Mom’s Soap Box

Young love is so sweet and beautiful. But it can be heartbreaking at times. I have been watching my son mope around the house because his girlfriend is going away to visited her step sister for two weeks. They had a rough week; his girlfriend of two years had minor surgery two days ago. You know your kids are growing up when you see them express their feelings of helplessness.

You feel for them because there is nothing you can do to make them feel better. He expressed to me how he is going to miss seeing her in school and on the week ends for two weeks. He sat down on the couch the other day, and leaned his head against me after school yesterday instead of working out and said “It’s going to suck,” he said. I just rubbed his head and said “I’m sorry.”

I think this time alone will make him appreciate her more. That way he will treat her like fine china and he will recognize the delicate flower she really is.

I never thought it was possible for me his mother to love his girlfriend as much as I do. It makes me envy of other mothers who have a daughter. I am going to miss this sweet child.

Her beauty and gentle nature is seldom seen in young girls today. I hope my son realize that she is a gift from heaven and to hold her tight. I pray the angels in heaven watch over her while she is away.

So tonight I’m making her favorite meal, she’s been through a lot this week and what the heck I’m going to miss her too!

The Best Buy is from Best Buy

Christmas is four weeks away and many are getting a jump on their shopping.
Make sure if you shopping for a XBOX 360 that you do your research. From my experience you are making a mistake. I would never put another cent into a Microsoft product. Check out all the consumer forums online and track all the problems it has.

Your money is spent more wisely if you decide on a Play Station 3. It has nothing to do with graphics. XBOX360 is a piece of junk! If you decide to take a chance on XBOX360 make sure you do not get the warrenty from microsoft.

NO MATTER WHICH SYSTEM YOU DECIDE ON PURCHASE IT FROM BEST BUY. Best Buy’s PSP Extended Warranty has a lemon clause. If after four service center orders they will replace it with a new system.

My son’s XBOX 360 has been sent in for service “9 times” since he had it. After many phone calls, and letters they refuse to stand behind their warranty. His warranty will expire in a year, after that he is stuck with junk.

Happy Shopping

The last of the turkey is gone, and only a few crumbs of pumpkin pie are left; it’s time to watch those nasty carb’s again before the holiday parties are upon us

It turned out to be a very blessed Thanksgiving for my family. We have a lot to be thankful for. It was nice to have the family together.

Not everyone can say that. This past week was bittersweet for my neighborhood. Wednesday was a tragic day for a fifteen year old boy who lost his life by an unforeseen turn of events… While walking across the street to get to a pizza place he was struck from behind by a car. The driver just could not see him.

When I heard the news my heart skipped a beat. I only met the boy a few times at my son’s little league games. All I could think of was it could be my son.

I cried tears for him and his family along with the driver of the car.
So many lives changed in an instant. Makes me want to hold my son’s tight. I wonder what God’s plan was… How can extinguishing a young man’s life serve a purpose?

I’m sure God did have a plan and this young man is in heaven eating the most delicious pizza you can imagine. May the angel’s in heaven beam their light upon him and may his family and the driver of the car find peace in their heart to carry on.

I hope everyone had a healthy, happy Thanksgiving.

I am stuffed, and ready to take a nap.

I am so thankful for my wonderful family, and friends. May everyone have a blessed day!

On Fox and Friends today they reported on a woman who is being sued because she viewed her opinions about her children’s school on her blog. That is ridiculous, and is just some one else’s hypocrisy of what you can and can not do in America! The views on a blog are the writer’s opinions. The writer of the blog was only speaking the truth about her child’s school.

Where do school’s get off thinking they are better than any other organization? Most of the teachers should not be teaching your dog to do a new trick. In my opinion if they do something wrong, parents should know about. And if they do something with merit, they should be recognized and be rewarded, just like any business would be.

I do a lot of complaining on my blog about my kid’s school ; I’m not the kind of person to just sit back and do nothing, like a lot of parents do. I have every right to voice my opinion if I think something is wrong with their administration, or a teacher. It’s my right as a parent and as a tax payer because they work for me; however, if I lie, or slander their name- solely to cause them harm, that’s another issue entirely.

I will continue to react to anything that I think is unjust, and when it comes to my kids I will shout it out loud– so everyone will hear.

Ahh Christmas—- the time of gifting giving and showing loved one’s in your life how much they mean to you. Know better time to find that special gift- than now. You can choose from a full range of items imported from China at a reasonable price. Make sure you get them now; because items are limited and disappearing from the shelves quickly…

Your child will love this fun gift from Fisher Price; you’ll never forget the look on their face after they choke on Laugh & and Learn Kitchen Toys recalled due to a choking hazard. They’ll laugh themselves to death.

What young toddler wouldn’t want, a Curious George Plush Doll by Marvel Toys? The cute little monkey’s hat has high levels of lead paint which will cause irreversible brain damage… Your gift will keep on giving for years while your child spends many years in therapy.

Make sure you add Spin Master Recalled Aqua Dots to your list .Your little Picasso will dot themselves into a coma – after swallowing the Beads for breakfast , now you can finish watching that game in peace.

What better way to spend the holidays- than with a gift from China!!
It makes you want to go out for some sushi! No wonder why I feel sick after eating Chinese!

: )

Today is a cloudy and rainy day. I can hear the crow’s in the backyard searching for their innocent victim’s. A sign soon it will be winter. The days are short and nights are long. For some, winter is depressing and gloom feel’s their heart.

For other’s it’s a time of joy and happiness, a time for family get togethers and laughter. Everyone has a warm smile on their face. Family’s are preparing their Thanksgiving dinners, children are anticipating Santa Claus and they are busy making their wish list.

But do we ever think of the thousands of children who do not have a Thanksgiving or Christmas. They are lucky if they can find something to eat for breakfast, or they are lucky to find a warm place to sleep at night.

While we are busy making pumpkin pie, or shopping for that perfect gift for our someone special do we think of the broken homes whose Christmas is either spent alone or apart from their loved ones.

I am guilty of having it never crossed my mind, not until I experienced it when my ex-husband took my boys for Christmas when they were babies. It was the most saddest Christmas I ever had. Being apart from them on the day of the year that was supposed to be the happiest not the saddest day of my life.

This holiday season let’s try and think about those people whose holiday season is not filled with loved ones, and laughter. And when you are quick to snap at your family, remember how lucky you are. It’s a wonderful time of the year to give thanks for what you have. Your family may not be perfect but it’s your family. It’s also a perfect time to say ‘I love you.”

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week! Wow where does time go. I better get on the ball and think about what I am going to make. Mom always does the turkey, but me and my sisters handle the rest. Of course, Mom does the stuffing -it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving any other way.

But I make my favorite Butternut Squash Casserole. It’s to die for ,ask my kids. Actually everyone fights over the last piece that’s why now I have to make a backup for leftovers. And you know what,that never makes it to left overs either.

I got the recipe when I was taking Foods 1 at Seton Hill College back in 1999. That is when I thought I wanted to be a home economics teacher. I have to say that was my favorite course, Foods!!!

I love this recipe it was so different and so good. After I left Seton Hill I must have lost the recipe so I emailed my old teacher Mrs. Voytek and she went out of her way to find it.

Make sure you never skimp on the ingredients because you have to leave it fattening that’s the best part. What the heck its Thanksgiving and one day of fattening buttery foods is not going to kill you. Well let’s hope not anyways.

Here is the recipe; I love to share rumming food.
You can cheat and get a can of swash or yams I tried it last year. What I do is make both it’s less time. But if you want to knock the socks off your guest, buy the Butternut squash whole and cook it in the microwave and soften it up. It’s easy to peel so don’t fret.

Helpful Hint:
Bake the casserole half way the night before, and bake the rest right before dinner is served..

Enjoy!!

Butternut Squash Casserole

Ingredients:
Butternut Squash 2 cups
Eggs 3
Sugar ¾ cup
Butter ½ cup
Sour Cream 1/3 cup
Milk ¼ cup
Ginger, ground 1tsp.

Topping
Crunchy Cereal Crumbs 1 ½ cup
Brown Sugar ¾ cup
Walnuts ½ cup
Butter ¼ cup

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the first seven ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl, adding the mashed butternut squash last. Mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Combine ingredients for crunchy cereal topping in a small mixing bowl using a wooden spoon. Mix until mixture crumbles. After cooking the casserole for 35 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle topping evenly over casserole. Bake at 350 for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve hot.

Note: Be sure squash is well drained before mashing.

This recipe my kids devour

It’s so easy!!

Brutzel Bars
Ingredients
1 tube of any cracker(saltines, townhouse, graham)
1 cup of butter
1(12-oz) pkg. milk chocolate(any works , I even used hershey bars and put the microwave on defrost and sprinkled the chocolate on )
Cooking Spray
1 cup of sugar

Preheat over to 350 line on standard cookie sheet (upside down) with foil foil, spray lightly. Arrange saltine in single layer over the foil and set aside. In medium saucepan , combine butter and sugar, bring to brutzel boil(bubblly). As soon as reaches a bubbling, boil, remove from heat and slowly pour over the crackers. Bake 10 minute. Remove from oven and rearrange any crackers that moved. Scatter chocolate chips over the top, spread evenly over the top. Cool and refrigerate a few hours. Remove from refigerator 15 minutes before cutting.

They remind me of health bars.

This week is ending with one of my kids back to school and the other in bed with a stomach virus. How I hate cleaning up vomit! My lungs are wheezing from disinfectant spray and Clorox bleach. You’ll have to excuse this short post. I’m exhausted from hearing the toilet flush over a half a dozen times last night.

I am taking care of my sick kid except I’m wearing a mask and gloves. And carrying my disinfectant spray. A mother’s battleground! How I hate stomach viruses. I just hope I can survive this without falling victim to the enemy!

Another toy made in China is being taken off the shelves world-wide. Scientists found that the toy contains a hazardous “date rape” drug when in ingested. Six children thus far have been hospitalized after accidentally swallowing the beads. How wonderful, lets put an industrial chemical in a child’s toy. Better yet lets broadcast it all over the news so some sick person will use it on someone!

When will Americans get the message and stay away from toys from China. We may need to dig deeper into our pockets but isn’t our children’s health and lives worth it.

This particular toy goes by the name Aqua Dots. It’s especially popular with the arts and crafts consumer.

With Christmas seven weeks away this is yet another blow to the retail stores who buy from China. This means consumers will just have to be more vigilant with their buying practices.

I don’t like to brag but the Steelers crushed Baltimore 37- 7. It was a blow-out. This is the Steelers’s I remember from the 70’s. It was good to see this kind of game. I saw the later part of the game because I was taking a test on-line for a work-at-home position.

Oh course my computer was not working properly. It’s because my son, Jon is always using aim. All it does it give loads of spy-ware. He has to have his own computer there is no doubt about it.

While checking my emails this morning I came across one of those survey contests that promise a free gift if you complete the survey. This particular email was offering a free dell desktop computer… I decided to do the survey; once I got to end it states that you have to actually order something… Oh course it’s going to say that. I wonder if anyone ever receives the free gift. I checked out the cheapest item which was 6.95 and completed all the necessary things in order to get the computer.

Once I scrolled down to the bottom of the page it said, “Once they receive conformation that I purchased the item they would send out my free desk top computer.

If this is legit my son’s computer will be on the way. If not I was scammed. This will be interesting to see the outcome.

Nov 2, 2007 started out great. Me and my oldest son Mark were going to check out a few colleges. Our first stop was going to be Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA., and then we were going to head to UPG, the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg Campus.

I was finishing up styling my hair when I get a phone call from my son Jon who is a freshman in high school. He had just left a little while ago for school. I looked at the caller id and it was Jon calling on his cell phone.

“Mom there’s a bomb threat and I’m in the football field.” A bomb threat!
Yes, there was a bomb threat at my kid’s school. It was 32 degrees and the kids were outside in the cold because some s.o.b did not want to go to school… What’s wrong with these kids?

Not long ago in my blog I discussed bomb threats in schools, now it happened to my school. Do these kids know how much money and time they cause the township and the school district when they play a prank like this? There were police, EMS, and Firefighter’s there . What if there were a real emergency; I hope they catch little idiot and throw the book at him.

Back to a more important thing like the college. It turned out to be a very educational day for me and my son. Seton Hill is a very beautiful liberal arts college. Mark wants to major in business. I not sure it has a strong business background that will be something that will need to be addressed. Seton Hill is a catholic college and it has one of the most beautiful chapel’s I have ever seen.

We never made it to UPG that will be for next week.

My son finally received his XBOX 360 last week on Friday, and as of last night it froze again.

After many lengthy phone calls and emails Microsoft will not honor the warranty with a replacement.

I have been so patience and now I feel as though I am backed into a corner. This will be the eighth time it has broke. I would understand if my son threw it down the stairs. But he is only playing the system.

I’m screaming mad!

I really feel for my son. He buses tables at a local restaurant to earn money to be able to buy games for his XBOX; just this past Saturday he bought the new Guitar Hero game.

I have done everything I can possibly do with Microsoft. I contacted the VP of Customer Service and spoke with their Xbox Escalations.

If I knew how to contact Bill Gates I would.