Tuck that tummy.

Bob's got an appointment with the surgeon that just made my MIL into a WLS frankenstein.  He's going to discuss applying for insurance coverage to remove the abdominal pannus and fix the hernia he's sporting.

You do realize that this means he is going to owe me a tummy tuck and a set of tits?  Because, I was supposed to go first.  I guarantee that I'll get 'er done, someday.  There's a slight chance in hell that I would get insurance to cover my abdominoplasty unless the rash stays/continues and is documented, To The Max.  Not only that - I would not be cleared medically for plastics at this point in time - my anemia has to be stable and I have to be prepared to bank some blood, too.

When my MIL went for her consult, she was cleared for brachioplasty and face-lift and done within a month, but she also handed the hospital a fat check as a self-pay.  She was then told to lose twenty pounds, and they'd lop off her pannus, too.  (So, guess what she's doing now?)  I am sure once she sees the results of a lower body lift, she's going to have the legs and boobs done.  She will then be The WLS Frankenbody, no doubt.

If pain, money and holding babies were no issue - I'd have it all done too.  Goodness knows I could use it.  I don't have the money, tolerance for pain or someone to carry the baby for a few weeks, or any red blood cells, so it's going to have to wait.

So, here's my bet - with the "Power OF The Penis" - Bob will be scheduled for abdominoplasty surgery by, say, October 1st.   

As for me ( that ****er) - I will go for ANOTHER consult, will be told "there's no way we can get coverage for THAT" and be sent home to fill out paperwork to finance my T & A like a Lexus, in like, a year.

Star Jones Finally Admits She Cut Her Guts Up.

In the most recent issue of Glamour Magazine, Star Jones finally outs her WLS, which she had in August of 2003.  (Damn, woman, you've been holding out for four years?)  She had been dodging the issue, saying that she had medical intervention for her dramatic weight loss, but never outing her actual method.

I don't know where this tidbit came from, (Rosie, from someone else's article), but it's funny: 

"Pilates my butt," read a recent post about Star Jones. "That's how she said she lost 200 pounds," O'Donnell says, her voice rising. "Here's what annoys me about Star Jones. As a former fatty, she has an obligation to her tribe. And to write a book about how to be the perfect woman that she now is, and to leave out gastric bypass ..., it’s just like selling BS to the point that it's sickening." She shakes her head. "She pretends that she was never one of us. And she pushed away a plate of Oreos with Joy [Behar, co-host of The View]. They had new Double Stuf Oreos they had to eat obviously because they had a Nabisco deal at ABC, and Star goes, 'I'll just have one, because I have self-control.' And I thought, Joy's gonna say it. She’s gonna say, 'You lying sack of poop, you can only eat one because you poop soup!' Authenticity is the only thing that people want to buy. If you give them the choice between loving Star Jones lying or loving Star Jones telling the truth, they're going to love Star Jones telling the truth."

Star has got a new show on Court TV - and she's now feeling the urge to 'splain herself before people starting poking her with a stick.  Not that they hadn't already been prodding her with questions:  "Miss Jones, have you had Gastric Bypass Surgery?" 

Star never shared the truth, merely made herself look like a snot for ignoring the questions and not owning up to it.  She says that Telling The World! Now! (four years, several reconstructive surgeries LATER)gives her the control she hungered for. 

Uh-huh, sure.

In Star's own words from the Glamour article:

"Two years ago, while I was still on The View, a lady from Georgia wrote me a letter that took me to task for not “being there” for her as she faced her own health crisis. After I left The View, many women told me they felt empowered by my honesty over having been fired—but wished I was willing to be as honest about my weight loss. They were right: Gastric bypass surgery saved my life, and though I still believe wholeheartedly that health decisions are private and should remain between a doctor and his patient, keeping this decision private started to feel hypocritical and cumbersome. I couldn’t justify it any longer.

In fact, true freedom and healing started to come when I began to talk about my surgery with strangers, around the time I left The View. I talked openly to people at the airport, to my taxi driver, to women in my exercise class, even to women in the middle of Target while shopping. We talked about my gastric bypass, their lap-band surgery, my breast lift and the loose skin some of us were dealing with. At first, I was terrified someone would sell me out to the tabloids, but as I began to trust the lessons I was learning about not being able to control everything, I was able to relax. And guess what? No one ever shared my story. How ironic: I was hell-bent on keeping the specifics of my weight loss private in an effort to maintain control—yet talking about my weight loss finally gave me the control I’d hungered for."

Being on TV isn't the way to be private - I guess getting this bit out of the way before her new show starts is a good thing.

Glamour Magazine asks this, to it's readers online:  Would you ever have weight loss surgery? Would you tell anyone about it?

(I'm not answering that.  I think you know my answer.  Freaking duh.)

Good morning.

I can't get my computer to connect to the wireless network. Rawr. I'm on the MAC, and I hate it. I only use this stupid thing for YouTube, which is next to impossible now with children home all the time. So, that's why there be no new videos.

Today - I have an ultrasound to make sure my uterus isn't going to implode again this month, to see if I don't need further testing. It should basically confirm that it was the mothertrucking Seasonique BCP that caused the super fun gushing for weeks on end.

After that, I'm bringing my oldest daughter got a consult to get a re-eval done before school starts. She had a full neurobehavioral panel done at pre-K age, because She. Scared. Me. Much of her "behavior" that made us cringe is no longer, as I believe much of it is totally maturity related. But, the underlying issues are still there. At that time, she was diagnosed with a "a mood disorder, possibly early-onset bipolar disorder." At that time, we tried a few sessions with child psychs but she was just not having it. It was more frustrating than it was worth at the time. She had a quick med trial that went badly - and then we just quit all of it altogether. I always said that we'd reevaulate the situation in a few years - as she matured, and now it's time. The original doctor suggested age 8 or 9, so we're late, but she's much more likely to at least consider listening/responding at this age. (At age four, she was even testing for hearing loss, due to her lack of paying any attention/listening to us or during a lot of the testing. This girl ain't got no hearin' problem, she picks up everything.) So, anyways - yeah, we're probably looking at another similar DX, combined with some serious lack of self confidence. She's got so much of ME in her that I already know that - and so much of her Dad and his sisters lack of self-worth/confidence that I know she needs more help than I can give her. From me, it looks like pushing. She needs other people to raise her up, too. I think even if she weren't overweight, she'd be this way, but the weight makes it a million times worse, because she's aware of it.

Tonight, the boy has his second day of football practice. This child is quite possibly overwhelmed. He has never made it past the first few practices of a sport, and football is much more intense. One of his coaches is a big, huge musclehead cop. You should have seen this child hit the ground for push-ups. It's slightly comical, because he's never done this kind of activity. It's REALLY good for him, he needs it, and he needs to hang with nasty, smelly, rotten boys sometimes. He's on a older team/more experienced because he outweighs the younger team, so he might be the youngest on this group, too, but he's one of the heavlest at 95 lbs.

What else? Oh, I removed the update about the pending issues. I have to decide what's next. I've been given the option to take it to Federal or Superior Court.

Secrets?

They've been slow.  But, here's a good one.

Apparently it's rubbing off.

With my doctors visits and bills piling up, I think Bob felt a little left out, and wanted to create a few more bills of his own.  He went for a physical today - the first in (ssh, don't tell) YEARS.  Really, I think the last trip he took to the doctors office was at less than one year post-WLS.  It's not like I haven't been telling him he needed to go - but, boys are like that, 'specially the ones in my house.

So, he's going for a full fasting blood panel later this week.  His doc is making a referral for him to see a specialist regarding:

• Abdominal hernia (it hurts him),
• Low blood sugar episodes post eating (see hyper-hypoglycemia category, he was similar symptoms at times)

One visit, and he's getting referrals.  (How long did it take me to get referred anywhere?!  Yeah.  The Power Of The Penis!)

He got a RX for the skin fold rash, he's had it forever.  He also got the joy of digital colon fun, TMI?  Never.

Thank you!

I got a new glucometer and strips in the mail last week from a reader.  Thank you very much!  I'd asked for a RX from the PCP, but... you know how that is!  So, thank you thank you thank you!  I haven't looked to see where I can get refills once I figger out how to use this thingamabob.  :)

All growed up.

Tristan had her nine month well-baby check up today.  After waiting 45 minutes past our appointment time, with all the kids, we went in.  The kids were hellbent on seeing her get a shot, because at least it wasn't time for their shots.  As suspected, she's a big roly girl.  29 inches and 24 lbs.   

That's more'n a pound an inch.  Anyways - she's got an old school doctor - he's my husbands pediatrician, actually, and I like the way he does things.  He says she can start on milk once we've got her eating all table foods.  So, that is where we're heading.  Screw the bottle - I don't want to see her dragging that sorry thing around as a toddler, so it's on to cups we go.  Yay.  As for the binky (pacifier for you normal people) she only uses it randomly in the middle of the night, I think we're way less attached than my now nearly ten year old who twirled her hair and sucked that freaking binky until she was um, five.  (We threw a binky party the day we threw the binky AWAY!)  Also, a tip for you newish mothers - Do Not Ever Get The Bigger Size Pacifiers!  Just let the babe have a newborn size one until she tires of it and gives up on it.  It is so much easier to cut back on the itty bitty pacifier than it is to wean a preschooler off of a big honking NUK.  My last baby didn't use one at all - but didn't I wish she would to give me a break!?  (She was my breastfed baby - till age three.  Coincidentally weaned the comfort nursing at age three the day I had my WLS.)

Anyways - today, what's going on today?  Eh.  Stuff.

For lunch today, we had sweet potato crinkle oven fries (a review to come, they were a review food), + Morningstar Farms Spinach Artichoke Nuggets (Holy deliciousness Batman!) 

So, what have I been eating today?

• Pria Mint Chocolate Bar (110 cals)
• 2 Morningstar Farms Spinach Artichoke Nuggets, 10 sweet potato oven fries
• Sliced cucumber in apple cider vinegar, dill, sea salt and pepper.  (The girls and I polished off the bowl just now, one of my old favorites, so simple!)
• Watermelon, probably a cup or so.
• Two bites steak, about 1/2 cup rice/broccoli
• 1/2 EAS Protein Bar
• 8 Ritz Crackers, 1 oz cheddar

Dinner for the kids: Top Round Steak (probably broiled, I don't know if the grill has propane), steamed broccoli/cheesey rice.  If I mix the broccoli into the rice, the boy will at least try the rice.  He loves broccoli, but not plain rice, so mixing it up makes a "casserole" that he won't freak too much about.

Weighed-in.

A little over 166 lbs.  Yay.  That's down.  I think I was 169 167 lbs last I checked.

It's the result of not really obsessing over what I'm eating, I'd say.  I haven't written my meals down in a while.  I'm sort of just eating as necessary, and trying to make good choices.  The swooshes haven't been that bad either.  Once yesterday, in the morning - we were sitting at the table at the reunion, and I felt like I was "losing it."  I had Bob take my sugar - and it was low/normal, 80 mg, but I immediately ate a Pria 110 calorie/9 gram of sugar protein bar and I felt better soon after it starting digesting. (But, oddly enough, I feel symptoms many times at about 80 mg.)

So, what am I eating?

Today - without putting much into it - just sort of eating when I want to:

• ISS Oh Yeah Protein Wafers (110 cals)
• "Big" Bowl of homemade pea soup (freaking YUM, perfect food, really, but.... makes my 'stines ache later in the day. And, by big, that's like 1.5 cups.)
• 1/2 Tropicana Berry Smoothie mixed with 8 oz. ice and lime juice, blended (I don't know about drinking the whole Tropicana container 11 oz. because it's 22 fruit sugars, so I'm using half and making it bigger with all the ice and two packets of Splenda) (110 cals)
• Dinner will be as much of a Zucchini Boat as I can eat - probably 3/4's of one.  Dinner *was one bite of the zucchini boat, which promptly wanted to escape via the esophagus, so I started picking. RED FLAG MOMENT.  I ate five Ritz Crackahs, a half slice of cheese, and a slice of flaxseed bread with a schmmmmear of mayo, after I decided the turkey wasn't happening in the "sandwich."
• Before bed - Think Thin Protein Bar - Brownie Crunch

WFD? Not WTF.

I had four squashes (squash? squashes? squashi?) sitting here. My kids generally only like 'em grilled with olive oil, pepper and garlic.

It's pouring outside - and frankly, after yesterday - I didn't want to venture outside either. So, it's zucchini boats!  (Of course, now the sun is shining, by the time I came back to write this!)

This, is a very WLS-friendly meal. (And, cooking-deficient disorder ez.)

• Zucchini
• Marinara sauce (I made some with a few fresh tomatoes)
• Part skim ricotta cheese
• Part skim mozzarella
• Grated Parmesan cheese (Or Romano, Asiago, or use 'em all!)
• Chopped onion
• Chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• Salt, black pepper, garlic + oregano to taste

Cut zucchini lengthwise in halves. Broil till fork tender.  Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4 inch wall, chop pulp and reserve.  Mix cheeses, onion, spices and pulp, and spoon back into "boats".  Bake till browned and tender.

Variations:  Add ground turkey breast, ground chicken or turkey sweet sausage, mushrooms?

I'm trying to make it kid-friendly today, so I am keeping it way simple.

Bean eatin' grin.

Bean eatin' grin., originally uploaded by Melting Mama.

Yeah, she's got bean goop up her nose, but it was a good dinner!

Required family function photography.

Required family function photography., originally uploaded by Melting Mama.

The boy got the camera for a while yesterday - this was after many hours of very hot weather. I wanted to strip nakie and jump in the pool. But, alas the skin stops me. That's not a beer, hehehe, it's a, um, protein shake, sure.

My Juju.

My Juju., originally uploaded by Melting Mama.

Yesterday, after a long day of playing at a family reunion.

A bust and a hit.

The beans failed miserably.  Never again will I screw with four pounds of beans hoping for perfection.  What a huge waste of money.  (No, really, it was, considering the cost of pure maple syrup, etc.)  Oh well.  I did get a taste of someone elses beans - and they were pretty kick-ass. 

The macaroni and cheese was a hit.  Every bit got eaten.

Although, after the day the kids had, they could have been content with a bowl of oatmeal.

I have very many photos to go through and upload to Flickr.  So, go, sign up, be my friend there.

I think they might be a bust.

The beans won't soften.  They've been slow-cooking in the oven for hours - and they're still hard.  Taste-wise, delish, but they may end up in the trash if we can't chew 'em.  Ugh.  Apparently there a million reasons why beans don't soften - vinegar, ketchup, molasses, stale beans, not boiling enough, etc.  I followed the directions to a T and they're still not happening.  I hate that I might be wasting all this food - so if I can't get any progress in the next two hours while I'm up - I'll save what I can fit in the crockpot and hope for at least bean mush by tomorrow for just us - because I couldn't dare serve that to people.

Houston, we have a...

...rash.

It's sick, isn't it?  I've been waiting for this day for years.  I have been waiting for my saggy ass, drooping, cottage cheese less-full-of-fat-butstill-chubby skin to fold and rash for a Very Long Time.

The summer before last at this same time, Bob was out in the midwest doing a conversion for his bank - and I was out walking, moving, trying to lose the weight (I can't recall, but I think I was about 159 lbs. in summer of 2005, just after getting to my lowest of about 150ish for one day.)   My body was as small as it had ever been as an adult that summer, and my skin was just slightly less disfigured as it is now. 

I went for an abdominoplasty consultation, where I was told that I would get really good results, but... alas, insurance won't cover it if "You don't have a documented rash."  The doc sent me home with financing options and I came home and pouted, because, I'm not a car.  I can't validate financing my body.  What happens if it breaks down?!  There's no insurance to cover the loss of Beth.  (Well, there is - but... I'm sure there's an exclusion for death by tummy tuck.)

I think that was also the precipitating factor in my blogging more - I thought I could blog my way to getting the excess skin removed.  I thought I would find ways to earn the money myself, instead of taking out a line of credit.  In retrospect, it's probably a good thing that I chose not to take out that loan, because - what happened?!  I was fired from my job and I got pregnant in that same year.  Had I gone through with the surgery - I'd have split my belly open!  (Uh, can that happen?!)  I would have exploded, and would not have had any money to pay the bill for the initial procedure anyways!

So, in the realm of TMI:  I have a rash!  Well, one wee one, and another just waiting to happen.  My poor belly button has decided it doesn't so much enjoy being folded and hot.  I'm not sharing photos - so don't ask.  (If I get plastics, you better believe I'll share - I won't be pulling out the goods for such photos, but I will share the belly button.)

As for why I'm just getting rashy now?  Well - my body is more droopy this year.  Last year I was very pregnant in the summer - and there was no hanging FUPA or pannus.  (Yummy!)  The year previous to that, I was just freshly "thin" - and stuff didn't hang to my ankles as badly.  This year, I'm post-baby, a few pounds different, (168. +10 lbs than two summers ago) and everything is just a bit lower.

Beans, beans, the musical fruit + Mama's Kick ass Mac and SIX Cheeses!

We have a family reunion this weekend.  Each of us is to bring a dish for Saturday night's dinner.  I am bringing two - because one was requested and the other is a sure-fire hit for many of the picky-asses (my kids included, mostly)

Warning:  Neither recipe is really WLS friendly AT ALL.  Take what you want and leave the rest, okay, it's good eatin'.

First:

Maple Baked Beans - From FoodNation, Bobby Flay

2 pounds beans, either kidney or navy pea variety (I used four types) alt pork (I used 16) 1panish onion, sliced (I used two large onions) 1 quart Bean Goop, recipe follows (2 Quarts) Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Fill a stockpot with the beans and enough cold water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil and parboil the beans for approximately 20 minutes. Drain the water and reserve for later use. Place 4 salt pork cubes and half of the onion on the bottom of the bean pot. Fill the pot 3/4 full with beans. Add the Bean Goop. Fill the rest of the pot with the reserved water. Place the remaining cubes of salt pork and onion on top of the beans. Cover first with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 10 hours. Check beans at that time, blowing on them to see if the skin peels back. If so, they are finished. Time will vary depending on your oven and how long the beans were parboiled in the beginning. Cooking time could increase to as long as 12 hours total. Bean Goop: (Doubled all of this, for a big crowd - I also season to taste and add more as necessary - I am a rule breaker for recipe amounts.) 2 1/2 cups very hot water 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (recommended: Parker's Maple Barn Pure Maple Syrup) 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper In a large bowl or medium-size saucepan, mix the hot water with the sugars and molasses to dissolve the sugars. Then mix in all remaining ingredients. Set aside for use in the Baked Beans. Yield: about 1 quart

Next,  The Macaroni + Cheese!

This is another recipe from The Food Porn Channel - but, I modified and doubled quadrupled it.   I tasted it - and HOLY CRAP it is fanfreakingtastic.  I mean, it's always good, but this version kicks ass.

1 tablespoon salt, plus more for pasta water 1 pound large elbow macaroni (I used four lbs. of Barilla Cavatappi, cooked semi-firm) 6 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper I FORGOT TO ADD that I added two packs of pancetta, sizzled with onions and garlic, too! Modification:  I added several cheeses, quantities to equal the following times four, okay? (Beth added:  Asiago Cheese, Gorgonzola Cheese, Gruyere Cheese, Sharp Imported Swiss, Parmesan, and finally, White Cheddar) 1.5 lbs cheese shredded 2 cups bread crumbs (suggested: panko (Japanese) available at most markets) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In large pot filled with water add 3 pinches of salt and the macaroni and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and let cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Set aside. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Sprinkle flour over butter and cook 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, whisking until a roux or paste forms. Add cold milk and whisk vigorously until dissolved. Cook sauce on medium-low heat until thick and bubbly. Add heavy cream, all cheeses, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Cook until cheeses are fully melted, stirring occasionally. Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture and mix thoroughly. Place macaroni mixture in a 13 by 9 baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with fresh parsley and serve. For variations, add cooked lobster meat, truffle oil, bacon and/or garden fresh vegetables.

Sic-kah-logical.

This morning, I am heading out to pick up my car - which was in the shop being fixed.  (Leave it to Bob to give the dealership the wrong registration and have the wrong parts ordered, right?  His brain is also, going.)  Anyways - the PseeP's office calls - and asks me if I'm yet to "follow up with the testing that I had done?"  I tell her, "Yes, in fact, I've been there at least four times since?  Why?" 

Apparently, they must have gotten a copy of the test results, because I did not share it nor forward it. (I seem to remember that it was told to me that the results of such testing were "private" unless I decided to share?  Is this not common?  Is it required, to share?)  The woman asks if I have an MRI set up yet, or any other indicated tests (read back - I was diagnosed with a cognition disorder, mainly due to my lack of short-term memory and other areas that I am lacking in... like, "drawing from memory - or putting blocks in order.") 

I tell her, that no, I haven't set anything else up yet.  I tell her to go ahead and get things arranged for whatever it is I need to do now.  Frankly, I wasn't going to follow-up with the PseeP's office for this - because I'm already dealing with specialists - and will continue to do so - with these neuro issues, the endocrine stuff and whatever else pops up.

(That reminds me - the same office called yesterday - with a message:  That, "The patient" needs a 24 hour fasting blood glucose test to diagnose TRUE Hypoglycemia (because 12 hours wasn't enough - but, I don't HAVE hypoglycemia from not eating?!)  and that I should be monitoring, blah blah blah, but... whatever.  That's like so two weeks ago.  Ugh.  Those issues have been slightly less apparent lately - but as I was explaining to someone earlier, they go away when I eat "worse" or graze all freaking day long.  They hit hard when I'm eating healthy and the right way.  When I'm noshing on a bagel at 9:37pm, it's all good.)

As I sat there trying to figure out how this person knew anything of my testing, I asked her, "What tests are you looking to schedule, again?"  She says - "Well, I'm looking at your *stumbles on the words* psych-ka-ka-logical, uh, testing, and it looks like you need an MRI?"  (I tell her to go ahead and arrange for me to book one - although - didn't I just have one that I'm still paying for?!)

For once - being on the same page would be nice?

In the toilet.

That's where the pills went.

I had my weekly visit with the psychologist, and I told her of my concern with the itchies and creepy crawlies on just TWO pills of the Lam*ctal. She sent in an MD who told me "None of those for you." So, no mo Lam*ctal. I will call the psychopharmacologist tomorrow and see what's next - and what I'm to expect with it.

L-drug.

During my visit with the psychopharmacologist yesterday, she also suggested Lam*ctal. Apparently it's the first line of defense for my type of issue. I didn't want it - but I asked her several times if the side-effect profile was at all that common - and would I notice anything, if anything right away regarding the side effects. She basically said that it's relatively harmless, and most people don't have any reaction.

I left with a five week trial pack, and a return visit to her in 2-3 weeks. So, two tiny 25 mg. pills later, I'm hoping to not have any side-effects, because the listed effects are all things I Don't Want To Deal With. Blurred vision, clumsiness, rash, among others. The rash is apparently the biggest side effect.

Let me tell you something, possibly totally coincidentally (because I am frequently moody) - but - three times last night, Bob asked "WTF is wrong with you? Are those pills already messing with you?" I was a rotten bitch, very very sleepy, and fell asleep sitting up in a chair waiting to read his research paper at 8pm. It must have been more intense than usual, because he doesn't normally say anything.

I was NOT able to sleep soundly, (not normal for me unless my sugar drops in the middle of the night), and I had the sensation I wanted to "crawl out of my own skin." I normally pass out and sleep, hard, until pain or sugar wakes me. (Again, could be totally coincidental.)

Coincidentally, also, I'm ****ing itchy.

The rash is most common between 2-8 weeks of treatment, how the hell can I be itching at this baby-dose?

I was ignoring it - but - now I've scratched my elbows, chest, knuckle and scalp. I never "itch." If I get any type of visible hive-y spots, I'll note it. I haven't looked yet, save for one raised bump on my elbow which is itchy, red and I can feel it.

Does it not figure that I would be hyper-sensitive to this poop?

Wassup?

I just posted this as a reply to a post - I figured I'd copy + paste it. I have an update to post, too... but there's baby poop issues here. Hold please.

Today - notsomuch. I have an appointment later. Four weeks till school starts. The kids need it. We're booooooooooooooored. Last summer they did some camp - but I had a paycheck coming in, also... this year no pay/no camp.

Um. I have a batch of oatmeal cookie dough in the fridge that I made wrong - I added "quick oats" from the canister instead of straight long-cooking rolled oats, and they made cakey-bar cookies. Ah well, the kids liked it, they called it "banana bread without the banana." So, I have to bake the rest at some point. (Should I mention I don't like the taste, so that is a good thing, I won't pick at it.)

I think I'm going to throw some chicken in the crockpot with my homemade tomato sauce for some cacciatore for supper. How exciting.

My car is in the shop getting new hubcaps (they were stolen, story at the blog), and a new mirror (which I broke, again, story at the blog), so I'm carless right at the moment. I forget how stir-crazy that makes one feel, even if we don't have to go anywhere - I like to know the option is there!