This is how I roll...

I work out of the home.
Much to my chagrin.
For some reason the auto finance people want their money, the electric, cable...the list is endless.

So...

Since I wasn't born rich I must work.

Today I thought I would give you my view from 8 - 5.

I know, I know, you are dying to see!

First up my main view:

That fan is on the desks in my department.
We are the only all female dept & we are all over 40...hello! Hot Flashes.

Not to mention I was recently moved all the way to the back corner & the company keeps the air conditioning set on "Hell: Level 1"  Sigh.

The Post It's are there to remind me of stuff to do all day long.
Like check our online ordering.
I am in charge of releasing the orders.
Yes, yes, they give me that responsibility.
Exciting, no?

View number 2, to my left:

The Ice Cream container holds loose change.
The girls in my dept gave it to me for my birthday (plus a gift card...I work with the best girls EVER).

The desk rack holds the companies catalog.
It's open to egg rings & oven shelving & oven gaskets.
When will the excitement end I ask?

The piece de resistance is my view to the right, which slightly above this pic is actually open & I can see my one coworker & into the rest of the room.

All photos of kids.
None of me & Bobster.

Burn gel for my nasty burn on my arm, pad of paper, calendar...my day is chock filled.

So that's it folks.

What does your view look like all day?

To Pop or Not To Pop, That is the Question

Last night after working a double, Bobster pulled the pouty lip & asked if I would make him fried potatoes.

Oh sure, light of life, love of my heart.  Anything.

So I diced, chopped, poured oil.
Made it though round one of frying.

Round two.
Not so much.

I went to pour some diced potatoes into the pan, when a few too many landed in the hot frying pan filled with oil.
Hot oil.

Well, apparently the oil decided it would hit my wrist/lower arm with about a tablespoon of itself.

This was the result of that lucky manuever:

Not sure if you can make that out
BUT
It's a big ole honkin blister on the inside of wrist.

I held frozen green beans on it for like 2 hours.
Covered it in Aloe.

Today I had burn gel & an antiobiotic bandaid on it.

I even have a little midget blister about 5 inches to the left & down of that.

I, of course, blamed Bobster.
It was his meal I was making.

So, I am wounded.

Now here is the real question....to pop or not to pop?

Let me know because I am getting conflicting reports.

Battle

If you've been a reader of my blog you probably assume that by the title of this blog post, I must be going to tell you a tale of a battle between Bobster & myself, one of the kids & me or just between the kids.

Wrong.

This tale is one of my soon to be 6 yo's infatuation with battling.

Sigh.

He will turn anything into an imaginary fight.

Last week we were working a craft at the table.
Just Cheeks and moi.
The kit came with the sponges that pop up when submerged in water.
Well he just thought that was the best thing since sliced bread.

Towards the end of our craft making session he decided to ditch it & play "Battle".

He took one butterfly sponge & one egg shaped sponge.
Made all kind of noises with his mouth while slamming the sponges together, having them twirl in the air & land on the table, as if injured & fell to "earth".

I. Don't. Get. It.

I have a decent imagination but I guess being a woman makes me see the sponges as something to decorate a dollhouse with or use to paint a wall or finish the craft.

He loves to have his "guys", not "dolls" as I have mistakenly called them, but "guys" battle relentlessly.  I hear him at night when he takes his 3 million guys to bed.  They battle for about 15 mins before slumber takes over.

Being that he is my only little boy I have had since day one, I guess it's a boy thing.  I don't remember the older boys doing this but they were 11 & 6 when I met there dad.

Tell me, what do your little boys like play?

Very Proud

See that handsome man up there?

We are so proud of him.

About a month ago he got hired at the new Grand Luxe Cafe opening up at one of our local malls.  He was working at a local restaurant but the owner wouldn't pay him for weeks on end...like 3 or 4.  It was ridiculous so I said enough is enough.

He applied, got hired & started training.

The restaurant has only been open about 2.5 weeks but Tim has already made an impression.
He was hired as a buser (which is what his experience is in...this is only his 2nd job). 

Well from the beginning he was hired as Buser #1, aka head buser, & now...

He is going to be the buser trainer for all the Grand Luxe's.

So that means if they build one by you, my oldest will be flown out there, put up & will be training all the new hires.

I say..............WAY TO GO!

Plus his manager told him he gets the patio & bar area because none of the others can keep up.
The kid is making bank (like my street slang? I know...impressive!)

Tell me, what kind of jobs did you have as one of your very first jobs?
I worked at a dry cleaners.

Barefootin!

Don't get any ideas.
My house IS NOT growing by 2 feet.
Unless I gain weight, which then, yes 24 inches around the mid section is probably what I'll grow by.
Sigh.

Seriously?
I have an aversion.
My littlest one has gotten the same aversion.

I hate barefeet.
Not to look at but to walk around.
I will not go without something on my feet.
Even know, I am in my pj's and I have ankle socks on.

If I go outside, I have shoes or in case of a quick run...just socks.
I will walk on the cement surrounding the pool in barefeet but only to get out of the pool & swiftly walk to my chair to get dried off.

Cheeks has inherited my gross dislike for being barefooted...well at least outdoors.
When he was an infant we would stick him in the grass without shoes or socks & he would pull his feet up.
He still will not go out without shoes/sandels or socks.
Only exception is running to the pool.
Then all bets are off.
He feels shoes inhibit him from jumping into the pool even faster.
You know those 10 seconds to flip off your Spiderman flip flops are precious.

So tell me, do you have an averison?

They say it's your birthday!

It's my birthday too.
No seriously it really is my birthday!

32, 38, 39 Fine...42 years ago today I was born to the best parents ever.

Can you stand it?
That's me up there.
A few weeks ago.

Sigh.
I can't believe it's been 42 years I've been around.

What did I get for my birthday you asked?

High Blood Pressure.
It's the gift that keeps on giving.

When I turned 40 I passed a kidney stone at work & was riddled with them all summer.

Lucky girl, no?

So I was diagnosed with the High Blood Pressure.
On meds.
Changing my diet.

I have to.
Do you see the size of me?
Yes, Orka called, she wants her dressmaker back.

I actually had a nice birthday.
Quiet.
Relaxing.

Just the way I like it.

Shabby Apple

Have you heard of Shabby Apple?
OMG! Love!

They have the sweetest clothes, cutest accessories & even maternity.
I wish I knew about them when I was pregnant with Cheeks, such cute, cute maternity.

Right now they are having their summer sale.
You have got to check it out.

Most of their clothes are very modest too.

What I love most...they sell vintage swimwear!

Where do you like to shop?
Have you shopped Shabby Apple before?

Let me know.
I am always looking for a great place to buy clothes.

Bittersweet Ending

Today was it.
What was today you ask?

Well for the past 9 months my Cheeks has been having a little early intervention.
He was quite the handful for the preschools (having been asked to leave a few) & quite the handful for his Kindergarten teacher & her aide.

I took the initative to get him help.
Bobster & I were doing our best, as well as our family, but it was just a bit hard.

Luckily Cheeks qualified for the early intervention. 
Having him enrolled in the program actually helped speed a long the process of getting him diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

Today was his last visit with his behavioralist, Linda.
Cheeks loves her.
As we all do.
She is really sweet, kind, personable and most importantly, great with Cheeks.

He has come so far since she came into his life.
We are sad to see her go.
Happy that her services are no longer needed but sad to see her for his last "official" visit.

Cheeks is already wondering when she is coming back & what they are doing next time.

He doesn't really understand why she came and "hung" out each week.

Hopefully we will keep in touch and honestly, hopefully , we will not need her services again.

Breakfast on the Fourth & Forever

Happy 4th of July!

Can you believe it's July already? Doesn't it seem like we just got the Christmas decor down?

I digress.

This morning the fam hit up a new local eatery.

Amy's Place in Cherry Hill, NJ.

It's new to Camden County but not new to NJ.  They have a place down the shore & in Burlington County.
Today was our second visit.
Bobster & I hit it up last Friday when we had our "date day".

For the 4 of us to eat this morning (Bobster, moi, Chris & Cheeks...Tim was working) it was only $35.00.

Here is what Bobster got:

The bacon was a gift from me.
Bobster actually got scrapple as a side.
For those outside the Philly area, scrapple is all the scraps leftover from the pig that's not used, it's mushed up & fried.
Definitely an aquired taste & you either like it or you don't.
No in between.
I like it but it has to be thin.
Bobster...thick.

The eggs were over easy...cooked to perfection as Bobster said.
The homefries, while I didn't order them, I stole some off of his plate & OMG! Delish!!!! Best home fries I've had in a long time.

He also got toast with his meal. 

Now onto my entree:

Country Stuffed French Toast.
What is it stuffed with you say?
Lemme tell ya!
Strawberry Jam & Cream Cheese.
Not to mention the bread is actually raisin bread.

Died & gone to Heaven.
To be honest, you didn't even need syrup!

I didn't get a pic of the boys food because well they are boys & couldn't wait.
Christopher got the Jersey sandwhich.
A kaiser roll with pork roll, sausage, bacon, cheese & egg.
Basically a heart attack on a plate...but when I say well worth it, believe you me, well worth it!!!!

Cheeks had the Mickey Mouse pancakes.
Came out looking like the big mouse himself.
Bobster tried them & said they were excellent.

So if you are in the area, even Philly, stop on by Amy's Place you will NOT be disappointed!

Tell me, what is a fav of yours for breakfast?

A Sentence I Never Thought I'd Have To Say

This is not the story you are looking for if you used certain key words in your search to find my blog.
Just sayin.

The other night I walked into Cheeks bedroom to kiss him goodnight.
There he is all snuggled under the sheets with 20 Matchbox cars.

I look two feet to his right & see his hamper.
What is in front of his hamper?
His clothes…guess it’s too much energy to put the clothes in the hamper.

Irrelevant.
So I said “Cheeks, you have to put your clothes in the hamper.  I’ll do it for you now though”
As I am picking up said clothing he says:

“Mom, you see that underwear?”
Me “Yes”
“Do NOT smell it”
Now this is where I knew the conversation was going to take a turn for the worse.
“Why?”
“You see that brown spot…do NOT smell it, it smells like poop!”
“And Cheeks do you know what it smells like poop?”
“No”
“Because it’s poop”
“Oh, well the other side smells ok”

With that I left the room, uttering the following:

“Do NOT sniff your underwear”

My Take: Pinterest Crockpot Italian Chicken

Like every other good Pinterest pinner, I hoarded a ton of "wanna make dinners" on my Food Board.

Yesterday I decided to actually do something with that board & I chose to make Crockpot Italian Chicken. 

Here is what I was going to be making:

Looks yummy enough right?

I thought so.

Four total ingredients.

2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 8oz. package of cream cheese

1 envelope of dry Italian Dressing Mix

+

Chicken

Now please note: I used low fat soup & low fat cream cheese.

All you do is mix the first three ingredients together in your crockpot ala:

I used the camera on my phone because I am just that lazy to not go get my good camera, so that is the reason for the craptastic photos.

Stir that together.

Add chicken ala:

Cover with soup mixture.

I used frozen chicken breast so I cooked on high for 4 hours.

If you use thawed/fresh chicken cook on low for 4 hours.

This is the final result:

Spoon chicken & sauce over pasta.

Can I say I really liked this?!?!?!

I thought it tasted very fettucini-esque.

Bobster...well he took one bit & decided to have Wendy's for dinner.

Cheeks I didn't even bother to give him any, just gave him pasta.

The older boys, well Tim "heard" about the chicken & Chris had eaten at his mom's.

So my family basically boycotted the meal.

Altho my mom said it smelled delish & she wants to try it.

You can always count on the Nana for support.

I give this first Pinterest food challenge 2 thumbs up!

It would have received a golf clap as well but Bobster didn't like.

So tell me, have you made anything from Pinterest?

How did it turn out?

Michael Phelps I am Not!

So yesterday I took a vacation day & took the little one to Coco Keys Water Park.

So much fun.

Nothing deeper than 3 ½” feet.

Needless to say Cheeks had a ball.

He kept telling me I was awesome, the place was awesome & he was having an awesome time.

I took it as he liked it.

He told he didn’t like, he actually loved it!

I actually had a ball.

Wasn’t self conscious at all in my bathing suit.

I was splashing & splishing with the best of them.

Throwing basketballs in the water basketball court.

Walking/floating/swimming the lazy river.

Good times.

Today I pay the price.

I am so sore I feel like I was on a stretching rack ala Fifty Shades of Grey except without the hot lover.

Muscles that haven’t been used since I was 17 hurt.

My calves are on fire and my flabby arms should be toned like Madonna or at least that’s how they feel.

This just goes to show you that being over 40, out of shape and overweight, it not a girls best friend.

Sigh.

I had a blast tho!

Another Graduate

Sigh.

Look at him.

Look at his first.

He keeps loosing the roundness...the little boyish look.

In just 9 mere months.

Sigh.

A lot has happened to him in Kindergarten.

Diagnosed w/ ADD/ADHD.

Making new friends.

Learning.

Adjusting meds to get the right dose to help him learn & stay focused.

Poor kid is really not adjusting to the summer schedule.

Keeps asking if it's a school day.

He wants to go to first grade really badly.

Of course, now that he doesn't have to get up, he's up bright & early & raring to go.

Typical kid.

That's my Cheeks!

Lots of Pomp & Circumstances Happening Around Here

He did.
My little boy who I got when he was just 11 years old decided to graduate high school:

It's not to say it wasn't a rough ride this year.
He put us through the ringer.
Luckily, he pulled it out of somewhere & graduated.

The ceremony was long.
Not going to lie.
The weather couldn't have been better or cooperated more.
Beautiful evening for a graduation.

Look at him....taking it so seriously.

The whole class played a joke on the principal & as he shook their hand to congratulate them, each student handed him a detention slip. 
My sister told me her class did marbles.
My class did nothing.
Yes, we all graduated from the same high school.

Take a look at this young man:

Good looking boy, no?

Congrats TimBob...we love you!!!

Why I love you Chic fil A

Tonight I hit up Chic fil A with Cheeks in tow.
I also had Fifty Shades Deeper with me.
Cheeks plays, I read.
Perfect for the both of us.

Well they were having family night.
Make a family tree.

It was messy so Cheeks was all over that action:

And the girl was as patient as the day is long.
He was very good.

He had to list his family members.
He did.

In case you can't read it, he listed:
Cheeks
Mom
Dad
Nana
Pops (The Grandpop)
Pop (Poppy)
PopPop (obviously, the PopPop)
Tim
Chris
&
Uncle Chuck.

Then he ran out of apples.
Thanks goodness, I would have had to take home a whole orchard.

This is why I love ChicfilA.
They are, without a doubt, the cleanest fast food place.
Every worker I have ever encountered is just a sweet & nice as can be.
And they are extremely family oriented.
Love it!

Next week is super hero night.
Um...yay!
I will not have a moments peace.

Tell me, what is your fav fast food place?

Update on the Weight Loss

Weight loss?
Weight loss?
Ha.
I laugh in the face of weigh loss.

Sadly, I don't laugh.
I cry.

I just didn't have the will power & fell off the Weight Watchers truck a long time ago.

Can not resist the call of a WaWa Pancake Sizzli.

Seriously, I just don't know what my problem is.

I know I can do it.
I did it before.
I can do it again.

So that's where I stand.
Not on the scale! 
I can always get weighed on the pallet scale at work.
Sure, that doesn't scream overweight now does it?

I still watch what I eat.
I'm just not counting points.

And just so you know, a WaWa Pancake Sizzli is 9 points compared to a Croissant Sizzli coming in at 14 points.

Why I Won't Use Pinterest

Don’t get me wrong.
I love me some Pinterest.
I even want you all to follow me.
Even if all I do is repin other people’s pins.


Sadly, I will not use Pinterest as a social media tool.
I already have a Facebook account & a Twitter account.


I use both regularly.
For personal & promotion.
I am shameless promo ho ya know!


Pinterest.
Pinterest is mine.
To enjoy.
Not to subject my followers with even more ways to enter contest, buy stuff, see a movie.


I just want something to enjoy.
Sort of keep to myself without subjecting myself to more promotions.
Yes I see them when I look at “everything” on Pinterest & I even see them when I look at who I follow.
I may click on them here & there but I just want something on the internet to seem promo free.


Will this hurt my blog in the future?
Maybe.
Will I change my mind?
I am a red headed moody woman so perhaps I will.


For now I will keep it my secret…well my special corner of the internet is more like it.


How about you?

And the Angels Cried

Let it be cool!

Today we got our downstairs air conditioner.

Hallelujah!

To be honest, it wasn't really too bad the past couple of weeks.
BUT
As anyone who lives in the Delaware Valley knows...the heat & humidity of summer is a comin.

We bought an a/c unit yesterday from Home Depot.
Got it home.
Installed it.
Viola...instant airplane in our living room.
Sounded like a 747 was ready for take off.

Poor Cheeks & I had to turn our movie up all the way (John Carter was the flick...don't waste your time) & we still couldn't hear it.
I told Bobster "Oh no! This has to go"

So the Grandpop did a little research & found that a Sears Kenmore unit was rated the best & the quietest by Consumer Reports.

Tonight we returned the airplane motor & headed down the road to Sears.
15 minutes later merchandise pickup was loading that sucker in the back of the mini van.

Took Bobster like 10 minutes to install.

You can't even hear it.
Love it.

We are waiting for it to cool off the downstair...which isn't that big so it should be really quickly.

To make it even sweeter the Grandpop helped buy it as an early Christmas present for me...guess I am getting something good for my birthday in July...hee hee.

Tell me, how are you beating the heat?

Let it begin

Summer that is.

That's one tough cookie, no?

Superhero all the way.
Flexing muscle pose.
Vicious face.
And
Swimmies!

A good, fearless, superhero always needs his swimmies.

It's so nice living across from the community pool.
Nice that I can walk to it in 30 seconds.
Not so nice because I can't park in front of my house for the summer.

It's worth it though.

How do you welcome summer?

Afro Circus

Cheeks & I got the opportunity to see a movie over the weekend.
A special engagement if you will.

What did we see you ask?

Well...

Madagascar 3!!!

This movie had me from the very beginning.
Started off with great action scenes & got to the plot extremely quickly.
I like that in kids movies (actually I like that in all movies!...don't ask me about the movie Haywire...shudder! Did. not. get. to plot.)

We got to see it in 3D.
To be honest, I think this one was the best in the franchise.
My fav.

Cheeks stayed in his seat & pretty much kept his eyes glued to the screen.  Even kept his glasses on.

Also, very funny.
No over the top adult only humor.
Good, old fashion fun.

Tell me are you planning to see it?

It's that time of year again...

FOR:

Sigh.
Yep.
Boob sweat.

I get it.
Do you?

It seems to affect those of us with how do I put this midly....large & in charge boobies.

Of course, with our a/c downstairs broken, the boob sweat is in full effect.

Thank the good Lord, I don't get ring around the boobs BUT the girls glisten like no tomorrow.

I usually dose them with some cornstarch powder.
Sometimes tho., they get a little red.
Then all heck breaks loose.

I actually have to get diaper cream to help with the redding.

I can't take it.
Either can the girls.

So tell me, do you suffer?
What is your tried & true method to get by with boob sweat?

Please tell.
My girls & I thank you in advance.

I saw "The Avengers" twice

And here is the reason:

Yep.

Loki.
The villian.

I have a crush.
Just look at his smile.

What a cutie.

Don't tell Bobster, I told him I would see it twice because it was such a great movie.
Secretly I just wanted to see Loki in action again.

I think he would be a great Christian Grey.

What?
Whose Christian Grey?

I am currently reading Fifty Shade of Grey.
It gets very warm in the room when I do.
Of course, our a/c is broken, so perhaps that's it.
Yes.
That's it.

Seriously.
He is a cutie patootie!!!

Do you agree?
Don't get me wrong, all of the super heroes in the movie are easy on the eyes.
Especially Captain America
BUT
I like the bad boy in this one.

So, um, Loki....call me, maybe?

Skeeved

I have quirks.
Idiosyncrasies.

One of those, is my strong dislike of watermelon.

Yep.
I loathe it.

Don’t get me wrong, I think wooden watermelons that you use to decorate a kitchen with are adorable but the actual fruit…EW!

It goes so far as when I had the illustrious career as a supermarket cashier I would have to handle them. At first I just sort of did it & then shivered. Just touching it makes my blood run cold.

Eventually I got smart. I would tell the customer that they didn’t have to lift the watermelon out of the cart.
Most whole watermelons are sold as each not by the pound. If someone were to purchase cut watermelon, it comes either on a Styrofoam sheet or in a plastic bowl of sorts. I was scott free.

Of course, Cheeks loves watermelon.
So what is a good mom to do?
I call up the Nana & she cuts him watermelon & brings it over.

Ah, the joys of living close.

Tell me do you skeeve any food? Don’t tell me I’m the only one?

DMV Sightings

I had to go to DMV today.

Now we all now how good of a time that is.

Amplify that by the fact that I was on my lunch hour & the good time escalates to super good time.

Sure, I had to wait to get my new license but the fight between the DMV woman at window 11 & the guy who wanted to give his out of state, torn & taped license as proof of id, was noteworthy.  I thought she was going to deck him when he said the word "Sh*t" to her. 

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT...use a curse word with the DMV employees.  They do not take kindly to it.

But what made this trip momentous & memorable was seeing a certain gentleman saunter on up to the window while I sat.

I was going to ask for his autograph because really it's not that often that you see a bounty hunter in these parts of Jersey.

Here he is folks:

Dog, the Bounty Hunter!

Check out that mullet.

Natural blonde too...with curls at the bottom.  I think he uses a curling iron but what do I know.

Is THAT magnificent or what?

Totally worth being 30 minutes late back to work.

He's the reason

I get to celebrate being a mommy!