tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34002684871319223272024-03-12T20:31:36.349-06:00Semi-Organized MomEventually, everything finds it's place.Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-12627774604809606502013-01-31T06:30:00.000-07:002013-01-31T06:30:02.629-07:00Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Snow...</div>
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Helping daddy shovel the walk and cleaning off my grandma's car. </div>
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I get paid for this, right?</div>
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My size snow cave!</div>
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Daddy, an angel?</div>
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Not if I can help it!!!</div>
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Uh oh...he's an angry angel.</div>
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Lesson learned. Don't ever destroy Dad's snow angel.</div>
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"Mom!"</div>
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"See what dad did?!"</div>
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Mmmm....mom makes it all better!</div>
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Sippin' Hot Cocoa...</div>
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...in my new snow lounger.</div>
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Ahhh, now <i>this</i> is the good life!</div>
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Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-25062118392073281902013-01-30T15:56:00.001-07:002013-01-30T15:56:29.978-07:00Our American Girl TimelineHere is a fun & exciting way to incorporate American History into your daughter's homeschool education. If your daughter is in public school, this project could possibly earn her some extra-credit. You never know! <br />
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Also, if you have a child who does not like to read, like I do, but she loves American Girl dolls, here is your opportunity to encourage her to read. The books are a bit below Chloe's reading level, but that doesn't matter. Watching her excitement as she finishes each of the six books in the box set, and then orally recounts what happened in each one, is priceless! Each book has a "Looking Back" section that shows actual photos from that time period, as well as real historical data. <br />
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Items you need for the timeline:<br />
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* Large poster board<br />
* Sharpie markers<br />
* <a href="http://www.michaels.com/American-Girl-Crafts%E2%84%A2-Doll-Sticker-Decorations/kd2283,default,pd.html" target="_blank">American Girl sticker book</a> (I've seen it at Michael's and Hobby Lobby)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wHhT4iHpXRlAHR0FD8KLlwlmlv4AqafKFIhyphenhyphen7oNFvjzS7WEOqBd163zzNqmPmS440WlYOEyxx1Re4w-Wzzqq7JXCTjsM86eluptPJhgiIg84DXtfaX6aQiqSaSD5uysq0Z7rdP3r6ZcT/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wHhT4iHpXRlAHR0FD8KLlwlmlv4AqafKFIhyphenhyphen7oNFvjzS7WEOqBd163zzNqmPmS440WlYOEyxx1Re4w-Wzzqq7JXCTjsM86eluptPJhgiIg84DXtfaX6aQiqSaSD5uysq0Z7rdP3r6ZcT/s640/DSC_0704.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(<i>We found the sticker set above at Michael's in December, 2012. It was on clearance for $1.00</i>)</div>
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We love all things <a href="http://www.Americangirl.com/" target="_blank">American Girl</a>, so when it came time to develop our own homeschool curriculum we chose to navigate American History through these amazing dolls. <br />
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We started with Kit Kittredge in 1934, but will jump back to 1764 when we're finished with the Great Depression. </div>
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When we decided to pull Chloe out of K12, her History class was discussing the Great Depression, so Kit was the perfect doll to start with. We used a ginormous USA map and placed a sticker where Kit lives. <br />
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Ohio, you've never looked cuter!<br />
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Speaking of cute...<br />
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Kit had to be sent off to the <a href="http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/dollHospital.jsp" target="_blank">American Girl Doll Hospital</a> to have her...ahem...legs reattached. <br />
Kit's definitely adventurous, but good-golly...both of her legs? What <i>was</i> she doing?! We are glad she's all better though!<br />
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American Girl sent Kit back from the hospital in her own special box.<br />
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She also came with a Certificate of Good Health, a Get Well Soon card, fuzzy hospital socks, the cutest gown ever, and they even cleaned her up and styled her hair.</div>
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Anyway. Let's get back to our timeline...</div>
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We then divided the timeline into 50 year segments. I used my labeler to make these time periods stand out more. We made some minor errors in spacing, but all-in-all, it looks great!</div>
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This part of the timeline can get a bit crowded if you're not careful. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq85u_biax3Rd1khP0cMR5QUfAo5V4qTd7_CzjLh5hBHlRFeGpoY7M6OhCAwfd3No-6CpsvhSwQi6O7wGftQ4sJ5snJhlNXMgNg35f6aIGRvwpn26tNAopgElsia4efpgFbh3NStt9h9nO/s1600/IMG_3749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq85u_biax3Rd1khP0cMR5QUfAo5V4qTd7_CzjLh5hBHlRFeGpoY7M6OhCAwfd3No-6CpsvhSwQi6O7wGftQ4sJ5snJhlNXMgNg35f6aIGRvwpn26tNAopgElsia4efpgFbh3NStt9h9nO/s640/IMG_3749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sadly, we are missing Marie-Grace & Cecile. I hope American Girl comes out with these stickers so we can finish our timeline. We left space in between Josefina and Kirsten just in case. <br />
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We left plenty of space at the bottom so that we could add mini family photographs to help fill in our timeline. I'm also planning to have Chloe write in some major events that helped shape America. When we are all finished we will post a completed photo. </div>
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Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-29220210800748799702012-04-07T18:32:00.001-06:002013-01-30T21:53:51.154-07:00Mini-Meatloaf: The kids will love it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I found this Mini-Meatloaf idea on Pinterest and decided to try it out. The original Pin had basic instructions, but I thought you could use a few more....you know, to make your first try be successful. Above was my first try. They tasted AMAZING...like always, but that's because I used my TnT (Tried 'n True) Amish Meatloaf recipe. I'll share that a little later. You're welcome.<br />
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<b>Step 1: </b>Prepare your favorite meatloaf recipe.</div>
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<b>Step 2:</b> Pack the muffin pan tightly with meat mixture. If you fill it to the top, make sure you place a layer of tinfoil below the pan, or place it on a cookie sheet to catch grease drippings. Mine didn't drip at all from the metal pan, but did slightly from my silicone muffin pans. </div>
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<b>Step 3:</b> Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes. Make sure your drippings run clear.<br />
<b>Step 4:</b> Add a bit of sauce on top and let it bake for 2-5 minutes extra.<br />
<b>Step 5:</b> Add a medium size cookie-scoop of your favorite mashed potatoes on top. <br />
<b>Step 6:</b> Devour! Then come back here and leave me a comment on how awesome I am. :)<br />
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In my first try, I didn't pack the meat in very tightly. I knew it would shrink up, but I was afraid of grease spilling out and possibly catching fire, or causing the Earth to blow up, or just having to deep clean my oven...something catastrophic like that. </div>
While some of the mini-meatloafs came out like full size flat-topped cupcakes, the others turned into scrumptious meatballs. I ate them regardless. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amish Meatloaf</span></span><br />
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3/4 cup Oatmeal (Use Gluten-Free Oats if needed)<br />
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1 cup Milk</div>
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2 lbs ground beef</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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1/2 medium onion (optional)<br />
Salt & Pepper<br />
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<b>Sauce:</b><br />
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1 cup Brown Sugar</div>
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1 cup Ketchup</div>
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2 tsp Yellow Mustard</div>
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Several dashes of Worchestire sauce</div>
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(Combine all these ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil...stirring constantly.) </div>
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<b>Directions: </b> </div>
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Combine oatmeal & milk into a mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix with hands or stand mixer until meat is well mixed and soft. If you've ever eaten a meatloaf that tastes like someone just took the meat from the package and cooked it...this is why. Always mix your meatloaf extremely well. It makes it moist. </div>
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::Follow directions above or put mixture into a loaf pan (bake loaf for 1 hour at 350*)::</div>
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Enjoy!!</div>
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Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-86594662273302466342012-03-12T22:32:00.000-06:002013-01-30T21:56:20.151-07:00All Tucked In!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our nightly ritual...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iPAMjTx0Tv8ZvLDWKgwK02MkNVy9jsUrneXlqkNT3LUrAmjosw1oJx1cuq17lxy49wxFFoZ3hrZNNJw_3V7IQHYlPvxIbQjoU6ar9-U4OQMsGI4jxprMsTBqkZHpGTzepxVho3_A7sXK/s1600/TuckedInCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iPAMjTx0Tv8ZvLDWKgwK02MkNVy9jsUrneXlqkNT3LUrAmjosw1oJx1cuq17lxy49wxFFoZ3hrZNNJw_3V7IQHYlPvxIbQjoU6ar9-U4OQMsGI4jxprMsTBqkZHpGTzepxVho3_A7sXK/s640/TuckedInCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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with a twist.</div>
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Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-73379101340327834502012-02-07T19:14:00.001-07:002013-01-30T21:56:38.536-07:00Lovukkah - Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Eight Days Of Lovukkah...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vVtBRMDFQzgrbaAueQwLVXeOOungLELRr7RM4kprSCjoTWG_KtGyTDCDtrATUXXn1sVJoXfEbwC-zt9zxBvS8V7I8Xqf2B5_BoqsReuNVudCf03W16Iz8cMSxucJhnm3OwmzF-KnFpiR/s1600/IMG_0194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vVtBRMDFQzgrbaAueQwLVXeOOungLELRr7RM4kprSCjoTWG_KtGyTDCDtrATUXXn1sVJoXfEbwC-zt9zxBvS8V7I8Xqf2B5_BoqsReuNVudCf03W16Iz8cMSxucJhnm3OwmzF-KnFpiR/s640/IMG_0194.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Starts Today!</div>
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(<i>Apparently all my vases are in storage, but I think this one adds a personal touch.</i>)</div>
Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-42959143134349254032012-01-27T11:12:00.000-07:002012-01-27T11:12:00.943-07:00two little monkey's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Monkey</div>
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See,</div>
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Monkey </div>
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Do!</div>
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<br />Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-26319184117193711622012-01-26T16:36:00.001-07:002013-01-30T21:57:02.185-07:00Never thought I could do it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Guess what!</div>
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My daughter is twelve and I can finally French Braid! </div>
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Go me!</div>
Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-9174038379230814092012-01-23T17:18:00.000-07:002013-01-30T21:57:33.686-07:00Pinky swear!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When choosing the color of your first cast...</div>
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I suggest you choose a lighter color, so people can sign it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEDd4CaNgo2E24xsGkushPIbGXTuqSDeAz-3BvNU0XCW0qCrhyh-n9KsE13EXPVey-JkqepHTNdjMXE8Jsr2OYufb_pRdw8hVyHGDOz9w-GLqlF-3Txg38fx-0BTnwgoRt3BJBAzAAWnm/s1600/IMG_0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEDd4CaNgo2E24xsGkushPIbGXTuqSDeAz-3BvNU0XCW0qCrhyh-n9KsE13EXPVey-JkqepHTNdjMXE8Jsr2OYufb_pRdw8hVyHGDOz9w-GLqlF-3Txg38fx-0BTnwgoRt3BJBAzAAWnm/s640/IMG_0109.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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However, I wouldn't suggest wrestling with your ten year old little brother...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4o0ttp9Hp1RMyA6mCzyxTAzDbxQY2tF5lwCICkslzaLl6VUEc0njDsDsal2Nk2em1MLp6jyV2mvgIffqTf8CqAFuvHV-SZbQ7LuIInRFnTxT-kdjsplufVHB6QhsTO8gFWOtGXS2FqcaR/s1600/IMG_0110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4o0ttp9Hp1RMyA6mCzyxTAzDbxQY2tF5lwCICkslzaLl6VUEc0njDsDsal2Nk2em1MLp6jyV2mvgIffqTf8CqAFuvHV-SZbQ7LuIInRFnTxT-kdjsplufVHB6QhsTO8gFWOtGXS2FqcaR/s640/IMG_0110.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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...just in case he accidentally breaks your other pinky, too.</div>
Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-70623425303779668942012-01-22T20:13:00.000-07:002012-01-22T20:21:31.015-07:00The 'E' Word<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had a mental breakthrough the other day. Not break</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>down</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...break</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>through</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. It was one of those 'ah-ha' moments where I realized that my subconscious is still alive and kicking...and it can affect how I do things...without my approval. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL41oJ6p89eqK8Rj9UyBn4469XNetXOn2M5AjJAbl6uxZW-vV-lm78chNpV2paCd__o6zcPzN_6JFdul21i-Yr3WYSPT0e365d3w7n3Q1s208f1wQH2_T1lBdXjGSqNIRQlhj7sQimta5k/s1600/DSC_1358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL41oJ6p89eqK8Rj9UyBn4469XNetXOn2M5AjJAbl6uxZW-vV-lm78chNpV2paCd__o6zcPzN_6JFdul21i-Yr3WYSPT0e365d3w7n3Q1s208f1wQH2_T1lBdXjGSqNIRQlhj7sQimta5k/s640/DSC_1358.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Butterfield Canyon 10/16/2011 (15 lbs heavier)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A month ago, as I was slowly losing weight and feeling healthier than ever, I made a promise to myself. I promised that I would start to <i>exercise</i> if I reached a specific weight I hadn't seen in well over three years. As it so happens, I was just two pounds off from reaching that goal. I was set on starting this thing called 'exercise' within a few days...you know, if the scale would, uh, cooperate, that is. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Each morning I would step on the scale and watch it go up or down, but never down more than a few ounces. I started to become frustrated and wondered if maybe my age was the reason for my plateau. Regardless, there had to be a logical reason why I couldn't lose that extra pound...right? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then it happened. Light bulb! Deep within the dark recesses of my brain, I began to see the light. It wasn't the scale or my age that was the problem. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was <i>me</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've never been much of an active, athletic girl. I like doing things and being active, but not when it's in the form of 'exercise'. A leisurely hike in the majestic Utah Mountains, a stroll around the neighborhood on a warm evening, or even speeding around the track in a go-kart. It's all good and it's fun. Exercise, however, is not fun.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This morning I woke up and performed the same daily ritual and the scale was two pounds less than yesterday. I had finally lost that extra pound. I celebrated and then...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I exercised.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was a start and that's all I can do. Start. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-14921802295284895702012-01-09T10:46:00.000-07:002012-01-22T19:19:05.464-07:00Amish Meat Loaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #424242; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Facebook friends have asked me to post my Amish Meatloaf recipe. Of course, I can't take the credit for this scrumptious recipe because I found it in an Amish cookbook several years ago. I can't remember if it is in Volume I or II and they are both packed away in storage until we move. If you love Amish cooking, you'll want to buy these two books. They are my favorite, and I have several different Amish cookbooks. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.storesonline.com/images/common/imagewrap.img?picture.image.url=http://www.storesonline.com/members/496794/uploaded/COOKINGWHB1.jpg&picture.width.max=200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.storesonline.com/images/common/imagewrap.img?picture.image.url=http://www.storesonline.com/members/496794/uploaded/COOKINGWHB1.jpg&picture.width.max=200" width="281" /></a> <a href="http://www.storesonline.com/images/common/imagewrap.img?picture.image.url=http://www.storesonline.com/members/496794/uploaded/COOKINGWHB2.jpg&picture.width.max=200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.storesonline.com/images/common/imagewrap.img?picture.image.url=http://www.storesonline.com/members/496794/uploaded/COOKINGWHB2.jpg&picture.width.max=200" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amish Meat Loaf</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 pound uncooked lean ground beef (I use 93/7 usually)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal (Gluten-Free if needed)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 large egg(s)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup 2% reduced fat milk</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup onion(s)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Salt & Pepper to taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sauce:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 1/2 tsp mustard</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup ketchup</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instructions:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beat eggs; add milk to the oatmeal and let sit for 5 minutes. In large bowl, add ground beef, eggs, onions, salt and pepper; mix well. Add oatmeal w/ milk to the ground beef and mix well. Place into loaf pan. Bake 350* for 45 minutes. Cover with sauce and bake additional 15 minutes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I usually double my recipe to feed our large family and to have leftovers. Our family does not eat many leftovers, but we don't waste a morsal here. So yummy!!! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next day, if you have leftover meatloaf, make a grilled meatloaf sandwich on your favorite bread....Gluten-Free if you're like me. When it's done grilling, add some sliced tomatoes and a piece of lettuce. You can put some mayo on it, but really you don't need it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*My suggestion* Double your sauce recipe so that you have leftovers. Warm the leftover sauce in the microwave and then drizzle over each slice as it is served. YUM!! It's also great to have a bit leftover to drizzle on your sandwiches the next day. :)</span></span></div>
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</span></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-70922318014357628182012-01-05T21:54:00.001-07:002012-01-09T10:20:36.218-07:00Gluten Free Cookie Mix Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently I purchased a box of <b><a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/" target="_blank">Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cookie Mix</a> </b>after reading several glowing reviews online. I even watched a YouTube video on how to prepare the boxed mix, just in case there were some secret gluten-free baking tips I needed to know. Oh, and I even searched for reviews on how to make it better, because that's just what I do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OTfkK8xTefM/TwZq5qavOqI/AAAAAAAAA6U/bgPkV3W4h2Y/s1600/cookie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OTfkK8xTefM/TwZq5qavOqI/AAAAAAAAA6U/bgPkV3W4h2Y/s320/cookie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let me first confess that I was a self-proclaimed "Cookie Snob" until my snobbiness morphed into complete "Baked-Goods Snob". I can't help it that I'm extremely picky with what baked goods I'll eat. Cookies have to be almost under-baked on the inside with a tiny ring of crisp on the outside. Brownies need to be fudge-like and of double thickness....not overcooked thin bricks. That's besides the point...or is it?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before my body decided to let me know, with a vengeance, that it could no longer tolerate gluten, I was extremely proud of my ability to bake amazingly scrumptious treats. Other people would ask me for recipes and others would just insist I bake this or that for an upcoming get together. Banana Bread, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies (a crowd favorite!) and crisps....all wonderfully moist and decadent. Obviously, I had a talent for baking. Key Word: <i>had</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I went Gluten-Free on July 16, 2011 I did not bake...I was scared to. Partly because I didn't know squat about gluten-free baking, but mostly because I was seeing this as an opportunity to change my horrible eating habits. Being Gluten Intolerant was a wake up call for my health and I needed to manage my weight...quickly. With this realization, I decided that I was not going to buy "Gluten-Free" processed foods or find substitutes for items I always ate. I stuck to whole foods and in turn, I've lost a little over 20 pounds and I've dropped two full dress sizes. Hip! Hip! Horray!! </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I digress, my recipes were tried-n-true. I had spent countless hours perfecting each one, complete with specific baking times that included one for 29 minutes for my brownies. Twenty. Nine. Minutes. Why not just thirty or... twenty-eight and a half? Because that one extra minute (in my oven) was the difference between ooey-gooey brownies or too dry brownies...once they cooled. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I baked when I was happy. Sad. Depressed. Angry...and Hungry. My favorite past-time was taken from me instantly and a new world of eating was plopped right in front of my face. I couldn't cheat because I would get so nauseous that I was dreaming of ways to induce vomiting. So, I just didn't bake. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until today. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I saw the box mix, I started to crave my cookies again. I had to buy it and, honestly, I figured that if Betty Crocker was endorsing a Gluten-Free Mix, then it would most likely be pretty tasty...at least something I could work with as a base so I wouldn't have to have a dozen different flours in my pantry.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I followed the directions on the back of the box to a "T", very excited to finally have a gooey chocolate chip cookie. The dough had a "wet sand" texture and when I tasted it, felt sandy in my mouth. My heart sank for a moment. I had heard about gluten free baking and some of the issues with it, read blogs of famous gluten-free baking bloggers who have perfected the right combo of flours in order to prevent gritty dough, and <a href="http://www.julesglutenfree.com/" target="_blank">I've even contemplated purchasing a well-known baking mix online</a>...just so I could start baking again. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cookies looked really good when I pulled them out of the oven. There were twelve soon-to-be-gobbled-up cookies with light tops and golden brown edges. I waited for just a couple minutes and then scooped them off the sheet and onto a plate. They were a bit crumbly, but I wasn't going to let that deter me. Once they cooled enough to handle, I ate one. I chewed it, swallowed it and then tried very hard not to cry. I didn't want to be too harsh a critic.....I mean, I hadn't had a cookie since July. I really wanted to like this cookie, so I broke a cookie in half and willed myself to like it. It felt like I had just eaten sand, or a few tablespoons of brown sugar all at once. I grabbed a napkin and discreetly spit it out. Then I proceeded to turn off my oven and dump the rest of the cookie mix in the garbage. My kids seemed to like it, but I think they just miss their mama's cookies. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So there you go, folks. This is my review of the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. No offense to Betty Crocker....you can't please everyone. And hey...thanks for saving me from gaining a few extra pounds. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do want to try the cake mix though. Maybe I'll make one of my famous crisps, but use the yellow cake mix as a topping. There has to be something I like, right?!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-41679922856179247112011-08-08T12:02:00.001-06:002011-08-08T12:04:07.129-06:00Gluten-Free Trial & Error<p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For years I have continued to eat my normal diet full of fast food, carbs, starches, junk food, diet soda and still lots of veggies, some fruits and lean meats. I am a busy mom of five children and I also work part time. Stress is a </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">huge</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> factor because I am an emotional eater. Chocolate for anxiety, carbs for irritability and starch for depression. Sometimes I even combined all sorts of foods because I wasn't quite sure what I was feeling. </span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few months ago I started to feel nauseus about an hour after eating. It didn't really matter what I ate...I'd feel sick. The feelings were real. In fact, a few weeks before I made a huge self-discovery, I had decreased my intake of food because I couldn't bear feeling nauseus again. If there is one thing I hate doing...it's vomiting. Luckily, I never actually vomited, but there were times I wish I could because I felt so sick. It was that bad. Only two things helped: 1) Not eating. Bad idea. Obviously this was something I would struggle with and have....since puberty. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigh.</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Not eating only lasted for so long because I started to feel a different sickness...hunger and low blood sugar. 2) Snuggling with my husband. Just laying my head on his chest has eased so many of my aches and pains, emotional/physical/psychologicial, over the years. My husband is the epitome of my childhood stuffed monkey, "Scooter". </span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*********Scooter was a well loved (and needed) friend, so much so that he, to the chagrin of my new husband, shared our marriage bed for several years. I'm not sure what eventually happened to him and I can't quite remember just </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">when</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> it was that Scooter was </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">replaced</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> retired, but as I grew to trust my husband more I was able to fall asleep beside him without some fuzzy monkey trying to co-sleep with us. Later on, we had much better co-sleepers to keep us up at night...there wasn't any room for stuffed monkeys anyways. Come to think of it, I'm quite sure Scooter is in some plastic tub full of forgotten, well-loved stuffies.**********</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On July 16, 2011, I had just retrurned home from a Shakespeare Festival with my middle son, Casey. I was miserable the whole trip. Tired, nauseus and just wanting my husband to make me feel better. The food that was provided was full of all the stuff I normally ate, just more junk, and when we had to eat a meal on our own, it was fast food. As we rode home on the 4 hour bus ride, I clutched my pillow and tried to take deep breaths as I looked straight into the cold air blowing on me so I didn't throw up. That evening I made a vow to figure out what was wrong with me. It wasn't a virus, I was sure of that. I also knew the answer was obvious, clear as day, but I wasn't seeing it and <i>I</i> had to be the detective. </span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing was for sure...food was making me sick. Maybe I was allergic to something? I already knew I was allergic to milk as a baby and it has (in my mind) changed to a lactose "sensitivity". I am watchful of the amount of dairy I take in because the after effects of too much dairy is not fun. Also, I am sensitive to eggs. Too many eggs (more than 2-3 a week) cause some serious IBS issues that are not pleasant for me or anyone else around me. Taking inventory of what I had eaten on July 17 gave me an pretty clear idea of what might be wrong. Since I am already conscious of eggs and dairy, I began researching gluten intolerance. Breads and baked goods are a huge part of my diet, so I decided to cut out breads (buns, rolls, toast, pastries...cupcakes ::sniff::) and I didn't feel sick that day. The next day, I went shopping for fruits, veggies, gluten-free corn chips and salsa. Obviously, I couldn't live off of these items, but it was all I could do mentally for now. If things get too complicated I tend to zone out and my body didn't need me to zone out, it needed my full cooperation. </span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday we ate dinner at church. I called ahead to make sure there was something I could eat and they assured me I could eat it all....except the crutons on the salad. I was told the ingredients and they even checked the spices to be sure. I wish I had asked about the refried beans. I figured they were just beans...there isn't any gluten in beans, or so I thought. I was wrong and I was sick an hour later until the next morning. I loathe feeling nauseus...it's the worst!</span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After that Wednesday I knew it was gluten. At this point, I'm not sure how much different I'll feel if tests come back negative. I have struggled to make the GF changes and while it's been so hard to break my bad habits, cravings and such, I know how much better I am starting to feel. I will still go the medical route...just in case there is something else there, but I'm trusting my instincts on this one. I've only accidently "glutened" myself twice and purposely once (STUPID!). That one time was last night when I decided to taste two spoonfuls of the Blue Bunny Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream that is in my freezer....the carton I bought just thinking, "One little taste won't hurt. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm feeling better these days." </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHq7FJk0wBXX_0Lxkd03o3pUTU8dMg9cxcQdXc1Tf_xi4m9p8DevgUPdLwgCfiT8VysiXYl9BVbmiAtryswFrxNRn2BeKu1Vvc5iRGIh_LTgEYKKKfsZmo7NuChSdNQq2CKhVy8RcNGPEd/s1600/867576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHq7FJk0wBXX_0Lxkd03o3pUTU8dMg9cxcQdXc1Tf_xi4m9p8DevgUPdLwgCfiT8VysiXYl9BVbmiAtryswFrxNRn2BeKu1Vvc5iRGIh_LTgEYKKKfsZmo7NuChSdNQq2CKhVy8RcNGPEd/s1600/867576.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #193289; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><span class="infoHeader" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Narrow', 'Arial Narrow', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; font-weight: bolder;"><br />
INGREDIENTS:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #193289; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #193289; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><span class="infoText" style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Milk, Cream, Sugar, <b>Red Velvet Cake Pieces (Unenriched Wheat Flour</b>, Water, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Pasteurized Eggs, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Salt, Baking Soda, Red 40 Powder), Buttermilk, Flavor Base (Corn Syrup, Water, Sugar, Natural Flavors, Salt), Corn Syrup, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Mono & Diglycerides, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #193289; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div class="ExtraInfoArea" id="body_MainHolder_CtrlPLI1_AllergensArea" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="infoHeader" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Narrow', 'Arial Narrow', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; font-weight: bolder;">ALLERGEN INFORMATION:</span> <span class="infoText" style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Contains eggs, milk and <b>wheat</b></span></div><div class="ExtraInfoArea" id="body_MainHolder_CtrlPLI1_AllergensArea" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="infoText" style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"><b></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Uggh! Huge mistake! It was good, but not <i>that</i> good.</span></div></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I didn't even tell my husband that I did that to myself and when I longed to lay my head on his chest, I just couldn't bring myself to because I was the one responsible for making myself sick. Sort of a self-imposed punishment because I knew better. I finally confessed to him why I was sick last night and he laughed. I'm glad he has a good sense of humor about it because I gave myself a big enough tongue lashing to last a lifetime. Whether I told him or not, I know his chest is always there for me to rest on. I love my husband and am extremely grateful for him. </span><br />
<p=align="right"></p=align="right"><p=align="right"></p=align="right"><p=align="right"></p=align="right"><p=align="right"></p=align="right"><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" />Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-36814088403343530692011-07-11T16:56:00.000-06:002011-07-11T16:56:45.305-06:00For the LOVE of Competition<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On December 1, 2010 Chloe transferred to a new Irish dance school and began her six-month suspension from competition. Our family enjoyed the financial break of competitions, but during the fifth month, it was evident Chloe, her dad and I were suffering from extreme Feis withdrawal. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every month we took photos of her "celebrating", but I can't seem to find them all. Oh well, at least I have this one... </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznAU9Tm4ogb7tEVwKDQ031-ojhmyjcp7DGADSchA5jp-OAOMYHPwqmEVkUc9U83GTFes5TClo2jK-Hj_r784teQU1L9SU-CTDr7-ySpGEF-_8mjavg5mddyzBzCjnkedSBLI1-2BTkIe0/s1600/IMG_1567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznAU9Tm4ogb7tEVwKDQ031-ojhmyjcp7DGADSchA5jp-OAOMYHPwqmEVkUc9U83GTFes5TClo2jK-Hj_r784teQU1L9SU-CTDr7-ySpGEF-_8mjavg5mddyzBzCjnkedSBLI1-2BTkIe0/s640/IMG_1567.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On December 8, 2010, Chloe went into Primary Children's Medical Center to have a special surgery, called a partial epiphysiodesis (PE) on her feet. She suffered from terrible Juvenile Bunions for several years before we decided to get treatment. I knew sore feet was normal with competitive Irish Dancing, but the red, swollen, bent big toes were not. Well, at least they aren't healthy normal, though many vigorous dancers/athletes who spend hours upon hours each week do suffer from many feet issues, including bunions. Basically her Orthopedic doctor drilled into each foot and drilled out the growth plate of the second metatarsal. Over the past six months I have seen a pretty significant improvement in her left foot, but the right still seems pretty "bunion-y" to me. As she continues to grow over the next year we will hopefully see them improve even more.</span><br />
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<p=align="right"></p=align="right"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hMjA3PKcefKcqvrHBQflzZeTtDOmBC9si0XuJzfbnk9Yk4dlshVgaxNlPLe3lUYX8cTb1HAxFYuRU9LkPG6u8J21WMFy0gdaE3XlBZxVr7FlA7YhYkMzKizCLO-rIXqQ_Fdd0jnFToL-/s1600/IMG_1424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hMjA3PKcefKcqvrHBQflzZeTtDOmBC9si0XuJzfbnk9Yk4dlshVgaxNlPLe3lUYX8cTb1HAxFYuRU9LkPG6u8J21WMFy0gdaE3XlBZxVr7FlA7YhYkMzKizCLO-rIXqQ_Fdd0jnFToL-/s640/IMG_1424.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chloe has spent the last 6 months practicing, making friends, nursing injuries, watching her calf muscles grow rather large, learning new technique, having sleepovers, memorizing new steps, enjoying her place on the Choreography team, supporting her fellow teammates during their competitions, and SWEATING. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwBw09T_jAqt5QDLsY4wS1db3ht9Qe-2EVDLQL_8-J0DKgKQw4l71qjF2yi6OgUVE2faX1UACO0iZWiBu37DE21tz0_-8fpVUp0fhDCdcA4Ko99o0GvEWMivMOiu_yr4s5bNgN4XH8zZY/s1600/IMG_1530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwBw09T_jAqt5QDLsY4wS1db3ht9Qe-2EVDLQL_8-J0DKgKQw4l71qjF2yi6OgUVE2faX1UACO0iZWiBu37DE21tz0_-8fpVUp0fhDCdcA4Ko99o0GvEWMivMOiu_yr4s5bNgN4XH8zZY/s640/IMG_1530.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This girl practices so much she makes me tired. Sure wish I could harness some of her energy...or at the very least, have her burn some of my calories. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<p=align="right"><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /></p=align="right">Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-16627677877685935872011-04-20T00:43:00.000-06:002011-04-20T00:43:33.143-06:00Greater things are yet to come...<p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're moving in 5 weeks. We've barely started packing and I'm willing myself to not freak out. I know things will work out for the best, but putting all of our stuff in storage and relying on God's mercy and provision is terrifying to me. I can totally hear half of you saying..."You're crazy, Yo!" and the other half proclaiming God's blessings on our family. Why? Cuz that's what I, at any given point in the day, am saying to <i>my</i>self. </span></p=align="right"><p=align="right"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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The kids are on Spring Break this week and we're supposed to be packing like mad banshees, but that hasn't happened yet. Monday was a day full of errands and today was my dear husbands 40th birthday, so I couldn't force him to "work", now could I? Tomorrow will be a BUSY day and I'm skipping morning Bible Study just to prove to myself how important it is that we </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">finish</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> start packing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Caleb started his first organized team sport today. He was so excited to go to practice he wore his jersey <i>all</i> day. He's such a cutie and seems to fit right in with team sports. He even suggested the team name, the <i>Red Phoenix's,</i> and his team unanimously agreed! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I think he's going to be a GREAT soccer player!! I can't believe we have waited so long to get him involved. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTHWn8cO5YXAm_2k0TQl6rxperezHewa1PLeONMWN3sXxCZNIF8RbrdNKLb_XeqYy99Syp3avTY-xlKfJ4R3qDw2j1mFmVgpCGhn_v2WyD-POC-ZYPMvNnFSDMPdGQAobpybtLMmsfFFf/s1600/DSC_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTHWn8cO5YXAm_2k0TQl6rxperezHewa1PLeONMWN3sXxCZNIF8RbrdNKLb_XeqYy99Syp3avTY-xlKfJ4R3qDw2j1mFmVgpCGhn_v2WyD-POC-ZYPMvNnFSDMPdGQAobpybtLMmsfFFf/s640/DSC_0146.JPG" width="640" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure, he was a good Irish dancer, but that wasn't <i>his</i> thing. He's definitely a </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cCFGzafhNY3TJ9lwDXhmnb4xoAzZxT58It5hoor8lZvYkJPGlu1M1BhbG4LjU2EmGScBgw9hrzn0ah46awsc7Zg2f7hb3viDZqKk4QJMlb86UfAdPGqmzIi2j0NGx6Fp_vYKA2H7snU8/s1600/UFF0628-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cCFGzafhNY3TJ9lwDXhmnb4xoAzZxT58It5hoor8lZvYkJPGlu1M1BhbG4LjU2EmGScBgw9hrzn0ah46awsc7Zg2f7hb3viDZqKk4QJMlb86UfAdPGqmzIi2j0NGx6Fp_vYKA2H7snU8/s400/UFF0628-21.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is how he celebrates, as goalie for the day, when his team won in the scrimmage. Should we begin "Sportsmanship" discussions or let him enjoy the moment?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieepk_HGxL8-K5IPPeXZVR4Cz7VdMC5LBKdp-L6ecEp0ozhAnxytNjiIaqF5KEnZPGTDJ5KOQOuVBkSF6nlG2EbR7u8pZ8p36rJTOohSBySjhlyu-wVPoZWl4BwT-2jPvsfEqFqQoY4yRM/s1600/DSC_0162.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieepk_HGxL8-K5IPPeXZVR4Cz7VdMC5LBKdp-L6ecEp0ozhAnxytNjiIaqF5KEnZPGTDJ5KOQOuVBkSF6nlG2EbR7u8pZ8p36rJTOohSBySjhlyu-wVPoZWl4BwT-2jPvsfEqFqQoY4yRM/s640/DSC_0162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course we will certainly discuss it.....but not just yet. </span><br />
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<img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" />Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-18779572221235052722011-03-14T23:49:00.000-06:002011-03-14T23:49:58.613-06:00What is March?<div style="text-align: center;"> Leprechauns...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUIgDb1t-_1T9b-ghCmznLzHEbzLsg9mOpujuzIaGVZa10R66iazh3OXnTnF1QTnRCsJsTkDqCnSL5mWQOBs_gnYx8CHdFeFrsTJvJgfDfGWVKl4xruzb7pvXgTIqr4JJ9NKACQYxo2XE/s1600/DSC_0862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUIgDb1t-_1T9b-ghCmznLzHEbzLsg9mOpujuzIaGVZa10R66iazh3OXnTnF1QTnRCsJsTkDqCnSL5mWQOBs_gnYx8CHdFeFrsTJvJgfDfGWVKl4xruzb7pvXgTIqr4JJ9NKACQYxo2XE/s640/DSC_0862.JPG" width="425" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">...or, you know, TCRG's. Same thing! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLWKn9v4QdVf7v3QjCDS2ZtMhGfMS9t7MoaV0nL-6XAF1Yu3YykjKdMffgME-_bP7x2lZBdHHdp2HCYB71FDrIBEDyFa2YopGdyVl2dVKaw5zxmKnRZJtnpUoX-vxGh_a7CTPOax8mdK8/s1600/DSC_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLWKn9v4QdVf7v3QjCDS2ZtMhGfMS9t7MoaV0nL-6XAF1Yu3YykjKdMffgME-_bP7x2lZBdHHdp2HCYB71FDrIBEDyFa2YopGdyVl2dVKaw5zxmKnRZJtnpUoX-vxGh_a7CTPOax8mdK8/s640/DSC_0964.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">St. Patrick's Day Parades and lots of <i>green</i>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These three look a wee Irish and up to no good! Stay outta trouble boys....er....yeah.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dancing in the street.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A cute guy wearing a kilt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">March <i>is</i> Irish Dance!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-27891932759057687192011-01-29T18:54:00.002-07:002011-01-29T19:19:45.954-07:00What it's all about!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure...trophies (only a few pictured), gobs of neck-breaking medals (not pictured), "Good Luck" signs for your first North American National's (NAN's), and other memorabilia of your childhood are a super-fun part of being a competitive Irish Dancer, but that's not what it's all about....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spending hours upon hours dancing in the studio, or at home, certainly needs to be balanced with friendships. And, at 11 years old, having a </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">super clean</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> messy room and a friend to </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">play with</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hang out with is what truly matters. These are the memories that will last. </span> </span></span></b></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The memories you make with old dance friends, new dance friends and friends from afar are precious and it warms my heart to see my daughter living these experiences.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The "Remember when we were little and slathered make-up all over each other, ate tons of pizza and drank so much root beer we were sick?" moments will bring back those girly giggles once again. That's when you'll remember how friendships make you feel...</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...Beautiful!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><p=align="right"><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /></p=align="right"><p=align="right"></p=align="right"><p=align="right"></p=align="right"></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-70162178167239286232011-01-14T10:24:00.001-07:002013-01-30T22:02:42.676-07:00Defying Gravity<div align="left">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having a child with Learning Disabilities is...hard. It just is. The world is pulling him down while he is trying to reach for Broadway stars! His name in lights on Broadway or just being in a local production, dancing, singing and, oh boy...acting! This kid amazes me. He is so strong, so determined and fights through his learning disabilities the best way he can.</span> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey is our amazingly talented, right-brained learner. It's not that this is the best way for him to learn, it's the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">only</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> way for him to learn. Casey was diagnosed as having a Left-Brain Cognitive Disorder. His testing showed scores that were on the level of someone who had a Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI. Because he didn't suffer from an accident, they could not diagnose him with TBI, so instead they gave him the LBCD diagnosis. It was hard when he was diagnosed because I didn't know how he would manage. My first thoughts were years away from that day....What would his life be like? Could he get a job in the real world? Would he ever be able to support a family? Then I began to wonder how kids would treat him at school? Would his innocence be destroyed by bullies? Would he ever feel like he could succeed or would he always feel behind, dumb, lazy?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For years the schools would pass him off. They dismissed my worries and brushed off my requests to have him tested. I remember going to every teacher from 1st grade to 5th grade and each one would dismiss me. It wasn't until we moved to a new district and I demanded that he be tested that we found out he would require an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Luckily, a couple months before he was tested at the school, I had notified our family doctor of my worries and he referred me to a NeuroPsychologist to have him tested. We received a very detailed diagnosis and this helped us when we finally had our first IEP meeting with the school at the end of his 6th grade year. Yes, the end. How convenient for them. Thus, the IEP was not solidified until his 7th grade year. Very frustrating. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey is currently a Freshman in High School. I put in him a local Jr. High in 7th grade and pulled him out to part time home school him because they could not meet his needs. It truly was better for him to be at home, despite my lack of homeschooling ability, however, we made the decision to put him into a local charter school that was more hands on for his 8th grade year. He did okay in the school even though the Special Ed department was wishy-washy and almost non-existant at times. Because it was an expeditionary learning school, it suited his right-brained needs more often than the local Jr. High did. Last year we had to make a decision, and it was hard. Do we keep our fourteen year old boy close to home, but in a school that would not meet his needs and one that would shove him out into the High School world (completely unprepared) at 10th grade, or do we let him open his dramatic wings and commute to a performing arts school in our state? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey is a natural performer and, after much debate, we felt enrolling him into a local Performing Arts High School would be best for him. My mother is amazing and takes Casey to school in the mornings and then he rides the bus and Trax system home each day. He is learning lots of wonderful skills and spreading his wings with this opportunity, yet it isn't without issues. The performing arts school is a charter school on the East side of the valley (we live on the West) and it is located right inside a public High School that offers 9-12 (most of our schools here only offer 10-12). So, he's duel enrolled in both schools. He gets his academics from the public school and his electives (performing arts) in his Charter school. It's been difficult, to put it mildly, to deal with both schools regarding Casey's IEP, but the counselor has been great and very helpful. This is where he is today and with a few minor changes to this next term, we feel he will succeed and things will get better....for </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">this</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> year. One never knows what will change in the next few months, what issues he will have and/or what issues his new teachers will have. I'm just crossing my fingers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey is not dyslexic, but has significant trouble reading and comprehension. He has recently increased his reading fluency from 3-4 grade to a 6th grade level, however his comprehension of what he reads has dropped from a 4th grade level to a low 3rd grade level. He can sound out more words and read faster, but that's it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey spells phonetically. He writes at a 2nd grade level and has a rudimentary pencil grasp which tires out his hand very quickly. It's hard to read what he has written most times, but this kid is amazingly creative and if given an opportunity to write what </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">he</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> wants, in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">his</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> format, in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">his</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> way, he'll shine! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Casey does not suffer from expressive communication delays, though he does lack confidence in his ability to communicate effectively and that has become very noticeable this year. Casey has an extremely difficult time with receptive communication. He does not understand/comprehend at times. You can see his brain trying to process what you've said into an easier format that he can understand and for home use that is okay, but he gets so lost and so behind in classes where he is supposed to follow instructions or long lists. It's best to use simple speech and instructions. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">His favorite class is Theatre Foundations I. His teacher loves him, has high hopes for him and, according to her, Casey is "socially accepted and the class enjoys having him". Due to his growing academic needs, Casey, just yesterday, had to drop another performing arts class (thankfully not the one above) to add in a class that will give him time each day to get work done. He only had two classes! I feel horrible about this and not even knowing "it's for the best." helps. Okay, it does a little when I think about it rationally, but this kid should be having at least 3 performing arts classes, not just 1. It's just hard, hard, HARD! Hard to see him lose more opportunities to do what he loves because he has to be in a special reading class and Language Art's class or because he needs a study skills class and because he needs to have Computer Tech and Health and blah,blah,blah. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm just a frustrated mama, guys. I'll process it and be okay, eventually. All I have to do is look at my fourteen year old son and see his smile. Despite his struggles and all of our worries...this young man is definitely </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Defying Gravity</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!!</span><br />
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</span>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-44362515852646977952011-01-05T14:17:00.003-07:002011-01-05T15:31:20.895-07:00Absentmindedness<p=align="right"><div>I'm not even going to start my first post back by giving some lame excuse as to why I haven't blogged, or bore you with a two-hour read on what's been going on in my life the past year. Instead, we'll just start fresh and realize that just as there are gaps in my ever-fading memory...there will be gaps in my blog from time to time. </div><div><br /></div><div>I definitely consider myself "semi-organized", and as you've noticed...that's the name of my blog. However, lately I have been feeling rather <i>un</i>organized and it's starting to freak me out. I walk around the house forgetting what I was doing before, where I was going, losing items that are right under my nose, and wondering where all the hours in the day went. I'm constantly fretting over what needs to be done and/or avoiding what needs to be done. Like right now. My brain wants to think, sort out, write. My body does not want to do laundry, straighten up, grocery shop, or clean toilets. </div><div><br /></div><div>Guess what! The plow just came down our street. I bet the snowmobilers will be pretty irked when they find out. They really shouldn't be snowmobiling on the street anyway. If I had a radar gun I'm sure I could clock them at over 40 mph, but I don't, so I don't have any proof. Regardless, our street is a typical 25 mph, not 40+. Next time they snowmobile down my street I'll throw my husbands Highland Games stone at one of them. For fun. I'm sure I'll miss because I can't throw worth a darn, but it will be fun trying to knock them off. Sort of like Adult Chucky Cheese games. Or something.</div><div><br /></div><div>Where were we? Oh yes, UNorganized. Me, that is. I'm very unorganized.</div><div><br /></div><div>By January 1, 2008, I had about 237.3 goals detailed out, on paper, that I wanted to accomplish by 2009. I made a huge, rather colorful, table where I was supposed to accomplish these small goals and then check them off. The list lasted a few months and I did get quite a few things accomplished, but it quickly fell to the wayside....as does everything I think is going to revolutionize my life. I thought I was going to start sewing cloth diapers for a few friends, but quickly tired of that notion. I have wanted to begin blogging again for over a year now and every time I sit down to write something I draw a blank. Anything I write usually gets deleted and I feel so frustrated at the time I've wasted. My laundry is in heaps, my bathrooms stink and are grungy, my closets are so out of control it stresses me out just to go in there. I had grand plans to reclaim my house over the holiday break, yet nothing was accomplished. I didn't even get all the Christmas decorations down until yesterday. It was <i>January fourth</i>! That is not me people! Although, to be completely honest, it was my husband who actually put the Christmas decor away. If not, the boxes would still be piled on top of each other and my kitchen table would be filled with ornaments and snowmen until this brain fog lifted. I am usually more on top of things, so why do I feel so out-of-sorts? Thankfully, my sweet husband has stepped up to the plate and taken care of the things I'm forgetting. I had jeans to wear because of him and I haven't had to wear his undies for at least a month. Without him, I am sure I would have completely lost my mind by now. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've missed writing down my thoughts. Maybe this is what I need to refocus, since I process better when things are written down. Now, if I could just remember to blog.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /><p></p></p=align="right">Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-81338821179949833642010-08-18T09:10:00.000-06:002010-08-18T10:21:51.861-06:00Manna from Sweden!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXScYnkgngwBjoc-x3p5s4XcGBI7KOdw4JHAjDAms4aMgKRTi6YGsuPAc_u-V0_Lna4NfUMrmeN17tkjEzZnjwPLd0ZgGiNiI67fi62Q-FWr99TsLKyH8iSj52d1BtgtHJYkBHQ9rVQpjo/s1600/6N11_BREAD1.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyOInOG0CDooNR8EULMsSgSfW7ZoFISV8uoSAZOLnwNyHRIbcgUU_e1yGYUHeI4UdOZkf3bFQqWkQFiOfF2tvYegnoOM1kfMCuVrdgb_2_6hAqHhHDNK4vUp3LCYCS4D0JkskDkl3CRJF/s1600/45913_1538927562754_1521854817_1328733_1117840_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyOInOG0CDooNR8EULMsSgSfW7ZoFISV8uoSAZOLnwNyHRIbcgUU_e1yGYUHeI4UdOZkf3bFQqWkQFiOfF2tvYegnoOM1kfMCuVrdgb_2_6hAqHhHDNK4vUp3LCYCS4D0JkskDkl3CRJF/s400/45913_1538927562754_1521854817_1328733_1117840_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506781459476240466" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyUHL4uBFRsqFAice4v-U84M0XOoQzn498u9NGjs6HUnHKzfiFPoO58AzJZDPjAcs-1N3lphNI4B0fGnn0OkxUK9WeQ6J3p-E_qb_hEnUE6HD4fKPl0dMxGVxnlwG2NlpHmfpZtPyddq5/s1600/0097036_PE237246_S4.JPG"></a><p=align="right"><div>A couple weeks ago, I noticed one of my recent clients was once again listed on my work schedule. She was having issues with her CapTel 800i telephone and needed my assistance, but her appointment wasn't for another week. Since I was delivering in her area, I called to see if I could come sooner. She was thrilled...of course. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I arrived at her home, I saw beautiful rounds of homemade bread cooling on her countertop. More rounds were baking in the oven and the house smelled scrumptious. After I successfully fixed her new phone and I knew I was, once again, her best friend, I thought I should inquire about her recipe. I'm sneaky like that.</div><div><br /></div><div>She graciously offered me a warm round bread loaf and went downstairs to copy the recipe that had been passed down from generation to generation. In fact, when the current recipe card was written in English, her own mother (years ago), scribbled the measurements back into Swedish so she could read the recipe....I have that scribble! As a bonus, I also received another recipe that was written completely in Swedish on the card, "Äpple kaka" or Apple Cake. She went over the Apple Cake recipe so I understood that "socker" was sugar and "bakpulver" is baking powder. She completely lost me when she started talking about dl measurements and I figured I would never be able to make the cake until I opened my recent IKEA catalogue and saw this.... </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyUHL4uBFRsqFAice4v-U84M0XOoQzn498u9NGjs6HUnHKzfiFPoO58AzJZDPjAcs-1N3lphNI4B0fGnn0OkxUK9WeQ6J3p-E_qb_hEnUE6HD4fKPl0dMxGVxnlwG2NlpHmfpZtPyddq5/s400/0097036_PE237246_S4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506779878993557330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>$4.99 and it has DL markings on the side! Yes, it's providence. </div><div><br /></div><div>The bread round was delicious! So amazingly delicious! It almost tasted like a scone, but it wasn't fried. My client told me that in Sweden they eat open faced sandwiches. They cut the round in half and then slice the half down the middle to make a "sandwich". I thought about how yummy and appetizing the rounds looked and how having a beautiful bakery type bun might just make our plain old turkey sandwich a bit more appetizing.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning, I decided to try my hand at this new way of making bread. I was stuck in the humdrum of making loaves of bread and most of it would go to waste. The bread was never what my kids or I wanted to eat. It's not that it wasn't good, it just wasn't what we were accustomed to...you know, Sara Lee or Home Pride. On the first try, several rounds came out</div><div> beautiful and few came out a little flat. I made 17 rounds of different sizes from one batch. My KitchenAid Professional 5 mixer was protesting the whole time, but I stroked and kissed it and she grumbled her way through the kneading process. Whew!! The twins sprinkled grated cheese on top of the flat ones and made open-face cheese sandwiches, which I praised them for....as long as they clean up their mess. I'm always saying that around here. For dinner the next night, I spread garlic butter on a few rounds and baked them in the oven for several minutes. They were marvelous! I was thrilled when we were down to the last two loaves, so I decided to make another batch....hoping this wasn't a fluke and I might be able to use this recipe as our choice of bread. Never again buying sliced bread from the grocery store would be a dream come true!</div><div><br /></div><div>My second attempt was even better, except that my KitchenAid was not at all happy that I wasn't making brownies or banana bread. I think she has a sweet tooth. I discovered my KitchenAid is only good for soft mixes (cake, brownie, sweet breads and pudding), which is a total disappointment, by the way. I think I should save my pennies or ask Santa for one of these....</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXScYnkgngwBjoc-x3p5s4XcGBI7KOdw4JHAjDAms4aMgKRTi6YGsuPAc_u-V0_Lna4NfUMrmeN17tkjEzZnjwPLd0ZgGiNiI67fi62Q-FWr99TsLKyH8iSj52d1BtgtHJYkBHQ9rVQpjo/s400/6N11_BREAD1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506784816277149714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px; " /></span></div><div>Yes, I know it's currently $359, but I hear it's the BEST bread mixer around. In fact, my Swedish client has one that is 30 years old. Of course it's not this exact model, but it does everything. Oh Santa, I BELIEVE!</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yeah, the second try. All my rounds came out beautiful and I even made little ones, for personal sized sandwiches. I figured I'd try making small ones to fit into the kids Bento boxes since I'll be making school lunches soon. The kids grabbed warm rounds and gobbled them up. Chloe made a PB&J sandwich on one yesterday and exclaimed, "That was the <i>BEST</i> peanut butter sandwich ever!" With some of the dough I added dried basil, oregano, and garlic to make herb breadsticks for our pasta dinner that night. </div><div><br /></div><div>For our large family, I'll be baking this bread a lot and you know what? I'm completely happy about that! </div><div><br /></div><div><p=align="right"><br /></p=align="right"></div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /><p></p></p=align="right">Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-67369317985949638122010-08-17T18:25:00.000-06:002013-01-30T22:09:13.270-07:00Back To School shopping...EEK!<div align="right">
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Today I registered my 14 year old son, Casey, for High School. If that isn't traumatizing enough, I about had a coronary when they told me what I needed to pay in order for Casey to receive his schedule. Having made the decision early last year that Casey would travel daily to a public charter school that specializes in performing arts, we knew there could be extra costs associated with that. We are also well aware that High School costs are staggering. Having two almost 17 year olds...we're used to the $100+ each fees.</div>
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<b>Registration Fees:</b> I forked over the main High School fee of $101 and asked for the Performing Arts charter school to defer the remaining $85 dollars (not including the $35 year book), and then I promptly cried (inside). </div>
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You see, the twins register on Friday and there we will have to slink down in our chairs and ask to speak to the Vice Principal to see if we can defer their fees throughout the next few months. After that, the boys will be given their schedules (but not their school ID's until it's paid in full) and we'll need to walk down the hall to have their pictures taken. We'll choose the cheapest package, but it will still cost us about fifty dollars total. </div>
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I have a suggestion for schools though...<i>can we not have picture day the same day we are supposed to pay registration fees? PLEASE!?</i></div>
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Thank goodness the other two are in Elementary school. The costs there are far less, even when you count in the extra tissues, clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, EXPO markers and other things the teachers ask for. I'm willing to buy these extra items, even if I do spread it throughout the year to help make things a bit more bearable. </div>
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For those of you keeping tally, it seems that we'll spend over $450 dollars just to register the three High School boys. Five kids photographs will cost us (cheapest package) about $130 and come 2nd Semester, we'll have more fees, I'm sure. Oh, and we can't forget the Yearbooks....those are the most important, right? Hehe.</div>
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<b>Supplies: </b> I spent $63 at Target on the basic school supplies (I still need about $20 more, but waiting to make sure they really need it first). Thankfully, my mom bought the majority of the kids school clothing. What a blessing!!! We really don't go all out, just some basics. Jeans without holes, new shoes, socks and a couple new shirts. Chloe got the most outfits, but I made sure everything can be worn in the winter, too. I'm not buying new shorts for school....they can wear the ones they wore during the summer. When it starts to get cool we expand the school wardrobe with a few long sleeve shirts to wear under the t-shirts they already have and I tend to bargain shop for $2.00 t-shirts that go on clearance in the Fall. </div>
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Oh, and do you like how I conveniently avoided the fact that I have been blogMIA for, like, ever?</div>
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<img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" />Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-39522677168601044392010-01-20T11:17:00.000-07:002010-01-20T21:28:59.232-07:00All ready for surgery!<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline" class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><strong>*Update*</strong> We arrived home from the hospital around 6:30 this evening. Mom ate some chicken noodle soup and saltine crackers. We had to keep reminding her that she couldn't lift anything and that she needed to rest. Eventually, I threatened to place her in time-out if she continued, so she decided to put on her jammies and relax in bed. Sheesh, I do this every night at my own home! Nana drove home after dinner and she'll be back to replace me tomorrow afternoon. Somebody has to keep an eye on my busy mother! Anyway, it wasn't long before she fell asleep after taking some pain medication. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts...please keep them coming. Mom goes in to have her CI activated on February 16th. We pray that it works well for her!! <br /><br /><div align="center">-----------------------------------------------------</div><br />We are at the hospital waiting for my mom to be taken back for her second Cochlear Implant surgery. Her first was in 1999, so after more than 10 years she should be pretty high tech now. I wonder if she'll be able to receive signals from outer space? Cool! She just mentioned to me that her new CI will be bluetooth capable. See..I told you she would be techy.<br /><br /><br />The surgery should be pretty soon and we're all anxious.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkiBYnzAfi4BnMbpMZ70GlsSW79TOTy_R2e9u8eCz0bVweFlMfpy-_JVwiVMfpbDp8DQd-KbTM-aneAbDgLXhBLVkinL2KeCRZq3-usXae1UhQ9CPhVRrok8anBrSoQBnwzjdZj7FfoSI/s1600-h/IMG_0622.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 347px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428889812371701122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkiBYnzAfi4BnMbpMZ70GlsSW79TOTy_R2e9u8eCz0bVweFlMfpy-_JVwiVMfpbDp8DQd-KbTM-aneAbDgLXhBLVkinL2KeCRZq3-usXae1UhQ9CPhVRrok8anBrSoQBnwzjdZj7FfoSI/s400/IMG_0622.JPG" /></a><br /><br />My awesome mom is excited, hungry and (at the moment) reading a book to pass the time. Please keep her in your prayers today and for the next month or so as the CI will not be activated until February 16, 2010.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J1L1at2FRwTrSwdBSEgmiXt0QjdzjHkYPJJPhvLL1AmIwtTPc-hh-dO_HzjJiefFWD91KgEV5ILjQNhDz7EzpY-RINCAJSwQDcVbcjMWd-O0Y5BggFyYLGz9a35DUYhTAic8gwwLTDHE/s1600-h/IMG_0614.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></a><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline" class="Apple-style-span"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 337px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428889782014535730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW2Ec87j6fC8zXfMuG4dVrvqDpFm_L45kJh2N6q4Hry0DaK-wQtQGUYv1bJJNdgw0zp1IT2F2mgcG7i6hui_NeTz9PrnbrB5UH7UfpsWmBH4tcbXx6Ecnu_4lX6wVbvMohMCG3v7z7Tcu/s400/IMG_0609.JPG" /></span>Her vitals were taken and we're ready to go.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J1L1at2FRwTrSwdBSEgmiXt0QjdzjHkYPJJPhvLL1AmIwtTPc-hh-dO_HzjJiefFWD91KgEV5ILjQNhDz7EzpY-RINCAJSwQDcVbcjMWd-O0Y5BggFyYLGz9a35DUYhTAic8gwwLTDHE/s1600-h/IMG_0614.JPG"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J1L1at2FRwTrSwdBSEgmiXt0QjdzjHkYPJJPhvLL1AmIwtTPc-hh-dO_HzjJiefFWD91KgEV5ILjQNhDz7EzpY-RINCAJSwQDcVbcjMWd-O0Y5BggFyYLGz9a35DUYhTAic8gwwLTDHE/s1600-h/IMG_0614.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 241px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428889802401509938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J1L1at2FRwTrSwdBSEgmiXt0QjdzjHkYPJJPhvLL1AmIwtTPc-hh-dO_HzjJiefFWD91KgEV5ILjQNhDz7EzpY-RINCAJSwQDcVbcjMWd-O0Y5BggFyYLGz9a35DUYhTAic8gwwLTDHE/s400/IMG_0614.JPG" /></a>They had to mark which ear needed the cochlear implant and also make sure they didn't shave the wrong side of her head.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MMSFFFEC2niVtJh4QcwDd3dImupfYKFNm3C_5vOWdQTJRsQhm67-qUo0ywqCekynyZs7lzH5J44l1f6-aDVIclj-WTLv43WGYok1KzOlZ_c1Yz3XT7TjBSUb0wixspjzoaqcR_ZKNs9E/s1600-h/IMG_0611.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428889797138376978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MMSFFFEC2niVtJh4QcwDd3dImupfYKFNm3C_5vOWdQTJRsQhm67-qUo0ywqCekynyZs7lzH5J44l1f6-aDVIclj-WTLv43WGYok1KzOlZ_c1Yz3XT7TjBSUb0wixspjzoaqcR_ZKNs9E/s400/IMG_0611.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div>Nana has a cold, but is willing to wear this mask so she doesn't miss being there for her daughter. Us mothers, we sacrifice so much! ;) I'm glad Nana is here. We can keep each other company while mom is in surgery.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimW2Ec87j6fC8zXfMuG4dVrvqDpFm_L45kJh2N6q4Hry0DaK-wQtQGUYv1bJJNdgw0zp1IT2F2mgcG7i6hui_NeTz9PrnbrB5UH7UfpsWmBH4tcbXx6Ecnu_4lX6wVbvMohMCG3v7z7Tcu/s1600-h/IMG_0609.JPG"></a> <div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WSIdgSLrrcNF-nL63ZbrSNcGRy_xXbIcBygogDuhoaNZT4Fi3C4JBPtwwPhHfZ1qmRTTw93gQm_ANHvGJNg7m8-wTHnVdSRws2kGuoX_rgtjo24rZvwu9zfuhdFquQ9BvOLwkb15PGeE/s1600-h/IMG_0612.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428889824623650562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WSIdgSLrrcNF-nL63ZbrSNcGRy_xXbIcBygogDuhoaNZT4Fi3C4JBPtwwPhHfZ1qmRTTw93gQm_ANHvGJNg7m8-wTHnVdSRws2kGuoX_rgtjo24rZvwu9zfuhdFquQ9BvOLwkb15PGeE/s400/IMG_0612.JPG" /></a></div><div><p=align="right"><div>I will update on <a href="http://twitter.com/SemiOrgMom">Twitter</a> as the day progresses. You can follow me on Twitter..I'm @SemiOrgMom. Just click on the link above and select "Follow". My Facebook will be updated through Twitter as well.</div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /> <p></p></P=ALIGN="RIGHT"></div></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-84537783750301807682010-01-18T15:02:00.001-07:002013-01-30T22:06:14.099-07:00Change is EXCITING!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujDryB6BGONaLzqfHRdDJWPsoLP8Uo5ECK6Sofr6zCVOK69YABx4jDs19NsXSnqWywpieYQsmVrZ5nO-6m_mrZgh1nLW-1KriZXbNhIOBNDC6sgn3ijoU5UC_jmZWYLCuSTEqv14BGZ87/s1600-h/Photo+62.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428207042842603970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujDryB6BGONaLzqfHRdDJWPsoLP8Uo5ECK6Sofr6zCVOK69YABx4jDs19NsXSnqWywpieYQsmVrZ5nO-6m_mrZgh1nLW-1KriZXbNhIOBNDC6sgn3ijoU5UC_jmZWYLCuSTEqv14BGZ87/s400/Photo+62.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Today, for the very first time, I'm sporting elastics on my braces and I couldn't be happier. </div>
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As you can see...I'm also celebrating Valentine's Day. Do you know what color(s) I be wearing on February 15th when I get them changed again? </div>
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By the way, don't mind the hair...I really need to get it cut! My hair stylist is off having a baby. Can you believe her? Here I am...in desperate need of a haircut and she thinks it's time to contract (we hope!!). Just kidding! I love ya Melissa!! Have a great labor & delivery. As soon as I get my machines back I will be sewing up some awesome diapers/covers for you. I can't wait!!</div>
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Today, my Orthodontist told me that I am moving along very quickly. He's very pleased with the results! This excites me because I was told it would be at least a year before I started wearing elastics as they had to wait for my teeth to move more into place. My teeth were just begging to be moved into place, it seems. My lower teeth have moved so quickly and I am currently on the largest wire (on the top set) that is offered. </div>
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Sometimes I look back at my teenage years and wonder why I didn't do braces sooner. However, all I have to do is remember it was just a few months ago that I was suffering from the pain of a fractured (and abcessed) front tooth. For 15 years I suffered, unwilling to do anything about it because I lacked confidence in myself. </div>
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My how things have changed. Thank goodness!!</div>
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<img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" />Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-63950232562198182872010-01-15T11:56:00.000-07:002010-01-15T11:58:29.322-07:00I need your opinion!<div>Do you think this is subtle enough?</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ2XEuPOZVZ8ccVDmdCUJ4V7WdHLyYx9Im34cjr9MLCyO7c_tkoUT6ST6XGSd3K3iralt0m99jW-e8awMvJJidNN-wf9gjuEeGYpHdXKGUD8v8jRn4HNiO-q9647L5-jGS0c7PgsshJfv/s1600-h/IMG_0608-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ2XEuPOZVZ8ccVDmdCUJ4V7WdHLyYx9Im34cjr9MLCyO7c_tkoUT6ST6XGSd3K3iralt0m99jW-e8awMvJJidNN-wf9gjuEeGYpHdXKGUD8v8jRn4HNiO-q9647L5-jGS0c7PgsshJfv/s400/IMG_0608-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427042759132088162" /></a><br /><p=align="right"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /><p></p></p=align="right">Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-38271141212335947662010-01-06T19:26:00.000-07:002010-01-06T20:50:37.925-07:00Jumping Bean Brain<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Things just haven't been right with me lately. It's very frustrating because I am unable to focus on anything. I sit at the computer to blog and I can't. Seriously, I can't. Nothing is there, just a bunch of garbled thoughts bouncing around my head like jumping beans. I feel very out-of-sorts. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">What is up with that? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Speaking of....what's up with this photo? It does not belong, nor was it a photo I meant to take, but I like my argyle socks and my boots, so there.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAn40Cyqwd5FbMLGm11orL_b2ocaHDwGAoJEA2FpCoRtTZfwDK4AvrJEqB8RHd4tOumCk0OBXl_Uxo7-c5yOyZYFJrpQWZfRwYxSyUzEndgMfpsfXrs119WcwkZ5aLTuMuPPJtKrKj8bV/s1600-h/DSC06431.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAn40Cyqwd5FbMLGm11orL_b2ocaHDwGAoJEA2FpCoRtTZfwDK4AvrJEqB8RHd4tOumCk0OBXl_Uxo7-c5yOyZYFJrpQWZfRwYxSyUzEndgMfpsfXrs119WcwkZ5aLTuMuPPJtKrKj8bV/s400/DSC06431.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423836846773131506" /></a><br /><p=align="right"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Oh, and speaking of socks.....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">My dryer is broken...again. I had a screaming fit with the Sears lady on the phone. She had the nerve to tell me that I would have to pay for the parts to repair my dryer because our warranty was up. My midwestern attitude came out (I save that for special occasions) and I was ferocious. Oh, and because I care about ya'll so much, I am willing to share some of the phone call. You're welcome! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Hi. We just had a Sear's repair man come out this morning and he left, but now the dryer is squeaking and grumbling again. This is the fourth time we've had a repair man come out since September of this year."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"I'm sorry mam, let's see if we can get him back out there for you. You said he was there this morning?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"That's correct. We were his first appointment at 8 A.M. He tinkered with it and said that if what he did didn't work that we were to tell the next repairman to order a pulley and shaft because he said that is probably what's wrong with it. I would like him to order those parts now, since he probably should have done that in the first place."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Okay. Thank you. I am going to put you on hold and try to contact the driver."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><i>(on hold.......still holding......still holding.)</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Okay. I was able to get ahold of the driver and he states that he is on his last repair, but that it will take 2-3 hours and will not be able to make it back out to your house today."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Okay...um, did you ask him to order those parts?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"He cannot order them. We will have to make a new repair appointment and whoever comes out will be able to order them. Let's see when the next appointment is....."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><i>(The conversation is still calm at this point.)</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Wait. Why can't he order them? He was just here. Why should I have to wait for another appointment to have the parts ordered, and then have to wait for the parts to come in and another appointment for them to be installed?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"I'm sorry mam, that's just our policy. You can order the parts yourself and then make an appointment for them to be installed..."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">(This is where my midwestern Kansas City, Missouri, </span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Don't eeeeven mess with me</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">attitude came in. If you want an idea of what I sounded like (or something sorta like that)....click </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkdcYlOn5M&feature=PlayList&p=EFFB93137E21961E&index=0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">HERE</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"What do you mean that</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> <b>I</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><i><b> </b></i>can order the parts? </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I am <b>not</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><b> </b>paying for the parts."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"Your warranty is expired, so you will be responsible for the part costs."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">"</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Oh NO</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I will not</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> be responsible for the cost of parts that </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">should have been ordered</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> back in September when I still <i>had</i> the warranty. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Don't tell me</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> I have to pay for something when I </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">already</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> paid a ton of money on the extended warranty and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">your</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> repair men ripped me off for a years worth of services by </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">NOT</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> doing their jobs to begin with. This is the fourth time we've had service men out here to repair the same problem and I will NOT pay for it. In fact, Sears owes </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">me</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> money for wasting a year of the extended warranty................"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I basically went on for a bit longer to make sure I got my point across. This happened on the 24th of December. Christmas Eve. What a lovely way to start out the holiday. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Apparently my persistance was noted and we received a phone call from the repair man saying he had ordered the parts. What he didn't tell us was that they would be shipped to our home and that we had an appointment for Thursday January 7th from 8-12. Within the past week we've received two packages from parts dealers and I had to reschedule the appointment for Friday afternoon. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I'm glad it's being taken care of, but I've lost all respect and trust in Sear's repair. I do not think they will charge me (and I wouldn't pay for it anyway) for the service call since it's well within the 90 days warranty on same service calls. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to extend the warranty on my washer and dryer. If the problem happens again, or this isn't the problem and they are just grasping at straws (like before), then we will have a $1200 dryer that doesn't work. I'm ticked, frustrated, worried and stressed about it all. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">On top of all that, I have at least </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">thirteen</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"> loads of laundry waiting to be washed and dryed. It is too cold to hang dry them as it brings down the temperature in the house/basement and makes the kids bedrooms too cold. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I'm also stressed about a couple things that I am not willing to discuss openly on my blog right now. Mainly because I have not formulated my own thoughts on the issues, weighed the pro's and con's, or discussed them with my husband...yet. I'm currently hormonal and feeling depressed, so it's not even an appropriate time to try and discuss them rationally.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I have so many blog posts I want to write. Maybe listing them here will help keep my thoughts grounded, because I'm not joking when I say they're rattling about in my head, like jumping beans. All my thoughts are. My awesome husband says I'm </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">scatterbrained</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">. He's absolutely right. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">So, here goes. Here is a list of blog topics I've wanted to write in the past 30 days and have not.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* 2010 goals list</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Cooking/baking </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Chores</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Parenting teens</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">* My mom's upcoming surgery (a few posts for that!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">* Caleb's Community Career Day </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">* Casey's Science Fair Project</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">* Crawford All-Nighter</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Snowboarding</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* North American Championships (Florida)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Organizing</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* Give-Away (An awesome one at that!!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">* My thoughts on marriage</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Maybe that will help. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', serif;">Do you ever have long periods of time (like days/weeks) where you feel completely scatterbrained? Leave a comment and tell me what helped bring you out of the funk. Maybe it will inspire me to do the same. </span></div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /><p></p></p=align="right">Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3400268487131922327.post-40817088536294253482009-12-23T09:13:00.000-07:002009-12-25T22:30:42.469-07:00Holly Jolly Christmas<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsnky5woOufxxSKLHUIXSJxMNRnkqRYreZLZcNSeDhO8a59lCFIET-oqfGTmi5n7X0T-O5cS3LJw9_lpBWlKmDpb22neBDrI8GiLBCQZ0wGUlyB5Pv4xBra-dSv7IB8KajdDH4-Baie7T/s1600-h/DSC06533.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxIs9lS17uWE2EJ2m7Voc1WPBHkNWnIv-uVOlLXwPDQRcNbbOv8VpATUSMdcVqsrB7SpTC2aP4xDz47MfURVF6jGfvhloVkc7FkTG0MfqBon3I3A0JEu_7tUND7wg7KBjhNwKXnQdvr8D/s1600-h/DSC06534.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxIs9lS17uWE2EJ2m7Voc1WPBHkNWnIv-uVOlLXwPDQRcNbbOv8VpATUSMdcVqsrB7SpTC2aP4xDz47MfURVF6jGfvhloVkc7FkTG0MfqBon3I3A0JEu_7tUND7wg7KBjhNwKXnQdvr8D/s400/DSC06534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418466914973011874" /></a>This year we were surprised that Santa showed up at our house a few days before Christmas. Not only did the jolly man show up, but he brought us a huge Christmas dinner, a present for each of us and a bit of cash that we quickly put into our Culligan water jug. The kids were excited, to say the least. I guess a few friends (<i>ahem!</i>) thought our family could use a little help this year and we appreciate Santa & all our friends tremendously! We are truly blessed. <div><br /></div><div>Next year, we will be helping another family in need. <i>Pay It Forward</i>. Right?<br /><div><br /></div><div>And, as some of you may be wondering...</div><div><br /></div><div>We did follow through with our plan of not spending money on Christmas presents. It was hard. Very hard. However, I am happy that we didn't cave. We felt a tinge of guilt the past couple days and when Rob or I wanted to buy something, we helped each other refocus. It was hard not having any presents for the children and family, but we pulled through. Most importantly, we did not spend our "bill money" on last minute Christmas gifts and we survived the day. </div><div><br /></div><div>My mom, Nana & Rob's family came over to our house for a Christmas brunch. The food was amazing and I enjoyed having everyone here. After the family left, we met my mom at the movie theatre (our Christmas Tradition) to see a movie. I was surprised at how full each showing was (why don't I remember how full it usually is?) and ended up stuck with <i>Alvin and the Chipmunks</i>. Let's just say that I'm hoping Rob will take me to see a <i>different</i> movie one of these nights...soon. (<i>Honey, are you listening?</i>)</div><div><br /></div><div>This next week will be full of family time, so I am taking a break from blogging until January 1, 2010. I'm hoping to have a wonderful give-away and a list of 2010 goals to tell you about, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><img src="http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f318/PPCreations/Sig-8.jpg" /></div><div><p=align="right"><p></p></p=align="right"></div></div>Semi-Organized Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02398186666978393155noreply@blogger.com2