Grr!

I'm annoyed. Maybe it's my limited knowledge of all things technical (especially computers), or maybe it's that Blogger has a plan to force me to stop adding content to Zesty, but either way, I'm close to throwing in the towel again.

Why can't I get my format kinks ironed out? This design/posting process used to be quite simple, in my opinion.

So, anyone have any quick and easy "You need to do this" advice to share?

A Trial Separation

Oh, don't worry, it's nothing quite as dramatic as the title promises.

I'm just finding that this space doesn't call my name as often as it used to. I feel a bit guilty for only having newsy updates...and nothing really juicy and creative for you. So I think a little time away is just what I need. Hopefully, after my "trial separation," I'll feel a renewed spark and return with all sorts of interesting bits of my life to share.

Farewell for now.

I Got Sidetracked...

I really have been meaning to get back here and tell you about more of our favorite things. My little hopeful business venture got an unexpected endorsement this week, though.

Oh. Dear. Me.

I had hopes of starting my own day care out of our home. It was put on the back burner, though, after our propery managers failed to install the fence we were promised. So Avery and I have been content just doing as our hearts desire each day.

Until Tuesday!

I've got a little guy starting twice a week with me! It turns out, it's not what you know that gets you places -- it's WHO you know. (I know...we've all heard this before, but in this instance, it was proven to me indefinitely.) A lady who works with my mom at the clinic was looking for someone to watch her adorable nearly-one-year-old son two days a week (her mother watches said cutie the rest of the week).

So, please excuse me if I've been a bit distracted. I've been scrambling to insert all of the outlet covers and crawl around looking for other dangers to little beings.

Hopefully we'll get into a better rhythm after the holidays.

Until then,
Merry Christmas!

A few of my favorite things!

...But first!...

I had every intention of posting something wonderful this morning.  Now morning has turned into very late morning, and still I have no blog post.

I spent the last hour (and then some) trying to figure out how to add "Zesty" to that neat little photo I took yesterday, which now adorns the top title area of my blog.  Yeesh.  I think I may need to be admitted to an inpatient psychiatric ward at this point.  I'm not especially techno-savvy, but I'd like to think that I can tough my way through this sort of situation.  I've thrown in the towel, though.  (Easy to understand instructions would be greatly appreciated, but not expected!)

So just pretend my title area actually includes the title of my blog, would ya, please?  Thank you very much.

Now...on with the show.

I promised a "Favorite Things" post, and you will receive one - even if it leads to a severe mental breakdown.

We'll start with some random offerings (because, let's face it, I don't have the mental capacity to create something organized.  And truthfully, it's kind of fitting).

1. Electric Toothbrushes! Not only do they clean your teeth effectively and quickly (even if you're still half asleep), but they're fun for children! In my humble, personal opinion, they do a much better job with less objections from the younger, shorter population. Avery spotted this Spiderman toothbrush in our local WalMart and decided we weren't leaving the store without it.  (Mommy and Daddy have their own grown-up versions, as well!)

2. This perfume! Never in my life did I think I would ever own something with Paris Hilton's name on it. Never ever EVER! But I'm loving this perfume! When I shop for fragrances, I usually just stroll along the counter, picking up bottles and sniffing, only hesitating when something pleases my scent pallatte. You can't imagine my dismay when I looked at the bottom of this bottle and found You-Know-Who's name. Ach. But really, it smells divine.

3. LIP BALM! I am a hopeless addict when it comes to this stuff. (How did cavewomen manage without it? Did they wish for something refreshing to spread onto their dry, chapped lips?) This and this are my favorites. You can usually find them on my nightstand - and one in my pocket.  And at least one in my purse.  One in the car..........You get the idea.

Next we'll have some Holiday Favorites, then possibly some Avery Favorites.  Look for them as soon as my brain has healed from today's injuries (jury's still out on how long that may take).

Blah Bloggy Blog...

...or Bloggy Blog Blah. Or Blog Bloggy Blah. Or Blah Blog Bloggy.

No matter how you say it, I either A) haven't had anything to say {yeah, right!}, or B) haven't had the ambition to write. The end result, no matter which option we choose, is that I've had a cookie recipe on the top of my blog for far too long. It's been nagging at the back of my mind.

I have a post tucked up my sleeve that would highlight some of my favorite everyday items. I haven't started photographing them, however, and I'm not entirely sure what I'll include and what I won't. For example, I love my face wash...but it really isn't blog-worthy. And I really don't think you care that Matt and I decided overnight diapers would be a good idea, since our toilet-challenged two-year-old soaks regular Pampers like nobody's business.

So...someday soon, probably after Thanksgiving, I'll find the ambition to write a more interesting post. And I promise I'll try to make it more fun than Aveeno and Pampers.

Have a Happy Holiday!

Are you still there?

I know it's been a very long time, but I'm here now!

Is anyone out there?

I won't even try to give you excuses about how busy I've been, how life has been complicated, or how a two-year-old can monopolize your time like nobody's business. Really...I won't. Or at least I'll try.

I'll just post some of my best photos from the last few months and hope you'll forget the fact that I abandoned you all.

Farewell -- for the moment.

I thought I'd better post an update since I'll be taking a hiatus from blogland. In the next week, I start a new, full-time job, Avery starts daycare, and we are moving. Phew! Are you as tuckered out as I am at the prospect of all that?

Our To-Do list is quite long, and I'm not sure how big of a priority it will be to reconnect the computer. Certainly it will come after setting up beds, unpacking clothes, and making Avery's toys and coloring books available to him. After all that, I may just be too pooped out to care about the computer. Then again, maybe I'll need an escape to blogland...so I may forget about the nightmares I'll be having about unmarked boxes containing items I don't recognize.

If you don't hear from me by March, please come looking. Perhaps I've packed myself.

Excused Absence

I'd like to think that you'll pardon my absence lately. It's been an interesting few weeks, and one of these days I'll explain more thoroughly. But not today. Today is for other topics.

Topic I
We are FINALLY moving out of our apartment! Well, technically not until March 1st, but that date is quickly approaching. We (My mother, husband, Avery, and I -- I'll explain later, remember?) found a beautiful, brand new, split-level home in a 4-plex in South Fargo. I think it's classified as a townhome, but when I picture a townhome, I see a tall, three-floored structure that's crammed into a row of about 12 units. This is more like a twinhome, it just happens to be in a row of four. Maybe I shall call it our quadhome. As soon as I'm able to snap a few photos, I'll post them.

Topic II
I have a job interview on Friday! Before Matt and I were married, I was a medical receptionist. I loved it. And now that Avery is nearly two, we've decided he should be interacting with kids more. Plus, with this new home comes new expenses, and new expenses meant a headache unless we brought in some additional income. So Mama gets to go back to work full time (and hopefully as a medical receptionist again -- that's what the interview Friday is for)! And I'm happy to say I'm excited about that prospect. With the few part-time jobs I've had over the last few years, I've come to realize that there are more dead-end, mind-numbing jobs than I care to know about. Except that now I do know about them...or at least a couple of them. And I've decided: I want nothing to do with them. Or their puny paychecks.

Topic III
Avery will be two in two weeks! My baby is getting so big. And he's got more personality in his little fingers than some adults have in their entire being. Trust me on this. Or come meet him. You'll see.
On a related topic, I've got baby fever -- and I've got it bad. I told my dear, loving husband that by this time next year, we'll be working on having another. Mark my words.

What's for supper?

I'll tell you what's for supper at our house! Baked beans and cornbread. Yummy.

Pioneer Woman has an amazing recipe for this fantastically filling food (like my alliteration?). But I wasn't really in the mood to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen today. Last night I made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, country gravy, and peas...and delicious as it was, I just wasn't willing to do that many dishes again.

So today I'd like to pass on the cheater's recipe for baked beans.

Shhhh. It calls for pre-cooked, canned beans. Don't tell your professional chef friends.

Oh yeah -- it also calls for hamburger. As Jennifer stated so eloquently, "Men Like Meat."

EASY Baked Beans

2 cans Lima or Butter Beans
1 can Pork & Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1/2 lb. Hamburger
1/2 lb. Bacon
1 C. Onion, chopped
1 tsp. Dry Mustard
1 tsp. Salt
1 C. Ketchup
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
Drain lima and kidney beans. Brown hamburger, bacon, and onion and cook until nearly done. Add hamburger mixture to beans and spices. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr 20 min, covered. ***Or, if you're like me, follow all directions, then throw the entire mixture into your crock pot. Cook on low for approximately 4 hrs.***

Your carnivores won't be disappointed!

The Kodak is Kaput

Yup - that's right.

Obviously I've been talking too much lately about replacing my EasyShare. I also probably shouldn't have spoken about Avery being obsessed with the camera and seeing himself in photos.

Today, while I was working on my Libby's Pumpkin Roll in the kitchen, Avery decided to be a photographer. This wouldn't have been so bad if, upon discovery of this situation, I hadn't turned on the camera to check it, seeing a partially black screen. The remainder of the screen, I might add, is now made up of criss-crossing gray lines, a couple of red and blue streaks, and a pulsating light.

I guess we're getting that new camera sooner rather than later.

Kickin' Ass

I don't mind telling you that for the first time, I'm paying fairly close attention to a presidential election. I watched the first presidential debate and the vice-presidential debate (only missing the second and third presidential ones because I wasn't home - I caught up a little online after each).

There's just something about the way Sarah Palin spoke during the VP debate that rubbed me wrong. Yes, I had already decided I agreed more with Obama's economic plan, so I was already leaning toward that side. But why does a woman think she needs to "dumb it down" in order to appeal to the general population? Her "gosh darnit" "darn tootin'" phrases made me think we'd gone to the remotest of hills in West Virginia, found us an uneducated mama of a dozen kids, polished her up, and threw her on stage with Senator Biden. I know, I know. Maybe I'm being unfair. But what's wrong with winning over the American voters with dialogue that matches her intelligence level?

I suppose now would be the time to mention that regardless of her debate tactics, I think she could bring a number of positive things to the country. Her pregnant teenage daughter would certainly focus more attention on that particular problem. Having her as our VP would also force our nation to respect intelligent women more, as well. However, her stance on gay and lesbian unions is one I cannot get behind. All in all, it is my opinion that the negatives outweigh the positives for the McCain/Palin party.

Anyway, I came across something today that made me laugh - hysterically! As we all know, this is pretty serious campaign, "gosh darnit." Leave it to Madonna to provide us with a dose of much needed ridiculousness as we prepare to go to the polls.

Madonna vs. Sarah Palin

The Lonliness of Blogland

You know how an empty auditorium sounds when you shout out into the darkened space? It's as if your lonely voice bounces off all the walls, like they are even capable of rejecting your thoughts, and anything you whisper, shout, sing, etc. comes rushing back at you.

That's how I'm feeling about blogging right now. With the exception of my glorious Aunt Darcy, nobody seems to find it necessary to comment. So...if there's anyone out there -- COMMENT DAMN IT!

It would be even better if you'd leave your name. That way I wouldn't have to be afraid that I have some random stalker reading my posts and giving his/her two cents' worth.

~~In other news...I had my upper wisdom teeth removed on Tuesday. Alas, there is no more wisdom left in me! Because of this, I currently look as though I belong to some sort of Chipmunks gang. We'll see if I can get a minimally unflattering picture to post - I'm not making any promises though.

~~K - I found one...if you look closely, you can even see my bruise. *Sniff, sniff*