Welcome to Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life): February 2008

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Fun Monday

Mariposa is this week's hostess. Here is was she has asked us to do...

Next week's Fun Monday is easy, I'll only be asking TWO things -

(1) Please share to us how the NAME of your BLOG was made? I can't wait to hear interesting funny stories!

(2) Please share to us (in words or photo, though a combination of both will be a bonus!) your favorite/ most common dish!

First...the name of my blog...

It's pretty simple. Mi Vida Loca is spanish for My Crazy Life. With 3 small children, 2 of the autistic, you never know what the day is going to hold. Sometimes I just have to laugh at things that aren't really that funny just to keep from going crazy!!

Second...the favorite dish at our house is my homemade lasagna.

The problem with it being homemade is I don't really have a recipe, at least not for the sauce. It is my MIL's "recipe" which she really doesn't have either. Am I making any sense?? You see, I never really put the same ingredients in it twice. Every time it's different. Sure I always start with tomato sauce, then I add some Italian spices, oregano, garlic, onion powder. I never use the same amounts though. Sometimes I add butter, sometimes not. Sometimes chili powder, sometimes not. I could go on and on. Back to the lasagna...

I use three different kinds of cheese, mozzerella, cottage cheese (or ricotta), and cream cheese. Yes, cream cheese. It sounds kinda nasty, but it's really good. You should try it. When you are putting the lasagna together just throw some dollops in here and there. When you bite into one of the hunks of cream cheese it is just heaven!!

I made lasagna last week. Actually, the day before I found out the subject of this week. This is a picture of leftovers, so it isn't great. It looks much yummier when it is fresh out of the oven!!

1. Tracey

2. Yummy

3. ellen b

4. Cynthia

5. Rachel

6. Jenni

7. Gabriel

8. mamalang

9. Our Happy Happenings

10. Jan

11. Alison

12. Nekked Lizard Man

13. janet

14. Linda

15. Lisa

16. carrie

17. Ivana

18. Sayre

19. Michelle

20. Heather

21. Irish Coffehouse

22. SwampAngel65
23. My4kids

24. min

25. rotten correspondent

26. abby

27. Kaytabug

28. Aoj & The Lurchers

29. Hootin' Anni

30. BS

31. chrisb

32. Celeste

33. Tien

34. Maria

35. Sauntering Soul

36. mem

37. Jientje/Heaveninbelgium

38. lisa's chaos

39. Karina

40. Peter

41. Sandy

42. Gattina

43. IamwhoIam

44. Monica
45. nikki

46. Swampy

47. Willowtree

48. David

49. Ann

50. Joy T.

51. jill

52. Robinella

53. Pamela

54. Lana G!

55. faye

56. Robin (PENSIEVE) :) LOVE IT

57. Arkansas Songbird

58. ari_1965

59. Tiggerlane

60. Amanda

61. Junebug

62. Kim

63. Jo Beaufoix

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Time for the TOOTH FAIRY!!!

Today my sweet little boy made one more step toward becoming a BIG BOY.

Braden lost his FIRST TOOTH today!!!!

It is so strange to look at him and see that gap in his teeth!!!

I am so proud of him!!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

What finger are YOU??

I saw this fun little quiz on a couple other people's blogs and I thought I would see what finger I am and well...

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything.

You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word.

Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world.

You get along well with: The Pinky

Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

FREE STUFF!!

My friend Joy over at Simply Joy Catering is having a GIVEAWAY!! Head over there and tell her how you met your signifigant other and you will be entered to win a tray of her oh so deeelicious TRUFFLES!!! That's right people, CHOCOLATE!! and even better, FREE CHOCOLATE!! Who doesn't love that??

Hurry, you only have until Friday, Feb. 22nd to enter!!

I'm baaaaaack...

Well, I guess I have been a bad blogger lately. Honestly, there has not been much going on right now. [At least nothing to write about!]

We had a couple of snow days. More like "NO" snow days!! I'm still not really sure why they were out of school!! Days out of school are always difficult for the boys. They were already out of school on Friday and Monday for a break. They had snow days for Wednesday and Thursday. By the time they went back Tuesday, they were way off their schedule.

Logan had a bad day. He was whining when I left him at 7:45. When I got to the school to pick him up and opened the door to the school, I heard him crying. They said he was that way all day.

Braden had trouble going in to school, but he seemed to have an okay day. They said he actually fell asleep during school!! As soon as I brought him home I put him to bed for a nap. I had to wake him up at 4:00 to go out of town. He seemed to feel better today though.

Since they went to school yesterday, of course it SNOWED!! Don't het me wrong, it didn't stick or anything, but it did look like a snowglobe for a while. It was really beautiful, with big slow-falling flakes. I took Abby outside to see the snow. She had never really seen snow before. It was either dark, or she was asleep, or it wasn't enough to bother with before. She seemed to be amazed by the snow. I caught a flake and put it on her nose. She is so great with everything! She was doing all right until the snow started hitting her in the face. She was ready to go back inside then.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Welcome to corporate America...

Since this blog is on the internet I try not to overly voice my opinions. But, today, I am MAD.

We live in a small town. I mean a VERY small town. Wal Mart is pretty much the only store we have to get certain things. We don't have any stores to compete with Wal Mart, other than grocery stores.

Our local Wal Mart is scheduled for a remodel this year. I am slowly hearing of the things that this store is taking away from us, the customers, in this small community.

First, I learned from the department manager of toys, that toys will be reduced by 100 feet. That is roughly both sides of one aisle and almost another side of an aisle. That is ALOT of toys. Now, I don't buy alot of toys other than for Christmas or perhaps a random birthday, but some people do. I mentioned we live in a small town, we don't have a Target to buy toys from. No Toys R Us. The small K Mart we had closed years ago. Nothing except Wal Mart, other than a generic dollar store or two.

Next, I learned from Cynthia, that our fabrics department is closing!! What in the world are they thinking?? What are all the sweet little 120 year old ladies going to do that quilt and sew?? We don't have a Hancock's or a Hobby Lobby to run over to so we can get a yard of fabric.

Lastly, Trad informed me that they are also eliminating the live fish department. Now, if it was managed right, the pet dept would be a valuable tool. (I managed it for a while. Did I mention that I worked for this horrible place??) We have one small pet store in town that doesn't have a great selection. We don't have a PetSmart, or Pet Co. or any other store that even remotely carries fish.

Now, I have been wondering what this "FAMILY ORIENTED" company is going to add or expand on to fill in the gaps of all the things that they have just taken away from our community.

The rumor among the associates is, Beer!!! Well, there is obviously no where in town to buy that right?? If only that was true. What a sad day and time we live in!!

I continue to grow more and more disappointed in this company. I have wondered how many times poor Sam Walton has rolled over in his grave. This is not the company that he strived for. I would gladly pay a little more for things at another store just to not give Wal Mart my business. We did boycott Wal Mart for almost a year not that long ago because of another decision that they made. Let me tell you, that is not easy, especially with Trad working there. I felt much better about shopping elsewhere though.

I wish that this town had more options so we could let this retailer know that we do not support their decisions on certain things. I understand that other companies aren't all rosy and sweet either. Every one of them are sure to have their drawbacks. Unfortunately, this is the only retailer that we can deal with in this county we live in.

What do you think?? Am I wrong to feel the way I do??

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Fun Monday

Tiggerlane is our host for this week. This is our assignment...

Have you heard of The Bucket List? Well, that's what I want from you! Make a list of things you want to do before you die. It must be at least five items - and you can make it as long as you desire. Photos are optional. And let's hear about some of the wackiest, most bizarre to-do's on your Bucket List!

I am excited about this post. I actually have a list that Trad and I made a few years ago. I am going to post that plus and my own little half list for just myself.

These are in no particular order. We have actually marked off a few of them already.

Go on a cruise. (This is mostly my idea, Trad has no desire to do this.)
Build our own home together. (This may not happen since we are living in the house I grew up in. We did remodel the house and may add on one day.)
See the US (especially the South & National Parks)
Visit the continents (travel Europe, see the pyramids, great barrier reef, Japan, etc.)
Visit the Olympics
Visit the Sacred Grove
Visit Salt Lake City (This we accomplished in 2001)
See Washington DC (We have both been, just not together.)
New Orleans at Mardi Gras
Own our own business
Go ice skating
See a pro basketball game (We accomplished this also. We went to Atlanta to see the Hawks play the Raptors. We got mugged.)
Learn sign language (We are working on this. Both of our sons are autistic and are non-verbal. We made this list before we had children, it's kinda funny that we wanted to learn, now we NEED to learn.)
Take a photography course
Fly to Hawaii (I said FLY. I will get the nerve one day.)
Take dancing lessons. (Again, Trad has no desire to do this!)
Learn about local history.
Help others (especially during the holidays.)
Vacation at Disney World, Sea World, Epcot, etc (We would have already gone if the boys didn't have problems with crowds or change.)
Visit NYC at Christmas/New Years.

This is my list...

I want to finish college sometime in my lifetime. I am not that far from a degree, but with the kids it is hard to take time for myself.
I want to breed and train service dogs.
I would like to write a book.
Help with fundraising for AUTISM.
Learn to sing.
Give money each year to The Smile Train.

I am sure there is more, but I can't think of anything else right now. I am still excited that the GIANTS won the superbowl!!

Here is a list of the players for this week.

1. Swampy

2. Arkansas Songbird

3. Susan at A Slice of Life

4. Deb's Valentine Patch

5. Lil Mouse

6. Kitten

7. Mamalang

8. Straight Up and Slightly Dirty

9. La Vie en Rose

10. From the Planet of Janet