30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Twenty-Four

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Isn't this one kind of personal and not safe for the internet world?  I know there's probably more out there on the internet about me than I can imagine or even want to know.  Oooh, scary thoughts.  How about if I just talk in general about the changes that have taken place over the past 20, or so years?  When I first moved to the town I live in it was a small quite town, the kind of town where nothing happens.  It is still pretty much that way.  It has grown and I am sure there is more crime than most people know about. 

To my knowledge the two worst things that have happened were a murder in the 1980s or 1990s and an attempted murder in the 1990s.  If I recall correctly, the murder occurred when a man broke into a neighbors apartment.  After a while he went back to get some beer and found her home.  He killed her.  I believe he was caught quickly. 

The attempted murder occurred when a gas station employee turned off a car wash and attacked and raped a woman.  He put her in the trunk of her car and parked it.  She managed to survive the attack and escape from the car.  I tried looking on the internet for the stories, but I don't recall much of the details and they did happen some time ago.

In the past 20 years we have gotten an additiona high school, no less than 6 new stop lights a condo building downtown where the grocery store used to be, and more housing developments than I can count.

I have lived in two houses and two apartments since I first moved there.  I have never lived in something that was owned by my family, we have always rented.  I hear the property taxes are quite high, but since I don't own property I cannont honestly say how they compare.

Terrible things have happened to me in this town, but I've moved on from them.  While I have no desire to have my child(ren) go to any school in the district, I do still feel comfortable there.  It is a town I know.  Some day I will move and get to know a new town, but for now I have lived here almost all my life and I call it home

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Twenty-Two

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Selfishly, I have to post my favorite website as Kyle's Angels - http://www.kylesangels.com/  and our blog at http://www.kylesangels.blogspot.com/

The only other website I visit regularly is Facebook.  I have talked about my Facebook addiction before.  I guess that's not exactly true, I also read a tons of blogs everyday.

I have recently discovered etsy.com.  I know, I've been living in a cave and all of you have already discovered this site.  I have heard about it before, but the truth is I have stayed away for fear - fear that I would want everything!  I finally wandered out there after connecting to a seller's page from a blog post.  I was right, I want everything!  That being said, I have been good - so far.  I am in talks with someone about a memorial necklace for myself with Kyle's name on it.  I had one that my mom bought me and I loved it, but unfortunately I wore it without taking it off and the chain broke (easy enough to replace), but then a stone fell out.



30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Twenty-One

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I've been thinking about what I would post here for a few days.  I honestly had no idea what to post.  Then I sat down to write, well type, this post and I still had no idea.  I was going to post a pasta recipe, but then I couldn't find it.  And the recipe doesn't really get made as originally directed any more.  Like most recipes you make over time, I have tweaked it to make it my own and satisfy my tastes. 

I was going to post the recipe I use to make my mom's birthday cake every year (German chocolate), but again, I make it the way my grandmother did every year for Mom - since she passed in 2007 I make Mom's cake every year.

I was even going to take a different direction and post something witty like a recipe for being a Mom, or something.

It wasn't until I actually had typed the first few words that I decided what I was going to post.  I guess one of the things you should know about me is that I have very "American" tastes, as I like to say.  I like my pizza with sausage, not pineapple.  I like my pork in chops, not roasted in the original packaging (think pig roast).  I like Taco Bell Mexican food and good old cheeseburgers with American cheese cooked on a Weber grill - no blue cheese with calamato olives for me.  I wouldn't go so far as to say I am a plain-Jane, but I am not wild with the foods I like to eat.  That said, I have ventured to try oysters, sushi, and conch, but I don't make it a habit.

So, what I have for you - my lucky few readers - is a menu I might make if I were looking to make someone a nice dinner - complete with appetizer, salad, main course, bread, dessert, and even a special drink.  If I really wanted to go all Sandra Lee on you, I would set my table and take a picture of the setting, but I won't take it that far  :-)

Everything is simple to make (in my opinion), and can be done fairly inexpensively (something that is important to me, someone of limited budget).

Appetizer - Normally I would go with something easy like shrimp cocktail.  I would buy frozen, fully-cooked shrimp and a jar of cocktail sauce.  I would place a small piece of fresh spinach in the bottom of a nice cocktail glass, put a couple tablespoons of cocktail sauce on top of the spinach, and hang the shrimp over the side.  Sometimes it's not so much about how complicated something is, as much as it is in how you present it.

For those who do not like shrimp, or want something else, here is another stand-by I have for appetizer - I found this recipe for "Tiny Chicken Turnovers" but I changed it to make it easier and cheaper.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Mix pre-cooked chicken, like Perdue Short Cuts, southwestern style, with 3 oz. cream cheese.  Using Pillsbury crescent rolls, place a teaspoon +/- in the center and fold over to make a pocket.  You make have to "re-shape" the rolls from triangles into something more manageable.  Prick tops with a fork for steam vents.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375ºF for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  As a bonus - For do-ahead appetizers, they can be baked, frozen and reheated at 375ºF for 5-7 minutes.  You can add onions, celery, carrots, etc. to suit your taste, but keep in mind, you're making an appetizer, not a mini-dinner.

In my family, one of the ever popular appetizers is cocktail weenies wrapped in crescent rolls.  You could get creative and make, or use, different dips for them - a mustard, a bbq, a ketchup, etc.
********************************************************************************
My go to salad is fresh spinach with raspberries, slivered almonds with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  I would like to say I get all fancy and make the dressing, but truth is I buy bagged salad spinach, a bag of almonds, a small container of fresh raspberries and a bottle of dressing.  It is simple, but it hasn't failed to impress anyone.
********************************************************************************
I can't believe I am about to share with you my top-secret steak recipe - good thing I only have 6 followers.  I am not really sure how I came up with this, but I decided to bake a steak one day.  It all started because I was looking for a good way to cook potatoes that made them flavorful.  On a piece of aluminum foil I spray non-stick cooking spray and layer thinly sliced red potatoes (2-3 per packet).  I put two small pats of butter on top of the potatoes.  I open the steak packing and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic.  I place that side down on the potatoes and sprinkle the other side of the steak with salt, pepper and garlic.  Then I add a layer of jarred mushrooms.  Close up the packet and bake.  Lately I have been doing 400ºF for about 20-30 minutes.  Cooking time will depends on how thick your steaks are and how you want them cooked.  Be careful not to make you layer of potatoes too thick or they won't cook all the way.  I have also added minced onions to the potatoes before I put down the steak.  I am not an onion eater, but I do like the flavor they add to food.  For my father I sauteed a fresh cut onion with the mushrooms and put that on top pf the steak.

I served my steaks with fresh-frozen corn.  Honestly you don't need much, it's a huge meal in itself.
********************************************************************************
This has always been my favorite biscuit recipe:

2	cups Original Bisquick mix
2/3	cup milk
1/2	cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine
1/8	teaspoon garlic powder

	Print these coupons...
	$1.00 off Any ONE (1) LACTAID® Supplement Product $0.55 off Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal Plus 54 more...
	About Concordance™

1. Heat oven to 450ºF.
2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

If you want something simpler, buy the Pillsbury crescent rolls.  Melt a little butter and brush over the tops.  Sprinkle with garlic powder.
********************************************************************************
Honestly for dessert I like the single serving slices by Edwards.  I like getting the pie I want without having to buy (or make), and eat a whole pie. 

If you really want to make something, here's a yummy apple, pear, cranberry cobbler recipe.

Want something fruity and easy? - Fruit salsa and cinnamon chips.  You can buy fresh fruit and chop it up, but to be honest I found that a bag of fresh frozen fruit yield the same effect at a much lower price.  As a bonus, there is usually a nice amount of juice in the bag, which you may not get with fresh fruit you've cut up.  Thaw the fruit and put in a nice bowl.  Or better yet, use small individual bowls and a small plate.  Put some fruit salsa in the dish, put the dish on a small plate and surround the dish with cinnamon chips.
**To make cinnamon chips - Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Cut a soft, flour tortilla shell in half.  Cut each half into 3 wedges (if you use large shells you may have to do some creative cutting).  If it's a birthday, or other type of themed party, you can also use a cookie cutter to cut the tortillas into shapes.  Place a single layer of cut shells on a baking sheet.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
********************************************************************************
Relax after with hot chocolate (I'm not a coffee drinker) with peppermint of butterscotch schnapps topped with a dollop of Cool Whip.  Hey, I said these were quick, easy and cheap recipes.  I could give you directions on how to make the schnapps if you would like.  The older I get the more I shy away from drinking alcoholic beverages with my meals.  I find they take something out of enjoying the flavors of the meal.

If you make anything, let me know how it turned out for you and if you enjoyed it.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Twenty

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I would love to say scrap booking.  I have tons and tons of pictures just aching to get into albums and be cutized (yes, I know that's not a word) with sticker and embellishments.  But the fact of the matter is I don't have the time or the money to do this.  Right now my sad hobbies seem to be watching too much TV and playing on Facebook way too much.  I think in part I do it to ignore some things and someone in my life.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Nineteen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Talent?  Me talented?  I am not so sure I would say that I am.  Merriam-Webster defines "talent" as

1 a : any of several ancient units of weight

   b : a unit of value equal to the value of a talent of gold or silver

2 archaic : a characteristic feature, aptitude, or disposition of a person or animal

3 : the natural endowments of a person

4 a : a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude

   b : general intelligence or mental power : ability

5 : a person of talent or a group of persons of talent in a field or activity

 

I guess I am pretty crafty.  If I could have an arts and crafts room in my house (hey add that to Day 15's post) I would be in heaven.  I get that from my Grandma Norma.

 

I also like to cook.  One of my favorite things to make is fettuccine Alfredo from scratch.  The recipe - wait, isnt't there a post that asks for a recipe?  Guess you'll just have to wait.  A big, beautiful kitchen would be another dream (look at me building my dream house one room at a time).  I get that from my Uncle John.

 

I also love to bake.  If you think this is the same thing as cooking you obviously haven't watched any cooking shows/competitions and you don't bake or cook.  A nice pie from scratch, or German chocolate cake, or even eclairs - yummy!  I get that from my Grandma Dorothy.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Eighteen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Ugh, this has to be the post I was most not looking forward to.  I had a wedding, a fairly big wedding.  I didn't want a wedding.  But I was guilt tripped into having one.  I wanted to just gone on vacation and get married on a beach somewhere, come back and have a big party.  But no, I got the guilt trip of "If we don't have a wedding, my mother will never get a wedding."  Excuse me?  The wedding isn't for your mother, my mother or anyone else.  I knew it was a mistake, I didn't want to do it, but I did.  It was 50% disaster and 50% the big party I wanted.  If I could go back, knowing what I do now, there would be no wedding.  That money was best used for bills and living, not a wedding that no one remembers - and why would they, I was the last in the long line of family and friends to get married.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Seventeen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Hmmm, my favorite art piece has to be the one done by the artist known as my son - Jack

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Fifteen and Sixteen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I didn't post my 15th post yesterday because I didn't feel right given what day it was.  The 15th was about Kyle and all the other Angel Babies being remembered.

Day 15's post is a little difficult.  I have thoughts on what the house would physically look like, but those aren't the important things.  Give that yesterday was all about Angle Babies, it's what my house would be filled with that weighs most heavily on my mind.  My dream house would have Jack and Kyle and their sisters ***** and ****** (I don't feel right typing the names since they may one day be here and I am not quite ready to speak their names).  I have always wanted a house with 2 boys and 2 girls.  A nice big front yard with the children and their friends playing in it.  A huge back yard with room for bonfires and tents for camping.  A swing set with a slide and a sandbox that meets an ocean - or at least appears that way to the mind of a little child.  My house would be the one all the kids would play at.  It would be a happy house with no dark clouds over it.

Day 16's post is an easy one for me - Kenny Chesney "Who you'd be today."  I cannot hear this song and not think about Kyle and what my life would be like if he were here with Jack and I.  How would I be different?  How would Jack be different?  Would Kyle's hair have stayed brown like mine, or been light like Jack's?  Would he have had brown eyes?  Would he be the quite, laid back little boy he appeared to be in the NICU?  Would he and Jack be chasing each other through the house yelling in their own twin language?  Would I be a different mommy if I didn't feel like half of me was missing and that even when I hold Jack my arms still feel not quite as full as they should?  I can only imagine this list of questions will grow as time goes by.  As Jack grows and learns more and more things I will wonder what Kyle would be doing.  I fear Jack will never have another sibling and that he will never get the chance to be a big brother.  Even if there is another baby in the future for me, Jack will never know what it is like to go through life with a twin.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Fourteen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Admittedly I am not a huge reader of non-fiction.  I do read it, but not with anywhere near the intensity as I do fiction.  One author of non-fiction I love is Jenny McCarthy.  Say what you want about he views on Autism, but they girl can be funny.  Sadly, I think about some of the things she wrote in her early books and I wonder if she cringes at the thought of having written them (not knowing at the time that Evan was Autistic).  Belly Laughs and Baby Laughs are still two of my favorite books that I get anyone close to me who is pregnant for the first time.  Life Laughs wasn't her best in the Laughing series (as I call it).  But then again she was going through a break-up and dealing with Evan's medical issues.  After the Laughing series came a couple of books about Autism.  I pray everyday that Jack will continue to grow healthy and knock on blog-wood that no one I know has Autism, but still I read these books and it's like a friend is sharing her most private hell with me.  You can't help but feel touched by Jenny and Evan's story.





She does have other books out there that I have not read.  One is not faring so well in reviews on Amazon, but if you're a fan, check them out for yourself.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Thirteen

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I guess for me this one is kind of easy.  Since I covered I Love You My Bunnies on day four I can cover one of my favorite writers with this one.  I love James Patterson - - Well at least the writer James Patterson used to be.  Lately I am not so thriller with his books.  He had turned into a publishing machine, which for some might be okay, but for me I feel his books lack the quality they once had.  He's also taken to using guest writers on his books.  Yet he's kind of like the boyfriend that you break up with and get back together with time and time again.  I have read a few books that after I finished I swore I was done, but then a new Alex Cross book comes out and I just have to read it.  Admittedly I have not had much time for reading lately, but I am hoping that now that Jack is 18-months-old I will have a little time to catch up on the dozens of books I have collecting a healthy layer of dust.  He can play cars, or watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while Mommy reads (nice wish any way).

If you have not read the Alex Cross series by James Patterson and you are a mystery/crime fan, I would suggest them.  If you have only seen the two Morgan Freeman movies, don't judge the books by them.  While they are good movies and I love Morgan Freeman, the movies do not represent the books in anything other than title and character names.  There is so much cut out they barely resemble the books. 

There is one book, not just in this series, but in all the books that I have read that has caught me off guard.  There is one sentence at the end of one book that left me in utter disbelief.  So much so that I had to read it, then re-read it, then go ask my mom (also a James Patterson fan) if I had read it correctly, and then, just to make sure I didn't miss something I re-read the whole book.  Roses are Red, is the sixth book in the Alex Cross series.  And, by far, it contains one of the most shocking revelations in a book I have read to date - and no, I have not made it through all fifteen books in the Alex Cross series, I am only around book nine or ten.  Maybe that's one of the reasons I keep going back to James Patterson, he may not be the best boyfriend author at times, but he did have that one fantastic moment where he did something I just cannot forget and no other boyfriend author has topped since.

P.S. I should probably mention that just reading this one book alone will not give you the same surprise.  You really need to read the books before it so that you know more about Alex and the other characters and what they have been through.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Twelve

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

What am I not OCD about?  I think one of the things I am most OCD about is making sure that things go back into their proper place.  I can tell when someone has been in my office because everything has a place and I always put it back there.  I am very proud to say that I have never lost keys, purse, sunglasses, etc (knock on blog wood) because I am very careful about keeping things in the same place.

This is one of the things that drives me most crazy about my husband.  Our marriage is difficult, his (untreated) ADD makes things worse, and the fact that he is not more careful about leaving things in the same spot so he can find them irritates me to no end. 

My marriage is a story for another time, when you have nothing better to do for a week than listen to my story.  As far as I know, no one I know knows about this blog.  It's my personal little space to connect with other Angel Baby Mommies, and others whose blogs I stumble on and like.  I kind of feel like this is my free therapy.  While I like the fact that I could say almost anything and not hurt the feelings of someone I know, I am not sure I want to go there just yet.  For now this blog is about Kyle, his absence from my life, and Jack.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Eleven

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Ugh, can't wait until I can post one that takes up less than half the shot.  Thursday is my second of three nutritional consults for my gastric banding surgery.  Crossing my fingers for surgery in December.  Yes, Santa that's what I want for Christmas, bariatric surgery.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Ten

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

I don't have any pictures saved on my computer here (at work), so until I get home and can add one, here's one from 36 years ago. . .

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Nine

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Jack sleeping with his butt up in the air, just like his mommy did when she was little  :-)

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Eight

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

If you don't know who this precious baby is; it's Sylar Newton.  Sylar was only 2-years-old when he was murdered in Arizona.  When the story first came out it was said that he was camping with his custodial mother, her children and her mother.  Someone awoke in the middle of the night and noticed that Sylar was missing.  And the search began.  During the time they were searching for Sylar, another 2-year-old boy wandered away from his home after a nap in the same state in the same county.  Amazing as the coincidence was, it was just that, a coincidence.  The cases of Sylar Newton and Emmett Trapp were not connected.

I will not go over the details of the Sylar Newton case further.  You are free to do you own research as to the information that is out there in the media.  I don't not know if his custodial mother, or anyone else in the family killed Sylar, so while there is much I would love to say about my feelings on that, I will refrain.  I am going to try very hard to chose my words carefully for this next part. . .

This photo make me sad because to me it represents precious life carelessly lost.  I believe, from what I have read, it has been determined that Sylar was murdered.  Every case of a child being intentionally harmed or killed or harm or death coming to them from carelessness hurts when I read about it; Sylar's case touched me more for some reason.  I think perhaps it is because I see a bit of Jack in this picture of Sylar.  He's a curious, likely precocious toddler with wispy hair and new teeth.  However Sylar died it could have been prevented (~likely~).

In memory of Sylar, Emmett, Johnny Doe (10/08/05, Naperville, IL), Dontrell Johnson, Jeremiah Clark, Caylee Anthony, and the far too many other precious live that have been lost.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Seven

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

The only picture I have of my boys together

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Six

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

20 of my favorite things?  That's a hard one.  Not sure why.  I'm having trouble coming up with things, but I don't think it's because there's nothing that make me happy; it's because there are too many to list.  Maybe it's because I could think of twenty things related to Jack, but that would probably be cheating.  I can at least count him as my number one thing that makes me happy, right?

In no particular order -
20. Planning &/or Organizing - Anything

19. Writing

18. Reading

17. Music

16. Frontierville (FB games)

15. Snow Cover

14. Leaves in Fall

13. Child's Art

12. PJ Day

11. TV w/ Jack

10. Handwritten notes/cards

9. Finding extra money

8. Great McDonald's Coke

7. Cookie ice cream sandwich

6. No work week day

Most important. . .
5. Doing anything with Jack

4. Kyle's Angels

3. Smile on Mom and Dad's face when they see Jack

2. Family

1. Jack and Kyle

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Five

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

"Yes, the world is not a totally evil place.  There are always cats in pants." - Rob to Satchel in Get Fuzzy

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Four

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Without a doubt my favorite book is "I Love You My Bunnies."  I bought this book shortly before Easter 2009.  It was a book I bought on a whim because I was pregnant with my boys and decided that I would start buying books from the holiday display that Target puts up every time there is a holiday coming up.  I can honestly say I don't remember packing the book when I packed for the hospital, but some how it was with me when the boys made their unexpected appearance.  It was the book I chose to read, if not every not, every other night - curious to see if when they got older they would remember the book - curious if it would bring a sense of calm in the chaos I knew two boys would create.  It was the book I read to Kyle as I held him as he slowly left.  It was the book the nurse photogrtaphed with my precious baby boy after I had to leave him.  It was the book I hurriedly ordered so that I could make sure he had one with him when he was laid to rest.  It was the book I read to him in that small white "box" (I cannot type the word) after everyone had left after his visitation.  And it is the book I read to Jack, though not as often as I should, and know that Kyle is there next to us listening as I read. 

"We love you Momma," the bunnies cried.  "And I love you my Bunnies," their Momma replied." 

And I love you my bunnies.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day Three

Master List
Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Seriously, maybe I should have read the list and prepared my answers before I started out on doing this 30 Posts in 30 Days experiment.  You really think I can pick just one favorite show?  Can you?  Lately I've taken a shine to Phineas and Ferb

If I would fit in the dress, this would totally be my Halloween costume this year

I have always loved cartoons, but thanks to Jack and his love of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse I have discovered several new favorites

I have always been a crime drama kinda girl.  I love Criminal Minds, Mentalist, Law & Order (all) and of course. . .

There are plenty of can't misses like

An absolute favorite though?  Hmmm.  How about. . .