35

Today is Dr. Hubby's birthday!

He is 35...yes I am 6 months older than him...he likes cougars.

I asked him yesterday if he wanted to make a "35 Things I Want To Do While I Am 35" list. He said, "No, my life is just how I want it." Then he named off the reasons he feels that way. How sweet.

One downside to his profession is that it tends to make him very serious. I love and cherish the times when Dr. Hubby lets himself act a little silly.

I {heart} you honey!

Hope you have a fantastic day!

I Did It!

Well bloggy buds...I did it...

I am now a twit...or a tweeter...or whatever you call someone who is on TWITTER!

Why did I do it?

Let's just say it is another way of feeding my addiction to a certain show. Sh! No judging.

Ooh...and David Spade...and yes, I am a nerd...I followed Paris Hilton.

Is there a rehab for this kind of thing?

You can find me twitter.com/ScrappyWorld

Now pop over there and make me feel less like a followerless geek.

Can You Feel The Tropical Breeze?

{Insert Jimmy Buffet tunes here}

The dish I decided to make this week is Tropical Ham Sandwiches. It is from my Gooseberry Crock Pot Book...again. I need to get away from the crock pot! It's just so yummy and easy! Maybe next week...

Here's the supplies...

1 1/2 lbs. cooked ham, finely chopped {I used ham slices cause it was the easiest way to get the exact amount I needed AND it was easier to chop}
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. green pepper, diced
1 T. dried, minced onion {Walmart only had chopped so I crushed it a little more before adding it}
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
12 sandwich buns

I used my Pampered Chef chopper {the same one Teresa from NJ Housewives uses} to chop the ham and the green pepper. I'm such a star struck crazy girl...

Add all ingredients EXCEPT BUNS in your slow cooker. You know they had to put that "EXCEPT BUNS" part in there because some idiot added them to the pot...hahaha...that is totally a bit from David Spade's Las Vegas routine. I can hear him laughing now...I love his weasley little laugh.

Mix it all up...looks pretty! I was so happy not to have to handle RAW meat! Cover and cook on low setting for 3 to 4 hours. Uncover and cook on high setting for 15 to 30 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Stir and serve on buns.

I served it with baked beans and mandarin oranges. I planned on having salad, but it died.

This was a yummy summery sandwich. My only problem was that it made my bun mushy on the bottom. I can't stand some textures and mushy bread is one of them. This was yummy, but I kinda liked it cold the next day better. This would be awesome at a cookout or luau!

Now grab your sunglasses, towel, and a good book and go catch some rays...

Walking A Thin Line...Between Sanity And Completely Losing It

For the last month I have kinda felt like this. Here are just a few things that are making me feel this way...

1. Dr. Hubby's 35th birthday is Monday and I don't know what to get him...at all.

2. My MIL is going through an "I'm worried about the kids and you don't even seem to care" phase. She calls and talks about "poor little Wild Child" and how she thinks she needs her hearing tested. And "poor little Manga Dork" goes to a "country dentist" and do I really think that he knows if she needs a retainer on her bottom teeth or not. It is drivin' me flippin' crazy.

3. It is almost the end of May and Dr. Hubby still has not hired a contractor for our remodel. Everyone is probably already booked and we are not going to get it done.

4. I am the leader of our TOPS weight loss group and I seem to be trying to eat everything in sight.

5. Dr. Hubby has brought home 7 cats in the last couple weeks. 5 are babies that need more attention than I have the time or energy to give them.

6. Dr. Hubby has been overly critical with me and I feel like I can't win for losing when it comes to "housewifery."

7. How does someone go about feeling "sexy" when you know you have the body straight off a "gag" birthday card from Spencers. I keep picturing the card with the big fat woman laying next to a birthday cake.

8. Yesterday was so craptastic that I ended it sitting in my porch swing. I needed quiet to think and relax. Unfortunately the main thought that came to me was "I'm not going to survive the summer if every day is like this."

I think I am going through one of those transitions, and I am having a hard time finding myself. I am sure you have noticed the zillion background changes to my blog...nothing seems to fit. I will figure out a way to lick my wounds and clean myself off soon I hope.

{pictures are 2 of the kittens after their bath}

Feelin' A Little Sauer

When my Dr. Hubby was growing up his momma fixed pinto beans {soup beans} every day...no exaggeration. So I thought I would try a good ol' southern recipe that would be complimented by pinto beans. I chose "Sauerkraut and Pork" from my Gooseberry cookbook.

I gathered my supplies...

20 oz. can sauerkraut

1/3 c. brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 lbs. pork sausage links, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Combine sauerkraut and brown sugar in your slow cooker and mix well. This was a little weird. Brown sugar and sauerkraut? I started to doubt...

Then you arrange the sausage and onion on top...I did not notice you were supposed to slice the pork sausages. Put the lid on and cook on HIGH setting for 2 hours, adding water if necessary. It was not necessary for me. Then reduce heat to LOW setting, replace the lid and cook for an additional 2 hours.

I served it with pinto beans and cornbread. Manga Dork pushed this all the way to NUMBER ONE! It beat out the pork chops! Dr. Hubby cleaned his plate. My FIL and SIL finished off my leftovers. This cookin' thing is a blast and it is doing wonders for my self esteem!

This weekend I picked up the "fabulicious" Teresa Giudice's book, Skinny Italian. Teresa is on Real Housewives of New Jersey and is by far my FAVORITE housewife of all the cities...I love love love her. I have already finished reading it cover to cover...first book I have read in 2010! My goal is to pull off a traditional 5 course Italian meal. You don't have to be a Real Housewife fan to enjoy this book, but you will get the little "jokes" if you are. The sauce recipe she named after Danielle cracked me up! There are even "Juicy Bits from Joe." You can check it out at your library, but I would suggest buying it...you are going to want your own copy!

Happy Wednesday!

Time To Knock The "SOX" Off The Competition!

Tonite the final 2 sing...THEN I will be voting for Lee like an obsessed teenager! Who gets your vote?

It's No Wonder My Self Esteem Is At Zero!

This morning Cutie and I were in the waiting room at Manga Dork's dentist. Manga Dork woke up with a toothache from a cavity on Sunday morning...the dentist called it a Mountain Dew cavity. Anyway back in the waiting room here is a conversation I had with Cutie {aka my self esteem coach}.

Scrappy: {In an effort to pass some time} Cutie come here. Mommy wants to count your freckles to see if you have any new ones.

Cutie stands really still while Scrappy counts them.

Scrappy: 1.2.3......13! You have a new one!

Cutie: {comes closer to scrappy and puts finger between Scrappy's brows} Now let me count your hairs....1.2.....a whole many! Pretty soon you will be all HAIRY!

Keep in mind she has only one volume...LOUD!

Manga Dork's reaction to this story..."Sounds like it's time to wax."

Ri"donk"ulously F.U.N.

This weekend we went to see Shrek Forever in Imax 3D. We liked it alot and laughed out loud several times. Rumpelstiltskin's wigs are my favorite funny part...I SO need an angry wig. They use my fave word too...RIDONCULOUS...only it is more like RI"DONK"ULOUS...heehee. On the previews we saw Marmaduke...out on June 4th that is our next movie! They had us at dancing dogs group number.

New Experiences

Yesterday evening Wild Child played in her first tball game.

She looked so cute in her little uniform. She is the only girl on the team and is easy to spot with a big white bow {with special baseball ribbon} popping out the back of her hat.

She didn't know what to think of all the people and the other team and the cheering. A tball game is one of the most entertaining events I have been to in awhile. One kid ran the bases backwards and then one boy decided to make "dirt angels" while playing the field...lol. Wild Child lost her helmet while running the bases...she just turned around, picked it up, and put it back on...then continued around the bases. Priceless!

Today Wild Child and I attended kindergarten orientation. She was SO excited to go to "Manga Dork's BIG school." We met the teachers, saw the classrooms, played on the playground, ate lunch in the cafeteria, and...

WE GOT TO RIDE ON A SCHOOL BUS! DisneyWorld should definitely add this to their rides! Those kids were SO excited they were bouncing up and down.

Lots of new experiences...she is growing up way too fast.

Holey Underpants

After speech therapy yesterday I took the 2 little ones to the potty. After they were done I decided I better go too. They were both laughing and playing. Then Cutie turns to me and says "You have a hole in your panties! It's where you FARTED! {Insert about 10 farting noises mixed with laughter here}" She said it in her "outdoors voice" cause she has no other volume. I could have died. Why would I be so embarrassed when we were in there alone? Well, unfortunately I knew a secret. The bathroom is right next to the waiting area AND I had witnessed more times than I could count the thinness of the walls.

They Say Holiday...I Say Miracle!

Here's the deal...I am going to give away the exciting conclusion first. I know you are dying to know...did she add this recipe to her box? Well, yes...and no. I got this recipe from the Gooseberry Patch book I used last week. This recipe is called Holiday Turkey and Dressing. Well somebody call the Vatican cause I am calling it MIRACLE turkey and dressing...here's the dish...

I gathered my supplies.

8 oz. pkg. herb-flavored stuffing mix

1/2 c. hot water

2 T. butter, melted

1 onion, chopped

1/2 c. celery, chopped

1/4 c. sweetened, dried cranberries

3-lb. boneless turkey breast

1/4 t. dried basil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

And let me just say that I nearly peed the rug when I saw my Pampered Chef chopper on Real Housewives of New Jersey last week. Teresa's juicy hubby, Joe, was chopping. I exclaimed "I have that same chopper! I'm just like Teresa!" Dr. Hubby rolled his eyes.

You combine the stuffing mix, water, butter, onion, celery, and cranberries in the slow cooker and mix well.

Sprinkle the yucky looking creepy feeling did I just have to cut this thing out of a net turkey breast with basil, salt, and pepper and place on top of the stuffing mixture. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours.

Remove turkey and slice...gently stir stuffing mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. I served it with corn and cranberry sauce {shaped like a can of course}.

Now for the miracle...

While this was cooking I managed to get our home clean. I am talking "my mom is arriving any minute" clean! Manga Dork set the table...the tv was turned off...we ALL sat down at the same time and the same table...Dr. hubby said our blessing...and we ate as a family. I could have cried. What a blessing!

The meal was ok...it wasn't the best I have ever eaten. Manga Dork said it was her least favorite of my meals so far. My MIL said it was good. My FIL said he was so proud and impressed with my efforts lately. I'm adding it to the box...but not sure I will fix it if a better recipe comes along.

Happy 36th anniversary to my MIL and FIL!

"I'm Planning A Getaway"

{Phone call}

Dr. Hubby: "Hello beautiful. How is your day going?"

Scrappy: "I'm planning a getaway."

Dr. Hubby: "Well, would you please give me a heads up before you leave me."

Scrappy: "You have 5 to 10 minutes. Then I am gone."

Yesterday {after a weekend of cleaning and several remarks that clearly show I am being taken for granted} I decided to make a getaway. I decided not to do any housework. I took A DAY OFF! What did I do? Where did I go?

To the scrappy schoolhouse of course! It felt SO good to create. Here are the results of 4 hours of beautiful wonderful flowing CREATIVITY!

I used a Creative Memories "Power Pallette" that I bought a couple years ago. Can you believe I am so behind in my scrapping that I am actually on Easter 2007! LOL. I scrap chronologically and arrange my albums that way too. It works best for my brain. It felt good to use these papers and embellishments...they have been in my stash WAY too long. The first layout was made with the Animal Crackers Stack by DCWV.

So if you are feeling burnt out...taken for granted...stressed...take a day off! The housework will be there TOMORROW! Trust me.

I am cookin' something goooooood in my crockpot again today...smells like the holidays!

These 2 Have Stole My Heart!

I have very oily skin and hair...it drives me nuts! I finally found 2 products that I am in love with and want to share with you!

Neutrogena's pink grapefruit facial scrub. It smells SO good and my skin feels much better.

And if you have the problem of oily roots and dry ends then the cleanse and mend line from Aussie is awesome! This is the best my hair has felt in a long long time.

I did not receive any free stuff for posting about these...I just wanted to share in case one of you is searching for products to help with oily skin and/or hair.

What new product(s) have you fallen in love with?

Have you used either of the above products?

I'm No Chicken!

My recipe of the week comes from this little cookbook I purchased in a gift shop several years ago. I love the look of Gooseberry Patch books...cute pictures...great tips....and a country feel. I recently read that they are doing a magazine! I can't wait to find it!

I chose Company Apricot Chicken. My side of the family are chicken eaters...Dr. Hubby and his side...not so much.

I gathered my supplies...a very short and easy list.

1 to 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz. bottle Russian salad dressing

12 oz. jar apricot preserves

Arrange chicken in a slow cooker.

This was a breeze after mixing that meatloaf with my hands last week. But I believe chicken has the creepiest feel out of the meats I have handled. No tears were shed this week. ;)

Combine salad dressing and preserves; pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.

Serve over a bed of prepared rice.

Dr. Hubby had taken the day off to attend a horse sale, but his father had all his teeth pulled for dentures and could not go with him. Dr. Hubby was home ALL day and even joined us to eat this meal. It was a real treat and blessing to be seated around our table as a family.

This is another recipe that we will add to our box. Yum!

Don't Get Jealous But...

I am cleaning MEERKAT MANOR today.

PS...I didn't forget to post the chicken recipe...I had a blonde moment and will be making it tonite.

How Do You Even Know What One Smells Like?!

I cleaned all day. Yet it seemed I was making no progress. I was frustrated. I picked up Manga Dork from the bus. I went to clean the littles' room {referred to as the ghetto} and as I was bringing some trash to the kitchen I noticed that the living room {the only room I managed to completely clean} was on the verge of being trashed. The coffee table was turned...there were toys in the floor...and they were all 3 eating chips and being messy about it. Crumbs! Everywhere! That was when it happened...

I.had.a.meltdown.

I am talking a throw myself across the bed...hyperventilating...crying loudly...calling Dr. Hubby while he is still seeing patients...kind of FIT! With a heavy dose of mindless eating following immediately.

It wasn't pretty.

I don't know what a "breakdown" feels like, but I think I may be teetering mighty close to the edge. Dr. Hubby says I am one of the most sane people he knows. Boy do I have him fooled.

And you would think that the last thing he would want to do is add to my stress. He tells me he has not called the contractors for our estimate on our remodel. I am not sure what he is waiting on, but he is doing his best to make sure everyone is already booked. Then he decides to tell me that our home smells like...

wait

for

it....

A MEERKAT HOLE.

Now I know where he is when he doesn't come home til 9 or 10.

You've Never Had It So Random {May Edition}

Yesterday I picked Manga Dork up from school and we went in town for some much needed retail therapy. We purchased an outfit for the upcoming dance this weekend...just something fun and casual. We also purchased her outfit for 8th grade graduation. The photo above is a sneek peek! We ate out at Ruby Tuesday...I love Thaiphoon shrimp! We laughed...we gossiped...we saw Old Elvis's package on main street. {Gag!} He was in his white jumpsuit holding a political sign...he bent over and you could TOTALLY see his junk. {Gag! again}

I am loving Jersey Housewives. They are SO in a different league than the other cities. I can't wait to see what happens this season!

Sophie Kinsella is writing another Shopaholic book.

Yesterday we had to take a detour around a very bad wreck. Later we found out from Dr. Hubby that the son and granddaughter of one of his patients had been killed. Hug your family tight.

Johnny Depp will soon begin filming the vampire movie "Dark Shadows."

Just picked up Debbie Macomber's new book "Hannah's List." I love her books...especially these Blossom Street series!

Tomorrow I will post this week's meal...I'm doing a chicken dish this time! I think you will want to try it too!

My self esteem has been improving lately. I think it has to do with the success of my cooking and leading our TOPS chapter. Whatever is doing it...it feels good.

What random thing is running through your head?

This Job Is Overwhelming!

It's official...I am overwhelmed {and maybe a tad premenstrual}.

My house is a mess...I can't seem to get it clean. It seems things are working against me. Dr. Hubby came home last night and said it "looked like a bomb went off." I had a plate full of scraps in my hands. It took all my strength to continue out the door to Annie Louise's dog bowl. I wanted to throw those ALL OVER THE KITCHEN...I wanted to dance in them. But I knew it would only be another mess for me to clean up. When I mentioned being overwhelmed he said that I should "get up off the couch and clean the house...that it wasn't going to clean itself." It was 10 pm and I was exhausted. I replied, "What I need is for you to shut up." He did.

This housewife business is hard. It seems that if you have kids, no matter how much you clean at the end of the day the house still looks like it did that morning! How is that possible?

I sometimes ask myself "Is this really what my life is going to be like?" If so I need to get better at it...alot better.

I need a day in the schoolhouse to scrap my stress away...but then there are dance outfits to buy, graduation dresses to buy, tball practices and games, and LAUNDRY.

And don't even ask how my diet is going.

Again?!

My Mother's Day fun began on Wednesday with a Mother's Day luncheon with Wild Child. She gave me a very beautiful flower.

Then on Thursday I was Cutie's guest at her Mother's Day luncheon. She also gave me a very beautiful flower. I can't wait to put them in my schoolhouse.

Before we left for WV on Saturday, Dr. Hubby gave me this Longaberger Mother's Day basket. My verdict on receiving the same thing as his mom {and we opened them together too} is that I didn't like it. It took some of the "specialness" out of the moment and the gift. I love my basket though!

In WV we stopped at Hobby Lobby. Let me tell ya...that store is FABULOUS! It is not just crafty stuff...it's loaded with Home Decor too! I want one of EVERYTHING! I gave my mom a gift card so she can do some retail therapy in this cool place. Manga Dork picked up these adorable items for my kitchen wall {ok, I may or may not have handed them to her}.

They are just SO adorable...and she was looking for my present!

She also picked out this embossing folder for my cuttlebug. How cute would this be for Super Bowl 2011 invites...cause you know the Saints are so awesome they are gonna do it again!

So on Sunday when I was hugging Wild Child I said, "Guess what today is!?" She said, "What?" I said, "It's Mother's Day!"

She said, "AGAIN?!" lol.

We went to church and then out to eat at Golden Corral {thought of you Kristina!}. This is a pic of FIL and MIL...BIL and SIL w/ niece and nephew, and us.

So, what tokens of LOVE were bestowed upon you? How did you spend your special day?