Saturday, March 22, 2008

New Toys

We ordered a couple of new things for our cats the other day:


They now have a source of running water all day long! We felt like they might not be drinking very much water during the day because they prefer the running water from the tub. Cats are supposed to have water all day long, so we got this fountain. First, Maxwell stuck his paw in it, then he tasted the good, clean, filtered water! Scott took yesterday off and he said that he has seen both cats drinking out of it! So, I would say it is a success. The little blue thing you see hanging over the edge is a little seed pod of wheat grass that is supposed to grow and be good for their digestive tracts and prevention of hairballs. I hope it works. Hairballs are gross!



We also ordered them this toy, which is not exactly what we thought it would be, but it's a good idea. It is a hollow ball that has a squeaker in the middle and it has these little mice that pop out as it rolls around. You can see them checking it out here.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Funny Faces

When you take a lot of pictures of someone, you are bound to get some bad ones or some that are just funny. It's the same with cats. I have made a slide show of the funny faces and scenes I have captured so far this year. I hope you find them as funny as I do!

First Day

Today was my first day at S1. I felt much better today than I did after my first day at Pike. Everyone is really laid back, but it sounds like they have their stuff together. I haven't really started working on my job yet, but I did start some training. I like everyone. We have free fountain drinks, two of the single-server coffee maker things with oodles of flavors of hot chocolate, coffee, and tea, there is a pool table and a foozeball table (I have no idea how to spell it) in the kitchen, and a tv! The office is really nice and in a good area, so I am happy so far. Yay!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Sloppy Cheeseburgers

Sloppy Cheeseburgers
Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained (I would start with 1 can and see if that's enough for you, then open the second if you need more)
onion to taste (or onion powder)
1-2 tsp. minced garlic (or garlic powder)
½ - ¾ lb cheddar cheese, cubed

Method:

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, drain. Add tomatoes and allow it to all cook down (maybe 10 minutes or so). Place cheese cubes on top of mixture and allow it to melt (it will melt faster if you put a lid on it). Serve over toasted hamburger buns or toasted loaf bread.
NOTE> This is a recipe that my mom used to make all the time for us. Daddy loves it (he does it all up with diced onions, ketchup, and mustard, but I think that it is perfect without all that stuff). So, I don't know if she made it up or got the recipe from somewhere. I love sharp cheddar cheese, but Scott thinks that it's too overpowering, so I use medium cheddar. This truly is a 30 minute meal (or less). It does not take long at all!
I'm sorry I don't have a picture to post with it!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Marcy's Cookies


Everyone just loves it when I make these cookies - and they are always so surprised when I share my "recipe"! Here goes...


Ingredients:


2 rolls of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

1 can of Betty Crocker Whipped Vanilla Frosting

Little round multi-colored sprinkles


Preparation:


Leave the cookie dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut it. Preheat the oven according to the cookie directions: I think it's 350*F. Slice cookies fairly thick; I usually get about 18 cookies out of a roll, I think, but you can make them as thick as you want. Cook them for 4 minutes and then rotate the pan, set the timer for 4 more minutes. I usually end up cooking them for 8-10 minutes. You will see that the bottoms might be turning a little brown. Remove from the oven, and let them get pretty cool before removing to wax paper or cooling racks - otherwise they might fall apart. Let cookies cool completely. Stir frosting and frost cookies liberally. Sprinkle with sprinkles before the icing has time to dry. I usually store them in one of those metal 9x13 cake pans with a lid with wax paper in between. Those little round sprinkles are really the best for this type of job. The rest don't sprinkle as well. I have done an ample amount of research on this.


So, there you go. Now you know my secret. I could not make a sugar cookie from scratch to save my life, true story!
I took these cookies to church this past Sunday and I had leftovers! However, I feel that this was the case because a certain elder who happens to lead worship on Sundays was absent!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

AAADD

I received this in an email forward several years ago and felt that it explained me perfectly. Then, my friend Christina posted this on her blog and then my friend Stephanie from Pike forwarded it to me in an email. I do not think that it is age that has me acting this way...I think that I really possibly do have ADD that was just never caught as a child...just think how I'll be when I get old!

AAADD- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.....PLEASE READ!

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder. Somehow I feel better, even though I have it!!
Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye--they need water. I put the Coke on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do. At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers don't have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys. Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail....
Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming

WAIT -- IS THIS CALLED MULTI-TASKING????

Fighting Like Brothers Do

Here is a video I took last month of the cats fighting with each other. It's funny that I was able to capture this because, as you'll see, Sampson is the aggressor in this particular fight and it is usually quite the opposite. It's still funny to watch. If you turn up the volume, you can hear Sampson screaming at Maxwell.


Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Ooohhh....Aaaahhh....Mmmmmm

I LOVE tulips in the Spring. However, I cannot get bulbs to grow very well, so I purchased some!



Aren't they so pretty and happy?

My De Oro Lilies are growing up so fast! Look at how much they've grown since a few weeks ago when I uncovered them!


Mmmmm....I love Coke. We found these cool glasses at Publix the other day. We bought 4 each of two different designs. I bet these would also be very good when used for a Coke Float.

Unemployed

So, I am unemployed for a week. I actually did go to work yesterday and I think that they are paying the few accounting staff that are left for the next two weeks if they work, but I am done at Pike. Please note that this is not their decision, the creditors have to make these decisions, and it is difficult to get permission to spend any money from them. But, I am going to enjoy the next 4 days that I am unemployed. Then, I'll start at my new place on Monday, the 17th. The company is called S1 and they make software for banks and other similar software applications. It sounds very interesting. It is a place I feel that I can grow and learn a lot. Thanks to all of you for your comments and your prayers.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Quick Update

I was given a job offer to make what I said I needed to make in order to accept the job. It is still a small pay cut, but it is worth it to have the good location! I have accepted pending a review of the benefits they will offer me. It feels good to be wanted! There seems to be a lot of room for growth here too!