Silly Rabbit, Rules are for NERDS

ADD

We started Carley on ADD meds last Sunday and I am so impressed with the improvement they have made with her anger and bad attitude!! It’s like a totally different kid in there! She seems so much happier now too. She keeps saying (with a little bit of awe) “Mom, I haven’t gotten in trouble at all this week!” So that has been going really well, and I hope that it continues into this new school year.

Speaking of……

Oh Man! It’s back to school time already! Seems like time flies so much when you are an adult. We went to Carley’s meet the teacher night last night and we told of some very interesting changes in the school program.

Field Trips-

From now on if any parent wants to go on a school field trip, they have to take a Parent Volunteer Class. It’s a 30 minute class and it’s good for 5 years, but I am wondering if I agree with it or not. I suppose it really doesn’t matter because I’m going to have to do it anyway. One half of me feels like this is probably a good thing, because not all parents have it altogether. There are some parents that just shouldn’t have kids, but do those types of parents really go on field trips as chaperones? Then the other half of me is sort of insulted that they think I need to take a class to walk around the zoo with 5 kids. Well, like I said I suppose it really doesn’t matter cause I have to take the class.

Classroom Snacks-

The Arizona Health Department has stepped in and decided that all treats brought into the classroom now have to include at least 1 gram of Fiber. WHAT THE HELL? This is possibly the most retarded rule I have ever heard of! So not only do I have to bring in STORE bought items, NOW they have to have FIBER. I can bring in RAISINS for my kids birthday. This potential ruins all in school parties and functions forever! I wholeheartedly disagree with this new rule. If I was Calvin I would be on my truck’s back window pissing on this rule. Do we have to ruin EVERYTHING fun about school?

Sharing-

They are sharing PE, Music, and Art teachers with another school. Don’t even get me started on the budget cuts issue though. GRRR…

So aside from all of this crappiness, I got to meet Carley’s new teacher. She seems very nice. But, really... would she come off as bitchy when we are meeting her for the first time? Probably not. She’s a sports fanatic, so that’s going to be a bit of a change for Carley. Hopefully it will get her into sports or some outdoor activities a little more.

Carley has a student teacher in her classroom this year, and it just so happens that I went to school with this girl. I think she graduated the year after me. So that was a little bit of a trip.

I also think it’s crazy how many friends my daughter has! We were walking thru the school and she’s constantly saying hello to people and all of her little girlfriends are running up to her and squealing and such. It’s so funny how quickly you forget that school is cliques and groups and silly girls and boy trying to act cool. Ah, to be 10 again. LOL

So Monday is the big day for Carley. She said she wasn’t excited, but once she got to the school and saw all her friends and got the supply list she was raring to go. This makes me happy.

Ass Hat-
(or one more thing that pisses me off endlessly)

On the “Father” front; Carley mentioned that she wants to start going back to her Dad’s house again and that she would just deal with her evil step mom. I discussed it with Jamie and he said that if she wants to go, we should let her. So she is going over there this weekend. I’m not sure how I feel about it except that I want to rip her stepmom’s head off still.

I’m torn between recognizing a lost cause when I see one, knowing that she really doesn’t care how I feel, and talking to her about what happened. I know that if I start a conversation about it, it will just turn into an argument, so I’m leaning towards just leaving the issue lie. BUT, I really hate her. I really, really want to punch her in the face… repeatedly. *SIGH* I guess I will just save my hatred up until the day Carley turns 18 and then I will unleash it. It should be glorious.

Until then... I will just beat my husband. He quite enjoys it. LOL

Later!

Weekend Fun and Monday Sadness

Stinky!

I have been trying to update since last Monday!!!! I was in the process of writing a new post when I found out that my Kitty had been killed over the weekend last weekend. :( It was a very sad day for my husband and I. Stinky was our first cat together. She earned her name when we first picked her up from the human society. She had a terrible upper respiratory infection and she stank to high heaven. So Jamie decided that Stinky should be her name and it just stuck! She was a great cat. I had her when Jamie was in training for his job and he was away all the time. She would sleep with me every night. This was a cat the cuddled!!! She was a whiney bitchy cat, but most cats are and I loved her dearly. It makes my heart heavy for her to be gone.

R.I.P. Stinky. I love you!

Vacation!!

I had a fantastic vacation! Jamie and I went to Minnesota for a Marriage Enrichment. It's great stuff they teach us, and everything is paid for! We had a big 'ole blast up there. There's not much to do, but we found enough fun for 20 people! LOL

We flew in on Thursday and checked into the hotel. This Hotel was decent but not worth what Jamie's work paid for it, that's for sure! Here's a picture of our window in our room-

Yup! That little sliver of light was our window! Even better was the view! All we could see was the Roof! Terrible! Totally not worth the money paid. I would have been mad if we had had to pay out of pocket, that's for sure! This is what the weather looked like all weekend too! It was a cold 65 degrees and sunny when we got there Thursday, but by Friday it was in the 50's and cloudy! For sure a change from our 115 degrees!!

So we checked in and got ready and went downtown. Jamie made us Dinner reservations at a Brazilian Steakhouse. LET ME TELL YOU!!!! If you EVER have the chance to eat at a Brazilian Steakhouse, TAKE IT! This was probably the most fabulous dinner I have ever had!

This is Directly from the Website-

Dining Experience
Step 1: Sit down, relax, and enjoy a drink while we explain the Fogo® dining experience.
Step 2: Visit our gourmet salad and sides bar. Enjoy over 30 items including fresh cut vegetables, imported cheeses, cured meats and Brazilian side dishes.
Step 3: Turn your card green side up, signaling that you are ready for our gaucho chefs to begin tableside service.
Step 4: Choose from the 15 cuts of delectable fire roasted meats that are brought to your table, sliced, and served by our gaucho chefs. (They all walk by your table with Meat on skewers and offer you what they have. It was amazing!)
Step 5: When you are satisfied, flip the disc to the red side until you are ready for more offerings.
Step 6: If you wish, end the meal with one of our delicious desserts.

These are all of the different types of meats they have-

PICANHA

pea-CAN-ya
Our signature steak, Picanha is a prime cut of top sirloin. The picanha cut is very popular in the churrascarias of Southern Brazil. At Fogo de Chão, our gaucho chefs carefully carve each piece, just as the gauchos before them have done for hundreds of years.
Fogo® prepares picanha two different ways. We offer the traditional light seasoning, and a more robust garlic seasoned version. Both are equally delicious and grilled to juicy perfection.

FILET MIGNON

fil-AY min-YON
Filet mignon is known as the most tender of cuts. At Fogo, our gaucho chefs expertly prepare your filet mignon from the most flavorful part of the beef tenderloin. Once seasoned, the filet is grilled to perfect tenderness.
For those who prefer filet mignon wrapped in bacon, Fogo® offers a delicious bacon-wrapped version. Each delectable piece is seasoned lightly and grilled rotisserie style.

BEEF ANCHO

beef AN-cho
Beef ancho is cut from the prime part of the rib eye. The beautiful marbling on the rib eye provides its superb flavor, juiciness and texture, making this one of the most popular steaks at Fogo®.
The gaucho chefs know that such a finely marbled cut of beef needs a light hand when it comes to seasoning. They apply just a touch before grilling the steak, rotisserie style.

ALCATRA

al-CAT-ra
Alcatra is a special cut of top sirloin originating in the steakhouses of Southern Brazil. Like picanha, alcatra is a popular cut in Brazil. The gaucho chefs at Fogo® custom cut each piece of alcatra for our guests.
Many of our Brazilian-trained gaucho chefs hone their skills in our restaurants in Brazil before coming to the United States. It is there they learn to properly cut alcatra, season it lightly, and grill it to delicious perfection.

FRALDINHA

fral-DIN-ya
In Brazil, bottom sirloin is called fraldinha. Though it may be difficult to pronounce, you will enjoy the taste of fraldinha. Because of the strong marbling characteristics, fraldinha has an unmatched juiciness and robust flavor. Whenever people gather on a farm in Southern Brazil to enjoy churrasco (bbq), fraldinha is sure to be on the grill.
Fraldinha is one of the most distinctive and flavorful cuts of meat from Southern Brazil. At Fogo, our gaucho chefs hand select and grill each piece of fraldinha before carving it tableside for our guests.

COSTELA

co-STELL-a
Tender, juicy beef ribs expertly prepared by the gaucho chefs at Fogo®. These fall-off-the-bone ribs are first lightly seasoned. Then they are grilled for several hours to capture their rich natural flavor.
A favorite in Southern Brazil, our gaucho chefs proudly offer costela to Fogo’s North American guests as well.

CORDEIRO

cor-DAY-roo
Cordeiro is how Brazilians say fresh lamb. And Fogo® is known for our savory preparation of cordeiro.
The gaucho chefs at Fogo de Chão® offer guests both succulent lamb chops and tender leg of lamb, imported from New Zealand. Each is gently flavored with our special fresh mint marinade, perfectly grilled and served tableside.

FRANGO

FRAHN-go
In Brazil, frango means chicken. Following the tradition of the churrascarias of Rio Grande do Sul in Southern Brazil, Fogo’s gaucho chefs prepare frango two different ways. Guests may enjoy chicken legs lightly basted in our special marinade. Or, savor our bacon wrapped chicken breasts kissed with a hint of seasoning.

COSTELA DE PORCO

co-STELL-a gee PO-co
Mouthwatering baby back pork ribs skillfully roasted by Fogo’s Brazilian-trained gaucho chefs. A favorite in the churrascarias of Southern Brazil, the secret to costela de porco at Fogo de Chão® is the seasoning. A careful blend of our wet and dry rub keep the ribs tender and enhance their natural flavor.

LOMBO

LOM-bo
Another house specialty from Southern Brazil, the gaucho chefs at Fogo de Chão® start by hand selecting the finest pork loin available. The pork loin is sliced into filets and encrusted with a rich Parmesan cheese coating before roasting over an open flame. The result is a unique and delectable flavor.

LINGUICA

lin-GWEE-sa
Linguica is a Brazilian-style, cured pork sausage. The sausage originated in Portugal, and gained popularity in Brazil during colonial times. At Fogo, our linguica is flavored with our own special blend of seasonings, created to complement the many flavors of churrasco (bbq).
Brazilian linguica is known for its wonderfully robust flavor. The gaucho chefs at Fogo® prepare linguica on the rotisserie until the outside is perfectly crisp and the inside is hot and juicy. For centuries, linguica has been an integral part of the churrascaria experience.

All of these cuts of meat were amazing!!! There was some chicken in there too, but I don't see it on this menu. Anyway, it was the cream of the crop as far as meats go. AND, not only do they have all of these meats, but they have a Salad Bar and Side Dishes to go with it all!!! Needless to say Jamie and I were stuffed by the time we got out of there. It was awesome.

Before dinner we had drinks at a place called Sneaky Pete's (yes babes, you were right) and that was a cool little bar. Well we ened up going back there after we ate and had a TOTAL BLAST!!!!!

This was our bartender posing with one of our cards. She was SO friendly.

We are such goof balls!

Friday and Saturday we went to The Mall of America. It's a CRAZY place.

You go in this entrance and go up the escaltor and the first thing you see at the top is this Carousel! They have an entire amusement park in the middle of the mall!

Here is the log ride. It goes right up next to the side of the 3rd floor. It's crazy looking over a blaconey at this!

We went up the the 4th floor and they have a Cantina there and Jamie got this burrito. The biggest burrito I have ever seen!

Saturday we went back to the mall and went to Bubba Gumps. After that we went next door and hung out at Kokomo's and they have these little Tiki guys everywhere. Cute!

So all in all it was a great vacation. This last Saturday we had a birthday party for our Friend Tom. That was a lot of fun, but my Camera wasn't charged and I couldn't find the charger, so I don't have any pictures!

Anyway, I'm glad I finally got this post up, and I'm sure I'll have another update for you shortly.

TTYL

I'm whiney

I have a skinny person dilemma. Believe you me; I am not trying to illicit sympathy. I just wanna bitch about something and this has been on my mind for awhile. SO for all of you that hate skinny people whining about our problems, please tune out for this installment.
My dilemma: I have some parts that have developed into adult size clothing, and some that are still stuck on Junior.
To explain- My waist is Junior and my Thighs are Adult. My boobs are junior but my upper arms are adult. This makes it pretty hard for me to find comfortable clothing!
I cannot buy long sleeve junior shirts or sweaters. Apparently my upper arms are all about the adulthood cause the matured WAY before the rest of me! This isn’t as much of a problem for me as pants are though.
I have on a pair of jeans that are a size 5* in juniors. Apparently when you are a junior’s size 5* your thighs are TEENY TINY! My jeans bunch unattractively when I walk and I have to wear a belt, otherwise I’ll be advertising my crescent to everyone. Even with a belt I have to pull my pants up when I stand up or they bunch and I look like I dropped a load in my pants!
Why not skip the junior pants? Well it’s because I am a size 2 in women’s. Have you ever tried to find a size 2 in women’s? Almost impossible. Not to mention that when I buy a size 2 pant, they are hanging off of me. Then I have a height issue. I cannot go to your regular department store and buy pants b/c they end up being high waters after one wash. SO I have to order them. The only websites that make pants with an inseam long enough for a Sasquatch are Junior’s websites! These websites are the bane of my existence. They are expensive and the clothes are made for the smallest teenagers imaginable! Like you seriously have to be a size Zero to fit into a size 3 made by them! SO I have to guess at what size I need to order and then if they don’t fit I have to pay to ship them back! It’s really irritating.
*so yeah you guessed it, my size 5’s are actually a size 7 on the label.
Don’t even get me started on trying to buy Dress Pants!! Every pair of dress pants I own has the hem taken out of them b/c they are never long enough!

So, hate me or sympathize…. Doesn’t matter. I just wanted to bitch about it.

Pissed

Things that piss me off:

- Mondays
- Being asked to select one to continue in English. Since when is English a secondary language? Shouldn't I have to select one if I want to continue in Spanish?
- Even having a continue in Spanish selection for companies based in the USA
- Tuesdays
- Automated phone menus that are voice response. They ALWAYS react to some damn background noise!
- People that drive minus 2 MPH over speed bumps. Really? Are you serious? Also, a special ‘WTF, are you a retard?’ to the people that do this in their 4WD vehicles. I hate you with a passion and someday I will run one of you over.
- Wednesdays
- People that are waiting to cross as you drive thru a parking lot and don’t acknowledge that you made a special stop just for their fat asses to cross. A nice wave, or a head nod is all I’m asking. YES, I CAN RUN YOU OVER IF I CHOOSE. Douche bags.
- Scary movies that are rated PG-13. Please! Don’t bother making them cause we all know that they are going to be retarded and geared for teenagers. Yuck.
- Thursdays
- People that get pissed off that they are being solicited by our company. Maybe you didn’t take economics 101, but that’s how companies MAKE MONEY. There are plenty of people out there that will buy our stuff from a postcard, but we are supposed to know that YOU are too good to get shanghaied into buying our stuff. We are supposed to be psychic? I don’t mind that you request to be removed from our list, but don’t curse at me, ok?
- Friday’s until 5PM. Then Fridays are the best.
- Customers that think they know more about insurance then I do. Whatever.
- Commercials in the movies. Enough said.


Let me know if you have anything that pisses you off.

Vacation!

Our vacation was fabulous! We had the best time! It was very relaxing and it was totally what we needed. We went to the beach, met up with friends, enjoyed the weather and went to Knott’s Berry Farm. That was a bunch of fun, and they gave us a 50% discount for the military!

Here are some pictures:

This was on the way home. The pictures are backwards, because I was lazy and didn't want to put them in order.

Carley got a little bored on the way home and grabbed the camera.

I took this one. She's such a ham!

These palm trees get me every time we go to Cali. I don't understand why they would plant them like this and then let them die! I wonder about it every time I see them, so this time I decided to take pictures of them.

My fantastic beach sand animals!

Jamie was sleepy!




Crazy ride! it was fun!

Jamie and Carley on the bumper cars

They played dead! You can't really see it but they both had their tongues stickin out! CUTE!

Our toes in the sand.

This picture I took last second. It was just sitting on the ground. You don't see this very often!

Carley was trying to chase the ducks in the pond by our hotel.

Carley and Jamie in the Spa at the hotel.

We stopped for breakfast on the way to Cali. Yum!

Jamie driving us to Cali

This is Max (left) and Sam (right). Sam is our dog and Max is Tom's dog.

This is my cat stinky. How she got her name is a long story and I'll have to tell you later.

This is Felix. We call him Fee or Feester.

Stinky makes a good sandwich board.

And this is Carley and I on our roller coaster ride. I think I was more freaked then she was!! LOL

How time flies!

Happy Middle of the Year everyone! I just cannot believe that it is already July! Totally a crazy thing about getting older! I remember being a kid and the year between Christmas’ taking forever long to be done. Same thing with summer break! Now time just flies by! I am in awe that it is already JULY! Crazy! Seems like it was just last month that we were celebrating the holidays!


We have got a busy month coming up! So much to look forward to! For the 4th of July weekend we are going to California to sit and relax on the beach. I am very much looking forward to this vacation! It’s been a very long time! Then Jamie and I are going to a marriage retreat for four days in the middle of July. I’m looking forward to that too b/c it will be just Jamie and I and we are going to Minnesota. We will be in Minneapolis, which is where The Mall of America is. I am very much looking forward to that trip! Someone told me that there is no sales tax in MN, so it should be interesting for sure!!! Our Friends Tom and Joe have birthdays on the same day so that should be one helluva party! Unfortunately we will probably not be there to participate! I wanna try to convince then to do the parties on the weekend before. Maybe I’ll secretly talk to Joe’s wife and see if we can plan a surprise party or something. :) I’m so sneaky!
Jamie also has me signed up for a stop smoking course, but we have to reschedule it b/c the class is scheduled for the day that I get back from MN.


I am a little weary of the quit smoking programs. I’d like to be a little vain and think that I am strong enough to stop smoking myself, but I know that this is not the truth. I have proven that this is not the truth! I am looking forward to this attempt, but feel a little weird about it. I don’t want to be that raging bitch! It would be great if I could quit smoking for good. My mom and grandmother did it cold turkey, so I know that the will power is in my genes, but I LIKE to smoke. I hate everything else about it, but I LIKE doing it. I’m a conundrum, I know.


I don’t think I mentioned in my last post that; Carley was diagnosed with ADD. It makes perfect sense with all the trouble we were having over homework and school. I think she feels like it’s something to be ashamed of though because she never wants to talk about it or what it is. Every time I ask her if she wants to know a little bit about it she covers her head and mumbles no. It’s weird. I don’t necessarily want to put her on medication and recently I have heard that this condition can be helped by a simple change in diet. I know that I should be all over this, but I haven’t been. Maybe it’s my ownform of denial, I don’t know, but, I have been meaning to do some internet surfing on the subject for a week now and I just haven’t gotten around to it.


It’s my Bosses birthday on Sunday. I have always have a hard time with giving a gift to my boss. For my last 2 birthdays he gave me a TON of money as a birthday gift. I cannot afford to give him an expensive gift, so I feel retarded getting him anything. Last year I didn’t get him anything at all. Not even a card. I felt rude, but I had no idea what to do for him that wouldn’t make me look like a cheap asshole. So this year I have to get him something, and I settled on a $50 gift card to the Melting Pot. He’s never been there before, and Jamie and I loved it when we went, so I thought it would be perfect. I still feel CHEAP though. I know he knows how much he pays me, but it’s just weird to me. (Seems like this entry is filled with my weirdness today! LOL) So I am waiting for that to be delivered and that will just be his gift. Maybe I’ll make it a tradition or something so that I don’t have to think of new ideas! I’m so cheesy like that too! LOL


Well, I hope you all have a good 4th of July!

UGH! This day.....

Well today has been a really crappy day so far. I'm fairly certain it has great potential to get worse.

Some things I have looked up today at random: (Can I just say how much I enjoy Wikipedia? I really enjoy Wikipedia!)

The Almond (Prunus dulcis, syn. Prunus amygdalus Batsch., Amygdalus communis L., Amygdalus dulcis Mill.) is a species of tree of the genus Prunus, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae and native to the Middle East. Within Prunus, it is classified in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.
Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated nut of this tree. Although popularly referred to as a nut, the almond fruit's seed is botanically not a true nut, but the seed of a drupe (a botanic name for a type of fruit).

In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin; and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries. The definitive characteristic of a drupe is that the hard, lignified stone (or pit) is derived from the ovary wall of the flower.
Other fleshy fruits may have a stony enclosure that comes from the seed coat surrounding the seed, but such fruits are not drupes.
Some flowering plants that produce drupes are coffee, jujube, mango, olive, most palms (including date, coconut and oil palms), pistachio, and all members of the genus Prunus, including the almond (in which the mesocarp is somewhat leathery), apricot, cherry, damson, nectarine, peach, and plum.
Drupes, with their sweet, fleshy outer layer, attract the attention of animals as a food, and the plant population benefits from the resulting dispersal of its seeds. The endocarp (pit or stone) is often swallowed, passing through the digestive tract, and returned to the soil in feces with the seed inside unharmed; sometimes it is dropped after the fleshy part is eaten.
Corking is a nutritional disorder in stone fruit caused by a lack of boron and/or calcium.
Many stone fruits contain sorbitol, which can exacerbate conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and fructose malabsorption.[citation needed]

Saddle soap is a preparatory compound containing mild soap and softening ingredients such as neatsfoot oil, glycerin, and lanolin. It also contains bee's wax to protect leather. It is used for cleaning, conditioning and softening leather, particularly that of saddles and other horse tack, hence its name.

Using saddle soap
Dip a damp sponge in the saddle soap and work up a lather. Apply a light coat of the lather to the leather in small circles covering all surfaces. Frequently rinse and re-lather the sponge. Remove any build up with a damp cloth as left over soap can damage the leather. Wipe the leather dry and then treat with a leather conditioner. After using saddle soap you should clean any metal or plastic fittings. Use a stiff bristle brush to finish off suede or rough-out leathers by brushing up the nap.

See also
Mink oil leather treatment
Neatsfoot oil leather treatment


Neatsfoot oil is a yellow oil rendered and purified from the feet (but not the hooves) and shin bones of cattle. It remains liquid down to a low temperature, and is used as a conditioning, softening and preservative agent for leather. In the 18th century, it was also used medically as a topical application for dry scaly skin conditions.
Neatsfoot oil remains liquid at room temperature because the fat in animals' legs generally has a lower melting point than the body fat. This occurs because the legs and feet of such animals are adapted to tolerate and maintain much lower temperatures than those of the body core, using countercurrent heat exchange between arterial and venous blood. Because of this, neatsfoot oil remains liquid at room temperature and so can easily soak into leather.
Currently, neatsfoot oil is sometimes made from lard.[1] It is sold as neatsfoot oil in pure form, or neatsfoot oil compound, if mineral oil is added. Some brands have been shown to be adulterated with rapeseed oil, soya oil, and drying oil[2]. Pure neatsfoot oil comes in two forms: regular and cold tested. In the latter, the oil is filtered at 0 to -4°C to remove solid components, as they can lead to 'spewing' (a whitish crystalline deposit or bloom resulting from fat migration).
[3]
'Neat' in the oil's name comes from an old term for cattle, and even today the best quality neatsfoot oil still comes from the legs of calves and with no mineral oil added. "Prime neatsfoot oil" or "neatsfoot oil compound" are terms used for a blend of pure neatsfoot oil and non-animal oils, generally mineral or other petroleum-based oils. Although the "Prime" is marketed as "the saddlemaker's choice", many saddle makers actually recommend pure neatsfoot oil for leather goods, particularly saddles. Pure neatsfoot oil has superior softening and preservative properties, the addition of mineral oils often leads to more rapid decay of stitching and speeds breakdown of any adhesive materials that may have been used.
Neatsfoot oil, like other leather dressings, should not be used on important historical objects, as it will oxidize with time, and embrittle the leather even more.[4] It also may leave an oily residue that can attract dust. On newer leather, it will inevitably darken the leather, even after a single application, and thus is not a desirable product to use when maintaining a lighter shade is desired. However, for routine use on working equipment, particularly in dry climates, it is a powerful softening and conditioning agent that few modern synthetic alternatives can replace.


All things that I did not know. I am happy that I know them, but I don't think I will ever be able to use these things in a normal conversation. I may use them in a convo with my Brother, but those conversations are seldom normal and laced with large vocabulary words because he likes to stretch his vocbaulary wings. Gay boys. *SHRUG*