Evil Little Furry Things

So last night/early AM I hear this:

run.run.run.jump.jump.jump.drink.drink.drink.jump.run.eat.wheel.wheel.wheel. You get the point, right?

So in my mind at 3 AM, I'm thinking this could be rain. I was wrong. It was Bugsy, the unbelievably adorable, yet very annoying hamster. As my mind came to in a hazy fog, I realized that this was not going to stop anytime soon and I needed to get back to bed. So, I start thinking. Maybe I could rationalize with this little fur ball. It would have went something like this," Hey, ummm, Bugs, it's like 3 AM here and I need some sleep, you understand, right? I mean, I adopted you and all, gave you a 3 story luxury cage complete with a house, all the food you could want, fresh water, toys, and an edible cave. I saved you from a life of living at Petco, could you give me some respect, here?"

I think that would have been a nice approach. Then it didn't stop, so I start to think of other ideas. Should I move his cage to the bathroom? I know, I could bring Newsie Bear into the room for a few minutes to give him a little scare. Scare tactics work with hamsters, right? Then, just as I am concocting another plan to get some much needed sleep, I hear, "BUGSY, KNOCK IT OFF" Slam.Slam.Slam. Jason got up and yelled and then tapped (rather hard) the top of the cage. It worked. Ahhhh, it worked. For 10 seconds.

Run.Run.Run.Jump.Eat.Eat.Eat.Wheel.Wheel.Drink. Ahhhhhh. I know, they are nocturnal. I sleep with 3 fans and an air conditioner and I can't handle a little hamster running around at night?? So, I'm probably going to be grouchy today, tired and not motivated, but hey, what's new!

Find the kitty, it fooled all of us!

This Was My Dinner...

this evening:



A big salad with:

Spinach & romaine
sliced hard boiled egg
fakon (soy bacon--it's REALLY good, trust the vegetarian on this one)
sunflower seeds
chopped red bell pepper
chopped cucumber
sliced mushrooms
sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese

Delish!

Served with a warm slice of cheddar-dill cornbread. It was a very, very enjoyable dinner. What did you have? Anything good or different?





This dressing is SO good. At first I got it to put on the Panera Strawberry Poppyseed remake salad, but I bought another bottle to try on this salad and it is just fabulous! I love it and I think it will replace any and all former salad dressing that I have had. I just hope that I can pass the drug test that is needed for work, you know I've probably consumed over 5,000 poppyseeds in the last month!!

I have been having these really bad headaches for the past week, I don't know what's going on. The one I had this morning/early afternoon was so severe it made me sick to my stomach. I made a doctors appointment, not because of that, but I will discuss it with him. I made the appointment to get blood work done because I think my thyroid is off again...ahhhh. It drives me crazy, but I've been so tired and run down lately and that's what seems to happen right when I need an increase in thyroid meds. We'll see what happens.

I have made another attempt at organizing my scrap room!! It has gotten so bad in there that I can't even find anything. So, I rearranged and bought some cheapy crates to store all my goodies. I have found things that I never even knew that I bought! I also have a pile of stuff to sell on eBay, last time I sold a bunch of scrap stuff that I never used, it sold for lots of money!! I won't give up this time. I won't give up this time. I won't give up this time. Hopefully if I say that enough I actually won't give up this time. Wishful thinking.

{This and That}

Talk about an UNforgettable wedding!! How much fun would this be?



It makes me want to get married again...maybe!

Some LOLcats, because I know everyone that reads this must love them as much as I do!





My personal favorite:

A Dark And Stormy Night....

Sounds like something from Pee Wee's Great Adventure, that fabulous movie from about 1988ish. Anyway, what is it about thunderstorms that relax me? We are having a really long and loud storm right now and I love it. I went and sat out on our back porch and just watched the rain fall and the lightening strike. I love the fresh smell of rain. As much as I feel one with nature during times like these, I surely hope we don't lose power! The lights are flickering and the TV has been out (stupid Dish Network). The dogs have such a hard time when we get storms like these. I have to keep Bandit in the bathroom for his own safety. I close the window and blinds and hope he doesn't give himself an ulcer from all of his pacing. I'm sure this is due to his many years left out on a chain during countless thunderstorms. Jayde is lying under my feet and Baileigh just sleeps under the couch cushions! The cats couldn't care less. Speaking of storms, isn't this picture awesome?




We went to my 2nd favorite grocery store the other day and got a HUGE order (yes, WE, Jason and Mason went grocery shopping with me, WOW). I got some new and exciting things to try! One of which was chocolate soynut butter. Yeah, might sound a little strange, but it was pretty good! It could be a little sweeter (couldn't most things), I put it on toast and it was delish! I got a Kashi 'Mushroom & Spinach' pizza--SO good! I found some really ripe, really delicious fresh raspberries. They were a little pricey, but well worth it.

As you can tell, I've got lots to talk about!! Not too much going on, now that there are no games to rush to. I've gotten quite a few layouts done. I can never get good pictures of them, that's why I don't post layouts, it's hard enough to get pics of my projects. Ohhhh, I keep dreaming of you, Canon Rebel.


{I *heart* you and can't wait until you are part of my family}


Lastly, I never get bored with LOLcats!






Oh, yeah before I forget this story. One of my stops on my route has had this crazy movie on their shelves for months, I mean MONTHS. I have looked at it every time I go in there. So, today I decided to take some money in with me so that I can pick it up, the whopping $3.99 that it was. AND IT WAS GONE!! I was so bummed! I know it's going to be stupid, with a capital S, but I LOVE cheesy/horror/comedy(it's only a comedy because the acting is so bad) movies and I really wanted to add this to my collection. But now I can't. Someone else is enjoying (I'm using that word loosely) Killer Clowns From Outer Space.

{I Can Breathe}

Baseball season is officially OVER, for this season, anyway.


**I'm doing my happy dance right now!**


It was SO funny today at the field. We set up our chairs right behind home plate because there were huge pine trees that provided a ton of shade and as most of you know I DO NOT like the sun. So, Mason had a spurt of energy and asked me and Jason if we wanted him to run one or two laps around the field. We told him either would be fine, but both of us were thinking there is no way he's going to do a lap around the field, Mason is a lot of good things, but being a good runner is not one of them!! So as we watched in amazement that he was almost back to the starting point, he falls flat on his face!! Now don't get me wrong, I am a very caring, loving mother, but all I could do was laugh and laugh and laugh some more. Laughing so hard tears were pouring from my eyes. It was hilarious! So, he gets up and continues the lap and I heard, at a distance, a coach ask him if he was alright (OMGosh, I DIDN'T even ask him that, I was too busy laughing!!). When he got back over to us he told us as he was running a kid from another team wished him good luck and he turned around to thank him and that's when he fell. I am sure that you had to be there to see just how funny this really was, but trust me it was downright hilarious! In my own defense, had Mason not gotten up immediately from his tumble, I would not have been laughing and I would have hauled my butt over to see if he was ok. So, I'm not that mean! But it was funny!

We were at the tiny little flea market this morning and Jason spots some Atari games, yes, Atari. We were like 2 when this game system came out. I did have one as a kid, but these things have not been in play for what, 20 some years?? So, he gets some games, we don't have the system, but we now have 5 games for it. So, I was looking on eBay and there is no shortage of them on there. Will I be able to find one that works? Why do you want a game system where the graphics are so horrible you can hardly tell what they are? Ahhh, nostalgia. It's a wonderful thing. I wonder how much dust this is going to collect when I do finally break down and bid on one.

Ice Road Truckers and Army Wives tonight, YAY!!

*CocoYUCK*

So, I've been thinking about picking up a coconut at the store for awhile now just so Mason can have the whole 'we cracked open a coconut' experience, you know, like every kid should have. I remember when I was a kid my Mom Mom bought a coconut and hit it so hard with a hammer that it cracked open instantly. The coconut milk went flying everywhere! I thought that I had some knowledge going into cracking open this rock hard fruit (is it fruit or a nut??), but I guess not. I first took a drill and drilled through one of the holes. The milk came out and I was very thrilled to taste it, that was until I actually tasted it. OMGosh, was that ever horrible, is there a word more horrible than horrible? If there is that's what the milk tasted like. It almost tasted like it had alcohol in it and that is not appealing to me. So, after failed attempts with the drill (I was afraid of losing a digit with it) I opted for the good old metal spatula! I hit that thing so hard and it finally, piece by piece, came apart. Then I peeled the rest of the brown spots off the back and couldn't wait to dig into the flesh. EWWWW, I love coconut and I do buy the shredded unsweetened kind at the store and it doesn't taste like this. Uhh, I'm getting sick just thinking about it. Maybe I got a bad one? I don't know but I do want to know WHO would buy a whole coconut when you can buy a fresh bag for about $2? Not me.


It's pretty, though!

Here are some highlights of Jason and Mason's trip to Citi Field:




I found (and tried) and new recipe today. It was a much lower calorie/fat version of blueberry cobbler. You place frozen berries (any kind will do) in the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle an entire box of cake mix (just the mix, I used french vanilla cake mix) on top of the berries and then pour Sprite Zero (about 1 1/2 cups) on top of everything in the dish. Make sure all the cake mix is moist with the soda. Bake about 20 minutes (until golden brown) at 350. It makes a really crisp topping to the berries and it is really sweet, which is what I was looking for. Try it, it's good!

Hopefully we will be getting Mason's baseball game in tonight, it was raining pretty hard this afternoon. Then back to the field tomorrow for all day tournaments, yeah.

Clock Project

Here's a quick post, I bought this clock at a yard sale for $1 and the sticker clearly stated 'Don't Work'. Ahhhh, the proper English that is taught in rural PA!! Anyway, here is the clock:




Here is what I did with it:





:) It was hard to get a good picture because of the glare, it's much more vibrant in person.

My Day Today

My day has been a very slow and relaxing day.

I slept in.
Made blueberry pancakes, then froze some for quick breakfasts.
Got online.
Ate lunch.
Worked on a project. Will post as soon as Jason brings the camera home.
Watched a movie.
Thinking about some dinner...

I could have gotten a lot done today because there is never a shortage of things to do, but I wanted to just do 'nothing'! I miss Jason and Mason and I know that they miss me because of the numerous phone calls I have received from them throughout the day. I was happy to hear how much fun they are having. I'll post some pics from their big day soon!

Do You Hear What I Hear??

.........Yes, that's it. Nothing. The house is empty and quiet. I have ME time. Jason and Mason are having a 'guys weekend' that includes a NY Mets game on Sunday at the new Citi Field! I certainly would not want this much peace and quiet all the time, but it is nice to have once and a while. I'm catching up on some Netflix documentaries that I have had lying around here for way too long. I'm not saying these are the best documentaries, in fact I'm even too embarrassed to say what they are, so let's move on shall we....

Alien Invasion



I believe, wholeheartedly, that there is life in this universe other than that here on Earth. I enjoy the occasional Discovery Channel show on evidence of life on other planets. However, I don't like when a good movie goes bad with an alien plot twist. We rented the new movie 'Knowing' with Nick Cage and I was sooooo into this movie, that is until Jason mentioned that he thought this was heading down the alien path. He was right. I was disappointed. It had such a good plot, very creepy, suspenseful, fast moving, and then *BAM*, here comes the UFO. Bummer. Sorry if I ruined this movie for anyone because you would never know from the previews that this is where the movie is going. It's not a total loss, but I couldn't give it a 2 thumbs up, or even one.

Yesterday I hit up a yard sale in a 'well to do' neighborhood and Mason spots a bike. I know, I know my kid is 8 and doesn't know how to ride a bike, shame on me. But we have been talking about getting him a bike for a while now and with a $15 price tag, I couldn't pass that up, plus he REALLY wanted this bike. He seems to think that it's as easy as jumping on and pedaling. Not so. We went down to the trail so that we could have lots of room for practice. This is how the afternoon started:



Cheery & happy to be on a bike.

I will not post about 45 minutes later, but lets just say it included lots and lots of tears. We'll try again on Monday. I got some pretty cool pictures along the way, though:




Some LoLCats (and a groundhog):




I think the groundhog one was funny because lately, it seems that I have been slamming on my brakes and honking my horn more than usual to help groundhogs get off the road safely! They are so cute, aren't they? Mason even asked if we could have one as a pet :) We fed baby groundhogs at the wildlife rehabilitation center once and talk about adorable!! Now, Gus The Groundhog (you know, the 2nd most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania) is a different story all together!



Keep On Scratchin'. Creepy.

I'm off to create....Have a wonderful Saturday night!

Blueberry Pickin'

Yummmm, blueberries. Mason and I went to a local farm this morning to pick some berries. I called first just to make sure that this was not a farm that existed 10 years ago because, after all, I did find this place online. So, I called and asked if they were open for the season. I then asked if the 'Pick Your Own' side was open. Indeed it was, and she informed me in a southern voice, "All you need is your workin' hands and some money, honey!". So, I was set because I had both! I am so glad that we got there early because it would have been so HOT in that field during the afternoon! We went into the little store to get our buckets and I got 2, thinking it would be easy to fill these buckets!! Well, it took us 1 and 1/2 hours to fill ONE bucket!! Mason was a really good sport and I thought that I was going to have to get him weighed because of how many blueberries he ate! I think he really had fun!

Here's where we started:



Along the way we saw a 'Pick your own' strawberry farm. That's the plan for next week! I need to get on finding some recipes because the bucket weighed in at 6.3 pounds! First up....Blueberry Corn Muffins. YUM.

~Score~

I saw this odd shaped melon the other day at the grocery store and I thought, 'Hey, why not??' It's been sitting in my fridge chilling for the past few hours and today I decided to cut it up. It's called a Crenshaw Melon and according to the description it is, indeed, a popular melon. Much to my surprise I had never seen one before Saturday. I must be out of the melon loop. However, it was not soon enough that I tried this delicious, juicy honeydew/cantaloupe hybrid. It got three thumbs up in my household. Yummy! This will be a keeper. I highly recommend running out to the grocery store to pick one up!






Since I'm on the subject of fruits, I am planning a big 'pick your own blueberries' trip to the county right next to us to get fresh, ripe (and tons of them) blueberries. I can't wait, I'm just going to have to remember that one cannot live on blueberries alone(even though I love them), so I must not get too many. I'm sure the excitement in Mason's voice when last talking about this trip will fade three minutes into the labor intensive, time consuming task. Imagine how they had to survive in the old days....

I have been searching through my food magazines, cookbooks, and online recipe searches for more interesting dinner ideas. I want a recipe that is:

1. Quick
2. Delicious
3. Quick
4. Healthy
5. Quick
6. Easy
7. Not time intensive (oh, yeah, Quick)
8. Different
9. The whole family will enjoy
10. A chef that will prepare it for me.

I love to try new recipes, but I really feel that this entire baseball season we have either been wolfing down our dinner before or after a game, spending money at Subway, or just eating garbage. I have been so pressed for time that the thought of grocery shopping for a weeks worth of meals (that probably won't even get made) is really far down on my list of things that I want to do. It ranks right up there with having to work Saturdays. So, I hope to get my cooking mojo back as soon as baseball season is over.

A Simple Project

I found this really ugly pink & pale teal tin birdhouse at a yard sale for .25 cents:





When I saw it, I knew I could do something with it, but would I use it as a decorative birdhouse? I don't think so! I popped off the butterfly and saw an arrow:




'Good Eats This Way', not saying all of my creative dinners are 'good' but at least I can hope!

I have it in my 'yet to be painted and decorated' kitchen and I think it's going to be inspiration for the design that I want for the kitchen.

*Warning*

This video uses profanity. I usually DO NOT post this kind of stuff on my family-friendly blog, however, it gets an enormous point across in reference to the kind of people DDB deals with on a regular basis. So, please watch this video if the language does not offend you, it is an excellent video. There is only a small portion that contains the bad language.




Do you see what I mean? WHAT is wrong with people??

PS. You can scroll down to the bottom of my blog and pause the music so that you can hear the video or just click the link on the video to watch it on YouTube.

{Happy 4th Of July}

Isn't this photo amazing?? For more unbelievable fireworks photos, click here.

I could not have a 4th of July post without mentioning the annual Dogs Deserve Better Chain Off Event. This event has grown from a handful of local people (I know, I was there back in 2004!) in a small little town here in PA, to a huge national event! I am so proud to be part of a group that stands up for dogs who cannot stand up for themselves. Please take the time to read the website and the updating that is done during the events nationwide. I adopted one of my dogs at a Chain-Off event in State College. Jayde, who was about 6-7 years old at the time had been chained all her life. She has nothing but love for all the people involved in helping her get the life she deserved for so many years. She's getting older, slower and heavier as the years go by, but I know she will be forever thankful for getting her out of that hell hole she lived in. I have had dogs my entire life, I feel every kid needs a dog. What better way to set an example for your kids than to love a pet and have them take part in the responsibility of caring for that pet?

The kind of people I personally have dealt with in DDB (and I don't do it on a regular basis like the girls in the main office do) disgust me. I don't care if you 'claim' to love your dog, say he/she has adequate food and water, if you chain or pen your dog for the entire length of his or her life, that is ABUSE. Imagine the day after day loneliness, the wondering IF you are going to get fed. The HOT summer months (usually without shade), the bitter cold winter months, where it hurts us to even have to walk outside to get the mail. Just imagine that day in and day out, year after year. It's pathetic. It's disgusting. If you want a dog, they are a member of the family, not a yard ornament. I have seen cases where dogs collars have been embedded with maggots growing inside. I've seen matted hair so bad that the skin of the dog has become raw. People say they get dogs for protection. What do you think a dog chained to a box or stuck in a pen is going to do for you?

During the 'Dog A Day Rescue Challenge' this past June, a dog had a 15 pound logging chain tied around his neck, what for?? How about doing some house training and some dog training classes and have that dog become part of your family?? That would be too easy, I guess. It's just easier to not have to be bothered by a barking, needy dog, I suppose. All three of my dogs were formally chained dogs. They are the best dogs anyone could ask for. So, if you know of anyone who abuses a dog or know of a dog in need don't be afraid to call the humane society, the police or even DDB. Keep calling until someone listens. Dogs deserve a better life than this. I won't stand for animal abuse and neither should any of you who are reading this. It is only a matter of time that PA adopts anti-chaining laws. They are all over and they can not get here soon enough. So, this 4th of July, I want to celebrate the freedom that many, many more dogs have today because of DDB.

This Is What Happens When...

You let an 8 year old, who so desperately wants an ice cream cone, open the box:



You get three.



I knew we got dogs for a reason! Pay no attention to the table that I still have not gotten around to painting yet! This reminds me of a time that Jason was cooking a pizza in the oven and as he pulled it out, it fell right on the kitchen floor!! I put it in Baileigh's bowl and in no time this short, yet round, little dog had it devoured. As it turns out she really likes waffle cones, too!!

Goodbye Shaggy!! Her new name is Abby, she got adopted by a GREAT couple in New York, a very nice part of New York, I think she will be spoiled to no end, just like she deserves!



We met with her new owner and when we drove away Mason cried half way home. He really got attached to her :(


I have completed the mirror project that I have been working on and I want to get pictures tomorrow, so I'll post them soon.

Later.