Mariannes Motifs

The taxes are ready to go to the accountant. Now if I can make it through jury duty tomorrow I will consider myself lucky and a freakin' good citizen.

Good News: I found an unclaimed $25.00 Amazon gift certificate while looking through my tax papers.

Bad News: Still have to do the taxes tonight.

Even Badder News: Have to go to Jury Duty tomorrow.

I actually cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner today. Biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, and philly steak sandwiches, pasta salad, and hot dogs for dinner. (Short order cook Marianne made whatever people wanted)

Just Those Cute Kids Swinging in the Park

For all of those Marianne's Motifs family and fans who want to see the kids - here you go.  I love that they are old enough to swing themselves.   No extra charge for the song.

Musing on Packing Lunches

I had a really busy couple of months at work and starting stocking the freezer with Lean Cusine's for when I didn't have time to go get lunch.  I figured out that that was actually a good money savings, too, when you consider that a typical lunch out might be up to $10.

I'd love to pack lunch every day but I don't usually have time.  The other night we made chicken tacos.  Hubster cooked chicken breasts covered in salsa in the crock pot, then we did Uncle Ben's ready rice, heated up and seasoned a can of black beans, and served it with tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.

We had plenty of leftovers so once dinner was done I packed up the chicken, rice, some beans, and two folder up tortillas in my sectioned lunch plastic container.  This was yummy - even better the second day.

I know I could save a lot of money if I packed a lunch even just one or two days a week.  I am going to give it a try.  I bet the kids would love a packed lunch too!

iSmart SoCool Mini Massager - best mall kiosk purchase ever

While I traveling to Dallas for business,  I stumbled across the most interesting product in the mall of all places.  Since Iwas basically wasting time, I said sure, I will try the electric massager.  It actually was really nice and the guy was a good salesman so I picked it up.

Turns out this thing really works and is very handy to have around.  It gives you a nice shoulder massage when you don't have anyone around to do it for you.  Also, the little pads used on my accupressure headache point (fleshy part of the hand between thumb and first finger) seem to be effective for a light headache. 

This one is similar to the one I have but it seems to have 5 modes and mine only has four.  It also has the shipping through Amazon so free ship if you have prime.

There's a lot of different brands of tens units out there, along with these little Chinese numbers like I got.  (Mine is the ismart SoCool Mini Massager, and I when I bought replacement sticky pads they were from HiDow which I think makes equivalent models)  There are also models that are sold as electric muscle stimulator  for sports training not to mention the medical tens units.  I bet they all work similarly.

Five minutes after voting to defund NPR, which had no effect on the budget, House Republicans voted to continue the war in Afghanistan — which costs about $10 billion. Per month. They then flew home for a vacation.

The NPR ‘emergency’ - The Washington Post

The title is courtest of a Reddit.com user.

French Toast

This morning I made a nice brunch of French Toast and bacon.  Here's a pic for you.  Hubster sliced up the fresh strawberrys.  Lovely.

The weather today is absolutlely perfect.  The pollen season is hitting though.  My front yard is "raining" flowers as the ornamental plum tree is doing its thing. 

We never want to think about when the worst might happen, but maybe it would be good to plan ahead.  Here is a site that tells you how to plan for funeral arrangements.  Personally, I'd rather think about anything else, but I think its a good idea to discuss with those around you what you would like after you pass.  That way they wont have as many decisions to make.

Sunday Chit Chat

After the rain, the sun is back out.  Hubster got bagels for us with berry cream cheese. Super yummy.  I just marinated some chicken thighs and drumsticks with Cornell Barbecue Sauce and we will grill them up.  I got smart and took 1/2 of each of the two containers of chicken parts I bought, poured 1/2 the marinade on them in a plastic bag and threw them back in the freezer.  Now next time all I have to do is let them defrost and the marinating is all done. 

I am gettign my rest in, in preparation for the workweek.  All my clothes are already done as my housekeeper lady was here yesterday.  Yay!  Now the most taxing thing on my schedule for the day is making sure the kids have their bath and finishing dinner. Consiudering my job is to the grindstone line construction jobs, I need my mellow weekends.

Rain Rain Go Away

It's been raining all darn day.  We went to breakfast at the Original Pancake House (yum!) and I've been hanging out chillin the rest of the day.  Well we did go to get the boys new shoes.  Highlight of the day.  Adam got some crazy Sketchers with a huge light up skull on them.  He's going to be a goth kid one day I predict.

Weather guys are predicting more heavier rain on the way - time to get the women's rain boots out. It's giving me a headache, that's for sure.   Hate those headaches - they are more painful than Crohn's when they get going full blown migraine style.