da tree

moving sucks and more

    Actually, moving then not moving sucks.  My main reason:  no more DSL.  Once again, I'm stuck with dial-up.  Verizon gave me a hard time getting the DSL transferred back into this house, after I cancelled the transfer in the first place.  They turned it on in the new house, but they couldn't transfer it back, since there was no phone line to disconnect in the "new" house (the one I didn't move into).  DUH.  Anyhoo, here I am, and that's why I haven't really posted or read e-mail or anything.  I hate dial-up, therefore, I avoid it like the plague.

    On to other news...I had my OB appointment last week, and all looks good--I'm pregnant...NO...REALLY?  LOL.  Had my first ultrasound the other day too...at 9 weeks!  Last time, they didn't have them that soon.  Got to hear the baby's heartbeat and see it too.  (There's only one in there.)  Next time, I'll get a 3D ultrasound...woohoo!  After the ultrasound, I got 12 (yes, 12) vials of blood taken, for all sorts of tests.  Yay.

    One other thing that happened recently was the kids' birthday party.  I combined them this year,  since they're only 3 weeks apart.  We had a pool party at the same place Joey had his last year.  It was awesome!  All the kids had fun, and so did I.  Have to do that again sometime.

    So that's what's been going on.  Sorry I haven't been commenting...feeling pukey and migraines and being tired (especially with the new work hours) make me not want to do anything.  Ewwwww.

til next time...=)

Day 7--8/17/07

Lots of pics today!! Here and here.

    Got up early this morning...we're finally going to see the mansion!  Got to the visitors' center at 9am to get our tickets, which were for the noon tours (10 per hour), and we finally got up there around 1:30pm.  The reason it took so long is because the tour lasts as long as you want it to.  You know, it was so worth the wait (and the price-$70 for the four of us)--it was absolutely amazing.  You gotta check it out. 
    After that we went back to the hotel and relaxed for a while.  The kids and the mother-in-law went to Shoney's for dinner, and we stayed behind...lol.  I waited to eat, since I was saving my appetite for some BBQ!!!  By suggestion, we went to Blues City Cafe.  Of course, I had ribs.  OMG--they were worth not eating the whole day for.  So juicy, so flavorful.  Yummy.  And cheap--1/2 rack of ribs, cole slaw, baked beans, texas toast, and a drink for only $33 (for both me and Joey).  Recommend that place to anyone.
    Coincidentally, we were going to the same place later to see a band play.  When we got seated for our food, we were sat in the bar...where the band was playing!  The rest of the group (minus the kids and my father-in-law) met up with us soon after.  The Dempseys (see the video) are awesome.  They just keep going for the whole set--no breaks between songs.  And they're full of energy--all over the stage, playing each other's instruments, just plain nuts, etc.  Wow.  After one hell of a day, we were done.

til next time...=)

Day 6--8/16/07

Pics!

    Got up early this morning to go to the Graceland gravesite, but people were still going up with candles from the night before (it was about 7:30am).  So we couldn't go up.  We went back to the hotel and did some laundry--yay.  Then we took a quick drive down to Mississippi and saw Jerry Lee Lewis' house.  Came back to Tennessee, went downtown in Memphis and the kids played a game of bowling at Jillian's.  After that, we went for lunch.  The group split up--the kids and Grandma went for pizza at one of the food court restaurants in Peabody Place, a few of the group went for catfish at The Flying Fish.  Joey and I walked around the area and found Renee's--good food, good prices, and good conversation.  After we filled up on that, we went over to the Peabody Hotel where the ducks live.  Didn't get to see them, since there were too many people there.  That's because Priscilla Presley was there to dedicate Elvis' new spot on the duckwalk.  Then we got in the van and drove up to Graceland, and finally walked up to see the grave.  Wow--all the flowers and memorials were amazing.  Then we called it an early night, since we were going to see the inside of the mansion tomorrow morning.  Busy day!

til next time...=)

about the bun

    Yup, you read right...I'm pregnant. Took the test Friday afternoon, but I had a feeling for a couple weeks.  You know--the telltale signs--eating WAY more than normal, peeing way more than normal.  Well, that and "it" being about two weeks late...duh.
    I know the next question...how does everyone feel about it?  EXCITED.  Me, Joey, and the kids.  When I told the kids it wouldn't come until the end of the school year (I'm thinking May), they were a little bummed, but of course--they don't want to wait THAT long...lol.  Joey is actually happier than I am, which is very hard to be at this point.  When I told my co-workers, they were shocked and relieved...you know, the "it comes in 3's" rule?  Me being pregnant ruled them out...hahaha.
    Am I prepared?  No, but I have time to get prepared for it.  We'll probably have to move, but that's something I'm willing to do.  Still have to get EVERYTHING, but again, I have time for that.  It's been so long--8 years--I think I forgot what it's like.  But everyone says it's like riding a bike...it comes back to ya.
    So now I have to set up appointments.  Tomorrow I'll call the ob for that...haven't seen one since I had Joey...so it's been a while.  But in the meantime, WOOHOO!!!!

til next time...=)

Day 5--8/15/07

Pics?  Of course...here.

First thing this morning, went and got coffee from a place called Cafe Francisco...just like the coffee shop I go to at home....mmmm.  Then we went to the Pink Palace Planetarium (try saying that 10 times fast!) for a special Elvis laser light show with music and pictures.  After that we rode by the river on the trolley.  Awesome views, but it was so hot (at least 100 degrees).  After that we went back to the hotel to relax for a few, then went back out.  This time it was to the Flying Saucer, where they were giving away free Elvis mugs to commemorate the day of his death.  After that, we went up to Graceland for the vigil.  The traffic was soooooo bad.  Duh--85,000 people going to the same place will cause that...lol.  We saw the ceremony and stayed for a while, but there was no way I was standing in line (for at least 8 hours) to take a candle up to his grave in the 95 degree heat (at 9pm!).  So we left there, and went for a late night snack at CK's.  I swear, we were the only white people in there...felt a little awkward.  But the food was good!  Then we called it a night.

til next time...=)

delay

You know, I've been kinda busy lately...that's why I haven't been posting my vacation entries as fast as usual.  You know...moving, not moving, finding out about a bun in the oven, birthdays (and the cupcakes that go along with them), etc.  So let me get on with it!  Not that the stuff is over...still have birthday parties (combined them this year, but still) to do.  Not to mention said bun-in-oven...lol.

til next time...=)

Day 4--8/14/07

Here's today's pics...here.

We slept in this morning, then went for breakfast at the Blue Plate Cafe. Another place with good cheap food. And I had biscuits and sawmill gravy for the first time...MMM. Couldn't get enough of those.
Then the group split up--Joey and I were dropped off at Sun Studios, and the rest of the group went to Autozone Park, where the local baseball team plays. At Sun, it was totally packed with people, and man, was it hot. Good thing they had these fans that blow a water mist--I so want one of these! After about a half-hour wait, we went on the tour. It was awesome. Slim, our tour guide, was really cool. Found out later that he's the best tour guide they have--the other ones are boring compared to him. While on the tour, we listened to music that was recorded there, and got to see some cool artifacts, such as the instruments they used, and the microphone that was used by such icons as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis. It was awesome. Good thing we got there when we did--after we finished our tour, three tour buses filled with tourists pulled up. Hahahaha....
After that, we drove around for a little while, and eventually went up to Graceland...again. Listened to some music, and saw the Heartbreak Hotel...which by the way IS at the end of Lonely Street. It's a real hotel too...the rooms are designed like the rooms in Elvis' mansion.
It was getting a little late, so we dropped the kids and in-laws off at the hotel...and headed out to Beale St. Wow...all the music, all the people, all the BOOZE!! You know you can walk down that street with an open beer, and the cops won't say a damn thing?!? In fact, on the weekends, the bars are open until 5am, and the cops are at the ends of the street carding people...lol. Anyway, we went to Silky O'Sullivan's and got some drinks. They had dueling piano there--man, they were good. We left there and went up to the Flying Saucer, where they have about 90 different beers on tap! I'm not a beer drinker, so I'm thinking I'm SOL...but no! They have beer that doesn't quite taste like it...I'm game for that. If you go there, you'll see my brother-in-law's saucer hanging on the wall for drinking 100 different beers there (3-a-day limit). Then we went to Dyer's, a burger joint that fries their burgers in grease...and they've been using the same exact grease since they opened in 1929!!! Sounds bad, but damn, that burger was GOOOOOOOD. After that, we went back to the hotel and crashed for the night.

til next time...=)

Day 3--8/13/07

From today...zoo pics and other pics.

    We went to the zoo this morning.  Saw loads of animals...they were awesome!  Then to the fire museum, where the kids got to play on the fire trucks!  After that we walked over to the fountains on Union Square.  Cool--I mean that literally, since it was about 105 degrees.  Went for lunch at a little known place called Westy's.  They had some good food there, and cheap!  We paid about $10 per person...not bad.  Then we did some more driving around, seeing Elvis' high school, St. Jude's Research Hospital, and the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King was shot (National Civil Rights Museum). 
Soon after, we dropped off my father-in-law and headed up to Graceland.  Saw some more impersonators...a local news crew was there filming some of them along with the fans who were watching, including our kids.  Turns out they were on local TV here too!!! We also looked in the gift shops at the visitors center, and stared in awe of all the people lining up at the gates for the vigil, which was two days away!  Stayed up there a few hours, then went back downtown, and got some awesome sunset pics, looking across the Mississippi River.  We also went back to the fountains we saw earlier...the kids got wet this time!!!  Then back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

til next time...=)

Day 2--8/12/07

Here's the pics for the day...here.

    Today we drove from Knoxville (where we stopped for the night) to Nashville and picked up my in-laws at the airport.  Then all eight of us (me, Joey, the two kids, his mom, his dad, his brother, and his brother's friend) all squished into a 7 passenger minivan and drove to Memphis (about 2 hours).  On the way, we stopped in Cordova (1/2 hour from Memphis) for lunch at CiCi's...we don't have one of those at home...I wish we'd get one.  Pizza, salad, and pasta....all you can eat, cheap! 
    Back on the road, we drove a little through Memphis, then went to our hotel--across the Mississippi in West Memphis, AR.  We unpacked, showered, and off we went...we ended up on Beale St., where we walked around, listened to music, and took some pictures.  Then we went to Peabody Place, where the kids got to play some video games at Jillian's.  Then we got back in the van and drove up to Graceland.  We caught some performances from Elvis impersonators (some good, some bad).  After all this, we went back to the hotel and called it a night.

til next time...=)

Day 1--8/11/07

    First day!  The drive was long, but not bad.  The kids were unusually good the whole way down.  Traffic wasn't bad at all...boring, but not bad.  Made three stops total--one at a rest area for lunch, one pee break, and dinner at Iron Skillet (Petro) for dinner (which took an hour).  Twelve hours, two highways, and four states later, here we are at a hotel in Knoxville.  Gotta get up early to drive to Nashville.  Woohoo!

til next time...=)

i'm back y'all

    Yes, I'm back from vacation.  Been back since EARLY Monday morning--2:30am, actually.  It's just taking sooooooooo long uploading all the pictures I took.  Been at it for the past two days (taking a break for food, smoking, and work...of course), and I'm still not done.  It takes time to upload about 235 pics, you know.  Sigh.  And I did take notes during my vacation...so once I get all the photos done, I'll be sure to link it here (no, I'm not putting them all here...duh), then I'll be telling about what I did on my summer vacation...hee hee hee.

til next time...=)

some like it hot...

Yay.

til next time...=)

one more thing

Oh yeah...something I forgot to mention yesterday.  We're moving.  Again.  Across the street.  In three weeks.  Yay.

til next time...=)

just in time

Just in time for vacation--in two days!



There.  Much better.  I've had them for a week, and it's coming along--they feel weird, but I'm starting to eat, I smile more, etc.  Yay!

til next time...=)

change of events

    You know, finally something might be going our way...kind of.  The landlord changed his mind about evicting us, but didn't come for the rent yet...and we had it over a week ago.  He hasn't called us about it since Thursday...you know, I'm not going to hunt him down and remind him that his money is sitting here waiting for him...if he wants it, let him come get it.  And I want receipts for all of it...just in case he tries to pull this shit again.  And we're still looking for another apartment...spare us the drama.

    And we're still going on vacation on Tennessee.  In 11 days...WOO.HOO.  I went to work last Monday and gave up half of my vacation days that week so I could make the money for the rent, etc.  Then my brother-in-law (you know, the one I can't stand...to a point, anyway) called Joey said we would only need half of the money we originally needed, and we can pay him back after the trip.  Don't worry--the next day I got the vacation back.  So we're going...and I'm SO looking forward to it.  Yeehaw!

    I know what you're thinking--OOH!  Things are turning around for you guys!  Nope...just a small change in scenery, then back to the same old crap.  Keep in mind, my hell months are just around the corner, starting with back-to-school shopping, followed by birthdays and Christmas...nooooooooooooooooo.

til next time...=)

the i's have it

The "I" in me....

I Live:  in Pennsylvania...where it's cold and raining right now.

I Work: doing wireless 411 at Verizon (not VZ wireless).  But for how much longer...who knows.  I like my job.

I Talk: see above...I'm on the phone ALL. DAY. LONG.

I Wish:  things were better, and people would stop pulling the rug out from under us.

I Enjoy:  having time to myself, and taking the family on little outings, like the pool and the park for the day. 

I Look: like the semi-toothless wonder...but not for long...=D

I Find:  that my friends help when they can.  They help by listening.

I Smell:  when I'm in such a rush in the morning, I forget to put deodorant on...ewwww.

I Listen: to lots of people and their situations...and help out whenever I can.

I Hide:  in the house on my one day off a week...like a hermit.

I Pray:  that things will get better.

I Walk:  to the store.  Sometimes in the rain.

I Write:  my grocery list, then leave it at home and forget what I needed.

I See:  lots of things, including some that I'd rather not see.

I Sing:  in the car, at the top of my lungs.

I Laugh:  to keep from crying.

I Can:  do lots of things...

I Watch: my kids grow up right before my eyes, unfortunately.

I Yearn:  to own my own house.

I Daydream: about how much better it could be.

I Fall:  in love again everyday.

I Want:  to not worry about what tomorrow's going to bring.

I Cry:  a lot these days.

I Burn:  if I'm in the sun too long.

I Read:  computer screens all the time.

I Love:  to bake.

I Rode:  lol...I'm thinking baaaaaad on this one.  bwahahaha

I Sometimes:  wonder what it would be like not to worry about anything.

I Hurt:  when my family hurts.

I Fear:  everything...it's the anxiety talking.

I Hope:  tomorrow's better than today.

I Break:  the car.

I Eat:  whatever I can.

I Bathe: daily!

I Drink:  coffee, and lots of it.

I Stop:  people from yelling at me...by being calm (or at least sounding like I am).

I Save:  whatever I can.

I Hug:  whoever needs one.

I Meditate:  when the kids aren't home.

I Play:  Wii Bowling.  And I'm good!

I Miss:  my mom.

I Hold: until you tell me to let go.

I Forgive:  all the time.

I Drive:  a Pontiac Grand Am.

I Learned:  that nothing comes without a challenge.

I Dream:  about everyone getting along.

I Have:  an awesome family.

I Don't:  take anything for granted.

I Made:  brownies yesterday.

I Believe: that good times are right around the corner...

I Wait:  until that day comes.

I Need:  too much to mention here!

I Owe:  more than I have.

I Hate:  people who mean to me because they can't see me (at work)

I Feel:  lots of love in my family.

I Know:  I am loved

I Wonder:  what would have been....

I Applaud:  everyone's triumphs

I Love:  everyone!

til next time...=)

down the drain

    Why does it seem like every time things are going good and the wheel is spinning so nicely, that something or someone comes along and throws a stick into it and screws it all up?  This happens literally all the time with me...all is well, things are going perfect, and then all hell breaks loose.  And nothing goes as planned.  You know, I always think the worst is going to happen...and unfortunately, it does.  Here's my latest evidence to support this theory.

    A few months ago, we (the family) were offered by the in-laws to go to Memphis with them in August.  Of course, we said yes.  I put in for my vacation for it (three weeks from now), got all the bills caught up so I could save money for the trip.  Even my teeth are on schedule to come in next week (FINALLY!  that's another story, though) in time so I could eat the ever famous barbecue.  The wheel was turning ever so perfectly.  Then the stick comes...

    Friday.  I was getting ready to pay my rent (late, but in the same month...so that's not too bad--wouldn't be the first time, but the landlord was ok with it), and Joey calls me to tell me that an eviction notice has been given to us.  WTF?!?  Says that we haven't paid the rent, sewer, or garbage.  Now mind you, Joey talked to the landlord earlier in the week to tell him to come by for the rent Friday--he said no problem.  Joey called him Friday morning to remind him that we had the rent, but his phone was shut off.  No more than 10 minutes later, he's at the door with the notice, along with a note saying I'm playing "head games" with the rent (no clue what the hell that's about).  There is so much more to this...such as the outstanding sewer bill he has (which has nothing to do with us...it's probably from years ago or something...the sewer authority won't tell us) and didn't tell us about until it got shut off for non-payment (last month...it was back on the next day).  Or the garbage bill that we were never told about, since it doesn't come in our name...it's in the owner's.

    So now instead of saving money for my vacation in Tennessee, I'm saving money for the sewer bill (which is a fraction of what he owes, and from what the authority said, might get shut off again for non-payment), the garbage bill, and the rent for August, incase the magistrate ends up siding with him and makes us pay.  And if not, saving money for a down payment for a new apartment...which I might be moving into during my vacation.

Here we go again.....

til next time...=)

curl up and dye

    Damn...you guys are good.  She didn't wear that shirt to school--they're in uniforms.  You all guessed right--it was the hair that got her booted from school on the last day.  Well, on her last day, anyway--they had to go in for a 1/2 hour the next day to get their report cards, and they weren't going anyway.  And the day they sent her home was ice cream day too!  The principal called me at 8:45am--they start school around 8:30.  Told me either I pick her up, or she'll sit in the office all day.  When I mentioned that it was her last day, the principal said it didn't matter--if one child has different color hair, all 650 other kids in the school would want it too...WTF?  Anyway, I was at work when they called me to come and get her...duh--can't leave!  And Joey was still working that day too.  So I called one of my neighbors to go and get her. 

    When I went on my looooooooong lunch, I picked her up and took her for ice cream...at Carvel.  It happened to be buy-one-sundae-get-one-free day!  That's better than the little ice cream truck they have come to the school, if you ask me.  And while she was at my neighbor's house, she was surfing the web.  So, all in all, she had a better day out of school than she would have if she was there.  Yeah, they had a class party, but she had YouTube!  lol.

    So that's the story behind the suspension...I'm still laughing about it.  Still haven't got her report card either.

til next time...=)

overdue pics

Hi there!  Just passing along some long overdue pics.  This first one is what got Bum suspended from school...on the last day.  Take a wild guess as to what actually got her suspended...you probably won't get it...lol.


The next one is my niece's graduation...that's a crazy story in itself..I think I wrote about it in the last entry.  And I'm dressed up...hahahaha.


That's it for now...haven't really had time to be on here, working 6 days a week and all...it's not that bad though--I just keep thinking...VACATION.  That's coming up soon...woohoo!

I will get around to reading...I haven't really been online since the 4th of July...when I worked an 11 hour shift...as Jimmy would say...YAYYYY.

til next time...=)

huh?

Yeah...that's how I've been feeling lately.  So much has been going on, and at the same time, I haven't felt like writing here.  I dunno--with working 6 days a week, it's like I have no time for anything.  But I did go to my niece's graduation last week--had to drive down near Philadelphia to go (she lives around here, but since she graduated from a cyber school, that's where they had it)...and got lost on the way (only my niece and I did--we took two cars), and my sister realized she forgot the tickets about an hour into the trip and turned back to get them (turns out she didn't have to).  Joey quit his job, since they decided to change his hours to something we couldn't work around (and didn't tell him until after all the BS he went through).  That's really about all that's been going on here...well, that and work, work, and more work.  Oh yeah, and I turned 30 the other day.  I'll try later to post pics of me dressed up...lmao.

til next time...=)

update

    Okay...since most people who read this are either lurking or think I stopped writing...I've just had a lot going on.  What, you ask?  Well.....
    To start, Joey got a job!  He starts tomorrow, as a cook at a drug rehab facility.  The pay is great, and the benefits...well, it's a privately owned facility run by the state.  So he gets state benefits, which are AWESOME.  It's Monday through Friday, day shift.  And every other weekend.  So that's cool.  And the hours don't conflict with my hours, so that's even better.  It's about damn time something good happened to us.
    Which brings me to my next thing--my job might be gone within a year, maybe less.  Thing is, the wireless phone company we have a contract through merged with another wireless phone company, which also merged with a landline phone company, who has 411 operators who are at this moment twiddling their thumbs with nothing to do.  And the contract runs out in February of next year.  So instead of subcontracting the 411 out, they're going to have their own 411 operators do the job.  And we're out of one.  What makes this worse (I know--how can it get any worse than that) is we operators are on a 3-year temporary contract, after which my company has the option of (a)hiring us permanently, (b)extending our contract, or (c)ending our contract...basically letting us go.  A few weeks ago, some people hit their 3-year mark...and the next day were promptly told they no longer had a job.  So that leaves me wondering...
    But in the meantime, I've received a little more responsibility.  I do supervisor work part of the day, sometimes all day.  It's not bad--I like the change of pace.

More later...

til next time...=)

dark side survey

Got this from Barbara...had to give it a try.

Imagine that, for some reason, you've now been forced to consider the following:

1. You're forced to choose between one of the following vices. You have to choose, and do, one of them: Smoking, drinking, illicit drugs. Which would be the most acceptable to you?

Smoking...I do that already.

2. You're forced to give up one of these senses: sight or hearing. Which one do you give up?

Hearing...I can learn to read lips....

3. Disregarding the previous question, you're only allowed to enjoy one thing from now on :music player (CD, iPod) or DVD player. Which would you keep?

CD player.

4. You have to give up one of these for 3 days: eating or drinking. Which would you choose to do?

Eating...I can drink to make myself feel full...lol.

5. You have to choose one: perpetual daytime, or perpetual night time. Which one do you think you could live with?

Night...it's cooler then.

6. You can only choose one type of treat for life: salty snacks (potato chips, Doritos, etc) or candy. Which one?

I can deal with losing the salty snacks, but not the candy...gimme chocolate!

7. Your life partner has to be one of the following: heavy smoker or heavy drinker. Which one?

The smoking I can deal with, as long as it's not in the house.  Hell, even I don't do that.

8. Your life partner also has to be one of the following: Democrat or Republican. Which one could you live with?

Democrat, since I'm one.

9. You can only watch one forever: CNN or FOXNews Channel. Which one?

CNN...I watch that now.

10. You can only have one: a computer or a TV. Which one do you keep?

The TV...I can get WebTV...

11. You have to live in one of the following places: The Sahara Desert or Antarctica. Where do you go?

Antarctica.  Too hot in the desert.

12. You have to give up one: MySpace or your cell phone. Which one do you keep?

The phone.  I have MySpace, but I'm on the phone more.  And MySpace can't help me in an emergency (such as when I forget what I need from the store).

13. You have to do one of the following: create 1000 email surveys or answer 1000 email surveys. Which one?

Hmmm...this one's tough.  I would say answer them, since making them is SOOOOOOOOOO much harder.

til next time...=)

i'm not dead

In fact, I'm very much alive...just haven't been online. There's been a lot going on, including...

...*jumping up and down* Joey got a job (!)...
...my job might be in jeopardy...
...but in the meantime, I have more responsibility at said job...


And pics...a have a few. Of what's been keeping me busy and off the 'puter.

A. School Diversity Fair.


B. Cookies.


C. My new (and free!) toy (sorry it's blurry...my camera decided not to work when I tried to upload a better pic).


So that's what I've been up to...well that and not reading my mail. Give me a little while to catch up on that. Want details about the stuff above, ask...

til next time...=)

more 411 fun

Just one more for now--

Caller simply asks, "Who do I call to see if someone's dead?"

til next time...=)

wth?

Is is me, or Pennsylvania the only place that went from this...


(8 inches of snow)
to this...


(80 degrees, and not a cloud in the sky)
...in LESS THAN A WEEK? Just wondering...

til next time...=)

my 411 by the numbers

These were from Saturday (the pics were from the day before, and drawn by me while taking calls)...

896...calls were taken by me (in 8 hours).



25...average call length (in seconds).
5...people called 411 (directory) when they really wanted 611 (repair/customer care).



16...customers asking for movie showtimes.
8...people whose ass called 411.



til next time...=)

drool now

It's Sunday, and that means BAKED GOODS.  Yup, I went nuts again...this time with some stuff from scratch!  I'm getting creative, and more out-of-the-box--literally...lol.

First up--the brownies...with the new BEAR muffin/cupcake/brownie mold I got at the new Christmas Tree Shop here (I LOVE THIS STORE).


Oh crap!  They're NAKED!!!  Hold on...here.


They're hers...


Of course, I made some for him too.


As you can see, he approves.


The brownies aren't from scratch--they're box.  But the icing, that's homemade.  Of course, not without a screw-up in there.  Went to make buttercream...ended up with more butter...lol.  Went to make royal icing...I originally ended up making meringue (used the wrong sugar).  It worked the second time, as you can see.

Made some cupcakes too.  From the box...icing too--gave up on the buttercream frosting...maybe next time.


til next time...=)

work stuff

In a perfect 411 world...
--customers would know exactly what they're looking for, and exactly where it is.
--customers would speak clearly, instead of sounding like they filled their mouth with food (or other things...lol).
--customers would listen to questions being asked of them, and answer said questions.
--customers would know what city the person/business they're looking for is in (we can't search the entire US, nor the state or the county you think it's in).
--customers wouldn't spill their life story while calling 411.
--there's probably more I can add to this--but I'll spare you.
Then again, if this were a perfect 411 world, I'd be out of a job...so keep the rejects coming!  lol.

With that, I'll give you these:
**Customer calls in, looking for the Las Vegas Health Department.  When I asked her what division she needed, she told me she was calling about a pool that was shit in, and wasn't drained...so she didn't know which part she was looking for...lmao.
**Wanna live on "Shades of Death Road"?  Move to NJ.  It's there, in Great Meadows.
**One for the guys...Bob's Stump Grinding in California (bad me and my gutter mind).

And a new rule:  One at a time, please.  Listings, that is.  I know we can look up multiple numbers in one call, but let us find one before rattling off the next name.  We only have one computer in front of us, which means one number at a time.  And besides, our memory sucks.

More posting this weekend, seeing as I'm off for the next two days...WOOHOO.

til next time...=)

tag

Got this from Robin, who got this from Barbara, and who knows where she got it.

1. Are you a child of the 70s, 80s, or 90s?
80s and 90s.

2. Where were you born?
The same damn place I am now...Pennsylvania.

3. What kind of home did you grow up in?
All apartments, mostly projects.  Yay.

4. Did you enjoy your childhood?
Eh...it was ok, but I'm glad it's over.

5. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Um...teacher...can't remember anything else.

6. What do you want to be now?
Landscape architect, psychologist, or pastry chef.

7. What was your first best friend's name?
Angel.

8. Is she still your friend?
Yup.

9. Can you name all the schools you ever attended?

Uh huh.  Ready?
Charles Sumner ES
Frances Willard ES
Newton-Ransom ES (for a week!)
Falwell ES
West Scranton IS
South Scranton IS
East Scranton IS
West Scranton HS
Penn State University--University Park Campus

10. Were you closer to your mom or dad as a kid?
Dad wasn't really around after the divorce...

11. What was the first record, tape or CD you remember buying?
Vanilla Ice...Ice Ice Baby, I think.

12. best age to be a parent
Late 20's.

13. Are you scared of anything?
Everything--I'm an anxiety attack waiting to happen!

14. What was your favorite class in elementary school?
Recess!!!

15. Did you buy school lunch or bring your own?
Got school lunch for free...high school I bought my own at the store...that was when we were allowed to go out for lunch...lol.

16. Broken any bones or had any freaky accidents as a kid?
Fell off a carousel when I was two--cried for 20 minutes, and that was it.  Chipped a bone in my elbow when I was six...playing King of the Mountain with a bunch of kids, including this 14 y/o, 200 lb kid.  Needless to say, I wasn't king (queen) that day.

17. Were you a mean kid?
Hell no--I was the one who was picked on. 

18. Favorite board game of all time?
Monopoly!

19. Did you play house or pretend to be a super hero?
Oh yeah...played house in the woods...that was fun.  No super heroes, though.

20. Seriously, are you still just a kid at heart?
Sometimes...but every once in a while I get hit with one hell of a reality check.

til next time...=)

short lived

Well, that didn't last long...the teeth are gone.  For now, anyway.  Went back to the dentist this morning, and told him they didn't fit that good.  I mentioned I was constantly gagging on them (it's a full top plate), and they were too big (it felt like there was a load of shit in my mouth).  I told him to seriously fix them...he took them back and made a new impression.  Starting from scratch.  Which will take at least another month.  So it's back to soup for me...time to start a diet?  lol.  That's funny, since I've lost weight since I had my remaining top teeth pulled while on vacation in February.

My teeth have been a problem for me for at least the past 6 years.  It's seriously a problem, since I love to smile and laugh (and talk up a storm).  But recently, I haven't really been able to.  It's very embarrassing, being that I'm only 29 and virtually toothless (there's only 8 left)--I'm VERY self-conscious about it.  And that's why, for the most part, you don't see me have a toothy grin in pics--you can't show teeth that you don't have.  That's also why I'm glad to have the job I have--customers don't have to see me in person...I'm very friendly, and I have a nice voice (people have told me I could be a phone sex operator...lmao)...just not the looks to go with it.

Oh well...soon, I guess.

til next time...=)

my present to me

See?

til.next time...=)

cakey!

You gotta check this out...it's Cakey, the cake from outer space.  Found it on another journal I read--Fancy Food...and Silly Stories.  It's a series on YouTube...it's kinda funny, and the cake is cute!  Here's the link to the first video--it's a series of four.

til next time...=)

sucky day

Today's the day to be doing this...



For God's sake, it's supposed to be spring!  It's f*#!ing SNOWING.  For Easter, they're calling for a high of 40.  What the hell?  Had to say something...lol.

til next time...=)

tempt tempt tempt

Here we go...I'm tempting you...gaze at the cookies...



...here's more...drool over the bunnies...



The first ones were made from sheer spontaneity.  Second set, well...that was literally last minute Easter party in Bum's class (Dude's teacher sucks).  Did those  (about 4 dozen total) last night.

Today's the day...but not for another hour...YAY.

til next time...=)

ouch...that looks painful

Couldn't come on here earlier today--had to plug in the phone line for the satellite dish receiver (forgot to plug it in when we got the new TV...and I can't find the damn DSL filter), so we could order Wrestlemania.  Had the damn receiver plugged in all afternoon...ended up ordering it online anyway.  Duh.  Anyway, I'm here watching it, and it's good...and funny too.  It looks seriously painful as well.  I'm not into wrestling that much, but Wrestlemania is the exception to the rule...after all, I want to see Trump get his head shaved...lol.

Anyhoo, this is what I've been doing most of the day--



Oh yeah...I was bowling most of the day.



Looks just like me.  Wish I was that good at the local lanes...lmao.

4 more days!  You'll see...

til next time...

goings on

Took the dog to the vet the other day...just for a checkup.  Turns out he has an infection on his lip, and some glands inside his butt are causing him to drag said butt on the floor.  Came home with three medications, and $102 less in my bank account.  What a way to spend my day off.  Well, that wasn't all we did--we (well, actually Joey) got some yardwork done, and one of Bum's friends came over for a little while after school to hang out.  After she left, we all went outside to enjoy the afternoon.  And Bum decided to hug a tree.



Did this all while feeling like complete shit.  Still feeling yucky now...I caught whatever the kids had last week. Ew.

Oh yeah--5 more days til I get my income tax present!

til next time...=)

what got me through work today

Wondering what's in the box?  These.



Mmmmmmmmm.  They're gone now.

til next time...=)

last pic o' winter...

Hopefully. 



This is what was left of the snow fort...on Sunday--it's looooooooong gone now.  YAY!

til next time...=)

pic blog

Check out my new pic blog (plog?)...here.  It's pics only, so I'll still be posting here.  And I'll still post pics here, just ones that go with stories--the ones over there will be a little more self-explanatory.

til next time...=)

hippity hoppity

Easter Bunny Name Your Easter Bunny Name is Marshmallow Choco-paws Get Your Easter Bunny Name at Quizopolis.com

til next time...=)

winter's last video

til next time...=)

at least there's nothing furry

Weekend Assignment #157: So, what's in your fridge? Be honest. If you include a picture of the current state of the fridge, that'd be nifty.

Extra Credit: What's the oldest thing in the fridge?

Here's the KKMom fridge.  Haven't gone shopping yet, so there's not that much in there.



Let's explore, shall we?

Top right shelf--Bread, buns, and Gatorade (since Dude's under the weather today).
Top left shelf--GoGurt, garlic (mmmm), applesauce, chocolate chips (in the bowl), leftover meatloaf (in the bag).
Deli drawer--Bologna, cheese, and more cheese (mozzarella and american).
Shelf under that--Eggs, mayo, Crystal Light Iced Tea (ewwww), water, and oj.
Bottom shelf--Vanilla pudding, cheap Country Crock, and pizza (It's Friday during Lent).
Crisper--red and yellow onions...that's it.
Top door shelf--Cream cheese, and light cream cheese.
2nd door shelf--Parmesan cheese, Bacos, pickles (baby dills), and ketchup.
3rd left door--butter (for my cookies) and crescent rolls.
3rd right door--Italian dressing, Jack Daniels barbecue (mmmmm), and milk
Bottom door shelf--more ketchup, grape jelly, strawberry jelly, more mayo, A-1 sauce, and mustard.

And the oldest thing in there--I say the garlic, Joey says the mustard.  Who knows--both are still good.

til next time...=)

round robin...nature...goes together!

The Round Robin Photo Challenge this time around was nature...so I tried to catch it in its glory.  I couldn't use just one pic...it was just...too...hard.  Have a look-see.

til next time...=)

Tags: Round Robin Photo Challenge, nature

taking pics...at night

Your Monday Photo Shoot: It's Night! Take a picture. Naturally, taking a picture inside at night (i.e., where it's well lit and indistinguishable from day) won't do; take a picture that captures some of the quality of the night time. Also: No sunset photos. We'll save them up to do another time.

Here's what I have to offer...


Took this one the other day...didn't come out too good, and my batteries were going, so I couldn't take another shot...dammit.


Took this over the summer...Bum getting soaked in the rain.

til next time...=)

math sucks, but i'm kinda good at it

Get this...I'm watching AI (this season pretty much sucks, by the way), and the phone rings.  It's my niece (the one I usually don't talk to, since the last time I talked to her, she was high as a kite), asking me a favor.  Oh no, what the hell does she want...money, a ride...?  Nope...help with a math question...WTF?  Proceeds to tell me she's at a friend's house, and friend needs help with an algebra problem.  Niece says she can't help, since she's a stupid dropout (her words, not mine), so she calls me, the genius (again, her words...lol).  Then she tells me the problem:

You sold tickets to a football game.  Kids' tickets were $4, and general admission tickets were $6.  You sold 525 tickets, totaling $2,876.  How many kids' and general admission tickets did you sell?

Now mind you, I haven't been in school in over 10 years...I had an idea how to get the answer, but nothing was clicking.  So I had to get help from where else, but the web?  I did finally get the answer:

x + y = 525
x = 525 - y
4x + 6y = 2876
4 (525 - y) + 6y = 2876
2100 - 4y + 6y = 2876
2y = 776
y = 388
x = 137

Just to make sure...
388 * 6 = 2328
137 * 4 = 548
2328 + 548 = 2876
YAY!

There's your lesson for the day...well, that and don't get the phone during AI.

til next time...=)

stuff and 411

This is outside today.  We got about 12 inches of snow between Friday and last night.  Damn--I thought winter was done and over with--guess not.  The dog is so small, he has to hop through the snow to get around...lol.



Anyhoo, nothing really going on here.  Just my average day off.  Yesterday at work, I got a few funnies, and wrote them down for you.  I told you how we have the recording...well, usually it just asks for the info, but on the holidays it says "Happy Whatever Holiday from 411".  And what we usually hear (from the customer) is, "It said Happy Whatever Holiday from 411!"...and they forget to tell the recording what the hell they were looking for.  Which leads me to the funnies I got...one person, upon hearing this, said, "St. Patrick's Day...isn't that a Mexican holiday?" (they didn't say this to me...they said it to someone else, and the recorder picked it up).  And the other..."So that's why you're wearing green underwear".

I also got a call for the Reject Hotline...thought WTF?  Didn't find it, so I decided to look it up online, and whaddyaknow, there is one!  I had no idea...in fact, they have them all over the damn country!

til next time...=)

sunny day

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

til next time...=)

home cookin' and goodbye winter

Just some pics from today...had meatloaf for dinner.  Guess who made it?

Well, he did most of the work...Dad did the rest.  And it was goooooood.

Since I was on the pic spree, got one of Bum too.  She's such a ham.

And then I went outside...and got a pic of my snow fort--falling apart and melting.  It was a balmy 45 degrees outside today.

So that does it for today...

til next time...=)

childish things

Weekend Assignment #155: Recount a distinctively childish thing you did (or your children did) when you or they were children.  Because things like painting your hands pink, or trying to make chocolate milk with mud, or arranging a marriage between your stuffed animals? Not something you're likely to do when you're older.

Extra Credit: The name of your favorite stuffed animal growing up.

I have two...one from each of my kids.  And the incriminating pics to prove it...and to embarrass them with at a later date...lol.

First, from da Bum.  Playing with (and wearing) her food.

And from Dude:  Two words--dirt angel.  Taken last summer.

And yes, I did (and still do) have a named stuffed animal from when I was a kid...

Her name is Phee, named after the person who gave it to me--my sister.  Had her since I was 8.  Still sleep with her every once in a while, when Joey sleeps on the couch, for whatever reason (knees locking up, kids are sick, etc.).

til next time...=)

drinking frenzy

Getting to work wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  City Hall told us they'd be closing the roads around 9am, but I knew better--from what I saw last year.  Just like I thought, they weren't...I left my house at 10, and the roads were still open.  I got to work with no problem, with loads of time to spare.  So I got to people watch...actually, drunk people watch...lol.  I've never seen so much foot traffic on the block I work on...maybe that's because there's an Irish bar on the corner now...hmmm.  And it was a go-between, because the parade was on both ends of the street (went up one street, came down the other), and if people missed something, they could walk down our block, and see what they missed.

This is the only pic I got:

That's because by the time my lunch came around, it was over.  The only parade I really got to see was the parade of drunk people...lmao.  Mostly college kids, but funny as hell.  Didn't get any pics because I didn't want to get jumped by a bunch of smashed people...lol.  It was still going on as I left work for the night...around 8pm.  This is the only day in Scranton that you can walk down the street with an open container of beer, and get away with it.  And I saw a lot of that...lol.  I was soooo tempted to go drinking, but I didn't have any money...damn.

Update!  115,000--that's the number of people at the parade.

til next time...=)