Life In My Shoes

Thought this would be a great hike to start with on my blog

2012-02-05T01:58:00.009-05:00

I really have not kept up with this blog like I'd hoped. I am thinking I'd love to start it up again and start sharing about some of the hikes we have been doing with our little family and some of our awesome friends here. The past few months we have been doing quite a bit of hiking on the island. We probably have about 6 months left living here and we are trying to make the best of it. Today, we had a really fun day.
This morning my husband had to go into work and was going to miss the hike we had planned to go on today. I got myself and Lukas's things ready for the hike in a backpack and then made us both breakfast and got us ready for his basketball game. He played great, like usual. For a 5 yr old, he's pretty good defense. I got a text from my husband during the game letting me know he was off of work. Yea! That meant he could go on the hike after all. We went with 8 others on this hike, much thanks to our friend who got a permit for us to legally enjoy it (It's on private land and is illegal to hike without a permit. Not very many people know about this hike.)
The first trail took us to Lulumahu Falls. First, we walked through a bamboo forest and then through a more tropical rain forest area. Lots of trees, beautiful green plants, rocks, and of course stream crossings. We had to climb over big boulders in a few places. It was well worth it to see Lulumahu Falls and it really wasn't that long of a hike. It was just making sure we were going in the right direction and didn't get off track.

After finding Lulumahu Falls, we went back to the road where we started, took a left, walked a little ways down until we came to an opening in the greenery on the side of the road. Again we walked through some bamboo. We came to a fork and went left, rather than straight. Left took us to King Kamehameha III's Summer Palace ruins (AKA Kaniakapupu). It's a beautiful spot. I can definitely see why a King would choose to build there. We did explore a little and followed a nearby trail with markers to a deer stand (not sure they are called that here since there aren't deer here, ha...maybe it's a boar stand?). We turned back around and after sharing a coconut, we headed back to that fork we came to earlier.

We decided to go the way we hadn't checked out at the fork because we were told there was a small waterfall. So we hiked to the waterfall and took a few pictures before heading back to our vehicles. We were all pretty tired, especially the kids, who were quite the little troopers!

Originally, we had also planned on finding another waterfall we have been interested in but weren't able to do so today. After we got home, I did a little more research and now I know how to get to that waterfall. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be posting a new blog about the hike to those falls with pics to show for it :)

Fall

2010-10-25T23:05:00.004-04:00

Hello again blog world. It's fall and we've been enjoying it around here lately. Friday, Lukas and I went to a fall festival on base with friends. Saturday, we went to the pumpkin patch. Sunday we carved pumpkins. I cannot wait to take my little guy trick or treating. We are also getting ready for my husband to deploy. It will be his first deployment since before Lukas was born. I'm hoping all goes well and that Lukas will handle it well.

Hello Blog. Long time, no see.

2010-07-29T20:50:00.004-04:00

I feel like I have really neglected my blog. I would like to get back into the hang of things. Plenty has happened since my last post. I'll try to just name the most significant things.

I had to take a very last minute trip back home to Louisiana because my grandmother fell very ill. It was a very bittersweet trip but it felt good to be able to say goodbye. I got there and my parents drove us straight to the hospice where she was. She said my name when she saw me and kept saying "I love ya." and cried. That was on Tuesday, May 25. I went back for a couple of more visits. Saturday, May 29 was my last visit with her. I brought my sister Katie and my son that visit b/c Katie hadn't seen her recently and I knew she needed to. My grandmother was asleep and her breathing did not sound good. My son grabbed my sister's hand and pulled her out of the room. I turned around and my aunt and I looked at my grandmother and she had stopped breathing. She was gone. The most beautiful, most inspiring woman I'd ever known gone. Just gone but not forever because we shall meet again. She was 91 yrs old. She lived a long life and she lived a great life.

This doesn't seem nearly as significant as saying goodbye to my lovely grandmother but it is an accomplishment for me. I finished my 1st semester towards my degree in Paralegal Studies this week with a 3.6 grade average.

Not much has changed with me and my little family here in Hawaii. Lukas keeps growing up more and more everyday. My husband will be deploying in a few months but for now we are enjoying the time we have together.

Been such a LONG time

2010-03-25T16:00:00.004-04:00

It has been way too long since I last blogged. Plenty has happened, I'm sure. Probably way too much to put here so I will talk about recent happenings and such. My little Lukas had to have his tonsils and adenoids out at the beginning of the month just before my 28th birthday. He did really well and he no longer seems to be struggling to breathe at night and no more snoring. It's taking me some getting used to because he was such a loud breather at night before. It has made a huge difference and it's such a relief to have it over with. So it's been a little over 3 weeks since his surgery and he already had to return to the hospital Monday for some stitches after a fall :( I'm glad is okay! He is supposed to have the stitches taken out tomorrow. Should be fun...not! He will most certainly put up a fight.

In other news, I'm an online college student. I have returned to school to receive an Associate's degree in Paralegal Studies. I would really rather be going into criminal investigation but maybe sometime further in the future. My dream is to work on and help solve cold cases someday but for now I'm just trying to get a little degree so I can get a decent job when the little one starts school.
Here are some pictures from around the house. Happy Spring Time!

October

2009-10-11T18:52:00.002-04:00

So far, October is going okay. I broke my foot, we got a new dog, lots of appointments, decorating for Halloween...that's what is going on here. I go to a neurologist on Tuesday for my dizziness and blurred vision episodes. Next week the dog goes to the vet and the week after I go back to the orthopedic surgeon for my foot. Right now we are in the process of decorating a little bit for Halloween. I'm hoping to take Lukas to the pumpkin patch sometime soon. If we don't make it there, I guess we will just buy a pumpkin from the grocery store. The past few days, Lukas has had a little bit of a cold but he seems okay otherwise. Other than actually taking naps, he's been his normal little self. The dog is doing pretty good too other than a few accidents in the house here and there. I'll try to update after my neurologist appointment if I find anything new out.

No more crutches! Yay! :)

2009-09-29T01:14:00.003-04:00

This morning I had an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon for my foot. It went well. They gave me a boot to walk around in so no more crutches. This makes me very happy. I even conquered grocery shopping with Lukas all by myself today. It was great :) It's so nice not to have to hop and hobble everywhere. It was only a week on crutches but it felt so much longer because of all of the trouble my son kept getting into. He was quite a stinker last week and over the weekend. We are loving our new puppy dog too. She is so sweet. She just hangs out with me on the couch and takes little puppy naps.

I also went blonde over the weekend. It was time for a change again.

A puppy dog and a broken foot

2009-09-23T19:28:00.004-04:00

I think it's definitely time to blog. Sunday was quite a day for us! We found a doggy :) Her name is Harley and she is so cute. Unfortunately, while I was taking her for her first walk, I stepped off of the curb and broke my foot! Yes, I broke it. Luckily, Harley is a sweet little lap dog and hangs out on the couch with me.

Might Be Adding to the Family ;)

2009-09-08T18:15:00.004-04:00

This weekend we decided we are ready to make a new addition to the family. Maybe not exactly what you are thinking but we want a puppy dog. We've decided we want to try to find a silky terrier or a yorkie...or possibly a hybrid mix with one of the two or both. I have always wanted a dog but have horrible, horrible allergies. I actually held a silky terrier and spent a little time with one at a pet store over the weekend and wasn't bothered at all by him. There's no way we were spending what the store wanted for him. So the search is on for the perfect dog for our family. I'm hoping to find one to adopt soon but don't want to rush into it.

Meanwhile, I finally got an appointment with a neurologist but don't go until October. Speaking of October, Halloween will be here before we know it! I think I'm going to dress Lukas as a pirate again (he was a pirate for his first halloween) because he is really good at saying, "Arr!" haha! Heck, and if we find a dog before then, we'll dress him/her up too!

Update & the Weekend

2009-09-01T18:53:00.003-04:00

I went back to the doctor yesterday to go over my labs and to have my blood pressure checked again. Everything was in normal range so now I just have wait and go to the neurologist. If the neurologist says everything is good, then it's back to an ENT dr to see about getting my ear drums repaired. Again, not much of an update but it is what it is.

Well, the weekend went pretty well. On Saturday morning we went garage saling. We found a great deal on a Thomas the Train table plus lots of tracks, trains, and other pieces, all in great condition. I also got a few extremely cheap wall decor pieces :) I love garage sales, thrift stores, etc. I'm hoping to do it again this weekend. Saturday afternoon, we went to Waimea falls with our neigbors. Sunday, I got a lots done around the house. Laundry, cleaning, rearranging, decorated a little, etc.

A truely beautiful woman.

2009-08-28T04:30:00.003-04:00

I really want to write about my grandmother and what an amazing person she is. I am so blessed to be her granddaughter and to have her in my life. She is the greatest role model I have ever known. She is a true Christian woman and I have always looked up to her. My grandmother showed me how to really trust in God. She is beautiful both inside and out. She is so close to God, I hope I can get nearly so close. I'm working on it. She's traveled many places. She raised 6 children and was a wonderful wife to my grandfather. She has always been very active in the church. She was one of the first women to do the readings in Catholic church. She volunteered with the church, bringing Communion to the Nursing Homes and she would bring me along sometimes when I was a little girl. I never minded going and I admired her so much for it all. I remember spending the night at her house and we'd always go to the mall and she'd buy me an outfit. She survived the death of her husband, a stroke almost 4 yrs ago, and the death of her son, my Uncle Johnny. My Uncle Johnny was her baby. He had Down's Syndrome and passed away just last January. Having a son of my own, I know that had to be the hardest thing for her.
A few weeks ago, my grandmother suffered another stroke. She seemed to be doing better shortly after and was transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation center. Unfortunately, she started having problems and was transferred back to the hospital, where she is now. Everyone seems to think this is the end and she is asking God to take her home. Only God knows if it's the end for sure but I wish that I could be there to hold her hand and tell her I love her.
I have lost other relatives and it's been difficult not being able to be there to say goodbye but this is so much worse. This is my beautiful grandmother, who I have looked up to all of my life. I am going to miss her so much. I don't want to go through this and I don't know how to. I just keep reminding myself that God will get me through it.

6 Years of Marriage

2009-08-24T01:10:00.006-04:00

Yep, today is our 6th Wedding Anniversary. We had a fun family day together. I packed us some lunch and we went on a nice hike up a mountain. I barely could make it up and honestly I decided not to go all the way up because I had one of my dizzy spells up there but I got so very close. Even though I decided it was best that I not go any further up, we got to see some incredible views of Kailua, Kailua Beach, and Lanikai Beach. After our hike, we went to Kailua Beach to cool off in the water and have lunch. Lukas got wiped out pretty good by a wave and he was done after that. He fell asleep in the car on the way home. The poor little guy had a rough weekend (Saturday, he got stung on his little hand by a bee--whom he showed who was boss by smacking it into the pavement with his hand).

Time for a little Update

2009-08-22T02:34:00.003-04:00

I think it's about time for an update since I finally went back to the doctor. My appointment went well and I have a good dr (nothing like the one at my last appt). There are a number of things that could be causing my dizziness and the blurred vision. I got some labwork done and my dr is sending me to a neurologist b/c he is concerned about the blurred vision I had a few times. So, I guess this isn't really much of an update but it's what is going on. We have to narrow this down. The dizziness could still be caused by my ears and may need to go ahead and have surgery to have my eardrum repaired...the dr said, even w/surgery that there is a possibility I could just have dizziness for the rest of my life. I also had elevated blood pressure today so he wants to keep an eye on that. Hopefully, nothing serious is going on.
Meanwhile, Lukas has started going to daycare/school a few times a week and he loves it! We are still working on potty training but I'm not pushing it too much because I know he will eventually get it on his own. Tomorrow, I am going to try to get him signed up for swim lessons :)

Dr's Appt-no answers

2009-07-17T12:48:00.002-04:00

I hate complaining about people but here I go, I guess. I did say I'd update after my doctor's appointment yesterday. It did not go well at all. The dr focused on only one of my symptoms and ignored the rest. He just focused on the dizziness and decided that it was a side effect from my b.c. pill and sent me home with a refill of it! So I still don't know where the headaches, blurred vision, and tiredness came from. He did go back and look at my past labs and said my thyroid is good, cholesterol good, and he said no diabetes. I don't know where he got results for diabetes because last time I was checked for that was when I was pregnant with Lukas. I left very frustrated and confused. I don't know whether to make another appointment or to just ignore my symptoms since this dr didn't seem the least bit concerned. I really do not like going to the doctor for myself so it really irritates me when I go and get absolutely nothing out of it.

My Health

2009-07-15T15:11:00.003-04:00

So, I finally made a doctor's appointment for myself. I go in tommorow. I am still having dizzy spells, sometimes blurred vision, headaches, and I get really tired. I have been avoiding it and didn't know why. I know there's a good possibility that I could be diabetic. I'm so scared I'll have to give myself insulin shots. I'm not afraid of getting shots and I have tattoos but thinking of giving myself a shot really freaks me out. I know I can deal with it if I have to but I admit that I am scared of everything that could come with this. I just went on the diabetes website and read up some more on it. That's when I realized that I was scared. I know I need to find out sooner than later or I could really risk my health.
Yesterday, started off pretty good. I got up, got dressed, had breakfast, and tidied up around the house while Lukas slept in. Then when Lukas got up, I fed him breakfast and got him ready to go. We went to the thrift store and I found some picture frames, a skirt and shirt for myself, and a puzzle book for Lukas. Then we went to the grocery store and then I hauled all of the groceries upstairs and put them away. After that, we had lunch. After that, like so many other days, I got so tired and all I could do was just lay down on the couch while Lukas was destroying our living room. Then when I finally felt like I could make myself get up, I had a horrible headache. My husband gave me some excedrin when he got home from work and all it did was make me jittery. Yesterday, made me realize that I really shouldn't keep going on like this. Not just for me but for Lukas. It's not fair to him that mommy has no energy.

Eating Healthier, Getting in Shape-Got any healthy recipes?

2009-07-10T21:03:00.003-04:00

I am trying to eat healthier and get in shape. I need some more motivation to be more active! I have a wii fit and want to start working out more often. I just have the worst time sticking with stuff. I'm trying to find healthier foods to eat which isn't easy for a picky eater like myself. One thing I've started to realize that I really like is fresh sliced pineapple. Yummy! I used to think I hated pineapple but it is so good. I didn't know how to cut a pineapple so I found this website http://www.howtocutapineapple.com/ Pretty simple, right? Ha, I thought so. It really wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. As long as you have a sharp knife, things go well. I do still have all of my digits.

I also love putting this with fruit (had it on a blueberry kashi go lean waffle w/fresh blueberries for breakfast):
8 oz fat free cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz fat free cool whip

I put the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 secs-1 min and then mix the powdered sugar in. Then fold the cool whip into the mixture. Great with grapes, blueberries, pineapples, etc. It's sooo good. I actually got it from a grape salad recipe that my stepmom-in-law gave to me.

If anyone else has any yummy healthy recipes, let me know! I've been doing smoothies, tuna and crackers, and fruit. I need more ideas.

Pics from 4th of July Weekend

2009-07-10T18:43:00.004-04:00

Pretty Flowers and a Rockstar

2009-07-10T18:31:00.004-04:00

There are now flowers in my flower bed. Let's see how long they live. I've also added some river rocks to it since taking pics. I have never really had a garden of any kind. I used to help my mom with her garden on rare occassions when I was growing up. That is about the extent of my very vast gardening experience. While I was planting my lovely flowers, Lukas rode his big wheel and his 4 wheeler. While he was riding around, every once in awhile he would yell something out. I kept trying to figure out what he was saying and I was almost sure that he was yelling, "Poptart!". I thought he was saying poptart until today. I finally realized he was yelling out, "Rockstar!" I cracked up! haha! The other day, probably about a week ago, I asked Lukas if he was a rockstar and he replied with a big, "Yeah!" What a cute little rockstar I have. He's the coolest!

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-06T14:06:00.002-04:00

We had a nice 4th of July weekend. Friday, we went to Hanauma Bay (one of our favorite spots) with friends, got some yummy shaved ice, and then later had dinner at Buca Di Beppo's. Saturday, the 4th, we went to the Dole plantation, enjoyed going through the maze and taking a ride on the train. Lukas was so excited to ride the train that he was screaming and jumping up and down for joy. Sunday morning I made pancakes for breakfast and we cleaned house. We went to the store and bought some gardening supplies. Then I made some red beans and rice for dinner. It was my first time making red beans and rice so I was happy that it turned out pretty good. My husband ate 2 bowls so I figure it was either really good or he was really hungry. After dinner, we cleared out my flower bed and my husband saved me from a big scary centiped. Now I have to figure out what we should plant. I want some pretty, colorful, tropical plants and flowers.

Father's Day Weekend

2009-06-24T13:23:00.003-04:00

We had a nice Father's Day weekend. Saturday we drove on Round Top Dr (Tantalus Dr area) up to the top and back down. It was beautiful. You can see the most amazing views of Honolulu from the mountain. I didn't get as many great pics as I would have liked because my camera died but I'm sure we will be going back again sometime in the future. Sunday, we went to the Byodo-In Temple. You can read more about it here http://www.hawaiiweb.com/oahu/sites_to_see/byodo-in_temple.htm . It was a beautiful sight, even in the rain.

Slowcooker Mac N Cheese Recipe

2009-06-24T13:17:00.002-04:00

I totally forgot to come back and post the mac n cheese recipe I talked about in my last blog. I didn't get to take a picture but it did turn out pretty yummy. You could even try using different cheeses. But anyhow here is the recipe:

Slowcooker All Day Mac n Cheese (not my recipe, I found it online somewhere a while ago)
8 oz elbow macaroni
4 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk
1 1/2 C. milk
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

In a large pot cook macaroni pasta until al dente. Drain. In a large bowl, mix together 3 cups of the sharp Cheddar cheese, cooked macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper.Transfer to a slow cooker which has been coated w/non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle w/ remaining 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.Cook on Low for 5-6 hrs, or until mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove cover or stir until it is done.

"Living Aloha"

2009-06-16T16:15:00.003-04:00

I am really, really enjoying living in Hawaii so far. It's so beautiful. I'm sure I'll be talking about how much I love it here very often.

We had a nice weekend. Friday was my husband's birthday so we went out to eat at IHOP-Yay for pancakes, haha! Saturday we went shopping at the Swap Meet and got lots of good stuff. We got a beautiful picture to hang above our couch and some other small sign pictures and tiki heads to hang around the house. I also got a few dresses and we bought hats. Saturday night I made baked ziti for dinner and it turned out yummy. Sunday was a beautiful day and Clifton was going on a motorcycle ride so Lukas and I had fun at the beach. I'll post some pics of Lukas at the beach.

Yesterday (Monday) was a boring day. Lukas and I went grocery shopping and then he passed out for a nice, long very needed nap. Then later we went for a walk to the playground while Clifton washed my car.

Today, I'm hanging out at home with Lukas, trying to finish up some laundry. I've got mac n cheese in the crockpot for dinner. I'll try to post the recipe and a pic later (if I remember to take one).

our new place and potty training

2009-06-11T16:12:00.004-04:00

It has been a while since I blogged. We moved to Hawaii at the beginning of may and stayed at the lodge on base for almost a month. We moved into our new place about a week ago and just got internet back yesterday. So far, we love it here. It's beautiful. I don't have but a few pics on my new laptop so I will be sure to post more as time goes by. The pic I posted is of the view from our new place. Now that we are finally getting settled in, I'd really like to get back into blogging and cooking, and all of that good stuff again.

We bought Lukas a new big boy bed (a twin b/c he's getting too tall to be in a toddler bed much longer). Right now it's still in boxes...we will have to carry it all upstairs and put it together later on when my husband gets home from work. I can't wait to get it all put together and put Lukas's bedding on it.

In the meantime, I am TRYING to potty train Lukas. Today is the first day putting him in real underwear. So far, it's not going well but hopefully he will do better tommorow. He's already pooped in them and then he went and peed on the floor in another room (twice so far). Fun, fun, fun...the joys of motherhood, haha. Hopefully, I will see some progress soon.

Long time, No see---Visiting in Louisiana

2009-04-26T09:26:00.006-04:00

It has been quite a while since my last blog. We left Jacksonville a few weeks ago and we are in Louisiana visiting with family and friends. We will be here until May 7 when we fly out to Hawaii.

So far, it's been nice to be home for a little while. We got to spend a day in New Orleans, my favorite city :) I would like to go back for another day there while we are here but don't know if we'll get a chance to do that. Yesterday we went to my family reunion and got to see lots of people I never get to see/have never seen before. Also got to meet our new nephew last weekend and he is beautiful just like his big sister.

Lukas has been a trip, as usual, haha! We took family pictures at my in-laws and he was hysterical! He did not want to cooperate so his pictures are pretty amusing but there is one really great shot of him that I just love.

ENT Appt-Update

2009-02-12T07:57:00.002-05:00

I finally had my appointment with the ENT Dr and it went well. I do have a medium sized tear in my right eardrum and a slight hearing loss in that ear. The scarring on my left eardrum (I think the Dr said it was inverted or something) just makes it difficult to clear my ears so sometimes the pressure bothers me. They could do surgery to repair the tear in my right eardrum but I chose not to because I would not benefit from it all that much. I'm very relieved to know that I do not need surgery!

Nice Weekend

2009-02-02T11:35:00.005-05:00

We had a really nice weekend. The weather was great and we enjoyed it. Saturday we went shopping at the outdoor town center near us and got Lukas a paint w/water book and a new puzzle. He loves the puzzle and can't stop playing with it. We at lunch at Panera bread and walked around the town center a little more before going home. Sunday morning I made a coffee cake for breakfast and we went grocery shopping. Then we came home, ate lunch, and put Lukas down for a nice long nap. While Lukas was napping, Clifton and I actually spent a little alone time together for a change. When Lukas was done napping we took him to play at the park (Clifton rode his motorcycle and met us there). After playing at the park we went and ate out for dinner at a BBQ place. Then we went home and watched the Superbowl. We were supposed to go get our taxes done (that was the plan, ha) but we forgot with the weather being so nice out. So, I guess taxes will be on the list of things to do for next weekend.

An Unhappy Post

2009-01-29T10:36:00.002-05:00

Today I have an appointment to get my eyes checked. A well overdue appointment. I think it's been at least 4 yrs since I've had my eyes checked so I'm pretty sure I'll be getting some new glasses and this time I'll try to actually wear them.
I have to vent a bit....This morning my husband had me drive him to work (we only have one car and my husband has a motorcycle and it was raining today-he does not ride in the rain). I was kind of wondering why he made me drive him. We start talking and I realize he THINKS my eye appt is on base which it's NOT. I told him a bunch of times where it was and even told him I drove by. I've been talking about how close the place was to where we live for a week. So, I was really irritated b/c the only reason I was driving him to work in the rain was b/c he thought my appointment was on base (where he works...). Okay, so the real reason I'm so irritated is because he always does stuff like this to me and then blames it on having too much on his mind when really it's that he never listens when I am talking to him. I feel like when I'm talking that he has absolutely no interest in what I'm saying and just dismisses everything like it doesn't matter. There is so much lately...or for a while, that really bothers me and talking to him about it obviously does nothing. The last two times I was sick, he refused to help me with simple tasks for our son (normally, I do everything...he does help change diapers sometimes but that's only after me complaining for the whole first year of my son's life and threatening to leave). For example, I asked him to get Lukas a sippy cup (on the day I was puking and couldn't eat a thing) and he said, "You're not dying." I could go on and on about lots of things but I'll try not to. Basically, I am just not too happy but you can't make a person change.

Let her go

2009-01-26T11:58:00.003-05:00

Why can't you let her go
You keep pushing and pushing
When is it time to move on
Can't you just get past it

We know it makes you feel low
She can forgive everything
Doesn't mean her memory is gone
But we can all get on with it

If you just let her go
Stop pushing and pushing
What's done is done
Where she is, is fit

Please, just let her go
It's herself she's finding
It's not about having fun
So stop, just stop it

Dr's Appointments

2009-01-25T14:08:00.005-05:00

I had a dr's appointment Thursday and Lukas had his 2 yr check up on Friday. I've been having some ear issues and they've been causing me to have some vertigo so my dr is referring me to an E.N.T. specialist. I haven't been to an E.N.T. since just after the middle ear surgery I had when I was 10 yrs old. Apparantly I've got some scarring on my eardrum from the surgery and both my eardrums have holes in them...maybe from tubes I had in and out of my ears as a child. My dr said the E.N.T. may want to go in and repair my eardrum (I really hope NOT b/c I do not even want to think about me having surgery!) I've got an appt to see the E.N.T. dr in February. The dr also suggested I seek counseling for another issue so I'll be trying to get an appointment for that next week. I've also got to go get my eyes checked b/c I haven't done that in about 4 yrs and I never wear my broken glasses. They were mostly for astigmatism but my eyes have probably changed in 4 yrs so I expect to be getting a new prescription and a new pair of glasses that I will probably actually have to wear. So, I'm going to be pretty busy with taking care of myself.
I might be falling apart, haha, but Lukas is doing great! I take much better care of him than I do myself. He's in the 90 percentile for height and the 25 percentile for weight, which is better than the 10 percentile he was in for his 18 mth appointment. He's doing really well with talking and everything else too. I'm very proud of him and so, so glad that he has not inherited my horrible ear problems so far.
Meanwhile, we've been passing around a 24 hour bug. Lukas had it Thursday, I had it Friday, and then Clifton got it yesterday. It wasn't fun but I think it is all over with now. Hopefully, we'll be able to enjoy next weekend and none of us will be sicky icky!

Inauguration and No Naps

2009-01-20T16:20:00.002-05:00

I was able to watch a good bit of the inauguration today even with Lukas not taking a nap. I think it is so great to be able to see this moment in history. I did not vote this man into office but I have a great respect for any president of this country and I am looking forward to seeing some of the changes he is planning on making. I may not agree with him on everything but he's got a tough job ahead of him and I would not want to be in his shoes any day.
I was also glad to be able to watch the inauguration on tv, comfortable and WARM, at home. Those people must have been so cold! How great was it that this day comes the day after MLK Day?
Well, this is going to be a short one because my no-napping 2 yr old wants to climb all over me. Lukas has still been pretty difficult when it comes to bedtime and naptime. Most days there ends up being no naptime and I'm really feeling like I need a break!

Excited and Dreaming

2008-12-31T08:34:00.003-05:00

I must be getting excited about our move to Hawaii. I had a dream that we were living in Hawaii and I went surfing. It was amazing and so beautiful. It's funny though because I haven't been surfing since I found out I was pregnant with Lukas and I was only just learning how to do it. Well, I do still have a board so who knows...maybe this dream is a sign that I should try it out again when we move. My husband got more into than me because I was all pregnant and then taking care of the baby. After a while though he stopped going surfing because he didn't like going alone and none of his friends wanted to go much anymore. It definitely would be a great way for me to get in shape but I can't just leave my 2 yr old on the beach while I go surfing, haha. My husband and I could take turns going out but it is so much more fun when we're out there together.

Okay, I guess I've started rambling and all because of a crazy dream. It really was a cool dream though and it made me realize how much I liked being out in the water even if I wasn't any good at it. For a while, I was not sure about this move because it is so far away but I think it is going to be a great experience for all of us. I only wish my son was a little bit older because I doubt he will remember much about living in Hawaii.

We're back in Jacksonville

2008-12-29T08:38:00.003-05:00

We are back in Jacksonville after close to two weeks spent in Louisiana. It was a nice visit and my son has toys pouring out of his room. He's just a bit spoiled but isn't that the way it is supposed to be when they are this age? It's hard to believe my baby boy is a practically grown up 2 yr old now. He is becoming so independant.

Of all of the toys Lukas got, the play vacuum cleaner is his favorite (for the moment). I'm happy because that is the first toy I bought for him this year. He had a great birthday party with lots of family at my parents' house. Christmas was nice too. Next year it will more than likely be just the three of us in Hawaii, unless someone decides to pay us a visit.

The bad thing about going home for the holidays, especially since home is Louisiana, is that we ate way too much not so healthy yummy food. So, it's diet time. I want to try to start exercising too. My goal is to lose at least 10 lbs. This is 10 pounds that I've wanted to lose for a long time though. It's the 10 lbs that is just sticking to me and will not go away. I wouldn't mind losing 15 but I feel like 10 is more realistic and I don't want to overwhelm myself with an unreachable goal. A lot of people tell me I look fine the way I am but they don't understand that I used to be super super skinny with the perfect body and that was without the effort of exercise or any sort of dieting. I sure do miss my metabolism :( So I guess it's just hard for me to accept this body I've got now with a tummy not so pretty thighs and plenty of stretch marks to go along with it. I'm working on it. I know I need to work on more than just my body because it's obviously my self-esteem too. So here's to getting healthy and working on being happier about myself. So if anyone wants to say any prayers for me that would be great b/c this isn't just affecting me but I can tell it's affecting my husband and our marriage too.

A kitchen and a wagon

2008-12-14T10:31:00.006-05:00

We've started Lukas's Christmas a little early this year because we cannot bring all of his presents to Louisiana. They just would not fit in my car! So we've given him his kitchen and a radio flyer wagon my dad got for him. He loves them both and was very excited to get them. My husband got to put them both together. The kitchen was kind of a pain but well worth it because our son loves it so much. Tommorow evening/late afternoon we are leaving to go to Louisiana. I'm so excited. Lukas's birthday party is going to be next Saturday. It's going to be so fun to be home.

Home for the Holidays

2008-12-08T15:46:00.002-05:00

Christmas will be here before we know. I just love Christmas. It's one of my favorite times of the year and my son's birthday is just 3 days before. Saturday, we went to a kid's Christmas party where Lukas got to see Santa and get a gift.

I am so excited about going home for Christmas. It's going to be nice to see family and friends. I know it's going to fly by though so I'm going to try to make the best of it and keep it as drama free as possible (crosses fingers...I can't control what other people do or bring up). So, next week I will be home in Louisiana!

Don't know how long I'll leave this one up but had to get it out.

2008-12-06T06:12:00.002-05:00

I cannot sleep. There is something that I cannot get off my mind lately and I just cannot let it go. I think it may be because my son is so close to the age I was when it happened to me. What this man did to me when I was just a baby is so disgusting and, for me, unforgivable. Not only what he did to me but also my younger brother. He is a sick, horrible, and evil man. Who, still to this day, looks at me with an evil smirk on his face laughing at me for what he got away with over 20 something years ago.
He lives very near my parents and I am friends with his family members. I guess that I am a bit paranoid because we are staying with my parents when we go home for Christmas. I don't want him laying eyes on my beautiful son. I wish I could get rid of this anger and forgive but how do you forgive something like that? I do not believe people like that change and there was never any justice served. It's just frustrating.

the Holidays

2008-12-02T08:28:00.004-05:00

I have not blogged in a while so here I go. We had a really nice Thanksgiving week. My husband's father, step-mother, and his brother came for a visit. They had a blast with Lukas and Thanksgiving was great! Naptime and bedtime has continued to be a battle with Lukas but I'm getting used to it and dealing with it better now.
My husband finally got his official orders to report to Hawaii in the spring. It looks like we will be leaving Florida sometime in April but we are not sure on the exact dates yet. I am excited but nervous about the move. It's sort of bittersweet.
I am really looking forward to our trip home to Louisiana for Lukas's birthday and Christmas. I cannot believe my baby is going to be 2 years old. I have been thinking a lot about when he was born lately and how lucky we are to both be here. I think the reality of me actually almost dying has only just recently sank in because I didn't think much of it at the time. I just did what I had to do and made it through it. I am so blessed to be here and to have my beautiful little boy. We are going to have a Spongebob (his favorite character) Birthday Party for him at my parents' home in Louisiana. This will probably be our last trip home for a very long time with our move to Hawaii coming up pretty soon, so I plan on trying to make the most out of it.

I'd love a moment for myself sometimes

2008-11-20T19:29:00.003-05:00

Lately, I have really been wanting a break. And by break, I just mean a moment to myself. A moment for myself. I guess I've just been a little stressed out this week with Lukas's naptime and bedtime. That and I just really feel like I never get a moment for myself. I really don't. I have no family here, no babysitters, nothing really. Last night my husband did help with bedtime. Thank goodness b/c I really needed that. I'm hoping my husband will watch our son for me sometime this weekend just so I can get out of the apartment by myself.
I'm trying not to complain because I chose this life. My husband is in the military and this is just how it is. I think I'm getting worried about our move and my husband going back on sea duty. It's going to be just me and Lukas whenever he is deployed. I've got to make sure I make some really good friends when we move to Hawaii. I plan on trying to find a Mother's Day Out program or something similar if I can too.
It really isn't easy not ever having a moment for yourself. My husband and I rarely (and I mean RARELY) go anywhere together alone. The last time we went out by ourselves together was for our anniverary in August...and I couldn't tell you when it was before that. It was probably Christmas last year. I love my son to death and love being able to stay home with him but sometimes I really wish I had help.

Cold and freebies

2008-11-20T10:10:00.003-05:00

It has been a very cold week. I have been having a really difficult time all week with my son's naptime and bedtime. I'm trying to be consistent and hoping next week it will be easier. It's really been stressful though. My son is just at that age I guess. Thank goodness he is so cute, lol.

I'm thinking about posting random freebies whenever I come across them. So here is my first one...I just signed up for a free beauty test kit at http://www.beautybalance.com/ and you can too if you are interested:
Get Your Free Skin Care Assessment

Here is a free sample for a Velvet Silk Milk Mask and you can register to win a free product:
http://www.nailsmag.com/spaspecifics/index.aspx

Sign up here for a free giftpack:
http://www.rightathome.com/aqu/offer/?source=20048&sid=ola&cid=acqoffer

Update

2008-11-16T15:23:00.002-05:00

Friday, I had a doctor's appointment and it went well. I had a few questions about some things. One was about being allergic to my wedding rings and the doctor informed me I was allergic to nickel. So no nickel for me. I also had some lab work done and still waiting on the results. She is checking my thyroid and something else.

Meanwhile, Lukas is pacifier free! I was really dreading taking away the pacifier because he was SO attached to it but he really did very well. I looked at my husband today and said, "Do you realize we got Lukas off of the pacifier?" I couldn't believe how easy it was. Next step potty training (Aaaahh!).

Saturday we got new cell phones. Yay! Lukas didn't have much fun while we were buying them and getting our new plan figured out. I had to let my husband take care of it all while I chased Lukas all over Best Buy. I think I got a pretty good work out!

Today, Lukas woke up in the cutest mood. I just knew he was feeling all better. He slept really well last night and he seems back to his normal self. I think his cold has officially run it's course (crosses fingers).

My poor baby

2008-11-13T08:04:00.002-05:00

Well, we took Lukas to the dr again and he said the same thing as the other dr. That Lukas has a cold. I guess that's all it is but he's so miserable. I can't stand it. It's really bad at night. Lukas has been sleeping with me the past few nights and he wakes up kicking, tossing himself all over and screaming. There's nothing I can do when he does it either. He will not let me touch him or hold him, like he is in a lot of pain. I told the dr he was doing that but he didn't act like it was a big deal. Last night I was so frustrated b/c I could not help Lukas that I just sat up and cried with him until he was able to cry himself back to sleep. I really hope he feels better soon.

Hoping my son feels better soon

2008-11-12T10:37:00.002-05:00

My poor baby is still sick. I took him to the dr last tuesday for a cold and he just keeps getting worse and worse off. I finally got him another dr's appt for today. I can tell he is just miserable. He had a fever of 101.3 last night and I gave him tylenol. He slept with me last night and he kept waking up screaming and kicking like he was in pain. He didn't have any fever when I checked this morning but he's still just laying around and I can tell he doesn't feel well. He's been so clingy and fussy. I just want him to feel better but nothing seems to be helping him. I want my happy little trouble-maker back! He's been sick for about a week and a half now and is not getting any better. I hope they can do something to help him at the dr's appt later on.
I'll try to come back and update on the dr's appt when we get back from it.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to come up with some cheap and easy recipes to save us money on groceries. We're trying to budget better especially with the holidays and Lukas's birthday right around the corner! So I have been searching the web for budget friendly recipes. I plan on trying out a few that I found next week.

I should also mention that I've got a dr's appt this friday b/c I'm getting old and falling apart. Well, not really but there are some things I'm worried about so if you are reading this please say a little prayer for me and also for my son to feel better. One thing I want to get checked out is my allergies because it's been so long and also because I'm suddenly allergic to my wedding rings after five years of marriage! I've got to get an epipen for my shellfish allergy too. I feel safer having one of those handy just in case I accidentally eat or touch any shellfish.

Well, that's what is going on with me at the moment.

A trade in and some cheap-o (but yummy) lasagna.

2008-11-09T08:04:00.004-05:00

So far this has been a pretty good weekend. Friday night I made some Lasagna even though I didn't have a recipe or all of the ingredients. Somehow, it turned out really yummy and I was pretty proud of myself for throwing it together. We are low on money right now so I've been doing things as cheaply as possible.
Yesterday we traded my car in for a used scion xb because I really wanted one and didn't think my car was going to hold up on us for too much longer. I love all of the extra room inside. There are a few things that the dealership is going to fix on it but other than that I love my car.

Here is the recipe for my cheap-o lasagna:

Emily's Cheap-o Lasagna

1 lb cheap ground turkey
1 can/jar of spaghetti sauce
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2-1 cup of frozen seasoning blend (frozen mix of chopped onions, peppers, etc)
2 TS minced garlic
2 TBS brown sugar
2 cups of shredded cheese (I used pizza blend)
8 precooked lasagna noodle (the kind that are ready to go and you don't have to boil)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground turkey w/frozen seasoning blend and garlic; drain. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and brown sugar to meat. Pour a little sauce at the bottom of an 8x8 casserole dish and pour most of the rest into the meat (save about 1/2 a cup or so for later). Heat on med/low for a few mins (stirring occassionally). Now back to the casserole dish...place 2 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce then spread the meat sauce on top (you can add a little cheese to your layers if you've got enough) and then top with 2 more lasagna noodles and spread meat on top of those....layer like that until you get to the last 2 noodles on top. On top of the last 2 noodles pour the remaining spaghetti sauce on top and top w/your cheese. Then cover it and put it in the oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 5 more minutes. I was surprised how well it turned out b/c I was really not expecting it to be so good.

sicky-icky

2008-11-05T11:08:00.004-05:00

Well, the election is finally over. I'm a little bummed but it's pretty amazing to see history go down like this. I voted McCain but I plan on being optimistic and hoping that Obama will bring a good change for our country. I am just glad the election is over now because I was getting tired of all of it.

We have all been sick with colds for the past few days. I took Lukas to the doctor yesterday for his cold and he got a flu shot. My husband got sent home from work because of his cold today. I'm sick too but I seem to be doing the best out of the three of us. My poor guys were feeling so icky that they fell asleep in the chair together this morning. It was so sweet, I had to snap a few shots.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T22:42:00.007-04:00

The day didn't start off so great but it ended well. This morning my husband took my car to work (he only had to go in for a very short time this morning and was off the rest of the day) and he got a flat tire. Last Sunday I had a flat too and we got it fixed. Two flats in one week...is that a record? When my husband took the car to get a new tire, they informed him that my car has some issues and needs over a thousand dollars worth of work done to it. Plus, I know I am going to be due for some other pretty expensive maintenance. So, we are debating on whether or not to get it fixed or to just trade it in for something else. My car has 120,000 miles on it and a few years ago we were in a pretty serious accident that almost totalled the car so it's not like we haven't driven it into the ground or anything. So...happy halloween my car is starting to crap out on me :(

I took Lukas outside to play this morning. He insisted on wearing his costume so I let him and snapped a few pictures. Later on, we took him trick or treating at an outdoor shopping center. Lukas had a blast! I didn't get very many pictures but he was the cutest little biker ever!

The past few days

2008-10-27T13:58:00.007-04:00

I haven't written in a few days so I think it's time for me to blog again. Friday was VERY exciting because Lukas went peepee on the potty! Yay Lukas! I was so proud of him that I gave him a lollipop that I happened to have on hand (we rarely have candy, lol). I hate anything sticky so this was a BIG deal for me. I'm serious, I hate sticky so much, cannot stand it! Lukas deserved his sticky lollipop though.

Saturday we watched the LSU game, in horror, as they loss big again. I was very mad at my television so I shut it off when the Georgia mutts...I mean bulldogs, made their last touchdown. It was very disappointing. The 2 games they loss this season were to the 2 worse teams for me b/c I live in Jacksonville, FL. It's just horrible, lol. I still love my hometown team though. I think they will get better. We just have 2 new, young quarterbacks so as they get more experience, I'm sure they will get better and better.

Sunday we didn't do too much at all. Lukas had a runny nose so I decided we better not go to church. I did manage to buy Lukas some Spongebob PJ's and he was very excited to wear them! He hasn't used the potty again yet but he does still sit on it throughout the day. I'm not pushing it too much b/c I don't want to make him hate doing it.

Today, I have been pretty productive in getting chores and things done around the house. Unfortunately, Lukas just will not take a nap so I'm waiting for him to tire himself to sleep. He's in his room playing so I expect he'll eventually fall asleep and not become Mr. Grump. This morning I chopped up red potatoes and some veggies and started a roast in the crockpot for our dinner. I've cleaned the toilet, done the dishes, cleaned the kitchen, done a load of laundry w/another one going in the dryer, straightened up the living room and Lukas's room, and I vacuumed. I like it when I have days like this b/c I feel like I've gotten something done!

Another day in the life of me

2008-10-22T14:42:00.012-04:00

It has been a nice day so far. I took Lukas to the mall to meet up with some friends for a playdate. Lukas had a blast and it was nice to get out. I tried to take a few pictures of Lukas playing but some kid started climbing all over me and trying to take my camera. His mother just was NOT watching him at all. So I had to put my camera away. When my friend came with her 3 little girls (including her 1 month old itty bitty baby) the crazy kid with no supervision proceded to dig in her stroller and PINCH her 1 month old's cheek. FINALLY his mother comes and just stands there and says, "I'm sorry." I guess I am venting a little bit but it really irks me when people don't watch their children and let them run all over other people. I wouldn't let my son near a stroller with a tiny baby in it.

Anywho...Other than that incident we had a nice time and the kids really enjoyed playing together. Lukas even said, "more" today when he wanted some more snacks. I was so proud of him because I have been trying for months and months to get him to say it. He said it all on his own without me even prompting him! YAY, Lukas!

Last night, I made some sauce with some frozen meatballs I had left from a weekend or 2 ago and served it over angel hair pasta. It was pretty good. Lukas wanted PB&J while I was cooking but he did have some pasta from my plate.

Veggie Tomato Sauce w/Meatballs Over Angel Hair Pasta

Frozen Meatballs (I used maybe half a bag or so)

Ragu Sauce (2-3 cups...I had a BIG jar from Sam's Club)

1 can Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste
Green Onions (Chopped)
1 green bell pepper (Chopped)

1 small zucchini (Chopped well)

1-2 TS minced garlic

couple of TS of sugar/brown sugar

Angel Hair Pasta...or whatever you've got on hand

Put it all in a pot and let it cook for 2-3 hours or so. Boil your pasta when the sauce looks about ready to eat. Serve sauce and meatballs over pasta. Ta-da!

Nice little cool front

2008-10-20T13:50:00.003-04:00

We had a nice weekend. We went shopping on Saturday and bought Lukas a few pairs of jeans and I even found him a Spongebob shirt. Sunday we went to church and then I went grocery shopping. On the way home, I managed to get a flat tire. I didn't feel it until I started driving into our apartment complex. I'm glad my husband took care of it. I haven't had a flat tire in a very long time so I guess I was overdue.

We have a nice little cold front right now so I made chili for dinner last night. Once again, I just threw some stuff in a pot. This time I just used a big pot on the stove rather than my crockpot because I didn't have all day. I started cooking it around 3pm and it was ready at about 6pm. It turned out pretty good. Lukas did not seem to care for it but he has been very picky lately.

Today hasn't been particularly interesting. I woke up, fed Lukas, and we got dressed. I took him outside to play for a little while. We came back in and he got into a little trouble so I put him in time-out. I was trying to talk to him about his time-out and the little booger plugged his ears with his little fingers! It was a little difficult for me to keep from laughing but at the same time I thought, "Gosh, this kid has some attitude!" He's a cutie but he sure is trouble sometimes. He definitely keeps my life interesting and busy. Lukas is taking a nap now and I'm dying my hair and writing this blog.

My Chili Recipe

1 lb ground turkey
1 bell pepper, chopped up (I used a yellow one)
1 small onion, chopped up
1 can chili ready tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
2 of those tiny cans of tomato sauce
1 little can of tomato paste
1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 ts garlic salt
1-2 ts chili powder
couple of ts of sugar

Brown and drain ground beef. Add all of your ingredients and cook for about 3 hours on the stove (or in the crockpot for probably about 5-6 hrs on low). I didn't have any but brown sugar would have been better than sugar.

Another Gloomy October Day

2008-10-18T11:55:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I met up with a friend for a playdate and lunch. Lukas had lots of fun playing. Then we went to the Harley store to look around with my husband. After we got Lukas to bed we had ordered pasta and had a movie night. It was nice. I think we should try to have a movie night more often since we never get to go out on an actual date.

I wasn't feeling well last night and did not get much sleep. I ended up getting up really early because I could not fall back to sleep. I made some cinnamon rolls (canned) and some coffee. Lukas threw up on me this morning but he seems to be okay. I think it had to be something he ate. He acted fine afterwards but I'm watching him. We just ate lunch and put Lukas down for a nap. If Lukas's lunch stays down and he gets a good nap we plan on doing a little shopping at the mall. It is a pretty gloomy day today.

Here's a picture of Lukas and I taken yesterday:

Sunrise

2008-10-17T07:55:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was an okay day. I took Lukas with me to the natural food store. I have been wanting to check it out since we live so close to it now. I was surprised how cheap the prices were. They had sweet potatoes for $1.99/lb and I got Lukas a six pack of kid's yogurt for around $4. I have been really wanting to start eating healthier. I only got a few things because Lukas was acting up and being pretty mean. A little boy tried to say hello to him and Lukas gave him an ugly look and blew rasberries at him. He just wasn't listening to me either so I left the store sooner than I would have liked. I'll probably try to go back today when my husband is home so that I can go by myself.

Last night, I made tator tot casserole because it had been a while since we have had it. I always do different variations of it because I never have all of the right ingredients and we don't like it with the onion soup mix. It came out pretty good last night. This is how I made it:

Tator Tot Casserole

1 lb ground turkey

1 (small) bag of tator tots

1 cup frozen seasoning blend (onions, peppers, celery chopped up)

1 tsp of garlic salt

1 tsp of season all

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground turkey with the frozen seasoning blend and seasonings. Drain. Put tator tots at the bottom of an 8x8 casserole dish, top with ground turkey, then top with the cream of mushroom soup, then top with shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. Heat oven according to tator tot directions and cook for about 30-35 mins. Uncover and cook for 5-10 mins until the cheese melts.

This morning I woke up pretty early (as usual) and before Lukas. The sunrise was beautiful so I ran outside and took a few pictures. They didn't come out that great because I literally ran out and took a few and ran back inside because Lukas was still sleeping.

Lukas's Costume

2008-10-16T14:22:00.004-04:00

I'm so excited! My son's halloween costume came in yesterday. I tried it on him and it is so cute. I'm thinking we should buy him some little black boots to go with it. I'm not sure if my husband and I are going to dress up with him or not yet. I haven't really seen any biker costumes that I would actually wear. My husband's already got harley gear b/c he wears it only a daily basis to drive to work. I guess we'll just have to see if I can come up with something. I think next year we will go all out with decorating and everything for all of the holidays because we will be in Hawaii for them all. Usually we go home to Louisiana for Christmas but I think it will be to expensive next year :(

Well, here is a picture I snapped of Lukas in his jacket yesterday. It came with sunglasses but he wouldn't put them on for the picture. He was being a meanie so that's why he's got the face.

Geaux Tigers!

2008-10-11T13:22:00.005-04:00

I decided I would write a blog while Lukas is napping and my husband is playing a game. It's been an okay day so far. I'm excited about the game tonight. I'm big LSU football fan even though I live in Florida now. That doesn't stop me, I'm rooting for LSU all the way! Geaux Tigers! My husband has a buddy coming over to watch. His buddy is rooting for the WRONG team, lol. Not my problem that his team is going to lose :)
I made some cupcakes this morning. In an hour or so I'm going to throw some frozen meatballs in the crockpot with a jar of chili sauce and a jar of grape jelly. Sounds a bit strange but it's super yummy!

I took some pics of my cupcakes and meatballs:

rainy day

2008-10-09T16:55:00.004-04:00

I really didn't do much at all today. It has been a very gloomy, rainy day. I look out of my window right now and it is pouring down outside. I have no clue what to have for dinner. I really need to go to the grocery store. It might be a night to order out.

The other night my little mexican/taco pizzas came out really good. They were super yummy! We ate them up so quick that I didn't get a chance to snap a picture :(

Taco Pizzas (Makes 4 single serve pizzas)

1 lb ground beef (ground turkey or ground chicken)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 can of fat free refried beans
1 can of enchilada sauce
salsa
8-6" corn tortillas
shredded cheese (mild cheddar or mexican cheese blend)

Brown the ground beef and drain grease. Add taco seasoning and cook as directed. Heat refried beans. Put 4 tortillas on a baking sheet (not stacked). Spread refried beans on the tortillas, then spread some enchilada sauce, then add some ground beef on top of that and pour a little enchilada sauce on top of the beef. Get the other 4 tortillas and spread a little of the refried beans on those and put them on top of the ground beef (bean side down). On top of each "pizza" put some salsa and then top with cheese. I had some green onions so I chopped some up and put those on top too. Pop in the oven until the cheese is all melted. (I heated the oven to 375 degrees) You'll need a fork to eat 'em.

You really probably could get 6-8 pizzas out of the recipe b/c I had some left over ingredients. All I had was 8 tortillas though so I only could make 4 pizzas.

Gumbo and such

2008-10-06T11:43:00.005-04:00

Yesterday went pretty good. We woke up, got ready and went to church. The pastor talked about love and marriage. I heard some things that I really needed to hear. I really enjoy going to our church because it is so different and the pastor is awesome. He really makes it interesting.

When we got home from church I fed Lukas lunch and started dinner in the crockpot. I decided to make Gumbo. I was born and raised in Louisiana so Gumbo is always a nice treat around here. Unfortunately, the grocery store here doesn't have the mix I usually use for the rue so I had to make it myself out of brown gravy mix and cajun seasoning. It turned out pretty good. I think next time I'll make sure to add a little more seasoning and water (so that it's not quite as thick).

Tonight I am going to make some mini taco pizzas. I don't have a recipe so I'm just throwing this together myself too, lol. If it turns out well, I will try to post a pic and the recipe. Last time, I forgot to take a picture so hopefully I remember.

Gumbo Recipe

1 lb chicken (2 chicken breasts)

1/2 lb of turkey sausage

3 packets of brown gravy mix

1-2 tsp cajun seasoning (I use Tony's)

1 onion-chopped

celery-chopped (about 3 stalks, chopped small)

green onion chopped (optional, i didn't use a whole lot)

1-2 tsp minced garlic

rice (I use minute brown rice but it doesn't really matter)

Cut up the chicken in small pieces/cubed and throw it in the crockpot (or big pot on the stove) on low. Chop up the sausage and your veggies and throw them in. Add the gravy packets and cajun seasoning (you can season to taste later if need be). Add water and stir(I don't ever measure water for gumbo. I just add as I go throughout the day. You don't want it to be to thick). Cook for about 6 hours, stirring throughout the day, and serve over rice.

Here is how it should look while it is cooking. I forgot to take a picture of the end result.

For fun, I edited a few photos this evening

2008-10-02T21:00:00.006-04:00

Two of the photos are of myself and the others are photos of my beautiful son.

Dinner

2008-10-02T16:50:00.001-04:00

Dinner was a hit. I think I'll call this "My Southwestern Rice Crockpot Recipe". I ended up adding half a jar of salsa and some shredded cheese to it. We all loved it, including Lukas and he can be pretty difficult to please when it comes to dinner. Lukas at a whole bowl and that is rare for him. We ate early b/c it was ready and Lukas woke up for his nap really hungry....maybe he could smell it cooking, lol.
Right now Lukas is having a conversation with my phone and playing with his daddy. Well, I think 2 blogs in one not so eventful day is enough.

I'll go ahead and post the whole recipe for anyone interested in trying it out:

My Southwestern Rice Crockpot Recipe

1 lb ground chicken/beef/turkey (you could probably even use regular chicken if you wanted)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of rotel (original)
1 can of corn
2 cups of rice (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups of water
shredded cheese (1/2 cup - 1 cup)

Put your meat in the crockpot/slowcooker and break up the meat. Pour your packet of taco seasoning in on top of the meat, followed by the cream of chicken soup, can of rotel, and your can of corn. Cook for about 4 hrs on Low. After that, add your rice (I used brown rice) and water. Right before serving, stir in about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of shredded cheese (measure according to how cheesey you want it...I didn't really measure at all, I just threw it in).
(Also, if you don't have cream of chicken soup on hand, try cream of mushroom or whatever you happen to have on hand)

What's cooking?

2008-10-02T11:46:00.001-04:00

I didn't mention it in my last blog but I like to cook. Sometimes I like to see what I've got hanging around the kitchen. Whatever I've got, that I think will go good together, I throw in my crockpot. Today is one of those days.
So I have a pound of ground chicken, taco seasoning mix, can of cream of chicken soup, can of rotel tomatoes, a can of corn, and I've got some brown rice. I put the ground chicken in and got it thawed out (I guess I forgot to mention it was frozen) and I threw everything in on top of that except for the brown rice. I'll probably throw that in later with some water if I don't precook it before.

So I've got dinner started and just ate lunch with my son. Not sure what we'll be doing for the rest of the day. Lukas will probably take a nap soon. I'll start some laundry and try to watch some of my soap (Young and the Restless...yes, sadly I have been addicted since I was a child). If the weather stays nice out, I'll take Lukas out to play. Tommorow, I'll let you know how dinner turned out. If it looks good enough, I will try to post a picture.

1st post

2008-10-01T20:52:00.000-04:00

So this is my first post on blogger. I guess I will make this sort of a journal. Kacie told me to join and I thought, "What the heck, why not?". I think I will write about my daily life and whatever happens to be on my mind. I used to write poems but I've gotten out of doing it for so long that I don't see myself getting back into doing it. We will see though. I will just write. And maybe I'll find things that I've written in the past and post them here too.

I guess I can start off by telling a little bit about myself...

Where to begin? Where? Okay, I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA with my brother and two sisters. I am the oldest of the four. I was raised Catholic. I attended Catholic school up until fourth grade. That is when I started going to public school. I graduated from high school in 2000 and the next fall I attended the community college in my hometown. In December of 2001 I met my now husband. I ended up dropping out of the community college and decided to take an EMT course at the technical college. 2001-2003 my husband and I had a long distance relationship due to him being stationed in San Diego, CA and also being on deployment. I finished the EMT course and nothing came of it. We got married in August of 2003 and I moved to San Diego to be with my husband. I was there for a little over two years. It was a beautiful place but because my husband was gone to sea pretty often, I got homesick so I didn't appreciate being there as much as I should have. I had a great job working at a school with autistic children. I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, I was only at the job for about nine months because my husband got new orders. So, we moved to Jacksonville in April of 2006. We actually started to learn how to surf but that went out the window towards the end of May when we found out we were expecting our son, Lukas. Lukas was born December 22 that year. He was born early do to complications with mom (me). The dr told me at least 3 times that I could die. Imagine a doctor saying, "You could die." very seriously to you when you are just about to enter one of the most important phases of your life. Strangely, it did not phase me and I just knew that I was going to live. There was no way I was going to miss out on being a mom! I had severe preeclampsia so the little guy had to come into the world a little early. After a great bit of work on my part...21 hours of labor and 11 hours of pushing, I brought Lukas Michael into the world. He had to be in NICU for 5 days. I have been a stay at home mom since. My husband just recently got orders to Hawaii, so that is where we will be going next.

At the moment, I'm just enjoying being a mother. We're getting ready for Halloween, trying to start shopping for Birthday and Christmas for Lukas. And also, thinking about our move to Hawaii next spring.