Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Recipes I LOVE!

I see so many awesome food ideas and recipes on Facebook and I never can find them when I want them. So I am adding this blog post that I will update as needed with some of my favorites. All in one place, helps my scattered mind LOL. Feel free to take, share, or comment w/ a new link to something if you like!


Stuffed Jalapeños!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground HOT sausage
22 jalapeños
1- 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat over 425. Cook sausage until browned. Set aside. Mix cream cheese with Parmesan cheese. Add cooked sausage and mix well. Rinse jalapeños. Cut each jalapeño lengthwise and remove seeds. Stuff jalapeños with sausage mixture. Cook for 20 minutes until tops are golden brown (I always cook mine on my large bar pan).

Source: www.facebook.com/cookingwithbb

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Ingredients
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes.

Stir in the egg and milk, mozzarella, Parmesan and bacon.

Pour the mixture equally into the mini muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Warm the pizza sauce in the microwave or on the stove. Serve with the puffs.

thanks to: http://www.blogher.com/bacon-pizza-puffs-make-your-kitchen-even-more-inviting
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MINI FALL PUMPKIN PIE CROISSANTS
These start with 2 tubes of Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls. Roll each crescent roll out and cut lengthwise in 2. This recipe will make 32 mini croissants. Each croissant will get a generous teaspoon of this luscious cream cheese pumpkin pie filling:

4 oz. (1/2 block) of softened cream cheese 
1 cup of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 – 2 T pumpkin pie spice (adjust to taste)
3 – 4 T sugar (granulated or powdered; adjust to taste if you want the filling sweeter)

Beat the above ingredients together until fluffy and creamy and spread about one teaspoon of filling over each triangle of dough.
Mix together 4 T sugar and 1 T pumpkin pie spice and roll each pumpkin pie croissant in it!Bake at 375* for about 13-15 minutes (this time is for on a baking stone) – you want them to be lightly browned and the dough baked through.

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Body Flush and Detox

1 cucumber
1 lemon
1 or 2 oranges 
2 limes
1 bunch of mint

Slice them all and divide the ingredients between four 24 oz water bottles and fill them up with filtered water. Drink daily Not only does this taste delicious and help flush fat, but it also counts toward your daily water intake!

Lemons: Help in the absorption of sugars and calcium and cuts down your cravings for sweets.

Cucumbers act as a diuretic and flush fat cells. It is alkalizing to the body (if you have an alkaline body, no diseases can live there), and increase your energy levels.

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Pumpkin Snickerdoodles~ What you will need:

For the cookies:

3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coating:

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together to blend. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until well combined. Next, still on medium speed, beat in pumpkin. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract. Lastly, add in the dry ingredients. Beat until combined, but do not over mix. Cover the dough, and refrigerate for one hour, until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with nonstick spray). In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and spices for the sugar coating. Scoop dough (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Roll the dough ball in the sugar mixture, and place on the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Take a drinking glass with a flat bottom and moisten with water. Dip the glass in the sugar mixture, and use it to flatten the dough balls. Re-sugar the glass as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove when the centers of the cookies have set. Let cool on the baking pan for approximately 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

(www.recipegirl.com/2007/11/05/pumpkin-snickerdoodles)
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Combine all ingredients except for carbonated water, let chill for two hours. When ready, top off with carbonated water and enjoy! 
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Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (no canned creamed soups in this  )  ~Frisky

Ingredients
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
3 cups water
2½ cups chopped cooked chicken (about 12 ounces)
1½ cups sliced carrots (3 medium)
1½ cups sliced celery (3 stalks)
1½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces)
¼ cup chopped onion
1½ teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
¾ teaspoon garlic-pepper seasoning
3 ounces cream cheese, cut in cubes
2 cups dried egg noodles

Directions


In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine broth, water, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onion, thyme and garlic-pepper seasoning.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-4 hours. If using low-heat setting, turn cooker to high-heat setting.

Stir in cream cheese, then chicken and uncooked noodles. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes more or just until noodles are tender.
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**Buffalo Chicken Cups***
((SHARE this pic so it saves on your Timeline & you can find it later when you're ready to make them))

Ingredients

12 oz of chicken (diced or shredded)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce (Frank's is the brand I like)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
24 wonton wrappers
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray brownie pan very lightly with kitchen spritzer.

2. In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, Ranch dressing, wing sauce and 3/4 cheddar cheese (save remaining 1/4 cup for topping). You can soften the mixture slightly in the microwave if needed to make it come together. Stir in shredded chicken.

3. Start layering your cups. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin. Spoon about a tablespoon of the chicken mixture. Top with another wonton wrapper and add another tablespoon of chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and a little blue cheese.

4. Bake for 18 minutes or until edges are brown. Check cups after 10 minutes into cooking and if edges are browned cover the cupcakes with foil for the remaining cooking time.

5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove, use a knife to loosen the edges then pop each cup out.
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Boozy pumpkin milkshake
Bozzy pumpkin pie milkshake

Recipe adapted from Tidy Mom

Serves about 2

Ingredients:



Directions: 


  1. Place all of the ingredients (minus the graham cracker) into a blender. Blend on low until mixture is creamy. If too thick, add additional creamer or vodka. If not thick enough for you, add additional vanilla ice cream.
  2. Garnish milkshakes with whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice and graham crackers. Enjoy

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Ingredients:
1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. roll sausage
maple, sage or regular sausage.
Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I've come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add plenty of salt....
...and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Is this enough cheese? Maybe? Probably. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. Or good, depending on where you're from.
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.

Some fun variations of this recipe. Before cooking (during prep) you can add:

chunks of sourdough bread
diced chiles
salsa
diced green onions
(Source: http://www.alattewithotta.com/2010/11/crock-pott-recipe-egg-brunch-casserole.html)

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Ingredients:
-2 cans Pillsbury butter crescent rolls
-2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/4 cup butter (melted)
-Cinnamon & sugar (I used about 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbs cinnamon)

Instructions:
Unroll and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of un-greased pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining crescent rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

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1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin tin with silicone liners, foil liners sprayed with cooking spray or just spray the cups with cooking spray.  Either of these three methods will make it easy to take the cupcake out after it’s cooked. Paper liners make it difficult to remove the cupcakes.
Mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk.  Add the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture. Fill each muffin cup with 1/3 cup of the mixture. Bake for twenty minutes and let cool for twenty minutes.  Remove cupcakes from pan and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle more pumpkin pie spice on top and serve. Makes 12 cupcakes.
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Pumpkin Better Than Sex Cake
•1 box yellow cake mix
•1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
•1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
•1 – 8 oz. tub cool whip
•½ bag Heath Bits
•Caramel Sundae Sauce

Instructions
1.In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and pumpkin puree until a smooth batter forms.
2.Pour batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and bake at 350º, according to the directions on the cake mix box (approx 23-28 mins).
3.Remove cake from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes after baking.
4.Using the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
5.Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake. This should fill in the holes and soak into the cake.
6.Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7.Remove cake from refrigerator and spread cool whip over top of cake. Sprinkle on the heath bits, and drizzle caramel over top. (I didn’t think the cake needed a lot of caramel at this point so I only used about ¼ of the jar. I thinned it out first by heating it in the microwave.)
8.Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight
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SLICED BAKED POTATOES!!! YES!!!!!
This will make an awesome appetizer
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Can also do in Microwave for 6 plus minutes)
Brush both side of potato slices with butter; place them on a cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated 400 degrees F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides, turning once.

When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted;

Add a dollop of sour cream when done and enjoy!!
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Texas Trash Warm Bean Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cans (16 ounces, each) refried beans
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded


DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cream cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Mix in refried beans until combined. Stir in taco seasoning.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with both cheeses.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese in melted and slightly browned. Serve with tortilla chips.
★Share★Share★Share★Share
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When you are from Maryland you love crab. You get used to seeing picnic tables covered in newspapers and paper towels with silver buckets and crab mallets. You get used to that unmistakable smell of seafood steaming in Old Bay seasoning and fresh buttered corn on the cob. When crab season ends, it doesn't mean our wonder crab dishes end. We have seafood all year round here. I serve my Maryland crab cakes during the winter months too. Remember, our crabs migrate south to warmer waters. We just have to wait for these places down south to send the crabmeat back to us. Costco and other places still sell our blue crab all year round.

Mini Crab Cakes

1 lb Jumbo Lump Crabmeat (I get mine only at Costco) 
1 large egg 
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (Malle brand is best)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs made from white bread
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
canola oil for frying

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayo, mustard, Old Bay, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in crabmeat and breadcrumbs and mix with hands lightly without breaking up the lumps. Mixture will be somewhat wet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more. Or put in your freezer for about 30 minutes. If you have lumps that are too big you can break them in half so they will better hold together while frying.

Once chilled, shape the mixture into 2 inch in diameter rounded crab cakes. Preheat a large nonstick skillet to medium high heat and coat with about 3 tablespoons of canola oil. When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Do not flatten. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Just before putting crab cakes in the oven, drop two or three ice cubes onto the baking pan in between crab cakes. This will keep the high temperature from burning the bottoms. Bake in hot 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the size you made your crab cakes. Serve with lemon wedges. 


NOTE: You can also bake these in the oven instead of frying them. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until browned. 
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Cream of Crab soup

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1/3 cup flour
4 cup milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon OLD BAY® Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Parsley Flakes
1 pound lump crabmeat
3 tablespoons dry sherry or cooking sherry (optional)


Directions
Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour, Old Bay and parsley; whisk until well blended. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk. Bring just to boil.

Stir in crabmeat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sherry, if desired. Heat 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay, if desired.
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Bacon Bombs:
1 can (8ct.) Pillsbury Grands Flaky
Layers Biscuits
Cubed Mozzarella Cheese (1-1″ cube
per Bomb)
2 lbs. of Bacon (1 slice per Bomb)
Sticks
Oil for frying (I used Canola)
Directions:
Cube up the Cheese, and cut each
Biscuit into fourths. Place one piece of
Cheese inside a Biscuit quarter, and
roll it up in there, nice and tight…
Wrap each rolled Bomb in a slice of
Bacon, and secure it with a skewer or
toothpick…
In a med/large pot, heat up approx.
2″ of Oil (to 350 degrees) and fry them
up in small batches. Maybe one or
two at a time, the oil will expand so
stay close…
Drain them on some Paper Towel, but

serve them up good and warm. YUM!! 
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Bacon Cheddar Pull-Apart Bread

8 oz of your favorite shredded cheddar cheese blend.

1 large round loaf of soft bread (like a French or Italian round)
8 oz. diced sliced bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 cup melted butter
1 Tablespoon dry Ranch dressing mix from packet

Cut bread in 3/4-inch intervals, being careful to not cut all the way through. Cut again, crosswise, not cutting all the way through. Place cheese in between all cuts: sprinkle with bacon. Blend melted butter and Ranch mix and drizzle over top of bread evenly. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot and pull apart pieces from loaf to eat!
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OK, Found it!!
Don't forget to SHARE this so the recipe will be SAVED to your timeline!

Looking for a quick idea for dinner? The kids will LOVE IT and love helping to make it!

PIZZA BALLS

Ingredients:

3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 ct)
60 pepperoni slices (2 per biscuit)
Block of cheese (Colby/Monterey Jack or Chedder)
1 beaten egg
Parmesan Cheese
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
1 jar pizza sauce

Directions:

Slice cheese into approx. 28 squares. Flatten each biscuit and stack pepperoni and cheese on top (Like in the picture) Gather edges of biscuit and secure on top of the roll. Line rolls in greased 9x13 pan Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 18 to 20 mins. Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping. ENJOY!!

For more recipes and fun join: Sheyrl's Weight Loss Support Group -- A Renewed & Healthy YOU!!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Studio 30+ Prompt writing -Little Red Riding in the Hood

 I've recently joined Studio 30+ to help kick my writing up a lot of notches, make some contacts and get some feedback. I wrote this piece on the fly this afternoon, in response to the Studio 30+ prompts for the week, which were Apple and/or Infection.  Please don't judge it too harshly. I have no idea where it's going, or even where it came from (other than my brain). It is simply a literal use of the prompts that i wrote in an hour. So... phew... nervous much? I am! Here you go. 


Little Red Riding in the Hood
As she cruised down Main Street in her candy apple red convertible she looked for him on the sidewalks while she drove. “He has to be here”, she thought, “has to, damn it. I need to finish this once and for all”. She turned down the radio and tapped the brakes a bit, hoping that slowing down would help her spot him more easily. “Where is he?” Her ma’s words from their telephone conversation that morning went through her mind. “You listen to me Mary-Kathleen Mahoney, some boyos aren't worth the trouble, they think only of themselves and are selfish runts.”  “I know ma” MK said.  “And then there’s some,” her ma continued, “well, there’s some that are just rotten to the core. Like that Scott who broke your heart. Best thing that ever happened to you was when he left ya. Cause those rotten ones, well they end up doing more than heart breaking and nothing ever can be changed with ‘em. Like something’s missing inside where their feelings should be. As if they have some sort of infection that makes them dead in the soul. He was a psychopath for sure. “

Leave it to Ma to watch one too many Dr. Phil shows, so she thinks she’s an armchair psychiatrist, thought MK. God, dramatic much, ma? Though, as she looked for the ‘psychopathic’ Scott on the sidewalks of Main Street, MK wondered if there wasn’t a little truth to what her Ma was preaching.  He’d been different, so aloof and above it all, when she’d met him 18 months before. Truth be told, that’s probably why she was attracted to him at first. Only now, when she thought back to their relationship, could she see the pieces of the puzzle that didn't quite fit. Those last few months they were together, he would go from happy to angry in the drop of a dime. Drape his arm across her shoulders in a loving hug that would get just a bit too tight as he told her what she had done wrong that day. And it seemed she had always done something wrong. Scott made MK feel like she was never quite enough… not smart enough, or thin enough or pretty enough.  His parting words were “You’re fat and ugly and no one will ever want to be with you. Christ MK, you can’t even have kids.” She still remembered the pain of that proclamation, she remembered believing it too. As if surviving ovarian cancer should make her less of a person, less of a woman. 

MK had spent the last 6 months, since the breakup with Scott, transforming herself. She hadn't answered his calls or even run into him on the street. He had no idea she’d gone from frump to fabulous. Watching what she ate, and working out every day. She had taken up running and was up every morning to put in 5 miles before her day started.  She’d grown her short hair out and colored it a more reddish brown to play up her green eyes.  And with each pound lost, each mile run, MK had started to find herself.  She’d started to appreciate herself more and find her confidence again. “Screw you, Scott,” MK said out loud to herself, “You’ll see what you lost, what you threw away. And you’ll be the one who regrets it, until the day you die.”



Mary-Kathleen Mahoney had no idea just how right she was, because in less than 24 hours, psychopath or not, Scott would be dead and she would be the one who killed him.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

FEED ME SEYMOUR...

You may have seen on my Facebook,  or heard me talk at various times, about writing my book. Here is a little bit of what I have been doing since I was lucky enough to become free for the summer...


I have been trying to get myself organized so I can get this latest book out of my head, and on to the paper.  This one is a fiction book, set in Rehoboth Beach, about a girl who is opening an Irish bar. There's a stalker, a murder, love, laughter and drag queens.  I've also been working, at the same time, on the This is Me, Damn It book, trying to finish it up and arrange it correctly. 


As you can see, I so need to get my office up and running. Teaching myself the difference between THEN and THAN. How to keep my participles from dangling (it's never good to let those things just dangle )and my sentences from being in the 1st and 3rd person all at once. It's been a while since I've studied English and the written word. More precisely, how to write it, so it is correct and readable. Too many comma's, should I use a colon or a semi colon?  You see what I mean?


These are my notebooks for the Fiction book. One each for characters, the bar & the Irish details, the setting & the town, and the actual story outlines. I've got to place, buy and rehab a bar, in an existing town. So I need to know all about those details. Then I have basic Irish (gaelic) that I need to learn since the lead characters parents are immigrants who speak the Irish occasionally. The history of Rehoboth, the streets they will walk on, the shops they will pass.  Down to the lay out of the bar and where the dumpster will be - (there is a huge plot point that happens by the dumpsters - no NOT sex LOL)


This is 2/3rd's of  my magnetic poetry board, it keeps me a from getting stuck. When I feel like I am locked up I play around with it to get the juices flowing. I feel like I have so much running around my brain at once, that finding the quiet I need to have things sink in, is not happening. 


At the same time, I have yearning to learn all I can, FEED ME like Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. Only mine is an insatiable hunger for knowledge. If I could, I would go back to school in a minute. If I didn't have to worry about money (hello lottery) I would study psychology. If I had to make money at the same time I was learning, I would study accounting. Forensic accounting to be exact w/ the basics to fall back on to earn $$. Forensic accounting is where you follow the money and investigate for the discrepancies. With my fraud and bookkeeping background I think it would be a great fit. I could work when I needed money and write the rest of the time. 

But, you need money to go to school, and that's something I don't have. So for now, I feed Seymour with my own lessons. And I write, write, write and oh yeah... I write.  

So that's what I'm doing on my summer vacation.


Friday, June 14, 2013

and she's 27

Hug your kids my friends and appreciate them every day because it will fly by right in front of your eyes!
2009
WOW! So my daughter turns 27 years old in a few minutes - June 14th. I can't believe she is that old! It really is true that you see your children, as children, no matter how old they are. Which makes me turning 50 in October mean a little less... since my parents probably still think of me as 16. Right? Yeah, thought I would try and make that fly...anyway...

I remember it like it was yesterday. She was my First baby, first grandchild, I had been married for 3 years, and at the age of 22, heading to the hospital to give birth. And then laying in a hospital bed FOREVER but with no contractions, watching Miami Vice that Friday night. Her father (my now ex-husband) saying, I hope she is born in time for Saturday cartoons. LOL  And she was...7:31 am that Saturday morning - labor had finally kicked in around 3am. 

I remember the Doctor telling my husband to take pictures, and my husband turning a lovely shade of green.  I remember my brother calling right after and asking me when the next one was coming... and I said - forget it I will adopt. But like all mom's, we forget the pain (otherwise we wouldn't do it again) and while I did not have the luck to have another baby by the time I would be diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 29, I never cared. I had my perfect baby.


here's my little mini-me - she's in color, I am in black and white

From the moment she was born, my heart was walking around outside of my body, and it's name is Kelly. Every decision, every job, every move, even the divorce... all done with her needs coming first. As I felt it should have. Truly, the only thing I have ever done where I didn't take her into consideration first, was my move to the beach. But she was 25 and it was time.
with Pop-Pop, making her laugh as always

December 1986 - first Christmas morning

My God I was young. But I was a good mom. I say that looking back and knowing it to be true. I made mistakes, and don't we all, but she turned out better then I could have ever imagined. She's caring, loving, respectful, intuitive, not a prejudice bone in her body AND she thinks I'm pretty cool too. 

Junior Prom

Senior Prom

The blond in both the prom pictures is my second kid, Colleen, Kelly's best friend. I have a third one named Crystal, her other best friend. Here they all are a few years ago...
my beautiful girls

And know my baby is married, and Colleen's bridal shower is this weekend.  My girls are all grown up. BUT I will still be getting silly with them Saturday night, as I head home to spend the weekend with them all. Pickleback shots all around. 
2012 Mr. & Mrs.
So my baby's going to be 27 and I am counting the minutes until I get to spend time with her and wish her a Happy Birthday in person.  Until then tho, Happy Birthday, my Kelly Lynn.  I love you more than life itself, and know that I am blessed every day because you are mine.  xoxoxoxo 



And that, Kelly- my love, in the immortal words of Marky-Mark (and quite possibly the Funky Bunch) is the "word to ya mutha"  or actually, the "word from your mutha".  

PS: I'm baaaaaaaaack. Did ya miss me?

Saturday, October 13, 2012

...it's ma birfday...


It's my birthday WOOHOO! I love my birthday, always have, always will. Aging doesn't bother me - I am 49 this year- since I always feel young at heart (and brain lol) It's not the presents or the cake so much as the opportunity to celebrate life. My life. I like to take an assessment of where I am , where I've been and where i want to go. It's my New years eve - including the resolutions.  It's a day I get to hear from friends I don't see as much as I'd like and it's filled with love.


This year I am lucky enough to have my kid and her hubby here at my beach house for the whole weekend. Also mom and dad are down at their place too. Plus my birthday is on a Saturday which means... hello! I get a whole birthday weekend! 


I will admit that I do miss my annual party at the Blarney stone. I miss so many people that I love in one place at one time. BUT I am at the beach, we're doing a rib house - Bethanny Blues - for my b-day dinner and it's gorgeous outside!

It's been a tough year so far, and I see this next year filled with changes. 
My resolutions?
 ~I will be getting a job that allows me to make enough money that I can actually pay bills AND eat. With even some money left over to enjoy.
~I will be concentrating on getting healthy and bathing suit ready for next years big 50 trip to what's looking like Punt Cana. 
~I will start enjoying the blessing I have been given by living at the beach, instead of working until 8pm and getting home at 9pm every night.
~I will really take the time to stop and smell the ...ocean. And I will also take the time to quietly reflect on how absolutely fabulous my life truly is and will be in the coming year.
~I will work on being a better friend and reaching out to people more.
~I will finish up the "This is me Damn It book" and start the novel I have been researching. (It's about a woman who buys and renovates an Irish Bar w/ some love, friendship, murder and mayhem thrown into the mix...)
~I will seize the day; throw caution to the wind;embrace my inner child (she needs hugs lol) and give back as much as I can, to show my appreciation for all the good I have been blessed enough to receive.


                                                 
Bring it on, 49! 
Can I get an Amen?!? 


Monday, October 1, 2012

E.O.W. K-9 Officer Brad Fox - so much more


K-9 Officer Brad Fox from Plymouth Township, PA was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept 13th, 2012. His K-9 partner Nick was also shot but after surgery and some excellent veterinarian care, he was able to make Brad's funeral. The waste of skin, Asshole that shot them, hid in tall grass above Brad and Nick and fired 4 bullets, aimed to kill. He then shot himself in the chest...2 times.


Nick

After Surgery...


Brad was a 2 tour Iraqi war veteran. A marine... ooorah!


He was a husband.  


He was a father to a beautiful baby girl, and another baby is on the way...

Brad's wife and daughter at the funeral.

Brad was a true American hero - on a traffic stop, then in pursuit of a hit and run suspect that blew thru the accident scene. The above mentioned asshole that ended up running, hiding and killing him.

I've done work, in the past, with the Philly Police Survivors Fund. This time tho, I knew the fallen...
Brad played hockey on a team called the Slugs with my good friend's husband. I've been to games. I've cheered Brad on. I've shared a beer (or 2... or more) with him afterwards (and sometimes before).


Slugs game at the Comcast Spectacor/Well Fargo Center on the Flyer's Ice- 2010

It's a loss that has affected so many people that I care about and it brings home the danger of being a cop. 

The link below is a list of all the different fundraisers that are planned for the next few months to help Brad's wife and kids. Please click on it and see if any of the benefits are in your area. 
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0WXX2vnn11fSjZDM2lOVEZiY0k/edit

LIKE the RIP Officer Brad Fox facebook page http://www.facebook.com/RipOfficerBradFox?fref=ts

Thank a Cop every time you see one. Because they are running in when you are running away.

Brad and Nick...in court. LMAO

Brad's full honors procession to his grave site.


Sunday, September 30, 2012

Congratulations #20

Brian (B-Dawk) Dawkins

BRIAN DAWKINS; Eagles Safety; # 20; B-Dawk; B-dog; my Libran twin...  retired this past April as a Proud Eagle and tonight they retired his number, "20", from the Eagle's Roster and will proudly display it at every game in the Lincoln Financial Field.

He played for the Eagles from '96 to 09 and just so happens to share a birthday with me. Only he is 10 years younger - October 13th , 1973.


So proud to have had his talent on our team! Happy Retirement indeed Brian!


Now win tonight for B-Dawk, Eagles - Kick some Giant Ass!!!