ignored most of the night! As I told someone, I can see him ALL t he time, I haven't seen most of those ppl in 10 years! Besides, he was at the rejected spouse table w/the others!ROTFL! They tried to say that it was the coolest spouse table......LOL

And I must've been way ugly in high school. Cuz ppl seemed geniunely shocked at how I looked! I was hearing things like, you look gorgeous, so pretty, amazing, etc. Oh well.........I knew it all along!ROTFL! No really everyone did look great. And it was so fun to hear what alot of them were doing now!

The one guy who swore that he'd never come back is now a criminal defense atty. We did this 'awards ceremony' (more to find out what had been going on in our lives the last 20 years) and one award was supposed to be for Brad. So they asked who had been arrested 2 or more times. TWO ppl stand up! One was a really good friend of the defense atty in HS. 3 or more times? they both remain standing. 4 or more times? They both remain standing. 5 or more times. BRAD SITS DOWN! I was ROLLING at the irony of it! There was the guy arrested the most times sitting next to the criminal defense atty!ROTFL!!!!!!!!!! And they were apparently minor offenses, all cleared up and he's got a job, gorgeous wife and a 4mo!

It was just so nice to see everyone smiling and having such a good time. I know we all spend over half of our time laughing. There was laughter everywhere........

mom update

slow day.......

tomato juice........

As if trying to recover from my 20 yr class reunion wasn't enuf (more on that later when I have time), today I hit it HARD! I got up and worked out and dove straight in. Dh had picked me three 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes. So I got started, the boys were doing school AND laundry was going. Monday is my big laundry day as well. About 11, I realized that I could do more tomatoes by the time that we needed to leave tonight so Mat and I picked a 4th bucket. Turns out DH pulled about half hte plants...Grrrrrrrrr. But there is enuf for me to make pizza sauce and BBQ sauce in the next week or so.

So 42 qts of tomato juice, 6 loads of laundry and a full school day later and I am DONE! I have not checked over Mat's stuff or eaten yet, but it's only 5.........LOL And I can barely move.;)

New category

Not one that I really want to add........

My mom's 1st breast cancer has come back. It's not beatable. We got the news Monday. She got breast cancer back in '91 and was given low odds then. She beat them. She got a second breast cancer in her other breast in '98. She had good odds then. But this time they have said no. The AVERAGE time for someone w/her cancer, etc, is 2 years. It could be one, but 5 is the longest. We got 17 more years than we ever thought we'd have tho. She got to see all of her children graduate high school, college, marry, most of her grandchildren. The cancer is contained to the lymph system for now, but it will eventually get to a major organ.

So priorities are being rearranged. We are trying to pull off a family vacation for 13 SOON. Probably March, but December if necessary.

Mom is 'cleaning' her house as well. I can't blame her. I'd be doing the same thing.

Of course, we all know that odds mean nothing. Miracles still happen. We'll pray for one.

going well!

Well, I've worked out, made 36 cantaloupe muffins, a jelly roll pan of chocolate zucchini bars and ironed! Joey's done w/school to boot!

I should be able to read a book today. We're having leftovers for supper so I don't even have to cook!

cantaloupe bread

This is an excellent bread, nice and moist, similar in texture to pumpkin or zucchini bread. Melon flavor ends up to be very delicate, nearly masked by the spices. Great way to use up extra homegrown cantaloupe in summer. Puree and freeze extra in 2 cup containers for use throughout the year.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup nuts, chopped

3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cantaloupe

1. Preheat oven to 325*F (160*C).
2. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
3. In large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nuts; set aside.
4. In another large mixing bowl beat eggs until light and frothy. Add oil, sugar and vanilla, mixing well.
5. Cut rind from cantaloupe; cut melon into 2-inch chunks and puree in blender or food processor until smooth. Measure 2 cups puree and add to egg/oil mixture.
6. Add the flour mixture to the cantaloupe mixture and stir just to combine. Do not over mix.
7. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool on wire rack. Wrap tightly to store.

Makes 1 loaf.

behavior & time

Well, we got everything done today. Minus soccer practice, which is in a little bit.

Joey's behavior has been less than desirable lately, but overall, it's not bad. He must've been saving up. He cried about half the time at the beauty collge. I dont' mean a sniffling, whimpering cry. I mean a HOWL! I was torn between dragging him outside and seeing how long it would pass. He's settle down and I"d relax and then something would set him off. I did talk to him EXTENSIVELY in between the brow wax and cut, but it didn't last long (enuf). So he didn't get to look at toys at Walmart. I told him before we went in (and Mat) what the ramifications would be. I guess he didn't believe me???  I should've tipped the girl more as she took it all in stride. She even flat ironed my hair! Normally the boys are well behaved in there so I"m hoping this doesn't ban me totally........altho it will probably be a LONG time before I haul the boys back in there.

So laundry is done, shopping is done and everything is put away and my hair and brows look fabulous........LOL Dh isn't going to be home for supper (cooked for nothing), but that's OK. It'll work for tomorrow, too.;) We get Mat's book (3rd in the Eragon series) from the library today and he's STOKED!

AFA time, I don't know WHAT God is trying to tell me, but it must mean SOMETHING! Our family room clock battery died probably 2 weeks ago and I keep forgetting to buy a new battery and the van clock was wrong since DH put in a new (well--it's a blemished battery that was only $38 vs. $100 for new.....I don't want to know why it was blemished!LOL) and my wristwatch stopped working! But it is again. GO FIGURE! I'm a 'clock' person so this nearly did me in!LOL

Sorry...........

It has come to my attention that I"ve been lacking on my blog. Probalby cuz I haven't HAD TIME! WHEW! SEriously, the weekend is just a BLUR! My brother was out from MO and we spent time w/them. Well it started w/soccer games. Dh was kind enuf to take Mat to the 8am game. That meant that I didnt' have to get up at 6am! I met him shortly after 9 to eat bfast and go to JOey's 10am game. Dh was off to Indy for a truck pull. Mat was frustrated that his book (3rd in the Eragon series) was not in. I decided that since we were halfway there, we'd go to this free 'green' fair that was going on. I got a free lightbulb, bag and toothbrushes amoung other things. We were home about a half an hour when my mom called about doing gparent/gchildren pics. So I drove an hour back home for that and we got some GREAT pics at a local park! Dh met me at my parent's adn we just drove one vehicle back. On Sunday we had church and met back in my parent's woods for a cookout. Pizza! Isnt' that what YOU cookout?LOL I guess they were good. I didn't eat any. I took Joey to his church event and DH went home to meet my cousins who were dropping Mat off from the Reds game.

Monday was full of laundry (as usual). SEems like lots more than that, but Mat also had his youth group that night. My parents, sister and niece popped over for a visit as well.

Yesterday was fun. The boys got school done in record time and we went to HS days at a farm house depicting the 1800s.  It was a small enuf place that Mat roamed freely and I only had a loose eye on Joey!LOL They dipped candles and made butter and learned about native plants, etc. Then Mat had soccer practice and Joey had a game. I at least had Mat pick carrots yesterday morning and I cleaned them so we had roast, potatoes and carrots in the crock pot for supper when we got back. Dh didn't make it to the game and when I went to start the van to leave, IT DID NOTHING!!!!!!!!! I called DH and he asked if I couldn't find someone there to jump me. Fine, I"ll only call next time if I REALLY need anything! UGH! Joey's coach was parked right next to us and knew exactly what to do and in 5 min I was on my way home. Dh is supposed to buy a new battery today.

And that leaves today. We did NOTHING! Well, I washed the boys sheets and dusted. They got school done. I also got the nametags done for my class reunion. I don't know what happened, but I did use photo paper and I don't know if the printer can 'sense' that or not, but it took FOREVER for them to print! Then I cut them all up (I copied our senior pics to put on the nametags) and taped them to the peel'n'stick shipping labels (they were bigger!LOL). Very high class.;) Seriously, it took me about 4 hours. I have no idea how much ink. But it's done and they are all ready for Saturday night.

Tomorrow is school and a HAIR CUT! FINALLY! I need to add a can of mixed veggies to the leftover roast, potatoes and carrots (still in the crock pot in the frig) for tomorrow's night supper. Joeys' got practice, but I"m not going to kill myself to get there. We are down to barebones on many things and a big grocery run and Walmart run are on the list for tomorrow.

town

I made it to town and back. I have a screaming headache tho. It was well on its way and then walking into the pet store seriously assaulted my senses! Between the noise and the smell and Mat's seriously annoying heelys..........but I lived. I told Mat that since they had done such a great job w/school that they could linger int he pet store for a long time. Mat is now looking into a hermit crab vs a gecko. I can only dream.......LOL

The pedicure was AWESOME!