A place to rest my thoughts

just an update in my crazy life. April 7, 2009

I am so over this being sick nonsense, let me tell yah!! I am feeling better today, thank the good Lord for that and I praying no more sickness finds its way into this house!!

Well, enough of that talk. It is snowing here right now. Which is a far cry from what it was last week. We had beautiful weather last week and I was able to dig up 2 flower beds. I also have  a few pots full of plants started indoors to go in the flower garden when the weather allows for outdoor plantin. I will be soooo glad when mother natures is done with this winter nonsense… I mean really. Didn’t she get the memo? lol!!

Other happenings here? Well,  Erica  is considering nursing school now.I am pushing her, okay maybe a little harder than pushing,  but she has been, well, floundering and I have no problem trying to figure it all out and getting things together for yourself, but sooner or later you have to decide right?  Her boyfriend has decided his future is with marines. Okay that’s what he says. We will see if he actually does it . I know he has wanted to enlist for awhile now but hasn’t because my daughter has talked him out of it and she finally gave her blessing, soooo, we will see.

Then there is Mark . Oh that is probably a post by itself.  LOL. Let’s see, short version…  He lost the job he had because he decided to take a trip to Cananda to visit a girl he has known for about 2 years. He was thinking of moving up there but didn’t quite think everything through and is now back home now. He is out today because thankfully he got another job and is doing the preliminary stuff for that.  Anyhoo, he is “in love” with this girl and wants to move up there eventually. Oh and she is pregnant and due any day now. (father not in picture now) Ok, I have mixed feeling about this whole thing.She is a very sweet girl from what little contact I have had with her.  They are both very young, and live so far apart. I am not crazy about him moving so far away ofcourse but if thats what he wants he will do it. I am just praying if this is what is best for him it will come to pass and if not, it won’t. 

No real drama to tell with the other 3 right now…lol …I can only take so much drama at a time..haha!!  They are just moving along with there school year. All though I think Laura works to much. I never thought I would say that but I do. She seems to be thriving though. 

I tell you I will be glad when this school year is done with the boys. I am tired and so are they. I am tired of struggling with it. It just seems like January hit and everyone seems to be out of sorts. I feel like giving up trying to get everyone on board but I know I can’t. I just have to keep plugging away.

Grandpa is doing ok for the moment. It is a day to day thing with him, but right now it is ok.

The in-laws have had there ups and downs with their health and my father in law got the bad news that there is nothing else they can do for his back and eventually he will won’t be able to walk.That was quite a blow.

And then there is my brother who temporarily moved back up here from cinncinati due to personal problems. He is staying with our other brother.

At the beginning of this year I told Tim that I had a feeling that this year was going to be a year of upheaval and craziness… so far.. so right..lol!!

Spring is in the air March 24, 2009

Well, dare I say Spring is in the air? After all I do live in northeast Ohio..lol!! It does seem as if spring has sprung  though. There are flowers starting to pop up in the front yard and blooms on the trees!! Yes, I do believe spring is here!! At least I am going to keep a positive outlook about it anyway!! 🙂

The boys have spring fever. Another, sure sign of  spring.  They just wanna go outside and play. Ofcourse school work still has to be done and I am the motivator. The problem is that I don’t wanna be. There always comes a certain time of year when none of us want to do it anymore..lol!! We just have to keep plowing through until we are were we need to be.

I am  also trying to start making plans for the summer. Yah know, swimming lessons,  does any one want to play sports,  can we afford a vacation?, etc. I am also getting a trampoline this year and we are all excited about that. 

A garden is still in question.  I want one so much but the back yard is to shaded. One of  those trees has to go in order to get enough sun. So we will see.

The inlaws are making me a little nuts. They are suppose to have the front yard and we are suppose to have the back so to speak.(this was their idea, the way they wanted it because they can’t really do alot of yard work type stuff ) But every time we tell them something we want to do, they try to take it over. They are well intentioned to be sure, but I really need to learn the words “you are overstepping” LOL!!

Yes I think spring is in the air and I am so looking forward to it!!

blogging February 28, 2009

I have been catching up with the blogs  this evening after messing around on facebook for awhile. I just joined facebook and I like it. It is fun to get back in touch with people I havn’t seen or talked to in years and to also see who all is on there that I currently am in touch with. 

Today was my brothers birthday. I had him over for dinner and Erica made cupcakes. Since I got her the cupcake tree holder it is our “new thing” to do instead of making a cake.  It was a nice way to spend an evening.

I  have been very lax in getting my work outs done these past 2 weeks and it’s time to kick myself  in the rear get moving again.. I have fallen off the horse and it’s time to get back on and ride!!

Grandpa is back in the hospital again. I just really want to scream at his primary doctor. Every other doctor he has seen in the hospital has told us to take him home and make him comfortable…ie..they cant do anything else….ie.. he’s ready for hospice. But his primary care doctor says oh no not yet, he’s not ready yet.  Never mind that he’s had a steady decline over the past year and his hospital visits are more and more frequent, including 3 in the past month. Never mind there’s nothing else they can do really. Never mind he has CHF, COPD  and kidney failure…..AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! What is wrong with this guy?  And ofcourse My aunt(who is his poa) is listening to the one doctor who is saying what they want to hear instead of what the heart and kidney doctor are saying, not to mention all the nurses who have taken of  him. I don’t know why this is bothering me so much except that I don’t want to see him put through any more!!   Okay  I am done ranting!!

Do you ever feel like things are just going badly and more badly and there’s nothing u can do about it? yeah, I am feeling like this year is going to be one of those years and I just cannot shake the feeling. Pray for me… alot… I need to get rid of this feeling. It is not healthy!!!!

DY friends January 20, 2009

I am posting here not really knowing how many of you are actually going to read this but I know a few will and free to pass this on. I havn’t been around at all lately because things have just been to crazy and something had to give for a minute. My grandfathers been in and out and in and out of the hospital. Now my mother in law is having surgery tomorrow. Between that and just normal stuff of every day life, well you understand.

Let’s see what else can I tell you…

Umm.. I had to put school off another semester. Money didn’t come through.. but I know it will when the time is right. I am fine with it.

All the kids are doing well. Laura is taking her finals this week for the semester. She has been doing very well this year and I am very proud of her. She has really turned things around…and speaking of that whole situation, things were going so well with her dad and they still are but we went through this whole thing which well, long story short… someone robbed a store, someone said it was her dad.. he was arrested.. someone else later confessed to the whole thing. I tell yah my whole extended family could go on tv.. yah know like Jerry springer or something..its ridiculous..lol!!

My son,Mark scared me with the notion that he was moving away to Tenn with this girl that well, lets just say that it wasn’t a good idea. Thank heavens after going down there with her for a week he changed his mind. But the situation had us in an uproar for awhile as well. I knew I raised that boy right with common sense and to think for himself. This whole letting go thing really stinks sometimes.

Erica is, well, Erica!! Just plugging along with work and school and spending time with Leo.One of these days that boy is going to propose..so when you hear a big yahooo from the Cleveland area, ya all will know it happened!!!

Tyler and Aaron are growing up way to darn fast. Tyler just turned 12 in Dec and I see that teen boy in him all ready..lol!!  They are both doing great with school stuff and so forth. Just being boys!!

Anyhoo, I am really tired right now.I had a really long work night last night and I need to get some rest. I just wanted to jump on here quick and let yah all know I am still alive and kicking.

Love to all!!

It’s a new year January 2, 2009

Okay wow. I havn’t posted anything or even been on here since umm.. well it’s been at least a few weeks. Everything is changed. I guess I will figure it out and get use to it. lol!!

The past few weeks have been filled with the usual Christmas hustle and bustle. Add to that my father in law being in the hospital and all that came with that it was just to hectic for me to even think about being on here. I didn’t even get my Christmas cards out until after Christmas!!

Thank goodness that is all done!! Father in law is home and fine, and Christmas was good. The kids and I got hubby a Wii for his truck and he was so surprised and he loves it!! I think that was the best part for us,because we all chipped in and got it and kept it a secret as well!!   I got my very first ipod. I have been wanting one for a long time!! It’s cool and its pink!! The kids got rock band for there Wii and they have been rocking out ever since.LOL. I tried to play the drums but I am not all that great. I have fun trying though!! Anyhoo, it has been a time for us to be together and have fun. I am reminded how fast time is flying by and every year that goes by that we are all still here in the same house I count it all joy!! All to soon they will start to leave and it just won’t be the same!!

I can hardly believe it is the beginning of a new year.  I don’t make new years resolutions. I have never kept one that I’ve ever made so I don’t really do them anymore! LOL!!I do feel in my heart that I am here in this time and place for a purpose. I think it is a bigger purpose than just us moving in here to help us all out financially but I am not sure exactly how or what. It is just that still small voice inside that is telling me I am right where I am suppose to be. So with that in mind I press forward.

Well, I just wanted to hop on here real quick and post what’s been going on since I haven’t been able to for a while. I wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year!

Family/holiday recipes November 27, 2008

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my grandma made pecan tassies. In fact it just doesn’t seem like the holiday without them.

Another tradition that was passed down by my mom was her nut roll. It is one or our favorite holiday breakfast foods.

My mom and grandma have both went home to be with their Lord and I miss them both very much. But the traditions they left us with, live on.

I guess I could share our secret family recipes…lol!!

Pecan Tassies

Pastry:

3 oz. cream cheese,softened

1/2 cup butter,softened

1 cup flour

Throughly mix together and chill for about 1 hour. Shape 2 dozen 1 inch balls. Spray 1 3/4 inch muffin pans with cooking spray. Press balls into pans working dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pans.

Filling:

1 TBPS butter

1 tsp vanilla

dash salt

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cups finely chopped nuts

Beat together everything except nuts. Fill pasty with this mixture and top with nuts.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until filling sets.

Nut Roll

For this recipe you can do one of two things. You can buy 3-4 cans of biscuit dough to use ( which is what my mom always did) or you can make your own dough. I have done it both ways.

So.. biscuit dough

4 Tbsp butter melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

chopped nuts (whatever you like) my mom used whatever she had on hand which was usually either pecans or walnuts.

Spray your bundt pan with cooking spray. Put a layer of nuts on the bottom of the pan. Mix the brown sugar into the butter and drizzle  some over the nuts. Tear apart peices of the biscuit dough and make a layer on top of the nuts. Now just keep repeating this process until you have used all the dough. Bake at 350 degrees until baked all the way through. I can usually tell if its done when it’s golden brown and bubbly!!

So those are 2 of our family traditions.  I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. For Everything may we be truly thankful!!

Lots of baking going on!! November 17, 2008

I thought it would be fun to share all of what I am making for Thanksgiving. After a whole afternoon in the kitchen, baking and taking pictures I am not sure I will all of what I do..lol..that is a lot of work. But I will try to share a good bit of it. I am starting now because I am doing things ahead of time. So between now and Thanksgiving I will be posting as much as I can of what I make.

Today I made a dozen pumkin rolls. I make them up and freeze them and then I have them on hand during the whole holiday season. They freeze beautifully, defrost easily, taste great and are wonderful to serve for company.

First you have to take away the boys um, wrestling gear....

What? like you’re family doesn’t hit each other over the head with the bake ware..plleease!!

After you’ve wrestled away the bakeware you can begin!!

This is what you need for the cake part of the roll.

In a small bowl mix together flour,baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon,cloves,nutmeg,allspice,ginger and salt.

In another bowl beat eggs and suger together.

Stir in the pumpkin.

 

Next,stir in the dry ingredients until well blended.

Next you want to line your cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.

Spread the batter in the pan like so.

If you want to,this is the time to sprinkle some nuts on top!

 

After you bake it for 10-15 minutes,it should look like this.

While the cake is cooling slightly, lay out a kitchen towel & sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

 Next, pick up the cake by the ends of the foil and flip it over onto the towel.Tear off the foil and wa la!!

    

Now roll that baby up and let it cool completely. I put mine in the frig.

This is what yah need for the filling.

Unroll the cake and spread that filling onto it.

Carefully roll it back up and place it on a piece of aluminum foil that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar.

I love pumpkin roll!!

I took 12 baggies and measured dry ingredients into each bag, enough for 1 recipe per bag.

That’s why in the one picture when I was measuring the dry stuff into the bowl it was in a baggie!

Next I set up my eggs, sugar and pumpkin right next to the mixer.

I also have 5 cookie sheets, so I get those all ready to go. I am glad I have 5 of them when doing this job.lol!!

On the table I have my stack of towels and powered sugar ready and waiting for me.

So basically, I only have 1 recipe at a time in the mixer but I have everything ready to make it easier. Once I get one cake in the oven I do up the next one. There is plenty of time to make up a couple more cakes and have them ready to go. The tricky part is when you start taking them out of the oven  and letting them cool just enough before you flip and roll them, without forgetting about them because you are working on the next batch..lol. But pre-measuring the dry stuff really helps….alot!!!  Then I just put each one in the fridge until I have them all done and I am ready to fill them.

When making the filling I made enough for 6 rolls at a time since that is about all I can fit in my stand mixer. Then just proceed as usual.

So Wa Lah!!! I now have 2 pumpkin rolls in my frigadare which I know my family will devour within a couple of days time. And 10 in the freezer for the upcoming  holidays!!

Wooooo….. this was alot of work… but I will be back soon to tell you all about my home made pie crust and the pies I am making for Thanksgiving.

TGIF October 25, 2008

This past week has been crazy, crazy, crazy!!! Let’s see if I can abbreviate.

Workplace-It was our nurses last week with us on nights and since it was her last week, she just did not care about anything. This made for a very long work week let me tell yah. They have no idea who is replacing her yet which means we will have “subtitutes” for awhile…..ugh!!! And on top of that our weekly on call meeting was nothing but you guys did this and that…… Can’t I take a leave of absence for awhile?

School with the 11 year old boy- I was ready to pull my hair out with this. I mean didn’t we go over those math fact 10 thousand times? And why can’t the boy remember his spelling words this week? Yah think a “C” and a low one at that, is exceptable on both the reading and the history quizes? Did I miss something somewhere? Well, guess who lost out on almost all computer time and who has to work on school work over the weekend. Guess who is not happy with me?

But  it is the weekend at last!!!! TGIF I say TGIF!!!

Tomorrow we are going to get pumpkins and carve them. My son is bringing over his new girlfriend, who has 2 kids. I think they are like 5 and 3 or something like that. I have not met the kids yet just the girlfriend. She seems like a nice girl, but he is so young and she is like 8 years older than him. I am proud of him for even thinking about that kind of responsibility but  and I am the last person on the face of the earth to ever be judgmental of her but I am HIS mamma and I worry about him.

Okay setting that whole thing aside, I am also going to take the boys shopping for their Halloween costumes and my brother and I are switching freezers. He has a large one and we have a small one so we are trading.. finally. We have been wanting to for awhile but have not been able to for one reason or another.  I am so looking forward to it. I can’t wait to have a larger freezer!!!

Well, I guess I should get off of here and clean up the after dinner mess!! We had the best Chinese food tonight…MMM!!

Here’s to having a great weekend!!

going back to school October 21, 2008

My husband and I have talking about me being able to go back to school to get my nursing degree. I have attempted to go in the past and things just didn’t work out well. Life has a way of doing that!! Anyhoo, I told him that I prayed if the Lord wanted me to go back He would tell me when and lead me where and I would know it was the right time. I don’t want it to be such a struggle that I don’t feel like I am giving my family all they need.  I mean don’t get me wrong it won’t easy but there is diffenence between not being easy and being impossible.

So I started looking around at schools and trying to decide what to do. I really, really want to go for the whole ball of wax and get my RN BSN, even though I know that is going to be a challenging road. I started looking online for schools in the area and came across one inparticular that stood out to me. It is a mostly womans school and it is a faith base catholic affiliated school. I am not catholic but I like the whole faith based thing anyhow. I went there today and talked with an admissions counselor. It went very well and I am excited about the program. It is one of the best in the state of Ohio and its on a smaller scale which means smaller class sizes and more personalized attention. The only thing is the tuition… yikes!! But there are ways of getting help with that. We talked over all of my options and then I talked it all over with my hubby.

Even though I took some classes at the community college, and most of them should transfer, I still have quite a few more to take and I can take those at the community college which will save money. If I keep my gpa at 3.0 I can apply for scholarships. Okay so I am going back to the community college to  finish up pre-reqs and then on to the nursing program and Ursaline college. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Now I am just praying for all the finacial everyday stuff to work out the way we have planned so I will not have to work while doing this, at least not while I am in the nursing part of the program itself.

Excited, nervous, excited, nervous…. yep that about sums it up!!!

various things September 6, 2008

I talked to my daughter last night who has been so busy with work and school that she hasn’t been able to do anything else… even call her mother…yah I’m feeling sorry myself….so what? lol!! I really miss her!!  Anyhoo, it seems as if she is doing very well.  She is very excited because she is really enjoying the program she is in. I guess one one first things she got to do was take a computer apart and put it  back together. I have to say as a technologically challenged person, I was very impressed.  By the time she graduates from highschool she will also have an associates degree as well . This has made her determined to stay on right road I think. I am proud of her.

Grandpa is in the hospital again for complications for his  CHF and COPD. It is not as bad as in times past but he has also had 2 falls in the past 2 weeks and he is showing signs of dementia. We are all praying it doesn’t get to bad before the Lord calls him home. Having all ready been down that road with my grandmother and alzheimers, well, it is not easy. And I can’t stand the thought of him having to go to a facility or something. That would be a last resort ofcourse but still, it is in back of my mind.

It is full on allergy season for me right now. I tried Zyrtec this year and I really like alot. It is holding me better than anything I have ever used. Now I am trying it with AAron as he seems to be doing the seasonal allergy thing right now to.

The in-laws are planning a day trip to Conn. to see my brother in law and  family. I am glad they are being able to do this. The want to do a little more traveling but health and/or money are always an issue. Especially health. They are both doing very well right now in that area. I am so glad!

I started cross stitching again and I am enjoying just as much as before but my eyes are not what they use to be apparently. I am going to go to the craft store and find some kind of magnifyer to use while doing it. Seeing those holes is really hard now…lol!!

The first of school with the boys went off without a hitch. Working nights is working our beautifully with this and we are in a good routine.

Well, I suppose that is really all that is going on right now. I am off of here to go to the library, and possibly do some grocery shopping.