Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I have lost confidence in my body and psychologically, I can't seem to run. Being ill for months has taken a toll on my body. I've gained 8 lbs and I can't bring it down. I hate my clothes feeling tight. Right now, I am on the upswing with this virus infection but my skin crazy itchy. And I have rashes over 90% of my body. That's just too much for me.

I am waiting for the results of my biopsy. I'm at this point where if this is an allergy/hives thing, I'm ready to take whatever shots I need to get this flare-ups down. If it's psoriasis, I'm ready to take whatever medication at the risk of toasting my liver because I am at my wits end. I. AM. DONE.

At this time, I am taking Allegra and Benadryl which is like taking gum to plug up a leak in the tub. It just takes the edge off for a few hours.

This skin condition has taken over my personality. I can't remember what I was like before this.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Toys

This is a crabby post. I really dislike plastic toys that break. It really makes two boys upset. Even when they are the ones that break them off. No amount of super glue, super, duper glue, Gorilla glue will reattach these pieces. Oh and don't get me started on pieces. If they don't break the pieces, they lose the pieces.

Here's the list of toys in the Ramblin' On household that drives this mama to send an evil eye letter to Mattel, Lego, Hasbro, and whatever toy manufacture. But I haven't because I am illiterate in Chinese.

1) Transformers. Really, if you want them to transform, make them transformable. And throw us a bone on how to transform it back from Robot to cars. I think Ford and Chevy's assembly lines are easy than assembling these toys.

2) Bionicles. Ouch when you step on the many, skelectal pieces that fall off. And they do fall off. When they fall off, a mom can't figure out where this piece attaches because all the parts look the same.

3) Legos. Small pieces. Take hours to build something + pick it up +falls apart = frustrated boys and mom. And they breed like Catholics. I swear we only had one box of them. Now we have four shoe size boxes. Headless bodies and tiny swords makes it difficult for me to just run my vacuum through their rooms without picking through the collected dirt before dumping it. Seriously ruins my "it only takes 30 minutes / day to clean my house".

I used to think it was harder having boys than girls because of these three toys but then I went to visit my nieces. Polly Pockets.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Cheese!!





In an attempt to keep my mind off my killer headache. I decide to surf the internet and lo and behold, I found a recipe for homemade Goldfish crackers. Here's my version. I don't happen to have a fish cutout, I just made them into rectangles. The boys...LOVE them. I'm definitely making them for playdates and trips.




Homemade Cheese Crackers



4 T butter

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese



Put all the above ingredients in a food processor. Blend until you get a dough (2 minutes). Form a ball and cover in syran wrap. Place in refrigerator for 40 minutes (I didn't, I just used it immediately because my cheese was cold).



Roll out to however thin you'd like and cut into shapes.



Place on ungreased cookie sheet with a little space between them. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes.

(Note: I could not find where I found this recipe so I have not cite...sorry).

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I'm trying not to panic. I'm trying not to panic. I made another doctor's appointment for tomorrow but I think my mono is back. I've been tired like the last time and I've had a really sore throat for the past three days.

Monday, June 13, 2011







One bag of quilt pieces in the shape of crayons. The little, old lady I bought it from just plain ran out of steam and couldn't finish it. I bought it in a bundle last year with a ton of other material for $5.




The crayon shapes are very cute but I not talented enough to figure out how I would piece into one, big quilt with the triangles. So, I am taking the tips off and piecing the rectangles so it could work for a wider range of the population. What will I do with this quilt? I give them to the local Alternatives to Violence shelter. So far, I've made three quilts for the shelter. I try to make them twin size because violence does not discriminate and I want to have larger size for the older kids or adults that need them.


Found four of these folding lawn chairs for $4. Hosed them down, gave them a little scrub and now we have comfortable chairs for hanging outside in our little deck.

Re-vamped bag







Got this bag at a yard sale in a "Free" box. Loved the netting and it was new. Came home, threw it in the washer and once dried, I took it apart and recovered the pocket and now I have a fun grocery bag.



















Happy Birthday to the love of my life. He is 37 today. We had a nice party for him on Saturday with friends and ice cream cake. His favorite food is a Vietnamese soup called Pho. The next day, he took us to Spokane to get his present...a welder. He is so excited about this because it will help him work on his 1967 Camaro.









What is special about my love is he is very even-keeled. His is very logical. I love the way he smells. Superficially, I love his big eyes. I love that he is very handy and smart. He is an electrical engineer by trade but he is an excellent daddy and mechanic as well. His specialty are hugs. He gives the best hugs.









I will forever be grateful God put him in my life. I can't imagine my life without him.

Friday, June 10, 2011



Booties for Baby Cooper. Go Cougs!!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

My "New" treadmill



Look at my new treadmill bought for $55 at an estate sale this past Saturday. After cleaning it up and oiling it just a bit, I ran my first two miles on it tonight after the boys went to bed. It felt nice to just get on and run. I am planning on running a half marathon this October and I'm not expecting much improvement on my time (2 hr 25 min) in the past but I'm mainly in it to get it done. Regardless of time.



We were driving through our town one day and there's construction on the main street through town. Day in and day out we see work being done on the road to widen it.

Koo says one day "Mom we should make cookies for these workers because they are working so, so hard to make our streets pretty."

It got me thinking about how hard their jobs must be to be accosted by irate and impatient drivers wanting to get to where they need to go without roadblocks (literally). I am guilty of these thoughts too.

And so today I let the Koo measure and mix my Blondie Toffee Brownies for the construction workers to thank them. We are off to deliver them.

Here's the recipe if you feel like making them:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup English toffee bits

Mix butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth. Add dry ingredients and spread into greased 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Cut when cooled and enjoy.

I love this recipe because it's a fast alternative to cookies. Note: if you don't have toffee bits, put chocolate chips instead or white chocolate chips. Be inventive, use what you've got.
We are young, wandering the face of the earth
Wondering what our dreams might be worth
Learning that we are only immortal for a limited time...

These are lyrics taken from "Dreamline" by Rush. I have loved this song since I was a teen. I've been thinking of this song as of late because I'm turning 40 this year and I'm feeling like I don't have enough time to get what I want to do-done.

Not the mundane things like dishes and laundry. But of things I've wanted to get accomplished. Since I could remember (especially in college), I was always in a state of "waiting for my life to happen". I recalled a lot of us in college were poor and trying to get our degrees and "start life". Little did I realize the experiences in college was life...

I had a conversation with a college buddy of mine and he said that when he was poor and in college surrounded by others in the same situation and how we all bonded together in similar circumstances and how happy he was...it was the best time in his life. He just wished he could've realized it then and enjoy it more.

Well, turning 40 has been on my mind because when I was younger, I thought 40 was this far, far away age where I would have my @$%! together. Where I would have better answers and be able to handle my life better. I realize as I am fast approaching 40 is I will never have all the answers and I will never have enough time. But I have enough life experiences now to draw upon and really have a go at life.

I had put off things or squirreled away things to get to "when I have time in the future". Well, I feel like the future is RIGHT NOW. Since realizing this, I've been more conscience of what I want to do, how I want my relationships with others to reflect what I stand for, and how whatever I do, I want to make a small difference. Not just in vain. My fears or my insecurities have caused me to limit myself. What really set this off was when I was spring cleaning and I realized how many nice things I stashed away waiting for a nice occasion to use or all the fabrics I wanted to save to make something important. Then I realized, if I don't use it now, it might never get completed. This got to me. So I put out dishes that were packed away and used them.

I'm learning that I'm not going to be immortal. I am feeling fragile. I am feeling like I won't have as much time with my kids and husband as I would like. I would like to know that when given a chance to live, I live. I don't want to stand before God and make excuses for my life.

Is anyone else going through this right now?
What are you going to do about your life before you mortality gets a hold of you?
Does this make any sense?

I'm back folks!!

For almost three weeks now, I have not been able to publish any of my posts. As it turned out, the new update on the internet was the cause of it. Lovely husband fixed it yesterday.

Speaking of yesterday, I was gerbiling around the house trying to clean bathrooms, sticky floors, carpooling, going to the library, and the dreaded laundry. I hate folding laundry. Horrible.

On a positive note, I got to do Zumba and Power Sculpt last night which was really fun.

Once I can pull my cheap camera out, I'll add some pics of my recent scores from garage sales.