2018 - A Year in Review

It's always nice to take a few moments and look back at how scary  how much fun you had during the year.

I thought I would list some high lights of 2018 here on Scary Journey.

After several million visits to the car dealer, I ended up having to leave my car there and was given a loaner for a week.  The loaner provided quite a bit of excitement at our house, including running out of gas on a really cold night.

We had another visit from our dear, old friend, It Wasn't Me.  I would like to say it's great when he/she visits, but, honestly, these visits create headaches and most importantly, messes that need to be cleaned up.  A fight usually breaks out.   Let's just hope that It Wasn't Me decides to go elsewhere in 2019.

Alexa came to live with us.  Of course, it's the deaf Alexa.  Her hearing has somewhat improved, but, she does have a little attitude now.

You learned about my hoarding abundance of dental floss.   I'm slowly trying to work through my supply.  Let's just say there will not be any dental floss purchases in 2019.

I talked a lot about Random Acts of Kindness.  I even brought up a little Pay it Forward.  Of course, I couldn't leave it on a nice note.  I had to include RT's story about paying it forward that occurred many years ago.

We had some losses during the year.  RIP

Free Freddie
the can opener
Larry, the Laundry Basket

We will miss all of you.

We talked about Famous Birthdays.  Which famous celebrity shares your birthday?  We all know who shares mine.....

We learned a lot about My Weird Dog.  Me escorting him out to the yard so he can do his business.  Not realizing that he will be this weird because he is born on the Ides of March.  I think I might be the one who needs help.  I'm the weird one because I support all of these things that Pippen does and accept them as normal.

Alex graduated High School  I almost didn't make it.  I mean, first getting all choked up, remembering him growing up.  Oh, and the numerous rides to and from the high school due to someone missing the bus......

We learned about my

Texting
Pet
Peeve.
It still drives
Me
crazy!

Oh, and my other pet peeve.  RT keeping his phone on silent.  Gotta love that when you are trying to get a hold of him!

By the way, the paper towels have been granted some freedom.  There was quite a bit of discussion prior to their release.  So far, things are going OK.  I don't think they will have to go back into the federal protection system.   I'll keep you posted.

I gave you a little taste of the Top 10 things I can't live without.  My first (and only) Top 10 List.  The list still stands.  Maybe I'll come up with another Top Ten List for 2019?  My Favorite Pens.  Or, even better,  My Favorite Hotel Pens.

We learned that RT "accidentally" blocked my texts on his phone.  I think I'm still blocked on his phone because not all of my texts get answered.

We also learned about my families fear of the grocery store.  They complain that there's no food in the house, but, no one wants to take that big step and actually step foot in a grocery store and purchase some food.  Maybe 2019 will be the year where they take that leap and put "go to the grocery store" on their list of things to try.

I enlightened you about RT's love of doing yard work in 90F heat.  Why do all that strenuous work when it's a little cooler out?  Wait until it's so hot that they issue a warning telling you to stay inside, where it's cooler.

I put together a little "How To" for chip clips.   Of course my family is probably waiting for a video.   I'll have RT work on that right after he completes the "How to Make Ice" video.

Who could forget my numerous trips to the DMV?  Thanks to my brother (I won't mention your name here....) I had to go hang out at the DMV several times just to get my Drivers License renewed.  I was there so much, that we all became friends.  I'm having lunch with them next week!  (I'm just kidding on that last part)

I took you along on my many adventures at work.  Making Ice Cream, making Moon Dough and my retail problem stories.  Who can forget me, dumpster diving?  Yea.....it's time.

I filled you in on my Large Print Book reading.  I CAN SEE (AND HEAR).  It's just easier to find the book you want to read in the Large Print section.

You enjoyed hearing about RT's Pokemon addiction.  He has sold the majority of the cards and does not lock himself up in the office anymore searching for new ones.  Well, not that I know of?  Has anyone seen him, lately?

We now have a Family Shirt.  You're welcome, everyone.  I do have plans for a new shirt.  One that all the kids will enjoy wearing.  What will it say?    "I'm only here for the pizza."

We made some great food this year!  Well, I made some great food.

Here's what I made this year:

Vegan Meatballs
Waffles
Chickpea and Dumpling Soup
Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Vegan Jambalaya
Vegan Chocolate Chip Blondies
Chick Pea Salad Sandwich
Vegan Brownies
Kale Chips (and Tom's recipe is in there, too!)
Chia Pudding
Blueberry Pie
Blueberry Muffins
Mushroom Green Bean Stir Fry
Black Bean Brownies
Tasty Lentil Tacos
Cuban Style Black Beans
Deep Dish Cookie Pie
Moroccan Couscous and Roasted Vegetables
Grilled Moroccan Chicken
Classic Hummus

When I type it all out, I guess we did cover quite a bit this year!

Thanks for sticking around.  It's been a scary  crazy  fun year!  Looking forward to see what 2019 has in store for me.


Happy New Year!



By the way, I didn't hand write this post.  I couldn't find a pen.

Retail Problems

The scary thing is, these could just be a regular post around here.  I'm sure I could write quite a few from my experiences over the years.  Not sure if I'll keep it around, some of these stories, though, are priceless, and should be shared.

This one is from holiday time (within the last few weeks).

I was ringing out a customer, she only had one small item.  She was so excited about the store and said she was coming back to do more shopping.  I told her the total of her purchase.  She said she didn't want a bag for the item.  She takes out her money, then turns and coughs right onto it, then hands it to me.

If you could see my face when this all happened, I wouldn't need to write anything else.  My face would explain everything.  

The thoughts going through my head.

I could just quit right there.  Walk out.  Explain that I couldn't touch money that was coughed on.  I'm sure everyone would understand.

I could just go get my wallet and pay for the item myself.  It was about $5, and I wouldn't have to touch the infected money.  Well worth it, in my opinion.

I could take the money and bathe in hand sanitizer after she leaves.

I went with Door #3.  Take the money and then bathe in hand sanitizer.

As I'm giving her change, she tells me that she is now heading to the Emergency Care.

After washing up in the bathroom, I completely immersed myself in the huge bottle of hand sanitizer.

Yea.  You can't make this stuff up, folks.

My Weird Dog

I keep writing these "Weird Dog" posts thinking it should be my last, but, then Pippen surprises me with another story to tell.  Well, I guess at this point, it's really not a surprise.

I have been letting Pippen out front the last couple of weeks before I go to bed.  The only problem is, I have to stand outside with him while he does his business.  Sometimes he just stands and stares at me.  When this happens, I have to tell him to go do his business.

One night, I had some cleaning up to do, so I asked RT to let him out.  Pippen did not even get up when RT called him.  I had to coax him to get up and tell him to go outside.  After a few minutes, they are both back and RT tells me that Pippen didn't have to go.  He just stood there and stared at RT.  (His way of saying, "Why are you doing this?  I can only go outside with mom.")

So, obviously, I had to take him outside.  And, yes.  He did go....

Retail Problems

I thought I would share some  fun  crazy  weird  interesting retail problems that I unfortunately experience.  I'm sure I could write a book about all of my experiences.  It's always nice to know that there are people out there that are scarier than you.

I had to ring up a customer who was waiting in line.  I could tell that she wasn't in the best of moods.  I offered to wrap the item that she was purchasing.  She said, "Just put it in one of those plastic gift bags."

I went to work and nicely wrapped her gift.  I went to put the gift into a plastic shopping bag.  And that, folks, is when all hell broke loose.  The customer started to tell me that plastic bags are not good for the environment and that they end up in the ocean and wreak havoc on our marine life and eco system.  Apparently, it's all my fault that our eco system and environment is damaged.

She ended up grabbing her gift and leaving in a huff.

Meanwhile, I'm holding the plastic bag, staring at her thinking, "You just asked me to wrap your gift in a plastic bag?"

Jesus Handle

You know that bar/handle in your car that sits above the passenger window?  It's where the passenger can grab when the driver slams on the brakes.  The passenger then yells, "Jeeezus!"

The Jesus handle gets a lot of use in our cars.  Mainly by RT.  He is not the best passenger.  He claims it's because of being in a couple of accidents 30-40 years ago while he was in the passenger seat.

I can see him grabbing the handle when the boys were starting to drive.  They are  a lot more experienced now, but, RT still feels the need to grab hold of the handle as the child is driving.  The kids can't figure out why he grabs hold of it and complains about their driving.

I've been with RT for 27 years and (knocks on wood) have not been in an accident.  When I first started driving, my parents always told me that "If someone is in the car with you, make sure to drive carefully.  If you are by yourself, then you can do whatever you want."  Of course, I took that last part to mean, "I can drive like a maniac by myself."  I'm always with my kids, or someone else in the car, so, I'm very careful when I drive.

So, I was not surprised when RT climbed in my car the other day, grabbed the Jesus handle and did not let go until we got safely home.  I don't ask him about it.  And, honestly, it doesn't bother me.  I guess after all of these years, I'm used to it.

I do have to admit that I chuckled a little to myself.

Found

I just thought I would let everyone know that RT has found his sweatpants that he "lost."  I know everyone was losing sleep over the loss of these sweatpants, so, I felt the need to announce their homecoming.

RT claims that the sweatpants were last seen in the laundry room and somehow they went missing.  He "looked" for the sweatpants and was unable to find them.  At which point, he was about to state that said sweatpants were stolen.  I did have to remind him that there are not a lot of burglars on the lookout for tall sweatpants.

After I located the tape dispenser that he claimed someone stole (it was in the hallway by the kids' bedrooms), I told him to look in the basement for his sweatpants.

I am happy to report that the sweatpants were miraculously found and, well, all is right in the world.

It's funny, as the kids grow older, your conversations with them become more in depth, but, they still have that sense of weirdness.

We were sitting around after dinner, and the subject of a clean bathroom came up.  Cleaning the bathroom (and keeping it clean) is a sore subject in our house.  Somehow the topic of missing the toilet came up.  My stance is to clean up after yourself.  One child said that if they leave it, it will eventually evaporate...to which another child replied, "Because someone else cleaned it up for you!"

1st child:  No, really!  Think about it.  Urine is just water and water evaporates.  So, if I urinate on the floor, I don't have to clean it up.  It will just evaporate.

It's fun to see how your children can come up with ideas and back them up with scientific facts.

Unfortunately, I had to ruin all the fun and state that urine will not completely evaporate.  And that there are to be no scientific experiments on this subject in their bathroom.

A couple of nights ago, we were eating dinner and RT brought up the fun asparagus fact.  You know, how it changes the odor of your urine.  I said, now we will know who pees on the floor.

It's weird.  Everyone ate asparagus that night.

Holiday Gifts and Crafts

It's that crazy time of year again!

I thought I would put some links up to easy Holiday Crafts and Gifts that you can make yourself, with kids or a Girl Scout Troop.

Christmas
Animal Ornaments 
Brazilian Holiday Flower  (great children's craft)
Candy Cane Sleigh 
Christmas Cards and tags
Felt Heart Ornament 
Foam Gingerbread House  (children's craft)
Foam Ornament Gift Tag 
Jingle Bell Bracelet (children's craft)
Mitten Gift Tags 
Mosaic Christmas Tree (children's craft)
Picture Frame
Snowman Ornament 
Stocking (out of construction paper) (children's craft)
Winter Scene (children's craft)
Snowman Ornament
Snowman Winter Craft (children and adult craft)
Ugly Christmas Sweater Felt Banner


Gifts
Homemade Bubbles
Bath Bombs
Laundry Detergent (powder)
Homemade Hair Detangler
Homemade Liquid Hand Soap
Homemade Lip Balm
Homemade Lotion


Miscellaneous Crafts/Gifts
Bangle Bracelet (wrapped)
Blank Books 
Bubbles (homemade)
Book Mark
Bottle cap necklace
Cork Board using Old Picture Frame
Decorative Wrapping Paper 
Dryer Balls
Fun Scrapbooks
Gift Box
Paint Chip Monthly Calendar
Pumpkin Soap Recipe
Twine Napkin Holders 
Note cards  
Homemade Sidewalk Paint 
Sit upon (a cushion to sit on)
Wrapped Bangle Bracelet

The Family Shirt

I've been looking for a flannel shirt (for myself).  One that is long enough to wear untucked, but, not too long so I can still tuck it in (if needed).

After a long search (it really wasn't that long), I found a shirt that I'm happy to wear.  I found it in the Men's department.

I wore "the shirt" when I went to visit my Mom.  My brother happened to be there.  I told him about the shirt.  Where I got it, etc.  A week later, while visiting my mom, and wearing "the shirt", in walks my brother wearing the same shirt!  He starts telling me how he bought this shirt, where, etc.  I said, it's nice.  Just like mine.

There we were....twinning.

I went home and I was talking to Nick.  He then moves closer and says, "Are you wearing my shirt?"

It seems we all have the same tastes in shirts in my family, so...

I'm expecting all family members to have "the shirt" in their wardrobe and to plan on wearing it to any and all family get togethers.  I'm sure we can get a family discount.

You're welcome, everyone.

The Battle is On....

In this corner, our reigning temperature champion.  Able to feel out any temperature change within a few degrees.  Very quick on his feet.  Able to work those temperature dials at lightning speed.  He has been unchallenged for 24 years*.   He says there is no discussion about where the temperature dial is set.  He feels he can win any and all rounds in this area.

Meet our challenger.  She is a sneaky one!  Changing the temperature on the sly.  Watching as her children get blamed for any and all temperature changes in the house.  She likes the house nice and cool (especially in the winter months).  She will definitely put an end to any temperature adjustments.  Watch out!  She will not back down!

Who will win this season's Thermostat Controller?

Stay tuned.

*He did have to throw in the towel at one point during the challenger's pregnancy, but, he doesn't like to talk about it.

Deep Dish Cookie Pie - Vegan

This is a great vegan recipe that we used for our Cadette New Cuisines Badge.

Here's the recipe:

Deep Dish Cookie Pie

ingredients
2 cans white beans or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup applesauce
3 TBSP oil or 1/4 cup nut butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar or refined sugar
1 cup chocolate chips

directions:
Put parchment paper into an 8x8 baking dish.
Blend everything except the chips very well in food processor.  Mix in chips and pour baking dish.  Cook at 350F for 35-40 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

*you can use a Vitamix
*I would cut down on the sugar to 3/4 of a cup, but, that's me.


I have made this recipe numerous times for my family.  No one can tell that there are beans in this dish.  A great dessert and healthy, too!

Enjoy!

Moroccan Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Another recipe to go along with our New Cuisines Badge for Cadettes.  This can be served with our Grilled Moroccan  Chicken.

Here's the recipe:


Moroccan Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

ingredients:
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, halved and sliced thin
1 small red onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, halved then sliced
4 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt
1 1/3 cups couscous
14.5 oz vegetable broth
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup raisins
1 14oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 TBSP minced fresh cilantro
2 TBSP minced fresh mint

directions:
Oven 475 Degrees.  Spray 18x13" rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place bell pepper, carrots, onions and zucchini on baking sheet.  Drizzle with 1 TBSP olive oil and season with salt and toss to coat evenly.  Roast in oven about 15 minutes until tender, tossing halfway through roasting.  Then, move rack closer to broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting..
In small bowl, whisk 3 TBSP olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and season some salt and set aside.  Bring chicken broth and turmeric to a boil.  Place couscous and raisins in a large mixing bowl and pour hot chicken broth over couscous and stir, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes.

Add roasted vegetables, chick peas, almonds and lemon mixture to couscous and toss to evenly coat.  Serve warm.


*we somehow purchased Quinoa instead of Couscous and it turned out perfectly.


Enjoy!

Grilled Moroccan Chicken

This is another recipe that went along with our New Cuisines Badge for Cadettes.

Here's the recipe:

Grilled Moroccan Chicken

ingredients:
1 1/2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 TBSP peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions:
Pound thicker parts of chicken breasts with flat side of meat mallet to even out thickness.  In medium bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag.  Pour marinade over chicken and seal bag while pressing out excess air.  Rub marinade over chicken breasts.  Transfer to refrigerator and allow to marinate at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
Preheat grill over medium heat.   Grill chicken until center is 165 degrees on thermometer, about 4 minutes per side for 6oz breast.  Transfer to plate, then cover and keep warm for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.


This can be served with the Moroccan Couscous with Roasted Vegetables.

Enjoy!

Classic Hummus

This is one of the recipes that we made for our New Cuisines Badge for Cadettes.  The center where we met did not have a Vitamix, so, we found a recipe using the food processor.  The hummus came out great!


Classic Hummus

Ingredients:
1 15oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
3 TBSP tahini
1-2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup water or more if needed
*optional topping ideas:  extra drizzle of olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, toasted pine nuts, chopped roasted red peppers, basil pesto

directions:
Add first seven ingredients to food processor, and blend until smooth.  You might want to scrape down the sides.  Add in the water and continue blending until the hummus reaches your desired consistency.  Add additional water if needed.


For something different, I like to chop up a jalapeño and make jalapeño hummus.  You can also chop up chipotle pepper and make a spicy chipotle pepper hummus.

Enjoy!

Cadette - New Cuisines Badge

Our troop normally meets for an hour, but, we made this into a field trip.  We were lucky that we have a teen center in our area.  The center is teen driven, giving opportunities for teens to explore and be leaders in various areas.  We had a teen volunteer teaching the girls how to cook a few dishes to complete this badge.  This meeting was about 3 1/2 hours long.

The girls made:

Classic Hummus (dish from a different time period)
Grilled Moroccan Chicken (from another country)
Moroccan Couscous with Roasted Vegetables, Chick Peas and Almonds *
Deep Dish Cookie Pie (dish that makes a statement:  Vegan)

*had to skip the almonds, due to an allergy in our troop


Our teen volunteer put the girls to work.  She split them up and had them working on various parts of the meal.  Every girl was able to help make a dish.

We have a girl with nut allergies, so, we had to select recipes that did not contain nuts.  We modified one of the recipes and just eliminated the Almonds.  We also have one girl who is a vegetarian (my child, of course) so we used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth in our Couscous recipe.  The girls were a little skeptical of the dessert (again, except for my child).  No flour or eggs.  They were pleasantly surprised at the result.

I had to marinate the chicken prior to the meeting.  The chicken had to be marinated at least 2 hours.  We didn't have time for the girls to do this during this meeting, so, I went ahead and did this step for them.

Once everything was cooked/baked, we all sat together and ate our meal.  The food came out delicious.  The girls were so excited about the meal they made.  We even had copies of the recipes for them to take home so they can make the meal for their families.

The center did not provide the food for this badge.  We had to purchase the groceries.  We were lucky that the center has a kitchen with utensils.  We priced various places for this badge and the prices ranged from $50 per girl (plus groceries) to $400 for a kitchen to cook in (not including groceries).  We felt this was the best deal (free venue and we paid for groceries).  Having a teen as an instructor was great.  She goes to the local high school and related well with the girls.  She also teaches a cooking class at the center once a week.

The next few posts will be the recipes for these dishes.  I'm trying to make it easy for those who want to get to these recipes for this meeting and, well, just to try the recipes.

Black Friday

It's here again!  

My Black Friday post!

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day and is the biggest shopping day of the year.  For retailers, it marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

For those of us working, it's a crazy, long, tiring day.  Make sure you take lots of vitamins and try to have fun.

If you are shopping, it can get a little crazy out there.  Be safe.

Also, be nice to the store employees.  

Here's a standing list of my black Friday songs:  

Man in Black - Johnny Cash
Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
Back in Black - AC/DC
Black Cat - Janet Jackson
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Black or White - Michael Jackson
Black Widow - Iggy Azalea
Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
Black - Pearl Jam
Blackbird - The Beatles
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Black Gold - Soul Asylum

Some additions this year:

Men in Black3 Back in Time - Pitbull

Black Night - Deep Purple

Black Rain - Soundgarden 

The Long Black Veil - Johnny Cash

What's that smell?

Bella had a few friends over for a sleepover.   The next morning, when I returned from my walk, I noticed an odor as I was walking into the house.  This awful smell greeted me.  I immediately went to the kitchen, thinking it had to be the garbage.  Unfortunately (or fortunately?), it wasn't the garbage.  I searched the family room, thinking it may have come from the dog.

RT, sitting comfortably in the dining room, said that it's probably coming from the basement.

Me:  What smells in the basement?

RT:  It's probably the girls.

Now, if it was Alex and his friends sleeping over, a nasty  gross  bad smell coming from the basement wouldn't surprise me.  But, with a few girls, who probably showered prior to coming over and who believe in smelly body sprays, I found this hard to believe.  RT said, You know, girls, sitting around, farting all night.  RT was convinced the smell was coming from one or all of the girls.

Once the girls left, I searched and thought the smell was coming from the laundry room.  I couldn't pinpoint where the smell was, but I had a few ideas.  RT did some investigating and found the source.  A problem with our sump pump.  Apparently something froze and there was a little back up that was causing the smell.

I asked Bella about the smell.  She said it was pretty bad.  I told her about RT's thoughts on the source.  She wasn't too happy that RT thought her friends came over and they sat around and farted the whole time.

Yea.  This girl stuff is a little new to RT.  I'm sure he'll figure it out.  Eventually.

Free Freddy

RIP  Free Freddie.

We rescued Freddie from the trash  his previous home.  His previous family didn't like the way he sounded at volume 58.  We didn't mind his sound, because we don't need the TV that loud  we can hear  we enjoyed him at the lower volume levels.   We enjoyed many years, many shows and many movies together.  Freddie enjoyed surprising us by turning on in the middle of the night.  There's nothing more frightening  like waking up in the middle of the night and wondering why there is a really bright light coming from the family room.  Freddie's final days were tough.  He tried to keep it together in front of us.  We knew that he was putting up a really strong fight to stay with us.  It was very hard for him to let go.  We know he is now on tuned in to a better place.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Emergency Contact

Everyone has someone that is their emergency contact.  This special someone is a person that knows you.  they are a person you can rely on.  They will be there to help out when needed.  You can call them anytime, from anywhere, and they will be there to help you out.

Most people have just one person that they call.  That person is a spouse/partner, family member or close friend.  For most people, that person is their spouse.

I was thinking about this one day, as I was reflecting on how my phone calls and texts go unanswered from my husband.  What if they were a matter of life and death?  If he doesn't answer my calls and texts now, what if it's an emergency?

Now, don't get me wrong, I know RT would be the one to call and he would help out and make sure all was OK.

But, what if he doesn't answer that call?

I started going through people I know and came up with lists of who could be contacted and who would respond.  My kids would respond because they are always on their phone.  Well, Nick might not respond quickly, because he isn't on his phone that much, and if it required him to download a text or something, well, forget it  (I can hear his grumbling now).

And, maybe my brother, Steve.  Unless it's after a certain time at night, when he decides to turn his phone off.  I can just make sure he's not needed at those times.  My other brother works, so, I couldn't bother him during work hours.

I'm going to have to plan my emergencies around my emergency contacts' schedules.  I mean, scheduling an emergency seems a lot easier than say, not knowing when it's going to happen, right?

It made me feel good to know that I had a couple of people to call in case of emergency.  Let's just hope I don't have to use them, right?

Who is your emergency contact?

The Splits

Apparently, Alex has signed up (for fun) for a split contest.  The winner will be able to do the splits by November 18.  It's nothing sponsored by the school, just some of his friends.  The winner gets, "bragging rights."

I told Alex that I would train right along with him.  Not sure I will ever be able to do the splits, but, I'm sure it will be fun trying.

I mentioned  this to RT and he said, "You'll be able to do it....it will be the last thing you do, but, you will do it."  (thanks for the vote of confidence, honey!)

I'm sure if something goes wrong (I'm in pain, I pull a muscle, I can't walk) I will definitely let you know.

Wish me luck!

Things I Forget

I always forget:

1.  Where I put my To Do notebook (it has all of my lists in it..i.e., grocery lists, etc.)

2.  What I wanted to make for dinner (I should probably write it down in my To Do notebook)

3.  to wear deodorant.*

*Yea.  Not sure how I make it through life when I forget this one.

Alex came home for the weekend.  It was also Bella's birthday.  There was a lot of food happening over the weekend.  So much food was eaten (mostly by my kids).  My kids even said that they ate too much.  In fact, I was told that I shouldn't cook because they end up eating too much.  < I'll take that as a compliment.

All this from the same kids who tell me that, "there's nothing to eat in this house."

The TV

We aren't your typical crazy TV house.  You know, the ones where there's a TV in every room and they are all turned on at the same time, but different stations?  We are a two TV household.

We got the TV that's in the basement when the boys were little.  Still works.  Our other television is a hand me down.  My in-laws got a new TV and gave us their old one.  Perfect timing, because we just got rid of our old one.  It seemed like it was in good condition.  Well, except if the volume was turned up to 54, then it sounded tinny.  But, we don't turn the volume up that loud, so, we were good.

About 6 months ago, the television started acting a little strange.  If you want to watch it, it would take a few minutes to turn on.  It goes through a series of turning on/off.  Sometimes the screen is all black, sometimes it's green.  And sometimes it makes a really loud noise.  That usually gets Pippen's attention.

About a week ago, the whole turn on ritual, that was about two minutes, turned into a ten minute ritual.  At one point, I asked RT, "What if it just decides to give up?  Will it say, "I give up."  or "I can't do this anymore." ?  He replied it's now a battle of wills.  Who will give in first?

Obviously not us.

We now have to turn the TV on a half hour before we want to watch a show.  Yes.  It takes that long for it to go through it's little song and dance  cycle.  Good thing that watching television isn't a matter of life or death.  We wouldn't be around very long.

I came home yesterday from work and the television was on.  RT said, "I just left it on all day so I wouldn't have to wait for it to turn on."

I think at this point, my money is on the television.

Pen Update

I wrote about pens, fancy pens, hotel pens in this post.  By the way, I did throw that pen away from that post.  It was awful!

When I'm at work, writing blog posts, I use the pen that I keep in my apron.  It writes quite nicely, thanks for asking.

I have been going through some of the pens at home.  Especially the bad  hotel pens.  I really would like all of those to be gone.  I don't think the kids even like using them.  Maybe I can just drop them off at a hotel (any hotel).   Maybe I can label them, "vintage" and sell them on Etsy?  I'm sure some one would think they were cool.

I'm hoping to use the rest of my hotel pens up soon so I can start using some of the "fun" pens.

Do you have a collection of hotel pens?

If not, do you want to buy some?

I know where you can get a great deal on them!

Belly Ache Day

Another Halloween has come and gone.  And tons and tons of candy have entered our house.

Bella went Trick-or-Treating and came home with gobs of candy.  I think we might be able to start our own candy store!

Unfortunately, she likes to eat candy.  And, so does, RT.  They've already dug into the huge candy stash and ate quite a bit last night.

My Dad always called the day after Halloween, "Belly Ache Day."  You know, from eating too much candy on Halloween?  I always thought it was funny.  I never ate too much candy on Halloween, so, I never suffered on Belly Ache Day.

Here's hoping that all of you are not suffering this Belly Ache Day!

Happy Halloween!

I thought I would reprint this post for those of you that need an easy last minute Halloween costume! They are pretty easy to toss together.   If you don't have a shirt to wear, you can always pick one up at the thrift store.


Blow a Kiss Emoji

Yellow t-shirt
black and red felt
paper
pencil
scissors
fabric glue

This first costume was for work.  We were having a Halloween party at work and we all had to dress as an emoji.  I chose the Blow a Kiss emoji.  I drew out the emoji on paper first (you know me and my templates!).

Pumpkin Pie

orange t-shirt
black felt
paper
pencil
scissors
fabric glue
head band
plastic pumpkin

The second costume is to wear to work on Halloween.  Yea, I have to work Halloween (only during the day).  I thought this would be a fun and easy costume to make and wear.  Trace the Greek letter Pi onto black felt.  (That's the Pie)  Once the Pi is on your shirt, you can attach the pumpkin to your headband.  Get it?  Pumpkin Pie.  Great costume for math lovers.

My Weird Dog

I know I haven't blogged about him lately.  I think Pippen just gets weirder and weirder as time goes on.  Even RT said he should have mellowed by now.

Pippen can be quite vocal.  I mentioned his growls or barks when the boys come home.  Sometimes, when he's laying on the floor sleeping (because that's ALL HE DOES), he will make a low growl sound.  He still cries if someone doesn't take him with for a walk or jog.  It's pretty annoying.  If he sees that you are getting ready for a walk/jog, he will follow you and cry.

One night he came into our room in the middle of the night.  I removed the rugs on the side of the bed so he would get out of his bad habit of sleeping in our room (he can be quite loud).  I do have a couple of his blankets under my side of the bed for those stormy nights.  Well, he got those blankets out (with his paws) and slept on them.  RT was not too happy.  Pippen made quite a bit of noise trying to get those blankets out.  I thought he would give up, but, he was determined to sleep in our room.

Last night, Pippen was barking when Nick came home (it was about 11pm).  Nick went up to bed and all we could hear was Pippen crying.  This went on for about 10-15 minutes.  I finally caved and opened our door and called him up to our room.  I pulled out the blankets for him and he was quite happy.

RT said that Pippen needs to grow out of this stage.  Honestly, I don't think that will ever happen.  His clinginess seems to be getting worse as he gets older.  The scary part is that he clings to me.  Nothing like having a large dog follow you around all day.  Crying.

Vintage

Lately we have been throwing the word, "vintage" around.  I mentioned several posts ago that RT was selling Pokemon cards (vintage Pokemon cards, to be exact).  <  He's sold most of them, by the way.  He has since moved on to vintage sports memorabilia.  In fact, anything we find that is "old" we have started to call "vintage."

I think vintage sounds a lot better than old.  Maybe I'll start calling myself vintage?  Or refer to RT as being my vintage husband?

I had to move Nick's car yesterday and when I went in to the house to return the key, I told him that he had some old, used Kleenex in the car that he might want to dispose of.  He then replied, "Those are vintage Kleenex."

Vegan Diaries - Tasty Lentil Tacos

I found this recipe years ago.  I made it every so often and it was always a hit.  I like that they taste like tacos and, of course, are healthy.  I don't make it that often so whenever I make these tacos, my family always thinks it's a new recipe.  It's fun to watch their faces as they look at it and wonder what it is.....and if it will taste good.  (They are pleasantly surprised when they find out these tacos do taste good)

I recently made these tacos and my brother, Steve, just happened to stop by for a visit.  I made him try some (he seemed a little worried).   I have to say that he was pleasantly surprised at how good they were and has asked when I'm making them again.  (Hey, here's the recipe.  Now you can make them for me.  Hint, hint)

If you are a meat eater and want to make a vegetarian option once a week, give this recipe a try.   These lentil tacos will definitely change up your Taco Tuesday!

Here's the recipe:

Tasty Lentil Tacos

ingredients:

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp oil

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed

1 TBSP chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

chopped cilantro (optional)

2/12 cups vegetable broth

1 cup salsa

12 taco shells

Topping suggestions:

shredded lettuce, chopped tomato shredded cheese, sour cream

directions: 

In large non-stick skillet, sauce onion and garlic in oil until tender.  

Add lentils, chili powder, cumin, cilantro and oregano and cook for one minute.  Add broth.  Bring to a boil.  

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until lentils are tender.

Uncover and cook for 6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened.  

Gently mash some lentils (optional).

Stir in salsa.

Serve.

**I like spicy tacos so, I will add a jalapeño (diced) and maybe some diced poblano or green pepper.  Feel free to add some finely diced carrot, too.  

If you make these tacos, let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Hey, Shorty!

Well, it's finally happened.  I am officially the shortest person in our family.

I knew this day would eventually come.  I mean, it happens to most parents, right?  And, since I'm married to a really really  a tall guy, I shouldn't be surprised.

FYI:  If the dog stands on his back legs, he's taller than me.

Funeral Sweater

Bella needed to borrow one of my black sweaters.  As I was handing it to her, I said, "Don't lose it.  I like this sweater.  It's my funeral sweater."

First of all, I said this because she can be a little carefree when she is using something that does not belong to her.  My words were chosen so she would remember that the sweater belongs to me and not to leave it anywhere.  Yes, I can totally see her forgetting the sweater somewhere and not telling me about it for days.

The addition of, "It's my funeral sweater, " was said to be funny.  But, honestly, it's a go to in my funeral wardrobe and I really can't afford to lose any funeral items.  

When Bella returned from the party, she handed me the sweater and said, "Here's your funeral sweater.  I didn't lose it."

Bella then went on to say that, while at the party, she made sure she told all of her friends that she was wearing her Mom's funeral sweater.  Apparently that got a lot of laughs from the group.

I'm so glad that my funeral wardrobe is getting used (quite frequently I might add) and is providing entertainment for the whole family.

Pawn Stars

OK, we aren't huge Pawn Stars fans, but, we do enjoy watching the show every once in awhile.  It's fun to see all of the interesting items that are brought in to be sold.  It makes you wonder how these people get this stuff and why do they keep it so long?

I guess I can find an answer to that last question.  They either purchased the item and hung onto it or it was handed down to them through family.

This episode that we were watching was about a sign from England during WWII.  The guy ended up getting $50 for the sign.  His final say was that he and his wife are trying to downsize so they are selling off some of their possessions.

Again, I found it interesting.  It seems like there are other people out there working on downsizing and trying to make a little money in the process.  Also, trying to make it less of a nightmare for their children.

The guy was happy with the $50 and said he was going out to eat with his wife.

Do you have any collections?

Have you started downsizing?

What's on Your Playlist?

Bella comes home and tells me about her day.  This is a daily occurrence.  I get details of conversations, classes, lunch discussions, etc.  And when I say details, I mean DETAILS.

One day she came home telling me about  supervised study and how she had a sub who was walking around the room.  Bella was on her computer, working on a math program.  Her computer is a touch screen and the program is interactive.  The teacher was standing behind her and then said, to the whole class, "There will be no game playing on your computers."  Bella turned and told the teacher she wasn't playing a game and showed the teacher all of her open tabs.  They guy next to her said, "it was probably the math one."

Anyway, that really isn't what my post is about today.   When Bella is in supervised study, she can listen to music.  She usually listens to Spotify.  (we have the free version of the app so we get commercials).  She has playlists on hers and sometimes she just plays other random playlists.  This day she had it on and the only song that played over and over was "Girls on Film" by Duran Duran.  She went on to tell me that the song is now permanently in her head after hearing it over and over for an hour.  Bella said that Spotify was "being a butt" and would only play this song (that's her favorite saying, by the way).

I asked her if she had other Duran Duran songs on her playlist and she said no.  Girls on Film is the only song that she knows by Duran Duran.

Of course, I told her that I would have to educate her a little and have her get to know some of the other Duran Duran songs.  I even started to play from my Duran Duran playlist.

So, what's on your playlist?

I Forgot

At the elementary school, they have bins by the front office.  They are called the "I Forgot" bins.  Junior high has bins at the office.  I only used them a few times for the boys.  Apparently I'm now making up for the few uses of these bins.

In the last couple of days, Bella has forgotten something.  One day it was gym shoes.  The next, a water bottle.  Normally I let the child suffer (I'm such a mean Mom) but, Bella is on the Volleyball team and needs shoes and a water bottle.  I'm not sure why the water bottle wasn't in her backpack.  She usually brings one to school every day.

Hopefully she was just having a couple of bad days and this, "I forgot" streak will go away.

Pens

I'm not sure I have mentioned my obsession with pens.  I know I have put pens in a group of things that I am thankful for.  Without pens, I couldn't write my blog posts.  Well, I could just type them out on the computer like a normal person.  That would be very difficult for me to try to do.  I'm not sure why I feel the need to write out my posts long hand.  I guess back in the stone ages, when we wanted to write something, we used pen and paper.  I feel it's much more satisfying writing things out long hand.

If I'm out and about and I see nice pens, I drool  like to look at them and even consider buying them.  The bright colors or cool styles.  I wonder what it's like to use such pens.  Do they write nice and smooth?  What do the colors look like?  But, then reality sets in and I realize I have a lot of pens at home that I should use first before buying some nice, new ones.  Of course, the ones I have at home are the bad hotel ones that you get for free.  I don't think I have ever had a really nice hotel pen.  Thanks to my parents, they have supplied me with a million quite a few of these pens.  I am nearing the end of my supply, though (Oh, happy day!).

The pens come in along with the writing, obviously,  A good pen goes a long way.  By the way, this pen I'm using to write this post is going in the garbage when I'm finished.  It's about to run out of ink and doesn't flow nicely.

A wise person once said:  Life is too short to use a bad pen.

OK.  Maybe I just said it.  It's true, though.  Look at all of the fun color inks that are out there.  If you get a nice pen that writes easily, you are a lot happier, you will write more and you will live longer.

Alright, maybe not that last one.  How about:  you will live a much happier life with nice pens.

Vegan Diaries - Cuban Style Black Beans

To say that I am obsessed with Cuban Style Black Beans is an understatement.

I had some Cuban Style Black beans at a local restaurant about a year ago.  They were delicious!  I've been trying to figure out a recipe (that doesn't require bacon fat).  I think I've finally found something that's pretty close.

Here's the recipe:

Cuban Style Black Beans - Vegan

ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP dried oregano
dash of cumin
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cider vinegar

directions:

Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until soft.

Add black beans, cumin, oregano, vegetable broth and cider vinegar.  Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Salt and pepper if desired.  Then serve.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you try making these beans, let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

Memorial Cards

You know those little cards you can grab when you are at a funeral?  They have the persons name, birth/death dates, a little prayer and maybe a picture of a saint on the back?  Well, I have quite a collection of those cards.  I don't save all of the cards I have picked up and from every funeral I've attended.  I've been to so many, especially for family,  if I did, I would be considered a hoarder!  I just save the cards from family or close friends.

I had to attend another funeral the other day for a relative and was thinking about all of the cards I have collected.  Seeing how many funerals I have been to in the last few years for family members, I was wondering how many cards I will collect before I die.  Morbid, I know.

Do you hang on to memorial cards?

Fall is Here!

Wow!  Time sure flies when you're having fun!

I thought I would put some links to some of the Fall/Halloween crafts and Costumes that I've blogged about in the past.

Time to get your craft on and get ready for the fall season!

Halloween Crafts

Bat Pencil Cup
Extra Crafts - using construction paper, owls, witch, ghost, foam monsters
Mosaic Pumpkin - using paint chips
Mosaic Pumpkin - using construction paper
Owl - using construction paper
Pony Tail Craft - using ribbon
Pumpkin and Ghost - using Popsicle sticks
Pumpkin Magnet - using foam
Spider - using pipe cleaners
SPIDER
Spider (under $1 craft)
Witche's Hat
Pumpkin Soap


Easy Halloween Costumes

How about some Fall food ideas:

Vegetarian Chili
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Pie (from a Pumpkin)

Phone on Silent

I know I have written numerous posts about RT and his phone issues.  There are so many, it's hard to keep up.

There's the butt dialing.  I thought it was just me that he was butt dialing.  It would happen so often, I guess I got used to it.  He has started butt dialing the kids.  I get texts from them telling me about it.  The other day, RT told me he sent a message to his cousin's wife because he accidentally butt dialed her.  He has never called her (ever) so I'm not sure how he accidentally butt dialed her.  Only RT can pull something like that off.

The butt dialing I can live with, but, leaving his phone on silent is something that drives me crazy!

I understand the need to put your phone on silent during certain situations.  For example, while you are at work, church, meeting with a teacher, meeting with your boss, funeral, etc.  RT puts his on silent at work.  Perfectly understandable.  I mean, who wants to be in a meeting and have their phone go off?

When RT comes home, he leaves his phone on silent.  On the weekends, his phone is on silent.  So, when we try to get a hold of him, he doesn't answer his phone because he doesn't know it's ringing or that we called.

The kids have taken to calling and texting me.  I sometimes tell them to call their Dad and they say, "He doesn't answer the phone.  That's why I'm texting you."  They know I will answer.

I put my phone on silent while I'm at work.  I usually have it on me while I'm working.  The minute I step out of work, I turn the ringer back on.  I guess I'm worried I might miss an important call or text from my kids.

One night, I was working and my phone was ringing.  I answered it because it was Bella.  I knew she was out with a friend and thought something might have happened.  She told me she needed a ride home and couldn't get a hold of RT, so she called me.  I told her to call Nick (and gave her a list of a few other options in case he couldn't get her).  Luckily Nick was around and was able to swing by and pick her up.

I'm thinking of putting a post it note in RT's car with, "Turn your ringer on."

Pokemon Update

I mentioned that RT listed some Pokemon cards in my last Pokemon post.  Thought I would let you know that it's been a week and I'm happy to say that he has sold 5 cards so far!   He's listing more cards.  It takes time to list and package up sold cards.  I think eventually this could be a full time career for him.

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace has been celebrated around the world since the 1980's.  It's a day dedicated to world peace.  A day without war or violence.

There are various ways to celebrate the day.  Some local towns celebrate with a parade or festival.

Other ideas?

A minute of silence at Noon
Meditation and prayer
Service to others
Yoga
Writing peace poetry

If you post any pictures to social media of you participation in peace type activities, make sure to tag them #peaceday.

How will you celebrate today?

The Grape Juice Challenge

So, I just read about this whole Grape Juice Challenge.  It's not really a challenge, but, that's what I'm calling it.  It's where you drink a shot of (100% pure) grape juice every day.  By doing this, it will help keep you from getting the flu.

Now, I'm not sure how a daily dose of grape juice can prevent a person from getting the flu.  Maybe the people who did this were just lucky and didn't get the flu that year.  Maybe they weren't around anyone who had the flu.  Maybe they were hermits and never went out of the house?

So, my question to you is, How do you prevent getting the flu?

Do you get a flu shot?

Haven you tried (or heard of) the Grape Juice Challenge?

Pokemon

I'm sure you have heard of Pokemon.  There are Pokemon cards, clothes, and even a Pokemon App.  My boys were into Pokemon cards starting in Preschool.  The fad for them didn't last really long.  They did, however, collect  millions  thousands of cards.  Yea.  I didn't cross out thousands because between the two of them, I'm sure we have at least a thousand cards.  To top it off, RT was given a huge collection by one of his bosses (during that time).  The Pokemon collection belonged to their sons, who were older than our boys.

I never threw out the boys cards.  You see, I learned by the mistake my Mom made many years ago.  My Mom threw out both of my brother's baseball card collections.  They had tons of cards.  I should know.  My Dad would take us out for candy and I would get a package of baseball cards, keep the gum and give the cards to my brother.   P.S.  The gum was the worst.  I think it was stale.

Anyway, after hearing about that, and how some of those cards could have been worth money, I decided to just save my kids Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

One night, we happened to be watching "Pawn Stars."  A guy was selling his Pokemon cards.  The story was:  He got into Pokemon when his kids were interested.  The kids lost interest, but he kept at it.  Apparently he had a lot of cards with a total value of $9-11,000.  He was going to use it to help pay for his kids' college.

Well, bells started going off.  I said, "You know?  The boys still have their cards and I think they have some good ones.  Maybe we can sell some and pay for college?"

RT started doing research on the cards.  After hours of research, it's scary that he knows so much about Pokemon and Pokemon cards.  He will disappear in the basement for hours researching and looking through cards.  He even went through the boys rooms and the attic and found all of the cards.  Although, he believes Nick is hiding some cards in his room.  It has come to the point where I never see RT and when I do, he spouts things about Pokemon.  He's even out buying more cards!  He's become obsessed!  It's almost like having a little kid who wants to buy more and Pokemon cards.

He has just started to list some.  Let's hope that they sell and we are able to pay for college.

Wish us luck.

Blogversary

Oh, Happy Day!

I just realized it's my blogversary today.  Seven  long  scary  frightening  wonderful years of starting this blog.

When I started this journey, I didn't think I would have enough scary stories to tell about my life.  Here we are, seven years later and I'm still going strong.

If you have been with me that long, God Bless you!  And, if you are new to My Scary Journey, welcome - It's a crazy ride.

Thanks for reading and here's to another seven more years!

Netflix Password

We have a streaming Netflix subscription.  We have been with Netflix for quite some time now.  I'm assuming I don't have to tell everyone what Netflix is, unless you have been living under a rock?

We use our Netflix subscription quite a bit.  The only problem is that we can only have two people streaming at the same time.  I personally think that's enough, since we only have two TV's.  The kids feel that we should add more users because they use other devices to watch Netflix.  I tell them that if they want to pay the extra fee every month, then we can upgrade.  This usually happens when I want to watch something and there are already two people using Netflix.  Instead of letting me use Netflix, the one who signed up and is paying for it, the kids want me to increase the number of users.

I'm sure I've mentioned that I'm not a big TV watcher.  I'll watch shows and movies, but usually with one or more people.  I won't just sit down by myself to watch something (unless I'm sick).

Last weekend, Bella and I decided to watch a movie.  When we pressed play, it showed that two other people were watching movies.  I knew Alex was watching a movie, but, Nick wasn't even home.  After a little text exchange with Nick, I found out he wasn't using Netflix, but, maybe his girlfriend was watching a movie.

That's when I got a little upset.

I've heard of people sharing their Netflix passwords.  I didn't realize that my kids are sharing our Netflix password with others.

Nick wasn't sure if his girlfriend was using it, so, I just deleted his profile.  I found out that she was with a friend, watching a movie on our account.  She switched to her friend's Netflix account when she finally got Nick's message.  After all this happened, I heard that she is going to pay for her own Netflix account now.

Hopefully I will now be able to use my Netflix subscription whenever I want.

How to Save Your Cell Phone Battery (an Explanation)

I posted my suggestion on how to save your cell phone battery.  I thought I should probably elaborate on that post.

I don't use my phone a lot.  I'm not always on it.  Some days, I use it to look up things or check my email or play music.  On those days (especially when I use it for music), my cell phone battery goes down faster.  I haven't mastered the art of how to make your cell phone battery last longer.  My children give me odd tips every once in awhile like, turn off your blue tooth or wi-fi.  I'm not sure if they help much or not.  I don't ever see a drastic change in battery use on my phone if I use their suggestions.

One day, my cell phone battery was getting low and I didn't have my charger.  I decided to turn off my cell phone (Oh, THE HORROR!) to save on my battery life.  I couldn't use it where I was, so, why leave it on?  Right?

And, then I thought, you always hear people complaining that their cell phone battery is low and they might need to use it.  But these people keep their phone on until the battery runs out and then they are left with a dead phone?  Why don't they just turn off their phone?

Vegan Diaries : Black Bean Brownies

Wanted to make some brownies for a dessert one night from scratch.  I have been dying to try my hand at making black bean brownies.  I had them at a party once and was shocked to learn that there was a whole can of black beans in them.

I found this recipe and thought I would give it a try.

Black Bean Brownies

ingredients:
1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large eggs*
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp oil
1 TBS unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

directions:

Oven: 350F
Line a 9x9 square baking dish with parchment paper
Blend black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, almond milk, balsamic vinegar, baking soda, baking powder in blender until smooth.  Pour into bowl.
Mix in half of the chocolate chips.
Pour brownie mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top of the brownies.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 30-32 minutes)
Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing them into squares.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


*You can use flax eggs instead of eggs.  1 TBSP ground flax plus 3 TBSP cold water and let sit for five minutes.

I didn't tell the family that these contained black beans.  I waited until they were eaten and if they asked, then I told them.  I didn't have any complaints and they disappeared quickly.  Oh, and at least I know they got some protein while eating these brownies.

P.S.  The recipe originally called for 3/4 cup of sugar.  I reduced mine to 1/2 cup and thought they were delicious.  If you like a real sweet brownie, feel free to add more sugar.

Enjoy!

He's Back

Dropped him off last Saturday and then he decides to come back home Thursday after classes.

Why?

Because he didn't pack enough clothes.

Apparently he already did a load of laundry (shocking, I know!).  He has been working out a lot at the gym on campus.  I, of course, have no sympathy.   He had plenty of time to pack.

Let's see if he stays there a little longer this time.

Does anyone else have an inhaler of Vic's Vapor Rub in their nightstand drawer?

Sick

I came down with a cold a couple of weeks ago.  I was down for the count for about a week.  I had to get my shifts at work covered.  I did go in one day, but, was lucky enough to be able to leave a little early that day.

The thing about being sick is that most people can take the day off from work (with pay) and get better.  Maybe family members take care of them.  Bring them homemade soup, juice, hot tea, over the counter medicine, cough drops, an extra blanket, some aspirin...  you get the picture.

I forget these things because I don't get sick that often.  And, when I do get sick, that's when I remember that I'm the one that does the running around, getting juice, bringing aspirin, making homemade soup, etc. for the sick person.  So, when I get sick, I'm left to fend for myself.  I was able to get my shifts at work covered (I don't get sick days or paid when I'm sick) but, I wasn't able to get the work that needed to be done around the house.  No one cooked dinner.   Laundry did not get washed.  Errands were put on hold.  Grocery shopping did not get done.

I do have to say that Nick did ask me daily (usually multiple times during the day) if he could get me anything.  He even gave me some vitamins to take to try to knock out my cold.

Luckily we have a garden this year.  I lived off tomatoes.  I didn't have any energy (probably because I wasn't eating anything) to make anything for myself to eat, and, well, there were tomatoes sitting there on the counter.  Lots and lots of tomatoes.  So, I ate them.

I'm thinking I should get together a game plan for my next illness so things don't fall through the cracks and I actually have some food to eat while I'm sick (other than tomatoes).

I'll just put that on my never ending To Do List.

College Drop Off

I need a T-shirt with, "I survived college drop off."

Alex is the first going away to school, so this experience is all new to me.

The school provides you with a list of items your child might want/need while they are away at school.  Normally, the parent and child tackle the list and purchase (or find in the house or from friends or neighbors) the items they feel will be needed.  Items are then packed and moved with the child on move in day.

I'm pretty sure that's how it happens in normal families.  Or maybe families with a daughter going away to school.

Our college prep was all me, running form store to store trying to find things that Alex might need  Alex did not want to talk about it or be a part of it.  In fact, he got to the point of saying, If I need something, I'll just buy it.

I made sure he had the necessities.  Sheets, pillows, blanket, towels, soap and toothpaste.  I even threw in some toilet paper, crackers and granola bars.  Hey!  I'm a mom and want to make sure he has healthy snacks and a few necessities.

Alex was in charge of packing his clothes and cleaning up his room (HA!).

Move In Day arrive and Alex is tossing some clothes in a duffel bag (like he's going on a weekend get away.  We all fit into RT's car (all five of us) along with the small amount of stuff Alex brought with him.  As we are unpacking (at school), Alex says, "I think I'm going to have to come home next weekend to get more clothes and stuff that I'll need."

He's lucky he isn't that far away from home.

How to Save Your Cell Phone Battery

Step 1.

Turn off your phone.

Blueberry Pie Recipe

I can't talk about making blueberry muffins and blueberry pie without posting the pie recipe.

I made this pie and it disappeared in less than 24 hours.  I would say that it was a success.

Here's the recipe:

Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:
pie crust (double crust) (already made)*
3/4 cup sugar
4 TBSP corn starch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
5 cups fresh blueberries
lemon juice


directions:
Oven to 375F.

Mix blueberries with a little lemon juice.

Mix sugar, corn starch and cinnamon and pour over blueberry mixture.

Line 9" pie plate with pie crust.  Put blueberry mixture in and top with the top pie crust layer.  Add holes to top crust.  Put some foil around edges so they do not burn (leave on until last 10-15 minutes of baking)

Bake for 1 hour.

Let cool prior to cutting.




*I made my own pie crust   -  I just doubled the recipe


Enjoy!

Blue Berry Muffin Recipe

I know I already have a Blueberry Muffin recipe on the blog, but, I just discovered another one that I can make vegan.

We went blueberry picking when we were in Michigan and came home with a few billion pounds of blueberries.  We ate quite a few, I made a blueberry pie and I made a few batches of these muffins.

Here's the recipe:

Blueberry Muffins

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg*
1/3 cup milk**
1 cup fresh blueberries


directions:

Oven to 375F.

Whisk flour, sugar and baking powder in large bowl.

In smaller bowl, whisk vegetable oil, egg*, milk* until smooth then stir into flour mixture until moistened.  Stir in Blueberries then spoon into muffin cups.

Bake muffins about 20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into center of muffin should come out clean.


*Can use a flax egg (1 TBSP ground flax and 3 TBSP water)

**can use almond milk here

Enjoy!