Presenting...

The 5yo's jam (as he told me last night)

What are you kids fav songs right now?

Psst...I'm having a giveaway!

Check it peeps!

Giveaway over here! Click me!!!

Hey Good Lookin, Whatcha Got Cookin?

Just call me Julia Childs!

She was a handsome woman, no?

Anyway I have been on a roll lately with cooking.
I'm not an overly big fan of cooking...I admit.
I'd much rather bake.
Perhaps that is why my tushie is so big.

Ahem, I digress.

Anyway, Saturday, I took 3 large chicken breasts, threw those bad boys in the crockpot with some Tastefully Simple Honey Apple Grilling Sauce.  Cooked for 6 hours, shredded and served them with Hawaiian King Honey Wheat Rolls for "Sliders for Dinners!"  It was a hit.

Sunday I decided to cook Bobster's fav.
Baked Ziti.

Easy Peasy to do.  I even left it in the oven a bit longer to allow the top to brown.
Everyone raved about it.

Last night, I browned some pork chops in butter w/ s&p.  They were so flavorful.  I really enjoyed them.

Tonight, the piece de resistance...I made po'boy cheeseteaks.
I bought some chipped steak at Walmart this past weekend.  I have found that Walmart knocks the price down on meat that is a day away from the sell by date.  Well slap my tush & call me Judy because I love finding this.

So I got the "on sale" chipped steak.
Now, the Grandpop, he likes to buy stuff on sale & drop it off to us, the less fortunate.
You know the family that eats store brand mayo & not Hellmans.

The Grandpop prays for my family that I will find the error of my ways & start to buy the good stuff.

Anyway, he got us a ton and I mean of ton of Thomas' English Muffins.
So I took them, browned them in butter in a pan, topped the chip steak that was frying in butter with some cheese, tossed it on the english muffin & viola! Po' Boy Cheesesteaks.

Bobster loved it.

I feel like a gourmet.

And I also am using stuff from my pantry.  Score!

So tell me what have you been cooking up lately?

Um, yea

Did you ever feel like you are a:

That is how I am feeling today.

I try to keep this blog upbeat, positive.  Sometimes tho., I just feel blah about things.

I'm feeling very much like a failure lately.

In all aspects of my life:

Parenting

Relationships

Career

Finances

Weight

I know I have the power to change it all.

It just feels like I've hit roadblock after roadblock and then a brick road in most aspects.

Yep.

That's me today.

Feeling like a failure

Thanks for listening.

Your normal upbeat posts will continue as usual.



Hey Good Lookin

The Nana & her boy.

Disclaimer: It's not a chocolate milk mustache, he is severly chapped

How To Get Something New in One Easy Manuever

So with the new "do" I felt the need for some new hair accessories.

Unable to get to the store yet, a new hair accessory fell into my lap...sort of.

See my sister came over last night.
New hair accessory in her hair.

I admired it & wanted a closer look so I asked her to see it.
She obiged.

I put it in my hair.
I forgot about it...yes, thats it...I forgot.

I left for work this morning & sent her this:

Her reply:

Damn it! LOL

Isn't my "new" hair accessory pretty?

They Say It's Your Birthday

Doesn't the Nana have the best hair & fashion sense?

It's her birthday today.

Happy Birthday to the best Mommy & Nana in the world.

Love You!

Tidbits of Weeked Life

Spontaneous was the word for the past weekend.
Usually I crash when I get home on Fridays.
This week, I came through the door, Bobster had already ordered dinner (Panzarottis...he's a groumet ya know) & I was like, lets go.

We took the kids:

Bowling.
Snazzy shoe.
The photo doesn't do the shoe justice.
It was neon orange & yellow.
Love.

Then while ChrisBob practiced (more on why he practices in a later post), I let Cheeks:

Seriously, it's like a drug.
I could probably leave him there for days on end, as long as the quarters do not run out he's golden.

Now in case you think we leave all the fun the little one, ChrisBob took his older brother's gig as the Great Clips mascot for the weekend.

Two mascots in one family...we are thrilled!

Great Clips today...Philly Phanatic tomorrow.

Sunday this area was inundated with rain.
While Cheeks & I stayed home & the oldest worked, ChrisBob & his dad went someone & did something.

You will just have to wait for a future post about that...it's exciting!!

How was your weekend?

Here Comes the Sun

Guess what?

Guess what?

Guess what?

I, the litte ole Irish girl with the pasty white skin and children with the same skin, has been chosen as:

That's right.

My son and I will be retaining our inheritated white skin all season long

What does this mean for you?

I will be bringing my experience using Coppertone to you all season.

Holla!

"As a member of the Coppertone® Water MOMS group, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience."

Hair Today, Gone Tomor...Today

I did it.

I couldn't take it anymore.

The hot flashes.

Getting caught under my arms.

Laying heavily on my back.

Knots.

Having to put it up to keep my face from getting warm during the hot flashes.

Finding cool clips for it.

It had to go.

So today, I went from looking like this:

To looking like this:

And the back looks like this:

These are possibly the worst photos of me EVER but the point is the hair.

The hair peeps.

Focus!

I went to the Nana's salon & donated my hair to Locks of Love.

Good organization with such an awesome cause...how could I not?

I haven't had hair this short since 10th grade.

That was a really, really, really long time ago.

I love it tho.

It dried in no time & was pretty easy to do.

No that I got the weight off my hair, I just need to get the weight off my body.

Let's Talk

Where have I been?

Who said jail?
Thanx.
Thanx a lot.

I just haven't had much to say & nothin exciting has been happening.

I already jumped the shark with Weight Watchers. I was off program for 2 weeks.
BUT
I went last nigt.
Weighed in
&
Lost 1/2lb.

O yea!
Go me!

On an even brighter note.
We have started Cheeks on his ADD/ADHD meds
The insurance would not approve Ritalin.
His dr.went with Adderall.
I saw an immediate improvement.
Even his sitter commented and said she saw a difference.

Keep your fingers crossed.
He goes back to school next week, so that will be the true test.

Anyone watching Dancing With The Stars?
I have "Urkel" in the pool at work.
While I'm not a fan of his, I'd like to see him win because then I win cash!
Holla!

What is going on in your world?

Stumbling Block No# 7 Million

Cheeks was diagnosed with ADHD/ADD 2 weeks ago.

Thank goodness.

It's what we all thought all along.

He was prescribed some medication.

A test was required prior to giving the meds.

That was a stumbling block but we overcame, got the test, he was good to go.

The plan was to start him on the medication today.

This way he is home with me, I can keep an eye on him, see how he reacts, any side effects etc.

Dropped the script off this past Tuesday...Tuesday ladies & gents.

Bobster & I go last night to pick it up.

The pharmacist tells me it's not ready (someone might have thought the pharmacy should call but hey, why would they call us to tell us this).

Apparently, our insurance will not authorize the medication.

Cheeks doctor know has to battle it out with his insurance company.

We are not happy campers.

I just feel like we've been battling these uphill battles for the past few years.

Finally won the war & now we were going to be working on a treaty.

Not so much.

It's just another stumbling block in getting Cheeks some help.

Hopefully this time next week we will have the meds, in the meantime I'm a little bummed.

I just want to help my son so he can succeed.

Anyone ever have trouble with your insurance company & not authorizing meds?

So frustrating!!

Weight Loss...No Joke

Weigh in was this past Tuesday.

I lost.

.2 pounds.

OOOH!

1/4' of a pound.

Of course, much better than gaining it though.

I am having trouble staying focused, even with all the planning & tools at my fingerstips.

It's like an internal struggle between my brain & my tastebuds.

When I did it years ago, I lost 50lbs.

I have not seem to have gotten that "will power" back.

I'm trying tho.

Not giving up.

Any tips?

For those not in the know I am doing Weight Watchers.

So bring it on...advice, blogs to read, photos of your weight loss stories...I want it all!

21 Jump Street ~ 2012

Not gonna lie, I was hesistant to see this movie.

1.  I was a huge fan of the original series.

2.  I am not a big fan of Jonah Hill.

3.  It looked dumb.

Well I can eat my words because this movie was hysterical.

Seriously.

I saw it Friday night (although I wanted to see The Hunger Games, I was vetoed).

The theater was packed.

Laughter ruled the audience.

While the language is pretty foul it was just too funny!

I was also happily surprised by the cameos.

That's all I'm sayin!

Have you seen it?

What movie have you seen lately?

Anything worth me seeing?

Lessons

Lesson 1:  Never wear a t-shirt & underwear along with a feminine hygiene pad when walking in the bathroom while your 5yo son is in the tub.  He will ask you why you are wearing a diaper.  You then have to think quickly on feet, tell him it's not a diaper & quickly change the subject to super heroes.  Not that I would know this.

Lesson 2: If you own a bra make sure it does not allow you to jiggle when you walk.  So not me, as I strap the girls down with what I like to call "Missle Protectors".  Those girls don't bounce, don't move, don't breathe.  This lesson is for the lovely receptionist at the lab today.  She was a bouncin & a flouncin all over the place.

Lesson 3: When calling the main office to get late night hours of said lab, be specific and ask if the department you need also works all late nights.  This will avoid you driving all the way over there to only be told the particular lab you are there for leaves at 4:30pm & is only there late on Thursdays.  Today is Wednesday.  I was not happy.

Those are my 3 lessons.

What have you learned lately?

Diagnosis ~~ Finally!

A few of you who have been with my blog for awhile may remember that my youngest son is a handful.
So much so that he was asked to leave a few preschools and when he started Kindergarten he spent everyday until recently in the principals office.

I have been fighting an uphill battle with many roadblocks to find out what is going on with him.

He's such a cutie:

But my Lord, that kid can wear you out.

Long story short, we saw a pediatric neurologist today.
She diagnosised him.

ADD/ADHD

Something I have said for years.
Yes.
You read that right...Years.
It's been at least 2.5 that we have been waging this war to get some help.

Would have been closer to 3 but his first daycare felt it not necessary to mention anything to me about his behavior until his last day when she got a bit nasty in her comments.

Whatev!

So now we know.
Now we work on helping him focus.

It's still going to be an uphill battle but for now a small hill has been conquered.

Update, Update, Update

Things always sound better in threes.

Hence

Update, Update, Update.

No?

Let's get the nitty gritty shall we.

I let you all know I started Weight Watchers.

I had to.

This is a pretty typical pic of my at my desk at work.

I'm not kidding.

My dad is the candy dealer at work & until two weeks ago I kept the candy on my desk.

Mindless eating was an understatement.

I have since moved the candy to the back of the department where I would have to get up off my fat tush & walk to get it.

God forbid!

Actually, it's working pretty well because out of sight, out of mind.

I am happy to report that last night was my second weigh in.

I lost over 5lbs for the second week.

Grand total:

7.8lbs

Woo.

Granted it's like a cup of water out of the Atlantic but I would rather lose that than find it.

KWIM?

It's definitely a struggle to eat the right things.

I can eat whatever I want

BUT

What I like about Weight Watchers is it makes you think.

Like, hey I can have this cremed filled donut for 14 points

OR
I can have this bowl of strawberries with whipped creme & a cherry on top for 5points.

It's all about choices.

Now I am hopefully making the right choices.

In all aspects of my life.

We shall see.

Caio!

Did I give you permission to grow up?

I'm not really sure when my baby:

Decided to grow up.

He lost his second tooth today.

Now he is missing both bottom front teeth.

I'm heartbroken.

For you I present #AppSmitten

Usually I do not bring offers & such to this blog.
I keep it for my other blog.

This time tho, I thought let me share with my readers this cool site called AppSmitten

This site will email you once a week, daily or once a month new apps for your devices.
For free.
Hello...total spave.

Here's some other info about AppSmitten:

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I've signed up for the newsletter & have tried some of the apps...totally love!

So, go sign up & let me know if you did...I'm dying to know what you think about it!

Click me: AppSmitten

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Vlog ~ How do you say my name?