The MomGate MG1

A very Merry Christmas to all of those who celebrate it... and even to those who do not. I do hope that whichever holiday you celebrate this time of year, it is a wonderful one =) We all need some happiness in our lives.

So anyway, I know I havent posted in a while, part of it is just my exhaustion, and part of it is trying to keep everything running at home. It's been rough, I sucuumbed to the flu not too long ago and I was laid up for 5 days... not bad considering Shawn has been sick for almost 2 weeks now. I dont get sick like I used to (thank goodness because Mommy's dont get any sick time)

But tonight's post is going to be on Christmas and something that really bothers me...

So my hubby isnt a big family guy, he was an only child to a mother that, to put it bluntly, likes to smother. I think she is a wonderful person, but I am not really a chatter when I cant follow the tangents a conversation goes. And that is the easiest way to describe my MIL. I love her dearly, but I agree on the assessment by the priest that married me, "She is like a deer caught in headlights"

Anyway... past couple of years, since Gabe was born, we have invited her and my FIL down to my parent's house for Christmas. Mainly because schlepping the kids around the state on such a busy day is just not good for any of us. But secondly, because my sister (and usually my brother) are in town. I dont get to see my siblings very much and when they are in town I try to see them a little at least.

My MIL was an only child, my husband is an only child, so I do not think they understand the bond between siblings. My brother-in-law Ted doesnt like to leave home for long, to put it mildly - so they never stay very long. Usually the day after Christmas sees them on their way back to Maine as soon as they eat breakfast. So I kinda have to be at my parent's house if I want to see my sister at all! MIL however freaks out every year, maybe she thinks that I dont want her to see her grandkids on Christmas, or maybe she is just lonely... but I really want to see my sister any chance I get.

Shawn couldnt care less where we go, he would actually rather just staying home and avoiding all family no matter the day. Thats his perogative, but honestly I miss my siblings a lot. Luckily facebook helps lessen that.

Anyway I digress...

MIL gets weepy every year... in fact last year she ruined my birthday about this topic... sigh. Next year we will spend the Christmas day with her... and I will hope that since Christmas falls on a Saturday my BIL will decide to stay until Sunday... I can dream right?

So I know that kids like repetition. Not only is it good for their development, it drives parents crazy!

Past week Gabe has decided all he wants to watch during TV time is Ice Age; Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Which was fine the first 4 times... now I am getting tired of it. I was able to swap up by putting in the original Ice Age, which Gabe was okay with. But yikes, and I thought listening to the movie Cars in the car was bad enough!

Well he also has a favorite bedtime story, as do most kids his age. His is If you Give a Cat a Cupcake. It really is a cute book, and the way Gabe asks for it is just as cute. You ask him which book he wants to read and he says 'Cat Cake!' How can you say no to that =) Occasionally daddy can sneak in a different book, but usually it is Cat Cake. Granted the cat in the book looks like one of our felines, Spaz.

He also thrives on his routine, he knows when Daddy comes home from work it is usually time for a bath and a nap. The bath is just a fun way to play with his sister (who also LOVES the bath) but some bonding time without Mommy. It gives me a short window of time to pay bills and do little tasks.

If it keeps the house in order... I guess I will be watching Ice Age until he finds something else to latch onto... could be worse I suspect!

Alright, so I am going to admit something that everyone knows already. I am addicted to World of Warcraft. No surprise. However, I get addicted to things like this and then my interest wanes and move on to something else. Funny thing is, computer games are the only addiction people make a fuss about with me.

In highschool I got addicted to my pysanky. And I do mean addicted. I spent every free moment hunched over an egg, burning my fingers, getting wax on everything. Heck my hands were permanently stained for months from handling all the hot dyes. No one thought that was unhealthy.

In College(and this still happens on occasion...) I got readdicted to my store of books. I pretty much didnt leave my dorm room except for classes and a random meal or two while I sat and read and reread books over and over. Put it this way, in my recollection, I have read the Children of the Earth Series (minus the last book which is a more recent publication) 5 times. THose are no skinny mini books. But I have also read Tamora Pierce's novels at least 10 times (Granted those are quick reads that I started reading back in Jr High) Mercedes Lackey - I have read her entire Valdamer series twice, with reading certain triolgy multiple times. The books I am currently chewing through, E.E. Knight's Age of Fire series... well this is the 4th time through them. Dont even get me started on Anne McCaffery's series which is waiting to be reread once I recollect all the books from my parents...

Needless to say, I go through phases, and as any of my Highschool and College friends know, I randomly drop off the face of the earth for months at a time. I get caught up in my addictions and once the novelty has worn off... or I remember myself, I come back often chagrined. I dont do this on purpose for the most part, but I lead a very solitary life outside my kids. and honestly, my WoW Addiction stems mainly from being incredibly lonely.

I do not make friends in the real world easily. I've been hurt so many times by friends that I tend to shy away from really opening up, because honestly, once I decide you are friend, I will fight tooth and nail for you. Even now I still get burned by friends and I still take it very personal. The thing is, on WoW I have quite a few people I call friends. Yes some of them haveburned me, but it doesnt feel as painful for the most part. But online I know there are people who really care about me. WoW is my only true social outlet. And I dont even pay for it... at least not for a couple more months.

See last year for Christmas, a pair of very dear friends sent me a years subscription. They know how tight our money situation is, and didnt want to see me give WoW up after Caitlynn was born. So I savor every moment. Am I addicted? Yes I am. There is no denying it, but I am addicted to having people ask about me, talk to me, be concerned for my welfare. I am addicted to being a shoulder for these virtual friends, to give them advice, or even just a friendly ear to listen. Apparently this is a crime. Should I spend less time online, probably. Yet the majority of my time is spent in the evening and night.

I am an insomniac. I rarely get a lot of sleep even if I try to go to bed early. I lay in bed for hours and hours... and I hate being idle. So I play on the computer. Of course with Dragon's Age coming out, I am sure I will spend more and more time on that. When Shawn isn't playing it that is. I bought the game as an early birthday present to myself, but I have to share it with my husband who is as easily addicted to games as I am. Granted, he doesnt see his addiction as the problem mine is... Pot, meet kettle.

alright... here is a mommyhood rant. S

Shawn has been working late the past week (late meaning he gets home after noon =p) and his usual routine is to come home and give the kidlets their bath before naptime. Granted usually we go upstairs at noon because Caitlynn is demanding a nap, Gabe isnt quite there yet but I cant leave him unattended while I put his sister down for a nap. Shawn gets home and gets Gabe out of his room for a bath (just in case he poops which he has been lately) and then tries to convince the kid to go to sleep. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.

Well today... for the first time in months he walks into the bedroom, strips, and then walks out to start the bathwater. But he drops his pants on the floor with all his change/keys/wallet etc in his pockets onto hardwood. So it makes a noise. Cait's eyes pop open and hey look at that, no more nap. Granted I am not feeling 100% and I really could have used some extra sleep. On top of that, he WAKES GABE UP to give him a bath. You NEVER wake Gabe up if you can help it... he is worse when you wake him up then when he doesnt sleep at all.

And of course Gabe will not go back to sleep. So now I have two wicked crabby kids and Shawn has shut the bedroom door and is taking HIS nap. SOmetimes I really think he does this on purpose ><

And to make matters worse, my farking social worker hasnt emptied her inbox in 3 days and I REALLY need to get intouch with her. Not a big surprise considering it took me 3 months to get in touch with her LAST time, but at least I could leave a message on her voicemail. So I am having one helluva shitty day.

On the plus side, Dragon's Age: Origins is awesome. More about that later =)

So last night was the first time I got to take a new role in WoW... that of a main tank. I leveled Chaly to 80 last week and have been chaining heroics since then... but last night 9 friends and I stepped into Naxxramas and I got to tank. I think we did rather well, minus some issues I had to learn to deal with, like the Safety Dance... and moving Grobby. it went very smoothly actually. I was happy, of course we had some very experienced players backing me up too!

My first time as a melee in a raid... and I liked it. i dont think I'll be giving up Maube anytime soon but I really enjoyed the change of rolls as a tank. I've healed, I've DPSed on various chars, but last night I tanked. And we did so well I think Naxx will only be a couple of weeks mainly for badges and whatnot before we head over to Ulduar and try to 10man that again. My last 10man failed mainly because we didnt have tanks that were reliable. Although through no fault of their own. Just like my 25man had trouble because we were out healers AND tanks. Funny thing is... Verissi and myself seem to always mirror the same roll because the raid needs it. We were mage DPS together, healers together and now tanks together. I think he just likes to keep me buffered ;)

Anyway... now that Dragon Age:Origins is uncrypted... time to go lose myself in a new game ::grins::

Well we make concessions in life to make everything go smoother... and I have made a rather silly one lately.

As any regular reader of my blog knows, Caitlynn has been having sleeping issues lately. Mostly revolving around teething and the need to practice crawling. Yet for the time being I have found a method that is helping her sleep better, not only at night, but during naptime as well. Oh and this is in her Packnplay as well.

Like her mommy, Caitlynn has a love of textures, specifically soft fuzzy ones. And my blanket is a VERY nice and soft blanket called Cashmina. Believe me when I say this.... it is the comfiest cozyiest blanket I have ever had... okay it's really a comforter but it is my blanket! So Caitlynn likes to take this blanket and rub her hands on it, and pull it against her face to feel the softness as she falls asleep. Something I like to do as well mind you. So lately I have been putting half the blanket in her Packnplay with half of it on the bed. Even when she is put in there awake, as long as she can play with my blanket she is usually content. WHen she starts to fuss, I just have to reach in, pop a pacifier in her mouth and she drifts off. I think I might have to buy myself a new blanket soon... when we move her into Gabe's room I might have to buy a little Cashmina blanket, and sleep with it so it smells like me.

Hey if it works right?

It is usually not a good thing...

I learned this with Gabe a while back, the trouble he has gotten into when I thought he was playing quietly... from opening christmas presents, to eating an entire quart of blueberries, to trying to open juice boxes himself... the list goes on. But yesterday was the first time that applied to Caitlynn.

She was having a rough day since she was overtired. Little devil decided she didnt want to nap unless I was laying next to her, and my knee was hurting so bad I couldn't stay in bed. So eventually I got tired of her kicking and trying to bite me, so I put her on the floor to practice crawling. She wasn't happy and was fussing and crying. Then it got quiet. I figured she found the pile of cheerios I put on the floor for her.

I was wrong.

Out of the blue Gabe starts screaming bloody murder. Ask him what is wrong all he is saying is 'Noodles!' Okay hun your noodles are right the.... CAITLYNN! There was Caitlynn her grubby hands in Gabe's bowl of noodles with streams of them from her mouth to the floor. Little shit wiggled to where Gabe was eating his dinner and proceeded to help herself.

When it comes to food, Cait is not shy at all.

~Sweet Little Blessings Giveaway~

You know I wish I would have done cloth diapers with both of my kids, Gabe came about when we were living in an apartment and so trudging around cloth diapers at 1.25 a load of laundry(wash only) was kinda steep. Then when we moved to a house with a washer and dryer, we didnt have the funds to invest in clothies, and since my MIL was buying us diapers whenever we needed them, it just didnt cross my mind. Although I promise, if I end up having a third child... we will be using cloth. If I can sit here and clean toddler underroos I can handle baby diaper cleaning, toddler poo is soooooooo much stinkier then breastfed baby poo.

Anyway, these cloth diapers are soooo cute!

Yes most of the time they know more then we do... since they you know, studied medicine for years and years... but sometimes they arent right.

Take for example - when I was in High School, I'd spend 3 days out of every month curled up around a heating pad intermittently throwing up and passing out from the excruciating pain. GG Mother Nature. And it was always in English Class... no one wanted to sit in front of me =p The doctor tells me things will get better after I have a kid, well two kids later and I am still quite nauseous when Mother Nature comes to call. The pain comes and goes, but it is still intense enough that I have to stop what I am doing and curl into the fetal position for a little while.

Example#2 - Few years after I saw the doc for the problem above, I was told that if I wanted to have kids I'd have to get surgery as I had scar tissue in my tubes. Joy, my Sister in Law had a similar surgery and she said it was very painful. Well I figured it was something I had to do... then 3 months after my wedding... guess what, pregnant =p 3 months after my cycles returned after Gabe... I was pregnant. So either Shawn has super sperm or the surgery wouldnt have been necessary ANYWAY. (didnt get it, man am I glad now)

Example #3 - my son Gabriel. Poor kid had a rough start... he was a vomitter, and the doc said it was okay. It was normal, babies spit up. I knew it wasnt but the Ped wouldnt listen to me. All he did was nurse, vomit, nurse, vomit and cry. He must have been in such pain and it was chalked up to 'normal' or I was just a crazy mom. Now with Caitlynn I can see that it wasnt normal and Gabe probably had GERD. Poor kid =(

Anyway, I guess this is just a rant that sometimes you have to second guess your doctors if you feel something isnt right. And yes this post is aimed at a dear friend of mine who has some health issues right now and the doctors keep poo-pooing her saying it is all in her head or due to her weight. Keep after the doctors, what you are experiencing Luv is NOT normal in any way shape or form.

It has been a rough week (again... yeah eventually things will get better!) Thursday of last week Gabe was up all night with explosive diahreah... not fun... but then when I went to get him up for the day, he had puked all over the floor in his room. He was so upset and was trying to clean it up with baby wipes. I assured him it was okay, he didnt mean to and plopped him in for a nice warm bath. He was tired but no fever so I figured I'd just keep him hydrated... and then while watching TV with him and cuddling, he projectiled all over me. And it was red, granted I had given him a popsicle, but it was still freaking me out. I called up my mum and then called up the PEd. I would have rushed him to the ER if my car was working (stupid battery) but without insurance that woulda been pricey. The Ped. knowing my insurance dilemma atm told me to wait it out, keep him hydrated and watch for any other symptoms. Luckily he recovered quickly, must have been either a 24hour bug, or he was drinking bath water again.

Scary! No one likes to see their kids sick, but even less when you are currently in the process of fighting for health insurance.

Well to make my day even better (sarcasm inserted here) Thursday night I slipped in the family room (Shawn neglected to tell methat Gabe spilt his water on the floor, he says my falling was 'karma' for giving Gabe a bigboy cup... yeah great husband eh?) and landed on my knee. Unfortunatly one's knee isnt supposed to bend the way it bent. Sheer and utter agony. Luckily no deformation and only a little swelling but omg the pain. And since we dont have insurance... cant even get that checked out.

Friday Shawn comes home from work throwing up... so I guess he caught Gabe's stomach virus. Yay. He was too sick to help me take care of the kids, so crippled me had to try and do everything once his mother left. I called her at 8:30am to help me out, she arrived at 12:30pm but at least she helped right? Getting the kids up and down the stairs made me cry from the pain, I STILL have to scoot on my butt to get down.

Saturday we were planning on going out with our friends, and Shawn was intent on going even with a sour stomach. I thought, oh boy I get to drink tonight since it hurts to drive and Shawn has a sour stomach. Boy was I wrong. Not only did Shawn get royally angry at me when I asked him to drive, he pretty much ignored me the whole night. Good thing Marcel came along so I had SOMEONE to talk to =p and Marc is always good for giving me attention when Shawn ignores me. So Shawn had two scorpion bowls, and I had a sip of Marc's beer. Joy. I could have used the alcohol to take the edge off the pain. Didnt help that a gaggle of kids decided to pole vault my bad knee in the crowded waiting area of the resteraunt.

Sunday, a VERY cold VERY rainy and windy day. We were supposed to go Punkin picking with the folks we went out to dinner with, including kids this time. Shawn decided he was going to be in a foul mood and snap at me constantly all morning. Hey I agree I am a slob and I am not a very good housekeeper, but I was vacuuming every day last week, even when I couldnt walk. So if he wants to get pissed at me for the mess in the house, he should see it if I didnt do ANYTHING to try and pick up after the kids. But no, I cant appease him when it comes to cleanliness.

So we left him at home and I packed up the kids, gimpy as I was, all bundled up for the cold. Picked out two punkins as fast as we possibly could and then went out for lunch. Gabe had a great time playing with Sherri and Jed's two sons, but especially Michael. Gabe just LOVES Michael. And of course Cait was a little angel... as long as we kept the pizza crusts coming. I had to take away her sippy to tighten the lid and BOY was she angry about that!

Now last night Cait was up at 1:30am wanting to play... and when I took her downstairs so Shawn could get some sleep, even tho I went to bed early and he did not, I somehow managed to twist my just starting to feel better knee. Oh my goodness, my vision went white. So today I am back to how I felt on Friday, I have a bunch of laundry that needs to be done and I KNOW I cant make it up and down the stairs with a laundry basket. Oh happy day, and if I ask Shawn to help me I am going to get an attitude since he is still pissy from this weekend.

Another day in Paradise >.<

That is my current mantra... for the past 4 days Caitlynn has decided she doesnt want to sleep past 11pm. and she isnt a very good napper anymore, just too much fun to be awake I guess. Well I think I have managed about 7 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours... which means not only am I exhausted, I am very very very cranky. Today I am a little more alert then yesterday... yesterday I didnt manage to get Gabe to go on the potty at all, I'd trip him then start to fall asleep while he played musical potties.

Part of it is Cait's teeth coming in, bottom two finally broke through and top two are on their way... but also I think she has been having nightmares. Last night she'd be screaming and kicking and writhing... but still be asleep. Talk about rough =( I finally brought her downstairs at around 2am and plopped her in her swing so Shawn could get some sleep. I thinks he slept in there for an hour while I dozed on the couch. Then we shlepped back upstairs. Of course once Gabe got up, Cait passed out in her porta crib... yikes.

Hoping I get Gabe on the potty mroe today, if I dont pass out on the couch again...

But I have to keep telling myself...
This too shall pass...

Alright I thought I'd post this recipe - since I whipped it up today and am enjoying it right now. I modified a recipe I found in a cookbook I got for a wedding present and I can see myself modifying it even more.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I actually used three pounds and my really big crock pot)
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning (I omitted this)
1pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix (I added 2)
1 (14oz) can of diced tomatoes (I used the diced tomatoes with jalepenos in them)
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of navy beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
1/2 cup of water


Brown the ground beef and onion in skillet, drain, place in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer in crockpot for 6-8 hours. Serve with corn chips.

Easy, affordable and very tasty. I also added about half a jar of my homemade salsa. I am not a big bean eater (if they aren't baked beans) and I am loving this. Warm, hearty and very yummy. Break out the hot sauce!

This is the time of year I love the most. Crisp weather, leaves changing color... and of course soup season. For me soup season is awesome - not only because we get all the free bread we want to go with the soup, but because soup on average is a cheap filling meal. During the summer, who wants to eat hot soup? But during the fall and winter... I can eat soup practically every day, and a pot of soup lasts for more then on meal!

So this week I decided to only plan for three dishes. Two of which are soups and one is a thrifty hearty meal. So we are going to be having:

Taco Bean Soup
Creamy Potato Cheese and Leek Soup
Enchiladas

All of these make quite a large amount of food, so it will keep us sated through the week. Thinking of maybe cooking some in the crock pot this week.

Now onto WoW news... I hate Tuesdays in general. This is the day the kids sleep in without fail... and yet WoW servers are down for maintence. i swear its a conspiracy =) I'll cope of course, hopefully get some beads glazed to be strung. Friend of mine is a nurse and requested one to hang her badge on. So maybe if the other nurses like it they will put in orders. I can hope right? Anyway... back to WoW since I digress.

I got my paladin to 70 last night, and sure there are millions of people who can level faster then I can, but hey I have other things to do >.>. I admit I am addicted to the silly game, but where else can you find cheaper entertainment? And even more so since some WONDERFUL friends gave me a year game subscription card for Christmas last year (and I still have until I think June on it!) So now I am trying to decide whether I should stay in Outlands to level until I finish the last 3 zones, or if I should just head off to Northrend with everyone else to trya nd level as fast as possible. GRanted I only work on him when he has rested exp (which is dwindling at this point) but I bounce between him and my shaman. She just reached 65 and still has a level and a half worth of rested on her.

I made Chal mainly so I could have a tank, I have never played a melee class in WoW past level 18 (not including the druid I powerleveled with Chal) so I think I am lacking in some understanding on how tanks work. That and well, I like to know how other classes work for when I raid lead, if I ever get back to it since my last one failed due to extensive absences.

I have some good friends willing to help me out at least =) but I dont know if I wanna just jump into Northrend... maybe I should, because then I can tank for PuGs and not feel bad when I suck miserably. Of course first I have to finish leveling my blacksmithing. So I won't be leaving Outlands until I mine enough Adamantine to be able to use the Cobalt that is prevelant in Northrend.

Lucky for me, friends of mine bombarded Vegonna, my engineer 65 shammy, with materials to get her engineering and jewelcrafting past the magical 350 point. So I dont have to worry about her too much, once she reaches 70 - Northrend is her destination =)

So anyway... I guess I shall return to real life. Sounds like Cait is up and ready to start her day, which means Gabe will be bouncing off the walls as well shortly.

Well if you have been following my blog, or my Facebook you know how things have been really rough lately. Between losing our health insurance, summer time slump for Shawn's job, and of course the teething and random sickness in the family. However today things really were starting to look up.

Not only am I going to be doing some freelance web design for a church, but also one of our assistance requests to the State has also gone through. So at least I dont have to worry about a week of just eating ramen again! I have also been working on finding a new home for our dog Sebastian.

I am going to miss him, and so is Gabe, but he is just too rambunctious for a toddler. Poor Gabe cant run in the backyard with Sebby loose, Sebby just runs him down. He doesnt do it to be malicious, but because he wants to play. That matched with the fact you cant really leave him off a chain (when he doesnt BReAK said chain) because he barrels through or jumps over our fence. He isnt motivated by food because I have been trying to teach him for a year now.

So I hope that works out as well... he needs a better home then we are giving him right now.

Okay... so its Patch Day on WOW... and big surprise... the servers are messed up... frustrating since computer time is my zen time... and today was a loooooooong day.

Cait had her 6month today.. and Shawn didnt get home in time to watch Gabe... so yeah... had to take both of them. And unfortunatly the doctor that we go to is nowhere NEAR punctual with appointments. We had an appointment at 12:15 and we didnt leave until almost 2:30. Which is worse because they scheduled the appointment during nap time.

Rough. Well Gabe did behave, he was playing with a little girl in the waiting room. Then the ticklemonster was chasing him through the exam room. Cait of course was a little angel =) until she got her 3 shots... oh that still breaks my heart. Yet she still was easier to calm down then Gabe used to be.

So we stop at McDonalds for chickies onthe ride home, and Gabe was happy =)

I take Cait up to try to get her to nap a little, and when I come back downstairs, Shawn and Gabe are passed out on the couch cuddling each other. Oh boy I wish I had my camera handy. It was sooooooo cute!

But then I sit down to play some Warcraft... and OMG the lag is just horrible... if you can even get on. I am so tempted to just turn off the computer and go get a bottle of wine and read some novels... but yeah... the addiction is strong. I will sit in Vent and wait for the raid to be called >.> even tho I am a backup - at least I am reliable!

Alright, so I love my UI addons... and I have too many. It was bogging down my play and making raiding difficult. Now since I am a member of a raiding guild, and I am on the backup roster for DPS I really have to make sure I am at the peak of my game every night. One of the raid's two mages is being deployed within 2 months, at least there is a 80% probability of that, and I know the DPS lead likes having a second mage along for Focus Magic.

Now I have been a frost mage for 90% of my career on WoW as a mage... and that is going on 4 years... I spent a year alliance but we won't go into that... yet a couple of months ago I decided, with the urging of Verissi, to give fire a try. For a raiding standpoint... fire is OMG. Seeing huge crit numbers flash across my screen is just awesome. So I was corrupted. Yet I am still not playing fire to the peak of my ability. Frost is easymode IMHO, very little in the way of rotations, pretty much just point and shoot. Fire takes a bit more to maximize DPS.

Luckily, V is the type of person who will help you when you ask. And asking I have been. He has run simulations on my gear to better min/max everything. He even helps me with my gemming choices. So right now, my gear is gemmed and enchanted to the best of my ability and I want to improve even more.

So I decided to purge my UI and start trying to use keybindings for everything. Now I use keybindings when I am healing, but honestly never really got into the habit of it for my DPS classes. ANd I think that accounts for some of my piddly DPS. Of course Piddly DPS is about 4.5k raid buffed... yet I am closer to the bottom of the damage meters... not the last but not as high as I COULD be.

So I purged my UI... instead of having buttons for everylittle thing I am going to try and make due with less, hoping this increases my FPS in game as well. We shall see!

Well I am going to rant right now... because goodness knows I REALLY need to... And please don't judge me =p

Alright, so Shawn doesnt get healthcare through his work, because to cover all of us would actually take up about 1/3 - 1/2 of his paycheck every week. We simply cannot afford that. Luckily, the State of Connecticut offers a health insurance for low income families like ours. Husky A. We've been on Husky since I was pregnant with Gabe. And I have filled out the forms, sent in the paystubs and kept it up to date.

Well in April, apparently we were sent a redetermination form. I never laid eyes on this. One of three things could have happened, Shawn opened the mail and since it wasnt a bill threw it out( My favorite), It never got delivered, I got it but filed it away. Sure that IS a possibility, but when it comes to the healthcare why would I suddenly NOT fill out a form after I'd been filling out the forms and sending the stuff in for the past 2 1/2 years. So I get a letter saying our healthcare will be terminated unless I send it in.

Okay... so I call up my worker. Voicemail. Typical. Okay so I leave a message asking for a new form. A week goes by. I call up again. Voicemail. Leave another message saying I NEED that form or I am going to lose my Husky. Get a letter in the mail saying I have 10 days before it is terminated so I log on the website, print out the referral form, fill it out and send it in.

about 2 weeks later (all the while I am STILL trying to get ahold of the worker) I get a letter in the mail saying I am denied for Husky B because I am already enrolled in Husky A. Now I am just confused. I never applied for Husky B. Okay fine, I call up the worker again to ask about this, leave more messages.

FINALLY today I get ahold of the worker. And she confirms my Husky was discontinued in JUNE. I've been trying to get ahold of her since late April. Filled out every form that was sent to me and didnt get ANY of the answers I asked for. So I am fully frustrated because I already have the Child Welfare breathing down my neck because I can't afford to get vaccinations for my kids right now. They will get them, when I either get the money or get my healthcare reinstated.

While I admit not sending in the FIRST packet is my fault, I have been trying and trying and trying to get ahold of SOMEONE to help me. So back to the drawing board I have to reapply from scratch and of course fight tooth and nail because current paycheck stubs, they base eligibility off a month of pay, is going to imply we make more then we do for a year. What they fail to realize is Shawn works on COMMISSION. And the first two weeks of school really increase his pay, then it goes back down to normal.

So yes I am frustrated, irritated and ready to call the State Department and tell them if their workers can't help the people on the current case load then maybe they need to consider opening more positions, because trying every other day for 2 months and not having ANY help is unacceptable.

Well apparently I couldnt beat the sickness that is going around... Shawn has been sick for a week now - and the kidlets have been having minor cold symptoms as well. I, like usual, have been fighting it with taking my vitamins, drinking more water, and washing my hands lots and lots. Getting more rest then usual is out of the question... but hey, doing what I can. Two days ago I finally felt my body sucumbing. Started with a sore throat, then moved to body aches and last night... or rather 3am this morning the nausea. Vomitting, Schlotzkis, dry heaves... yeah not fun. Of course Cait was up at 2:30 wanting to play. Kat, in his half awake state, griped at me for staying up to play WoW. As if that is the reason I am sick, he's the one who brought this home ><

Anyway, no fever thank goodness, but man... anything I put into my stomach doesnt stay there long. And no, I am not pregnant again =p Seems like everytime I feel run down or sick that is the first question people ask!

Well if Cait doesnt nap today I am planning on working on some more glazed beads, getting the hang of using this melting pot. Plenty of room for improvement tho, I shall post some pictures later to show folks the difference in the beads. Hoping to try a few new techniques this weekend but we shall see how long this virus takes to run it's course. I am so lucky that my constitution improved immensly when I was pregnant with Gabe... Mommy's can't afford to be sick!

So Cait hasnt been crawling yet... but she is VERY close... and she is teething, the two front bottom teeth are starting to show where they will show their pretty whiteness... but unfortunatly, what I am guessing is a combination of all three, she has been waking up at 3am ready to play. Of course when I am not ready to play she isnt happy and voices it... loudly. SO none of us have gotten much sleep. I am to the point that I cant fall asleep because I am so tired... maybe I should see if my MIL would bring over her corkscrew (since mine vanished.... ::glare Shawn::) and I cant open the wine bottle I have in the fridge. WHo cares if it is a good wine... maybe a nice glass will calm both me and Cait down.

On top of that, poor Gabe has been kept up as well. Well that and he still seems to want to fall asleep on the floor at the foot of his bed. Go figure. Anyway, this week has been crazy with Labor Day parties... so yes I know bad me for going without another menu... Blech. Anyway, tomorrow I am hoping to get some salsa made and canned for later. Yes I know I can get pretty much as many as I want from my friends who work for Frito Lay, but man I love my own fresh made stuph. We will see if the kidlets will allow it this time. I managed to get some seconds tomatoes from a local farmer today, I just hope he didnt sell me a bunch of rotten ones (at the bottom of the bushel)

I also splurged a little this week on my grocery shopping, I got a pack of stew meat, 11 dollars, but I know my beef stew will feed us for at least 3 days. Of course I make a HUGE crock pot filled with it. I love this time of the year, soups and stews in abundance... and they are usually relatively inexpensive to make.

So anyway...

Thursday: Beef Stew
Friday: Tuna Casserole
Saturday: Beef Stew Leftovers (better the second day!)

So a couple WoW friends and I decided to make our attempts at The Glory of the Hero meta achievment. What it basically is, is doing certain things (or not doing certain things) in the heroic dungeons of Wrath. And for a reward you get a very tasty Red Proto Drake. Now since I have never been able to obtain the special mounts like the Amani War Bear, the Plagued Protodrake or the Rusted Protodrake (or the 25 man special mounts) I figured I'd at least try really really hard for this one. Since you in essence only need 5 people. Well some of these achievements are REALLY difficult. And we dont run with the 'typical' group.

It is Me (Frost or Fire Mage)
Verissi (Fire mage)
Kieranna (Marksman Hunter)
Lomar (Prot Warrior)
Kalea (Healy Shaman)

Of everyone here, Kalea and I are the best gear with pretty much all Ulduar ranking loot. Lomar has spatterings of Ulduar gear and Verissi and Kier have spatterings of Naxx and what we have gotten from badge vendors and the heroics we run. So not the 'optimal' group, but where we might lack in gear, we have lots of experience with our classes. Verissi (author OMGL2PLAYNOOB) has to be the most experienced WoW player I know, with practically an 80 of every class.

So every week we try to knock out one achievement, we have limited time to play together due to raiding schedules but we try =) and we are past the halfway point. Well last night since my raid was cancelled we decided to try one of the harder ones. And let me tell you, it was AWFUL.

We went to Ajol'Nerub to do Watch him Die and the other two in there. Which are both mainly DPS races. This one just sucked. We wiped countless times trying out strategies of all sorts. Hunter kite, Mage Kite, Flat out Zerg, Kite one group, kill all the mini adds, kill only the skirmisher mini add... despawning the boss and trying to kill him from behind... yeah we were trying everything. Finally we decided to kill the mini adds then try to all out zerg the boss. Unfortunatly there is a high RNG aspect to this fight as there are stuns and webwraps that really impinge on your DPS and or healing. LUCKILY, at about 2 hours into our attempts RNG was in our favor. My mirror images were the ones getting webwrapped as I laid into the boss.

Our tank went down at about 10%, I nuked the best I could and popped a living bomb on him just as the adds came to eat my face. Luckily I was far away from the other group members so the mobs had to run to them, and by the time the rest of the party went down, the Boss was dead. I know I wasnt the only one to shriek on TS that we got it. And boy was it a sense of accomplishment.

Alright... this is going to be a flat out rant. Because this seems to happen all the time to me as well as my friends.

So I go out of my way to help someone, work my arse off to help. Turn my back for a minute and a dagger goes flying into it. Person I am helping turns his/her back on me, sometimes quietly other times in very very nasty ways, and moves on thinking that throughtheir own stamina, their own willpower and work is what got them through it.

People around me snicker behind my back or embrace the person and then start to help them out. When I grumble about it I get labeled as inconsiderate, jealous, mean spirited or a flat out liar. Okay fine. I dont talk about it. But then don't ASK me about it if you dont want to hear my gripes. I move on, but goodness knows I am not going to go out of my way to help said person ever again. And my close friends know that I will attempt to move mountains for the few close friends I have.

The incident is forgotten, by everyone else other then me because I can hold one helluva grudge, and all seems well. Then guess what, it happens again to the new person. People who pu-pued me about my reaction and brushed me off as any of the acronyms above are suddenly up in arms and highly offended that said person could possibly do that to someone! All because they are involved with the betrayal of the person whom had already backstabbed me.

Sounds a bit funny doesn't it? Yet it happens over and over... by my count 5 times since Jr. High. Sometimes I wonder why I even try to help people out.

So yes I have been a bad meal planning momma for the past week. No Blog entries, no menus for those of us who are on a very limited budget... but it has been quite the hectic week. Yes we did do the Ramen recipes and yes they were surprisingly delicious and cheap! Although next time around I will definitely do more in the flavor department. But when you really have to pinch, ramen noodles are a filling and tasty way to stretch the budget... oh and they are VERY kid friendly. My son just adores 'oodles.

So one of the reasons this past week has been rough is because Gabe decided that he didnt want to be in his crib anymore. Ever. He was crawling out of the crib and making a ruckus during nap and bedtimes. That wasnt what worried me... what worried me was the fact he had some pretty impressive bruises from his climbing escapes. So we made the decision it was time to move him to a toddler bed. Man it is hard to accept that your baby boy is growing up... and I was worried about a lot more. Gabe has NEVER been a good sleeper, from the moment we brought him home fromt he hospital he was little caffeine baby. (And to think I barely drank any caffeine while I was pregnant or breastfeeding) So how would he handle sleeping when he wasnt confined. Las Vegas made me cringe... he barely slept at all that whole week. But his safety was first concern.

SO I was happy enough just making his crib into the toddler bed, but then we'd have to buy a crib for Cait... so It was either buy a crib or buy a toddler bed. Toddler bed it was. I researched a bunch of beds and figured we'd just get a little wooden one like my parents have.

Enter Linda.

Now my mother-in-law is a very generous and loving person... but she is a bit scattered and VERY impulsive. Thats for another post... she decided that she wanted to buy the toddler bed. Which was good news to me since we are still VERY strapped for money... so she went to Toys R Us and looked at the toddler beds... and she picked out the two that she wanted to pick from. A car shaped bed or a Thomas the Tank Engine bed...

Now Gabe LOVES cars and trains... but trains are his favorite. Everytime he visits my parents he immediatly upon entering the house takes Gaggee by the hand and leads him to the basement door. My father has a train setup down there.

Since MIL was picking up the tab... we went for the Thomas bed. This was Friday night, I didnt want to wait too long because of risk of injury to Gabe... but we got home from the store too late on Friday to put it together immediatly. Gabe was crushed. I made the mistake of bringing the boxes in on Friday so Gabe saw the picture. First thing Saturday morning he ran to the box and hugged it. He was so excited. My siblings warned me that a 'play' bed was not a wise decision and I was very skeptical about it, but hey... maybe this would make him WANT to sleep? (okay my brother corrected me... they warned me it was impractical ;) )

So after Shawn put the bed together we brought Gabe up to see it... the entire time Shawn was piecing the bed together Gabe was chanting Daddy Datata (which is his word for train, think the train sound) We brought him upstairs and his face lit up. He practically squealed and ran to hug his Thomas bed. He collected all his favorite stuffed animals and even ran downstairs to grab Froggie. He spent a good hour playing on his bed before I made him come downstairs for dinner. He was not pleased.


Bedtime we brought him upstairs and did his normal routine. It took him a long while to settle down, but we let him have his freedom. About an hour later we checked on him, he was passed out on the floor next to the bed. We giggled then put him back in bed. The morning dawned with Gabe tearing apart his room and finding everything we thought we took out... think qtips with the cotton ripped off.

Naptime... we were dreading it. He is a terror when he doesnt nap. So we do the usual routine and then put him in his room for quiet time. We placed a child knob lock on the inside of his door. We have VERY steep stairs and worry about him falling down. We left him a sippy and a couple of books, not to mention the trains he has in his room. He actually took about an hour nap! Sure it wasnt as much as he needed, but he actually took a nap in his bed!


Yesterday he took almost a 3 hour nap in his bigboy bed without us having to take his toys away! And last night he actually fell asleep *IN* the bed instead of on the floor. I think maybe this transition was harder for me then for him. I went in this morning and there he was, playing on his bed with his stuffed animals, no clothing ripped from the drawers, although there was chalk drawings all over Thomas and his wall.. but whats a little chalk for peace of mind that your son is safe!

So I want to say... the first piece of advice I give any friend who is pregnant or wants to be... Follow your Instincts. *YOU* know your baby better then any well wisher be they inlaw, friend, grandparent, book, or some wacko off the street who thinks they are a better parent then you. Once I decided to follow that philosophy life was better at home. I kept trying to get DS to 'conform' to what the books and my friends said he should be like. DS is an individual with his own personality. Sure he is a clingy mommas boy right now, but that won't last forever. And honestly, how many parents wish they held their children LESS when they are all grown up? They are only so little and dependant on you for such a short time, why force them to grow up faster?

My first biggest beef was with breastfeeding. Now I am an avid lactating mommy but it was not easy to get to the comfortable spot I am in. When I first started with DS I really didnt know anyone who breastfed. My mom didnt, my MIL didnt, really didnt have many friends with kids and the ones who did weren't lactating mommas. So I was kinda doing it without a whole lotta support. When we finally hit the 8week mark it was no longer painful and hard, it began a whole new set of bonding that I do miss with DS. However, since DS was clingy from the getgo (I think he had some medical problems to do with GERD. The Ped didnt believe me but looking back I really think that was half the problem) folks said it was because I was breastfeeding and holding him too much. I am sorry but I feel that breastmilk is the best food for a growing baby, although some can't do what I did it was just the right fit for our family. after I started ignoring those comments I became comfortable in a natural process and no longer got antsy and tried to find a place to hide to feed my son.

At 6 months folks said, okay he is starting solids, time to wean him. I said no way. Not only did I love the experience, it was comforting to both of us when he got sick, or hurt himself. Sure he had to eat more often then a formula baby, but I also got to cuddle him while I slept. Of course snotty comments would follow about me coddling and spoiling, and how he'd never sleep through the night. Once more, ignored!

10 months and DS started sleeping through the night. We had to take a rougher approach then most attachment parents because of the fact I was losing my mind. DS wasn't happy if I was home and he wasnt occupying my entire attention. And he was starting to get too heavy to carry around in his Moby wrap all day. 3 days of sleeping on the floor in his bedroom finally saw him sleeping through the night without needing to cuddle in bed with his parents. A milestone that folks said would never happen because I held him too much and I nursed him too much... What is with all the 'too much' when there are so many kids out there with 'too little' be it affection, food, shelter etc.

Then a year came along and the same thing started. Heck I would get people completely shocked that I was still nursing at a year. When did breastfeeding become everyone's business anyway? DS wasnt ready to wean, I wasn't ready to wean, so we didnt.

At 18 months I stopped BF around people, was too tired of the stinkeye and the negative comments. Neither of us were ready to wean and DS nursed more for comfort then nutrition. Of course no one seems to remember that it is recommended to nurse for 2 years. Of course about that time I was pregnant with DD. And while some folks tandem nurse a toddler and a newborn I knew that wasnt going to be for me. And if I ended up with another one like DS that would be simply torture. So at 20 months, 2 months before DD was due, I weaned him. We did it gradually, I didnt make him and I quit cold turkey. It wasnt easy, but it wasnt impossible. It helped to remind DS that now he could eat chickies and pasta and fruits... and lots of other yummy stuff. He only asked to nurse once after DD was born, and I let him try, but he lost interest right away. See, they all grow up eventually =)

Now with DD, since she is so much easier then DS was... I am not getting the negative feedback... even though I am not doing anything different for DD. I hold her a lot, I nurse her, I sleep with her by my side. She used to sleep all night with DH and me, but she much prefers her space when she sleeps. Sure she doesnt need me as much as DS did, but I am grateful since DS is still a clingy boy and loves his momma above all else. Folks just need to remember, DH included, that kids arent copies, they are unique manuscripts with their own personalities, their own ways of doing things and my mantra, something a friend from WoW told me...

This too shall pass.

So DD has always been easier then DS was... DS was to be blunt, demonbaby. People were VERY surprised when I said I was pregnant with number two... since they knew number 1 was such a handful. The differences in their personalities are so very apparent. While DS is high maintence, DD is very low key (usually) and while DS thinks sleeping is unimportant, although he gets VERY crabby when he goes without, DD seems to enjoy it.

Well as you may have read... after Vegas it was rough, no one wanted to sleep. Partially because of DD's eczema, the time shift and a cold we all picked up. But Sunday DD ended up taking an almost 3 hour nap by herself and then went to bed... and slept for 8 hours! She did wake up about 3 times but I was able to rub her back and she fell back asleep. After 8 hours I figured she was hungry and just pulled her into bed with me. And last night she did the same! Sure I still wake up at every little whimper and cry but its a huge step forward for us! She even put herself to sleep last night with just about 5 minutes of fussing. I guess with her able to put the pacifier in her mouth on her own helps, when she can find it that is. Also since she is turning over on her own, the fact that she can sleep on her belly probably helps too.

Pretty soon I guess we will have to consider when to move her from her PacknPlay to a crib in her brother's room. Okay maybe in a couple more months =) I kinda enjoy having her so close... they grow up so very fast.

Well as I said in the last post our food budget was VERY low last week and yesterday was D&D day... and we spent more then we meant to on take out... so we are going to be eating leftovers tonight and probably tomorrow start the ramen menu. I am interested in trying this out as we have some various items in the freezer that need to be consumed before I have to start worrying about freezer burn. Not a fun thing for sure. I hate throwing away food because it just makes me wince from the cost.

Anyway - unfortunatly the slugs ate the majority of my garden... with DH not watering enough while I was in Vegas.. so alas we dont have the bountiful vegetable plants it looked like we were going to have earlier this summer. Very sad =( but maybe I can find some good deals at the farmers market in the next couple of weeks because I am planning on making Christmas Presents again this year and I make a tasty salsa =)

Monday: Leftovers from Takeout Sunday
Tuesday: Beef Ramen Pie
Wednesday: Sweet and Sour Pork Ramen
Thursday: Garlic Chicken and Ramen
Friday: Ramen Vegetable Stirfry

Alright so yesterday was grocery day - and our budget was VERY low this week due to some unforseen expenses and the fact DH is making about 200 less a week during the summer months. Thats one big problem with working for commission - when the business goes down (Aka schools out for the summer and they are DH's biggest buyers) so does the pay. I decided next week I would focus on a week of ramen inspired meals - cant beat the price on ramen as many college students know. Well while I was there - I found a few cheap cuts of meat however they were nearing the end of the shelf life. (still had 3 days to go but wasnt going to risk it!) So instead of what I planned for dinner tonight I decided to whip together a cheap and easy beef and broccoli.

• 3/4 pound lean beef (I used 4 small steaks that are used for sandwiches ala steakums in solid form)
  
• Marinade:
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I didnt have rice vinegar so I used red wine vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• Thickener:
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 pound fresh broccoli (I actually used frozen broccoli that I had stashed in the freezer)
  
• 2 garlic cloves
• To Cook Broccoli:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
• Other:
• 1 1/4 cups oil, or as needed

2 packages of ramen noodles the seasoning packages removed

Preparation:

Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices. Add the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last (use your fingers to rub it in). Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.
While the beef is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: for the sauce, mix together the oyster sauce, soy, and water in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water thickener and set aside.
Wash and drain the broccoli. Cut the stalk diagonally into thin slices. Cut the flowerets into 3 or 4 pieces. (Or use a package of frozen broccoli - like the ready to steam bags you can pop in the microwave - just take off a minute of cook time) Crush the garlic.
Heat the wok and add 1 cup oil. When the oil is medium-hot (between 300 and 325 degrees F.), add the beef. Blanch the beef by letting it lay flat for 30 - 40 seconds, and then stirring to separate the pieces. Remove the beef when it changes color and is nearly cooked (the entire process takes 1 - 2 minutes).
Remove the beef from the wok and drain on paper towels.
Clean out the wok with paper towels.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and stir fry briefly until aromatic.
Add the broccoli, sprinkle the salt and sugar over, and stir fry briefly, turning down the heat if necessary to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the 1/2 cup water, and cook the broccoli, covered, for 4 - 5 minutes, until it turns a bright green and is tender but still crisp. Remove from the wok and drain. (if you go the microwave route you dont need to add water to cook the broccoli)
Clean out the wok and add 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the broccoli and the beef. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture in the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken. Mix everything together and serve hot over cooked ramen.

Variations: *Add carrots and onion if desired. Boil in the wok with the broccoli (you'll need to add more water). I think it would be tasty to add some bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and or bean sprouts as well, but as money is tight all we had was the beef and broccoli.

It was actually VERY tasty although I doubled the sauce since we like a lot of sauce with our meat. Even my son who can be picky at times loved it. I can see many variations to this simple and cheap dish. Even adding some infused pepper oil or chopping up some jalepenos to add some spice. I was very pleased with the outcome and even more so since the entire meal cost about $6.00 for 4 servings. Most of the ingrediants I already had stashed in the cupboard.

Well I was thrilled when my DD turned out to be a good sleeper. Until recently. Suddenly she can't settle herself down for naptime and bedtime is often a struggle. Part of it is the fact she is trying really hard to figure out how to crawl but boy I forgot how painful the lack of sleep can be. See DS didnt sleep more then 3 hours straight until about 10 or 11 months. It was so bad I cancelled my WoW subscription and resented my DH for months that he could play. We haven't reached that point with DD yet but man... this is rough. Kick kick kick kick... thats what she does now - sleeping or awake those little legs are moving. And her favorite thing to kick - yup you guessed it, mommy. She will kick her way from my tummy all the way up my ribs to go for the throat. Giggling all the while. While it was cute the first couple of days... now it is wearisome.

She will spend lots of time in her stationary jumpy thingie just bouncing away happily... and just when you think she is ready for bed... she decides she needs to kick in her sleep too. I dont mind the not napping during the day (more then 20 minutes at time) unless she has a rough night and I NEED that nap. Like today, she was up a LOT last night. Sure she isnt feeling well and it isn't her fault... but man after a while you really start to gripe and complain. Okay maybe *I* just like to gripe and complain. Still... I have to remind myself... that DD is NOTHING like DS and I should be thankful I can still function!

ALright... so I am an avid World of Warcraft player... and I am one of those epeople who LOVE to roll alts to play as many race/class combos as I can. So recently I've been leveling some low level alts to 60. And now I am unsure as to which I am going to level up past there. Using just rested exp of course - makes it so much easier. I dont have as much time to play but I try to devote an hour to an alt everyday. With 3 80s to do Tourney Dailies on sometimes that hour doesnt happen! But weekend I can usually get a couple hours in to play.

So right now I could level a Pally a Druid or a Shaman. All are at 58 or 59. I really missed my druid on alliance... but I already have a healer and thats how I want to play my druid and my shaman. So I guess I will level my Paladin... time to learn how to tank. SInce I have never had a melee char... it should be interesting. Of course I have some wonderful people to give me pointers on tanking... so I guess I shall have to update my progress on occasion =) AS soon as I get his mining to 300 - Outland here I come!

Well here goes for another week of budget friendly meals. As our stomachs are still tender from a very rough stomach bug it will probably be bland for many people's tastes.

Monday: Buttered Noodles with fresh steamed vegetables
Tuesday: Cheesy French Bread Pizza with a garden salad
Wednesday: Kiebalsa with Saurkraut and Cucumber Salad
Thursday: Shrimp Scampi
Friday: Creamy mushroom Beef with Noodles and steamed carrots

Most of these are recipes I have come up with on my own - mainly utilizing the scraps from my cupboard. With money so tight you really have to be careful not to overextend yourself. Therefore we do eat a lot of pasta - the trick is trying to find different ways to cook it. Next week I know I am going to end up buying a case of Ramen - as that is the cheapest pasta out there and DS LOVES the stuph. However I wont be adding the MSG seasoning packet but instead using my own seasonings. SO look forward to next week's Ramen Week!

Soooo I havent posted in a week because of the fact my MIL decided it would be 'fun' to pack the kids up and take us to VEgas to visit her mother in law. Yeah... here I thought it would be fun... well it was a little but could have been better if she didnt insist on running away and smoking or gambling everytime I needed a hand with the kids.

For those of you who have never flown with small children... it is not easy - especially with a high maintence kid... thank goodness my DD is easygoing. Anyway - I recommend bringing lots of cheap little presents to give to your kids on the flight when they start getting antsy... but matchbox cars might not be so wise. I swear my son was throwing them on the floor and then having a hissy on purpose. Albeit the ride home was easier then the ride there.

Our sleeping arrangements were not the best either. Best my Grandmotherinlaw could do was a PacknPlay for DS... and DD would sleep in bed with me. Well my son is old enough to crawl out of said PacknPlay which made for a lot of sleepless nights and naptimes. Not to mention all he wanted to do was stick to me like glue. Understandable but frustrating none the less. In fact he had this habit of waking everyone in the house up when he got up... after only 4 hours of straight sleep. He was on a hair trigger almost ALL week long due to the sleep deprivation. Poor kid and poor us!

We did manage to get to the strip a couple times and once we did get to show DS the fountain and light show at the Bellagio, something he liked... but I think he enjoyed the Gelatto we had afterwards more!

So alas my budget friendly meals hasnt been posted lately but I should get back into the swing on Monday. And meanwhile I will try to get my body to readjust to EST time... it is almost midnight and I am WIDE awake. Joy. Rapture.

So yes, it appears that teething has begun... and with it some sleeping problems for a baby who really never had much issue with sleep. DS however didnt sleep longer then 4 hours straight until he was almost 11 months old... so we got spoiled with a very mellow second child... which makes this past week even more rough.

Usually I dont need a nap in the day but I often take one mainly to keep DD asleep - she naps better snuggled next to me (her food source) but she sleeps for the night better in her pack-n-play. Past couple of days I have REALLY needed one... but not had much luck convincing DD that she needs one too. Needless to say I am VERY grouchy when I dont sleep. DH continually tells me to stop playing WoW at night and sleep instead.. what he fails to realize is that WoW in the evenings is the only time I get to unwind and relax not to mention my only real social outlet. I dont see him giving up his computer time in the evenings... instead he comes home from work and promptly sleeps for 4-5 hours. But thats another gripe for another time.

So my original plan didnt work well... heck my meal plan kinda had to go out the window after I couldn't convince my Toddler to let me do any cooking... I swear he was attached to my leg and after he burned a finger... yeah decided to just take it easy.

However - on Thursday we did savor the Turkey Wafflewiches! Tasty take on a panini sandwich.

Box of frozen waffles - $2.00
Turkey lunch meat - $3.25
Red Onion - $.75
Cheddar Cheese - $1.25
Greenbeans - #3.00
Mayo - had on hand

$10.25 for the meal
Needless to say... you just put some margarine on the outside of the waffles - put some mayo turkey onion and cheddar cheese (we used shredded) between the two waffles - then grill them in a pan like I would make a grilled cheese. They were very tasty and I can see many combos made with different meats and veggies. Even my son like it, however he ended up just eating the waffle. Somedays he eats like a champ - others he could care less what was put in front of him.

Friday we ended up just eating leftovers since I was too tired (and too much clingy toddler) to be able to do anything on my own.

Saturday we were at the in-laws all day so we got to partake in some Uberti's fried fish and chips... ohh sooo good but that much grease is never good for the digestive tract! At least by visiting my inlaws I managed to get out with MIL to pick up diapers and treats for our upcoming plane trip. Saved me a lot of money and considering how tight our budget is, good thing too.

Sunday we splurged and decided to go to IHop for Brunch... which means we werent hungry for dinner minus a small little bit of pasta albeit my son noshed on chicken nuggets and apple slices. With PLENTY of ketchup of course. This week isnt a set menu as Wednesday, DS DD my MIL and myself are headed by plane to Las Vegas to visit DH's grandmother. She is unfortunatly too ill to fly out to visit us and because of that was VERY disappointed when she couldnt make it to DD's baptism. So while she is excited I am kinda worried... 5 hours in a plane with DS who doesnt like to sit still... and DD who has been very fussy the past week. Oh and a MIL who never. stops. talking. Wonder if I would get arrested if I try to drug my MIL so she sleeps....

So Tuesday's dinner was a Chicken Bruschetta - an idea I got from Meal Planning Mommies and it was a hit. All i did was cook up some chicken breasts - make a box of cornmeal stuffing and crack open some garlic and a can of diced tomatoes. Although I have to admit fresh tomatoes and basil would make it taste EVEN better!

about 2 lbs of boneless chicken breast (bought a 5lb bag of frozen breasts at Aldi and used half) $5.99 at Aldi
Box of cornmeal stuffing - $2.05 at Aldi
Can of diced tomatoes - $.99
Garlic 3 cloves had on hand
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - had on hand

I sauteed the nearly cooked chicken in some olive oil with the three cloves of garlic then spooned the cubed chicken on top of a serving of stuffing. Then I added a heaping helping of the diced tomatoes and sprinkled some basil on top. I bet if I added some cheese it woulda been really tasty too! Even my sometimes picky DS gobbled up his 'chickies'

So not bad - lot of protein and some veggies for $9.03. And one serving left to go. Of course that I should mention... my day was so hectic I COMPLETELY forgot about the steamed carrots I was going to make with it... oh well another night!

So yesterday wasnt a conducive day for doing much of anything... DD was feeling ill and wanted to be held and comforted... which is unlike her - normally she is happy as a clam playing in her bouncer or on her playmat or even just watching her brother run around like crazy... well since she was so eager for mommy's attention... DS got jealous. Normally he LOVES his baby sister... but yesterday when the only way I could get DD to stop crying was to lavish her with attention and singing... DS decided he wanted to be a baby too.

So I was hanging on by a thread yesterday... of course bedtime wasnt any better... while DS had a tummy bug, GG explosive poo and low grade fevers... at least he went to bed without too much of a fuss after he got his book. DD on the other hand... was so exhausted she couldnt sleep. Or rather... she'd sleep for 20 minutes then wake up screaming like a banshee.

I couldnt even nurse her to sleep... she would just kick and kick and kick and kick... I have two bruises on my ribcage starting. Heck she kicks in her sleep now. Not sure if this is because she is on the verge of scooting around or what... but yikes.

Anyway... due to the craziness of the day I never did get to post our dinner for Tuesday... and tonight I am just getting some take out because I am too tired to fight cooking with a toddler who just wants to help...
And by helping... yesterday he opened a cabinet on my shin and dropped a bowl on my foot... blech

Well I've decided to post my meal plans and my grocery lists because I know there are folks out there who do the same as I do... search sites for cheap and easy meals. I am not the only person out there struggling to make ends meet and hopefully I can help folks like other sites have helped me. I'll get my links sorted out soon so you can meet some of the folks who have helped me!

Anyway - onto the meal plan! I want to note that I do most of my shopping between Aldi and Walmart - depending on the grocery store sales... that is the only time I go in there... if they have a really good sale.

I also almost always have some sort of bread with each meal - usually with a flavored butter/oil. Hubby works for a bakery so we get all the free bread we can eat... needless to say I am kinda tired of bread ;)

Monday: Spicy Sausage and Pasta with a fresh tomato salad
Tuesday: Chicken Bruchetta with Steamed Carrots
Wednesday: Calzones
Thursday: Turkey Wafflewiches with fresh green beans
Friday: Shrimp Scampi over linguinie

Saturday and Sunday are usually left over days or we are visiting or being visited by Grandparents! We are lucky in the fact that both my and my husbands parents feed us when we visit or they visit us!

So today's meal... let me break it down:
Spicy Italian Sausage: $2.05 at Aldi
Piccolini Mini Wheels: $1.00 bought on sale
Tomato Sauce: $1.99 at Aldi
Fresh Tomatoes: From the garden

so it comes to $5.04 for this meal - I used half the pasta so I still have half a box to use later this week. The condiments for the tomato salad I had on hand which most do - just olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt pepper and a little sugar.

My son ate the pasta but didnt want the sausage... which is fine - more for Hubby and me. And we still have a serving for lunch or dinner later!

Yes it is a cheesy take on Stargate SG1.. boy how I miss thee...

So introductions first... I am a SAHM who is still a Sci-Fi/Fantasy buff from everything from the books I read to the movies I watch and the games I read. I married like and then next thing you know... we have two kids - a toddler who just loves to chase us around with his toy dragon and an infant who is learning to beat on a keyboard when mommy is playing World of Warcraft...

Yeah I'm crazy... but before bedtime... I am a momma. A momma trying to keep her family afloat on one income (yeah trying to get a job that will net MORE then daycare costs isnt exactly easy to find right now) and a mess of a budget.

This blog shall chronicle not only the joys of parenthood... but also the joys of budget friendly meals and ideas that clunk around in a sleep deprived brain.

As much as I would love to continue... Mommyhood waits for no toddler... and mine is currently telling me nap time is OVER - as well as a crabby infant who is done trying to eat my hair... oh joy