60 Things To Know Before You Go to Disney World

HEY HEY!  Long time no see!

I've literally been working on this entry for months.  MONTHS!

Remember that entry I wrote a while back about all the things we could do for the same price as going to Disney?

(It's right here for your reading pleasure) 

 I'm pretty sure Dave owes me :)

1.  Don't ever go to Disney in June.  Way too hot and too many people.
2.  Get a seated spot for the fireworks at MK EARLY and don't give it up.  You'll see the electric light parade (which is cute and I'm sure would be quite awkward if high on anything), then you'll turn to face the castle for Celebrate the Magic...an artistic display done entirely on the castle....really neat.  And then the fireworks over the castle.  Fireworks just aren't the same after seeing them at Disney World.
3.  You can bring your own food and beverages into the parks.  It's $3-4 per bottle of water (or 1 snack on the dining plan) on Disney property...start your day off with as many bottles as possible.  Refill them at all the parks but MK, that water is nasty.
4.  Save the most exciting, MK, for last if you want to avoid hearing your child pitch a fit that there aren't enough rides at the other parks.  I might add, we learned this lesson the hard way.
5.  When going on Mission:Space at Epcot, go for gold and do the orange mission.  You won't regret it.  Even kids can handle it.  If you get claustrophobic, however, skip this one.
6.  The Frozen ride is nice, but not worth the wait (can be upwards of 5 hours).  Maybe you'll get lucky like we did and get in line right after it opens from being temporarily closed.  PS:  This one closes a lot.
7.  USE YOUR FAST PASSES!! And once you've used your 3 for the day, sign up for more (one at a time).  PS:  You can't sign up for more until you've used your third, so plan all 3 of your initial fast passes for the morning.
8.  DINOSAUR is cool, but can definitely be scary for little kids.  It's not a MUST SEE, so don't feel bad if you've got to skip it.
9.  Soarin' at Epcot is hands-down the neatest thing ever!  Make time for this one, for sure!
10.  Expedition Everest in AK was my second favorite roller coaster.  If you sit in the VERY front, there's a part where you feel like you're not going to stop and you can see clear across the property to Hollywood Studios!  We got off this ride and Aria wanted to immediately get back in line...so we did.  PS:  Pay attention to the monitors at the end of the line...you just might see your name!

"Act like a yeti!"

11.  You don't get that wet on Splash Mountain no matter where you sit...I'm pretty sure we were dry in less than 10 minutes.  Without a fast pass, its an incredibly long and hot wait...almost the entire line is outside.  This was one of Aria's favorites...I don't know how many times we went on this one.

Splash Mountain....a family fave :)

12.  If you've got kids, skip The Great Movie Ride at HS.  They won't know most of the movies and will get scared when your car is taken over and then later an alien pops out of the ceiling.  To be honest, as an adult, it was pretty lame...I didn't know most of the movies, either.
13.  Haunted Mansion at MK was cute, but not so cute if you can't convince your kid that the ghosts are pretend and not scary.  And how DID that ghost at the end know we were from Georgia?!
14.  It's A Small World....yeah, you really can't skip that one...it's a classic.  Everybody hates it, but goes on it anyway.  You just have to.
15.  The Jungle Cruise at MK is a bit outdated and looks like some of the animatronic animals need to be redone.  The "cruise director" was funny though.
16.  Kali River Rapids at AK is REALLY short and the soaking that you get is entirely random.  It's about being in the right/wrong seat at the right/wrong time.
17.  Absolutely do the Kilimanjaro Safari at AK.  They were far away and laying down, but I got to see a real live cheetah!  Plus you can see rhinos wallowing in the mud and hippos swimming.  Don't let the rain discourage you if it's raining...the animals are just as active during the rain.
18.  It may sound odd, but Living with the Land in Epcot was actually really nice and even Aria enjoyed it.  It's a good way to cool off on a hot day as the whole thing is inside.  The "boat" takes you through the invention of agriculture, and then you get to see the Epcot greenhouse and hear about all the food they grow and the research they do.  It's really neat and is a good 10-15 break from the heat!
19.  The Magic Carpets of Aladdin were my favorite spinny ride (like Dumbo)...they moved up and down faster than the rest and were a bit more roomy (2 adults could fit in one) than the other spinny rides.
20.  Definitely make time for the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor!  It's improv comedy and is actually really funny.  You can even submit a joke via text to be used in the show...and Aria's joke was picked!
21.  Peter Pan's Flight at MK is really neat and might actually be worth the wait.  Some lady here was complaining about how many Fast Pass riders they let through vs. how many regular riders they let through...and then she got out of line.  Idiot.

The ONLY character she wanted to meet

22.  Pirates of the Caribbean at MK...I gotta say, I wasn't impressed.  The statues looked really old.  I know they redid this ride after the Johnny Depp movies came out, but the statues still looked old and worn down.  I would have liked to see a few more Captain Jack Sparrow statues.
23.  If you've got kids that just meet the height requirements for almost all of the other rides, avoid the DinoLand area of Animal Kingdom all together.  The roller coaster in there has a requirement of 48", and it looks WAY less dangerous than any of the other coasters....and your child will pitch the most epic fit imaginable when they tell her that she's not tall enough (in a very rude manner, I might add...probably the rudest cast members we encountered the whole time).  Plus, all the cool games in here you have to pay extra for, too.  Just skip it.
24.  Flame Tree BBQ that everyone talks so much about at AK...it's not that great.  The dessert is good, but the BBQ isn't anything to write home about.  And it's tough to get to the seating areas if you have a stroller.  Oh, and there's no lids for the drinks, so you have to walk a good 50 feet (or more) over rocky terrain with a million people around you carrying a tray with full drinks and no lids.
25.  Rock N' Roller Coaster at HS was by far my favorite ride!  It's so dark you have no idea when you're going upside down, unless you're paying attention to the signs that tell you what's going on.  It's dark, it's fast, it's loud (with music), it's wonderful!  Dave's hat actually flew off on take-off and surprisingly landed in the car just behind us.  He now calls it his lucky hat.  PS:  The cast member here was really nice and gave us 5 additional fast passes (paper passes) because Aria was too small to ride.
26.  The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot is an aquarium adventure that's pretty nice as it drops you at the end of an aquarium that you can walk through and see all kinds of things from fish to coral to turtles and sharks.  They've got smaller tanks where you can see really neat things like frogfish and sea horses.  There's also a little playground where you can get your picture taken in Bruce the Shark's mouth.

27.  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (yes, it's actually spelled 'Dwarfs') at MK was tons of fun and definitely worth the wait...but it's a HOT wait as the majority of the line is outside.  Aria loved this one, too!

That smile was present on EVERY roller coaster!

28.  There's not many places to sit at DisneyWorld....they are definitely anti-bench.  So if you're looking for a rest for your feet, find a show or something to sit down at as benches are few and far between.
29.  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was probably Aria's favorite ride.  We rode in the front, the back, the middle, and probably everywhere else on that ride.  Every day, she asked "Can we go back and ride Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain?" (That's when we knew the park hoppers were worth the additional cost).
30.  We skipped Space Mountain because you sit by yourself, so nobody would be able to ride with Aria, and she was not having that.
31.  We did Spaceship Earth....mostly because it was on the way out, there was no line, and Aria said "what's in there?"  It's definitely old, but it's informative and kind of cool.
32.  If you're even a little bit of a fan of Star Wars, you've got to do Star Wars: The Adventures Continue.  You get to see C3PO and R2D2 while waiting in line and there's all kinds of Starwars stuff all over the place.  It's a 4D ride, but the 3D part was done so well that it didn't give me a headache like most stuff does.  It has a BUNCH of different stories, so theoretically each time you ride it should be different.  It was a lot of fun, but it was WAY too short.  And the StarWars store you walk through on your way out is WAY too small and too crowded and I got REALLY anxious in there!
33.  Stitch's Great Escape kind of sucked.  It was neat that he burped and the air started to stink, but the harness that comes over your shoulders kept hopping up and down and there's no padding on it, so I ended up with bruised shoulders.
34.  TestTrack at Epcot is SOOOOO not worth the wait!  That was the longest, slowest-moving line of all.  You only get 2 minutes for your party to create one vehicle, the ride part itself is very jostling.  The only really awesome part is when your "car" goes on the speed track outside the building for the speed test...you go REALLY fast....but then it comes to a quick complete stop, thereby slamming your knees into the cart.  I got off the ride in tears, it was so embarrassing, and I had bruises on my knees for days after that.  PS:  You can actually go into the ride from the back side and each person in your party can create a vehicle to be used on the ride...but then you still have to stand in that long ass line to actually experience the ride.
35.  TomorrowLand Speedway at MK was a huge let down.  First of all, the line is ridiculous.  And it's not even a real go-kart track!  Your car is meant to follow a rail...like a slot car.  And the steering is so awful that you'll spend the whole time bouncing back and forth from one side to the other.  I hated it and could have definitely not wasted my time on it.  Aria, on the other hand, had a blast.
36.  ToyStory Mania is a cute little arcade game style ride at Hollywood Studios.  Aria struggled with it, but she was able to make a few shots.  She had a good time on that ride.  It's fun for adults, too.
37.  Tower of Terror...oh my god.  Worst experience ever!! I felt OK going into it...I've been on similar rides that take you the top of a tall pole and then drop you.  But this was a whole different level.  There was NOTHING to hold on to and only a small lapbelt holding you in place!!  That can't POSSIBLY be safe!  I was sitting on the end of the row, so I found a spot for my hand to curl under my seat, but then I had my other arm wrapped under Aria's leg so I could hold on to her, too.  I had to apologize for squeezing her leg too tight.  Then it goes pitch black, and drops you...but I feel like it's more than a drop...I feel like it was an accelerated drop, like a push.  We went way too fast.  Then it raises you back up and does it again, over and over and over.  One time, it opens the doors at the top so you can see all of HS and then drops you with the doors still open.  Aria and I couldn't get off this ride fast enough.  This ride could burn to the ground and I'd be fine.

Oh man...that look of terror on my face AND Aria's face!

38.  The Enchanted Tiki Room at MK is stupid, but is a nice place to sit down and cool off for a minute.
39.  Country Bear Jamboree:  see above.
40.  Festival of the Lion King was really really good!  And 5 kids from each section get to participate, and Aria got chosen!  She was hesitant at first, but was glad she did it.
41.  Finding Nemo the Musical was also great!  Definitely do this if you or your child is a fan!
42.  Skip For the First Time in Forever: a Frozen Singalong...they don't do all the songs, they don't do the WHOLE songs, and you only get to see the characters briefly.
43.  The Indiana Jones Stunt Show is an OUTSIDE event, FYI...but it's really neat.  I'd say definitely a must-see.
44.  Do the Magic Hours on a night that you haven't already been in the park since 730 AM...you'll be MORE than exhausted!
45.  You can pretty much do ANYTHING you want while on Disney property.  The cast members are trained not to be confrontational and won't argue with you.  So if the security guard at night tells you that you can't bring the stroller over to the bus stations, and you say "the lady at the stroller depot said I could", they'll look at you and say "OK, have a nice night!"
46.  All the little girls are called "princess" by every cast member, at every park.  It's adorable!
47.  Don't waste your money on the princess breakfast in Norway in lieu of Cinderella's Castle.  It's SOOOOOOO not worth the price.  You get a small buffet with some cheese and pastries on it, one plate of sausage, eggs, and potato casserole brought to the table to share, and you have to ask the servers when the princesses will be walking around because you've been sitting there for half an hour and there's not a princess in sight...only to be told "they're taking their breakfast break."  If you're going to spend the money on it, go for gold and do Cinderella's castle.
48.  The Disney Jr. Play and Dine lunch at Hollywood Studios is worth the price,  You'll get to meet Doc McStuffins, Jake, Sofia, and Handy Manny.  And the food is really good and definitely worth the price.
49.  As far as quick service meals go, our best one in the parks, in my opinion, was at Pinnochio Village Haus in MK.  It had something different from your standard burgers/chicken/sandwiches.  The portions were large, the chocolate cake was good, and it's a place where your kid can get the pizza she's been asking about for days.  I definitely recommend this one.
50.  Speaking of food, if you're staying at Art of Animation, don't waste your time on the steak sandwich...it's nasty.  Do, however, get the create-your-own pasta or create-your-own salad.  Most bang for your buck!  And the chocolate tart is spectacular (if you like dark chocolate, that is).
51.  A smoked turkey leg from the snack cart in MK will count as a "meal", but its big enough for several people to eat off of as a snack between meals.  PS:  It's GOOD and tastes like smoked pork!

Tearin' up that turkey leg!

52.  If your child doesn't seem really excited about meeting the characters, don't waste your time on this.  She waved to a few from afar, but really only wanted to stand in line to meet Pluto.  She was excited about the princesses at breakfast and the Disney Jr. friends at lunch, but she didn't beg to meet anybody else.  I do wish we would have been able to meet Tiana...that's her favorite princess.
53.  When making your hotel reservations call the hotel and see if they can tell you which number bus stop their resort is usually at.  Because it's a huge beat down to have to walk to the FARTHEST bus stop at every park to get on your bus.  You're already extremely hot and worn out, your feet are already 2 days passed done, and you still have to walk another half-mile to your bus stop.  Oh, and there's no benches there, either!!
54.  When at Disney Springs and you've got a hankering for a burger, go to D-Luxe Burger.  If you've got the dining plan, it's actually a quick-service restaurant.  The burger is huge and phenomenal!  The fries are less than desirable, but you've had a huge burger and don't need tons of fries anyway.
55.  When planning your fast passes, try to get them close by.  It sucks having to walk all over the park, back and forth, to get to your fastpasses in time.
56.  If for some horrible reason you do have to go DisneyWorld in the middle of the effing summer, don't feel so bad about smelling funky...there are literally 2 trillion people there at that exact moment who smell just as funky as you.  Everybody's got swampass going on and everybody stinks.  It's not just you :)
57.  Even though you're almost certain that your child is too old or too big for a stroller, go ahead and get one.  Because at least that's one less thing for the kid to whine about.
58.  There's no need to buy more than one souvenir per person (for the whole trip, not just per day).  Don't spend $1,000 on souvenirs.  Just don't.
59.  If your child doesn't like being in pictures, don't expect Disney to be any different.

Most of our pictures of Aria turned out like this

60.  You WILL need a vacation after a week-long trip to Disney.  Just go ahead and schedule it.

BONUS TIP:  Once you have your trip narrowed down to at least what year you will be heading to Disney in, go ahead and purchase THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE!  It has literally EVERYTHING you need to know about the entire Disney World property and lots of tips and tricks all throughout it.  This book seriously became my Disney bible and I strongly recommend it to anybody planning a vacay to this hell-hole! Thanks again to my mother-in-law for suggesting the book!

We'll go back again one day.  We will probably skip Hollywood Studios and go to one of the water parks instead.

Of course, our Disney trip would have occurred in May had I not landed myself in the hospital THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE.  I know I said I didn't want to go to Disney...but I didn't want to go in the hospital, either.  Thanks to that, I'm only 31 and have already had my first colonoscopy. Yay for me!

And for good measure...this is my FAVORITE picture of mom on a roller coaster :)  

She doesn't like roller coasters...obviously!

Fab Friday Five

I was so pissed off at my kid last night after FINALLY getting her in the bed that I went downstairs for some relaxation time and ended up falling asleep on the couch.  I awoke at 1230 AM and took my tired self to bed.  I woke up late this morning and was still pissed at my kid.  She of course didn't help matters when she didn't want to get out of bed this morning (because she went to bed so damn late because she was being such a little turd).

So today is not the best day.

Purchase this print >> HERE

This......this is me today.  Nuff Said.

I'm just gong to leave this here.

Barre workout at home video >> HERE

So back in middle school and high school I did ballet.  I did ballet at school (because I went to an awesome fine arts school) for an hour every weekday.  I did ballet for five years.  I LOVED ballet and especially loved barre workouts.  My favorite days were therapeutic barre...where we literally spent the entire class period at the barre. I still will stand in my kitchen holding onto my counters and do some barre exercises while I'm cooking.  So when a Pure Barre studio opened in Augusta, I was REALLY excited!  But then I saw the prices!  Have you looked at those?  For a single class, it costs $20!  Oh, you can purchase more than one class at a time, of course.  You can go ahead and purchase 20 classes in advance for the mere price of $275!! Jesus!!!! 

I think I'll just continue to do barre in my kitchen while I cook.

My hair inspiration for my forthcoming transformation.

I feel like this needs to be in my office.  I can't tell how big it really is...but I'm thinking it should be small enough to fit on a shelf, or maybe the back corner of my desk.  But I love this. Exactly just like this.

Have a good weekend.

See y'all soon.

Maybe.

Convos With My Kid

My child has been a particular brand of awful lately.

When people ask me how she is, I generally say that she's being an asshole.  Really, I tell people that if I used the "c" word, I'd call her that....because that's really what she's acting like.

She's throwing fits over the dumbest thing..and I mean fits...hitting, kicking, screaming, crying fits.

She acts as though she literally can't hear me when I (or anybody else for that matter) speaks to her.

She is deliberately not listening and doing the exact opposite of everything I say.

She refuses to do anything for herself, including getting her self dressed, getting herself covered, finding a stuffed animal, or going back downstairs to get Giraffe off the couch.

She's up my ass every second of the day...."but momma, I want to be with you!"

She doesn't know about our surprise trip to Disney and she sure as HELL doesn't deserve it because she's acting like a little shit.

She's killing me.

That being said....

A Lesson on Stand Mixers and Cake Batter
A:  Mommy, I want to turn on the mixer [to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients].
M:  Not this time, baby.  We don't want it turned on too high to start with.
A:  Because it'll make a mess?
M:  That's right.
A:  Mommy, mixers and chocolate batter are like mud bogs...they just make a big mess and get chocolate all over the place like mud!
M:  Yep, they are kind of like mud bogs!
A:  No mommy...not mud bogs.....mud volcanoes!  Underwater mud volcanoes! They come up from the earth's crust and explode underwater and get mud everywhere.
M: Oh. I thought you said 'mud bog'.
A:  No.


A Lesson on Career Choices
A:  Mommy, what can I be when I grow up?
M:  Well baby, if you work at it hard enough, you can be anything you want to be.
A:  But what should I be?
M:  You like animals and you like to learn about them, maybe you could be a biologist or a zoologist or a veterinarian.
A:  What's a bologist and zologist (she couldn't pronounce it)?
M:  A biologist studies all different kinds of living things, such as animals and plants and cells and a zoologist studies just animals.
A:  Oh! Is there a college for that?
M:  Yes baby, there sure is.
A:  What else can I do?
M:  Well, you could be a researcher.
A:  What do they do?
M:  They spend their entire career learning about things.  Such as spending time outside with monkeys to learn about monkeys.  They watch them and study their habits so that they can better understand them.
A:  I know what I'll be!  I'll be an animal watcher!  I'll sit out in the woods or the jungle and watch animals all day long and learn about them!
M:  So you want to be a researcher?
A:  No, an animal watcher.  Is there a college for THAT?
M:  I'm sure you'll find one, dear...


Several Lessons on What Mommy Doesn't Know
A:  Mommy, did you know that termites eat grass?
M:  No baby, they eat wood.
A:  No mommy, they eat grass.
M:  Um, no, they eat wood.
A:  Not the ones on the African savanna.  They eat grass.
M:  No they don't! All termites eat wood! Let's look it up!
(Mom googled it because we were at her house)
....."Some termites located on the African savanna eat grass..."
A:  See!
M:  Shit.

A:  Mommy, did you know that sharks are endangered?
M:  Yes I did.  Some people catch sharks just for their fins and a shark can't live without fins.
A:  Did you know that eagles are endangered?
M:  Yes, I think I knew that.  But I don't know if they still are...
A:  Yes mommy, they are.  Did you know that Tasmanian tigers are extinct just like dinosaurs?
M:  No, I didn't know there was such a thing.  Did you know that the black rhinocerus was the most recent animal to be officially declared as extinct?
A:  Nope.  What other extinct and endangered animals do you know?
M:  Um....I know about the dodo bird and dinosaurs and the black rhino...
A:  Do you need to look some up so we can talk about them later?
M:  Yes...

A:  Mommy, did you know that there's a snake in the dessert called a diamondback rattlesnake?  It uses it's tail to make noise like a rattle when it's scared.
M:  Yes, I did know that.  Did you know we have a rattlesnake here in Georgia, too?
A:  NO! What's it called and what does it do?
M:  It's called a timber rattlesnake and it does the same thing...shakes it's tale when it is scared.
A:  Show me a picture on your phone!
A:  Shoe me some more pictures of snakes!
A:  Oh, that one is venomous! (yes, she said 'venomous' and not 'poisonous')
M:  It is!  How did you know that?
A:  The shape of it's pupil (yes, she said 'pupil' and not just 'eye').  If it's straight up and down, it's venomous.  If it's a good circle, it's not.
M:  Wow.  That's right.
A:  Show me some more, I'll tell you if they're poisonous!
M:  Here's one....
A:  Venomous!  What kind is it?
M:  A viper.
A:  Show me some more!  Show me a green snake!
...I showed her a green tree boa because it was the only green snake I could think of...
A:  Show me another green snake!
M:  I don't think I know any more green snakes....
A:  That's OK...you can look some up and show me tomorrow.
M:  Gee thanks.

Thank you, Wild Kratts, for teaching my kid that she's smarter than me.


A Lesson on Whale Anatomy
A:  Mommy, did you know that whales don't poop?
M:  Really?  No, I didn't know that.
A:  Yeah, they can't, because they don't have a butt.
M:  Oh, ok.
A:  They don't have giannas (her version of vagina) or penises, either.
M:  Um, are you sure about that honey?  Most every animal has one or the other.
A:  No mommy, not whales.
M:  Well, how do you know?
A:  Because you can't see them.
M:  Well how do boy whales and girl whales make babies if they don't have them?
A:  Fine mom...maybe they have them...but they're hidden very well!

Have a good weekend, folks and I'll check back with y'all later!

Alive

Hey hey folks!  Don't be mad...I was only gone for a few months :)

Let's have a little randomness to get us back in the swing of things!

I'm that person...

Who doesn't remember the last time I gave my kid a bath

Who just took her Christmas tree down on March 6

Who still is not excited about going to Disneyworld

We rescued a chocolate lab puppy...

He barks at thunder (and every forest sound outside)

He scoops all the water out of the water bowl with his paws until the kitchen is a swimming pool

He finds every piece of paper and shreds it

The elections are upon us...

I voted for Hillary (but could have just as easily voted for Bernie)

If you vote(d) for Trump, you're part of the problem

It'd be great if everybody stopped badmouthing other candidates to each others faces before just assuming they are voting the same way

I started a new job...

Being a supervisor isn't so hard, as long as you recognize your employees are adults and should be treated as such

Working at a blood center for 10 years, I thought I understood the blood need...boy was I wrong

Having 5-6 requests come across your desk a week for pediatric open heart surgeries is heartbreaking

I'm on a new medicine...

That insurance is finally paying for

That gives me the ability to actually not cry, even though I might want to

That allows me to not spend all hours of my day angry and/or depressed

Spring is here...

My allergies are already in full bloom and there's pollen on my car

It's already 80° outside

Summer is unfortunately that much closer
And to all my Wisconsin friends: have no fear, spring is on the way...the robins are making their way through Augusta this weekend on their way back home!

I'll try to get my life together and remember to update this a little more frequently

Tremendous Friday Ten - Blessings

I know it's been a long time.  I'm sorry....I've been busy.  Travelling to and from Wisconsin, cleaning and cooking for Thanksgiving dinner, hosting Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas and birthday shopping, and two physical therapy sessions a week makes for a very busy me!

I made two new things for Thanksgiving this year....pumpkin pie with gingersnap crust and honey maple roasted carrots.  Let me tell you...those two things were AMAZING!  I'd make a few changes for next year, though.  The gingersnap crust called for additional ground ginger...to me, the crust was a little strong in flavor, so I'd probably leave out the additional ginger.  And the carrots...I think I'll add a little more coriander...I couldn't really taste it.

As we're heading into the Christmas season (seriously, it's in three weeks, folks!!), it's got me thinking about "feeling blessed."  That saying means something to everyone.  To me, it's nothing religious...religion doesn't have a thing to do with the things I have that I'm thankful for, in my opinion.  Sometimes a blessing can be acquiring the essentials to life.....a shelter, warm food, clean water to drink, and good health.  Sometimes it can be rooted in such things as family (pets included) and friends and the ability to spend time with those people. And, of course, blessings can be objects, such as a new car, clothes, or jewelry.

What are you blessed with?  Take some time this Christmas season to think about the things you have in your life that, when broken down to the very core of it, are truly blessings.  Also try to think of others who have so much less than you do...consider donating some items, money, or your time to help those less fortunate.

I'm blessed with a beautiful daughter
A healthy, loving husband who provides everything he can for us
Three pets that let me hug and snuggle them when I'm feeling down
A wonderful family to cook for and laugh with,
A best friend who's the best best friend anybody could ever have
Flowers in my yard to bring beauty to the world
The most amazing coworkers I couldn't do my job without
And a brand new career opportunity to grow in! 

Fab Friday Five - MEXICAN

Hey y'all, I'm back!

It was a nice trip...Will and I got along the whole time...I don't think I cried for any reason other than the funeral itself.  The weather was frigid, to say the least, but we did get to see some snow flurries!  I came home with cheese, sausage, and more cheese.  I saw some family that I haven't seen in nearly 10 years.  Aria can totally spend 16 hours riding in a car and be nearly perfectly behaved....well, as long you put a screen in front of her face, that is!  She used up half of our data plan on the way up watching Netflix, but she was quiet, so it was worth it.

While up there, my aunt and cousins were talking about Thanksgiving.  They don't do typical Thanksgiving...they do it a day or so afterwards, so everybody can manage to get to their in-laws on the holiday, and then gather together in the next few days.  Not only do they do it a different day, but they don't have typical Thanksgiving food, either...they're having Mexican night!

Now, you know me...our family LOVES Mexican food.  We love having taco night for any occasion, we have chimichangas for Halloween, and we have Mexican Monday every Monday night.  Everybody can find something to eat at Mexican!  Even Aria loves it....the guacamole, the sour cream....and she almost always get's the same thing:  grilled shrimp and a cheese quesadilla.

Anyway, that got me thinking about the tasty Mexican things I have on my Pinterest boards :)

Enchilada Casserole >> recipe HERE

Dave asks for this often.  He just loves it.  I love it, also...it's easy, only uses three dishes (two if you use a disposable foil pan), and is easily adaptable to meet your tastes.  I alter the recipe, of course.  I use ground turkey instead of beef, 2 cans of corn, 1 block of cream cheese, 1 cup of sour cream, no green chilies, and I put it under the broiler when it's finished to get nice and brown and bubbly.  It's amazing and easy and cooks in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.  Leftovers are great also!

Tex Mex Margarita Chicken Salad >> recipe HERE

Some people don't like salad...but I LOVE salad!  I'm not always too crazy about it as a side dish or an appetizer, but I'm totally on board with a wonderful salad for my meal!  Dave likes this one, too...which I, of course, alter to fit my needs.  I use BBQ sauce on my chicken, I 86 the avocado and beans.  I mix up a whole can of corn, store-bought pico from the produce aisle, and lime juice in a skillet until it's nice and warm and maybe even getting a few char-marks on the corn.  I use a LOT of cucumber and a LOT of cilantro.  And cheese, of course...and ranch.  So I guess, in all actuality, it's not really the salad pictured here at all.  Oh well.  I blame Kroger for being out of Margarita mix the day I went shopping for ingredients.

Beef Enchilada Dip >> recipe HERE

I'm not going to lie, I can't remember if I've made this dip yet or not.  But it's basically just cheese, ground beef, corn, and enchilada sauce baked to a gooey wonderfulness.  Get some good dipping tortilla chips and have at it!  It looks so warm and inviting :)

Mexican Stuffed Shells >> recipe HERE

I've got a love for stuffed shells.  To be honest, I used to NEVER like them when mom made them.  I didn't like the ricotta cheese mixture inside of them...I always said "I don't like crumbly cheese...it looks like it came from a goat!" and I refused to eat it.  No stuffed shells, no ravioli, no lasagna....nothing.  But then, I grew up.  I learned to taste things, even if I was pretty sure I wouldn't like them.  Turns out, I LOVE ricotta cheese!  And, oddly enough, I also really appreciate a good melted goat cheese (it's tangy and delicious).  Mom brought these Mexican stuffed shells for lunch one day, and I was sad when they were all gone....they were SOO good!  And I like that you can make them your own...use sour cream, use enchilada sauce, include corn in the meat, add more cheese (so much cheese).  They were simply amazing!

Chicken Fajita Pasta >> recipe HERE

I've made this.  And y'all...it's phenomenal!!  I love fajitas.  I love to make them.  I love the chicken, the peppers, the seasoning, the sour cream you pile on top...I just love them.  But this pasta....it's legit!  It's creamy and flavorful....easy to make...and so scrumptious!  Give this one a try. Seriously.  You'll definitely thank me for it!

I forgot to mention....I've started my physical therapy.  Folks...physical therapy ain't no joke!  That foam roller.....it hurts my leg, but more so, it hurts my upper body.  I've got a lot of weight to hold up on top of a roll of extremely hard styrofoam!  And I'm supposed to use a rolling pin on my leg at home to work it out.  I've got Dave helping me with that.  Ouch.  Today, my calves hurt...my glutes hurt...my quads hurt.  And, of course, my upper body hurts from that stupid foam roller.  Twice a week for two more weeks (at least).  Ugh.

Nothing Better

There's a lot of people on Facebook posting daily things they're thankful for (because it's November and it's the month for giving thanks, of course).  I'm thankful for a lot things and don't often say it.  In fact, I tend to do more complaining than giving thanks.  But that doesn't mean I'm not grateful for what I've got.  The big things, the small things...I'm thankful for everything I have and everything I am.  And sometimes, it's the little things that really make a difference.

There's nothing better than....

The first bite of a still warm, fresh-baked brownie

Sweet puppy snuggles (and kisses)...really, the age of the dog is not important

Hearing "you make the best dinners, mommy"

Brushing your teeth in the morning after you know you've been mouth-snoring all night

Knowing where you are after getting lost

Sticking your spoon in the still-cooking pot of soup to taste it and tastes like bacon and cheese

Finding out you're not the only mom who is at a loss with how to discipline a strong-willed child

Hot chocolate after a cold and rainy day

The sweet relief of Sudafed

Licking the brownie batter off the spatula (after you're done with it, of course!)

Hitting all the green lights on the way to work

Handlettering perfect names on an envelope

Looking through old family photos, even if it's just to find pictures for the board at the funeral, and laughing at the memories

Finally finding the wine that pairs best with your life

Mint chocolate chip ice cream (this one is THE BEST)

Hearing a coworker tell you how much they appreciate you and everything you do

Feeling the relief of knowing a bad dream wasn't real

A cozy blanket in a cold room

Hearing your kid say "I'm sorry for being disrespectful" when all you told her was that she was being naughty

Buying presents for other people and seeing how happy they are when opening said presents

Getting the car seat out of the car all by yourself

A good book and lots of time to read it (like, say, 16 hours in the car on the way to Wisconsin)

Seeing something you cook/bake come out EXACTLY like the picture

Finally being able to breathe after a week of environmental-mold-spore-induced sinus congestion

Finding something to wear (that fits) to a funeral at the first store you try

Biting into the PERFECT s'more

Finding the one magical spot where spooning is actually comfortable for both people

Watching your dog roll over in trust and present her belly (for scratching, no doubt) to your daughter for the very first time (it only took four and a half years!)

Mexican Monday with ALL of your southern extended family

Knowing you'll be with distant family in 48 hours

Leaving for Wisconsin in the morning.

Have a good rest of the week and I'll catch back up with y'all when I return.

Before we know it, it'll be Thanksgiving....and then Christmas....and then it'll be the new year.

Not going to lie I'm ready.

2015 has sort of sucked almost as bad as 2014.

Fab Friday Five - MY CHRISTMAS LIST

I've been told I'm pretty hard to shop for because I never actually tell anybody what I want.  It's true...I don't outwardly tell anybody "hey, I want this for Christmas!" so people just end up guessing at something that I want.  Sometimes I like it, sometimes I find it entirely useless and I don't know what would prompt anybody to even think that it might be something I would like.

So this year....I'm going to make it easy!  Here are FIVE things I'd like for Christmas (or for my birthday).  Please...pretty please...let Santa know I'd like these things!

Custom cabinets?

I want something customized in my cabinet JUST LIKE THIS to hold all my baking pans and trays and cutting boards and cooling racks and maybe pot/pan lids....I want it real bad. I don't know what this might even cost...but it sure would be nice to come home after work the week of Christmas and see at least one of my lower cabinets redone like this :)

I want hair color like this, but with some dark red under there somewhere

Gift certificate for pedicure and enough money to get my hair cut and colored

I realized it's been over a year since my last hair cut.  It's been over a year since my last hair color.  And it's been way over a year since my last pedicure.  Part of it is because I just can't fathom spending that kind of money on myself...on vanity....on a body and head that I can't stand anyway.  The other thing is the reason.  My hair takes at least an hour...and a pedicure takes at least an hour.  I go home and cook pretty much every day, so I can't take an hour out of my time to get my nails done.  And my hair lady is in South Carolina somewhere that I don't really know, but I know it's not exactly close to home.

**Also, somebody to cook dinner for me so that I don't have to worry about not having the time to indulge in these things...and somebody to watch my kid.

Kohler over-the-counter cutting board >> HERE

New wooden cutting board

I had a wooden cutting board (a really nice one, in my opinion) and just recently had to through it out.  See, I didn't know that wooden cutting boards were like cast iron pans...you've got to take special care of them.  I didn't know that.  My cutting board regularly went through the dishwasher and I didn't know there such a thing as "wooden cutting board oil" that was to be applied after each wash (not a dishwasher-wash, FYI).  So my board naturally lost it's nice sheen, and then it warped, and then it cracked.  I loved that board.  It was the only cutting board I had that had rubber feet that didn't actually slide around on my granite counters.  Everything else slides...drives me bonkers.  But this cutting board here has a lip that hangs over the edge of the counter top.  So when I'm cutting things like chicken, the cutting board won't be sliding all over the place with every cut!  It'll just hang onto the edge of the counter and I won't have to worry about it!

**Also, I totally apparently need some of this >> John Boos Mystery Butcher Block Oil

Buy this textbook >> HERE

Baking textbook

Last year I got << this amazing book >> for Christmas, but it wasn't what I hoped it would be.  Maybe I just read the reviews wrong.  The basis of the book, this VERY large book, is not to teach one how to cook, but teach one how to be a professional chef.  Apparently those two things are not actually the same.  The latter implies that you already know how to cook, so the book teaches you things needed for a restaurant setting:  food safety guidelines, how to calculate nutrition in servings, how to calculate how much ingredients needed for each serving, and recipes designed to feed 10-12 people.  Still an EXCELLENT resource, but not quite what I was looking for.  This book, however, is an actual baking textbook.  Reading the reviews, it really does teach HOW to bake...the science behind it, the importance of measuring ingredients, what each ingredient does and how it interacts with the others, and then, of course, plenty of recipes.  The reviews say it's great for a beginner baker.  It's expensive...I mean, it's a textbook, so it's over $100.  But....please?

**Also, I want this reference book to go with it!  Or on it's own would be fine, too >> The Pastry Chef's Companion

Gift card to Lush

I want so many things from Lush, but we don't have a store closer than 2 hours, so I have to order my things.  Let me tell you what, Lush is a real bitch when it comes to charging for shipping.  Maybe I'm just spoiled with free shipping from Amazon Prime, but I absolutely hate paying for shipping.  I'm sorry, but $6 shipping is too much for one bath melt and two bubble bars.  Or, if you really want to just get me something, I'll take the Mangoed bath melt.  Mm hmm!

And one more for good measure:  A 1-month gift of maid service.  That would really help me out.  A nice, professional, deep clean of the house would be much appreciated!

You've got my list....now get to shopping :)

Monday.

Is anybody else besides me EXTREMELY tired today?  This rainy, foggy Monday makes me want to take my ass back to bed!

Here's a quick look at my upcoming week!

Today I've got my first physical therapy appointment for my IT band.  I'm unsure of what to expect.  The thing is, my leg feels better...so I'm worried they'll tell me that there's no point to it and send me on my way...only to have my IT band flare up real angry again sometime in the near future.  That worries me, because I don't want that pain again.

Sometime this week I'd like to stop by my best friend's house and give her all the things I've gotten for her and the baby!  Plus, she's on bed rest, so I KNOW she could use the company.

Thursday we are taking Aria to Disney on Ice.  She doesn't know yet...so we can't hold it over her head, not like I would, we already paid for the tickets!

This weekend I'm going to make those cheesecake swirl brownies from my last FFF post :)

My grandpa is in the hospital and not doing very well.  Please keep him and my family in your thoughts.

The menu for the week:

Monday:  Burgers + Sweet Kale Salad

burger patties - buns - cheese - worcestershire sauce - kale/brussels sprout/craisin salad mix - poppy seed dressing

Tuesday:  Chicken Bacon Chowder + Crusty Bread

chicken - bacon - corn - shallots - cream - broth - cheese - potatoes - celery - basil - french baguette

Wednesday:  Pork Chops + Mashed Potatoes

pork chops - BBQ sauce - country crock mashed potatoes - cheese

Thursday :  Dinner out + Disney On Ice

Friday:  BBQ Chicken Salad

chicken - BBQ sauce - romaine - cheese - corn - pico - lime juice - cilantro - ranch - cucumber - croutons

Saturday:  Cilantro Lime chicken + Pasta

chicken - cilantro - cream - lime juice - shallots - low-carb pasta

And now....something funny :)

Cat's are such assholes.

Fab Friday Five - BAKING CHALLENGE

Everybody by now knows that I love to bake.  I mean...I LOVE to bake!  I like to cook, but baking is my happy place.  BUT, because I'm lazy (and busy), I don't do it very often...once a month if I'm lucky.  My family and coworkers wish it occurred a lot more often.  So do I, my dears...so do I.

Why don't I bake often if I love it so much?

1.  It's so time consuming.  You're looking at at least 45 minutes to an hour if you include prep, mix, and bake time.  And I have a "little chef" who likes to help, but I SO do not want her help while I'm in my happy place.  Little Chef's help adds at least an extra 20-30 minutes of prep time.

2.  So many dishes.  You can't possibly bake without using at least 8 things.  You've got your mixing bowl, your mixer attachment (2 if your using a hand mixer), your baking pan(s), the spatula for scraping the bowl, the 1/2 c. measuring cup, the 1/3 c. measuring cup, the TBS measuring spoon, and the tsp measuring spoon.

3.  It requires a clean kitchen.  My kitchen is never....n.e.v.e.r. clean enough for regular baking.  There's always something on the counter (probably the cake carrier that still needs to be wiped out), there's always stuff in the sink (no more room for the 8 dishes from the previous gripe), and either the bowl I want or the pan I want is probably in said sink because it never fits in the dishwasher after I have all my regular dishes in it....and I'm clearly not going to take the time to hand-wash my dishes.  That's just ludicrous!

Let's go back to the time thing.  I don't get home from work until after 5, I spend the next hour cooking and serving dinner, I spend the next 30 minutes eating dinner, and then the next 10 minutes cleaning up and putting away the left overs.  That puts me at around 7:00 (on a good day), but to be real, I waste a little time somewhere in there and it's usually about 7:45 by the time dinner is over.  Then I have to get Aria to bed (at LEAST 30-45 minutes....over an hour if it's bath night).  Then it's time to load the dishwasher if it's been emptied.  By now, it's after 9 and I'm exhausted and ready to sit on the couch and do nothing.  Plus, my dad has always taught me to NEVER start a project after 9 because it will ALWAYS go bad.

You may be saying 'But hey, what about the weekends?!'  The weekend is my ONLY lazy relaxation time!  So shut it!

Aria talks about how when she grows up, she wants to have a family bakery.  Of all her dreams, I hope she fulfills this one :)

I've got over 530 baked items spread across three separate Pinterest boards (Dolce, Macarons, and Me Love Cookies).  I save a lot of things, print out a lot recipes, and buy a lot cook books only to never really do anything with them.  Time to fix that!  I've decided to make myself a challenge.  I'm going to pick 5 things that I WILL bake before the end of the year!  It'll be tough, no doubt, but if I don't make myself a goal, I'll never get it done!

One day I'll make a baking bucket list and fill it with all the things I'm really dying to make, but too scared to try (like a second attempt at macarons).

Here are the FIVE things I've decided I WILL make before the end of the year.  I've got 63 days...that's more than enough time to get this shit done!

Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe >> HERE

What is the difference between a pound cake and a bundt cake?  Anybody know?  It's a southern thing to make pound cake in a bundt cake pan...but what makes it a pound cake and not just a bundt cake?  I have no idea....anyway.... A coworker brought in a lemon pound cake on Wednesday that was SOOOOOOOO good, it made me want to make a pound cake.  So naturally, I took to Pinterest.  What came up was a lot of things that said "pound cake" and an equal number of things that said "bundt cake".  Are they interchangeable?!  My favorite food blogger, Joy the Baker, had this beautiful chocolate bundt cake that definitely caught my eye.  I don't know if it's the shininess of the cake itself (you know it's moist if it shines) or the sloppiness of the poured-on frosting...but I just HAVE to make this cake!  It uses coffee, as does every fan-freaking-tastic chocolate cake.  It's not hard, but there's a lot of steps.  

And of course I can't talk about bundt cake without a reference to My Big Fat Greek Wedding: 

Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust recipe >> HERE

Dave asked if I could make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving this year...so I found one, with a bit of a unique twist.  See, my mom doesn't eat pie because she doesn't like traditional pie crust.  So any time I look at pies that will be shared with the family, I try to find some that have a different type of crust.  This recipe here fit the bill perfectly!  It uses gingersnap cookies for the crust and boasts to be creamy and wonderful.  Yum!

Giant Skillet Cinnamon Roll recipe >> HERE

Look at this cinnamon roll, y'all!  It's GIANT and made in a cast-iron skillet.  Hello breakfast!  I know it has a glaze...but I sort of really want to make this copycat Cinnabon frosting I found and lather that on top.  It uses a pound of butter and a pound of cream cheese....DON'T FREAK OUT!  It'll be worth it and I bet it'll be the best cinnamon roll EVER!

Cheesecake swirl brownies recipe >> HERE

I remember as a kid my favorite dessert to get if we went to a place that had bakery items was the cheesecake swirl brownie.  This is still one of my favorites!  Brownies and cheesecake together, yum!  I'll probably leave out the chocolate chips, though...I don't want it to impede on my texture.  I already know I'll have to make two pans:  one for home and one for work.  That's what I get for talking about these at work and showing a picture!

Snickerdoodle cupcakes recipe >> HERE

I love cinnamon.  I love snickerdoodles.  My great-grandma used to make these amazing snickerdoodle cookies...I don't remember if anybody else besides me ate them, but I loved them!  My favorite cupcake place here in town OCCASIONALLY has snickerdoodle cupcakes, and they're amazing!  But sadly, they rarely have them when I go to the bakery.  So I obviously have to bake them myself.  Cinnamon in the frosting...cinnamon in the batter...just cinnamon everywhere!

OK....so there it is.  My own personal baking challenge!

I'll update y'all as I make each one.  'Til then, have a great weekend!

Inner Musings 2.0

I apologize for not doing a Fab Friday Five last Friday...I was at home wallowing in a Sudafed-induced coma.  Stupid weed pollen was out in full force last week and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Stupid environmental allergies!

My IT band is feeling better, though still a little sore at the end of the day.  Nothing to complain about really.  PT starts on the 2nd and I'm a little less than excited.

After talking with my doctor, we've decided to wean me off of the current anti-depressant and try me on something different in a few weeks.  Turns out, the medicine I was on caused me to have some pretty awful dreams....almost nightly.  I'm waking up a LOT during the night wondering if the events that happened were real or not...they certainly feel real.  I'm told, however, that my dreams may get worse while coming off the medicine.  Great.

Here's some more inner musings for you.  I KNOW y'all think some of these very same things!

Based off your social media profiles, it's no wonder nobody wants to hire you.

No offense, but your baby is not cute.

Some days are just flat-out unbearable.

All this anti-Islam nonsense you post on Facebook all the time....you do know that they pray to the same God you do, right?!

Why do you wait until you're OUT of a supply to ask for more?  Why can't you ask for more when you use the next-to-last one?!

Why do you keep having babies when you're clearly not taking care of the ones you already have?

I hate you because your four year old can read.

You only post on social media about going to the gym and going to the bar...do you do anything else??

WHEN are you going to retire??!

Why do all of your pictures of your child in the car seat look as if the kid isn't actually strapped in?  You do strap that kid in, right?

Would there really be so much media about the school officer snatching that teenager out of the desk if the student and the officer were of the same race?

That job is not rocket science....why can't you manage to just do it right??

The way you talk about gay people is appalling.

Why are you so angry and so rude every day?

A pint of ice cream every night is NOT a suitable lifestyle!

Nobody cares that you go to the gym twice a day (or more), every day.

I joke about being fat because it's easier for those to laugh with me than at me.

Why....please tell me why....does everyone in Grovetown drive 10 mph UNDER the posted limit?  If the sign says "55"....I'd like to at least go 55!

Have a good week, folks, and I'll see you on Friday!

Random Update

The week, so far, has started out like crap!

On Saturday night, I woke up with EXTREME pain in my right thigh.  Every time I moved, it felt like my hip, knee, and side of my thigh were literally stuck.  It was excruciating.  I couldn't fall back asleep for quite some time.  When Dave left for work that morning, he brought me the electric heating pad....and then subsequently pushed his fist onto my thigh as hard as he could to try to work out what he thought was probably a muscle cramp or pulled muscle.  Let me tell you...if I could have, I would have kicked him square in the jaw! That heat pad stayed on "high" for three hours and didn't even touch the pain.

When I got up in the morning after I could no longer convince Aria that breakfast would be "in a little", I made it two steps before I had to grab onto the door frame of the bathroom and stand there and cry and scream out in pain.  The stairs were awful and I had to get Aria to let Sophie out because I wasn't even down the first half of my stairs yet.

I called my mommy to tell her I wasn't bringing Aria over and why, and she told me to call the weekend clinic and try to get seen.  I hate going to the doctor and will ONLY go if my mommy says I need to go.  I figured (and Dave figured) that it would be a waste of my time...figured they'd tell me it was a pulled muscle and go home and take some ibuprofen.  We were wrong.

I apparently have something called IT Band Syndrome.  The iliotibial band is the tendon that runs from the outside of the hip, down the outside of the thigh, and connects at the knee.  Basically, it connects my hip muscle to my lower leg muscle.  In people like me who have hypermobility in the hip and knee joints (my knees are hyperextended and I can pop my hips in and out of place without really noticing), that band can apparently be loose...and a loose band can get inflamed and angry (obviously).  It's kind of like tendonitis, but isn't actually tendonitis.

The solution:  hefty anti-inflammatory + physical therapy.  The anti-inflammatory (which they said had an acid reducer in it) gave me the WORST heartburn yesterday...I literally had heartburn all day long!  My primary care physician told me I can take regular OTC anti-inflammatory as needed instead of that junk the other doctor gave me.  Plus, the electric heat pad has been my very best friend lately!

The physical therapy will work out the band (which I'm told will hurt like hell), then will help strengthen the band and the joints to which it's connected.  Also, they'll look to see if there's another muscle in my leg that isn't doing it's job properly and may have caused the IT band to take over some of the work (it's not supposed to do that) and they'll give me exercises to strengthen that muscle also.  My cousin (a physical therapist) said the amount of time it takes will depend on how stubborn my body is and how well I do my homework.  Well, we all know I'm an overachiever, so homework won't be a problem!

So for now it hurts, but is starting to feel better.  My range of motion is better.  I just have to wait for my PT referral to come through so I can start that.  I'm hobbling around like I'm broken and I have to explain IT Band Syndrome to anybody who asks.  It's great.

Dave informed me last week that he wants to change his our eating habits and cut out most of the carbs.  I can't help that we have pasta or potatoes with every meal...it's the only side I can think of.  We were supposed to start on Sunday, but he offered me comfort food, so I picked Japanese food.  Then yesterday was Mexican Monday.  So maybe today we'll start with low-carb food :)

A look at the week's dinner menu

Sunday:  Sausage and Peppers + Mini Potatoes

chicken apple sausage - bell peppers - vidalia onion - dutch yellow potatoes

Monday:  Mexican Monday

Tuesday:  Chicken Caesar Salad

chicken - romaine - parm cheese - croutons - light caesar dressing

Wednesday:  Steak Stir Fry + Cauliflower Rice

skirt steak - stir fry veggies - teriyaki sauce - cauliflower

Thursday:  Margarita Chicken Salad

chicken - romaine - cheese - pico - cucumbers - corn - light ranch - sour cream

Friday:  Burgers + Pasta

burger patties - brioche buns - lettuce - cheese - low carb pasta

Saturday:  Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers

bell peppers - leftover TexMex meat mixture - corn - cheese - sour cream

 Have a good week, folks!