Our (Overly) Friendly Neighborhood Walmart

I went to Walmart today-- the Cashier was really nice, almost too nice, she commented on everything I bought. As I walked off I was thinking--- man it sure is a good thing I didn't buy anything personal, I mean what would she have done? Commented on everything but that one item and then we would have had that awkward silence, or would she have commented on the personal goods too.

I mean what if I had to pick up immodium, or preperation H, or new undies, or what if I would have had to buy all three-- would she have said- Honey I guess you are having a bad day-- Just glad it was not one of those days, my modesty could not have taken it...

Good ol' home cooking

What is it about fall weather that gets you in the mood for warm comfort foods? I have wanted something with gravy all week, I finally treated myself today.

Not only was it a comfort food-- I made one of my mom's specialties -- and one of my favorites from growing up--she cooked it for me every time I came home from college (yes a little spoiled). So what was on my menu tonight? A roast with gravy. I use to think that mom slaved over the stove for hours to make this wonderful meal, I now find that with a crock pot and a couple of ingredients it is easy easy-- it is the sides that had me slaving.

So I know I have everyone on the edge of their seats for the recipe huh--well it is a family secret --not really-- Just put a sirloin tip roast in your crock pot, and cover it with french onion soup, and beef consume. Normally I use about two cans of each and then top it off with water until the roast is completely covered. Once covered I leave it in the crock pot all day-- I had it on 8 hours low today and it came out just fine. The only problem is for about the last hour or so you get really hungry if you are home, because it makes your whole house smell really yummy.

You can get as fancy as you want with sides, but I think you have to have mashed potatoes--- that is a must--and real ones not spuds-- tonight I made mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, corn on the cob and biscuits-- and that is probably the most I will cook for the next month :).

So if anyone else is like me and is in the mood for a little warm comfort food, try this Murchison Family treat-- it is sure to make your belly say umm umm good.

Fun Times, Fun Times...

For the last several weekends, we have been busy hosting our friends and family for fun little cookouts, and every weekend we have brought out the Perler beads, or what we call "Melty Beads" (we can't take credit for that name, that is what Payten calls them from afterschool)

Either way, call them what you want--- I recommend melty beads to all moms. It is great entertainment for kids, and adults too, it is kinda like cross stitching of my time.

The kids can be as creative as they'd like with their own made up designs or they can get books with different ideas. You can check this out at http://www.perlerbeads.com/, but they are easily purchased at Michaels, Walmart etc. etc.

I just thought I would give this great little thing a plug, and help all of you moms out that may be looking for creative Kiddo entertainment.

My future ..As told by the cookie...

I went to a wedding today. At the reception the couple had tables set up of memories and pictures, and on one of the tables they had a picture frame and inside of it was two (fortune cookie) fortunes from their first date. Both of their fortunes related to a new relationship, that would be permanent.. and there they were today getting married.

I thought it was really cute---do you believe in fortunes???? I had Chinese tonight (not because of the wedding fortunes... I promise...just in the mood for it), anyway, my fortune from my cookie tonight says "You will obtain your goal, if you maintain your course". A couple of weeks ago, I had Chinese, I kept my fortune, and it reads "Use your abilities at this time to stay focused on your goal, You will succeed."

Oddly enough I have put a lot of thought lately into my future goals... I will hold on to these, maybe one day I will have a reason to frame them too.......

My future aspirations

For those of you that know me fairly well-- you may have at one point heard me say that when I get old, I will one day collect shirts with funny sayings, like the little old men that collect hats with funny sayings, and I will wear a different funny shirt every day.

Since I am not old enough to do that today and it be socially acceptable, I guess I will just have to take it out on my kids.

But look how proud he is to wear it.......

Bathroom Pet Peeves

I received an email today with a few cartoons about typical coworkers-- I could relate to all of the cartoons, but the one attached, unfortunately I relate to way more than the others. Yep those are my feet in that stall-- no not my pointy shoes, would never wear those, but being in the profession I am in-- I do tend to attract those people that want to follow me to the bathroom talking-- they don't really peek under the stall--- that is creepy, but they do follow me in and talk through my entire bathroom break-- and it is a bit annoying, and reminded me of some of my other Bathroom Pet Peeves..........

1. The Cell Phone Talker--okay there are only a couple of friends that I feel comfortable enough with that I can keep them on the phone while I potty---but to consider taking them into a public bathroom where they can hear everyone else and think it is me--- oh no, especially our bathroom at work-- the sounds that come from there are scary (Right Cindy :)) . Also it is annoying to everyone else in the bathroom-----I have actually responded before to people talking on their cell phones-- I think they are bathroom talkers and trying to talk to me.
2. Mrs Excuse me....Why-- why would you excuse yourself-- you are in a bathroom, and it embarrasses me for you. I would rather not know who you are. Really-- manners are not needed in the bathroom (well except for courtesy flushes that people don't use enough)
3. The Mr. Rogers (well I guess it would be Mrs. Rogers)--Either way--I don't want to be your neighbor--- at work we have 15 stalls, I counted them one day-- so when they are all empty, why do you choose the one beside me? I mean I have a preferred stall myself, but I can improvise if someone is right beside it--

I am sure these are not all of my bathroom pet peeves, but for today these were the things that came to mind when I saw this cartoon, and just had to get them off my chest.

First comes love…. Then comes Marriage (this is long but way worth it)

You know I have always said I am not a lucky person, in fact I am so unlucky that if I put my name in a hat for a drawing, I wouldn’t win, even if I were the only name in the hat. But there is one place in life that somehow I lucked up and if I never get lucky ever again—I am glad that I got lucky with my hubby--- okay—that didn’t come out right—but you know what I mean……….

I have felt the urge to make him one of my first blogs, partly because I feel a little obligated to give him a shout out since blogging takes time from him (well sometimes) — but also I am sure I will have plenty of kid blogs—so I can’t let his wonderfulness get lost. There are so many things that make him special, he is smart, strong, caring, silly, and most importantly the BEST Daddy ever!! There are days when I look at him and fall in love all over again—sounds a little corny—but what an awesome thing.

It is really crazy how much our lives intertwined before we met. He was born in the same town that I was raised, and for the first 3 years of my life we lived about 3 blocks from each other. Our families went to school together, and knew each other, and what is really great is that his Grandfather can tell me stories about my grandfather who died when my mom was 3….he has told me what he looked like, and how Mamamurk use to break up their poker games (I told you she is/was feisty)---and other really cool stories--- I find it so interesting how close our lives were--- way before we were even thought about…we always say we were meant to be.

One of my favorite things about him is his ability to keep up with me. I know that sounds funny but he keeps me laughing, which is pretty important in my little world. He likes to play on my air headedness--- like the time he told me that a truck with a propeller trailer hitch was one of those new floating trucks—he didn’t realize I believed him until I was telling Mamamurk about these new trucks—and he said --did you think I was serious??? Well obviously – I am telling someone else about it, aren’t I?

Just Sunday, he had fun at my expense twice. First at Walmart, he yelled across the isle—Hey did you get those TAMPONS you needed? For anyone who knows how modest I am – that is enough to make me go from 0-Red in less than 2 seconds. Secondly, we went to check out these wooden chairs that are for sale and sitting on the side of the HWY 74 (which for those of you that do not know ---74 is a really busy HWY in Charlotte). So I got out to look at them and came back to the truck and said, okay I like them, and he said—you are not going to sit in them and try them out???—I said—there are a million cars riding down the road—I don’t want to look stupid—he said—just go see if you like them. So there I go trotting back over, I back up and sit down—and what does he do—just started honking the horn over and over--- what else could I do--- I just started waving…….

So whether you call him Joe, Joey, Joseph, Mr. Joe, Josephina Nickolina, it doesn’t matter to me… I just know that I am proud to call him my best friend, my hubby, my confidant, my security blanket, and of course my baby daddy……