Do Something!!!

So as I mentioned yesterday we decided to just take it easy and be lazy. I'm beginning to think that may have been a HUGE mistake. The problem with sitting around doing nothing is you start to notice things. Namely you notice all the things you have been putting off bit by bit. Sitting around definitely lenghthened my honey do list by a mile.

Let's start with a project started but not finished. As you will recall we had a home owners insurance fiasco last month that left us with a laundry list of fixes that we needed to make. One of those was that our washer box needed to be replaced since the pipes were all rusted. The hubby did in fact replace the washer box but the new washer box was smaller than the old which left us with this-

 

My dad did bring over a piece of sheet rock so we could repair the hole but with the holidays we just never got around to it. It also means buying the same paint color at Lowe's since we will have to repaint the whole wall now and that requires motivation to go through the whole paint matching process.

Also during the home owner's fiasco we decided to be nice while we ran to pick up supplies and only close Blue in the bedroom rather than locking him in the crate. He thanked us by doing this -

 

 

(Notice he doesn't even have the decency to look guilty)

 

My dad once again came to the rescue and brought over tiles so we could tile the entryway to the room rather than replacing all of the carpet. The tiles are still laying on the front porch while the grout made it from my trunk into the dining room. Yup we're on a roll here.

For my next exhibit we have the closet door in Devin's room. While rearranging furniture in there we made impact which resulted in this -

 

Two months later and we still haven't rehung the door..but looking at the picture maybe I should dust it first...

The next one really is a doozie. Our sliding glass has been a PITA ever since we moved in. It was scratched all to heck and never stayed on track. I got a full body workout every time I had to open it. The first strike came when Joey was working on a job with my brother-in-law. I opened the door one day and the entire frame around the door came out. The glass popped out and it was about 40 degrees out. I managed to get the door back together somewhat but the glass never really fit in right. We started using the other side of the door just in case. Strike two was when Joey's dad came over and decided to use the wrong side of the door. That's when we couldn't get the door to ever shut fully again. Strike three was when we had stormy weather with massive winds. Those finally shook the glass enough to make it fall out and shatter all over the back porch. So, until I have the money to buy my gorgeous french doors I would like to put in we have this -

 

Thank Goodness for the curtains that keep it hidden most of the time!

 

Finally we have the flooring in the guest bathroom. Our house was built in 1978 and the bathroom is sporting the original, lovely vinyl tile from that era.

 

The Golden Girls would be so jealous!

Once again - we have a cabinet full of gorgeous designer tile that we have ready to replace it with. Unfortunately, this job is going to be  a bear. We have to scrape all the vinyl off since it has a raised pattern, take out the toilet and then cut and place all the tile. Neither one of us is looking forward to it.

Procrastination is a wonderful thing when it is working for you. Unfortunately for us we have a lot coming up very soon. We plan on having our housewarming party in March right after we buy our new living room furniture. Joey's aunt is also supposed to be coming to visit in the next two months and I am not showing off my house the way it looks right now. So it looks like yesterday was our last lazy day. It's going to be full speed ahead until my house looks like this -

 

Do... Nothing

 

This is what we are doing today. We FINALLY decided to just take it easy for once. Last night we attempted to have a date night and do dinner and a movie. After making it through dinner we were way too tired to even consider sitting through Avatar. We came home walked the puppy and passed out cold.  Joey had a really rough week - emotionally and physically. He's been sick since Wednesday and still wasn't 100% last night - then he had some unfortunate family drama that really drained him. So it was a good call to just give us a chance to chill.

We woke early this morning to go get some bloodwork done. I was supposed to get my cholesterol checked about a month ago and he started new medication a few weeks ago that of course means an entire battery of tests to make sure all his systems are a go. It also meant both of were fasting.

***Side Note:

Diana does not do fasting. I eat every two hours on average. I am a demon to deal with when I get hungry. I get crabby, short tempered and am not fun to deal with at all.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming...

So we fed the vampires and I started nibbling on a Clif Bar I happened to have in my purse. I was ravenous at this point so my dear hubby knowing his wife pulled through Hardees and definitely ordered me a Bacon biscuit and hashbrowns. We got home where I discovered - they gave me a Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuit. Not a big deal for most but me - I don't do cheese on pretty much anything other than cheeseburgers and grilled cheese. Yea - Guess who had to fry up some bacon and scrape her biscuit off? Grrr.

After that I hit the bed for a power nap and have been hanging out since then. Joey and Blue have been immobile on the couch all afternoon. Normally on a Saturday I would be doing chores galore and running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Instead - we have leftovers from the restaurant for dinner, the laundry can get folded tomorrow. Today, for a change, is just about us!

Chocolate BonBon Pops and Marriage Confessions

As I’ve mentioned a few times before – I have a little blog that I love to read. Katie over at Confessions of a Young Married Couple amuses me constantly. Her writing makes you laugh, think, and empathize. Her blog is what I wish what mine could be if I ever get my ass in gear and actually spend some time on it. Until then I live vicariously through her blog and wish I could be like her!

One of the things that amuse me the most about Katie are her adventures in the kitchen. Like the time she made cupcakes or her attempts at pumpkin pops - not once but twice! Yup - she's not much of a Suzy homemaker.

So last night as I was preparing dinner, (Fried chicken, mashed potatoes (with sour cream and cream cheese mixed in..mmmm), and greens beans and squash - that Joey added an entire package of bacon to), I decided to start thumbing through my recipes and I came across these Chocolate Bon-Bon Pops from Better Homes and Gardens.




I immediately thought of Katie and how perfect this recipe would be for her after the failed Pumpkin Pops. It's no bake. A couple whirs of the food processor, some mixing, shaping and melting. I think she could do it. So I'm sharing the recipe with all of you -


Ingredients

* 18 chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling (or Oreos to the rest of us!)
* 1-1/2 cups pecans, toasted
* 2 Tbsp. orange liqueur or orange juice
* 1 Tbsp. light color corn syrup
* 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
* 20 lollipop sticks
* 1 12-oz. pkg. milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate pieces
* 1 Tbsp. shortening

Directions

1. In large food processor bowl combine cookies and 3/4 cup of the nuts; pulse until cookies are crushed. Add orange liqueur, corn syrup, and cocoa powder; process until combined. Add remaining nuts; pulse until coarsely chopped.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape cookie mixture in 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet, insert a lollipop stick, and freeze for 30 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and shortening. Cook and stir over medium-low heat just until melted. Remove from heat. Dip pops in chocolate. Return to baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. If using liqueur, flavor will mellow after a day or two. Makes 20 pops.

4. To Store: Place in covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.

I'm going to attempt these this weekend and will be the most favorite coworker ever on Monday if I succeed. The forecast calls for rain all day tomorrow so other than sleeping and some blood work this is all I have planned for the day. I cleaned last night and am finishing laundry today to make sure my do nothing all weekend plan is a success.

Do you have any fail proof baking recipes to share? Does your husband also add entire packages of fat laden meat to vegetables negating any nutritional content they may have had? Let me know!

Breathe in...and exhale

Let me start off by saying - I love what I do for a living and the company that I work for. My company donates half of our profits to charity. The day after the earthquakes in Haiti they donated $100,000 to the cause. I've worked here for over four years and have come to really appreciate the people I work with. I know I am blessed to have a job right now and be working for a company that is doing well.

That being said - I've been growing extremely frustrated with work as time goes on. I try not to publicly bash on my blog so I'm going to try to make this entry as diplomatic as possible. I think the root of my frustration is that I'm not really learning or growing anymore in my position at work. I love to be challenged, to learn new things and to take on more responsibilities. I'm one of those people that thrives on it but unfortunately that just isn't happening for me now. We had some changes in management and the current situation doesn't feel comfortable with giving up any control to us and that makes it difficult to grow in a position. My goal has always been to excel in anything that I do and to constantly advance in what I am doing. I can honestly say that I haven't learned anything new or been seriously challenged in almost two years now - it's enough to make me scream.

I have to say that if it weren't for Joey being able to listen to me and calm me down when I get home I would have gone crazy right now. The truth of the matter is that I am the breadwinner in our family. I bring home the bacon so its my job to just suck it up and keep plugging along. I know it and I want to provide for our family so I take a deep breath and hope for the best. Right now Joey needs time to focus on himself and get healthy. We've put everything else on hold so he can do that. There's no TTC, no schooling, no work stress. In return, I get back the man I fell in love with and I missed while he was sick. And God willing things will change in one way or another and the work situation will become something that makes me happy again.

Menu Plan Monday

You can find out more about Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.


Disclaimer - If you see repeats from weeks before it's because I was not organized and did not follow my meal plan. There have been pizza nights, McDonalds nights, and I'm going to bed without dinner nights so here we go again with hopes of sticking to the meal plan this week. But with the hubby working a side job two-three nights after work this week we shall see!

Monday - Taco Night (My absolute favorite meal!!)
Tuesday - Fried Chicken, Cornbread, Veggie
Wednesday - Cheeseburgers, Fries, Salad
Thursday - Red Beans and Rice with Turkey Smoked Sausage, Squash and Veggie mix
Friday - Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Premade from the pantry), BLT's
Saturday - Grilled Tilapia, Cole slaw, Yellow Rice
Sunday - Leftovers

Five Question Friday

Five Question Friday is just a fun way to get to know other bloggers. Click above to find out more and join in on the fun!


1. What is better, growing old with out money or dying young and wealthy?

While I often dream of being wealthy and all the wonderful things that would come with it I would much rather grow old with my hubby and not have a dime knowing that I was blessed with abundant love and a long life rather than a flash in the pan with material things.

2. Who takes out the garbage at your house?

Well, the hubby is supposed to but often he doesn't so to be helpful I will take the trash out and place it on the back porch, right in front of the door, so he can't step on the porch without having to move the trash bag and thus...he takes it out. Now as for actually wheeling the cans out to the curb and back up - we are still working on that. I'm thinking I may need to use some Pavlovian techniques there!

3. Have you ever had the same dream many times?

Not that I can remember. I really don't remember many of my dreams though. I'm not one of those people. Usually when I'm out - I'm out!

4. Can you play a musical instrument?

Negative - I played the violin for about 3 months in 5th grade and decided musical ability just wasn't in my genetics. Of course there are some rather raunchy answers I could provide for this question but alas, I'll take the high road instead!

5. If you owned your own store, what would you sell?

How about clothes that actually fit short people like me and don't sag, bunch, hang etc. Yep that would be my dream to be able to buy clothing that fits right off the rack!

Surprises at every turn

I know I have mentioned before how much I love this man -



He makes my heart sing, melts me with a touch.....and has the capability to drive me absolutely insane, reduce me to tears, or make me a crazy B***ch! Yep - you have to love married life.

We have been going through a lot lately. Most of it has been things I'm not going to share out here in the blogging world since I do feel that there are some things that not everyone needs to know. There have been occasions in the past few months where I have wondered whether I had the strength to make it through another day, whether things were ever going to change and most worriedly whether it was all worth it? I kept plodding along and believing though. Love had to get us through, right?

That's not to say it was all doom and gloom lately - we still had our fun moments -

Starting bonfires and grilling hot dogs

Torturing the dog with his leash

there just wasn't enough of them and there was always this undercurrent of what's going to go wrong next? So I put everything on hold for awhile - I wasn't going to stress myself with TTC, planning for the future or anything more momentous than what's for dinner. I just couldn't when I was walking on eggshells all the time. All I could do was just focus on breathing.

I hemmed and hawed, bitched and nagged but never stopped thinking it can get better - things will change. And suddenly they started to. It wasn't like the sky opened and life has made a 180 and its all peaches and cream now. Life just doesn't work that way. All the big issues are still there but baby step by baby step we are chiseling away at them. Some of the things we are chiseling away at are momentous and will possibly take as long to change as they did to create. But day by day and moment by moment we are making choices that will build up the strongest and most solid marriage you have ever come across.

We have learned to rely on each other and that neither person is going anywhere - we will support each other through anything that may come our way. No matter how scary or overwhelming it might seem. I am learning that life will continue to surprise you at every turn but that God puts you through some tough situations at times so you are better equipped to deal with them later. Some of the things I am dealing with now I faced before and I know the right answers and actions that go along with them now. God is pretty amazing at times, isn't he?

Menu Plan Monday

You can find out more about Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

No recipes once again since we are tight on money this week so it’s all pretty simple as far as meals go! Lots of pantry items or pulling from my freezer stash.

Monday – Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tuesday – Breakfast for Dinner
Wednesday – Spaghetti with Turkey and leftover Sausage & Peppers from the freezer
Thursday – Fried Fish (from hubby’s catch in the freezer), French Fries, Broccoli
Friday – Pasta bake with leftover Spaghetti Sauce and Provolone cheese
Saturday – Freezer dinner – Chicken Pot Pie and Baked Mac and Cheese
Sunday – Time for the hubby to cook!

A letter to my husband

Dear Hubby,

The next time you would like to demonstrate to me that you have springs in your legs please choose a location other than in our living room under the glass chandelier. The pets and my bare feet will be eternally grateful.

Much appreciated,

Your loving wife

PS... Do you have any idea how much chandeliers cost???

Menu Plan Monday

You can find out more about Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

No recipes this week - (only because I'm too lazy to copy them over!)

Monday - Shrimp, Fries, Corn on the Cob and Salad
Tuesday - Tomato Soup and Spicy Baked Mac n Cheese
Wednesday - Chicken and Dumplings
Thursday - Shepard's Pie
Friday - Taco Night
Saturday - Flatbread Pizza
Sunday - whatever I bring home from my parent's house!

I'll be catching up on posts and back dating them this week. Bear with me!

Yes Virginia, it does snow in Florida

We have had a bit of a cold snap here in Florida lately. By that I mean that the temperature here in my town was actually lower than that in Juneau, Alaska, Yea, that's cold! Now I don't mind cold weather, but I feel it should be accompanied by snow, hot apple cider and comfort food.

I have lived in Florida since 1991 and in all that time I have seen maybe three snow flurries come down and that was 2 years ago. Very anticlimactic. Instead we get these cold snaps that last two days and then its scorching hot again. I have actually used my heat and AC in the same day here! Crazy - I know. This last cold snap was different though - It hung on for over a week and it was a bitter bitter cold. The weathermen kept teasing us with a chance of snow on Saturday and I for one bought into it. I set my alarm for 6am, woke up peered outside and saw...nothing. I crawled back in the warm bed and snoozed a little longer. Then I went outside and saw this -

OH YES!! WE HAD SNOW!! I called my mom and dad, woke my sister up, ran in to tell the hubby. I was over the moon. It pretty much turned to sleet after that but I took full advantage of it. I made a mini sleet man. Pelted Joey with snow/sleet balls. I loved it!

 

Mish Mash

This entry will be a mish mash of sorts as its been forever since I updated. Our Christmas went by relatively well – not without any hitches but overall well. We spent Christmas Eve with my family at my sister’s house – I had the day off and Joey only worked a half day. We both raced around last minute to buy gifts and such since the whole home owners insurance debacle seriously drained our finances. I attempted to get my baking done but between Joey and the dog eating the fudge it didn't quite go as planned. We got some great presents - I bought Joey a two month membership at the MMA School, he bought me my pea coat and ate way too much food. Christmas morning we got up at 4:30 and headed to Mississippi to pick up Joey's son. It was a whirlwind of driving, work, more driving and stress all around for the next week. I ended up working from home Monday in order to recover from my drive. I was actually trying to take a vacation day but that didn't quite work out as I had planned. Blue was also intensely spoiled by my parents while we were gone and was depressed the whole ride home after I picked him up!

My personal New Year's resolution was to start taking better care of myself. I haven't been eating as healthy as I like too, I haven't been exercising as much as I want, I don't get enough sleep and I have way too much stress. Yep - it was time to give myself a kick in the butt! So after my unsuccessful day off Monday I marched myself to the grocery store and stocked up on some healthy options. I have had a long standing battle with oatmeal. I know it's good for me and I need to eat it but to me it always tasted like paste. I picked up some oat bran instead and lo and behold - I prefer it so much over the oatmeal! Success! Hopefully I can stick to this resolution.

We've also been in the midst of a pretty intense cold snap here in Florida. The temperature has been below freezing in the mornings for about a week now and we have a chance of snow flurries tomorrow. -Crazy, I know!- So that's my quick mish mash update. I am slammed at work with my favorite activity AC Nielsen's so as soon as I wrap those up I'll work on a real post!