Craves for the week of 3/25/12

I cannot believe that we are already at the end of March.  WOW did this month go by extremely fast.  I absolutely loved the warm weather we had for so long but I must say I am not a fan of the weather we have had recently- cloudy, cold winds - basically typical March weather!  Oh well....summer shall be here eventually.

With gas prices soaring, I decided to stay close to home this week.  I had wanted to drive over to Aldi's and Costco to stock up on some things but I think I will wait until the first part of April.  **sigh** these higher gas prices are going to hurt my economy and ability to buy extras.

Well onward to to our craves for this last week of March!

1. Sour Patch Jelly Beans: My mom brought a bag of these to the baseball game on Monday.  We all enjoyed munching on them.  The bag made it back to our house at the end of the night.  I peeked in just before lunch on Tuesday and found 3 beans left :-D.  They didn't last long.

2. BBQ Meatballs: Just after we moved into our current home (it will be 6 years ago in June) I first made these meatballs.  They have been a favorite ever since.  Lately though, I have been making meatballs with a beef gravy since the boys really like that version as well.  I was glad I remembered the BBQ meatballs though and they were enjoyed Tuesday night, Wednesday night - for my picky younger ones, and Thursday for lunch.

3. Sleeping in, no homework, lazy days-- Spring Break:  Yep that is what I am craving-- a week off of school!  I do wish we could have gone someplace, the kids are desiring a vacation too but it just isn't in our cards this year.  So instead we will enjoy no bedtimes, no wake up calls and maybe some other fun activities.

4.  Thunderstorms: I always enjoy a good thunderstorm.  I love watching the lightening flash across the sky- and to the north we have a really good view to watch storms roll in.  Listening to the thunder boom and having the dogs snuggle with me :-D

These have been our craves for this week.  What are your current craves?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill, I hope you come back again soon.

5 Question Friday 3/30/12

Not only is it finally Friday....but it is almost the end of March and next week my kids have spring break!!  We are all ready for an entire week of no school, no early mornings, and no homework.  It also means that we only have 2 more months left of this school year, wow did it fly by fast.

Spring always means we are busy, busy, busy and this year is no different.  Baseball season is in full swing for my oldest.  Our youngest starts practice next week which will add to our crazy schedule but these boys love the sport which makes it so worth the craziness.

So it's Friday therefore it's time for 5 question Friday:

1. What giveaway would you like to do on your blog?  Well I haven't done a give-away yet.  My first one is coming up and will start probably next week :-D.  I just want that to go well so I haven't given future giveaways much thought.  So I am not sure yet.  It would be fun to be able to do a big giveaway like an ipad or something.  But honestly ??

2. If you had to choose between natural artistic ability and natural athletic ability, which would it be?  Hmm this honestly is hard.  I was watching a high school student running yesterday.  She had a runners body and you could just see how fluid she moved when running.  I do wish that I enjoyed exercise, I wish I had an athletic body (which I so do not!).  BUT.... I would love to be able to create beautiful paintings as well.  So I guess it is a toss up because honestly, I have neither :-D

3. Do you ditch the coat the minute it becomes "spring" or are you a holdout for more cool temps?  Heck honestly I rarely wear a coat even in the  middle of winter (and yes I live in Michigan where it can get quite cold and snowy!).  If I am just running the kids to school or something, I just wear a sweatshirt.  So-- I ditch the coat right away.  That isn't to say that I pack them away.....I do leave the kids coats out just in case it gets cold again.  Cause it can.  I have seen snowflakes in May here.

4. What would you do if you won the mega millions lotto of 1/2 billion dollars?  Oh things I could do if I was to win all that money.  They are far too many to list here but for a taste of some of them-- I would build us a new house and use high quality products (I hate our cheap laminate and carpet!); find some charities to support; fund some college funds; buy some toys for my boys; and go on some vacations!

5. You are at a hotel by yourself...what do you do?  Oohh-- make sure I have a really good book, some great magazines, some snacks maybe? and just rest, relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.  Then maybe find someplace to go and shop for awhile.....this could equal a new me!

There you have it-- all my answers to the 5 question friday.  Head to My Little Life and check out some other answers.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Mine is looking great!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill, come back and visit again soon.

Facebook, Potential Employers, Passwords

So I am sure you have heard the hoopla running around the news and elsewhere.  Companies are asking potential employees for their facebook passwords so they can go and check them out.  I have to admit, my first response to this was WHAT?!

A friend of mine recently posted a question to the rest of us on facebook, asking us what we thought of this.  While many said that they had nothing to hide, others had some interesting (and I have to say odd) takes on this.  Some stated that there is absolutely no way they would give them that information as people can have a social life outside of work. That is what facebook means to them.  Others had strange ideas about what people own and don't own- I won't get into that because it was pretty wild.

Someone brought up the fact that by allowing someone else into your facebook you risk them invading your friends privacy.  You also risk the chance that maybe this person isn't truly honest and could post things on your page.  Who is to say that they would get rid of your password after this or that it wouldn't fall into others hands.  Others could be using your facebook page as you causing you untold problems.

My biggest objection is this- when you are interviewed there are certain questions that potential employers cannot ask you.  Think about your religious beliefs, sexual orientation, race, etc.  All of that can be on your facebook.  If you have filled out anything on the Interests Section, it asks what is your religious affiliation, my spouse and kids show up on my page, you might include organizations you support.  Why should any of this matter to a potential employer?  They cannot ask you these questions in an interview but they sure can get this information from your facebook account.  So how can this be legal?

While I definitely do not have anything to hide- heck I write about my life every single day and post it on my blog for whomever wishes to read- I would not want someone I do not know to have access to my facebook page.  I may potentially "friend" them so that they could see my information but I feel that still crosses a line.  Facebook for me is about friends and family.  It is not about work.  The information they could find on facebook would not help them decide whether or not to hire me.  What you see is what you get.  My posts on facebook are not going to be a deciding factor, unless you have something against boring mom related posts!

So what is your view on this?  Would it depend on what the job was for?  What about if you had been searching for a job for a couple of years and this could be your saving grace?  Would these factors make a difference?

Linking up to Thoughtful Thursdays.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Come back and visit again soon!

Nighstand Update

Last week during our wonderfully warm gorgeous weather I decided it would be the perfect time to finish my nightstand.  My hubby confessed that he thought I had given up or forgotten about it :-D.  No, I just had other things going on and I don't think it hurt it to sit and "cure" for a bit!

So here is the finished product:

I absolutely love it now.  I love how it looks in the bedroom and I think I want to decorate around it - you know add some pictures and what not that go with the theme of it.  Right now we really don't have much in the way of decorations in there, it is fairly plain and bland.

So how did I do this?

Well this is how it all started:

I first sanded the table down and then put two coats of brown paint on it.  I had the brown paint on hand, that is why I chose that color.  Then I purchased 4 sheets of 12x12 scrapbook paper.  That cost me $2.50.

I used some homemade modge podge (equal parts of white glue and water) to adhere the scrapbook paper to the top and the shelf of the table.  I put three additional coats of modge podge over the entire thing, letting it dry for several hours or a day in between coats.

Then I painted the edges blue.  Again I had this paint on hand.  It went well with the colors in the scrapbook paper and I liked the way it went with the brown as well.  I tried to be as careful as I could but I have to be honest, the edges were pretty ragged looking when I was done.  I just did one coat with the blue.

Once it was all dry- actually it was about a week later, I took the table out to the deck and used some sandpaper to sand all the edges down and some other areas to give it a weathered beaten look.  I focused on the edges in blue to get rid of some of those paint marks and crooked lines, which really did help the overall look.

After that I wiped it down with a cloth to get rid of any dust and then put 3 coats of a top coat acrylic on it.  That was it!  Since I had all the paint, brushes, table, modge podge and the acrylic on hand the total cost for my brand new nightstand was $2.50. 

So what crafts or projects have you been tackling lately?  Let me know, I need some more new ideas especially for the rest of my bedroom!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill- come back and visit again soon.

When Country Living is a Pain

I love living in the country for the most part.  I love hearing the birds sing, having room to have a garden, room for the kids to roam and play, room for the dogs to run with abandon without getting hit by a car.

However, there are times when country living is not the best.  Take the winter, our road usually is one of the last to be plowed.  Or when gas prices are soaring and you need some cheese from the store.

The biggest issue I have however is the lack of high speed internet choices.  We are unable to get cable.  The phone company refuses to update our lines for DSL.  Add in that we apparently are in some sort of dead internet zone.  We have had several small companies that advertise high speed internet come out and tell us that we are just too far from their "zone" to get their signals.  Friends about 3 miles away however can get it without a problem.  Don't ask me, I don't understand it all!

So we are left with using a cell phone company for what they claim is high speed internet.  Well as long as you don't want to watch videos, download anything or go quickly through pages on the internet, then sure it's high speed :-D.  Add in that we ALWAYS use way more than our limit....I can think of only one month in the past 6 where we have stayed within our limit.  So their "high speed" internet is very costly for us as well.

During the past week another issue has developed- it seems our modem is not only way past its prime but apparently on its death bed.  You connect to the internet only to find that you have absolutely no signal so nothing will load, you cannot send e-mail, heck you cannot even check your e-mail.  One day I had to plug the modem into my computer and then hold the modem in my hand while attempting to not only surf the internet but also type my blog post!  I will admit, I am not a one handed typer or surfer.

So please bear with me if some of my posts seem to be out later than usual or if you find some strange and unusual typos.  We are investigating what we can do to improve our situation.  Blogging is now my life- what would I do without the internet?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Hey- want to bring me some internet service?  I would greatly appreciate it!  :-D  Come back and visit soon, I promise that I will get my act together.

Weekly Menu for the week of 3/25/12

Wait a minute- where did March go?!  I cannot believe that we are already hitting the last week of March. The weeks and months seem to go by faster and faster each year.  Where does the time go?

As if  our schedule wasn't busy enough, my husband received a phone call last week asking if he would coach a little league team for our youngest son.  He went last night for the "draft" and is now trying to schedule practices.  So starting in April it looks like we are going to have a full schedule with something going on every single evening.  Dinners are going to be interesting then!  Forget about grilling and large dinners, I will have to focus on things that can be grabbed quickly or those that warm up well.  Oh well, I like being involved in the things our kids are, no matter what.

So onward to this week's menu.  Honestly I feel as though it is pretty bland.  I really need to find some new ideas or drag through my old menus and find some different things to make.  Do you ever feel like you are in a menu rut?  How do you get out of it?

Weekly Menu:

Monday: Impossible Cheeseburger Pie (one of my daughter's absolute favorite meals)

Tuesday: BBQ Meatballs and Oven Fries, Green Beans

Wednesday: Roasted Chicken, Sweet potatoes, peas

Thursday: Steak, Baked Potatoes, Corn

Friday: Sloppy Joes, roasted potatoes

Saturday: On Your Own

Sunday: Hamburgers, beans


What are your menu plans for the week?  Linked up to MPM.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Come back and visit again soon.

Confessions for 3/25/12

It is that time again--- for me to confess to the struggles I have faced during this week.  It honestly has been a pretty good week, I only slipped up a few times!   I am not sure if it was the warm weather, the sun, or just because I made myself stay home for most of the week but heck I am pretty proud of myself!


1.  On Tuesday I gave up and went to Jimmy Johns for lunch.  I have been craving a beach club sub for several weeks now.  It certainly lived up to my expectations, it just didn't last long enough!  Neither did the soda that I enjoyed with it.  BUT-- that was the only soda that I consumed all week.  That has to be a record since I started drinking soda again last spring.

2.  Shelly At Frugal Family Home nominated me as a Kreativ Blogger.  I am so honored plus she said that she enjoys my sunday confessions! I was so shocked that someone really reads them!  I so planned on nominating other blogs for this and posting the nomination.  But I haven't gotten to it.  It basically slipped through the cracks :-(. I will try to get to it this next week.  


3. Gummies- yes I am still stuck on those chewy candies.  This week I bought some at a local store that has some bulk foods available.  They were labeled as raspberry gummies and I adore raspberry.  They do not taste like raspberry though, not at all!  They aren't terrible but have the consistency of fruit snacks, not true gummies.  Or not like the sticky gummies I like and crave!  SJ has been enjoying them in his lunch, I was glad that I had them on hand since it was too hot to bake any goodies.


4. I have NOT been exercising.  I am just very frustrated with myself.  The weather has been beautiful and I have not been taking advantage of it.  I should have gotten my behind out there every single day and walked some.  I honestly have no excuse.


5. I apologize for the change in text type in the post.  I cannot figure out how to change it back.  I did some copying and pasting.  But changing it back, well that is beyond me and after spending the past 30 minutes trying to figure it out, I have to admit defeat! :-D  


Ahhh, I feel so much better.  I have confessed all my sins and can start the week fresh and sin free!  If the weather is cooler than it has been, I am guessing I will have more to confess next week.  No I don't have a lot of faith in myself some days.  Have a great Sunday and I hope your week is enjoyable.  


Thanks for visiting me here on the hill, I hope you stop back again soon!

   

Cravings for the week of 3/19/12

I cannot believe that we are half way through March already.  Of course having summer weather definitely does not help matters any!  It honestly felt more like the middle of July on Wednesday and Thursday of this past week.  Hot, humid and sun.  I am not complaining but I am trying to be a realist as well.  It is not summer, it is not even close to summer here in Michigan we might very well see snow before summer officially hits.  Sigh-- but we can pretend it's summer, right?

So since it is summer weather we have been craving summer type activities and food which you'll notice in our current craves.

1. Swimming, sprinkles, lakes!  Okay my son didn't really officially go swimming but he did go in the neighbor's little wading pool.  It was so incredibly warm at 89 the other day after school and he wanted to cool down.  Another favorite?  Putting the sprinkler under the trampoline.   I don't think the sprinkler has been found yet but it will have to be put on our list of things to look for.

2. Grilling!  We had burgers on the grill this week.  Oh were they wonderful.  They had that grilled flavor, the kitchen stayed nice and cool, and everyone in our family likes burgers.  The kids have been asking for beef steak...I guess it is time for me to start watching for some sales.

3. Other summer foods!  I made some coleslaw to go with our burgers.  I am getting hungry for a good pasta salad with lots of veggies and a lemon olive oil dressing.  We had big salads the other night with chicken.  It would have been even better with garden fresh veggies.  I have been thinking that I need to make some fudgesicles and ice pops.

4. The color Green!  One forgets what the scenery looks like with green leaves, green grass, etc.  After some rain on Thursday and Friday the green has really started to pop.  Some of the trees are even getting their leaves (which is a month and a half earlier than usual).

5. Clothes hanging out on the line!  Especially when you bring them inside, put them in the closet and an hour later go back into your closet and it still smells like fresh air.  Is there anything better than slipping into clean sheets that smell of sunshine and fresh air?

Next week isn't suppose to be as warm or as sunny.  I am not sure what we will be craving then.  Maybe we will go back to what spring really should be around here?  What were your craves this past week?  Have you been experiencing this strange summer/spring/March?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill!  Please make sure you stop by again soon.

5 Question Friday 3/23/12

Yeah!  It is Friday again.  I have been looking forward to a couple of sleep in days again.  For some reason I am struggling with the early mornings, which makes no sense since we have been having beautiful days.  I am also on the count down for spring break!  1 more full week of school and then an entire week off.  While I look forward to sleeping in, we have nothing planned so I probably will have some bored kids to deal with.  Sigh- it seems I can't have it all!

Since it's Friday, it is time for 5 question Friday.

1. If you were free to just hop in the car and drive, where would you go? Or, if you could hop a plane and go anywhere, where?  This is hard.  I would love to go on a road trip to several places in the US.  I would love to see Maine, Vermont, North Dakota, California, Oregon, etc.  Maybe someday we will get to all those places.  I love going for rides and just soaking up the scenery!  If cost was not a factor, then I would love to jump on a plane and go to Hawaii or Scotland, Ireland, UK, France, Italy!  

2. What's your most recently read favorite book? I just re-read Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bon's by Lorna Landvik.  I wanna be an Angry Housewife!  I go back to this book about once a year and fall in love all over again.  It would be awesome to be a part of a book club and also to have such awesome friends right in your neighborhood.

3. What's your favorite Spring Break memory?  When I was in 3rd grade and then again in 7th grade, I went to Florida with my uncle, aunt and cousin.  We had so much fun!  I remember the time in 7th grade best when we stayed with grandparents, went to Disney and Wet N Wild water park.  One of those times when you were old enough to do some things on your own, yet you were young enjoy to not have any worries!

4. What do you put in your child's Easter basket? Or, for those w/o kids, what was put in your childhood basket? Candy, candy, candy.  Oh I do put other things in there too.  For awhile I did books every year- in a desperate attempt to get my kids to read more.  It didn't work.  Now it varies each year. We don't usually spend a lot on Easter....around $15-$20 per kid.  I have absolutely no idea what to do this year and even the kids don't know what they want-- I asked!

5. Do you get a summer haircut?  I don't necessarily change my hair just because it is summer or always cut my hair because it is summer. I do usually cut it shorter in the summer.  My husband likes my hair shorter.  I like being able to pull it up out of my face.  There really isn't a happy medium there.  I just wish I could find a hairdresser that would just give me an awesome haircut that looked really good on me. Everyone is too scared to cut my hair and I always end up with the same cut.  BLAH!

Well that is it! Those are my answers for this Friday.  The questions have reminded me that I still haven't gotten my Easter stuff out yet.  But I noticed that someone made a mess in our storage room and to get to my Easter stuff I would have to clean all that up.  And I am feeling slightly lazy today.... :-D  

Have a great weekend and don't forget to stop and visit again here on the hill.....Kerry

Politics, Politics, Politics

Thoughtful Thursdays

Every school day morning, I turn the tv on to the local NBC station.  We watch local news until 7 am- well I should say, I watch the local news until 7, rarely are my children in the living room before 7 am!  

At 7 am the Today show hits the airwaves.  Every fall my daughter laughs when she hears the start of the Today Show- as it reminds her of school days!

Lately we have been "challenging" the Today Show.  The challenge?  To see if they can get through 15 minutes (we leave for school at 7:15 am) of news without mentioning politics.  Basically for the past 5 months we have been pelted with political news every single morning.  Usually that is the lead story, sometimes, like today they actually make it 14 minutes before a political story airs.  As my daughter stated today, there are months yet before the presidential election.  Maybe if we were 2 months from the election, then maybe I would be interested.  

I understand her frustration.  I also understand why politics are such hot news stories.  But I agree with my daughter, enough already, all this coverage is making me less and less interested in what is going on in the politics of the United States.  I have found myself watching less and less television so that I don't need to hear every single detail of this year's political issues.

So-- what are your thoughts?  Do you find all this coverage a good thing?  Is it too much and making the average person dislike politics?

I am linking up with Thoughtful Thursdays.  Check out some of the other thoughtful posts.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Come back again soon!

What is Happening on the Hill

Crazy weather has brought us Spring about a month and a half earlier than usual.  While I am definitely not complaining, I am worried about what might happen between now and when spring usually shows up.  The trees are budding and flowers are sprouting.  Hopefully the warm weather sticks around somewhat- cause if not, there is going to be a lot of damage if we get a huge freeze again.  Which will result in high prices for produce this year.  This would not be a good thing as I know I need to stock up even more this year in strawberries and blueberries.  Last year's supply (which should have lasted us some of the winter) was gone in September. We became smooth addicts and used up our winter's supply in just a few short weeks!

So here are some pictures from the past week on the hill.  We have been attacked my flies this spring for some reason.  We always encounter flies in the late summer and early fall.  It drives me completely nuts but I have never encountered them like this before.  They swarmed the side of the house, they swarmed the yard (which made walking through the yard quite eerie) and they swarmed our chairs.  Thankfully they seem to be lightening up some and I was able to sit outside on the deck earlier this week with out being attacked by flies.

Our rhubard is starting to come up!!  I am hoping that this year it will do fairly well.  It is only our 2nd year of being able to pick it and last year's pickings were slim (but I knew the first year probably would be).  My husband is a huge rhubarb fan as is my mom.  I think my oldest enjoys rhubarb as well.  As for the rest of us-- well it makes dad and grandma happy, we just are not big fans of it.

And last, but certainly not least is my beautiful purple flower.  What a wonderful sight to see in the front of the house!  Someday I would like to get more bulbs to plant so we can enjoy early flowers.  My someday list is pretty long though! 

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  I hope you enjoyed the little trip around my yard.  I should have taken a picture of the swiss chard that survived the winter and is now growing the garden too.  Or the cabbage plants that never died.  It certainly was a strange winter....I am just hoping that spring is here to stay..or summer!

Please come back and visit me again soon.

10 strange symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Dealing with Fibro Tuesdays-- 10 strange symptoms of fibromyalgia.

For several months after my diagnoses, I kept looking for another answer.  I had some symptoms that just didn't seem to fit what I thought fibromyalgia was.  You see those wonderful television and magazine ads that claim fibro is widespread pain with no known cause.  What I didn't realize is that there is a lot more to it!

While some of these symptoms do show up now on searches of fibro symptoms, some do not.  But after talking to other fibro sufferers I now know that most of my symptoms probably are fibro-- unless I end up getting diagnosed with something else.

10. Extreme fatigue- even after you have had a great nights sleep you feel as though you need about 10 more hours.  Even more sleep doesn't help though, some days you just have to push past it or give into it.

9. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: here I thought I was suffering from something else completely when I started having bowel issues.  And IBS doesn't have to be bouts of extreme constipation and extreme diarrhea.  It can be only one or the other.  And these extreme bouts can lasts months and years- I know, I have dealt with this.

8. Headaches: they can be tension type ones, fatigue type headaches or even migraines.

7. Klutz factor: Okay I will admit it, I have never been a super graceful person but since the fibro I am a huge klutz!  I frequently drop things, trip over things and bump into things.  Here is one of my funnier stories.

6. Inability to lose weight:  I wrote an entire post on this-- check it out.  This is something I thought for sure meant I was suffering from some other illness.

5. Fibro Fog:  I think this kind of goes with my klutz.  Somedays it just feels as though I am walking through a dense fog.  Nothing seems quite real.  I think sometimes the mind just needs a rest from everything and decides to take some time off.  But it can be a pain when you need to be doing something that day, because it can really rack up your klutz factor- at least for me.

4. Muscle twitches:  I can have an eye twitch for hours.  I can have a muscle twitch go on in my stomach all day long.  I know everyone gets these- I just have never known them to last so long until the fibro hit.

3. Getting stuck:  This really bothered me most when I was on medication for the fibro.  It progressively got worse.  I couldn't bend down to work in the garden or wash my dogs in the tub.  If I bent over, I was stuck like that.  I felt like I was 1000 years old!  Eventually I would work my way back up but wow would it hurt.  Since I stopped the medication, it has gotten a little bit better.  If I am having a decent day, I am confident I can bend over.  If I am having a bad day, I avoid bending over at all costs.

2.  Hands, feet, thighs go numb/asleep:  This is different from the pins and needles sensation you get when your hands and feet go to sleep.  It is a numb feeling yet it hurts- which I realize makes no sense but there is no other way to describe it.  With my hands I have to get them down below my waist and then the feeling goes away- even if I am lying down.  With my feet and legs, I have to walk around.  I cannot stand still and even if I attempt to stand in one place (even with shifting my weight and what not) my thighs will go into the numb state.  It is horrible.

1. Sunburn feeling on skin: with no sun exposure!  This can be the strangest feeling.  One time I could not wear a bra for days.  I hadn't been in the sun in days but the only way to describe it is as a really good sunburn.   Thankfully I don't experience it often but it does throw you for a loop!

There you have it-- some of the stranger symptoms of fibro.  I am sure there are many, many more.  I recently read something about the fibro bucket- when doctors just want to throw every new symptom in  the fibro bucket- then they don't have to deal with it.  I have to say that I love this explanation because I have experienced it often.  So maybe all these symptoms aren't related to fibro.  But until we have more answers, then doctors will throw these issues into the bucket.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Come back and visit again soon!

Weekly Menu for the week of 3/19/2012

Phew-- listen-- can you hear it??  It is the sound of peace and quiet! Oh and the pug snoring but hey that just doesn't count anymore!

For some strange reason (probably something to do with karma or a strange twist of fate) every time my husband has had to go away for several days, the kids end up having an unscheduled day off of school.  Last time he was gone they ended up with 2 snow days.  This time, it was a fog day on Friday.  Who expects school to be cancelled when a high of 70's is scheduled for that day?  Definitely not me!

But now we are somewhat back on track.  Kids are in school, hubby should be home sometime this evening and I am enjoying the silence in the house once again (and breathing a sigh of relief that we are somewhat back to normal!).

Onto the weekly menu (which has been hard to plan with the weather so uncharacteristically warm....I am dreading the weekend when we will drop back to cooler temperatures, I am ready for summer).

Monday: Goulash

Tuesday: Tacos

Wednesday: Salads with grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs, and other goodies

Thursday: Spareribs, roasted potatoes, broccoli

Friday: burgers, dad's mac and cheese, peas

Saturday: Hot venison sandwiches and ??  Unless Jamie and I run away and do something fun!

Sunday: Steak, baked potato, squash

Next week is going to prove a challenge as baseball games start for my oldest.  That means I have to try to figure out where the game is going to be, how many are going to the game, if I need to plan an early dinner or late, late dinner, and so on and so forth.  Thankfully I hadn't written down his schedule in my planner- he was pulled up to Varsity at the end of last week.  Yep- I am a proud mom!

Linked up with MPM.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Come back and visit again soon!

Confessions for the week of 3/12/12

It is that time again, time for me to confess to all the terrible things I have done for the week.  I have to admit, I wasn't too terrible this week.  Or maybe I just don't feel quite as bad as I did last week about everything I have eaten.  Sigh--- I really do need to get back on my bandwagon and behave myself.


1. I had a couple of sodas this week.  3 in total.  It was warm, I was out and about.  I  know, I know that doesn't make it okay.  I really do need to get my behind in gear and order some water kefir grains.  This soda obsession is getting out of control again.

2. Oreos and Pepperidge Farms Chocolate Chip Cookies: They were double stuffed Oreos and it's Oreo's 100th anniversary.  Not that it makes it okay but hey I am trying here.  The chocolate chip cookies? Well I was hungry, I didn't eat breakfast again and yep, I ate them for breakfast.  My head is hanging in shame.

3. I listened to some sappy sad love songs over and over the other night.  Why is this a confession?  Well I have feeling down about some things going on at home and it fit my mood.  Only it actually made me feel worse rather than better.  It has been a long weekend and I sincerely hope that next week goes better.

4.  I used the dryer instead of the clothes line.  I made a promise to myself that I would work on using less electricity and one way to do this is by hanging out clothes when it is nice enough.  I did get the dog droppings somewhat picked up around there but I just never did take the laundry out there.  The lines are kind of sagging and need to be tightened.  But that is no excuse...shame on me!

5. I should have gotten out and walked while it has been nice and for some reason I haven't.  Baseball started this week and it seems that hubby and I were busy with other activities in the evening.  I have no excuse but it is sad that I haven't tried harder to go and walk.  Well that and I need new tennis shoes, my old ones give me blisters.

6. I gave in and ate some ice cream.  Yum....it was tasty.


Well all in all it hasn't been a super horrible week but I do wish I could get myself back on the healthy bandwagon and eliminate all processed food from my diet again.  It just seems that I fall into an easier routine many times, grabbing processed food for a snack rather than putting some thought into what I am putting in my mouth.  Once my garden is growing and we have fresh fruit and veggies in the house I am hoping it will be easier again.  Here's to hoping!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Please stop by again soon.

Craves for the week of 3/12/12

Hello Saturday and Happy St. Patrick's Day!  It has been a wonderful week here on the hill.  Who can complain about weather in the 70's and 80's in Michigan, in March?!  Okay I did watch a news story on fruit farmers who are worried what this might do to their crop.  So I know they are not pleased with this weather for their crops and honestly I don't want to have to pay higher fruit prices this year either but the sun and warmth sure do something for your body.

It does seem rather odd to have such warm temperatures without any green leaves or green grass though.  It is very dry and we have a high fire danger.  Too bad the neighbors didn't hear that warning as they started a big grass fire last night.  Thankfully no one was hurt and no structures were damaged but I imagine it was a bit stressful for them for a bit.

Onward to the current craves on the hill:

1. A Vacation: Strangely enough this was a question posed on 5 question Friday and I had to laugh, great minds think alike?  My hubby and I are trying to figure out someplace to go for my "big" birthday in April.  The problem?  It's April!  Here in Michigan that can mean anything from snow and 20 degree temperatures to rain and 50's to sun and 70's.  Very hard to plan unless you have a lot of options.  So we have been looking elsewhere but are running into the same issues.  Many of the places we have looked at have some things opened in April but the majority of attractions open in May.  So I am not sure what to do..... I need someplace somewhat romantic with a variety of activities within 7-8 hours of Michigan in the middle of April.  Any ideas?

2. A Vacation: ha!  This vacation is from laundry and dirty floors.  From constantly trying to figure out what to fix for dinner and being a taxi driver.  I love my kids but I just am ready for spring break!  Some days of sleeping in, not having to be anywhere.....but I still will be stuck with the laundry:-(

3. Corned Beef:  My kids love corned beef.  I absolutely adore corned beef.  I always make sure to make it at least once in March.  We just had it the other day.  The house was super stinky from the cabbage but it still tasted wonderful.

4. Ice Cream: With all this warm weather hitting our house, I have been craving some summer time goodies.  Ice cream is always a favorite in our house.  Usually we are lucky if it lasts a night.  I love to make homemade ice cream as well.  The only problem is that the kids are not fans of it, which means that there is a lot for my hubby and me to enjoy- which is both good and bad.  We don't need that much ice cream.

5. Soaking up some sun: I have really wanted to sit out on one of my decks and soak up some sun.  The problem?  We have been over run by flies.  We always have flies in the late summer, early fall.  I have never witnessed so many flies in the spring.  They are all over the house, all over the deck, covering the ground and buzzing away.  It is kind of scary walking through all those flies and forget sitting on the deck in peace.

Those are the current craves on the hill for this past week- what have your craves been?  Let all of us know by leaving a comment, we'd love to hear from you!  Thanks for visiting me here on the hill and stop back again soon.

5 Question Friday- better late than never!

Well-- I am running rather late this Friday.....who ever thinks school will be cancelled when it's suppose to be 70 degrees out?  My cell phone went off at 5:45 am, making me jump as it wasn't quite time for me to get up yet.  The text was to inform me that school was going to be delayed by 2 hours.  Hmmm...yeah! I kind of get to sleep in.  This is a good thing, right?  After peeking out the window (it was too dark to see how foggy it was), I turned my alarm off and went back to sleep.  I was up and showered by 7:20, saw my two younger ones were moving and checked in on my oldest.  My daughter and I sat and watched tv for a bit and suddenly my cell phone went off again.  My daughter began chanting- no school, no school, no school to which her younger brother chimed in as well.  Well the chant worked, school had been cancelled.  It is foggy....it is also suppose to be 70 today!

So I am left running quite late in my blogging, housework and what not.  I suppose I might get caught up eventually.....on to the 5 questions for the week:

1. Will you run to the store or to pick up a kid looking a mess?  Well considering I usually grocery shop in sweats and no make up- sure.  I am usually a mess.  In fact, when I do get somewhat dressed up (as in jeans and a tee shirt or a tiny bit of makeup) my kids demand to know what in the world I am doing for the day.  So I guess messy is  my normal :-D.

2. Do you finish a book if it's boring or you don't like it?  I will admit, there are a few books that I have started and never finished.  But really they are few and far between.  I can usually find something in the book that I like.  Plus there are many times when I have nothing new to read- so I grab that book I didn't finish and proceed to finish it.  I also re-read books frequently.  I really wish that our libraries were better- I can never, ever find anything interesting to read at them.

3. Beach or mountain vacations?  Heck I would take either at this point. I just really want a vacation!  I love the beach- ocean or one of the great lakes.  But I like the mountains as well in Tennessee.  So it is a toss up.

4. What thing/event says "winter will end and spring is right around the corner" to you?  I think when the trees begin to sprout leaves and when the lilacs blossom.  I adore lilacs!

5. Would you prefer couples or family vacation?  Right now I confess I am desiring a vacation with just my hubby.  I absolutely adore my family but I need a break from laundry, cleaning, and being a mom.  We haven't gotten away since September of 2010.  I am due!  I love family vacations but sometimes it is nice not having any kid responsibilities for awhile :-)

I have to say it is kind of funny that these questions follow what I was planning to write about in my crave post for tomorrow-- vacations and spring.  It is too funny quite honestly.

So there you have it, my 5 questions for Friday-- go over to My Little Life and read others answers to these 5 questions.  Have a happy, happy weekend everyone.

Thank you for visiting me here on the foggy hill.  Leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by and don't forget to stop by again soon.

Guest Post- check it out

Good Morning everyone- I just wanted to let everyone know that I am a guest poster today on Fun On A Dime.  Please jump over and check it out.  It's a little different than what I post about here on the hill, it is a fun family activity.

Glass half full or half empty?

Thoughtful Thursdays--Is your glass half full or half empty?

For some reason this saying has been rolling in my head all week long.  I really cannot say why either as it has been very unseasonably warm and sunny the entire time.  I have been enjoying the warm weather, opening those windows and breathing in the fresh air.

There was a time when I was a glass half empty type of person.  "Things" always seem to happen to me and I always found the negative in them.  Nothing ever seemed to be enough.  I worried about money, about my kids, about my husband.  I worried about how we were ever going to survive.  There were nights when I would be up half the night worrying about work, the house, our financial stability.

One day I was listening to my daughter talk about school.  She complained that she wasn't smart enough, never did very well in school no matter how much she worked, and she announced she was stupid.  Something came over me.....my negative view on life seemed to be creeping over to my kids.  My daughter definitely isn't stupid.  She does work very hard for her grades as she is the youngest in her grade and school work is work for her.  However she always brings home A's and B's.

So now we discuss how when you fail or don't perform as well as you would like, you should brush yourself off, learn from your mistakes, and try again.  Laugh at yourself if you make silly mistakes.  Sometimes things just don't work out but it is not the end of the world.  Look for that silver lining.

It is not always easy to be a glass half full person when your tendencies are to fall the other way.    Yes sometimes I let loose and my half empty tendencies come rolling out.  But I never seem to feel better after a rant.  So I return to looking at life in a different light and  I can honestly say, I am so much happier with life.  I have learned to enjoy the little things in life.

How about you?  What are your tendencies?  Have you ever tried to change your outlook on life?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Check out Look Who Found the Marbles for other posts on Thoughtful Thursday.  Come back and visit again soon!  

Taking Time to Create

Last Friday I was on a kick- I felt the need to create, craft and bake.  I am not exactly sure where this kick came from but I did get a great deal accomplished and honestly had a lot of fun!

First off I made egg sausage casserole for dinner (it has to sit in the fridge for a few hours) and then I stuck the dough for cinnamon swirl bread into the bread maker.  I figured I could let the bread maker do the work for me so I could move on to other things.  Next came my second batch of homemade laundry detergent.  I didn't get pictures this time like I planned- I was very focused on what needed to be done so I will do another post on my laundry soap later.

Once my laundry soap was finished, my bread needed to be swirled with cinnamon.  After setting it aside to rise one more time I decided that we needed some cookies in the house.  I whipped up some brownie cookies (I will post the recipe later- it is super yummy).  While they were baking I realized that I had completely forgotten about the chicken carcas I had in the fridge waiting to be made into broth.  So I whacked that into a pot with some carrots and onion to bubble away while I finished.  On top of all this I also got a couple loads of laundry done, yes indeed I was on a roll!

After all this baking I was pretty beat and thought I might just sit around for a bit.  But then I remembered that I needed to put another coat on my nightstand.  I finally had decided to do something with it.  This is where it started. 

I painted it brown and then took some scrapbook paper and using modge podge put it on both the top and the shelf.  The pictures look somewhat hideous!  If I was going on the photos alone I wouldn't like it.  But in person, it really looks cool.  I just cannot get the photo to do it justice. 

Please excuse the mess all around it- I am working on it in our storage room- or throw it in there and we will get to it later room!  I am not finished, I plan on painting a boarder around the edges and will post completed pictures when I am done.  Hopefully I can take pictures in a better light and the table will look nicer? 

It was so much fun baking, cooking and creating a fun look for my nightstand.  I had forgotten how much I enjoy these things.  It didn't hurt that we had a yummy dinner with cookies for dessert to boot.  I will have to remind myself to slow down and create every once in awhile.  It really did recharge my batteries.  Oh and FYI- the cookies lasted until the following morning.  The bread until Saturday morning.  **sigh* even the hidden cookies were found and eaten!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  What did you create this week?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  Come back soon for another visit!

It's Almost Spring

It is that time of the year again- Baseball season!  As a mom to three kids, two who love baseball, it means that I will be spending a lot of time transporting kids to practice and standing out watching games.  It also means updating equipment.  We took our oldest to get new cleats and glove this weekend.  How a 15 year old can lose his glove I will never know.  It is probably somewhere deep in his closet, at least that is my hope. 

These pictures are from last year- Mr. H's first year in High School.  It definitely is different than little league but I know H likes it even more.  SJ's first  year for kid pitching is this year.  He thinks he wants to try pitching too.  I am not sure if he has the patience for it, but time will tell.  I am always proud no matter what.

So do you have baseball players in your household?  Are you ready for this season?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  I hope you stop by again soon.

Weekly Menu 3/12/12

Wow!  The days seem to be flying by.  Another week has come and gone and it is almost the middle of March.  How did that happen?  Not that I am complaining- I have never been one to enjoy winter.  Sure I love snow around the holidays but it could warm right up after New Years.

This week in Michigan is promising to be a very nice one.  60's most of the week and maybe even a day in the 70's.  I try not to get too excited as I have witnessed snow flakes in May here but a taste of the summer to come is always welcome.  Even better if we can just stay somewhat warm!

My menu this week doesn't really reflect the weather.  This week is the beginning of baseball practice for my oldest son.  Practice is rather late this year, 6-8:30 pm.  Last year practice for varsity was right after school and for JV it started at 4:30.  I have to admit that it will be nice to be able to feed everyone before practice, it will mean that we will be out and about until later at night.

So here is the menu for this week--- as usual, I will link up to meal planning mondays, check it out.


Monday: Chicken Pot pie

Tuesday: Bourbon chicken

Wednesday: brats, oven fries, green beans

Thursday: corned beef and cabbage- yum!!

Friday: Mexican pizza

Saturday: Spaghetti and garlic bread

Sunday: On your own


I just realized that I have chicken dishes both Monday and Tuesday.  It is a bit unusual for us but I think it should still work.  I know that BB my daughter will have an issue with the bourbon chicken.  She used to like it, now she complains.  I am just glad that she is old enough to make something for herself then-- I get tired of only eating what my youngest two will.  Does anyone else suffer from picky eaters?  What do you do?  Do you try to create menus to please them or do you also incorporate other things to keep up a variety?

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Leave me a comment so I know you stopped by- and come back soon!

Sunday Confessions

It is that time again for Sunday Confessions.  I have way too much to confess to this week.  It was kind of a snowball week- you know where you start something and just don't stop- nope you make that snowball even better than it was!

Oh well, I have brushed myself off and am ready to tackle a new week.  Sometimes these things happen, you know?!

1.  I ate a lot of gummies and chewy candy.  A box of milk duds and ju ju fruits.  Some cola gummies.  Some air heads.  Yep, all of those things found a way into my mouth this week.  It was yummy.  I knew I shouldn't be eating so much.  But I did.  I think I need to go just cold turkey, cut myself off from these things!

2. I ate some frozen chicken fries.  I was desperate.  There were no left overs in the fridge for lunch.  I didn't feel like cooking an entire meal just for my lunch.  I found some chicken fries.  I said no.  I walked away.  I searched for something else.  There was nothing, not one thing.  So into the oven they went.  They were okay- not super yummy but it was better than bread and butter!

3. I ate a sausage biscuit from McDonald's.  With a large soda.  I was on my way to go shopping and I knew if I didn't eat something that I would buy something to snack on.  I am not sure which would have been better or worse for me but I did it.  It tasted good.

4.  I had the above soda.  I had some other soda on Tuesday.  It was a welcome treat while reading all these different blogs.  It gave me a caffeine and sugar kick.  It was super yummy- but then it always is!

5.  For dinner one night I made some noodles with sauce and rice with sauce.  You know, those packages of things that are quick to make to help make a meal.  We were tired of potatoes.  I needed something to go with our meatloaf.  I only ate the rice.  :-D

6.  Chili Cheese Fritos.  Twisty Fritos.  Doritos.  Yep all of those passed my lips this week.  I love fresh open bags when they are super crispy and tasty.  I feel down that hill.

Phew- I am thinking I must be forgetting something, I must be repressing all the naughtiness of the week.  I felt as though a single day did not go by without something wrong going into my mouth.  I survived and I will start all over again.  Maybe this next week will be better.....at least I can hope so!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill!  Leave me a comment so I know you stopped by.  Come back and visit soon.

Craves for the week

Craves for the week of 3/5/12

What a week.  I have way too much to confess to tomorrow.  It has been one of those weeks where I started to slide downhill and instead of trying to stop, I just threw myself face first down the hill.  Oh well, that happens occasionally!  Time to stand back up, brush myself off and try again next week.

I did enjoy this week in spite of all the crazy things I put into my body.  I have been feeling pretty good other than a few aches and pains.  I was a bit upset that the warmer days didn't work out quite as I had hoped but there is always next time.  It will get warm eventually!

Onto the craves of the week:

1. I was able to have a couple of windows open for a short while this past week.  The fresh air streamed in and boy oh boy does it smell awesome.  I love when it's later in the evening and you still get a little whiff of that yummy smell lingering.  Does anything else smell as good?  Yes there are many smells I love- fresh air just happens to be one of my favorite.

2. I took part in Blogelina's 100 comment event.  I was very impressed and happy with the event.  I had a huge increase in my pageviews for the week, got really great advice and I found a few new blogs to follow.  What I liked the best about it?  It felt as though I had a real job.  I made myself sit down each day to read the blogs I had scheduled for that day.  I read, I commented, I worked on my blog.  I just loved that routine and felt sad when I was done!

3. I really wish  my pug would sleep with someone else.  I love her.  I love snuggling with her.  But I hate that she wants to sleep between my legs and refuses to move!  It means I am stuck.  I wake up with legs, hands and arms that are asleep for lack of moving.  Ahhh-- and I am still stuck which means trying to wake up enough to move the dog so I can move.  Sigh-- I know it is my own fault.

4.  Someone to come and clean up the mind field which is my yard.  I wanted to hang out some clothes, it was impossible because all around the clothes line were doggie droppings.  It was so windy that nothing was staying on the line no matter how many clothes pins I used.  I couldn't have the clothes falling or flying into doggie droppings.  I need a wheelbarrow and a scooper.  They are on my list of things to get this spring.  I guess I have a new job.

5. Creating and Making: I have started to makeover my bedside table.  It has been white for over 6 years now and was looking pretty rough.  It had water stains and somehow some paper was stuck to it. I have had fun deciding what to do with it and creating something new.  I have also had the urge to bake.  I really do need to dig everything out and get baking today.  SJ is taking cold lunch almost every single day this month.  I need to make some cookies and what not to throw into the freezer for those lunches.

Thanks for stopping for a visit here on the hill.  Leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by.  Have a great weekend and come back to visit soon!

5 Question Friday 3/9/12

This Friday is already going great- the kids didn't have school!!  You know what that means?   I got to sleep in.  One of the greatest benefits of having older children is that I don't have to get up with them, I can sleep in!  Sleep and I absolutely love each other and the more the better for me.  I have always been that way.

My youngest was able to have a friend spend the night last night, which was a first for SJ and a first for his friend too.  They ate popcorn last night and played video games.  They both seem to be having an awesome time.  I am so happy that it worked out so well and I am guessing SJ is going to be bugging to have friends spend the night ALL the time!

Well on to the 5 questions for the week.  As usual, I will be linking up with My little life, that wonderful site were she comes up with these questions!  

1. Are you looking forward to the time change this weekend?  I am so NOT looking forward to springing forward.  I love falling back, I can always use an extra hour in the day.  Especially if I can sleep for an extra hour without feeling guilty!  But spring brings a whole new set of problems.  It stays daylight for so much longer so I have to drag SJ in to do homework and to shower when it is still light out.  No one likes going to bed when it is still light outside.  It goes on and on.  However, I do love summer- so I guess it means we are that much close to summer.

2. Are you getting the new iPad/would you want a iPad?  I would love an ipad.  The new version, an old version....anything really.  We went and looked at them a couple weeks ago and I fell even more in love with them.  I doubt I will get one for a long time though. I really need a new computer so I am guessing I will have to do that first.

3. If money was not a problem, what is the one thing you would splurge on?  I would probably buy more expensive foods at the store.  More salmon, more good beef steaks, things like that.  Hmmm and probably better shampoo, soap, etc.  Right now if I cannot find any shampoo on sale with a coupon, the Suave goes into the basket.  It isn't bad but it isn't all that great either. :-D

4. How did you and the Mr. (or Mrs.) meet?  Oh my.  Well---- in Algebra class in high school!  I was a senior, he was a junior.  My friend and I couldn't see the clock and we had this class our last hour of the day.  Jamie could see the clock so we would ask him what time it was pretty much every single day.  One day my friend and I were passing notes in class-- shhhh don't tell my kids.  She asked me if I could date anyone in the school, who would it be?  I kept telling her no one and she kept telling me I had to pick someone.  FInally I said, Jamie.  She then bugged him to ask me out.  We had a ton of fun hanging out and we just clicked.  Not what I expected when I just grabbed his name to make her quiet but I think fate intervened!  And I am very thankful it did!

5. Summer is right around the corner. Bikini or one-piece?  No one, absolutely no one wants to see me in a bikini.  My stomach looks like it is in its 12th month of pregnancy- YUCK!  I have always had a belly so one piece if I am going to be seen in a bathing suit!

Phew-- some difficult questions this week!  :-D  I hope everyone has a great weekend and thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Stop by again soon!

Freedom of Speech

Thoughtful Thursdays for 3/8/12


The topic for today's Thoughtful Thursday has been buzzing around in my head for several days now.  Not only has this topic been in the news a great deal lately but I have also noticed people commenting on facebook about inappropriate speech and behavior.  After throwing several ideas around I came up with this as my topic for today.

I am a very firm believer of the Freedom of Speech.  Without this, I wouldn't be here blogging.  I wouldn't be able to read some really awesome books.  I would never have had the opportunity to hear others thoughts, opinions and dreams via the internet, television and radio.  I do believe that Freedom of Speech is a good thing.

On the other hand, many forget about their responsibility when speaking and writing.  Responsibility?  I don't remember reading or hearing about responsibility when claiming freedom of speech.  What responsibility does one have?

People often forget that words can be extremely powerful weapons.  Words can destroy a reputation, build a rumor, fuel a lie, sway ideas and more.  Those individuals who have the ability to broadcast their opinions to the public at large through radio, television or print should put a great deal of thought into the actual words they decide to use in their works.  After the word is said, it cannot, no matter how much you try, be taken back.  No amount of apologizing can rectify the fact that someone used poor judgement, poor word choice and allowed many to hear it.

I am not saying that they should not be allowed to speak their mind, voice their opinion or bare their souls if they should chose.   As I said, I am all for freedom of speech and believe all have the right to speak their mind.  But I believe it is time for some to recover from diarrhea of the mouth (which is the disease when one does not know when to be quiet, continues to allow words to flow out of their mouths without much thought into what they are actually saying because they just want to prove their point).

It is time for people to stop for a moment, assess the situation they are in and decide if that profanity should fly out of their mouth.  Just for the record- yes the occasional swear word does pass my lips.  However I do not chose to greet my friends by cussing at them, I don't casually throw around swear words around others I do not know or around kids.  I find people who chose to use these words at every moment possible to be showing their ignorance.  They might as well wear a big letter on their foreheads.  We are not amused, awed, or scared of your brilliant usage of the language.

So what do you think?  Am I wrong in my thinking?  Should everyone be allowed to say whatever they want, whenever they want?  What do you think this might as about us as a society?  What are your thoughts?  I promise- all responses will be allowed- because I am all for freedom of speech.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.   Leave me a comment and let me know you stopped by.  I hope you stop back again soon.

Wild and Windy Wednesday

It is a wild and Windy day here on the hill.  Living on a large hill means we frequently have a breeze which can be very useful in the summer.  It also means that if wind is forecasted that it will be quite blustery here on the hill.  Above is the view from our backyard.  Those houses you can kind of see in the distance are on the other side of the river valley.

The weather people on the television had gotten me all excited- 50 degree temperatures for Tuesday and possibly 60 on Wednesday.  For Michiganders that means excitement in March.  Maybe you can put your car windows down a bit and enjoy some fresh air.  Maybe you can even open a house window and enjoy that fresh scent wafting throughout.

Or maybe the weather people should have reported that the wind chill was going to be -2!  It will never hit 50 degrees here on the hill with the super cold air that is blowing.  The wind is making our roof creak in protest, the trees are swaying back and forth in quite a dance.  The sun peeks out occasionally to grace us with a taste of its warmth but not enough to take that bite out of the wind.

First thing Tuesday morning I threw my quilt into the washer, excited to be able to hang it out to dry.  I figured that the nice breeze would have it dry in no time.  After trekking out to hang it up, I found the area under the clothes line to be a mine field of dog droppings.  **sigh**  I grabbed a bucket and shovel and started my quest to clear the mind field.  Within moments my hands were frozen and burning.  Where was my 50 degree weather?  Where was that darn sun anyway?  It was a losing battle because the wind refused to allow the quilt to stay on the line.  I gave up the mine field clearing, placed the quilt on the deck railing and headed in to warm up.

Please weather people- don't get my hopes and spirits up with your predictions of warm weather if you know that the wind is going to pack a frigid punch!  Predict 40 degree weather and let us be pleasantly surprised if it gets warmer!  I find it is always better to underscore the predicted results because then you can make everyone happy when it is even better than we thought. :-D  Obviously this is only with good weather.  Over predict the bad weather so I can prepare for that and keep my family safe.  I know- I am difficult to please.

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Leave me a comment and let me know that you stopped by and make sure you stop by again soon.

Deal with Fibro Tuesdays

I have always struggled with my weight.  I have always had a belly.  Sigh.  While weight has always been an issue for me, I learned to live with the fact that I would never be thin.  I learned to love myself for who I was.  I learned to live with what I had to work with and figured as long as I was healthy, then life was good.

When I went to the doctor in March 2010, I made my husband go with me.  You see I had been attempting to lose weight for over 2 months at that point.  Walking up to 5 miles 5 days a week, hitting the pavement for another 3-6 miles twice a week with my hubby, doing yoga, eating right (I was following the Weight Watchers Point System, which had helped me lose 20 pounds a couple years before) and I had actually gained weight in those 2+ months.

The doctor basically ignored my complaints of not being able to lose weight.  That is why I had my husband go- so he could back up my claims.  As someone who is overweight, I am often met with skepticism when I tell a health care professional that I am trying to lose weight.  I was trying and not cheating.  I was upset that I had found no results and in fact the opposite was happening.  No matter how much we continued to bring the subject up, my doctor brushed it off.  He was more involved in diagnosing me with fibromyalgia.

Less than a month later, my bowel complaints began.  What should have caused definite weight loss, didn't.  In fact I continued to gain weight.  After some tests for the bowel issue, I gave up for awhile.  I continued to exercise but I didn't watch my food intake as much.  When you hurt all the time, sometimes comfort food is just what you must have.

After almost a year of bowel issues, I finally addressed them again.  This time I went to a gastrointerologist.  I was sure a diagnoses would be found and maybe they could explain my weight gain.  After many, many tests and procedures, they too had no answer.  They were sure I should have been losing weight, consistently, with my issues.  Instead I gained so they began to question my claims. I guess I could have invited them to stay with me for a week or so.  Then they could have seen first hand my issues.  However I just decided to once again take a breather.

So what is going on?  Why would my body refuse to lose weight no matter what I tried?  After leaving a couple of messages on line on some fibromyalgia help boards I think I have my answer.  One of the complaints among many fibro sufferers is the inability to lose weight, no matter what they do.  For some reason our bodies seem to feel the need to hang on to those pounds, possibly as a defense?

There are so many symptoms of fibro that are not widely listed when you do a search on fibromyalgia.  I honestly have had times when I was sure that I was suffering from something vastly different because I had such strange symptoms only to go on a message board where I was able to find several other fibro suffers having the same problems.

While I can deal with many of fibro's issues and complaints, I still am frustrated at my inability to lose the added weight that I have put on these past couple of years.  I probably will not ever completely get over this frustration.  Which maybe isn't a bad thing......as it keeps me trying.  It keeps me moving when I would much rather be curling up in a ball.  Thus I continue to move forward.....

Weekly Menu for 3/5/12

Hello March!  I know that snow, freezing rain and cold temperatures can all be a part of March and let's be honest April here in Michigan but I am feeling as though there is an end in sight to all this winter.  I am hoping for an earlier spring this year.  Last year I remember bundling up when we went camping on Memorial weekend and not digging out my capri's until after that.  Fingers crossed....

Last week my menu looked very nice, I just did not stick with it at all.  I went grocery shopping on Tuesday because our cupboards and frig were beyond bare.  I found some pick of the chick on sale and grabbed a package for dinner that night.  We all love chicken, especially whole chicken but I have not found it on sale very often in the past couple of years.  I wanted to get back and grab some more but I ended up staying away from the stores for the rest of the week.  My pocketbook is thanking me for that.

So onward to this week's menu.  I think I will probably stick with it a bit better.  Unless my trip to Costco on Thursday changes my mind.


Monday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Potato soup in the slow cooker

Wednesday: Chicken and homemade noodles (I want to get this made sometime soon again-- forces have been against me!)

Thursday: Roast in slow cooker

Friday: Egg sausage casserole

Saturday: tuna noodle casserole

Sunday: Chicken Chimi's


This week I promise to link up with Org Junkie for the weekly menu link up.  Last week after all the chaos I had endured, I never made it to link up.  I actually had an awesome time substitute teaching, they are just full of energy.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Thanks for visiting me here on the hill.  Leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by and be sure to stop back again soon.