Progress

Took the fussy one in for his 18 mo appointment. He finally is getting bigger than the 10th percentile. And in fact in height between the 25th and 50th. Weight just above the 25th. He was so good. Even through the shot. Then also thru my appointment. One of those times you are so greatful.

Pumpkin

Spiced Pumpkin Gingerbread
Estimated Times:
Yields - 12 slices

A great recipe during the holiday time to serve or give away as give as a gift!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup wheat germ, any flavor
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 1 large egg

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Lightly grease bottom of 9x5-inch loaf pan.

COMBINE dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, butter and egg in medium bowl; mix well. Add pumpkin mixture to wheat germ mixture; stir just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan.

BAKE for 60 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Why the hell...

Why is it that the people who think they have a lousy life or that people do not care.... Are the ones whom for the most part the root cause of their issues. You need to be the one who changes your life. You can not rely on others. If you bitch about the same thing and make no changes can you blame them for not listening/caring?

Freedom

So we ditched the kido tonight for his daycare is closed tmrw. So he went to spend time with cousin Mike and his family. We were going to go out to eat somewhere in the south metro, but due to the weather we ended up going somewhere in the Maple Grove area. For that is where the sleat stopped. Went to Pitsburg Blue. I highly recomend it. The steaks are a bit pricy like $34..... but the other items are realy resonable. I had a french dip for $14.00 and it was worth every penny. I swear there was at least 10 oz of meat on it. I could not finish it! Plus a huge plate full of homemade fries. Keith had the burger and it was so tentder. We almost had the pot roast dinner they have on sundays for $8.95 a person but we did not want to eat some coleslaw tonight. But I will go back and try that some sunday. Now time to go to bed so I can work..... yea.

today

Jess came over with breakfast. Then we made the great trek to Regency for facials. It felt so good with my sinuses still being screwed up. And for $22 it was so worth it. Then some candles .... blondies.... But the crem brule' we made was so good.

6 Egg yolks
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean split and scraped

That is all but so good.

Now I am very sleapy after my coughing attack.

Day of much money

So talked to the mil. This phone call ended up costing me $70 between the trip to Pine Tree Apple Orchard and Kohls..... or I should say three pies, a roaster oven and a pair of pants for Keith. Then a run to Wal*Mart for a new vision exam and ordered a new pair of glasses. That is a another $290...... So I am now broke. But so happy on the walmart front. The vision exam rx I got this time was a full .25 less in each eye than the one done two months ago at target. So the bastard did get it wrong. I feel vindicated. Also had a full night of sleep too. But noticed today every one is on edge... the holidays and the economy must have warn people to their end.

Need sleep...

For the past week due to this cold I have been waking up at least two times a night. Then last night the cold and kido woke me up. (kid had just cause super cap. diaper) But now I almost do not give a shit about anything. So tired. Been working too hard.

Why are we not in Canada?

* Paid parental leave in Canada for adoptions is currently set at 35 weeks. There is action underway to try to convince the federal government to also extend to adoptive parents the extra 15 weeks of maternity leave that women are granted here after giving birth.


What the hell! We do not even get 6 weeks paid in full. And if we take over 12 it is the end of our jobs.

Getting better.... honest...

After spending the whole weekend in bed, besides a run to Super Target for supplies. I am starting to feel better. Not the best but better. Receiving grief from others since I was unable to attend things due to my illness. Oh well.... rather stay home alone sick than making other unhappy my my sick presence. 6 more weeks til the good time. May it come fast and easy.

Still ill

This cold keeps getting worse, may need minute clinic.

OMG

I paid less than $2.00 a gal. for gas. This dose not sound sing. since gas has been below that for a time. But keep in mind my car takes premium.

Must make it to the end of Dec...

More and more is piled in my plate.... and a lot of it good. I just wish that this cold would go away. I may need to go to doctors to get rid of this. Just feeling really exhausted. The father-in-law is in surgery... now .... no news yet. I can not wait til the end of Dec. some health related answers will be reviled to me at that time. For now just got to keep the fingers crossed and make it to the end. Please do not ask for details, not going to be a major health issue. Just sadly have to wait that long for the appointment..... and that is going to be the worst! I also may be on some medication starting soon that having a drink may make things not so good. So I must ob stain from it til I am done with this. Also the 19th of Dec is going to be the greatest day! My last day working of the year! I can not wait.... B-day dinner was ruined by the weather... must find child care and go soon...

Happy.... oh wait not so happy...

It is the b-day today. Started out with the kido waking up at 3am and not going back to bed til 5 am. Then I had to wake him up again for daycare. Needless to say I am a bit sleep deprived. The cold is also still sticking around. So I work today hoping for the end soon. That I get a nap. And maybe I get some good food tonight. Just hoping for an average day.

Revisions....

Ok mustard II sucks! But Mustard rules. Make a double batch if you are sharing. So good! The dressing put 3 times the ginger and rice wine vinegar. That is really good. Fyi the oriental food store in the north metro sucks. They did not have miso. Found white miso at Byerly's in the dairy section near the tofu. In what looked to be a chip dip container. The cold is moving in to my chest. Thinking if it keeps up the scrap retreat will be scraped. Also Cub is getting very over priced again. Attepted to buy some club soda and it was a dollar cheaper at Byerly's than cub. Is it bad when you can only shop super target and Byerly's.

Only getting better!

Now a cold has started to set in.... and on my b-day there will be a memorial service for a woman at one point was the hubbys aunt.

Let down.......

So Saturday was a bit of a let down. Went to the good breakfast place, southdale and albertvile. This would of not been so bad but the hubby did not think... for I am broke right now from having to buy his gift, Wywy's cold weather gear, and food in Eau Claire. So many things I needed. Like clothes that fit..... still only have two pairs of jeans that do. So tritzing amoung all the stores just made me feal like crap. Then got told that I had to dress up for dinner. I have almost nothing that fits me with out jeans. A white dress I have did not fit. Too big.... had to wear a swetter dress... but the tights I had purchased prior did not fit.... too small. Damm chart said I would fit! So after running arround like a mad woman trying to find my tall boots.... we went. Was hopeing that we were going to the Gausthause. I needed booze and some comfort food... that did not happen. Ended up going on the Minnesota Zypher insted. A good suprize... but the waitress we had was lousy. She never came arround during the main course for drinks.... so never got a glass of wine. The prime rib was very over cooked, and the cheese cake was still frozen. The poor guy across had the cutting string still in his. So ended up heading back to our area... turned in to us going to bed. A bit of a let down... I also guess that is my b-day gift.... Just fealing a bit let down for I felt like crap being taken to all the shoping centers and not being able to get things I need. Then also had to pay for a picture of us on the damm train.... that I could not afford. Now the kid is coming back today... just not ready for that. Need one more free day with some cash so I could get things done. Now I get to enter the work week with out being able to start at my normal time monday and tuesday. Then a friend wanting me to take off a few hours for this getaway. I just can't see how this is going to happen. Especialy with about a weeks notice. Happy b-day to me!

Mustard II

• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed, lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Mustard

JAPANESE MUSTARD  SAUCE

1/4 c. dry mustard
2 tbsp. cold water
3 tbsp. heavy cream
1/4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, crushed
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Mix mustard with water and cream. Add soy sauce, seeds, and lemon rind. Mix
until smooth. Good for dipping sauce.

Cancled!!!

So seconds ago got an e-mail from my supervisor. . . . canceling my inspection today. This makes me so mad. I was going to take off 4 hours today, but did not due to this meeting. Now I sit here angry as can be for I did not. I can't leave work/be off for the rest of the day. Now she wants to come next Thursday. Have half a mind to take off.

Taking it down, romper room style!

So today is the day. The boss comes over to inspect. And as soon as she leaves so does my kido for the weekend. I can't wait to be done with the working day to day. Freedom is on the horizon. Just so need to relax, especially after this week. Between the antics of friends and work too much! Any thing goes wrong, I'll be taking it down, romper room style.

Why is my b-day cursed?

This has been going on for more years than I can count. Every time something is planed for my b-day it goes completely wrong. From parents fighting and separating for the day. The evil MN deer hunting season making people too busy. Myself almost being hit by a car driven by a relative. Just a few examples. I am so trying to be happy and do good things when we plan to celebrate. It is not going well..... So far the father-in-law got hit by a car while riding his bike. People are unable to attend anything due to hunting. The weather is turning. I can't take off any time off on friday thanks to my home inspection for work. Just was informed today I can not even start at my normal time due to system upgrades at work on the actual b-day. What the hell! I just want to be able to celebrate and have a peaceful time for once around my b-day. Is that so wrong to ask?

So hungry

So I finally found my favorite salad dressing recepie.....

Miso Carrot Sauce With Ginger (Japanese Salad Dressing) Recipe #193126

Really nice dressing! One measure of a good home cook is the ability to make your own salad dressing. Or so says Mark Bittman in the food section of the New York Times. This is the orange dressing you sometimes see on your too-cold salad in Japanese restaurants. I made this tonight, and thought it was much better than any other I ever tried at a Japanese restaurant! I made this with half the corn oil, so if you'd like to try the original recipe you can increase amount to 1/4 cup. I did not decrease the sesame oil (but did use regular).

by Kumquat the Cat's friend

10 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 5 , 1 1/4 cup

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or grapeseed oil or corn oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into big pieces
• 1 inch gingerroot, peeled and cut into coins
• 1-2 teaspoon sugar (optional) or sugar substitute, to taste (optional)
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put all ingredients except salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse a few times to mince carrots.
2. If using a blender, turn on briefly and turn off and repeat a few times. Then let machine run for a minute or so until mixture is chunky-smooth.
3. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to several days.

Order of life

Was unable to go to an event. Had no child care, there for could not go. Got accused that it was a laim excuse. That pissed me off. Sorry to say the order of my life as follows...

1. My child and husband.
2. My home.
3. Family.
4. Job.
5. Friends.

Growing up sucks.

Stressful

First of if it is not bad enough that I friendship is on rocky ground. And got worse today. The father-in-law got hit by a car while on his bike. Knee is totally smashed and will be on crutches for the next three months. Also will be having surgery and having pins put in. So there goes my child care later this month the day daycare is closed. So he is hurt, the hubby will be wound up. Plus the stress of work. I am ready to pour my self in to a bottle.

Hoe

Publish Post

Got to love a poster that involves hoe's.

Voted

Well I have earned the right to bitch about the current state of the country for 4 more years! Yea me. Thought the Obma speech was a bit long winded. Have to admit I was a bit impressed with the withdrawal speech by McCain. Just the fact that there was respect towards the winner in the speech.... very nice. I just hope that the next 4 years do not become all about race. For I am so sick of every news outlet saying he is black ( african american) . Do not forget he is white too! I am just so glad to be able to go back to watching tv with out being indinated by politics. Bring on the Vigra adds!

If I only had the time....

I would make this for my b-day..... go pack man!

Parties v.s. Religion

I have made an attempt to avoid most media today due to the over saturation of political news. Thinking of how heated people have gotten about the current elections parties and the figure heads... What gives people the right to attempt indoctrinate another person with your political views? I have noticed that many people have no restraint on attempting to make everyone they meet, see/follow their political views. Yet when religion is brought up that sacrilege. (fyi one of the least religious people you will find) Just something that I am noticing especially this election.

I am glad that people are getting out and voting today. But honestly I don't give a rats ass about who you vote for.

Election

I am just amazed at the audacity of others on this election day. I logged in to facebook this morning and someone posted as their status "vote for obama". Seriously? Last time I checked people have the choice of whom they vote for. I am not saying that I am against any party, but when you start telling people who to vote for you are crossing a line.