Monday, January 31, 2011

Snowmaggedon

I guess I shouldn't have joked about blizzards and tsnowmias and such. Look at this:
BLIZZARD WARNING!

Yeah and FEMA has already issued warnings and now Gov Nixon has declared a state of emergency and activated the MO Natl Guard.

I called husband and told him to pick up some firewood on the way home. We haven't used the fireplace at all this year. But since our power lines are above ground I am worried about losing power.

I've made sure the flashlights are working, got my oil lamp ready and filled some water jugs. Hopefully it won't be as bad as predicted, but better safe than sorry.

Stay tuned for some more news.

Funny thing is someone on the live twitter for KMBC brought up that movie, "Day After Tomorrow" Almost funny.... I don't do cold very well... meaning at all..

I'll see you folks tomorrow, unless we lose power. *cross your fingers that we don't**

Memory Lane

I've noticed a trend in the blog world. Most of them: 1) are pregnant 2)have little ones under the age of five or 3) are trying to get pregnant.

I don't fit into any of those categories. My girls are 14 and 12, and moving up in age this summer. We don't have any plans on having more either. No, we are not trying for a boy, and no we don't want another baby. Sometimes I do have a brief moment of wanting another one. I have friends who are pregnant or have just had a baby. I love holding them, picking out little clothes or toys, but that is as far as it goes.
We will be just turning 40 when our youngest graduates high school. We are younger than most of our girls' friends too.

I was reading around alot of the blogs and saw how many share things about their little ones. I decided why not share what it was like for me when I was pregnant or things from when the girls were little. And that is how Memory Lane was started.

This one is about Katie.

I got pregnant with Katie when I was 19. Way back in 1995. So much has changed since then, especially in the OB/GYN world. I was horribly sick with her, I had morning sickness. What a joke, just call it puke your guts up morning, noon and night sickness! They gave me pills that were supposed to help. They didn't. Neither did small meals, ginger ale, or crackers. The only thing I could hold down was Hardee's Peach Cobbler!
That stuff was SO GOOD! Eventually it went away about my 5th or 6th month. Then I just craved everything! Omelets with everything, V8 tomato juice, if I had hated it before I was pregnant, I now craved it!

Speaking of food, when a friend of ours found out she was pregnant and came back from the doctors with a book of things she could not eat. (Just kidding about the book, but it was a long list)
She cut out all salt from her foods, she wouldn't have lunch meat in her house, she wouldn't eat eggs because they could possibly be undercooked, she even cut out sugar and caffeine. I mean none! No sugar, no caffeine.
She was a new mom so I give her a pass. Plus she had bought every baby book at Borders. And we all know how some of those books are. SCARE THE SOON TO BE MOMMY! is what they should be titled.

But I made it, all the way through my pregnancy with Katie, although I thought with the way she was moving around in me that I was going to be like that guy on Aliens and she would burst through my stomach and run away.

I went into labor on June 5 or so I thought. It was just that weird feeling, I wasn't hurting just kept feeling uncomfortable. We went to the hospital, and find out that our doctor may not be able to make it..........

To be continued.



Friday, January 28, 2011

Stuff That My Kids Say

I have 2 teen daughters, well 1 teen and one almost teen. Kate is the oldest at 14 and a half. That half is VERY important. It is halfway closer to getting that golden driver's permit. Sometimes we think she is going to be mature enough to get one. That her brain is not pouring out of her ears with some of the things she does and more importantly says.

I think we may have to wait on the driving permit if this is the way she is thinking.


This is our mantel. I bought this letter B before Christmas. It has been setting on our mantel since before Christmas. I've had people comment it on it. Ask me where I got it. You would think it wouldn't be a big deal. That everyone in the family would have noticed it. Right?
WRONG?
Katie just noticed it last week. We are sitting on the couch when she suddenly looks at the mantel and says:

"Oh, Mom, you got one of those letter thingys."

"Yeah, Kate. Thanks for noticing. We got it before Christmas. You're just now noticing? "

"It's been there the whole time?!"

"Yes. Everyday and twice on Sunday."

"Oh.....(long pause while she is still staring at the big B on the mantel)

I'm thinking the long pause is because she is looking at the pictures next to the B.

Nope. This jem comes out of her mouth.

"That's cool. But what does the B stand for?"

"Are you being serious Kate or are you joking with me?"

"Seriously, Mom. What does it stand for?"

By this time I didn't know if I should start laughing my butt off or start crying.

"Katie, what letter does our last name start with?"

Another  pause. Then the lightbulb went off.

"Ohhhhhh. That's cool." She went back to texting.

"What did you think it meant?"

"I thought maybe it stood for Bible."

"Really Kate, and the Joneses just have a J for Jesus."

"They could if they wanted."


Yes, ladies and gentlemen. This is our future generation.


*wow, looking at the picture. I think I need to clean those mirrors. **

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Welcome!

I'm taking part in Blizzard Bloghop 2011 hosted by household6diva

I'd like to welcome all of you and thanks for stopping by my blog.

My name is Kriste, mom to Katie 13 and Mary, 12. Married to Dennis, former Army guy turned computer geek. I'm originally from Mississippi and my husband is from Indiana. We have 2 dogs and 1 cat. Who are spoiled just as much as the kids.

I'm a shopping, coffee and chocolate addict. Lover of junk TV and music.I'm a college student majoring in History, hoping to someday work in a museum. I have a tendency to cuss too much, sing and dance around the house and in the car. Sometimes I talk to myself too, and answer back.

My kids say I don't cook enough, embarrass them too much, but all their friends love me. :)

If you stick around, you'll find me blogging about something crazy I saw on TV, my adventures in trying to cook more, and the stuff that my kids say.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Blizzard BlogHop 2011



Some of you might know Blissdom is going on right now in Tennessee. So many of us were unable to go.
household6diva had a brillant idea to do a bloghop from Thursday through out the weekend. Giving all of us the chance to meet new bloggers and catch up with the ones we follow.

So head on over to her page, grab a button and post up a quick introduction post. Be sure to go back to her page and sign MrLinky tomorrow so everyone can find you.

Can't wait to meet all of you!

Wordless Wednesday: Sisters, We Do Love Each Other..Sometimes

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Meet Shelley and Cal

I'd like to introduce you to Shelley and Cal. A Eugene, Oregon married music duo. Their first single is "Maybe" A beautiful song that everyone can relate to. You can listen to the song on the video below and get an inside peek at their family.
To learn more: Shelley & Cal
I was honored to host this Q&A with Shelley and Cal on my blog.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Dear MTV

I'm breaking up with you.

We've had our good times. You introduced me to music videos. AHA's Take On Me was my first. Other ones quickly followed: Men At Work, Peter Gabriel, Wham!, the list goes on and on. You were always had the best music!
Not to mention the music themed shows! Yo MTV Raps!, Headbangers Ball. I got most of my news from MTV News with Kurt Loder.
But MTV, you've changed! Too much. And I don't know who you are anymore.

I don't like the new you. It all started with Real World and Road Rules. Then came Singled Out. All of these were okay, as long as you kept playing the videos. As long as the M still meant Music. But it wasn't enough for you. You decided that wasn't enough.
You got 16 and Pregnant, then Teen Mom 1 & 2. You stopped hanging with you friends named Music. And started hanging out with those kids from The Hills.
But that is not the real reason I am done with you. It's that new show Skins.

A show that your own advertisers are fleeing from in droves. Taco Bell, General Motors and HR Block are all ashamed to be on air with the show. Do you blame them? It's the parents, who buy your advertisers products.The cast of Skins are mainly underage kids. Kids that will be shown engaging in sex and illegal drug use. You, MTV, have even said you are concerned that it might be considered child porn.
Shouldn't you have done something about that BEFORE you put the show on air.

No, I don't have to watch it if I don't like it. I won't be watching it. MTV will be blocked from all TVs in my house and because my husband is an awesome computer guy, the website will also be blocked.

It was nice knowing you MTV. Back when the M stood for Music. When I knew I could put it on your channel and see a music video instead of Snookie hooking up with a random guy or Amber punching Gary.

Maybe someday you will come back to your roots. Until then consider yourself BLOCKED!

Rock On,

The Belle



***I know alot of people use the "if you don't like it, don't watch it" theme, or that it comes on late enough that most kids should be in bed. It comes on at 9 pm in my time zone.Both of my kids are usually still awake. And a show about kids their age is always a draw.
MTV has become the creepy guy in the dirty white van handing out candy that we warn our kids about. Personally I talk to my kids about sex, about drugs. It is hard enough without someone or MTV glamorizing it. I don't know what is sadder. The fact that a show like this is even on or that MTV insists that it meets society standards. What a sad society we must live in then.
Just because MTV throws a little PSA on before and after does nothing to negate the content.
You are welcome to watch it, to let your kids watch. But as far as me and my house, we will not be watching.




Sunday, January 23, 2011

MyBlogSpark Review

I recently took part in a spark by http://www.myblogspark.com/  and Lawry's. I was sent 4 seasoning packets and a Pyrex marinating dish.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

I'm Baffled

I'm constantly baffled by certain things.
  1. How in the world did Snookie get a book deal? Her book is ranked #24 on the New York Times best sellers list.
    Seriously?! It took Stephen King numerous rejections before Carrie got published. Snookie gets drunk, sleeps with upteen number of guys and passes out in a trash can, and her book is a best seller.
    Somethings just should not be!
  2. Charlie Sheen has not been fired from 2 and Half Men. Please someone check this guy into rehab STAT! I think he is a great actor. He has awesome comedic timing. A brilliant dramatic actor. I must have watched Platoon a million times and cried every time Elias is killed. But how many more times are we going to hear of him getting drunk and sleeping with hookers and trashing hotel rooms. 
  3. Some schools are just now getting rid of french fries. Our kids are overweight and we are just now thinking that maybe making school lunches healthier might help? HELLO?
  4. Teen Mom 2 & MTV- I don't think I need to elaborate on that one.
  5. The whole Twilight phenom. Seriously it scares me. Badly.


    Is there anything that just baffles you? Things that make you go Really?  Share with me. :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011

Where I Tell You I Burned The House Down

Just kidding. I didn't burn anything.


Yesterday I wrote about how I wanted to cook more. I'm not sure if I like to cook. I'm kind of bipolar when it comes to it. Some days I am gung ho about it. Other days I can't stand the thought of cooking.


Somehow I have gotten it in my head that if I just start cooking eventually I will learn to love it. We shall see.


My first dish I have attempted to cook. Or is it bake?


It is.... drum roll please.........................
Pioneer Woman's Cherry Cake Pudding





                                 I gathered all my ingredients.





And then I enlisted my daughters to act as photographers and cooking assistants. Oldest got to butter the  baking dish.















Then we combined the sugar, butter, flour, and other things to make the cake part.
Then we poured it in our buttered baking dish.

Then while it was baking to yummy perfection. We made the sauce from our cherry juice, sugar, vanilla and butter.
It took my cake a little longer than 40 minutes to not be "jiggly" like PW says. Mine cooked for 50 minutes, my oven is wonky like that. At last it was done and just waiting for me to pour that cherry juice goodness all over it.

I can tell you it smelled SOOOO good. Both daughters gathered around. Looking at the cake, at me pouring the syrup over it and licking their lips. Even my husband came over to ask what I had baked.
I had to take the first bite. YUM! I forgot to make my whipped cream for it. So I just used some cool whip I had in the fridge. Still really good. Oldest took the next bite, and then the youngest. Mary took her bite and then ran away with the plate.
It is so very very good. Really sweet though according to my husband. He's not a big fan of overly sweet things, but he still liked it. I'm not a big pecan fan, but they were chopped finely so I don't get big chunks of them. I can hear my oldest, Katie, telling one of her friends that I cooked this yummy cake thing. So I guess I did okay.

Oh, for those of you who don't have Kitchen Aid mixers or things like that. I just used my regular mixer. I also couldn't find my sifter so I just used one of those smaller ones you can use to shake powder sugar over things. It worked fine to sift my flour and stuff. The most expensive part of the recipe is the cherries. Mine were just over $3 a can. But you only need 1 so it's not that bad.

I think this will be one of our favorite recipes to make. I'll have to make it for a family get together.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hey Good Lookin, Whatcha Got Cookin'

Rachael Ray's Book of 10: More Than 300 Recipes to Cook Every Day
I think I like to cook. I say think because I like the idea of cooking, of combining ingredients together to create something delicious. Something my family and friends will taste and do the groan and have their eyes roll back. To hear that moan of food ecstasy. Proof that I have made something good.

I never learned to cook. My mom wouldn't let me. Don't ask. I have no clue why she never taught me. But while she was working. I would sneak into the kitchen pull down one of her many cookbooks and find a recipe.

The first recipe I ever tried and made entirely by myself was egg custard. I knew it was one of my dad's favorite desserts and we had all the ingredients for it.
I think it was a success. Everyone ate it. Or maybe they were just humoring me.

The next thing I made was lemon squares. Now these I KNOW were loved. My brother at half the pan. I still have the recipe too. Trust me they are sooooo good! Yummy lemony sugary goodness!

But all my cooking fun ended. My mom was afraid I would burn either myself or the house down, so she started having my grandmother call whenever I so much as looked at the oven/stove sideways. She was VERY protective. Over protective, but that is another story for another day.

Lately I have been thinking about cooking more. Not just opening up that can of soup or tossing something in the oven, but actually doing the whole cooking thing. Like my mom used to do.

My goal for this year is to cook some more. I checked out a Rachael Ray cookbook yesterday. And I got the ingredients to make one of Pioneer Women's desserts. It's the Cherry Cake Pudding one if anyone cares to know.

In my mind this is going to go splendidly. Or at least my fingers are crossed and I hope it will.

Stay tuned for tomorrow. Either I will be posting pictures of how great the dessert came out. Or telling you that I have burned my house down.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Get Yer Bread & Milk Or Ye Shall Die!

We have yet another snow storm headed towards Kansas/Missouri. While watching the forecast last night I kept yelling at the TV, telling the weatherman to shut his "Dirty hooker mouth" about all that snow. I do not want another snow day. I do not want to do another week with a snow and ice covered driveway.

No, no NO!

It's the White Death. Snowmageddeon 2011, Snow apocalypse!

My husband was not amused when I started saying that.

"Jeez, calm down! It's just a little snow."

"But what if we get a blizzard.. Just like they did on Little House On The Prairie. You remember the episode where Miss Beadle sends all the kids home and they get trapped in a blizzard? And Mr Edwards and Charles all go out to save the kids that didn't make it home. And they gave them whiskey that Mr Edwards had because Mr Edwards was the only one who had whiskey in Walnut Grove. So since he saved the kids from freezing they were really nice to him even though he had the evil whiskey in their town."

Cue blank stare from my husband. "Have you gone mental?"

"You don't remember that one?"

"No, I was doing something called..."

"Oh yes... you were working in the salt mines. You poor deprived child who never got to see Little House or Dukes of Hazard since you had to work for pennies all day. Never mind that the show came on when we were like FIVE!"

"Then I was actually outside."

"Whatever? But what if we do get snowed in? What will we do without our milk and bread?"

"Then I'll make some snowshoes out of the Christmas tree that is still on the porch and track my way to the nearest store."

"My Hero."

"Show me your gratitude later." He grinned.

Men.... it could be the end of the world like in that movie with Jake whats his name and Dennis Quaid and all they can  think about is sex... Go Figure!


Monday, January 17, 2011

What I Did This Weekend.


We, meaning me and the girls, took the fur son to the toy store, otherwise known as PetSmart. Oscar our Chihuahua mix needed to have his nails trimmed and I wanted to see how well he would behave. Surprisingly he was well behaved. Usually he barks at anything and everyone. We once had one of the Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackles as a neighbor. Oscar's favorite thing was to bark and growl at him anytime the guy walked out of his house. This guy is 6'2 and over 300 pounds, yet my 10 pound dog thought he was Billy Bad Ass and would surely bring the guy down to his knees. He barked ever more when the guy would laugh at him. Oscar must have been a Great Dane in a previous life. If dogs have previous lives. Do they?




Oscar getting his pedicure


So many toys to chose from!


I want this one! Please Mom!



Gonna get me some fries at Sonic!

PetSmart is like a toy store for dogs. I swear there must have been at least 20 dogs in the store when we were there. Oscar and another dog started barking at each other from across the store. He did try and growl at this big Lab mix. What is it about little dogs and the Napoleon complex? It was fun though. I think we should have named him Pinocchio. He seems to think he is a real boy and not just a spoiled rotten dog.

What Do Birds Have To Do With Babies?

Or other things that come out of my 12 year old daughter's mouth.

I'm busy parking at the grocery store. Scored a spot right up front, down from the handicap spots and next to the pregnant/new mom spots that are popping up everywhere now. 
Tell me where those spots were when I was pregnant. Tell me?! I had to park where ever I could find a place. I didn't get those up close spots. Lucky mommies!
Anyway, I had just pulled in when Mary asks what birds have to do with babies? She had just seen the above sign next to our parking spot. Well it wasn't just like it... the one here is red with an outline of a stork with a bundle in its mouth.
I thought of going and taking a picture, but thought people might give me a funny look. Just like when I had Mary take a photo of the eaten chicken leg in the soap section at Wal-Mart. (true story)

Back to the story at hand.....

"Well, it's a stork actually." I began to explain.

"Again, Mom, what does a stork have to do with babies?" She texting while asking me this and walking across the street. Everytime she does this I am terrified she is going to walk into traffic or into the side of a building.

"Instead of telling kids where babies actually came from people would just say the stork was bringing the baby." I have no clue what the story is about the stork and babies.

"Wouldn't thinking a bird with a huge beak be more terrifying than hearing mom and dad had sex?"

I honestly had no idea what to say after that.

I told my husband this story tonight and asked him if we had done the right thing by not sheltering the girls from anything and everything. My mom never talked about sex with me. I only knew the basics of how my body worked. Sex just wasn't considered proper talk in Southern homes. I think honestly my mom hated sex with the fires of a thousand suns.
I decided when I had kids I would be open and honest with them about sex. I wanted them to feel comfortable coming to me and us having a talk. And they do. We laugh and joke about sex. It isn't something we want to be hidden or to be considered dirty or something to be ashamed of.

I guess that is why Mary had no clue that some people use/believe a big bird brings a baby. I still don't know why the stork got mixed in with having babies though? Do you?
Friday, January 14, 2011

Why I Hate Shopping At Wal-Mart (otherwise known Trash-Mart)

It is no secret that I hate, no LOATHE going to the Wal-Mart here. It has to be one of the worst Wal-Marts I have ever been in. And I've visited alot of them. From small town, non-super ones, to the short lived Hyper-Mart.

It is our Wal-Mart here in Kansas City that takes the cake. The only thing I go there for is the vision center and the photo center. That is it! If I have to do a big trip, I hit up a Super Target.

But after having the girls home for 5 days after the snow closed the school for 3 days, we were running low on everything from dog food to milk. Since the roads were still like an ice skating rink, there was no way I was going to attempt to drive it and wind up in a ditch somewhere.
I had to get the Husband to drive me.......

Let me just say this, my husband has been wonderful about taking me places when we have bad weather or when my emphysema is really bothering me.

But he does NOT like running from store to store and he was not going to drive to the Super Target in the next town. So Wal-Mart it was. We thought if we just did a small run of the things that were most necessary we could get in there and back out unscathed......
HA!

While he parked the truck, I went to use the bathroom. I can hear of you now.

Wal-Mart Bathrooms=GROSS

But I had to go....BAD! I mean like a kindergardener crossing their leggs bad.

I cover the toliet with half a roll of paper, hover and then hear from the stall next to me.....

"I don't know what's wrong? I've had this bad diaherra for 3 days now."

Cue  me giving a look to the stall next to me. Someone is on the phone in the toilet and going to the bathroom." BLECH!

She continues on, "Yeah, I'm in the bathroom right now. I can't hold anything in. I've drank a whole bottle of Pepto and it still won't stop."

OMG! Really!

I think I did the fastest pee in the history of peeing. Then scrubbed my hands when I washed them, and dumped my whole bottle of hand sanitizer on them too.

We hadn't even gotten a cart yet and it was already beginning.

We raced through getting dog food, those girly things, and were making our way back to Electronics when we heard someone yelling.

We thought it was some customer yelling at their kid, spouse, boyfriend, whoever... right?

No. This was a Wal-Mart employee yelling, no SCREAMING at/for another employee. She was at one end of Electronics and from what we can assume, he was in the photo department.

This is what we hear, along with the rest of the store that has stopped to stare.

JOHN! JOHN! JOHN! WHERE ARE YOU, JOHN?- from female employee.

A red faced John appears around the corner.

Female employee, still screaming- I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR YOU FOR 10 FREAKING MINUTES. JESUS CHRIST!

Then she literally throws the phone at him.

"Let's hurry up and get out of here before she throws something at all of us too." My husband said.

On the way to the grocery side, we almost get run over by an employee pushing a dolly full of boxes. No apology, they just kept on going.

In another aisle, I can't get to the food I need because the shelf is being stocked and the employee will done in a minute. 5 minutes later, I'm still waiting.

Never mind, I'll just go to the grocery store to get that I say to the employee.

Okay was the reply.

Finally, we are done, except standing in line. I stand in line while my husband gets the truck and waits out front for me.

As I'm standing there looking at all the tabloids and trying to decide which one to buy. Do I want Poor Kendra and her divorce or Valerie Bertinelli's wedding.
I'm going for Kendra when I overhear the lady behind me on her phone. At first I think she is talking to me since she is wearing one of those little bluetooth devices.

"What else cures diaherra?"

I jump. It's the diaherra lady. I look down. Different shoes. This lady has on those UGG boots.

Another diaherra person?!

I was about to tell her buttermilk. It was what my mom made me drink when I got it, nasty but it took care of business.
Thank goodness I noticed the little blue light blinking in her ear. I went back to studying the other tabloids.

"It started a few days ago. I've still been going to work though"

I'll save you the details of the rest of the conversation. She went into great detail about her diaherra.

People if you don't want others hearing your conversations, don't talk LOUD, or come up with a secret word. In this house we call diaherra, The Skittles.

Finally, it is my turn to check out. I've lined up all my stuff. Cleaning supplies up front, cold stuff all together, bread and chips. So I won't find lysol in with my apples.

Checking out can be an experience in its self. Either you get the checker who ignores you completely. Or you get the one who has to make a comment about every single one of your purchases.

I got the one who liked to comment on my purchases and fondle them as well.

She asked about all of my purchases. Told me I could get my lysol cheaper at Dollar General. Where did I find the apples that come in the Toy Store bag.
One of the sandwiches I bought looked like it didn't have much meat. The list goes on and on.

I was glad when I got my total, could swipe my card and leave diaherra lady behind.

Do you have a Wal-Mart horror story? Feel free to share it on your blog or tell me about it in the comments.

Today is Delurking Day 2011. I love comments. And I appreciate all of you who take the time to read my blog.
You don't have to leave a long comment. A smiley face works, or even a hi.




**I know not all Wal-Marts are this bad. There are some that I like. Just not this one.**


                           


Monday, January 10, 2011

2010 In Review

Who's glad that 2010 is finally over with raise your hand! 2010 had to be one of the hardest years for us. D lost his job the beginning of the summer. We thought we were gonna have to move to Mississippi, live with my dad, and him take whatever job he could find.
Then he got the BIG JOB right before fall started and things have slowly started to get better.
We moved to the house across the street, losing the crazy landlord. Much better house, with a fridge that does not have handles that are duct taped on. Plus much more room.

Our dog, Gizmo the Corgi, got a double hernia at Christmas and we thought we were going to lose him. Every vet we talked to wanted over 2500 just to do one hernia. Finally we found Angel's Vet Express A low cost non profit vet in Savannah, MO. I HIGHLY recommend them. They are well worth the drive.
The vet called almost every day to check on Gizmo. Wonderful people, all of them!

I'm not sure what 2011 has to offer us. So far it has been alot better than last year. Let's hope it stays that way.