On the road again

My parents, older sister and I are headed to Nogales for yet another funeral......

I'm planning to take pictures this time so people can see what Nogales looks like, because it's a pretty decent place!!!

Trading Tuesday on Wed :)

Recently, I took dessert to a friends house for dinner. She was always searching for this cake at work, and so I thought I’d make it for her. She and her son have a lot of allergies, so this cake worked out great, because I bought a cake mix that contained no milk! This cake is one of my favorite cakes ever!!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved

1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained

1 box yellow cake mix

Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Directions:

Melt the butter in the microwave, poor in the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly on bottom of pan. Arrange pineapple slices on top of brown sugar. Place maraschino cherries inside the rings of the pineapples.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure the water needed for the cake mix. Make cake batter as directed on box, pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Memory Monday

Here is a picture of Mini D, and our 2 baby cousins! The baby in the carrier is our Godson!

Thankful Thursdays!

This week I am thankful for my mother. I have an amazing mother. I think everyone says that but my mother is unique in many ways.

She knew when she was younger she wanted to be a stay at home mother,it’s in her DNA to be a nurturer and to take care of her babies.

Growing up she always packed our lunches, and it would be something wonderful, it was nothing prepackaged! She would include little notes to us in our lunch boxes! She would pack my frozen Hi-C in tin foil, so by lunch time we’d have a delicious slushy treat!

She would make sure at the end of each day we did our homework, and she was always willing to help with our homework, even if it meant drawing a poster for us, (which later won an award! We felt so guilty)

When we were little she took care of us, one time in a store a lady pushed one of us, and the next thing I know, I hear my mom saying “Listen lady, your rude,” She didn’t allow us to be pushed around by anyone!

She ALWAYS had dinner on the table at the end of the day as well. We ALWAYS sat as a family at the dinner table and ate together and talked!

During summers, she would plan fun outings for us. We had a reward system, and she had a “little store” where we could buy pencil sets, and fun little trinkets with our “earned” money for our good behavior and helping with chores.

As we got older she was the “Liaison” between us and our dad. When he didn’t understand his teenage daughters, she would “soften” him up for us so he would understand our point of view!

As we became adults, she became a confidant, a friend, she has become even more then a mother!

This week and always I am thankful for a mother, that is so selfless, she sits vigil at the bedside yet again as a loved one is dying.

HER 4 girls are wonderful girls because of who SHE is!

Wayyy behind on trading Tuesday!!

Mama's Homemade Chicken Soup!

2 Chicken Breasts

3 Green onions(diced)

3 Medium celery stalks (diced)

1 Carrot (sliced)

1 cup corn or corn on the cob

3/4 cups rice

1 Small can tomato sauce

1-2 tablespoons Knorrs Bouillon
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch



Directions:

Boil chicken in water, about 1 hour until done. Cool and shred and set aside.

In a soup pot, add a little olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add onions, celery and carrots. Saute for a few minutes. Add corn starch, and coat the vegetables. Sprinkle salt and pepper on vegetables.

Add water to fill 3/4 of the pot.

Bring to a boil.
Add chicken and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil again.

Add rice, Knorrs bouillon and corn. Bring to a boil again.

Let it slow boil for about 1/2 hours until rice is cooked.


Disclaimer:
You will need to taste and season accordingly once done, you might need to add more knorrs or salt and pepper. Also, if it is too thick, just add more water and more knorrs and salt and pepper.


This is the best soup ever! When I was in HS, a friend made my mom right down the recipe because she wanted to start making it herself. As well as just the other night a friend of our special requested this meal from my mom. This is true comfort food!!

Vent about guys......

I just wanted to vent and say how idiotic STUPID (and that is a strong word in our family, because we’re not allowed to call people stupid) people are that allow themselves to be controlled by others…

More so guys that allow their significant others to dictate who they can and can not talk to. I grew up with boys, I have always had better male relationships, because I am more like “one of the guys”, that fun girl to hang out with etc.. (perhaps that’s why I’m single?) Anyhow, I don’t mean to digress……

There is a guy I knew for YEARS, about 13 years and when he started dating a certain someone she was hell bent on ending our friendship because she didn’t like that he was that close to someone else.

There is another guy who I knew about the same length of time, he lived in another state, we still were very very close, and would talk ALL the time… Well once he started dating this girl (who incidentally looks exactly like me) she didn’t like the friendship either. It was so bad that on the night before our mutual friends wedding when all the “Guys” went out, I of course went with them, well my buddies girl friend “S” flipped out and called him 1 million times… He had to “go home” to the hotel because he wasn’t allowed to be out with all of us if I was there. Ridiculous! Well 3 kids and several years later in their marriage I finally get the call one day “Ummm I can’t talk to you ever again” WOW that caught me by surprise!!

Then there is another one who I knew for even longer then the others.. Well HIS wife banned him from having any friends, male or female!!! I kept in contact with a mutual friend from the Marines, and he told me he had to call him while he was at work because his crazy wife wouldn’t allow R to talk to him! I once sent R an email and shortly after his Myspace and Facebook pages became R and J pages instead of just their own individual pages…..

One guy that I used to be close with the last few years, would never tell his main squeeze that he was meeting me for lunch or drinks!! For the fear she’d flip out?!? Who knows but it’s the same thing, I was the “secret” friend!!

So your probably thinking, well Miss B, you must be some kind of threat… Nope, not so much, I just have better male relationships, I have fun with guys, I’m just a go camping, drink a beer, hoot and holler at a football game kinda girl, I grew up in a neighborhood of , boys, it’s just how I am hardwired…

Soooooooo I just don’t get it at all!!

Oprah Show today

I'm not an Oprah fan AT ALL... I hate her show and how she is a one upper LOL however today I was flipping channels and the subject was eating healthy! Which has been a big thing for me lately. We are trying alternative methods of eating in our house to start being healthy.


I think people think if they are not over weight they don't need to worry, about health WRONG!!!

Here are some facts from the show:

1. People who skip breakfast altogether are 450 percent more likely to become overweight.

2. Things like 'multigrain' only means there are different grains used. They may still be refined grains. 'Whole grain' is much better.

3. It takes about 12 exposures to a taste for kids to finally say, 'You know what, I think that's okay.

4. On average, children consume 450 calories a day from beverages alone—nearly twice as many as 30 years ago. Fruit juices average 120 calories a glass, sodas average 150 calories a can and shakes average about 700 calories.

5. You need to stop eating Enriched Flour (Enriched) means they took all the good stuff out and put a little back. In 1960, Americans didn't use enriched flour, but today we consume 63 pounds a year.

6. Stop eating white foods.... White foods—including bleached flour. The only white items you should have in your fridge are egg whites, cauliflower and fish.

7. Keep in mind—polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are good for you and help fight depression.

8. 50 percent of the sugar we eat comes from "fat free" foods like salad dressings and soft drinks. In fact, young women get about half their daily calories from salad dressing!

9. The number one predictor of how long you're going to live is how well you can exercise your heart.

10. A simple change from 2 percent milk to 1 to skim, and 100 calories a day is over 10 pounds a year.

Here are a few ways we have changed our habits in our house:

We now have breakfast daily. We have a protein shake with 1 cup of skim milk and 1 1/2 cups of fruit.

We eat ground turkey instead of red meats, and usually no one knows I made the substitution.

We have healthy snacks that are easy to grab; string cheese, salt free peanuts, fat free yogurt, and lots of fruit.

We are drinking at least 72 ounces of water a day.

Memory Monday

WOW does time change things!!!!

12/17/2007

This is a picture of one of the Crawford brothers and I at their house, in Tempe! As you can see we were being silly making Smiles, which are smiley face shaped mashed potatoes at 0316 in the AM!!!!

Friends

I have some incredible friends who stick by me through good times and bad, and who don't toss me aside when someone else comes along, and who don't jump to conclusions! I have friends that are truly concerned about my well being, and are helping me to find part time work. I have some great friends that start my morning off with a text each day to see how I am, I have one friend who I can send lengthy emails to about anything and he's supportive.... You know who you are, so Thank you to those of you who are standing beside me during these crummy times!!!!

Life

So I tried to return to nights to help offset the household finances now that my sister has gone to grad school we aren’t charging her as much to live here. Well working nights was about an extra $800 a month!!

I found someone who wanted to switch to evenings and we proposed the switch to the powers that be and we were denied.

As a result  I have been looking for part time work. Not just in nursing either, I’ve applied at the Walgreens as well. I wouldn’t mind doing something that is easy, something that isn’t a life or death situation!!

My options are obtain part time work here in Az. or accept a travel assignment out of state and work 3 days out of state and come home and work 4 days here and then 3 there etc etc. I figured if I could do that for 12 weeks I could make roughly 12-15k depending on bonuses etc.

I’d prefer to find something part time and stay here.  So if anyone knows of any part time work please let me know!! As I said it doesn’t have to be nursing!

 

Thankful Thursdays

So my friend Tracy started doing Thankful Thursdays and so I decided to follow suit! HOWEVER, I have a million things that pop into my head when I think of what I am thankful for. So I decided I would do it week specific.

Something I am thankful for this week is for a 30 year plus friendship with someone. My crazy, fun, curly haired friend has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

When I try to remember things from my past where she was involved, I remember the play she was in, in high school. I remember watching her feed her toddler enzymes in applesauce so she could eat. I remember watching her do CPT treatments on her while she lay on the couch. I remember having a sleep over the night my baby sister was born. I remember visiting her very ill daughter in the hospital. I remember her being strong at her daughters funeral. I remember her welcoming me on my first day at work as a Labor and Delivery nurse! I remember standing beside her as we feared the worst regarding her fathers brain tumor!

She is someone who I truly have been to hell and back with. Someone who I can be honest with and tell her things I’m thinking, no matter how horrible they are and know that she’s not going to call to get me committed!!!

We can call each other in tears, and end up laughing, we can call each other at weird hours, and text at all hours!

She is someone who people used to have to do a double take at work because if I wore my hair curly or she wore hers straight, watch out we looked like the Bobbsey twins! And ironically we’d always wear the same color scrubs!!

She is someone who I can share my faith with, and my fear of my faith with. She is someone who understands my family dynamics, and the importance of my mother and father. She understands the bond of sisters.

I am so thankful for my special friend. She has been there for me tremendously, and the odd thing is, she doesn’t even realize how therapeutic our talks are!

She is the one whose life is in peril right now, and she still manages to lend her shoulder.

"A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope."

Trading Tuesday

Fruit Kabob

Ok this one is a simple SIMPLE recipe, however as I have said before, I know of a few people out there who are novices in the kitchen, so every once and awhile it is nice to throw out some EASY recipes!!

I made these to take to the BBQ the other night,and they were a hit with everyone especially the kids!

Ingredients:

Any fresh fruit of your choice (be cautious of fruit that yellows if out for too long)

Directions:

Cut up fruit in big chunks

Place on bamboo skewers, alternating colors

Serve with fruit dip (recipe below)

Fruit Dip

Ok ANOTHER no brainer for fruit dip

Ingredients:

1 small tub of cool whip

2 containers of strawberry yogurt

Directions:

Mix all together and refrigerate

Serve with fruit skewers

Memory Monday

Here is a picture for memory Monday, It’s a little washed out because it’s an actual picture, back when people took pictures and went and got the film developed!

This is Mini D and I at a New Year’s Eve 70’s party! If I remember correctly, Mini D was 18 and I was 22! WOW we were babies!

No husband, No kids, No friendship?

I wonder if any of my single readers out there have felt the shunning of their married friends before? I know A LOT of married with kids people, and there are several times that I don't get invited to do things. My little sister gets the same shunning with her friends, she works as a teacher and they will often talk about taking kids to the zoo or other fun outings and she doesnt get invited to do those things.

After awhile it gets old to read or hear about friends doing these fun things and not getting invited, ESPECIALLY because all of my friends know how much I like kids, and I must say I am good with them!

Well...... When recently one of my friends from high school and I have been hanging out and I love that she has no problem inviting me to do things or visit with her AND her family. We had talked about getting together on Saturday for a BBQ earlier in the week. So yesterday I get this call' she invited me to come over around 5 to cook out and hang out with their family. She said "I'm making the dough now for the hamburger buns", I got a kick out of that becuase she is such a little homemaker! So off I went to hang out with her, her husband, and their 3 kids. Whom are just precious and so much fun! She even invited me to bring over Bella (my dog)!

Well we had a delicious bbq, and hung out talking for a few hours, all of us, even her husband! He is totally comfortable hanging out and talking with us, and we have good conversations!

It's so nice to be welcomed by her family, and I love playing with her babies, and chatting with her teenager!!

Thank you Reeves family for not shunning me because I don't have a husband or kids! :)

The Prince Charming Cowboy

The Prince Charming Cowboy

my age at the time: 16-19

his age at the time: 17-20

where: Chandler, Az /Tempe, Az

I met this boy while working at Wendy's when I was 16 years old. I had just transferred to Mountain Pointe HS and got a job at Wendy's. There was an instant attraction to this boy, he was tall and shy, and had the cutest smile and straightest teeth! (Still am such a teeth girl) I had a pretty serious boyfriend at the time which is someone I will write about another time. This guy and I would talk and flirt at work, and would close up the store and stand around outside chatting. It quickly became something more..

We started our senior year of high school at separate schools, but would still see each other at work and would hang out, when we had time. I think we both knew that we had feelings for each other, but my current boyfriend hung over our heads. I finally told my current bf about him. I figured it was time he knew my interest was elsewhere.

I remember graduation day, I graduated and visited with my family and then left to drive to Corona to watch him graduate! Shortly after he left to go away to boot camp. We kept in touch and when he came home we visited with hung out and caught up.

My family really liked him he was a sweet guy, and he was really good to me. I remember he was home on leave once and he came and spent Easter with us, funny, because we have it on video tape!

Well we lost contact and he ended up married with a child. We reconnected a few years ago, I was in the process of leaving the Detroit Drunk and he was in a bad marriage, we formed our quick friendship again and talked a lot. I finally left the Detroit Drunk. By then the Prince Charming Cowboy had divorced his wife. I think this was the first time in our lives we were both single at the same time. Well he sent me this long email explaining that he had been talking to someone else all this time and was dating her. I was a little sad by this because I was glad to finally have our chance. He dated her for several months and they recently ended things.

He’s a good guy and deserves a good girl. However he is still so hung up on the ex girlfriend that he can’t see anything except his life with her.

The Funny Pharmacist

Another chapter in the book!!

The Funny Pharmacist

my age at the time: 24

his age at the time: 24

where: Chandler, Az

So there is this guy who I once dated….. I met him 7 years ago, in summer school! He was in my A & P class and I thought he was cute, so I left a note on his car that said, I think your cute call me! What is funny is he didn’t know who it was that left him the note. Well he called and we dated that summer, he was super cute and we had a lot of fun together. We both knew it was a good time not a long time, so at the end of the summer we parted ways.

Fast forward 7 years and he finds me on Facebook. We reconnect and catch up. He’s living in DC going to school now. We chatted a few times via the phone to catch up and maintained contact via text and Facebook.

Well he came home for the summer and we started talking a little more and a few weeks ago we went out for drinks and to catch up in person. We had a fun time. It’s funny to listen to someone else’s perspective on a previous relationship. He thinks I had a big mouth back then, which makes me laugh now because I don’t know how true that is…… ;)

We’ve had lengthy phone calls which are really nice because he get’s my schedule, he gets that I am a workaholic, and we can swap work stories and know what each other are talking about! As he pointed out to me tonight, he grew up with him mother being a nurse, he knows the demands of the career.

My funny Pharmacist makes me laugh, he has a quick witted sense on humor! As I told him tonight about this guy I once “dated” long distance and how we didn’t know when we were going to see each other again, he said “If you don't know when your gonna see each other again, then you don't want to see them bad enough!” HA HA HA I love it! Because it’s so true! It used to be like pulling teeth to get that person to see me, and it was always for just a brief time, so I always felt like I had to make the most of our time together by cramming as much as I could in!!

For that reason above that is why I love having guy friends, because they are honest, and they will always give you the guy perspective! Here is a Q & A session from our phone call tonight:

Q: Do you kiss all the girls your friends with?

A: I don’t have that many friends that are girls!

LOL again, another funny BUT true answer! Sadly my Funny Pharmacist has to return back to DC for school next week. So our lengthy phone chats will be diminished to text message because of his demands of school, which is completely understandable.

I will be sad to see him go, but excited for him as he begins another school year!

Trading Tuesday

Chicken in wine sauce

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 cans of cream of mushroom soup

2 cups of sour cream

2 small cans of sliced mushrooms (with their juice)

1/2 cup white wine

Paprika

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place chicken breasts in one layer in a long casserole dish coated in with non stick cook spray.

Combine the soup, sour cream, mushrooms and wine in a medium bowl.

Pour over chicken and dust with paprika and salt and pepper. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve over syrian rice (see this post for rice recipe)

You may have noticed I’ve been MIA this week… Well life has thrown me some lemons, some days I can make lemonade and others  I just can’t.

This has been a bad bad week for me, starting with Sunday night driving home from work in tears and realizing it just might be time to leave Labor and Delivery for a while, it’s rough dealing with the life and death piece sometimes, and every once and awhile I get these couples who rock me deep….

My closest friend Michelle, her father started chemo for his stage 4 cancer.

That same day she lost her position in my department, she’s getting a different job in the hospital.

And I finally started to figure out what it would take to get me debt free, and it’s not pretty…

So all in all things are looking bad… Thank God I have the weekend off, so I can reflect, pray and try to find the answers I need to my questions.

This is what sucks about being single….. There is no one at the end of your day to tell your story to.