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.)