Yay. I keep illiterating that I love the autumn months. And I do.. yet another reason is that TV is all new. I hate re-runs. SO much. I love that tv networks have finally gotten the message that we watch tv in the summer and have created summer series. Having satalite really helps since they have so many options.

Anywho. This week is the start of premieres. So far here there isnt really anything new that I have seen that I am that interested in. Well… take that back. With the soccer season still in high swing we missed several things that I would have liked to see. “Private Practice” being one of them. UGH I cant believe I forgot to watch it. Criminal Minds was premiering wednesday night and I HAD to see how they would remove Mandy Patinkin (Gideon) from the team. I have to say that I am more than disapointed that they had him commit suicide. I think there could have been SO many ways that they could have moved him on from the show. So I will have to wait until next week to see how I like “Private Practice. ” With so much good stuff on I will have to investigate getting a DVR. I hate missing stuff!

Greys Anatomy premiered last night. I have to say I have been counting the days. LOVE that show. Meredith? She disapointed me a little. But she is just so flawed you kind of have to love her. I knew she wouldnt be able to walk cleanly away from McDreamy. BUT him asking Christina for a drink is just OUT THERE. What the heck? I DO love the character of Lexi. She is a STRONG woman unlike her sister. LOVE that. And George admiting to Izzy that he loves her too? It had me jumping on the bed screaming. Steven thought Id seen a mouse and came running from the den.

Tonight I am anxious to see the premiere of Moonlight. I love creepy type stuff like Ghost Whisperer. So I think that this show will be right up my ally. YAY!

Another show I am interested in is Pushing Daisies. Its idea is a good one and far more original than the other newbies like Viva Laughlin, Cashmere Mafia and Big Shots wich I will NOT be watching. ( Caught it last night LAME wah wah )

hooray for TV!

Today we decided to take the babies to the beach. What a great day we had! Steven was off and today was a teacher work day for the girls. So we packed up and headed to the coast.

We got to Mytle Beach at around 12 and headed to a favorite lunch spot “River City Cafe” is an awesome, fun place to take the kids, even if it does sort of look like a saloon. They have the best hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Real beef,cheddar and homemade buns.

After we ate we headed down and let the kiddos play in the ocean.

Things One and Two are always ready to pose for me.. I love that. We also took Thing One’s friend from school and of course my cousin’s little baby Emma. She had a blast playing in the ocean and eating a LOT of sand. (ew?!) She would run toward the sea when the waves went out, but when they came back in she ran to Steve and hid between his toes.

 

 After playing for a few hours Emma finally had enough. I got some PRIME snuggle time with her. What a great nap that must have been.. the wind was gentle and the breeze was cool off the ocean. The tide was coming in around my toes and the crash of the sea was so soothing. I wanted to snooze some too.. I think I may have a little Thank goodness Steven was watching Thing two who was running up and down back and forth in the surf.

Late afternoon we packed up and were heading back home when our car noticed that the “HOT NOW” sign was lit in the Krispy Kreme window… it made the turn all on its own, found a parking spot, and turned its engine off. Since we couldnt just sit in the insistent car we went in and obliged its whim. YUMMO. There is NOTHING like hot krispy kreme.. and since it was Emma’s VERY first krispy kreme.. we all got hats to wear. Fun stuff.

Tommorow its back to the grind.. but it was nice to take a break together and enjoy some quasi family time.

I found this at Shannon’s blog. I like meme’s. Ya wanna make something of it?

The phone rings, who do you want it to be? Someone who has a job for me.. Mcleod Hospital foremost!

When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? , Totally. I shop at Aldi’s I gotta get my quarter back!

In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener? I guess it depends on the situation. I love to talk, but I listen a lot in places that I am not sure of.

Do you take compliments well?

mostly

Do you play Sudoku?

no, numbers are stupid.

If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive? 

probably. I could figure just about anything out. 

Do you like nipple rings?

hmm. I actually toyed with the idea of it for a while. I like to do the unexpected.. and THAT is something you wouldnt expect from me.

Did you ever go to camp as a kid? Yep. Little Beaver Camp. Every summer from when I was 8 until I was 19

What was your favorite game as a kid?

I was more a reader than a game player.

Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?

I have before. It didnt usually turn out that well.

Do you like to pursue or be pursued?

I am all about the persuit. I was a terrible dater, because I persued until I caught my prey.. then I was bored.

Do any songs make you cry?

I guess not. I cant ever rememer crying over one.

Are you continuing your education?

Im dying to.

Do you know how to shoot a gun?

Yup.

If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grab?

The babies, and thier baby pictures.

Do you think more about the past, present or future?

I love to make plans. Im really needing a vacation to plan. something new.

Favorite children’s book?

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. by Julie Andrews.

What color are your eyes?

Hazely greenish grey

How tall are you? 5′7

Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth? Yep.

Where was the furthest place you traveled today?

I went to Lumberton NC to shop today.

Do you like mustard?

yes. all kinds. especially specialty ones.

Do you look like your mom or dad?

I look very much like my mom.. but as I age I look more and more like my Dad.

How long does it take you in the shower?

Maybe 5 minutes. I have kids. I never get left alone longer than that.

Can you do splits?

not even a little.

What movie do you want to see right now?

None that I can think of.

What did you do for New Year’s?

umm. I dont know.

Do you think The Grudge was scary? No idea. Never saw it.

Do you own a camera phone?

yes.

Was your mom a cheerleader? not even a little.

What’s the last letter of your middle name? E.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

about 8

Do you like care bears? 

not really. other characters are cuter.

What do you buy at the movies?

I love movie theater popcorn.

Do you know how to play poker? No. Wouldn’t mind learning.

Do you wear your seatbelt?:

I am terrible about it. Im always getting fussed at about it.

What do you wear to sleep? Nuttin honey. I hate the feeling of getting all tangled up in my clothes.

Is your tongue pierced?

again..something I thought about. But couldnt get serious about.

Do you like Liver and Onions?

I like chicken livers. and onions.. separtately.

Are you in love? Madly.deeply,truely.

Do you like funny or serious people better? I like em all. 

Ever been to L.A.?

yes. at the airport and then a hotel since we got layed over.

Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?

I dont usually mess with it..Steven buys them though. Wich reminds me.. I want that russian chick’s cd.

Are you a gullible person?

not usually.

Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy?

Not really. Although I find that some of the happiest times of my life are when I have been attatched to someone. I am all about stability.

If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be?

You know that Samantha Brown on Travel Channel? THAT chick has the best job ever.

Are you easy to get along with? I think so.

What is your favorite time of day? after steven gets home from work.

Would you rather sleep alone or with someone? With steven I love to snuggle

Would you give up the one you love/care for the most to become immortal? nah.

What animal are you most like?

idk.

What kind of tea do you like the most?

lately I have been loving black tea with sugar and milk.

Do you laugh at peoples’ stupidity? More loudly than I should.

Do you feel guilty for doing so after you’re done laughing? No.

I had the most hilarious thing happen to me today. Apparently I am a celebrity.. or the best most awesome woman ever… here’s how. 

7 years ago, I was a very different person. I was broken, and wild and just living from party to party. Whatever I wanted to do? I did. I wont be TO hard on myself, since that is who a LOT of early twenty somethings are.

On the 4th of July 1999 a group of friends and I went to a Beach Boys Concert in Anchorage Alaska where I was living at the time. I met up with an old aquaintance from high school who was quasi-dating a really really cute guy. Another friend had been experimenting with wine making and had brought about a case of wine with her to the concert. We all got very very drunk on the raspberry and salmonberry wine. One thing led to another.. blah blah blah. I hooked up with the really cute guy.

I was planning to move to Barrow Alaska (the litteral very end of the earth) at the end of the summer but the aquaintance (from high school) and I hung out occasionally and spent some time together, but never established anything beyond a passing friendship over the next two months. After that, I moved to Barrow.

In early October I got the cold/flu from hell. I couldnt shake it. I felt terrible. I didnt even begin to suspect that I was pregnant since I have PCOS and late periods are totally normal for me. Late October I finally went to a Dr when someone I was seeing mentioned I had gained some weight (actually he said “For someone who pukes all the time those jeans sure are getting tight.”) and he confirmed that I was indeed pregnant. The “friend”? Long gone. no contact. I have tried and tried to contact her. (why would she want to talk to me? I got pregnant by her boyfriend)

Fast forward 7 years. Thing Two is the most amazing kid. AWESOME. And loved beyond measure. No biological Father. But she has a Daddy who loves her to distraction. Hang with me. Im getting to the funny part.

My kids are on Medicaid. Medical insurance is unattainable for a LOT of people. Home Depot does a pretty good job with benefits. But we just cant hang with the fees. We totally qualify for Medicaid.

Every 6 months or so you have to update your financial information with the state. I dread this because the people in the Dillon office are pretty hardheaded, and have a really hard time understanding that Steven and I have custody of Thing One, and its her MOTHER that pays child support.

(boy this is long winded)

ANYWAY. Today Steven and I went to update the files. I have been having some health issues and thought to apply for medicaid for me. Its pretty hard to get the coverage for an adult. But it was worth a try. Was I in for a run around!

I walked up to the little bulletproof glass both and informed the Typical African American Ghetto Princess Clerk (you know the type.. hair did, nails did, clothes wayyy to tight. gum smacking cell phone answering neck waving girl who came from the same projects I did that just happened to get a job at DHHS.) that I would like to apply for coverage for my girls AND for myself.. She ROLLED her eyes and let out a BIG SIGH. This is pretty close to an exact quote of the conversation that went on

CLERK: ”You’ll have to sue the BABY DADDY”.

ME: Erngh? (tilts head to the side and grunts questioningly like scooby doo)”The baby daddy? ummmok. If you are refering to her biological father, Thing Two is the result of a One night stand in Anchorage Alaska in the summer of 1999.”

CLERK:”no.. you gotta know more than that”

ME:”Im sorry Thing Two’s paternal DNA contributor is unknown”

CLERK: “Let me get my supervisor”

ME: “Certainly”

In comes a slightly irritated looking  slightly more proffesional looking african american ghetto princess.

SUPERVISOR:”If you wont sue the father I will not process your application, Trust me you will not get accepted”

ME:”well, we wont know that until we try will we?” (remaining calm)

SUPERVISOR:”You have to fill out the g-99 baby daddy papperwork”

ME:”I’ll be glad to fill out the paperwork, but there is very little to say, it was a one night stand”

SUPERVISOR:” You just dont get it.”

ME: “Uhh. Yes as a matter of fact I do. I am entitled to apply reguardless of what you think the outcome will be”

SUPERVISOR: “Yeah you can, but I aint filing it, because you wont get it”

ME:”Give me what I need, I will go to a higher office.”

SUPERVISOR: “You just aint gettin’ it, they aint changin’ no policy jest for you.”

ME:”Well, every change started somewhere. Can I have the correct paperwork to apply?”

SUPERVISOR: “You mean to tell me you aint know who y’ baby daddy i’? (slipping from her fancy I went to vo-tech school voice to the ghetto vernacular)

ME:”Like I said, it was a one night stand,”

She rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. Standing her ground.

SUPERVISOR: ” I aint filing it, if you cant tell me mo’ than the baby daddy firs’ name.”

ME: “Are you telling me I am THE ONLY woman in South Carolina to ever have gotten pregnant from a one night stand?”

SUPERVISOR: “Yeah prolly”

ME: *slaps forehead V-8 style* and walks out of office.

Apparently I am THE ONLY woman EVER to have gotten pregnant from a one night stand.I am AWESOME

I thought you might like to see some of the fall decorations that I have put out. This is our first year in our new home… so I am just working up to having enough for each room. In our old place we had a lot less space, so I am excited to decorate for each holiday… especially Christmas. I cant wait! Hobby Lobby? Look out.

Yesterday was such a wonderful early fall day.. I guess I said that already in my post. But MAN I enjoy the cooler weather. Since it was so nice and cool I made some Goulash Stoup. (Like Rachael Ray says “thicker than a soup thinner than a stew”) It was a huge hit around here so I thought I would share the recipe.

Goulash/Italian Chili Stoup

1 lb ground turkey

2 italian sausages casings removed

2 tbsp olive oil

1 big can of tomato juice

1 can of diced tomatos

1 can red kidney beans

1 red or green bell pepper seeded and diced

1-2 big carrots diced

2 cups dry elbow maccaroni

1 big onion diced

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp italian seasonings

Heat a big stew/soup pot and add olive oil. Add chili powder and cook a few minutes stiring constantly. Add turkey and italian sausages and saute until browned. Add onions,peppers, and carrots and saute about 10 minutes.

Add tomato juice, and tomatoes, Bring to a boil, add noodles and reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes. GENTLY fold in beans and simmer an additional 10-15 minutes. The juice of the beans will thicken the broth as well as the starch in the noodles.

Top each bowl with a sprinkle of parmessan cheese.

I served it with saltine crackers.. but I think corn muffins would be yummy with this too.

 

I am finally officially a “Soccer Mom”. The Pee Wee Season of soccer began this week and Thing Two will be playing. I have tried to persuade the Things to play in previous seasons to no avail. “Eh” was always the response I got.

  Then this summer the girls attended a very athletically oriented summer camp, where they learned to basics of soccer, basketball,softball,volleyball and the like. Thing One discovered that she might indeed have a use for the ten foot legs she posseses. She loves basketball.

  But Thing Two loved soccer. She is a running fool.. in fact my Dad has taken to calling her “forest” as in “Run Forest Run” She is fast and LOVES it. She gets this giddy giggle going as she runs and it makes anyone within a mile radius smile uncontrolably.

Last night was her first practice. She was a maniac on the feild. She loved it.  She is aggressive and really into it. From the feild I could hear her little maniacal giggle and she was in love.. She fits in like one o’ them round pegs.

The best moment of the night came when I over heard her commenting to a friend when the coach was imposing a new rule.

1. If any team member is caught touching the ball with her/his hands the entire team will play one scrimage with thier hands behind thier backs.

Thing Two felt that she could not run as fast with her hands behind her back as she felt like she might fall forward. This is what I heard my formerly sweet lovely princess prissy girl say.

“The next person to touch that ball gets their eye poked out.”

 We have created a monster.

Just when I thought that it would never get here. Autumn has finally arrived in the Carolinas. This morning we awoke to a slllliiiiightly crisper morning and to a distinctly different atmosphere. It RAINED for the first time in a few weeks and it remained at a temperature lower than that of the surface of the sun.

  Then this evening I was walking accross the yard and noticed that there was a slightly yellow-ish tinge to the leaves in the oak trees. The tulip bush in our front yard has a smattering of red and there is slight pile of leaves at the base of another tree near the road…its a good sign. Autumn is on its way.

  The other sign we have is all the Autumn decor that I unpacked and placed around the house. Scarecrows and fake red,gold,purple, and orange leaves abound. I looked for some cinnamon candles at Walmart yesterday when I went to grab some shin guards for Thing two but they were out of the kind I like still.

BUT its definatly here. And I am SO glad.

Ahhh. Steven and I had SUCH a good friday night. It was so fun. And you know what? We werent doing anything special. We just went into town and went grocery shopping, to the Super Walmart (thats the BIG one vs the teeny non-super walmart here in Dillon) and then to dinner.

The girls were at my cousin’s house spending the night with her, and so it was just the two of us. We took our time and went to Aldi’s… however we discovered that, that is when EVERYONE goes to Aldi’s, it was a madhouse in there and there was litterally NO produce. It was like a breadline in Russia. ” please sir.. do you have any grapes for my poor rickety babies?” NO GRAPES FOR YOU. But oh well. I can pay more for my grapes.. Im no stranger to heartache lol kidding.

Then we went to buy Thing Two’s soccer kleats. Ugh. Something in me screams about buying shoes she can only wear a few hours a week and cant be bought just a tad big so she can “grow into em” for next year. My thrifty inner-martha gets all itchy about it.. But I sucked it up and bought her cute black and pink ones. I still have to find little mini small person shin guards.. since they didnt have any that small. Im seriously considering just sticking some maxi pads in her socks.. (totally kidding here. she would die a million deaths.)

Then we went to Olive Garden. “Fauxtalian” as my friend Shannon calls it is a favorite in our family. Thing One informed us upon hearing that we’d eaten there that we were “fired”. They are having the Neverending Pasta Dinner there this month, and Steven took that as a challenge. They have this smoked mozerella sauce that is AWESOME. Only it is so rich its like eating cream.And the first serving  they bring you is like a huge vat of pasta. I managed only about a third of it before asking if I could switch off to something less artery clogging. Five pepper marina was WAY better. I stopped in time though for some tirimisu… And effectively put myself into a carbohydrate coma. I barely survived the ride home. I was so sleepy! I dragged through putting the groceries away.. allowing Steven to do WAY more than his share. ANd knocked out at 11 pm to sleep until 10 am this morning!

We have been being SO careful about carbs. Having PCOS makes carbs my biggest enemy. I cant process insulin very well so I have like a carb hangover today. But it was worth it.

yummo!

Today Steven had to work, so my Aunt and I took Thing One back to town to look for some more fall decor. I have been working at adding some seasonal decoration to the house and went to Hobby Lobby, where I found SO MUCH CUTE STUFF. I wanted to spend a million dollars  in there. They had every cue scarecrow, pumpkin,pilgrim ect that you could imagine. But I refrained and was careful. I did score some cute little pumpkins and a little “harvest blessings” wall thingee.  there 50% off! Then we went to the Dollar Tree where I found some neat fall leaf swags to put around, as well as these cute little ceramic pumpkins. I love harvest and fall.. I still need to buy some cinnamon candles  to make the place smell like fall , but walmart only had wierd “pumpkin spice” ones. I like just plain cinnamon or apple cinnamon. So I will get those next payday! DO you put seasonal deco up?

What’s in a Middle Name?

 I was tagged by the lovely Lisa for this meme. Since I am always up for a good one. Here you go!

The Rules:1) You have to post the rules before you give the facts.

2) Players must list one fact that is relevant to your life for each letter in your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name then use a name that you like.

3) When you are tagged, you must write a post containing your own middle name game facts.

4) At the end of your post, you must tag one person for each letter in your middle name. Don’t forget to comment them telling that they are tagged and to read your post to get the rules.

E- exitable. I get excited about the most simple things. I love simple things.

L- loyal. I love my family and friends all the way. I dont make close friendships easily. But once I do I am a really good person to have in your corner.

A- authentic. I yam who I yam. Not changing for anyone.

I- interesting. to say the least.

N-  nasty. I am a good friend and not easily angered. BUT get on my bad side? fahgedaboudit.

E- entertaining. I am fun fun fun.

I tag. Cecily, Elizabeth, Mom, Cindy and Steven