Talk about Whine!

I've got some whining to do....

Took my 4 year old to the doctor last Monday...she has bronchitis. They gave her Amoxicillin...it gave her diarhea.

I have been sick this week myself. Went to the doctor yesterday ('cause I want to be able to have some cocktails in Vegas!) and am finally feeling better today but I have been having some trouble with my right ear since July. There is fluid in it and it is red inside and I haven't been able to hear very well. Doctor told me I will probably have to see an ENT and it's a possibility I will have to have a tube in my ear! FREAKING OUT! Didn't think this happens to adults! My kids never had ear infections!

Today my 4 year old woke up with a rash on her face. Checked her entire body and it is faintly on her tummy and her left hand. Doctor said it's another reaction to the antibiotics! OMG! Can we get a break here so I can feel OK with going off to Vegas for the weekend for Sitscation!

There. I whined. I feel a little better.

I Want to be 4 Years Old...

So I can sleep in this Cinderella Pumpkin/Coach Bed, too!

This is my youngest daughters room. She has no idea how lucky she is to have such an adorable bed/room!

She's had the bed since she turned 3 last year and we moved her out of her crib. I have spent the past year searching for great princess room decor at bargain prices and now I need to actually finish the room with the things I need to hang on the walls!

I have missed my laptop and am happy to finally have it back!

Friday Photo Flashback

I love my old photos and finding something new to share here with everyone.

I am taking part in Friday Photo Flashback over at More Than Words today.

This is probably my dad's favorite photo of me in childhood. He took it. This is a scanned copy and the original is in much better condition than it looks here. I am guessing I am maybe between ages of 3 and 5?? I don't know.


The great thing about my childhood pictures is that whenever anyone sees them they ask if it's my 4 year old! She was looking at a baby picture of me this week and asked if it was her! I do find it a little creepy sometimes when I see my own face in my girls. Weird.

BTW...my 4 year old makes this same face. Must run in the family.

I Don't Want to Say Goodbye!

OK, I am having a real problem over here. I know I have already mentioned last week that I need to send my laptop to Sony for a repair. They have sent someone to my home to repair it TWICE since the beginning of July and I am still having trouble with it. I've only had it since around Christmas time!.

Sony sent me a box with a prepaid shipping label to mail the laptop to them. The problem is that I have had the box since Monday and today is Thursday. I have yet to put the laptop in the box. I want it fixed before the warranty is up but I am having such a hard time parting from it. I was told that I would have it back in 2 weeks time! TWO WEEKS!

So I have to just bite the bullet, put it in the box and ship it off.

This is going to be hard! I think I'll wait until Monday...or Tuesday...maybe I can just wait until Wednesday...

MckLinky Blog Hop: Time To Laugh

I'm always looking for a good laugh and a way to meet new people, especially in the blogworld. So I decided to take part in this today.

I have literally had tears coming down my face the first time I watched this video. If you have ever watched David Blaine, you might or might not find this amusing. There are actually a few parts to it but I will just show you part one.

(if you are easily offended by the F word...beware)

David Blaine Street Magic Spoof-Part 1

Happy 60th Birthday to My Teen Idol!

Today is Rick Springfield's 60th birthday. I have loved him since 1982 when I was 13 years old.

My dad took me to every single one of Rick's shows when he came to Chicago. I remember standing on the chairs, as all the teenagers did back then, my dad looked at me and said, "maybe you should sit down." My dad tells me to this day that he will never forget the evil look I gave him when he said that....and I remained standing on the chair.

This is a photo of me in 1983 in my very tiny bedroom in the attic apartment I grew up in in Chicago. I was 14 and told my dad I would marry Rick Springfield and I didn't care that he was 20 years older than me! The picture below is also featured in Rick's CD booklet for Venus In Overdrive! I sent it in with tons of other fans and it's in there along with many other fans!

The first picture above was taken in 2004 at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, AZ. I had been living in AZ for less than a year at that time. I bought two tickets for this show and had my mom fly in from Chicago so I'd have a girl to go with me. No way will I ever be in the same room as Rick AND my husband! Something happens to me when I am in the same room as Rick, it's scary how I feel about him...not in a creepy stalker kind of way, I swear.

My mom & I arrived at the Celebrity Theater for the show and I decided to leave my purse in the car and just take what I thought were the 'essentials' in with me (camera, debit card, some cash, ID). I was sure I wouldn't be needing my cell phone or lipstick.

When we walked in the door, I turned to my right and low and behold...the concert souvenir table! We immediately went to it being that we had an entire hour to kill before the actual show started. Then I noticed a guitar hanging above the table on the wall, with a sign stating that if anyone bought one of the guitars that Rick plays and smashes on the stage that night (only 2 were being offered for sale), you were given 2 BACKSTAGE PASSES AND GET TO MEET RICK!

Then I started to hyperventilate and immediately took out my debit card and asked the person at the table how much and if anyone bought them yet. Are you ready for this???

$500! CASH ONLY! Heart sank. Yet I was determined not to let anyone or anything stand in my way for a chance to meet Rick after all these years of supporting him as a fan! I mean at this point my 4th row tickets for the show meant NOTHING to me! I NEEDED THAT GUITAR AND THE BACK STAGE PASSES!

My mind was churning, there was an ATM machine inside. I took my debit card, swiped it. Machine then informs me that I am only allowed to withdraw $150 at one time!!!! WTF??? Are you freaking kidding me! I need my $500 NOW, b@*!# (like I said, I get crazy when it comes to Rick). It was like my own little horror movie! I was trying not to freak out. I get the $150, had to say 'yes' to accept the $5 transaction fee and then I swiped the card and did it all over again...3 more times until I had taken out enough cash to pay!

Then I decide to call my new husband (we had been married June 2003...this was now May 2004). I called from the payphone. I explained the situation about the guitar, passes for back stage, etc and the cost and how much it would mean to me if I could do this. He tells me that if what I'm looking for is his permission, then he can't give that to me. So I politely say to him, well I'm sorry you feel that way but this is something I have to do. I placed the phone back on the hook and persued my dream since 1982!

So I did it. My mom was a bit shocked during the entire process of what I was doing. I didn't care about the show anymore. He did come out in the audience by us, my mom touched his leg (moms!) and all I was thinking was: I WANT TO GET BACKSTAGE! Normally him being as close to me as he was during the show would be enough but not now! Now I was going to actually be able to talk to him, even for just a tiny moment but he would look at me and hear me!

We still had to sit through the concert first. After the show was over, we went to get my guitar, duck tape and all, my passes to get backstage and made our way to where I thought heavens gates would be opening up for me.

Then it dawned on me...I didn't PLAN to meet Rick Springfield that night! I had no lipstick, comb or brush to freshen before heading backstage! Ugh. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.

There was a small line of people waiting to take their pictures with him (some won that privilege from radio stations). As we were waiting, Rick looked over at ME and did a little nod because he saw that I was holding the guitar. OMG, I know I melted a little bit.

Then it was finally our turn. Here is the picture of me and Rick May 2004.

Do you think I look just a wee bit excited?
Do you see what he wrote: WITH LOVE!

I will say I left there felling many things...he gave me a huge hug, signed the guitar to me and what did I say to him: My husband is going to kill me when I get home! Yes I said that. To Rick Springfield. My teen idol. I was kicking myself all the way home and for the next week. But he was nice about it. He asked me how long we'd been married and when I told him 11 months, he laughed. Then as I was walking away, he stroked the back of my hair all the way down my head. I melted into the carpet.

I need a do-over so I can get out the right words...not sure what they should be but I know it shouldn't be that my husband is going to kill me!

Guitar is hanging on the wall in my family room with the picture and another one that includes my mom plus the ticket from the show and pictures of the backstage pass because I can't find it anywhere now!

Now how cool is that!

So happy birthday, Rick! Keep on rockin'! You are still hot at 60!

Banana Pancakes with Walnut Honey

I just bought a new cook book this week and this is the first recipe out of it that I have tried.

This comes from the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook. I am not following their diet however, I thought the recipes would be good to try so I bought the book. Plus I am truly hoping some of the recipes will help me flatten my belly :)

Let me start by saying that my 4 year old LOVED these pancakes(minus the walnuts of course) and helping me mix it all together.

I made pre-made their recipe for Easy Pancake Mix the day before, You will need to make this for the banana pancake recipe.

Here is the recipe for the mix:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I did not have the pastry flour so I just used the whole wheat flour I had in the pantry)

6 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well. Store in a cool, dry place.

This mix contains more fiber than a box mix from the store and the book says it can be used in their waffle recipes as well. Plus you know exactly what you are eating....no additives :)

OK so here is the recipe for the banana pancakes:

PANCAKES

1 1/3 cups EASY PANCAKE MIX (recipe above)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup water

1 egg

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large banana, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices

WALNUT HONEY

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon water

1) To prepare the pancakes: combine the pancake mix and cinnamon in a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk, water, egg, oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Whisk into the pancake mix and stir until smooth. Fold in the banana. Set aside.

2) To prepare the walnut honey: combine the walnuts, honey and water in a small bowl

3) Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the pancake batter in scant 1/4 cupfuls and cook, in batches, for about 2 minutes or until the pancakes have puffed and the undersides are lightly browned. Turn the pancakes and cook for about 2 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Serve with the walnut honey.

This is supposed to make 4 servings (3 pancakes each) but I think I ended up with 2 or 3 short of that myself.

Wow! The Comment Love is Overwhelming!

I want to say thank you to everyone who stopped by yesterday on my SITS day! I loved reading every single one of the very many comments but I'm not sure I can reply back to all of them in a timely manner but I will try my very best....
be patient!

I appreciate the support so much. I teared up myself reading some of the comments.

Please do come back and see me. Even if I take a break from blogging due to laptop issues (I will be sending it in to Sony to be looked at next week and they said I will be without it for 2 weeks!....all of this after 2 in-home repairs!) I also take a break whenever I am out of town or just extra overwhelmed with life.

I am also trying to go through my followers to try to follow back! I will get through all of them!

Thanks again and stayed tuned....

Welcome SITStas!

I am so excited to be the FB today over at SITS! They are such an incredible group of women who support each other as bloggers. Go over and check them out if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

My profile over to the left is quite long. I don't know how to keep it short. I spend all of my time with my 4 year old so talking to adults makes me ramble a bit.

I started blogging less than 8 months ago. I started to blog as a sort of therapy to get me through the grief process that I have been going through since summer 2008. It helps me to concentrate on happy thoughts as much as possible. I am better since last summer but still have a long way to go.

I am a SAHM of 2 girls (14 years old...just started high school this week) and 4 years old (starting preschool this month)

I enjoy pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. I have become a coffee addict since having my youngest. She's a handful (I'm praying for her teachers). I love technology. I can't help myself, it's in my blood. My dad has been a computer geek/technology buff all my life.

I love taking pictures and scrap booking (I am a Creative Memories snob).

I enjoy reading on my Kindle late at night and a good glass of red wine when all the house is quiet.

I love cooking for my family and trying new recipes I find mostly in Cooking Light Magazine.

I despise doing laundry (the separating of the clothes into piles, taking them out of the washer, putting them in the dryer, taking out of the dryer, hanging and folding!) too much work!

I grew up on the north side of Chicago approx. 1 mile from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs! We have been in the Southwest for 6 years now. I have had a very hard time becoming a fan of any sports teams here. I think Chicagoans are true to their teams no matter where they live.

I am a night owl by nature and now it seems that late-night is the only time I have to myself anymore.

Please take a look at the right column for the recipes I love to make for my family.
I also have a new button over there. Feel free to take it and post it on your blog :)

I have some of my fav posts on the left column under: Things I Like to Whine About.

I am looking forward to seeing all of your comments and hope to see you come back to say hello another day!

PS...follow me and I will most likely return the favor :)

Writer's Workshop: What to do? What to do?

This is my very first time participating in Mama Kat's Writers Workshop.

The Prompt:

1) What will you be doing now that the kids are back in school?

First off, let me tell you that I have a 14 year old girl and a 4 year old girl.

My oldest just started her Freshman year of high school THIS WEEK! My 4 year old will get her very first taste of authority outside of her home at the end of August when she starts preschool for the first time.

As for me, I have been thinking of this moment of new freedom for approx. 4 years. Now it is upon me, I am excited and nervous at the same time. Preschool is only 3 hours a day 4 days a week.

THINGS I WANT TO DO:

1) go back to the gym...I did a full six months of gym time last year and since last summer haven't been able to get back into my 'groove'. This will be especially nice that I won't have to stop whatever I am doing to go and wipe a certain 4 year olds butt.

2) sit at a Starbucks or another friendly neighborhood coffee shop, drink a cinnamon dulce latte and read something on my Kindle...WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP TO WIPE MY 4 YEAR OLD'S BUTT!

3) meet a friend for a coffee (yes, I'm addicted, I know) again without having to wipe any part of my 4 year old

4) get a massage or pedicure...oh how nice that would be right?

THINGS I WILL MOST LIKELY DO IN REALITY

1) go to the gym...get on an elliptical machine and think about my 4 year old and who will be wiping her butt since I am not at school with her...picturing her sitting there on the tiny preschool toilet calling for me to wipe her (I am hoping she saves going #2 for at home)

2) make my coffee at home, adding come vanilla caramel liquid coffee-mate, look through my cooking magazines/books and find new things to make for dinner

3) go grocery shopping (at least my 4 year old won't be there telling me that SHE can push the cart and run into all the grandmas there)

4) dream about a massage/pedicure on my way to pick up the kids

I think I will still try to fit in a coffee with a friend whenever possible...spending too much time alone will not be good for me!

I have been in isolation for 4 years. We have no family here and only a few friends which makes isolation quite easy to do. Plus it is in triple digits here still and there's not much to do outdoors when it's that hot.

This will be a big change in my life and I really hope I learn to make the most of it for myself.

Honk (or in this case...comment) If You Are the Mom of a High Schooler!

Today is the first day of high school for my 14 year old daughter. I can imagine all the excitement and nervousness she was feeling all morning.

She has never used an alarm clock to wake up for school, until today. I have been her alarm clock BUT she wants to get up at 5am! No one in this house is up before 6:15am so last night we had a lesson in how-to-set-the-alarm-clock-that-has-been-sitting-on-your-table-f0r-two-years.

I can say that all went well this morning. I heard her get up at 5am, go in bathroom and shower. She's always been an evening shower-er until now.

I picked up some really cool Ed Hardy folders and notebooks for her. She picked out a backpack. She had her first-day-of-high-school outfit.

I can not believe how fast she seems to be growing up.

I can't wait for her to come home today so I can try to pry out of her how the day went. I'm guessing I'll get a shoulder shrug and and an OK from her. Teenagers!

Now it's just me and my 4 year old again at home...that is until the end of August when she will enter preschool for the very first time (sob)!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

OMG! I have been so freaking busy since the beginning of July! I was out of town for 3 whole weeks and did not have internet access for the most part. Being the techy person that I am, that is always hard for me!

Now I am trying to catch up with getting school clothes, supplies, filing out the rest of the forms, doctors appointments, etc, etc.

So I am hoping to get back on track in my blogging world in the next few weeks!

Been On Vacation!

I have been away for over 3 weeks and hope to get back here ASAP!

Flashback Fridays

I am participating in Flashback Fridays over at More Than Words again.

This is a picture of my mom and me. I am guessing that I am around 4 years old here but I'm not sure but it was taken in the 70's somewhere in Chicago.

Flashback Friday

I am participating in Flashback Fridays over at More Than Words.

This comes you to via circa 1970's. It is a photo of my mom and her long-time boyfriend (they have been together for over 30 years now and STILL do not live together!)

I was always so jealous of my moms beauty when I was growing up. She sure looked great back then, didn't she???

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

I love lemons! One of the best things about living in Arizona is the fact that I have fruit trees in my own backyard. My lemon tree being my favorite. It's beautiful to look at when it's full and my family loves it when I make homemade lemonade.

I had so many lemons a couple of months ago (the season is over now) so I was using them in all kinds of recipes, this one was one of my favorites.

This comes from Cooking Light Magazine and let me tell you they taste just as good as they look! Aren't they gorgeous?!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 cup blueberries
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk, egg, and rind; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Remove muffins from pans immediately, and place on a wire rack to cool.

Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze evenly over cooled muffins.

Note: You can make these muffins up to 2 days ahead and glaze them the day of serving

Nutritional Information
Calories:187 (23% from fat)
Fat:4.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.3g)
Protein:3.7g
Carbohydrate:32.6g
Fiber:1g
Cholesterol:30mg
Iron:1.1mg
Sodium:264mg
Calcium:59mg

Zing Zang Zoom!

I recently went to see the latest Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey production with my family. We all had lots of fun except for the fact that my 3 year old wasn't feeling good that night and we had to leave after the 1st act but not before she got to enjoy her cotton candy!

She had a fever almost 102* when we got home!

She did ask a couple of days later if we could go back because she really missed a lot of it and just didn't feel good at all. My teenager was actually disappointed that we had to leave early. Go figure.

If you can catch the Zing Zang Zoom show when it hits your town, go for it!

Mom Central has partnered with Feld Entertainment, the parent company for Disney On Ice and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, to provide a special family ticket package offer in select cities across the country.

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOU!
Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 by logging onto
www.ticketmaster.com and entering the coupon code: MOM.**

**Get 4 tickets for $44 by entering the code “MOM” in the MC promotion code box on Ticketmaster. Minimum
purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Rinkside or VIP seating. Cannot be combined with other offers. Service Charges, facility & handling fees will apply.

Technical Difficulties

I have major computer problems, a part is on order but not sure when it will actually be repaired yet!

Stay tuned...

It came upon Hollywood in 3's...

First Ed McMahon, then Farrah Fawcett and now Michael Jackson.

This is a sad week for Hollywood.

Flashback Friday

I am participating in Flashback Fridays over at More Than Words. This is my first time doing this.

An old friend emailed this picture to me this week. I believe it is from winter of 1989/90???

Ah, the 80's, big hair, big shoulders (remember shoulder pads) and big trouble (for me, oh, if I could only remember all the crazy things I did!)

My friend was OBSESSED with the band Warrant (Cherry Pie; Heaven) back then. We chased them all over Chicago whenever they were in town. This was somewhere outside of Excalibur nightclub in Chicago. I spent WAY too much time there in the early 90's!

This is a photo of me, an old friend and the lead singer from Warrant, Jani Lane.

My hair and Jani's blend together....gotta love those 80's perms!

Really??? I. Don't. Think. So.

I am truly speechless after seeing this infomercial one night this week.

Have you seen this?


Check out the girl in the pink bra who looks more like she's doing an 'adult film' than an infomercial!

Did you see it? Really? That stick is going to make my boobs do that!?!

Hmmm, stocking stuffer??? A girl can dream, right?

Well, I need to get out my Rejuvenique Mask, put on my Snuggie, get my PedEgg out and scare my kids.

And that's all I have to say about that.

6 Years

Today is my 6 year wedding anniversary.

It got me to thinking about how much our lives have changed living away from everyone we know and love for the past 6 years.

We met at the end of January 2002 and had our first date on 02/02/02.

He was told by the company he worked for that he had to move to Arizona to the corporate office or lose his job. This was October 2002. We had been dating for 8 months.

He called me at work to tell me this news. I was upset by the news but also by the fact that he told me over the phone while I was working. He said we needed to talk to which I replied that there was nothing to talk about. I wasn't about to pick up my life and move to away from everything I knew and loved. Plus I had a daughter, 7 years old at that time. Long distance relationship was also out of the question for me.

I cried at my desk at work and told my two good friends in the office about it to which they replied: Well he just won't go! To which I replied: Sounds to me like he's serious about going.

Later that night, we talked...a lot. I had made the decision to go with him under the condition that we make a commitment to each other in marriage being that I had a young daughter and would not risk picking up both of our lives for him to have it end when we move (it happens).

We planned a wedding, I left a job and working for a company that I really loved, sold my condo & bought our house in AZ all by June of 2003. I had refused to move sooner than that because my daughter was having her first communion that April and I wanted her to finish 2nd grade at her school before we moved which gave us the summer to get settled in AZ.

Here's a picture of the room we were married in...I loved it! It was so beautiful.


There were velvet benches and seats around the room for the guests. The chairs were for our parents and grandparents.

The 3 of us boarded the plane with my 3 cats in tow. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I've never lived anywhere else.

My daughter made friends easily. For me & him, it was much harder. I made every effort to know my neighbors (something that can be hard to do in AZ, believe it or not, because you hardly ever see anyone out of front of their houses).

I worked part time for the first time in my adult life. Until we had my youngest girl.

I have been a stay at home mom since she was born almost 4 years ago.

I will tell you that one of the hardest things was being in the hospital with my newborn baby with no visitors. I was happy to have the new baby but so sad that my mom wasn't there to see her like she was with my first one.

But this is our life. We don't like being so far away from everyone but this is the way it is now.

Last June, we went to Vegas to renew our wedding vows with Elvis. This was the first time since we were married that we were away from the kids (his dad and stepmom flew in to stay with the kids while we were gone).

It was so much fun to do that I'm thinking we might have to do that every 5 years!
Elvis walked me down the isle! He was so much fun! He sang 3 of my favorite Elvis songs, too.

6 years has taken us far away from our family longer than I'd like.

It has given us a very small handful of new but great friends.

It has given us another beautiful daughter to love and made my oldest a big sister (something I will never be)

It has taken us places we might not have ever seen (the Grand Canyon, Sedona) and given us the opportunity to take road trips together to California & Nevada that we wouldn't have done otherwise.

It has introduced us to creatures that we have learned to live with but don't necessarily like!

In 6 years we have seen death touch our family 6 times, one that effects our lives daily.

It has taught us that like it or not, we only have each other to count on.

It has shown me that even when we don't like each other, we still love each other.