Ready for the Ride

Vacation is officially over and in a few hours  I will be back at my post. I think I have said it before, I am addicted to my job, which I don't believe is a bad thing. I have kept an eye on my emails this time and pretty well know what I have going as soon as I get back to work. Today will truly be a day of catching up. Our PIPP clients will need to be priority one as I will need to get letters out to the ones who haven't gotten their payment made yet this billing cycle. The LIHEAP RA apps will come next. These were apps that were done last week but they still need one more going over before they are filled and before the money gets paid. Of course, life goes on this week so there will be RA apps to physically do as well-- I just check them to make sure our verifiers in the field have all the information correct and then I say it's okay to pay this before it goes to my boss who takes the next step. These are our clients who are getting ready to be disconnected, or have ran low or out of propane. It is considered an emergency and the apps need completed within 48 hours. Per my emails, I have a conference call tomorrow at 11:00, I don't know why we have to have conference calls that go through lunch, but oh well. Also tomorrow, I have a family friend coming to job shadow. I am looking very forward to this, any chance to get to share with others what we really do is a great day. So many people think we are a handout to lazy people who don't want to work. Seriously, this is wrong. We have so many clients who are trying hard to make ends meet and with the economy, it just isn't happening.
Next Tuesday night, I get to start computer classes again too. This makes me very happy as well. I love teaching it and it sounds like we have some really excited students as well.

Vacation was good, getting to see Andrew's grandma and cleaning our bedroom was the two main priorities and they are both done. I don't mind taking a few days to spring clean any other rooms, but my bedroom, I wanted done before I went to bed, just because I want the non-cluttered peaceful place. I don't do well with clutter. I also started on a craft project for the back bath, hope to have it finished tonight or tomorrow as well as getting to work on a vest I have cut out for Robert.

Oh yes, life is good.

I do have a request. My friend Patty, who I have said before, is a big part of why I get to do what I do, is heading to Houston tomorrow for a PET Scan and to see what her cancer is up to. We are praying that 1) The tumor has shrunk. 2) The cancer has not spread; and 3) The doctors there will have a plan of action if the tumor has not shrunk enough--this will probably be in the form of radiation. She is very nervous and though she is trusting in the Lord for His will to be done, she could really use som extra support so any chance you have to pray about this today, I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks!

1 minute cake--no kidding

While visiting Andrew's Grandma, she shared a recipe with me that is unbelievable!

Start with 1 Angel Food cake mix and 1 other cake mix, any flavor-- I chose Devil's food.

 Mix the two mixes together in a gallon ziplock bag.

Put 3 level tablespoons of mix in a small dessert bowl. I think my Longaberger ones are 6 oz.

Add 2 tablespoons of water

stir just until mixed.

Microwave for 1 minute--my microwave is a 1200W and 1 minute was perfect.

It's not beautiful but I tipped it out on a plate:



You could top it with ice cream, or whipped cream, or fruit.  These two mixes yielded 75 TBSP, so it works out to 132 calories for this cake.  It is not overly sweet, but still sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth.

I also made a "double" in a Longaberger mug. I used 6TBSP mix, 4TBSP water and still microwaved 1 minute.....

Robert took his out and topped it with strawberry syrup.

Great time away

We left Monday morning for a short trip to Brookfield MO to visit Andrew's Grandma Virginia. I am on vacation, Andrew on leave and Robert, spring break and didn't have to work until Wednesday. I saw an opportunity and we took it. So glad we did. We had a really nice visit, took a nice scenic drive to a little Amish town and just enjoyed getting to see Grandma. We made it home around 10:00 last night. The weather made the trip all the better.....it was a gorgeous time to be travelling.

Race Day!

We were trying to remember yesterday how many Grand Prix races we have had. Somewhere around 10 or 11. We decided when we started doing this that anytime we ended the day without tears, injury or someone going away mad, it was a good day. We have only had one time in all these years that I felt like it was less than wonderful, yesterday was not it. I believe we had a great race day and some very fun times.

 It is amazing each year to see the kids creativity

Robert and Andrew taking care of the track

 All the clubbers that participated

and all the adults and high schoolers that participated.

Back to "The Good Ole Days"

For 6 years, from the time Robert started Jr. High until he graduated, I doubt if there were ever 3 nights in a row that I was home. I read a fiction chick lit book that the lead character had the misinformed notion that there was love, family and career--choose two, but don't ever believe you could have all three because something would have to be sacraficed. I feel I proved that wrong, in a big way.  I would manage to make it home from a successful day of work, fix a good meal, get to a parent meeting, and come home and snuggle up with my husband. It was great. People at work would shake their heads and say I needed to slow down. I personally knew the day was coming all too soon that I would slow down; not by choice but because my one and only grew up. I have had many, many nights free since May and I don't regret those either. In fact, looking at what is coming up, I am wondering to myself just how I pulled it off--I get an answer loud and clear though, the Lord knew this was something I wanted and He let me have it. I am so very, very thankful to Him for giving me the strength and stamina to do everything I wanted to.

Now, I get to relive those days. It actually started yesterday. Tuesday was our last night home for over a week and I chose to have us get out of the house and go out for supper. Oh well, just added to the old times thing. But last night was AWANA, I didn't come home from work, just went and did a few things at church, went to my moms for supper and then went in for AWANA. Robert's last ballgame to play at was last night so I had to do all his stuff at AWANA. It isn't hard, just makes me nervous. So I got home for the day at 8:30 last night.

I have several projects going on at work right now, I am getting ready for Computer classes we may or may not have, depending on the interest. Our Weatherization guys have their conference next week and I am working with them on two powerpoint presentations. I thought I had them almost done and yesterday we reworked both of them. Finishing the changes on one is my first project this morning. I have also been asked to work with one other lady in the state and work on training videos and a user manual for the program we started last fall. I am extremely honored by this. Then there is just the day-in, day-out part of my job that goes on. I am leaving at noon tomorrow for a weeks vacation, so I have tons of getting ready to be gone too.

Tonight we need to get everything gathered up and ready for our AWANA Grand Prix. Andrew and I have always ran this day. It is a car race like the Scouts Pinewood Derby. In fact, our first track came from the Scout Pack that Andrew and I were involved with. The race is Saturday and with Andrew being on a weight limit, we have to try to work around him. 

Tomorrow, I am taking off at noon and Andrew has a doctor's appointment at 1:50, the followup to his surgery. He hasn't been released to drive yet. Tomorrow evening is Robert's band and jazz band concert at 7:30.

Saturday is Grand Prix day, Pits open at 10:30, which is when people will start bringing thier cars in to weigh and see if they are good to go. The race actually starts at 1:00, it will be a busy, busy day and then Robert has a repeat of the concert from Friday night. This could possably be his last concert because he is thinking very strongly about not doing band next year.

Sunday, things slow back down a bit, we have church that morning and evening and need to pack for a couple days away in between.  Monday morning, we drop Robert's car off at the body shop and head for Brookfield MO to see Andrew's grandma for a couple of days. Mom will be here taking care of our very spoiled animals.

We should be home late Tuesday night and I have already made plans to turn the alarm off Wednesday morning. The guys make fun of me because as hard as I will try, I will be wide awake by 6 AM, which is still "sleeping in" compared to the 4:10 that I normally get up to.

I got new bedding and curtains for our bedroom so the rest of my vacation is going to be tearing that room apart, cleaning and putting it back together. "Spring Cleaning" at its finest.

Okay, so now that I am tired just reading this, it's time to get ready for work.

Happy Thursday!

Knitted and Purled

We have successfully made it home from the hernia surgery.  What a day! We got in the "waiting" room at 9:30, they came and got him at 10 til 11, the nurse told me if it was going to be more than 2 hours, she would come and let me know. At 10 after 12, they brought him back to the room. He was his normal, silly self after being out, he always comes out of anesthesia a little loopy. He says he remembers coming back to the room but doesn't remember being put out.

Anyway, I got him home around a quarter til 4, before the origianal pain meds wore off, good timing!

No lifting or bending, no driving for a week......let the fun begin.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

This has been another weeknight family favorite for years. I don't remember where the recipe originally came from but probably Quick Cooking magazine.  It is basically a hamburger helper that is just as easy as opening the box but TONS better.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
8 oz. uncooked pasta
6 strips of bacon
1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato condensed soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Cook the 6 strips of bacon, I use my microwave bacon cooker, so I can do the pasta, bacon and ground beef all at the same time. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Drain ground beef and pasta; put both in skillet, add bacon, cut into small chuncks and soup, stirring until all is hot. Sprinkle cheese on top, turn stove off, cover and let cheese melt.