Tonights Supper

After being up at the Estate for much of this week, I needed some groceries, Ole Mother Hubbard's Cupboards were almost bare. So we collected ourselves and the boys and I headed out the door to get a few items.  Thus starts that never ending question of "whats for dinner" once you cook and clean up from one meal, you have to start planning for another- it does make one exhausted.

Tonight's meal had to do with Senior eating burritos for lunch, the boys were intrigued by them, but can defiantly do with out the re fried beans. Meat and Cheese Enchiladas was requested. And NW who usually requests a taco on enchilada night, actually said he would try them, as long  as there were no re fried beans involved, WHAT SO EVER with an Exclamation mark!

Instead of buying a dinner kit, I bought a can of the sauce because I assumed I had some store bought tortillas in the freezer..as you can guess when I got home, I did not. So, I jumped online and searched for a recipe.. most I found called for lard. I did not have lard, then I found this simple and delicious recipe at Cafe Sucre Farine:

Best Home Made Tortillas

 I do not have a mixer, so I used the "dough function" on my bread machine to mix it. Once it was into a ball in the machine, I stopped the function and divided the dough into 16 parts.
 I learned after the first two, to roll them out paper thin:

Cook them in a hot pan, but watch them closely as they can burn easily

 

 

Added a meat and cheese filler and poured enchilada sauce over them, then added some shredded cheese on top, baked for another 10 minutes...

Topped them with sour cream and served.

 

The end result was empty plates around the table. NW even invented something he called a "Tostito-Lada"  he put small spoon size bites into his tostito scoops...
And of course once you make the tortillas, you can bag them and freeze them...they store indefinitely in the freezer.

-JUGM

Darn Varmints!

  We noticed something was getting into the corn at the deer feeder. So we put up a trail camera and as I expected we caught the critters red handed, I love the way one is playing "Look out" :

Mr. Farmer, our Estate neighbor and all around good guy gave me a bag of sweet yellow onions that we can put in the ground:

Yesterday we drove and found the little league field Senior once played on when he was the boys age. It was still in use and the better shape then he imagined:

On another note..My dad Finally went home from the hospital yesterday.Thank you all again for the thoughts and prayers...

-JUGM

PS: I did this post via my phone so if it looks wonky, I apologize

Spring Break At The Estate...

We drove up Sunday to our Carolina property. With my Dad still in the hospital I was reluctant to leave. But Dad insisted he is still in poor shape and for me to elaborate would be TMI.
 I know if any thing were to change my sister is there and I am but a few hours away.

The weather is chilly but pleasant here. Rain is moving in and much colder weather is predicted for tomorrow through Thursday.

So while today was pleasant Senior got out in garden and plowed, I think he was having fun on his Dads ole Farmall:

I bought a pack of sunflower seeds and the boys got out in the recently plowed earth and planted them , we wanted some thing easy that would not need much maintenance:

- JUGM

End of a Long Week

I will be happy for the weekend. Sunday morning we leave for the South Carolina Estate for Spring Break..This week has been long and rough for me and my family. Dad is still in the hospital. Yesterday was the needle aspiration - 1-2 gallons of fluid was extracted, then he was started on Lasix. Since Tuesday he has now dropped almost 40 pounds.  WOW!

While he is feeling much better, he is having a potassium issue and for that reason they want to keep him hospitalized at least for tomorrow, but possibly until Sunday. This water retention problem will come back, the cirrhosis has grown more intense. Ultimately he will need a liver transplant, but my father because of his age, has all ready told us he will decline it.

I called the Foundation for Alzheimer's and Dementia to get some information in reference to my mom. Lots of prayers will be needed for this, as we start the dreaded journey down the road to obtain an evaluation and help for her.

Again, THANK YOU ALL for the prayers, love and support- it means more to me and my family then you will ever know.. 

             ***************************************************************
Today was beautiful here, I desired some much needed therapy so I grabbed my camera and prior to getting the boys from school I drove around a bit and took some pics.
Have I told you  lately how much I love black and white? 




This farmhouse is on the way to school- I  have always liked it
 



I pass this train car every day- I think it has lots of character

I like the way this branch hangs over this small creek



A old house turned into an antique store-


 

Update on My Dad...

First off  THANK YOU all for the prayers.. I could feel the warmth from all the concern and love expressed for my family yesterday.

Dad is in the hospital for at least a couple of days. He has approx. a 1-2 gallons of fluid built up in his abdomen, which is causing extreme pain and is pressing against his heart and lungs. The X-rays showed his lungs were clear, so that is a good sign. T
His doctor is using medication to help relieve him of the fluid, and it is starting to work. But, they are also going to do a needle aspiration to draw the fluid out. Also his platelet count is VERY low...today it was 39.
He suffers from Cirrhosis of the liver, and the doctors believe it has grown worse. It was interesting because the admitting doctor lifted Dads shirt, and showed us red blotches across his stomach, and he told us that was a sign of increased Cirrhosis. Plus Dad looks incredibly jaundiced, and his skin is very dehydrated and cold.

My brother flew in from Seattle to be here, mainly for my dad. But also because he is the one person  my mother will listen to.
If there is any good news from this, it is that Dad, yesterday admitted my mother is having problems, and needs some sort of evaluation for her mental abilities. For so long, he has denied anything was wrong, but her behavior yesterday opened his eyes to the fact that indeed something is not right.

It is sad for me, to see both my parents at the same time like this  How does one deal with this? I have one parent declining medically and the other mentally. It is hard to watch the daily deterioration of my mother. She was also so well kept, and her house was immaculate.
Now, she is the complete opposite, she has removed her self from society and all she wants to do is stay in their house, talking to her you would think she is a 4-5 year old..it is as if she is regressing in age.   It is really tough and makes me very emotional.

I have my Senior and my boys there for support they are wonderful and I am truly blessed to be loved so much. . If anyone knows how I am feeling it is Senior-he has lost both his parents, and my beam of support. His strong arms give me security. I know I have all of you as well, you are all a second family--So thank you again.

-JUGM

Prayers Please

Got the call this morning....My 80 year old father is being admitted to the hospital. He has approx. a gallon of fluid built up around his heart and lungs..he is miserable and in pain.

My mother suffers from dememtia and is being very difficult. If she does not calm down, things will escalate  She does not understand, and is arguing with every one and she is being extremely difficult.  *Sigh*

-JUGM

Yesterday

The sun was warm and the breeze a bit cool, we opened the windows and let the air flow through.
Out in my little gardens the first of the radishes I planted were popping out of the soil.. The boys were excited, and perhaps a little too anxious as they began pulling them  up.
I got out my camera and decided to play with the color filter :

Earlier in the day, I got two tomato plants, one is a Goliath, and the other a cherry. So the boys each planted one:

Then saw the first little "knock out rose" is blooming:

-JUGM

The Weekend..

Friday the kids were out of school. We ran errands and did some housework. Once done NW opened the linen closet door and found Jack the Cat hiding. You just got to love the big boy.

Saturday had us busy with Senior umpiring the first little league game, and then our game followed. .. We had it won in the 4th inning, but certain kids (not mine) decided to give up. And then there was the poor officiating. I hate this league, because they make the coaches of the other teams umpire..most have no clue. 
Last night, we decided to burn the remaining wood we had in the pit...the evening was nice, and the full moon was rising. Made for a very relaxing time.

This morning is bright and sunny, but windy. Rain is in the forecast later tonight and all day tomorrow. A real soaker. My Kitchen is a mess-one child wanted french toast, the other was happy with a bowl of cereal. It is funny how brothers can be so much alike, but also so very different.

My radishes are growing. But nothing from my carrots. It has been over a month and only two or three have sprouted. So, I think I am going to get some tomato plants or bush cucumbers.  Not sure which yet. ND loves tomatoes, but so does the mockingbirds.. And then there is Libby, who thinks the little round things growing on the plant is a  tennis ball. *SIGH*

Friday I picked up a slab of ribs, and last night smothered them in olive oil and seasonings...soon Senior will have the smoker going, and the glorious smell of hickory wood and pork will consume the back yard and neighborhood.
I am off here now, to possibly head out the door for some cheap cat food and veggie plants, we are having a stray cat problem and setting a trap tonight.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a very blessed Sunday....

-JUGM

A good April Fools Joke....

The Joy of Boys...

Baseball game did not go well for the little Orioles, after winning Tuesday 22-13, we lost last night 12-7.  A big bummer and it made for some unhappy coaches.
I was the official score keeper,  and I swear if one more parent asked me what the score was while a play was happening I was going to unleash the kracken.... 

Today in the aftermath of last nights loss,  school is out for a planning day. chaos is running wild in the house.  The craziness of what makes a boy a "boy" abounds.. 
Would I have it any other way? Some days, it is nice to have every thing quiet. But today, I enjoy the laughter. I enjoy all the noises of what come with having kids. I am happy knowing that our boys are smart, and healthy. Life is so simple, and carefree to them, thinking of that led me to this poem, not sure who actually wrote it as it was not credited to anyone, but I liked it and thought I would share:

 

Little Boys
Little boys come in all shapes and sizes, Shy and adventurous,

full of surprises, With misshapen halos and mischievous grins,

Small dirty faces, and sweet, sticky chins.

They'll keep you so busy,

and yet all the while Nothing can brighten the world like their smile.

And no greater treasure has brought homes more joy

Than a curious, active, and lovable boy!

 

 

-JUGM

My Productive Day

I must say I have been quite busy this morning. Did two loads of laundry, put all that up. Prepped the boys baseball uniforms for tonight's game. ( whatever will they do with out mom doing their uniforms when they hit the major leagues? ) 

Went through their closets and cleaned out clothes that are getting small. Then, Cleaned out and re-organized our linen closet. How many times in a year does one do that? I then opened up my scrap book closet and some horrible closet monster has got in there and disorganized the living daylights out of it. Before I start on that task, I thought I would take a break and do a blog post.

I have the ball rolling on my nieces wedding shower. Yesterday, my Sicilian friend ( aka "Sicily") with her newly acquired citizenship got together, and with "Big Baby" sitting on her lap she helped me make these awesome home made invitations:

Yes every thing is cut out by  hand, even that dress..  33 to be exact. I could have bought a cartridge for my die cut machine, but I would not use it a lot, so why spend the money.  And I got a used "You're Invited" stamp off eBay for $1.99. 
Okay, so I will let you all in on a little secret, another lady is giving my niece a "tea party" bridal shower, and she made "tea cups" as the invites...well the proverbial line was drawn in the sand, and I had to cross it.. I hope these look good. However, I still think they need something else.
Sicily said "No, they look pretty just the way we made them".
On the inside of course is all the "what, where, and RSVP stuff"

So now that I have shared my day with all of you good folks, it is back to the scrap book closet and the mess that monster made, then off to the cleaners, get the boys from school, come home fix a small dinner for them then off to baseball ! 

Have a good Thursday!

-JUGM

Airliner Mystery....

Thoughts on the mystery of the disappearance of the Malaysian Jet Airliner that vanished over the weekend?

Lots of speculation. Either something internally caught fire and it exploded, or it was a deliberate explosion... My guess is a deliberate act and North Korea is involved. Either way what happened to it has the world baffled, and it is playing out to be the mystery of the century.

My thoughts are with those victims and their families who don't know what the heck is going on and the anguish they must be feeling of  losing a loved one and then the "not knowing" . They are being fed so many conflicting stories from the media that it is hard to believe which one if any are correct.

-JUGM

Big Baby and U.S. Citizenship

One of my friends and neighbor is from Sicily, she moved here about 8 years ago after marrying her husband who was stationed in the navy at NAS Sigonella, Sicily. 
5 months ago they had their first child, a robust bouncing baby boy, who has more spare tires then the Michelin Man.  Therefore when talking about him on this blog he will be forever known as "Big Baby" .

I got asked to baby sit him today for a couple of hours so she could go to the immigration office to do her interview and test to become a citizen.  Not sure what they would ask she went over everything from the pilgrims all the way to current events.
Her husband had the day off originally, but was told he had to work, So I sent her out the door this morning with the big bundle of joy in my arms. She was very nervous but excited at the prospect of finally becoming a U.S Citizen.

Big Baby was a joy. All he wanted to do was be held,and I obliged. It has been seven years since I had a baby, so of course I was rusty on certain things-like some of these new advanced bottles they have out.   Senior called a few times to check on how I was doing but told me in no way was I to bring Big Baby home....   : (  

After about two hours, his mom called happy and excited that she had passed and was on her way to being a citizen, she brought back lunch and as we ate, she told me about the test taking :

FYI To become a citizen of the USA, a person gets asked one written question..hers was: " What month do we celebrate Presidents Day"?

Then, a person is asked 10 out of 100 possible verbal questions. They have to answer six correctly. Ones that she was asked today are these:

 "When is the 4th of July"?  ( no kidding)
" Who is the current President" ?
"Who is the current Vice President"?
"Where is the White House"?
"What ocean is on the east side of the United States"?
"What country is to the north of the United States"?

If you answer the first six questions correctly they do not ask the other four.

I  sat there, eating with Cheshire cat kind of grin on my face, her sarcasm expressed my thoughts. So much for all the studying..next she is to wait for a piece of mail to tell her when the ceremony is.
After lunch, and getting the inner knowledge of becoming a Citizen, I collected my things, gave the mom a hug, and squeezed Big Baby's overly chubby cheeks..he in turn said his "goodbye" with slobber.

-JUGM

They Actually Showed This...

Senior can testify how outraged I was as a parent,that a local school district showed a anti-heterosexual bullying video to high school students... 
It was a movie set in a world where the straight people are the minority, and had to endure bullying from gays. It was showed without parental knowledge at the school.

Parents were Peeved. They showed up in large numbers at the school districts board meeting last night demanding answers, and showing their out rage.

I as a parent was equally peeved. I was more upset at the fact that it was not just shown to the high school students, but the actors in the video were elementary aged kids, not adults or high school aged actors, but children. Children that are the same age as my two boys. It disgusted me.

Those parents, like myself are tired of the liberal agenda being shoved down our throats and forced upon our school aged kids. What happened to going to school for "reading, writing and arithmetic" ?

The  argument to the board was that government has taken God and moral values out of the national school system, then this should not be allowed as well.
 Good point- I agree ! 

READ ABOUT IT HERE

Begin the work week with a laugh

If your Monday is starting off like most of mine do...here is something to give you a laugh:

 

 

If this were my parents, this is exactly how their headstone would read..Senior could concur on that one:

 

And you can't go wrong with a good blonde joke:

My Current Read:

The narrator of this story is "Death" and he tells of a 9 year old German girl named "Leisel, who has been sent to live with foster parents. Her Foster father "Hans" is teaching her to read and write. She grows to love and treasure books so much that during the book burnings, by the Nazi's, she would steal a book.. 
I love this book because it gives you an insight on what life was like during one of the most dangerous times in world history--the Nazi occupation. It is very compelling.

This past November the movie was released in theatres and due out soon on DVD.