Morning blog land, how are you today?
I have been away and I wish I could say that I was doing something extremely important but no.
The weather is looking nice for the day and it shows to be promising throughout the week.
Been looking at the increasing daylight and really do not need the Farmer's Almanac to tell me as the birds outside my window are doing a great job.
Heath is home today from work even though there is plenty to do right in this area and from the looks of things it will only be getting busier but WE needed a day off.
We are thinking of packing some lunches and going for a walk with the kids the fresh air does them good including poor Shane who has not seen too much of the outside world due to the winter months.
While we go for the walk here are some interesting things I found while surfing the web today.
I wonder sometimes if it is all really news but then I remind myself it ended up on my blog so it HAS to be!

Really? Do we care?

Now this says a bit about a person's loyalty.

How do you know when it is the best day to do something? Ask the stars!

Been too long

I have been absent and while I wish I could say I was doing something really important but I was not.
I will hopefully breath some life back into my blog and think of something witty to write about.
Eh...maybe tomorrow.
Today I think I will keep it simple.
The kids have been home over the last week and have been bored out of their minds...seems staying home everyday in the rain is not fun! They have had a few days to play outside with the weather improving enough to get my side and back yard raked and cleaned of winter poo and trash. Looks like now just in time for the rain but I suspect when it finally stops and the sun comes out we will have a full green lawn. There are patches of green grass already but for the most part my lawn is still brown and ugly.
I have been spending the time indoors learning how to sew and it is much harder than I thought but very full filling. I have bought one used sewing machine for $20 from Craigslist then found another a few days later for free and they came with everything one would need to start! They are both older machines but the older FREE one works the best and I prefer it over the newer one. I found a lady on craigslist that was giving away free fabric and I snagged it thinking i would get maybe a few good scraps only to find yards of fleece in many colors!
I made several sleepers for Shane, a couple of blankets, a bath robe set for a friends little boy and cloth diapers. I am also working on making a few dresses and have bought some cute material for Heather who would have thought I would have to wait over eleven years for my girl to wear dresses?
Heath is back at work full swing and we have all been adjusting after a very lazy winter. He has been working mostly in Nebraska but that will change as the fields every where start to thaw.
He has found two more deer antler in Kansas to add to his "shed" collection. They were found in two different spots but they are so similar in size that they could have been from the same deer!
The kids now have them in their rooms next to their beds.
Well I am going to bed and I will try to write in the morning!

A renewal of vows

This year marks Heath's and my tenth anniversary well actually November 27 of last year but still we have not reached eleven yet!
Heath and I have always talked about renewing our vows but never really put a specific time frame on it until now.
We are planning on doing a simple ceremony to mark the ten years of our marriage and then follow that ceremony with a reception in the HITW, inviting close friends and family.
We are thinking July 17th as that is one of the only weekend that does not have birthday, anniversary or baby due!
Let me know what you guys think!

Its beginning to look a lot like spring...

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Springtime

(Sang to the tune its beginning to look a lot like Christmas)

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime
Ev'rywhere you go
Look in the back yard and then its covered with poop again
with little piles and puddles in a row!

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime
Flowers in every store
The prettiest thing to see is the green grass that will be
Right out your own front door!

A pair of red rubber boots with and pot holes on your commute
Its the complaint of John and Jane
Melting snow brings squalls and dripping basement walls
Sump pumps are sold out or rented
And the kids can hardly wait for school time to come to and end!

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime
Ev'rywhere you go
There's piles of snow in the yard one in the front as well
Soon there will be flowers that need to grow

Its beginning to look a lot like springtime
Soon the birds will start
The thing that will make them sing is the bird seed that you bring
Spring is in your heart!
Enjoy!

That's what little kids do...

Just another rainty day...

Another rainy start to my day here in Lincoln Ne and I am left wondering what will I do?
Maybe I could learn to make cheese but I am hearing the main ingredient in the recipe I found can be considered a "bio hazardous" substance and if used as a weapon, I could be charged with a felony.
Does that mean I am a loaded and deadly weapon?
I gave up on the cheese idea to read some news and found out the Cory Haim died of a suspected drug overdose which marks the end of a life of another child star.
I think I will put on some music, watch the rain come down and drink my coffee.
What shall I use for creamer?

Key, Like Kilo

What a character.
The first time I met Key he was wearing only a bath rob that read Huge Heffner over the left breast pocket. This is not too abnormal except he was standing in the middle of the Tackle Shop.
There would be many stories told when he would randomly show up dogs in tow.
You knew Key was in town when you could hear his diesel engine rev or the tap tap of him shooting at nothing on his property.
He was a nice enough guy even if he was a bit rough around the edges.
I remember a particular story that still brings a smile to my face.
One day while I was working at Ulmer's Key, Tom and few other guys came filing through the check out. They were very excited as they were going on a fishing trip to the Kvichak River. The place rang a bell as Heath had talked about it before. I chatted with the guys as I rang them up and bagged their purchases, teasing Tom and Key, telling them to not tell my husband as he would be jealous they were going.
A little while later I got a call from Tom telling me they had an extra seat if Heath wanted to go but they were leaving in an hour.
At the time Heath had no cell phone so I had to drive all the way home pick him up and have him back in Anchor Point in less than an hour. Needless to say he made it.
I can still remember my husband's face as I told him that they wanted him to go and it is still a trip my husband talks about often and we still don't know how a seat suddenly opened but Heath was thankful regardless!
The stories Key told were some of the most interesting stories I have ever heard and yes some were a bit disturbing but you could never really know if they were true or not.
One such story he told was of his original reason for coming to Alaska many years back and until we saw the framed and signed mugshot of Steve McQueen, we thought it was another tall tale. There in that picture frame was Steve McQueen and it was your typical mug shot but it meant something more than that to me. It brought up the possibility that some of his stories were true even if they were a bit far fetched.
Last night while Heath was looking on information on Key's property he came across an article about Key and while it was short it added more to the mysterious guy in his bath robe who enjoyed his guns.

More Earthquakes...

Another earthquake hits, this time in Turkey
and it leaves one wondering:
Are earthquakes really on the increase?

Some are quoting scripture,
and some are talking end of days
I think I will go buy flea collars, its getting warm out there!
now all I need are some rays!

*in case you are wondering what "divers places" means, I looked it up.

Also I referenced a site above IMDb and I have to give a bit of a nod. If you have not already found this site I suggest a look through. Heath and I are movie buffs, (I feel comfortable saying that) and one of our favorite games is "guess that actor/what other movies have they been in" and now even our kids play it. This site is fun and has solved many a debate I use it almost everyday!
Enjoy!

National Pig Day



Pork and Sweet Potato Wrapped in Bacon (My own recipe!)
Side Dish: Skewered Bacon Wrapped Halibut
Side Dish: Sauteed Asparagus



In honor of national pig day, even if I am 6 days off, I decided to make a dish that would help celebrate the March first holiday.

Here is the recipe and instructions. Be for warned there are probably easier ways to make this dish but it would not taste any better or be as much fun! Also it is not for anyone on a diet or a vegetarian!

First you start with THICK (1"-1 1/2in) boneless pork chops. Slice the pork chops in thin slices, making one slice per each serving you would like. I will not begin to give you exact measurements as there are none. I used two pork chops and made more than enough for my family of four (that eat big people food anyways)!

Once you have the pork chops sliced you trim the fat off the pork chops and save scraps. Place sliced meat on plate and place in fridge.

Mean while peel three or so sweet potatoes, again I used three and had just enough but you may want to bake some for a side dish although we used asparagus.
Once you have them peeled chop in thin slices. At this same time get a yellow onion and chop it into large pieces.
Heat a large sauce pan up with 6-7 pieces of bacon folded in half and chopped in one inch sections. Place entire onion in pan and slowly saute adding spices or your choice. I left mine plain and just added salt and pepper. Once you have the onions and the bacon cooked add the chopped up sweet potato and about 1/4th cup butter. Let vegetables and bacon saute slowly till sweet potato are soft but not burnt.

While that's sauteing pull out about a pound of halibut and chop into approximately inch sections. Cut one piece of bacon in half and wrap one piece of halibut sliding a skewer through it. Add other vegetables of your choice I just used onions to keep it simple. I used about 4-5 pieces which made about one serving.
Place in fridge.

Now that your vegetables are done they must cool off but you do not want to loose the bacon grease. Place strainer on a plate and let vegetables drip for about an hour. Works also because the vegetables and bacon need to cook down for you to handle them.

Once they are cooled down get out the rest of your bacon (I was already into the second pound of regular sliced bacon at this step)!
Lay a full bacon strip in the cutting board and place one slice of your pork chop at one end, place vegetables and bacon in pork chop wrap bacon to lock in veggies. Place carefully on broiler pan. Bake at 350 degrees till pork is cooked through.
*After eating the dish popular opinion was that the bacon around the pork could have been a bit more crisp. I recommend maybe lightly browning carefully on the sides an top as best you can. I did not use the broiler for this step, though I know I should have. The grease was thick and the meat was almost drowning in it!*

Take skewered halibut and saute in the bacon/sweet potato/onion grease till both sides are crispy then place on the broiler pan with the pieces of pork. I dusted my skewer with paprika for color and salt and pepper and it was perfect. Make sure that halibut is still moist but flaky and make sure bacon is cooked. I think mine took about 15 minutes on the broiler pan at 350 degrees.

While those are baking pull out your asparagus and then saute slowly in the left over grease, I added more onions.

By the time the vegetables are cook to taste (we like our firmish on the outside but soft on the inside) your food should all be done. I served as is with no sauce.
The pork came out juicy (not sure if it was the grease that pooled around the pork itself) and the sweet potatoes were the perfect veggie.
This was extremely rich dish and while it was in honor of celebrating the pig I think Igained a few pounds from this dish!

If you try it before summer let me know what you think but I do plan on making it this summer. The halibut skewers will work well on our fire pit and the wrapped pork, well it just good!
Enjoy!

Junior High Already?

Heather and I went last night to the first of Heather's five orientations she will have before starting school on August 15th. Driving up to the school I noted that it did (thank goodness) have a parking lot, unfortunately I was still unable to find parking. That was amazing because it was just the 6th graders there and there are two other classes. Walking into the school it was hard to not be impressed by the schools brick exterior which it turns out has not been altered since it was built 83 years ago!
We were seated in the auditorium that features a balcony and the best acoustics I have ever heard without a microphone. The chairs were the old folding wood kind with wrought iron bases and their condition amazed me as they looked like they were installed yesterday.
The hour presentation was informative giving us the basics of the life of the average 6th grader at Irving. Heather is projected to attend school next year with an approximate head count of 850 students, with her class reaching 300. Irving is capable of holding 935 students without adding any additional buildings and has held as many as 1100 kids during one school year.
The school boasts three fully equipped computer labs with two newly added mobile labs with 60 lap tops. Each grade will be taught a language, though I am not sure if they learn one language a year or if they stick with one language through out their time there.

Heather is excited to start and even impressed she will get her own locker!
The only thing is the start date for school has caused a bit with our travel plans to the Alaska this summer.

Pine Needle Bear



This was sent to me in an email and while I rarely forward things every once in awhile something more than a perverted joke or spam comes through that I feel is note worthy.
Today it was this bear. He is made from pine needles that a man collected, washed and trimmed then meticulously glued together to form this bear. From what I read it took the man 8 months to do this bear.
The detail is just beautiful!
I wonder if I could ask him to make a moose?

Night Terrors and Night Hags


We always knew Hunter moved around in his sleep moving from one spot in the house to the next in a sleepy stupor. At first we thought he was waking up and looking for a more comfortable spot (he likes heater vents) but we soon began to realize he was not awake after a few incidents where he wakes up and does not remember. Stan can even attest to Hunter's nightly wanderings after an incident that occurred when they were staying here with us.
A month or so ago we moved Heather out of Hunter's room so she could have her own space and he his. That very night Hunter came out of his room in a panic and very upset claiming "something" held him down in his bed. He claimed that he could not scream for help or move and that "it" was sitting on top of him. He was so panicked I knew what ever happened it scared the heck out of him. What do you tell your child when they come to you with this? The old "you had a nightmare" just doesn't cut it but what else can you say? To him it was the most frightening thing ever and he was scared to sleep.
We decided he could sleep on Heather's floor till he was more comfortable sleeping in his room alone and maybe he just needed to get used to the arrangement.
I once again went to my trusted search engine and Googled Hunter's experience totally expecting to find information on poltergeists and demons and such only to find sleeping disorders as the number one cause of scenarios like the one Hunter had.
Turns out it is a common occurrence for people who sleep walk and they even have a term for it, Night hags or Night terrors.
I guess as a sleep walker they have the ability to wake up their mind before their body wakes up and therefor there mind is working but their bodies are not so a feeling of being held down and not being able to talk lead to panic and a feeling of something evil holding them down. A lot of people can mistake these episodes as demonic or evil manifestations but it is only the subconscious conjuring up an image to match the panic the person is feeling.

I am not sure what we have to do for this but what I found stress is the key and not being overly tired. I will be looking into more information and trying to figure out how to help him sleep better. We have moved him into his room and bought him a lamp that he keeps on at all times and when he roams around we always find him in the the light cast off by the lamps in the house sleeping soundly. We have not had another episode although I still find him wandering around the house in the middle of the night.