Death Poem

I had to write a poem about death, dying, or old age for my CNA class. The idea is to help us understand what it is like for others who are grieving and when we need to step back because we are to close to the situation.

Now, in my mind, I have zero creativity. I don't have bullshit in my writing, it tends to be very blunt. So, I asked hubby to help me write it and this is what we came up with:

Rejected.
Feared.

The body decides to be done.
The brain wants to fight as the soul starts to move on.

Ultimate.
Final.

The body releases its last breath.

Death.

Like I said, I am not very creative ;). Hubby came up with a list of words that go with death, I did the rest. At least I get points for trying.

Gas Prices...

...are definitely coming down!

For the first time in about 4 weeks, I filled up my Excursion with gas. I always take it to Costco to fill it up because they are the cheapest. The last time I filled it up, it cost me $160 to put almost 40 gallons in. I usually have to swipe the card twice because it will max out at $100.

Today, it cost me $94.58! I didn't have to swipe the card twice.... Wooo Hoooo!!

I was so excited, I called Hubby immediately and told him. Silly, I know. But, the way I look at it, I am that much closer to being able to afford to drive it again.

Obama's Acceptance Speech

Well, it is over. We have a new President of the United States of America.


Here is a link to his acceptance speech:



I will admit, it was a good speech. He is a good speaker, which is why he ultimately won. I think that if people were really hearing/understanding what he has been saying, they wouldn't have voted for him. (Although, I have to admit, I felt the same way about Mc Cain). He worries me and I do hope that Obama turns out to be a better President than I think he will.

Election Day

Go Vote!!!
It is your RIGHT!

From Hubby...

Hubby saw this and thought it was really funny and begged me to post it...

Just to add fuel to the fire....

I could cry...

I just got my new schedule. It turns out that I get to work Halloween night from 5pm-9pm.

Remember, I haven't worked in thirteen years. This means I haven't missed one holiday with my kids, EVER!

Maybe someone will want to work for me. Or, maybe they will let me go early.

Now, I want to quit and I was just starting to like my job.

My New Car

With gas prices where they are, it has become more and more difficult for us to drive. You see, I drive this:


Isn't it lovely? I love my car. Because of this, I am having really hard time wanting to be seen in my new car, a 1999 Dodge Ram Van:




Now, trust me. These pictures make it look better than it really does. The pictures are leaving out the dents that are all over it and the faded paint spots. Oh, and lets not forget the rust at the top of the sliding door that's eroding the metal.

I know that I am acting like a spoiled brat (at least I can admit it.) You see, I was the kid that was dropped off at school, in the wealthiest city, in the UGLIEST BEATER cars EVER! (Mom, remember the shit brown chevy nova?) I mean, at least we had a car, but still.

I am trying really hard not to be this way. I will get over it, but we just got this thing and all the feelings are still fresh.

Oh yeah, I should tell you why we got this thing. It cost $11.00 to fill it up at $0.83 per gallon and it gets about 15 miles per gallon. This van is CNG or Certified Natural Gas. We will be saving $500 each month because we won't be paying the high gas prices.

Let me not forget to also mention that Hubby sold his beautiful truck in order to afford this van that I am being such a bitch about. Sigh.

Here is his beautiful truck that he sold:

Goal for the rest of my life? Be less ungrateful and remember that Hubby is trying his damnedest to give us what he can.

My Day

Today the kids and I all the piled up laundry down to the laundromat to get it done all at once.

Just after we got there, a found a black widow right at the bottom of the washer I had just half filled with clothes. There was no way I was going to spend time there with that thing, so I piled all the kids back into the car and ran home and got the bug spray. After killing the widow, I saw another web and decided to spray it too. I don't know what the web belonged to but a wolf spider got hit with the spray and started running towards us! EWWW!!! About an hour later, another wolf spider started walking out of hiding. At this point, I was so stressed out by the bugs that I was starting to get really cranky.

A little while later Corey, aka #1 or my oldest, got mad at me and started with the smart mouth attitude that 13 year olds are so good at. I started talking to him VERY stern. I wasn't yelling, but I was VERY stern. Well, I guess this bothered an older lady that was there. She walks over to me, taps me on the shoulder (while I am sternly talking) and says excuse me. I turned on her with daggers in my eyes. She then proceeds to hand me $8.00 and tells me to take my kids out to pizza because she doesn't get to take her grandkids out to pizza. I wanted to tell her to back off, instead I just said "Thank You." I was so dumbfounded. I couldn't believe she just did that. It was weird.

And speaking of weird, about half an hour before we left, an older man (probably about 60) walks in. He was wearing really big, thick glasses, jean shorts, and a t-shirt. As he was putting his laundry in the dryer, he bends over and you can see his ENTIRE HAIRY BUTT CRACK! Not just the top. Oh no. The ENTIRE ASS! Well, of course the kids and I are all cracking (pun intended) up. OMG. Someone, not me, should tell him to pull his pants up.

We were there for 4 hours, thank God it is all done now, and I get clean sheet day.

I Made It

I got through the weekend. Boy was it hard work. My feet still hurt from the shear amount of running around.

I have a new found respect for the nursing assistants in hospitals and doctor's offices. They sure get the short end of the stick, or I guess I should say "we." I am one of them now.

The thirteen year old got an in school suspension today. He had already had one incident that had landed him in the principal's office and today was the second. He is having some authority issues. I mean, he is thirteen. He does know EVERYTHIING. Anyone want to ask him a question before he grows up and realizes he doesn't know squat?

It is so nice to be off tonight. I am just going to veg most of the night and work on the english paper due on Wednesday. Oh yeah, and watch House. (I am so into this show right now. He is such an ass. I love it.)

You all have a good night.

First Day of Work

Well, I don't think I will HATE it.

First day of work went alright. I know I can do this kind of work. I mean, I have five kids I have been wiping and bathing for the last 13 years. Last night wasn't much different. Just older people.

I am having a hard time with the invasion of privacy thing. I mean, I know I knock to go in to their rooms, but it's still weird. Or with helping them go to the restroom, it's such a private act to me. I wonder how these people feel to be in the position to need so much help with such normal daily living.

I will tell you that I really didn't do that much last night. I followed one of the other CNA's the entire night. I am sure I will be doing more tonight.

My biggest struggle right now is so much time is taken out of my weekend. I am not quite sure yet how to juggle everything. I have a paper due on Wednesday and I don't have time this weekend to write it.

School and work and five kids is a pretty big struggle. I don't know how people go to work full time and school full time and then take care of kids and home.

I have to brag about hubby for a minute. Last night when I got home the house was clean. I mean, CLEAN. He had done laundry, cleaned the kitchen, and mopped the floor. He had even gotten on the kids about their rooms. It was really nice to come home to a clean house.

Nervous

Well, today is my first day of work. I am so very nervous. Did I mention that I haven't worked in about 13 years. Let's face it, I didn't do much before then either, considering I had my oldest when I was 17.

What if I hate it? I mean, really really hate it?

I don't want to hate it. I want to like it, love it even.

Sometimes it feels so much safer in my little bubble of a life. At least I know I like being a stay at home mom.

I guess I just hope that I will follow through with it. As a teenager I quit so many jobs just after a couple weeks or even a month. I am supposedly older and wiser. Ha. Older anyway.

I will let you know how it goes.

A Job.

It looks like I may have a job.

On Friday, a friend of mine told me of a local nursing home that is hiring. She knows a lady who works there and tells me that I should go apply.

Monday finally rolls around. I get ready. I drop off the kids at school and help out in #4's class for about an hour. I get in the car and start driving to the place.

Here's where I should tell you that we have a big problem in my family. (like you can't tell if you read these posts). When we get nervous, we have to poop. The more nervous, the faster you better get us to a bathroom. (BTW, I blame my mother. We got our genes from her.)

So, I get to the place and quickly drive past it because now I have to poop. There is no way I am going in there feeling this way.

Closest place? Target.

I walk in to Target. I walk straight to the bathroom. I leave Target. I was tempted to buy something, but I really didn't need anything or have any money to spend.

Finally, I get to the place. I tell them the name of the lady that sent me there and I fill out an application. I talk with the main person for a few minutes and I leave.

Today I got a call saying that they want me to start this weekend, part time, to get me trained. I am so excited! and nervous!

I don't know how much I will make or anything. You see, I also forget all relevant information to ask when I am nervous. Sigh. What a tard I am.

So, I go in tomorrow to fill out paperwork and get a schedule.

I bet I will have to poop on my first day.

Oatmeal Cookies with Honey

As I have said before, we changed the way we eat quite some time ago. Well, because of the economy, we have added back in a couple of things: A little rice (I have noticed that rice makes my joints hurt a bit, so we don't eat to much of this.), beans, and oats. I have also been using some lentils and barley in a couple of different dishes. It was a hard decision to make, but I had to do something.

Anyway, I thought that maybe I should start posting some of those recipes on here for the rest of you people. You might enjoy them, you might not. If anything, my Mother might attack them (I am ok with that :).

I hope that you (the readers) will be willing to share any recipes that you have that are NUTRITIOUS! I am raising growing kids and we only want super healthy. (hee hee, my poor kids)In other words, no white flour, no white sugar. The rest I can play with if needed.

Here is a recipe that I have started making for snacks. These are oatmeal type cookies that I have adapted to our style. The original recipe is here Healthy Oatmeal Cookies.

My Version:

Ingredients:
Dry:
1 Cup Almond Flour
1 1/2 Cups Oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg (optional)

Wet:
1/2 Cup honey
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (super healthy oil and you can't taste it after it's been baked)
1/4 Cup Applesauce (You can try canned pumpkin too, yum)
1 Tbsp Molasses (I have substituted real Maple Syrup, it worked)
1 egg (Sometimes it seems that I need one more, just see how wet it is)
1 tsp Vanilla

Add-ins:
1/2 - 1 Cup Raisins, Craisins, Dried Blueberries, or any dried fruit (just make sure it is chopped if it's big like apricots)
1/2 - 1 Cup chopped Pecans, walnuts, or any nut you like. (I stick them in a Ziplock baggy and hit them with a metal measuring cup.)

Directions:
**Preheat oven to 335 degrees F.
I put all wet and dry ingredients together in my KitchenAid Mixer and let it mix it until it is all incorporated. I then add in the Add Ins and mix it by hand. Put the mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes, it makes it easier to handle (I have forgotten this step a few times and it still turns out great.) Drop by heaping teaspoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Press down lightly so you get a flat cookie. Bake for 15-25 minutes.
I get about 24 medium sized cookies out of this recipe. It depends on how much of the add-ins I put in. (Today I got 20)

These cookies were made with canned pumpkin instead of the applesauce. They also have walnuts and raisins in them:



I would love to hear what your favorite way of making these is. So, as you try this recipe, let me know what you do to them. I would really appreciate it.

My dryer.

I hate my dryer. I mean HATE it.

About 4 years ago we got the newest, latest, and greatest front loading washer and dryer combo. Brand = LG. I loved the washer for about the first 2 years. This is when the funky smell started. It is very slight in some of the clothes, I smell everything - it bothers me a lot. I did do some research and found that there is a hot tub jet cleaner that actually works called WhirlOut. But, I still have to make sure that the clothes get removed as soon as the washer is done or I have to rewash them and some clothes are just ruined. It really makes me miss the normal top loaders.

So, on to the dryer. I was never really impressed with the dryer. It did OK. That's it. Nothing wonderful. But, as the years have gone on, it is taking longer and longer to dry a load. I think that right now, it takes about 2 1/2 HOURS to dry ONE load. This is rediculous. We have tried everything to try to make it work better. We have vacuumed out the vents inside the dryer with hubbies high powered vacuum. We have vacuumed and cleaned out the vent pipe that goes out of the house. Zero success. It's still crap. 

Every couple of months, I have to take ALL of our laundry to a laundromat to get it all done at once. We have 7 people in this house and it is quite the pain to never be caught up on laundry, not to mention the expense.

I really wish I could afford a new washer and dryer set.

Crock Pot Blog

With how busy the school year is, I am always looking for easy, healthy dishes for us to make. The other night, while totally sleepless with worry from 2 - 5 am, I came across this blog.

She has so many recipes on here. She is using her crock pot every day for a year. I was so excited. I try so hard to use my crock pot, but I get really bored with the same old recipes that I have been using.

Tonight I am making her Thai Curry recipe that the Rachael Ray show made especially for her. I will let you know how it turns out.

Check it out. It's always nice to have new crock pot recipes.

Edited to add: The recipe turned out pretty good. I didn't have the Thai chili paste and I used Thai curry paste instead. I think I will find the chili paste before I make it again. I will tell you that the kids liked it, once they added a little more soy sauce to it.

A Lot of Steak

Saw this today and had to share:

THE ULTIMATE STEAK
For Two - 40oz - $92 • For Four - 80 oz - $178 • For Six - 120 oz - $267
Includes Potato Gratin & Two Signature Sauces
*If one person can eat the entire steak for 6 - it's on us.

This is a restaurant in The Monte Carlo, Las Vegas called BRAND Steakhouse. If anyone has EVER eaten this much steak (7 and 1/2 pounds) in one sitting, please tell me. I would love to know how you did it, even if it is a bit gory.

Sore

I have been trying different classes at my gym. I have gotten really bored with the same old machines over and over. They are not much fun. So, I decided to try the classes.

Last Wednesday I tried one called Flex. This class uses weights and a stepper to strength train your body. I knew it would be hard (I hadn't really worked out in about a month) so I picked the lightest weights and the smallest stepper. This class involved a lot of squats and lunges. Thursday I could hardly walk, which was really hard since we had to do some falling and catching techniques in my C.N.A. class.

Friday I could walk a lot better, so I decided to do another class. I picked beginner Pilate's. I figured that Pilate's would be a great class for stretching out those sore muscles, which is was. Over the weekend, my outer and inner thighs hurt. I told the instructor that she made hurt the opposite muscles as the Flex lady. At least I could walk a little better.

On Tuesday I decided to do Turbo Kick. I have always wanted to do this class. At least since I saw it on an infomercial the first time. This was the hardest one I have done yet. I have not dripped sweat like that in quite some time, (yummy image, I know) Wednesday all of my back muscles hurt. EVERY SINGLE ONE. I have never had sore back muscles, at least not that many at one time.

Yesterday I tried Yoga. I liked Yoga. It was very calming. It did more than I thought at the time because today my shoulders hurt.

So, all in all I guess I am slowly working every part of my body. I really like doing the classes. I think it is fun to feel tortured with a bunch of other people. I will definitely keep up the classes, or at least until I get bored with them. :)

School

I am back in school. I started about 3 weeks ago. Needless to say, things around my house are hectic once again.

I am taking a C.N.A. (certified nursing assistant) class and my last (hopefully) writing class. I really like the C.N.A. class. My instructor is really funny and she explains EVERYTHING. I like that. She tells us the why's and how's of it all. Writing has never been my favorite thing to do, so that class is just ok. But, I will say, that for a writing class, it isn't so bad.

About the decision to take the C.N.A. class: After a lot of thinking and debating, I have decided to go to school to be an R.N. During the schooling, I am going to work as a C.N.A. The C.N.A. course will only take one semester. I had to find the fastest way to contribute an income and something that I will enjoy doing. So, here we are. I almost decided to go wait tables, but then I thought, I want something that I will be more likely to want to do in ten more years. No quick fix here.

I know that the nursing program is kind of hard to get in to here. So, I am going to ask all of you to Pray for me that I can get in pretty quickly. Luckily, I have most of my pre-requisites done. Yay.

Cleaning

I HATE cleaning. There is only one thing I like about it. When I am done, I love the way a clean house feels. That's it. I think, one day, I should have a maid.

I blame my mother. ;) You see, she cleaned houses most of my childhood. I used to help her. You see where I am going with this?

Today I have to clean. My house is filthy. It hasn't been this dirty since the beginning of the school year last year. There is something about the beginning of the year, when your schedule completely changes, that makes it extremely hard to do anything. I have probably 10-12 loads of laundry, the floor hasn't been mopped in a week and a half, and nothing has been dusted in only God know hows long. Today is the day that I get to fix ALL of that.

At least I get to sleep on clean sheets tonight. I love Clean Sheet Day! I don't know if any of you have seen or remember that show Dharma and Greg. I remember one episode where Dharma is all excited about Clean Sheet Day and Greg wants to have an argument and she tells him he is ruining Clean Sheet Day. I feel the same way about Clean Sheet Day!