Lyme's Disease

Hello everyone! Didya miss me??
We've had a long ride here the past few weeks and with everything happening, Blogging and things of that matter kind of slipped to the back of my mind.

Shortly after my daughter's fourth birthday, she was diagnosed with Lyme's Disease. If you don't know what it is, you're lucky - it's an ugly disease. No way around it, if it's not treated, it is fatal. Luckily, it's very easily treatable these days. But the medicine wasn't making Magdalena any better, and she got very sick...All I could think about was that paralysis of the face and organ shutdown are some of more common things to happen as results of this disease.

So I basically stormed into her doctor's office and threw a tantrum, stamping feet and pouting, until she was retested and put on different medicines. Now, a few weeks later, while she isn't 100%, she's pretty darn close.

And it reminds me to never take anything for granted.

Hopefully I can post fairly regularly for a while. And I am certainly going to try! I think I will have a happier post up later today or tomorrow, and also a guest post on Lucy's World Trip Blog!

Organic Tomato Plants!

I was at a local farm recently, and came across fairly cheap windowsill greenhouses. Every year I have tried to grow my own tomato, pepper, and other assorted plants. Well, it's only April 20th, but already, thanks to these awesome little boxes, I have grown better plants than I ever have before. (I say this knowing the plants are currently less than three inches. That says something about my gardening skills.)
Plus, without realizing it, I purchased organic seeds. I must be the only person in the world who doesn't wonder why a packet of seeds costs over $3.00.
And on another and completely unrelated note, we are making cloud pancakes this morning! If you haven't tried these, you must!

They certainly make someone happy!
Cloud Pancakes
PS, I was going to include more photos, but Blogger kept freezing. And I am too impatient to wait.

Favorite Thing Friday

My favorite things is the fact that my best friend in the entire world (we call eachother "hetero life-mates", à la Jay and Silent Bob) was offered a full time, year round job as a nurse in the hospital on the island. Which is really hard to get. So yay.



PS - Remember my Knitted Ornaments Giveaway.

By the way - if you're a quilter, enter this giveaway!

Favorite Things Friday

I got an unexpected and very lovely day off today. As a single mother, I am very lucky. My daughter goes with her father every Sunday after church for several hours, and then one weekend a month. But today it was raining cats and dogs, and since my ex is a landscaper, he couldn’t work. Bummer for him – day off for me!
I cleaned the house, I worked on my website, I knitted. (I did not, however, actually finish anything.) Then at about two o’clock, I realized I hadn’t eaten, so I made myself a virgin Peña Colada – virgin mainly because I don’t know what kind of alcohol goes into it. And right this very second, I am sipping it.
All that, altogether, is my Favorite Thing Friday. (Well it’s still Thursday here, but hey, close enough.)

Clams Rock

I forgot how nice it is to have a boyfriend. Two nights ago, we dined on clams that he harvested and cooked for me. Then we watched South Park for several hours. Like the most perfect date ever.

Favorite Things Friday

My Favorite Thing Friday is simple - I've made a new friend. I love when that happens. And a friends who likes hanging with me AND my daughter - priceless. Oh yeah, this friend is male and cute. :p

Favorite Things Friday

Waffles!

This is my very first Favorite Things Friday. (Even though it is still Thursday here. I just couldn't wait.) My favorite thing for the week (and absolutely one of my favorite things EVAR) is (are?) Waffles!

I made some today for my daughter and I for breakfast. Nothing beats a nice warm, freshly made waffle in the morning.
I think one of the reasons I love this comfort food so much is that it takes me back to the Sunday mornings when I would wake up to the delicious smell of pancakes, and upon walking barefoot into the kitchen, would hear the wonderful sound of bacon frying. Bacon's good for you, right?
:)
Nothing like stuffing your face on the weekend. It took the thought of all my unfinished homework and the tests the next day out of my mind for a while.
Here is one of the best recipes I have ever tried:
Cinnamon-Raisin Waffles
* 1 Cup flour
* 2 TBS brown sugar, packed
* 2 TSP baking powder
* 1 1/2 TSP cinnamon
* 1 egg
* 1 cup milk
* 2 TBS oil
* 1/3 cup raisins (I prefer golden raisins)

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and oil. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture. Stir until batter is just combined. Stir in raisins.
Pour about 3/4 cup of batter onto waffle baker. Cook about five minutes or until golden brown.
(This recipe is for a Belgian waffle grid. If you have another type, you may need to use less batter per waffle.)

Anyone notice that (literally) 2/3 of my posts are about food.

Diet (un)friendly

WHY do I keep reading Bakerella?! Every time I do I come across something I want to make and then consume. Just look at those Hi Hat Cupcakes! Chocolate cake topped with chocolate-encrusted marshmallow. *Drool*.
I don't think I can stop myself from making these and then inhaling them all. I just keep thinking of all the variations I could do with these. The marshmallow could be left undipped. Candy Melts would be excellent for these tasties - imagine them topped in blue or pink or red! Or dark chocolate with red sprinkles? Or what about just making the marshmallow and dipping in chocolate, maybe with a lollipop stick?
Wow I am giving myself a hernia.
Has anyone attempted these?

I Am Addicted

World of Warcraft. If you've never played it, don't start. At least, not if you have something even close to an addictive personality. You will become obsessed. I have been playing this game off-and-on for a year or so, and at this point, if I'm not with my daughter, cleaning or with friends, I am playing this accursed game.
Sleep? When I'm (in the game) dead!
In fact, anyone wondering where the name Sqquee came from? My Enhancement Shaman's name is Sqquee. (The name is based on one of my favorite comic book characters EVAR, Squee. However, that was not available, so I improvised!) And boy, does she rock.
If I was given the option, (and Azeroth were not quite so filled with scary things) I would pack myself and my daughter up and move into Stormwind City. Where I would make my living skinning animals and enchanting armor to add extra mana and stamina. Needless to say, I live vicariously through my characters.
I mean, seriously. You're running across continents on your trained elephant or tiger, in life-or-death battles with anything wandering across your path. The never-ending battle of Alliance vs. Horde. Defending your cities when the other faction decides to strike. Levitating. Baking giant raptor egg omelets. Joining random dungeon groups with five people who could be from anywhere in the world.
What, absolutely what, is not to love about this game?