The Bennetts

December Issue

2009-12-13T13:51:00.001-06:00

December for some marks the happiest time of the year. Let's just be honest though, for most of us, its a stressful time that we don't get to enjoy all that much because we are to busy trying to please everyone around us. We search for just the right gift (most likely completely missing the mark). We spend hours, if not days, baking all the old family favorites, only to have people say that its not like so and so used to make. If we are lucky, that won't be said to our faces, but there are those out there that don't care about hurting other's feelings or they just get a kick out of making others feel bad.

Most of the time, I love Christmas. I don't love the snow and ice that come with it, but I love spending time with my family and friends (some of them anyway). I even like my husband's family, more than I like the majority of my family. This year, I'm just counting the days until I can say see ya to 2009. It has been a year that I just want to forget. Those of you who know me, understand. Those of you that don't, you'll just have to read earlier posts to get part of the story.

Cooking, though, it always makes me feel better. My Thanksgiving was a wonderful experience, even though the turkey got done a full hour before it was scheduled too, throwing off my whole schedule. Everything turned out great in the end, wonderful food (that no one complained about, at least not that I've heard), a day of visiting that didn't end with a city wide search for a relative or a gun being pulled (both true stories for another time). My kids even liked the early Christmas gifts that the got from their Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, a first. I even managed to make my sister in law's day by giving her some clothes that Sierra had outgrown for her little girls.

The recipes that I've chosen for this issue are simple to make and for the most part relatively inexpensive, as well as being ones that my family loves. Unlike some other sources I have seen, you'll see that I've included 7 days worth of meals as opposed to the typical 5 you get. Well four, if you can "cook's night off". I am trying to limit the amount of processed food my family consumes, the preservatives that are in them is enough to make you start fasting, so you won't get a prepackaged meal very often here. You'll notice that I said limit, not eliminate. With two children age seven and two, sometimes it becomes necessary to have these simple, quick meals (this includes meals out, in this economy, who has the money to take their families out anyway).
Easy Shepherd's Pie
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 cups hot mashed potatoes
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup beef gravy
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375`F. Brown meat in large skillet. Drain.
2. Mix mashed potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended.
3. Stir vegetables and gravy into meat.
4. Spoon into 9 inch square baking dish.
5. Cover with potato mixture. Don't worry about it being perfectly even; the more rustic it looks, the better.
6. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Shortcut: Use instant mashed potatoes. Prepare potatoes as directed on package, omitting the milk. This way when you add the cream cheese, the potatoes stay fluffy.

Grilled Parmesan Turkey Burgers
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
4 hamburger buns, split
Sliced onions, grilled, sauteed or raw, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients except the buns. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick each.
Grill the patties 4 to 6 inches from medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink in the center.
Add the buns to the grill, cut side down, for the last 4 minutes of grilling. Serve the burgers on the buns with grilled, sauteed, or raw onions, if you like.

Tuna Cakes
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Cream of Wheat cereal, uncooked
2 cans (6 oz each) tuna in water, drained, flaked
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot (from about 1 small carrot)
1/8 tsp pepper
6 lettuce leaves
6 tomato slices
Directions:
Bring milk just to boil in medium saucepan medium heat. Gradually add cereal, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Return just to boil; reduce heat to low. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
Add tuna, eggs, carrots and pepper; mix well. Shape into 6 patties.
Cook on nonstick griddle or in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides. Serve with lettuce leaf and tomato slice.

Baked Ziti
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
1 pound ziti, uncooked
1 (32-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 ounces provolone cheese, cut in quarters
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain.
Coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Continue making layers of pasta, cottage cheese, parsley, sauce, pasta, Parmesan cheese, pasta, mozzarella, parsley, pasta, sauce and parsley. Sprinkle provolone on top. Cover and bake in a 375-degree-F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Japanese Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
16 chicken wings or 8 larger pieces of chicken
2 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp sesame seeds
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp garlic
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except for chicken and boil for 2 minutes. In a foil lined baking dish, add chicken and pour sauce over them. Bake at 450 f. for about 35 minutes. As chicken bakes, baste them every 10 minutes with sauce. When the chicken is done, remove, from pan, pour sauce into a pan and boil until only half remains. Pour sauce over chicken, toss to coat, serve immediately.

German Pancake
Makes about 8 servings (about 2 cups syrup)
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup milk 1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
BUTTERMILK SYRUP:
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Place the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour the butter into an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking dish; add the batter. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the first five syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Dust pancake with powdered sugar; serve immediately with syrup. (We usually use store bought syrup, so if you make the buttermilk syrup, please post a comment and let me know how it was. Thanks.)

Navy Bean Soup (allergy free)
makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken or beef stock (recipe follows or use store bought)
2 cups water
1/2 cup dried navy beans
1 bay leaf
1 cup diced carrots
2 cup diced celery
Directions:
In a large stock pot, combine the stock and water. Bring to a boil and add the beans and bay leaf. Lower the heat and simmer the ingredients approximately 2 hours. Remove the bay leaf and add the carrots and celery. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Put the mixture in a blender to puree, if desired. Return the soup to the pot and add enough water to thin it to the desired consistency. Reheat to boiling and serve.

Beef stock (allergy free)
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients:
6 lbs beef soup bones
2 1/2 quarts water
2 tsp sea salt
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 large bay leaf
1 Tbsp parsley
Directions:
Put the soup bones, water, salt, carrots, celery, bay leaf and parsley in a kettle. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, taking care no to boil, until the broth has a pleasant taste. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the meat from the bones and cut up. Set this meat aside for another beef soup recipe. Strain. Skim off excess fat or chill the stock overnight and then lift off the fat layer. Freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions and thaw as needed.

With all the holiday baking that most of us do, I thought that I would choose a no bake dessert option. I am a huge fan of no bake cookies, though this is not one that I have made to often. Both of my children love to help mommy bake and if the oven isn't used, they don't think that we've baked, believe it or not my youngest is worse about it then my oldest. He loves to use the mixer and help cook, if I had the room I would get him his own kitchen play set.
No bake oatmeal cookies (contains peanuts)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
2 cups white sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup butt
3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Wipe 1" wide band of butter around the rim of a 3 quart pan to prevent boil- over.
2. Combine milk, sugar, cocoa, butter and peanut butter.
3. Stir and bring to boil over medium heat. Let boil for 1 1/2 minutes, do not stir.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in oats and vanilla. Stir until oats evenly distributed.
5. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Cool. Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Once again I want to thank you all for reading and be sure to tell your friends. If there is a recipe that you would like to see here, one that you've been looking for, post a comment and I will do my best to find and post it.

2 more days

2009-12-10T19:35:00.002-06:00

I am so glad that this week is almost over, tho it ends with a second birthday party. Tuesday night the upper part of our street was completely blocked off by police. A friend's husband went completely bonkers. He and his wife were talking and the next thing she knew he jumped up, went into the other room and started beating the walls with a hammer. After knocking a hole in the wall between a bedroom and the bathroom, big enough to walk through, he locked both doors. She got scared and called the cops. Who he kept at bay for hours with the hammer and a knife. Their house is almost a lost cause. No one knows what set him off or why. Shoot, we've known them for years, Mark knew them before they moved in and he has never done anything like this before.

Then Wednesday a very good friend came over so that her little girl could play with Jackson. He is smitten with her, he calls her his Caitlyn. She was having some problems with her car door, it won't close, so Mark went to look at it (he can still do that, no lifting required). The latch thingy is broke. Since her boyfriend is more of a girl than she is, Mark called around to some junkyards to get her a part. (The man weighs 385 lbs and hates to get his hands dirty, he had to have his daddy fix a flat tire for him. Its sad really.) Another friend of hers took her to get the part and she had not one but two people getting her kids from the bus stop, me and another friend of ours. Since my child is home schooled, I have no Earthly idea when the bus gets here, but our other friend lives right by the bus stop. Somehow the girls got past her and started heading home, a few houses past the bus stop Misty's grandma was waiting in someones driveway. She got the girls in her car and took off.

We spent over an hour looking for them, when Caitlyn says to me "maybe they are with Grandma." Another child mentioned them getting into a white van and everything hit the fan. Misty and Mike went to her grandma's house to get them and her grandma hit her and told her that she was a piss poor mother that didn't deserve to have her kids because she wasn't at the bus stop when the girls got off the bus. She then threatened to have the girls taken away from Misty.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I lived in a mobile home park when I was a kid and the bus didn't stop at every house. It stopped at the front of the park and dropped everyone off, that's what it does here. I don't recall very many days at all that my mom or anyone else was waiting at the bus stop for us. We got off the bus and walked home, chatting with our friends, throwing snowballs (if there was snow). If it was raining, someone might be there, if not we hauled booty to the house. I know that we know live in a world that everyone lives in fear of what might happen, but at some point we have to trust our kids and ourselves (that we've done a good job). A seven and eight year old should be capable of walking less than a block to their house without someone worrying, if that woman would have left the girls be, I guarantee they would have been found.

Whether we want them to or not, our children will grow up. The question that we need to ask ourselves is this: Do we want them to grow up to be full functioning adults that are able to wipe their own bottoms, tie their shoes, run a vacuum, etc.? Or do we want them to be completely dependant on us their entire lives and afraid that the bogeyman is hiding behind every corner? I vote for the full functioning adult. Now, how do we get that to happen? We start by teaching our kids how to tie their shoes, work buttons, snaps and zippers, give them chores and let them make some choices for themselves. But we don't stop there, we pray for strength, guidance and put it in God's hands. We enlist the aid of friends and relatives, cause no one can do it alone. We all need someone to lean on sometimes.

Today was our running day. Bills had to be paid and I realized that Jackson had no goody bags and his party is Saturday. We also wanted to get a few last minute things for Christmas. We left the house at 9 a.m. and didn't return until after 4, so needless to say, I'm exhausted and my day is nowhere near done. Goody bags are done, kids are in bed, I still need to clean off the table and (hopefully) get the second panel of Sierra's new curtains finished. Then its off to shower and probably pass out before my head hits the pillow. And before I forget I have to email my sis-in-law the recipe for Gooey Butter Cookies.

Tomorrow, we clean. Not my most favorite thing to do, but it must be done. And not just everyday clean, that would be a piece of cake. We have to party clean, that takes a little more. I also have to bake a dinosaur cake that is blue with blue spots, since I don't know exactly how many people will be coming, I may make a small single layer cake as well. Depends on how I feel.

MFS Thanksgiving Special

2009-11-12T22:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the first issue of "Made From Scratch (mostly)". With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I know that a lot people are looking for the perfect bird. Maybe you are hosting you first family get together and you want everything to be perfect. If that's you, then we are in the same boat.

I have been married to the most wonderful man for 8 years. I adored his parents. I even get along with his two sisters, most of the time. I do get along with them more than my own family, but that is for another time, if not another place. The only down side to having 2 sister in laws is the holidays. Everyone wants to host the big dinner, this year after 8 long years, I get my chance and I can't afford to mess it up (it may not come again).

This is not, however, my first time to make this monsterous meal. It is however the first time that I will be making it nut free. Hey, I can have my pecan pie either before or after the big day, no big deal. I would now like to share some of our favorite recipes with you, well, all but the turkey, that is a secret family recipe that will be shared only with my babies, and only when the time is right. ;)

Candied Carrots
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 lbs carrots, cut into sticks
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
Directions:
Place carrots in a large saucepan; add 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 to 10 min or until crisp tender. Drain and set aside.
In the same pan, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper; cook and stir until butter is melted. Return carrots to the pan; cook and stir over medium heat for 5 min or until glazed.

Cheesy Green Beans
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients:
10 slices bacon
2 (16 oz) pkg cut greenbeans
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 (16 oz) jar cheeze whiz
Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon. Crumble bacon; reserve 2 Tbsp. Add bacon to cooked green beans and pepper; mix lightly. Spoon into 2 qt serving dish. Microwave cheeze whiz as directed on label. Pour over green bean mixture. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

Holiday Stuffing
Ingredients:
16 to 20 slices white bread, cubed
1 cup butter
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
3 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Melt butter in a saute pan. Saute vegies slowly in butter, about 5 min. Toss together cubed bread, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Combine butter and bread mixture. Place in an oven safe dish, and pour chicken broth over stuffing until moist. Cover with foil and bake at 325 f. for 30 min. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes or until brown.
* optional; combine all ingredients, including broth and use to stuff a 16 - 20 pound turkey. Bake according to turkey manufacturer's instructions, making sure the turker reaches an internal temp suggested by the manufacturer.

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Directions:
Mix the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake in a preheated 425-degrees-F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate (do not freeze, as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling).

Pecan Pie
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a saucepan, melt the butter but don't let it brown. Mix in the sugar and corn syrup and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the eggs. Mix well. Stir in the pecans. Pour into the pie shell and bake for 1 hour or until firm when shaken.

These are what I normally make, but like I said this is my first nut free Thanksgiving, no pecan pie. Instead I will be making a freestyle apple tart, even though I'm not a fan of cooked apples. Its a texture thing, I don't eat applesauce either, give me a apple off the tree and I'm good. What I won't do for family?

Added for this years meal are
Free Style Apple Tart
Ingredients:
1 ready to use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15 oz pkg) or make your own
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 red and/or green apples (1 1/4 lb) thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450`F. line a 9 inch pie plate with crust. Carefully spread cream cheese in 6 inch circle in center
2. Toss apples with sugar and flour; spoon over cream cheese.
3. Fold crust partially over apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 25 minutes, covering loosely with foil for last 5 minutes. Cool. Serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate leftovers.

Guilt Free Double Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate pieces
2 tsp powdered sugar
non stick cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350`F. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9x9x2 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, being careful not to coat the sides of pan. In a medium saucepan melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in granulated sugar, water and vanilla. Mix in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until combined. Add chocolate pieces. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on pan in wire rack. Cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.
(Makes 16 brownies; 111 calories per brownie)

In later installments look for tips on healthy eating, saving on your grocery bill and weekly shopping lists. Plus allergy free recipes, because, let's face it, we are in the middle of an epidemic of allergies that don't seem to be going away any time in the near future. As well as more of my family's favorite recipes. I welcome all comments and will take requests. The more feed back I get the more likely I am to continue. Be sure to tell all your friends and lets see just how big this can get. (Between each issue I will be posting personal posts that will give you an insite into my life.)

Things you can only say at Thanksgiving

2009-11-12T22:01:00.000-06:00

1.Talk about a huge breast!

2. Tying the legs together keeps the inside moist.

3.It's Cool Whip time!

4.If I don't undo my pants, I'll burst!

5.That's one terrific spread!

6. I'm in the mood for a little dark meat.

7.Are you ready for seconds yet?

8.Its a little dry, do you still want to eat it?
9.Just wait your turn, you'll get some!

10. Don't play with your meat.

11. Just spread the legs open & stuff it in.

12.Do you think you'll be able to handle all these people at once?

13.I didn't expect everyone to come at once!

14. You still have a little bit on your chin.

15.How long will it take after you stick it in?

16. You'll know it's ready when its thingy pops up.

17.Wow, I didn't think I could handle all of that!

18.That's the biggest one I've ever seen

Frustrated

2009-11-07T22:33:00.000-06:00

I got my final issue of Kraft's food and family magazine in the mail yesterday. For as long as I have gotten it, it has always been free. As with everything else, it now will cost me to get it. I don't really get a whole lot out of it, but I have found some stuff in it, so its kind of sad. I will miss it, but I have an idea to fill the void, you'll have to stay tuned to find out what.

This week was also Mark's last visit with Dr. James Williams. Thank God for that. That man is nothing more than a crack pot. Every time he opened his mouth, he contradicted himself and lied. I don't know when it became acceptable to tell someone that they aren't hurt (when they are) just to get money. I know that there are a lot of people out there that have played the system to get rich, but this isn't one of those cases. Mark is injuryed and we have not one, but two doctors that have said so. Dr. Backer was the first, a non workmans comp doctor, that agreed to see us after viewing Mark's MRI. The second is the best non workmans comp doctor in the country, this doctor will, under no circustances, accept workmans comp cases. They both told us that his injury needs surgery, but it is very dangerous, and he understands if we opt to do pain management for the rest of his life. Either way you look at it, its a scarey thought. To have to deal with a surgery that could possibly make things worse, or deal with a doctor forever. I don't really want to do either, but then again its not really my call. Its not my body.

So little time....

2009-10-21T23:07:00.002-05:00

Lots left to do.

Its amazing how your children getting H1N1 can throw off your whole schedule. Last Tuesday, Sierra laid down on the couch and whined "Mommy, I don't feel good." I almost burned my hand on her forehead. Thankfully, everyone is okay. I don't know if Mark and I had it, but we probably did.

We had to go see Dr. Williams today. This man has got to be the dumbest man on the planet. As a pain management doctor, one would think that he would at least try to find out what is causing Mark to be in pain. Wrong! All he does is tell us "its all in your head." Man, I didn't know that Mark having something wrong with his head would cause other people to see a huge softball sized knot in his back, but apparently it can. Something else I learned is that pain is contagious. That's right PAIN!!!!!!!!! Be careful out there folks, if someone around you is in pain, you can catch it. I've been around many people who were in pain, and guess what. The only time that I have felt actual pain is when I was hurt, usually from someone hitting me or throwing me down the stairs, or running me over with a car, or using my head to open a microwave. Never did I feel the actual physical pain just because someone around me was in pain. Just think, this is the man that workman's comp put my husband's life in. I feel so safe, don't you?

After this complete waste of time, we decided to try our luck at grocery shopping at Aldi's. That would have been great, if we hadn't ran into the Randles. I thought that I had dealt with how angry they make me, but then I saw Tori today and all the anger come flooding back. It was like 9 months hadn't passed. Like it was the fourth of January all over again. Just what I needed today right?

I swear if we make it through this year, I'm getting us shirts that say I survived 2009.

Today wasn't all bad. To make us feel better, we took the kids to the pumpkin patch. If my internet was better than dial up, I'd post a video of Jackson and Sierra on the tractors. Sierra also milked the wooden cow, or at least tried to, it was out of "milk". The kids played in a huge barrel of beans, Sierra ended up having both of her boots fill with beans. Funny for me, not so funny for her, dried beans are apparently very painful when you step on them. Then we picked out pumpkins. Jackson chose a orange and white striped Jack-be-little and Sierra decided that she wanted to get 3 gourds instead of a pumpkin. You gotta love a trip any where with 2 kids that costs less than $5, $1.75 to be exact.

I am also one step closer to painting Sierra's room. She finally had her room clean when I went to tape her room, so I got to get that step done. Hopefully I will have the time to paint at least part of it tomorrow. I feel bad that it isn't done, but like I said, getting H1N1 throws you off.

Another Screwed Up Monday...

2009-09-28T16:50:00.000-05:00

I am not usually one to complain about Mondays, but when they start before the sun comes up, you just know that they will be bad.

Today we had our second visit with Dr. Williams. He has got to be the biggest ego-maniac on the planet. Either that or he thinks everyone else is stupid. It took just about everything I had not to lay into him, it helped that I was holding Jackson and he was sleeping. The nerve of this guy. He kept on saying that Mark was fine and that he only thought he was hurt because of the doctors. WRONG!!! He was in mass amounts of pain before he ever went to see a damn doctor. Plus he still has numbness.

Unfortunately the numbness is slowly taking over his whole body. I asked Williams what the name of the test was, the one where you poke someone with a pin or needle. Never did get an answer, but he preformed it. Before Mark only had numbness in the lower half of his legs and from his elbows to his hands, now its everything from the top of his tummy to his feet. Williams actually seemed concerned about this. Like the other doctors, he questioned what was causing the problems in Mark's arms.

That is a good question. A question whose only answer can be that there is something wrong. Something that the doctors have yet to find because they were to focused on the spine issue that supposedly isn't there. Or maybe everything IS due to the compressed spinal cord that workman's comp has paid to make "disappear". No matter what a doctor tells you they are all just people and we are all flawed. Some, if not all of them, can be bought. Ethics is fast becoming the next Urban Legend.

And the hits just keep on coming...

2009-09-15T13:23:00.002-05:00

We have now ha, not one but two workman's comp doctors tell us that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Mark. That all the pain is in his head. They just wish that they had something in their heads.

Pam will no longer pay for anything and has become a complete b****. She said that since 2 workman's comp doctors have said that he isn't hurt, he just needs to shut up and go back to work. How can he shut up when they no longer want him to take his pain meds, he is still in pain, he has a knot that comes and goes on his back (I have seen this and so has his phyiscal therapist), and they want him to be back to the old normal in less than 3 weeks without doing anything to make him better. Its not right and they will pay for it, should anything happen to him while he is at work (or on the way home).

I'm done playing and that's never a good thing for those that piss me off.

I'm back.....

2009-09-08T15:36:00.002-05:00

For the time being. No promises has to how long it will last.

Since the last time I blogged my hubby injured his back. We go tomorrow to the doctor to see what he is going to do. So far all they have done is give him medicine. We are hoping that the doctor is going to fill out disability paperwork, or at the very least send him for a test, they haven't done one since May 29.

I know that it has gotten worse, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. His legs and arms go numb more and more. The longer this is drug out the grumpier he gets. And yesterday, his leg started doing that foot popping thing all by itself. He said it felt like his leg was in a wringer. I feel like such a useless waste since I can't do anything for him.

I have also started actual writing again. It is very relaxing, if only I could remember to do it everyday. Hahaha.

We also ended our 3rd week of second grade. I love homeschooling, its so freeing. It makes me feel like I'm contributing to, not only her education but her life in away that most parents can only dream about. That's not to say that I think everyone should homeschool their children. I know some people that could, but don't, it doesn't work with their lives and that is fine. I know many people that do and the bond they have with their kids is incredible. I also know people that homeschool that shouldn't, their children spend much of the day parked in front of the television. Then there are those that I am friends with that send their children to public school, and that is where their kids belong. Those parents don't have the patience or energy to teach a dog where to go potty. Education is the most important gift we can give our children and I can only say what is best for my children, not yours.

I was thinking...

2009-02-04T12:40:00.002-06:00

That since I have both a facebook and a myspace page that I would stop using this blog altogether, but I don't know.

Here is a quick up date on what's been going on:
Mark- even though he has a coaching on his record stores all over the country want him, including the O'Fallon store. Anyone know of any recently priced rental property in that area?

Sierra-Lynn- has three loose teeth and is still extremely annoying, but I love her all the same.

Jackson- has been to the allergist twice, he is not allergic to milk, but still can't have dairy. Ever time that he does he gets diarrhea, so he will be going to see the GI tomorrow. He is, however allergic to lobster and clams, not really a big deal, it just means that I can't have imitation crab I have to get the real stuff. ;)

Me- I have been writing again, I posted a sample on my myspace page if you want to check it out, I will be posting more soon. I also bought my very own set of Twilight books, now I don't have to wait for the library to get them in.

A much calmer week.

2009-01-25T16:03:00.002-06:00

Even though we took Jackson to see an allergist and had a counseling session all in the same day, this week has been relatively calm. I'm loving every minute of it, even the ones that have been filled with Jackson crying/screaming/whatever you want to call it.

Sierra-Lynn has done a lot of growing up this week. She has her very first loose tooth (don't say anything to her Dee Dee, she is going to write Hannah and tell her), she learned how to try her shoes, and at lunch just today she put the straw in her Capri Sun all by herself. See, I'm letting her do more for herself and she can do it.

Jackson (is driving me crazy) is not allergic to milk, thank God, so I get to take him to another doctor to find out what is wrong with him. I will only put this once, but I should have listened to Dee Dee and taken him to a tummy doctor first. Oh well, now she can say I told you so.

I worked on another of my resolutions today, Sierra-Lynn and I were having school and I looked out the window at the snow falling and I got inspired. So, I grabbed some paper and a pen and wrote a page and a half. That's more than I have written in forever, I'm so happy.

Well Jackson is up screaming, the fuzz butt won't sleep, so til next time. God bless.

A Summary Of Life

2009-01-15T13:09:00.002-06:00

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservative I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chairthat you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1 -- You believe in Santa Claus.
2 -- You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3 -- You are Santa Claus.
4 -- You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:
At age 4 success is . . .not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . .having friends.
At age 17 success is . . .having a driver's license.
At age 35 success is . . .having money.
At age 50 success is . . .having money.
At age 70 success is . . .having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . .having friends.
At age 80 success is . . .not peeing in your pants.

Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.Have a wonderful day with many smiles!!!

The Longest Week Of My Life!!!!!!

2009-01-10T20:52:00.002-06:00

Welcome all to my week of hell (that won't quit). Other than Mark being home, and no longer having to worry about Girl Scouts everything sucked a big one.

Jan. 3/Jan. 4 overnight: Jackson wakes up vomiting everywhere. Won't wake up. Call 911. By the time the paramedics arrive, he is running around the living room.

Jan. 4 between 4 and 5 o'clock p.m.: Mark goes to wake up Sierra-Lynn, finds her with a toy down her pants. After questioning her for a few minutes she tells us that a friend of hers named Christain touched her in her private area. Yet another 911 call.

Jan. 5: a trip to the doctor's office to make sure that Sierra-Lynn was okay, and found out that what Christain did happened at least twice. The doctor laid her down to check her tummy and she went ballistic, we had to get a female doctor to finish up. Texted David (he is no longer family), to thank him for making a choice. He responds with "what was I supposed to do abandon Tori and the kids?" What an ass.

Jan. 6 midnight: I roll over and find Sierra-Lynn standing right next to my bed. She had thrown up all over her bed. She had already removed her blanket and top sheet. Her pillow sham I made her when she was 3 and her fitted sheet went into the trash (the puddle was at least 1 foot by 2 foot). Later, took Sierra-Lynn to talk with a woman from the juvenile office. She spent the entire time on my lap, that girl has a bony rear end.

Jan. 7: At breakfast, Sierra-Lynn told us that the reason she didn't tell us sooner was because Christain threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Made and had an appointment with a family counselor. Sierra-Lynn said that she liked her, but wasn't ready to talk. I called my dad in tears and told him what had happened. He showed real emotion for the first time that I can remember. Told my little brother, he was furious.

Jan. 8: My sister Kim's birthday. Texted her to wish her a happy birthday. Jackson got his seventh tooth (lower right hand side). Mark went to take a movie back to the video store. The starter went out in the car, and the van wouldn't start.

Jan. 9: Got a ride with my friend Brandy to co-op. The car was ready by lunch time, but Mark had Jackson stay at co-op (he usually went home to take a nap). Found out that the starter in the van is also crap (it gets fixed when taxes come in).

Jan. 9/Jan. 10 overnight: Jackson woke up with a poopy diaper, I changed it and went back to bed. 20 minutes later, he pooped again, it looked like it had blood in it. One more call to 911, this time complete with a trip to the hospital. It wasn't blood, it may have had something to do with him being sick and not able to process the red jello he had with dinner. That kid is never getting jello again (I don't care what color).

There is my week in a nutshell. (Notice that no where do I mention sleep, I have forgotten what that is.)

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T20:00:00.002-06:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful day today. Mine couldn't have been better. I spent it with my three most favorite people. And I lost 1 pound last month, I know it's not much, but a loss is a loss.

Sierra-Lynn keeps getting more and more adorable everyday. Today we started reading the Bible, and she's just sitting there wide eyed as we went back and forth between mine and hers. Then we went for a walk and she ran from a kitten. Not even a full grown cat, but a kitten. It was so funny, it followed her all the way around the neighborhood.

Here's to a wonderful year full of fun, family and friends.

New Year, New Me

2008-12-27T13:45:00.004-06:00

Every year I post my resolutions, and here I am to do it again.

1. 2009 is going to be a year of fun. I will play more with my kids, no matter how much it kills my back and leg to get on the floor with them.

2. I will start writing again. I used to write all the time and I felt really good when I did, some how I lost the time to write, but I plan to find it again.

3. I will continue to work out. It also makes me feel good, for the first time I actually kept up with this one in 2008, and lost more than 20 pounds, so yay me.

4. I am really bad about doing everything for Sierra-Lynn. This year I am going to let her do more. I am also going to make her responsible for some of the housework.

I think that I'll limit it to four this year. I hope that next year is better for everyone than this year was. Just thought of a fifth...

5. Sierra-Lynn has been on her daddy and I to take her to church. I would like to get back to that, as well as read the Bible. I have tried to read it before, but reading it from front to back is apparently not going to work. I found a different way to do it so, we'll see what happens.

There you have it. Have more fun playing with the kids, start writing again, continue working out so that I can be there for my kids, let go just a little and stop trying to do it all, and go to church and read the Bible (hopefully daily). Feel free to ask me throughout the year how I'm doing.

Christmas Time

2008-12-25T19:59:00.004-06:00

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. I don't know the rest of the song. So there.
All in all today was a good day, we got up, had cinnamon french toast, and opened presents. Jackson got a big tub of dinosaurs, a new blanket (mommy made), a ride on tonka truck, Schoolhouse rock DVD, and a couple action figures. Sierra-Lynn's gifts were a microscope, an accessory kit, a solar system model, her name is letter pillows (mommy made), a new sheet set and a doll. I got some new 13x9 inch cake pans and Twist of Fate: the Matt and Jeff Hardy story, I also got a necklace. Mark got a video game, a CD that he wanted and a socket set.After Jackson rested a while, we went out for Chinese for lunch, and whose truck did I see? My Uncle David's. I didn't know that he was coming up, I should have, considering the fact that he has been up every Christmas since I introduced him to my friend Tori. I texted him, to let him know that I knew he was up here and he lied and said that he would come see us today. I say lied because he still has not shown up here, it broke Sierra-Lynn's heart. No one has that right. After texting him AGAIN he said that he would come by tomorrow, I said "Duck it!" and called him, my exact words to him were "I know that you didn't come up here to see us, so don't bother coming over." Then hung up and turned off the cell phone. Why doesn't my family give a crap? And further more, why do I care?

To top everything else off, I can't find my purse anywhere. Merry freaking Christmas to me. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

It Worked!!!!!!

2008-12-20T23:02:00.002-06:00

Opening his present from Sierra-Lynn.Yummy Dino cake.He started out good, but then......

thought it would be funny to rub his plate on his head (after he finished with the cake). He also got frosting in his eye.

Meet Booya the dinosaur. Every time that he sees it he yells Booya. It's so adorable.

Fed Up!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-18T21:48:00.003-06:00

The kids had their annual checkups today, they are both have low iron. If anyone has high iron recipes let me know. I will put them to good use. It was comical at the doctors today, Sierra-Lynn went first, since she only had to get her iron checked. She screamed and fought and got hysterical. Jackson, on the other hand, sat up like a big boy while the nurse pricked his finger and didn't make a peep. He wanted to play with the blood coming out of his finger. When it came time for his shots, he screamed bloody murder. He did get a sheriff rubber ducky out of it, which went right in his mouth.

This blasted thing fooled me. When I started this post, the picture thingy worked and I was in the process of uploading 4, then it crapped out on me, I will keep trying for those of you that don't have myspace. This site isn't the only one making me mad, hotmail is too, it won't let me reply or forward or anything. I'm about to switch to yahoo.

Party Stuff

2008-12-17T23:12:00.002-06:00

I would love to be able to let all of you see what a mess Jackson made of himself with his birthday cake, but for some ungodly reason this site is being a butt and not letting me post any photos. It's been like this for at least a week. I have posted birthday photos on my myspace page, 58 I believe. Mark went over board with the pictures. Here is a shortcut to my page (you will have to add me as a friend to see anything) http://www.myspace.com/bjbstyle

I hope that everyone is doing okay and I will try to be back soon with an update.

Happy Birthday Jackson!!!!!!!

2008-12-11T21:30:00.002-06:00

Today my little man turned one. In the last few weeks he has learned to walk, he is even good at walking in shoes.

This morning we all went into his room and sang "happy birthday", then we had breakfast. He got to eat his very first doughnut. He was so cute, he kept going "mmmmmmm" and "yum". I think he is finally ready to give up baby food, which works for me. Although I have to find a home for the baby food that we still have. He is also working on giving up his bottles. Today, instead of 3 bottles, he only had one. I guess that's what happens when you start every meal with a sippy cup. He is also working on using real cups. He got this really cute dinosaur one from his aunt and he loves to drink water out of it (he ends up wearing has much as he drinks). ;P

For dinner we had Chinese, he loved it. The waitresses brought him a little piece of orange cake flanked by jello (north and south) and apricots (east and west). He thought the jello was cool because it bounced and he got more of the cake on the floor than he ate, but it was so very cute. Unfortunately we didn't have the camera, so no photos.

Sierra-Lynn spent a good chunk of last night making Jackson a birthday card. It's a robot complete with arms, she even signed it. When she gave it to him, he smiled and his face lit up and he pulled her and gave her a big hug and a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

Come back on Sunday (maybe Saturday) for pictures of his birthday party. Til then, be well.

Eleven Days And Counting!

2008-11-30T12:32:00.002-06:00

I am so tired, first there was the all day trip to my sister-in-laws house for birthday/Thanksgiving/Christmas on Thursday, fun but tiring. I would post photos, but my camera died, I forgot to bring extra batteries, and the batteries that I got from my sis-in-law took a grand total of one picture before they too crapped out. It was so cute watching Jackson pull his dinosaurs out of their gift bags and kiss and hug them. Sierra-Lynn's day was also made, she wanted Guess who extra and connect 4 and got them both, now she doesn't know what to ask Santa for.

Then there was getting up at 4:15 a.m. for early morning shopping on Friday. And lastly, we have Jackson getting up at 3:30 a.m. this morning and refusing to go back to sleep. He wouldn't even play quietly, nope, not my sweet little pain in the ***. He screamed every 15 to 30 minutes, thus ensuring that Mark and I would not get any sleep. How do I get this to stop? He used to sleep through the night, why doesn't he now?

Anyway, Jackson will be turning 1 in 11 days, I have nothing finalized. Not that I was planning much, but I don't even know what kind of cake I am making, man I am behind. So far we have invited my little brother Joey, his dad (my step dad) and his wife and 2 girls, and one of Jackson's baby friends. I know that Jackson's friend will be there, but as for the rest of them, I'm not so sure. Hopefully I get confirmations, so I know how much to make for lunch. We will probably just do sandwiches anyway (quick and easy) or maybe tacos, those are always good.

Till later, I hope that all had a good Thanksgiving and I will post again in a few days.

Hot Tub Anyone!

2008-11-21T20:37:00.000-06:00

Today has been one of those days. It was a co-op day, so it was automatically going to be long.

Jackson decided this morning that he was going to do everything within his power to hurt himself. He tried to throw himself head first from his highchair during breakfast. At co-op he climbed up on the kid sized picnic table and fell off, getting a gooseegg and a rug burn on his forehead, his nose is bruised too. He then preceeded to slam his little fingers in the cabinets, and got a cheese craker stuck in his throat and threw up all over everywhere.

Sierra-Lynn got to use a hammer in arts and crafts, they made "jingle sticks". It's a stick that looks like you would use has a sling shot and has metal bottle caps strung on a wire between the twigs. She decorated it with lots of ribbon. I can't believe the teacher was brave enough to give 5 to 8 year olds hammers, she's braver than I.

I, on the other hand, hurt my left knee again. I have had a problem with it since I was eleven and the car I was in ran over my leg to the knee. All I did today was straighten it and SNAP, SNAP, POP!

None of that Sissy Crap!

2008-11-17T13:36:00.000-06:00

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, But never actually come close to reality? Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship. You will see no cutesy little smiley faces on this card- Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad --I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile -- I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.

4. When you're scared -- we will high tail it out of here.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining, ya big baby!!!

6. When you are confused -- I will use little words.

7. When you are sick --Stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall -- I'll pick you up and dust you off-- After I laugh my butt off!!!

9. This is my oath...I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask -- because you are my FRIEND!

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth. Send this to 10 of your closest friends,Then get depressed because you can only think Of 4 .

A Tale Of Lies

2008-11-14T21:27:00.002-06:00

For the last 15 plus years, my family has been lying to me and my brother. Lies to get us to hate. Keeping my brother away from his dad and two little sisters.

I know this because I have been emailing one of the sisters and she put me in touch with Ralph (the dad). We talked, through email, last night for about an hour. Once I was able to let go of the hate and the anger that I had carried around for most of my life, I started thinking back to what I really remembered. Yes, Ralph had a temper and didn't handle things right sometimes, but he was also between the ages of 22 and 25 when he was with my mom. Anyone who has been around a guy of that age knows that they have a long way to go to fully mature.

Yes, he did hit my mom sometimes, but there were good times too. I remember those now that I put aside the crap that I was told by my sister and uncles. I also got the only thing that I have wanted from him, an apology. I plan to put the past to rest and move on. My family has caused enough hurt. My question to them, how can you hurt a child the way that you did? All the lies make you the bad person/people. As I have said, lying for any reason is never good and will always come back to bite you in the a** in the end.

I'm Cold.

2008-11-09T13:45:00.004-06:00

I have never been a big fan of cold weather, but living in this place had made it even worse. I can almost feel the cold air come in through the walls. I could just be imagining it, but I doubt it. I have been in a better mood since last Tuesday, it's amazing how good you can feel, when you feel like your voice counts.

Anyway, Jackson turns 11 months old on Tuesday. When the h*** did that happen? He has finally started using his push behind walker. He is even mastering pushing it with one hand while carrying a toy/water bottle/whatever in the other hand. This morning he even pushed it into the kitchen and was walking around in there. (That is until I told him to get his tiny butt back in the living room.) He started trying to turn around and did fairly well until he hit the carpet and fell to his knees. He is starting to feel better, he still has diarrhea, but not as bad.

School with Sierra-Lynn is going good. She is taking to math very well. A few weeks ago, we started working on subtraction and (I thought that she would confuse it with addition) now we are doing pages that have both addition and subtraction on it and she is doing great. She is still having problems with currency, but then so is the government so I can't fault her too much for it! Seriously, I know that she knows the difference between the different coins but when you ask her how much a dime is worth, she starts at one cent and works her way to the proper amount. Of course she could just be doing it to get a rise out of mommy, and, unfortunately it is working.

God Bless