Hubby got a job and lou malnatis kicks ass

Lou Malnatis is a staple for our family.    My sis and brother in law sent 4 pies to us to congratulate hubby.  After 5 months of being laid off........... HE GOT A JOB!!!

 That's no small feat in this economy.  I'm so proud of that man I could bust.

I am also grateful because my job is coming to an end very soon. I'll have to figure out my situation, but for now, I am happy. 


Meanwhile, the pizza was so wonderful.  Thank you to Laura, Bob, and Sean.

After Mom died, I didn't believe in anything, but this truly feels like a miracle.

Some favorite things.........................

Thrifting and garage sales.  Love the hunt for a cool treasure.

The music on Mob Wives.  And the show too.  Guilty pleasure.

Culvers concrete mixers.  Specially chocolate with choc. chip cookie dough chunks in it.  Frozen custard rocks it.

Quilts.  I love em.  Wish I could make em.  I get them at thrift stores and fold them and put them on my son's bed.  So cozy.

I love me some Springstein's Glory Days or Pink Cadillac or   She's the one.  I can picture TONS of beer and an outdoor party.

Red shoes.  Sparkly ones are better.  I'd love to have some high heal Dorothy shoes from Wizard of Oz.  Who makes those?

Hazelnut and mocha in the morning coffee.  Together or seperate, these flavors add a lot of jazz to the am joe. 

Oprah.  Gotta admit, her shows were staples in the morning if I was home.  I learned about her mostly.  Her take on pedophiles, cheaters, and the like.  She has a big heart and people know that.

CATS. 

Homemade potato salad and fried chicken.  Picnics and pasta salad.

Fondues.  Creamy lovely cheesy fondue with crusty french bread dunked in it.  

Snow days.  Everyone home with endless cups of hot cocoa and soup. 

Crab cakes.  In San Francisco.  With my sis. 'Nuff said.

Macadamia nuts when you are starving.  Hoo boy.

Lady bugs, butterflies, chihauhaus when they lean into you, purring cats, and McDonalds french fries.  

Ridiculous laughter.  I'm thinkin Chris Farley, Tracey Morgan, and inside jokes with family.  

My boy's laughter.  That feels like God to me.

Sheryl Crow - Home

This song explains how I'm feeling lately about myself. Only I'm older and should have it all together.  Sadly, I don't.  I so don't.

Mother's day 2011

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!!  I'm thinking of my Mom today.  She passed away in 2009 and I loved her like crazy!!  She and I would go thrift store shopping, lunching at Marshall Fields or Nordstrom, walk around the mall with our chocolate truffle and chocolate on our faces, make fun of people, (they couldn't hear!), go for walks in the neighborhood, and talk about everything.  And this is when I was a grown up.  As a child, well, she was the Mary Tyler Moore of the neighborhood.  Everyone loved her and wanted her to be their Mom.  She played Scott Joplin with a rip roarin gusto, played Chopin, Bach, Beatles, and  Mozart. She was a ballerina on stage, and always kept her graceful physique. She painted, played guitar, made life like zombies, baked killer brownies and chocolate chip cookies.......

Most of all, I could talk to her and she would listen.  And she always made me feel better.  It's astounding how much I miss her on a daily basis.  Many people told me I would be better and move on, etc.  I'm ok, but that loss is part of me that I will always carry.  Her face would light up when she saw me.  And so would mine.  She was a helluva dame and I miss the hell out of her.  Love ya Andy!!

Ghost shows SUCK

These ghost shows rankle me.  We have watched them for years because I used to like the Roto Rooters guys and frankly, my husband likes these shows a lot.  But,  they NEVER FIND ANYTHING CREDIBLE.  EVER.  Second, they claim to be debunkers, but they get so excited whenever they see a shadow or hear a thump.   "Did you hear that??!!"   (Do you think it's the 200 year old furnace in the basement?  Just a guess.)   They remind me of drunk frat boys on the ouija board.  They are doing this for fun and excitement and it irritates me.  I can't say I disbelieve in all this.  I have used a ouija board.  I had a psychic reading too.   There are unexplainable things out there, to be sure.  But you wouldn't know it from these shitty shows.

I'd rather see the Roto Rooters guys doing plumbing.  Show me the right way to use a damn plunger maybe.  They get to travel around  the country with expensive equipment accomplishing NOTHING.  I understand these dudes have families.  If I was the wife, I would be pissed.  She's at home with the kids while these two are out there playing bugaboo with shadows.  The joke is on their wives I guess.

I lost my mom recently.  I'm not a prude or a holy roller.  Ever since she passed, these ghost shows are like a slap in the face to me.  I know, lighten up Jen.  But, I was a faithful viewer and they don't have any evidence to prove there are ghosts except shadows and goofy house sounds that are picked up on their emf detector.  I think about my mom and how close we were.  If she were a ghost she would stay silent for these goons too.

welcome to the doll house

hubby made this.

 work in progress.

Dorothy thinks it's her house.  I let her think that too.

I've been wondering how to get peace in my soul lately.  Eat chocolate?  Done that.  Pray?  done that.  Look at sea shells and smell beach air?  Haven't done that enough.  My cats bring me peace as I hold them and smell their lovely fur.  Laying with my husband and son and animals on the bed  brings joy and laughter.  Shouldn't I be a very peaceful person?   Lately, I find myself very anxious about money, financial matters,worrying about losing the house,worrying about my son, my father, you name it.  I would love to unscrew my head and put it on a shelf at those times.  But, this is life.  And I know everyone else out there has worries too.  Even the ones who seem so together and talkative.  I mean those moms who flock to the other moms when they  drop their kids off  at school.  I find myself purposely avoiding the moms because I don't like morning chatter.   They are always buzzing about their frenzied weekends with girl scout outings or trips here and there.  I guess it's the damn mother's guilt I have all the time.  I should take my son to all the Chicago museums.  I should take him to train museums and the art institute.  We have quiet weekends that are good for the boy.  Those fun  outings cost money and we are in short supply of that.  And...... the boy has sensory issues with crowds which limit our options.  So, when grandpa wants to take us to a fancy brunch for Easter, hubby and I love the yummy brunch.  But son, he is miserable, even with the game boy. He hates the fancy food.  He won't talk to anyone. Oh, the sadness to see him like that.  The guilt.

So, peace is what I seek in my soul.  Peace that I am doing enough for the boy.  For finances.  For keeping the house.  For my marriage.  I seek peace and forgiveness for myself so I will stop hurting my spirit with the guilt of the mom who wants to please.  Hurts can be healed.  And peace that is sought, will come.