Pampers diapers dealio!

Ladies: I got an email from Pampers today good instore at Babies 'R Us this Friday and Saturday only:
Purchase 2 Pampers Value Boxes of Diapers and 1 Value Box of Wipes and get $35 in BRU gift cards.  Just thought I'd share...

Bullying...

Disclaimer, this post is in no way meant to be insensitive or offensive in anyway, just questioning what is going on in this crazy world we live in. 

In recent years, the topic of bullying has become headline news.  Adorning our news feeds are pictures of beautiful innocent preteens who have committed suicide, robbing the world of a new person with limitless potential.  In a culture where our lives are dictated by well intentioned social media and light speed communication, infinite outlets have been created to tease, insult, and isolate our fellow human beings.   Being a new parent of a Yeti who will be thrown into this world probably sooner than I would like to think, this issue has been on my mind.  With regards to that, I am starting to question what ever happened to standing up for ourselves or each other.  Where are the parents of these children that are so depressed, that they feel their only option is the worst one?  Why aren’t these parents taking an active roll in their child’s mental health?

I am not a stranger to this bullying phenomenon.  I attended a school where the varsity teams were always going to state championships.  Our basketball team went 50-0, didn’t lose a game for two years straight.  We even turned out a major league baseball player in my career there.  I however was overweight, on highest honors every term, and only attempted to play a sport once.  When I joined the JV volleyball team (in the 7^th grade), the girls all harassed me in the locker room for not shaving my legs at the ripe old age of 12.  However, in retrospect, I am an excessively hairy female and don’t do the world any favors when I let my fur grow.  I keep telling myself that when the ice age cometh, I will have the necessary hair to survive.  The end result?  I quit the team (which of course, then just made me a baby in the eyes of these vicious hyenas).  In science class one day, a male student wrapped a used band-aid in my long hair (okay, ewwww), I ran home crying (yes, I lived within walking distance, unfortunately).  I went to school there every day for two years kicking and screaming, praying that someone would show an act of kindness.  My mom visited the principal countless times.  My parents took an active roll in attempting to solve the issue.  (Side note: when asked during a parent teacher conference, this science teacher (who , I may add, is still teaching at this school) stated that ‘I (me) liked the attention’.  Yes, anyone would love to have disease infested medical waste stuck to her head.)  The school awarded varsity letters to students who made highest honors 4 semesters in a row, which I, of course, the ever proud dork, proudly displayed on my coat.  Yeah, that won’t draw any attention to a nerd.  In the opinion of a chubby middle schooler, life sucked. 

Things didn’t really improve in high school.  I had the opportunity to attend a private school as my mom worked there and tuition was free.  This meant that all the snobby rich kids that paid full price to go there made sure that I knew I was poor.  Talk about bullying?  We had two students pin down another one and carve ‘Homo’ in his back with a jack knife in a dorm one night my freshman year.   Another incident involved a group of students using half a soda can to slice up another student for getting low SAT scores and bringing shame upon the family.  Now THAT is bullying.  However, despite such events on others and getting picked on myself, I made it through.  Over the summer of my sophomore year, I lost a bunch of weight, came back to school a hottie, and vowed to become more socially active.  I graduated cum laude and eventually I found a social niche. I turned out to be a well adjusted college student and adult.  Why didn’t we hear about suicide among teens back then?  My parents did everything they could to stay involved in my mental well being and make sure that when I wasn’t in school, life was good.  They encouraged me to meet new people, distance myself from the idiots, and try new activities.  Also, I stood up for myself when other students were being jerks.  You got sumtin to say to me?  I didn’t think so.  I was always taught that you can only feel bad about yourself if you let people make you feel that way.  It’s true.  Teach your kids some confidence dammit!  (Note: I am not condoning violence as a means of retaliation or defense against verbal abuse.)  If social media is the issue?  Limit access.  If texting is the issue?  Don’t let your kid text.  So, my basic question is, how much of bullying is the school systems’ issues?  Or a legislative issue?  Where are parents these days?  I understand we live in a world where both parents have to work full time jobs to afford life, but that doesn’t relieve them of the responsibility of raising and protecting their children.  Maybe if more families had dinner together every night (as we did) to discuss what happened during our day rather than sitting in front of the idiot box, computer, or hand held electronics, there would be more open and active communication. 

I’m hoping that enough people read this to start an active discussion because I am curious what other parents (and hopefully some of my friends who are teachers) have to say.

Simple minds...

You may find, from time to time, that I post something that may seem trivial to most, but I find enormously exciting.  While I do not live a very green life style, I do try to reduce, reuse, recycle, donate, etc.  Any little bit helps, right?  I just need to say that I have been very perplexed to find uses for the scoops that come with cannisters of formula.  They have been accumulating in the utensil drawer, with out purpose, for almost a month.  Then, that flicker of inspiration sparked today while making a nice mug of hot chocolate - why not use it to dispense other goods that come in powdered form?  Nesquik?  Flour?  Sugar?  Hot Cocoa mix?  Powdered laundry detergent ? (Hey, you really don't need that huge scoop they give you, it really is wasteful and too much soap, it doesn't all rinse out of your clothes).  The possibilities are endless...I may be able to sleep good tonight knowing that I have solved THAT conundrum.

Drowning in Apples

Cooking?  Love it.  Baking?  Not my strong point.  While cooking allows a blissful freedom to experiment with ingredients and procedures, baking seems much more confined, too many rules.  Having strayed away from my obedient days, I have wandered away from the past time of concocting confections.  However, due to having a family to spoil and holidays to prepare for, I feel it is my womanly duty to become reacquainted with this alchemistic art.  I will admit that I am a Food Network addict, worshipping such culinary gods as Paula Deen and Giada DiLaurentiis.

In a perhaps overzealous act of getting into the harvest season, I went to the orchard and bought apples.  ‘Buy local’ they cry.  Well I did.  Pecks of Honey Crisp and Macintosh followed me home from my favorite orchard, Clarkdale in Deerfield, MA (see link), and landed on the floor of my pantry and co-habitated my fridge drawers with questionable carrots.  However, I got pretty damn sick of eating apples and then the Yeti hatched and really put a damper on baking.  Now, here it is, three months after amassing a stockpile of apples, and they are starting to go bad.  Knowing the hard work it takes to grow and pick apples and that there are so many who go without food especially during these hard winter months, I couldn’t, in good conscience throw them away.  So on this chilly, almost Christmas morning, while the Yeti sleeps, I decide to fill the apartment with delicious spicy aromas and test my baking skills.  Now keep in mind supplies are limited (little grocery shopping has been done since the Yeti arrived) and half my baking supplies are here, the other half are at my in-laws.  Apple muffins? Muffin tins in Guilford.  Pie?  Not enough flour for dough.  Scour the recipe books for something.  ANYTHING.  Apple cake from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (thanks Mimi!).  Ok – not enough flour, no ground all spice, no lemon to peel, no 10” tube pan.  So here we go – I ground the last cup of oats I had in the blender to add to the flour, used nutmeg instead of the all spice, tossed the cut apples with lemon juice to prevent them from browning, and used a Bundt pan (thanks Aunt Pen for that!).  Here goes nothing…

Apple Spice Cake

2 Beaten Eggs (room temperature)

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup Quick Cooking Oats (ground in blender)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

Pinch salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup cooking oil

1 tbl vanilla

3 cups peeled, chopped apples (insert screaming baby after 2 cups are peeled and chopped)

1. Preheat oven to 350.  In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients through salt

2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine sugars, oil, and vanilla.  Blend with mixer on medium speed for two minutes then slowly incorporate dry mixture until just mixed.  Fold in apples

3. Put batter in well greased Bundt pan, bake for 1 hour (or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).  Cool on rack for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pan.  When cake is fully cooled (2-4 hours) drizzle glaze on top (see recipe below).

Glaze

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

3 tbl water

1 tsp lemon juice

½  tsp vanilla

1. Stir

Ok the judges say…the cake is a little bit dense.  I am not sure if this is from adding the oatmeal, or if it is just the way it is.  The ‘batter’ was so thick, it resembled cookie dough.  Also – I don’t think it needs the full hour, only a 55 minute cook time.  I did check it at 50 minutes and didn’t think it was done.  The flavor? I think its delish.  I would like to fuss with using some applesauce in this recipe for a little more moisture and flavor.  I can taste the oats and I like that.  I would certainly make this again.

Tune in next week to find out how the Red Velvet cake I have been asked to make for my hunny's 30th birthday on sunday turns out...

My first post...

I guess for my first post, I will share a little bit about me and why I am doing this. 

I grew up in very rural Western Massachusetts (no those aren't banjos you hear) and went to a private high school.  I graduated Cum Laude and disappointed everyone by only going to a local community college and not a big fancy (expensive) institution.  Ever the nerd - I majored in Engineering and graduated with the highest GPA of my graduating class.  I was offered my first job before I graduated and started the Monday after my last class. 

Fast forward five years.  My life mainly revolved around drinking, my tuxedo cat, Harley, and immersing myself in work with very little personal fulfillment.  Until...I met Red.  I won't get all sappy on you and fawn over how romantic it was (we did meet in a dive bar) but when I saw that 6'3" yankees hat and work boots wearing red head, I was in love.  Four months later we were living together, I had changed jobs (still in the construction industry), and we were expecting a little monster...

The new job didn't go so well, when they found out I was pregnant they placed me on UNPAID medical leave and told I could reapply for my job when my doctor said I was able to do my job without restriction.  I sat on the couch and cried for three weeks.  My loving and extremely supportive man worked round the clock to support us.  After a two month battle with that company to at least allow me to collect unemployment we were finally a little more financially stable.

By the end of October, Red got the job he had been applying and hoping for since March (with benefits!!!), we had a great first apartment, I had a ring on my finger, and our very healthy (and large) son, Kayden Malcolm, had been born.  I had never been happier.

I decided to do a blog because I have a lot to say (even if no one wants to hear it).  I enjoy writing and wish I did this the day I became pregnant because I have a lot to share!  Come on back for rants on motherhood, couponing (yes, I do it, and it does save money), planning a wedding, cooking (I ADORE cooking), slightly demented poetry, tales of who knows what, family, searching for a job, and a plethora of other baloney.  Hopefully some of my nonsensical rants will inspire, cause a laugh, or learn ya something.

Love,

Me!