Testing...1...2

Woo Hoo! I get my car back tomorrow and I can't be more excited. It's funny how, when you go out to buy a car, you think, "Now I don't really need all those silly extras they want to add to jack up the price of the car, do I?" But then you somehow end up driving that very car off the lot when it's all said and done. Yep, that would be me.

Okay, so why is my "bells n' whistles" car gone you ask? It's part of an emissions test that VW is doing on cars that have been used by the average driver (I fooled them). They take my car, give me a loaner full of gas, then when my cars returned, it will have a full tank of gas, a new bath and a $250 check sitting in it for me!

I thought this was a great way to get some extra cash, being as I am unemployed and all. So the loaner came, and you'd think it would be a top of the line model so I'd want to run out to my nearest dealership & trade my car in for the latest & greatest bells and whistles. But ah, this is where VW missed the boat (I should probably let them know...maybe I could benefit from such news). Anyhow, it's a bottom of the line model of my car, and it has taught me that I do indeed use all those things I thought I didn't have a need for when I purchased the car. (Oh, and did I mention it reeks of cigarettes?)

So in all due honesty, this 2 week test was okay for the perks, but I can't wait to get in MY car, sit on my leather seats, dock my IPod, turn up my quality sound system, roll back my sunroof and turn my butt warmers on (I wonder if I can run the AC while they're on...I'll let you know).

He Did It!

After countless nights of filling out 10 page applications and tireless hours on the roads driving to city after city to tell them why he would love to live in their town and serve their community, Stephen has finally landed his dream of becoming a Firefighter. And you know what? I wouldn't trade one hour of the time it took. The process has sent us both into tale spins of insanity at times, forcing us to postpone flights, cancel events, call in sick to work...need I go on? But without such dedication, I wonder if the prize at the end would have been nearly as exciting? Doubtful.
So today (a bit late...he actually graduated his academy, yes another one, on June 27th) I announce to you that Stephen is an official Firefighter for the City of Downey. I don't expect things to get easier any time soon (he's a Rookie for the next 18 months...and we all know what that means), but it sure is nice to celebrate his achievement.
The pictures are from Stephen's graduation from the Downey Fire Academy (or "Tower" as they call it). In the second picture, Stephen is the middle guy. And yes, there is a car flipped over in the foreground, which they used when demonstrating their skills with the "jaws of life" tools. My all time favorite moment though, had to be when they took each of the guys academy tee shirts, laid them across a gas line and lit them on fire. Hallelujah...those stinky disgusting stained shirts are history and it's time to put on the official Firefighter uniform!!!

Sorry Charlie! Tuna Statue Filleted.

In honor of the most hilarious story of the week, I bring you my...

Tuna Casserole Recipe!!!
(a.k.a. heart-attack in a bowl)

Cooked Large Egg Noodles
A Large Can of Tuna
A Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
A Tub of Sour Cream
A Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
(or milk or half & half...basically any dairy product...but the fatter the better)
Salt & Pepper
A TON of Cheddar Cheese
A TON of Jack CheeseHalf a Bag of the Greasiest Potatoe Chips You Can Find (Lays Rock)

Combine the noodles, tuna, mush soup, sour cream, whipping cream, salt and pepper in a giant casserole dish. Pile both cheeses (is that a word?) on top. Then smash up the potatoe chips and pile those on top of the cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 30 minutes, but if you forget about it and it ends up in the oven forever, no worries. It's fine. And the best part...it also makes great leftovers (though if you're planning to bring it to the office, I'm warning you now, it's not a pleasant smell!)

Enjoy!

Spell "Alyssa"...Um, how 'bout YOU spell it

So many have asked how my niece is doing, so I figured I'd let you all know. She's nuts, completely nuts! She's 5 now, or at least that's what she'll have you believing (3 1/2 if you go by her actual birthday). Her demands are simple...a short sugar-free vanilla soy steamer from S'bucks and Noggin in the morning, followed by a constant flow of food every half hour after that. The child can put it down! If you ask her where she got her body, she'll tell you, "I got it from my momma...I got it from my momma!" Oh, and she has mastered the art of convincing anyone, and I mean anyone, to give her whatever she wants. Anyone except me, which is hilarious because if I'm around, she's always looking out the corner of her eye towards me to make sure I'm not watching her finagle a cupcake outta some poor unsuspecting new friends hands. All in all, she's nuts!

What have I done?

I know, lots of dog posts lately. Sorry, but it's consuming my life and so we all have to deal with it together...now heal, er, I mean walk with me.

Kirk has officially made our home his and let me tell you it is a LOT of work. I know, you're all thinking, "What in the world did you get a new dog for? You already have two." Well, the deal was, when Stephen got hired on to the Fire Department, we would get a home protection dog for me. Welcome Kirk. And that verse about asking and receiving...I got what I asked for and then some. Kirk insists on circling me wherever I go and is quite possesive of me. Poor Stephen has to call before he comes home so I can hold Kirk back from mauling him. The goofball of a dog doesn't realize his own strength.

We got Kirk from Orange County German Shepherd Rescue, but he originates from a breeder who breeds top of the line "working dogs." His prior owner purchased him, but then realized they couldn't handle the training it takes to make him a really good dog. Enter me...I start training with Kirk tonight. Wish me luck!

We were APPROVED!!!

Meet Kirk, our newest dog. We don't actually have him in our backyard yet, but he should join us in the next day or two. I'm so antsy to get him home, but the agency he comes from does a thorough inspection and background on the potential owners prior to releasing the dog. I think it's a great approach, but now that we've been approved, we have to work out who's available and when to go get him (he's 2 hours away and there are 3 parties involved). Argghh...I want my dog already!!!

Hmmmmm....

.....it's late and I'm forced to stay up till the washer is done so I can throw the all important outfit that is so desperatly needed at 5:00am in the dryer....

...what better time to polish off the tiramisu?

Did you fart?

Why in the world do I bother to ask this question? I live with three boys (two of which are four-legged and furry). You'd think I'd know the answer by now, which always comes in the form of an attempt at comedy. The smell alone is the answer.

But on a serious note, I need help. I know there is something you can give dogs to alleviate said issue, but I can't remember what it is. If I call my vet, he will tell me to bring the dogs in, as "this could be a sign of bigger issues within their digestive track." Interpretation: A $200 vet visit (yes, that's WITH pet insurance) to tell me I need to brush their teeth more often, clean their ears better, one or the other has skin issues and we should comb this $20 bottle of magic potion through their coat daily, they are either overfed or underfed (can we ever get that one right?) and, oh, by the way...about the stomach issue. I think they just have gas.

Well thank you very much Mr. Veterinarian, you've been a great help.

And on a lighter note...

…the new banner pic is of Churchill Downs during Derby week. Isn’t it glamorous?

I’ll post more pics of our trip to Kentucky soon (as in, when I get motivated to plug that cord I can never find into the computer and download the 9 million pictures, sort through them and crop and enhance them so they look halfway decent.)

All You Need Is Love...Love Is All You Need

In response to this…

My ex-boyfriend once told me that Mother Theresa was not in Heaven. I disagreed with him, but given how I translated the Bible, he was correct. You see, Mother Theresa believed that because she was baptized, she would go to Heaven. I believed that you must publicly announce that Jesus is your Lord. Did Mother Theresa publicly announce that Jesus was her Lord? Of course she did. And I was baptized. But neither was done in order to earn our way to Heaven. Both actions were done in obedience to the Lord after already having earned our respective “tickets through the gates”.

Why do I point this out? Because I have learned through much studying that my way is not the only way. If I know all the answers to Christianity and self-appoint myself as such, then aren’t I playing God, rather than simply doing as God has asked of me? This point was brought to my attention in the book “A New Earth.” The author uses quotes from different doctrine, including the Bible, and never once says anything negative about any of the respective religions. He simply explains how to apply this sense of “being” to your particular religion in order to fully grasp what God wants for you. In order to allow for peoples faults and love them in spite of them. Isn’t this the main point Jesus tries to drive home over and over and over in the Bible, to put ourselves aside and simply love?

Just recently there was uproar in our church over infidelity and people were quick to forget that we are instructed to be Christ-like, which is, to mirror Jesus, and instead chose sides and forgot to love the perpetrator. This book gave me the tools to remember what I believe and who I truly am in order to allow for faults and love both sides. Did the book offend me because there was Hindu and Buddhist doctrine in it? No. What it did was teach me that I am not God and I am not in control of the situation. I must simply “be in the moment” and do as God has asked of me, which is to love.

I read a book a while back that opened my eyes to the fact that it sometimes takes tools from other religions to reach a closer relationship to who I believe is God. The book was called “Eat Pray Love.” In it, the woman goes off to India to study in an Ashram. She learns the Hindu art of meditation, which in turn allows her to simply “be.” During her time at the Ashram she is forced to be silent for a large part of each day. She is a very social being and silent meditation proves difficult for her. When she finally learns to simply “be,” she has the most awe-inspiring moment with God.

In our Christian religion, we are told to pray. This should be easy enough, but being the busy 21st century beings we are, our phones start ringing, our Blackberries flash that red light that begs for a response, the alarm screams at us to pick up the kids. We, for the most part, do not know how to stay still. The Hindu religion teaches the art of staying still. It’s called meditation and it could really be beneficial for us Christians to learn.

So do I shun the Hindus because they are not Christians, or do I learn from them and love them, though I may not agree with who they worship as god? Doesn’t Jesus want me to love them in spite of what I may see as their faults, as they were created in His image? That is what Mother Theresa did. She lived for many years in India and loved every single one of the people there, regardless of their religion. I will strive to not play God and just simply “be in the moment” and love.

And as for Oprah, as a self-professed Christian, wouldn’t she be considered a good model for Christianity in her sincerity towards all beings? And if, by chance she should slip up, do we allow for her faults, or do we hang her out to dry? I believe we should do as Jesus instructs us to and love her too.

It's Not My Fault!

So I was running errands today (because that's my new job title) and I was sent to the city of Commerce. I whined because, though I didn't know exactly where it was, I knew it had to be one of those really ugly cities that's hideousness could only be increased by the 100 degree weather. But could I really say no to the guy that's filling up my gas tank and giving me an allowance every week? So off I went.

And low and behold, my errand took me directly across the street from the Citadel Outlets. The very place I see when flying down the I5, but forget all about two minutes after I pass. I was practically there, so I might as well check it out, right? Now I know I'm currently unemployed and should stay far away from such places, but it doesn't hurt to look, right? And if I happen upon a fun yellow silk sundress that was originally $148 and is marked down to $36, do you really think I should pass it up? I didn't think so. And after all, I was SENT to Commerce...I didn't WANT to go.

You've Gotta Pay to Play

And boy did I...OUCH! This serves as a warning to all you "adults" who still act like children. When playing on inflatable slides, mazes, or whatever new form of bounce-house extravaganza they come up with, be sure to cover all limbs with clothing. We "adults" are just too heavy to slide our bare skin down vinyl at record-breaking speeds.

Is today Saturday?

I think so. But then I guess it really doesn't matter when you're laid off. Every day is SATURDAY!!!

At some point I do need to find out if today truly is Saturday though, as I have a bounce-house birthday party to attend on Sunday. Bring out the tube socks...adults are aloud to play!

I wish I were a kid again.

Seriously? That's what someone said today.

For dinner tonight, I took a bowl of leftover spaghetti, strung string cheese all over the top and threw it in the microwave. While I waited, I ate a poptart. Afterwards, I made myself some hot cocoa with LOTS of whipped cream. For dessert I grabbed some blueberries, took a swig outta the milk carton and grabbed a handful of thin mints out of the freezer.

I can't ever recall a time, as a child, I would have been allowed to eat such things for dinner. I think I'm fine with adulthood.

I Can't Handle the Truth!

I’ve been teased...er, I mean asked whether I’ll be posting a blog since I just returned from India for the second time and, being creatures of habit, it appears this is an expectation from my audience. To tell you the truth, I’m really not in the mood just yet. India messed with my head in a whole new way and has forced me to question quite a lot. So far, the answers are nowhere to be found, but I promise you when they do appear, I will share.

Until then, I will follow in the footsteps of a friend and leave you with light-hearted quotes and lessons from India…enjoy.

Quotes…
…Can I wear my Lungi on the plane?
…You WANT your coffee!
…Ees Okaay
…Who has the red ball?
…Jon, dude, I need 50 Rupees.
…Knock…Knock…Knock
…Let’s go on a trip….first we’ll go through Boston, then to Miami
…Please come
…Jon, can I borrow 100 Rupees?
…Tug…Tug…Tug
…TEEEAM!!!
…Can I bring a Nicaraguan?
…Thump…Thump…Thump
…Hey Jon, you got 80 Rupees?
…I’m keepin’ it solid
…Can you get out of it?
…HELLO!
…Seriously, I’m living in this when we get home.
…You used the bucket for what?!?

Light-Hearted Lessons…
…Moo Moos rock!!!
…Bridgete has magic hands.
...Stopping to smell the flowers is not always a good idea.
…Everyone poops (hopefully).
…Valerie will always win at Yahtzee.
…You can survive on hard-boiled eggs and bananas alone.
…Lizards are your friend.
...Advil Cold and Sinus cures everything.