oh hell.

I'm so mad I could shit a brick.

Tonight was Joe's birthday dinner with his family. His mom invited people over, planned what we would have, ect...which is all quite nice, except how did she know that it was what Joe wanted??? She didn't. He told me last week that he really wanted to be in Jonesboro for this whole week, but that couldn't happen b/c we will have Sarah (15 year old niece) this coming weekend, and that would mean an extra trip, which we can't afford. So we stayed here. Joe is kind of a hermit, almost anti-social when it comes to family events. It's not that he doesn't like them, he just prefers being alone or with friends.

Well, I invited our friends Will and Hannah over tonight cause I knew Joe would really love that. He and Will are two peas in a pod, and I ADORE Hannah, so it was fun for me too :) they are a great couple. Robyn didn't seem to have a problem with it, and I just told her it was happening since she had taken over all the other arrangements, I figured I wouldn't ask permission for this to happen- and why should I? It's not like we are 12.

So anywho, we ate dinner, Hannah and Will got here, and the four of us watched some youtube in the bedroom while everyone else was milling around the house...then we all had cake, and the four of us were in the dining room still and most everyone else had gone outside to smoke. So we were just hanging out, but the youngest niece, Ashley, was being really loud and driving us nuts and Joe didn't look like he was having much fun, I sure wasn't, and Hannah really wanted away from the 8 year old. So we decided to go hang out somewhere else.

I found Robyn, told her what we were doing, and she didn't look too happy about it. I didn't think she'd be MAD tho, but apparently she was. She told Joe we were being rude for leaving a party. Nobody else was talking to us anyway (they NEVER do), neither of us enjoy being at these family events, and they weren't there because it was Joe's birthday- they came because there was free food and cake. That's how they are.

And besides, we haven't seen Will and Hannah since August. So if Joe wants to spend his birthday with them, why the hell would she say anything about it?!?! It pisses me off.

I just really want to go back to Jonesboro. I'm thinking about getting Sarah to go with us on New Year's Day, and just say, "well, she gets an extra day there with us!" and making it sound like we are doing it for her benefit. I can't stand this anymore. When I come up to do photoshoots next month I think I'm gonna go stay with my old foster parents. I love Robyn and Truman, I really do. But it's getting to the point where I am so used to how we live at home that I can't stand being here for very long. They eat dinner super late, and they fry everything, and the dog smells....

oh boy!

I took photos of Sarah the other day and I have had pretty good reviews on them! Yay! Her boyfriend saw them and asked me to do his when he's riding his dirt bike. That sounds exciting, huh??

Now I REALLY need to make up a price list.

For reals yo.

working on it

I'm really bored right now and I apologize for the rambling!


Joe's cousin has agreed to model for me for Bridal shots and I'm super excited!! Woo! She's actually divorced now, but she got married May of 2007 and she still has her dress, and besides, she's gorgeous and will be a great model. So now, I just need to get my dang camera! Hopefully the money will be waiting for us when we get back to Jonesboro, and I can go buy it before we take our 15-year-old niece to Memphis that weekend. We are going to the Peabody to see the ducks that Saturday morning (they do their thing at 11), then we're going to visit the Pink Palace Museum. On the way home we are taking a detour up to see Reelfoot Lake- which is where the river ran backward and made this lake. They have a sanctuary with eagles and owls and you can see them up close! I've always wanted to go there, but it never occurred to me just how close we are to it! So I'm REALLY hoping I have my camera for that. If I don't, I'll just take my MIL's Sony, which is better than mine, but still nothing fantastic.

Christmas was okay I guess. I'm really trying to think positively about it- but things are so sad to me this year. Part of it is because this is the 10th year without my mom, and that hurts. I feel guilty for being happy when she isn't around to be happy with me. Plus I haven't seen my brother in over two years, and he's just started calling me again and I'm pretty sure it's cause he wants money...well, I don't have any money to send him, and even if I did, Joe hates him and would be soooo pissed if he knew that I was helping him out. I don't blame him for hating him; if he wasn't my brother, I'd hate him too. He's done some really crappy things to me and I don't know why I forgive him.

Anywho, I really had my heart set on that little kitty being mine, and it didn't happen. I got a coffeemaker that I'm gonna take back to the store cause there is NOWHERE in my house to keep it. I want a coffee maker, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have to unpack it everytime I want to use it, and we just don't have the space to keep it out on the counter. We don't even have cabinet space to put it away in the kitchen. So I'd have to keep it in the carport building and bring it inside...and I'm just not doing that. I wasn't gonna say anything to Robyn (Joe's mom) about it, but I thought about it all day yesterday and she told me that she almost didn't get it for me because of that reason and that I should take it back and put the money toward something else. So I think I'm gonna get a card for my camera instead.
I did get a new hair dryer, which is wonderful, and some dish towels. And candy. And Joe's aunt gave us a gift card to Wal-Mart, yippee!

Joe's mom really loves the knife we gave her, and I'm glad. It is a Cuisinart one, and I REALLY wanted to get one for myself, but they are kinda expensive! :) She is the most fun to shop for, cause if it's something I like, she'll love it too. So I just find something I want and we get it for her...that's exactly how we shop, too. Joe says, Okay, what do you want Anna? Then I go find it. haha

Loaded Spud soup

I've played around with this every time I've done it. One time I added some leftover cooked broccoli (which was delish), and one time I used cream to thicken it instead of milk and flour. That was insanely rich and tasty, but it couldn't be eaten very often unless the goal is to be a living marshmallow-shaped person...lol


Loaded Spud Soup
(Makes a large pot)


10-12 Russet potatoes
Package of bacon
½ large onion
2 ½ cups milk
3 (14oz.) cans chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
¼ cup flour
Salt & pepper
Shredded cheese, any kind
Green onion and any toppings you would put on a baked potato- optional

Cook bacon well and set aside. Save drippings. Chop onion up finely and cook in bacon drippings until translucent. Strain out and set aside. Peel potatoes, cut into bite size pieces. Bring water, broth, and most of the milk to simmer in a soup pot. Whisk small amounts of flour into remaining milk in a bowl until a thin “paste” forms. (This is important-if you dump the flour into the pot, it won’t blend very well, and gets lumpy.) Wisk into soup pot. Add potatoes. Make sure heat is at Low to Medium Low. Cover with lid and let boil until potatoes are almost tender, and then add onions. Continue boiling until the largest potato pieces are soft in the center. After soup settles, you may want to add more chicken broth or water- it’s up to you.
Top with bacon and shredded cheese, salt and pepper.

Cranberry Butter

1 can whole cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts
1 lb. butter
4 Tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons brown sugar

I don't know exactly how this was put together in the container we were given, but I can tell you that the cranberries had been partially crushed before being mixed in, and the walnuts were chopped up. I think I'm going to toast the walnuts first to enhance their flavor. The butter was probably softened (just leave on the counter for a while- if you melt it, it might not work out very well).

It's so yummy! Great on toast, biscuits, bagels...whatever! This recipe should make about 4 cups worth. We are going to do this for Christmas gifts and put them in small mason jars ;)

Just to prove I'm not a NON-BLOGGER~

Hehehe! Kandi, apparently my lack of blogging bothers you? Well, hope this makes you smile. Or giggle. Or something.


So, I got a phone call today from my dear friend, who shall remain nameless. (Gotta protect her privacy, ya know.) She was listening to 107.5 here in Jonesboro and "Live Your Life" by Rihanna had played several times. Each time she got in her car, she heard this song. They would play a commercial, then the sounds of the "Yuma Yuma" internet sensation would play and Rihanna's voice filled her vehicle. OVER AND OVER.

She called me to tell me about it. It wasn't that I didn't believe her, but I thought maybe she was exaggerating a bit. Then I had to go to work.
Turned on the car. Turned on the radio. And guess what was playing? "Got my mind on my money, and I'm not going away. Just live your life...eh, eh, eh, eh, eh eh...."
Yeah. Then they played a commercial stating that they were changing up the radio airwaves with this new wonderful station and to keep it here for your favorite hits. And then the song came BACK on!!!!!!

It was so funny! I came into the office and shared the funny story with my boss.


So anywho, how's that for a blog, Kandice?!? ;)

Today feels really weird- I'm working til 3, but no one is here except me, and there isn't anything to do that can be done with one person here. Like the mail needs to be checked, but I can't go do it cause no one would be here to answer the phone. I don't mind the free time, but I wish I had a book or something cause I don't like not having something to keep me busy.

Tonight we are going to Mountain Home and tomorrow we will be in Billings, MO (just outside of Springfield) for a family party. We are going to Bass Pro first to get Joe's Christmas gift- a hunting knife he has wanted for years- and then that night is my best friend Lauren's birthday party! Yeehaw! We may not make it back in time, but I hope we do.

And I really want to come back to Jonesboro next week for a few days to do photos with Kandice and have a romantic day with Joe. The 5-year anniversary of our first date is Dec. 18th, and no way in hell am I letting him touch me when we are staying at his parents house. We used to live there, but now that we don't, I just can't do that there...and besides, half of the time his niece and nephew are there when we stay, and they sleep in the same room as us. So, no.

Meal Plan-ish

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday- I put marinated chicken in the crockpot Monday and then shredded it, so we've been eating that with tortillas. Monday and Tuesday I made it into chimichangas for Joe. I didn't eat the chicken other than Monday (something in it didn't agree with me), so there is a LOT of it left. Joe may be eating it all week. Or maybe I will refreeze part of it so he can eat it when I'm gone...he's crazy about it :)

If I do freeze part of it, tonight will be the last night of that stuff.

Thursday- taco soup (My foster mother made and canned it! Yum!)

Friday- red beans and rice

Saturday- Spaghetti

Sunday- Spaghetti

The tale of three coats

I don't know why I'm even writing this- it's just that every time I see my reflection I keep thinking about this and it's driving me nuts!!!!!

Fall of 2006, I saved up some money to buy myself a winter coat- I had gotten a new one the year before, but it was a pale pink puffy coat that wasn't very warm and made me look like a preschooler.

So I looked in all of the stores in Mountain Home (not many to choose from), and finally found one at Goody's (which is funny, cause now I avoid that store like the plague...once you have worked somewhere, you don't enjoy going there for fun). It was a dark grey double-breasted peacoat with a wide lapel and a matching scarf. It was wool, and completely lined, and absolutely perfect. And it was also quite expensive but I bought it on Friends and Family Night, so it was on sale :)

When we moved to Jonesboro in summer of 2007, I stored it at Joe's parents house. Winter came; I looked for it but couldn't find it. I haven't been able to find it since! It's so sad. So last year wore my pink puffy coat and this year I have a hand-me-down blue puffy coat. Basically I look like a marshmallow shaped preschooler. I am planning a day when we are in MH over break that I can spend tearing the storage shed apart until I find my coat.

Oh, and at work we are doing Secret Santa. Guess whose name I drew?!?! Yeah. My boss. Awesome. Not sure what I'm gonna do about that, but it's a $5 limit so I'm sure I can find a little something, somewhere...hmm.

Can't wait for Finals week to get over!!!!!! YEEHAW! I can almost taste the sweet smell of FREEDOM! :)