Green Monster Challenge - Continues

I've had a green monster everyday but one. So, tomorrow we're going to try the pumpkin green monster - I'm looking forward to this one - I'll let ya know how it tastes after we give it a try.

I've also made a few other things from Angela's blog - Vegan Mac and Cheese was very tasty! And her Vegan Banana Peanut Butter Bomb Muffins - to die for! Now run along and make them - I promise you'll enjoy them...however - I do suggest you eat the mac and cheese the day you make it. That's what Justin says -

1st Week of School

We just finished our first week of school - it went well. I have photos to share, but need to get them off the digi. I still can't believe MY baby is in 6th grade. It is kinda weird only having two in school this year - for SO.MANY.YEARS - I had three kids going to public schools - one graduated, two to go.

Green Monster Experience

This was actually for yesterday...

I’ve since enjoyed several other green monster recipes with my favorite being the first one I made. I noticed energy right away. I love the energy it gave me – not a sugary high, but an all natural high – it feels great! I didn’t notice any type of withdrawals from the green monster at all – unlike the unhealthy sugary energy drinks on the market now.

Today was the first day of noticing – the lack of energy – the lack of not having a green monster is noticeable! It sucks! I needed a nap and I took a nap and I’m tired right now.

Ya’ll, I’m seriously tired, I’ve felt tired all day – I’m kicking myself because I didn’t make the time to make a green monster.

Visit Angela’s blog and check out her green monster recipes.

My First Green Monster

I started this morning off with a Tassimo latte – probably not the healthiest, oh well. I sat here and relaxed and watched the Today Show.

Then – it was time to make it…

Make what?

It was time to make my first Green Monster – I’ve never been one to drink much less make health drinks.

I bought my supplies yesterday at the grocery store to include supplies for homemade hummus.

I made the hummus last night – I used canned beans ya’ll – I was in a hurry and wanted hummus NOW! It was delicious! I will make hummus from now on. I need to learn to make pita chips to go with it. Everyone here loved it – recipe was from Oh She Glows.

Now back to this morning – it is time for me to get off of Angela’s blog and steam the spinach and toss everything in the blender – now I ain’t gonna lie – I was a little worried ya’ll – it was GREEN…like Kermit GREEN! The one I tried had banana and peanut butter in it – and that is what it tasted like! I kid ya’ll not!

So, after I sucked that down – I actually felt great, like all of a sudden I had energy. I made another grocery list and ran back to the store – gonna try a few more of Angela’s recipes. I’m really excited – here I am, eating vegan dishes and actually enjoying them.

- I'm not vegan - yet. I realized the latte wasn't soy milk...don't point your finger at me! LOL

Yard Sale -

I think I totally forgot to tell ya’ll about the yard sale I stopped at a few weeks ago. It wasn’t very big, so it was easy to notice things from the road. I saw a brass headboard leaning up against a very nasty mattress – can I get a eww! So, we stopped, I walked around with nothing else really jumping out at me. I made my way over to the nasty mattress – seriously – what the hell? Who doesn’t see how nasty it is and decides, I think we’ll put this in the yard sale – EWW

Anyway – I’m standing there reading the “sale sign” and I quote “mattress, box springs and brass headboard 75 dollars” – So, I think to myself, surely they can’t mean the headboard is the expense of the “set” or do they?

I find someone and ask – and oh my heck – the woman says “how about 50 dollars for the headboard?” I think the expression on my face was saying – what the hell did you just say, because she says to me – well it is only the first day.

I said good luck with that and mumbled something to myself on the way to the car – empty handed.

PS – the headboard was rusted – I really, seriously thought she would have said something in the less than 20 dollar range but 50…laughs! LOL

Recycled Halloween Project

Step one of the recycled Halloween project is completed. I’m totally excited to see the finished project -

End Of Summer

School will be starting soon – I’ll be subbing, I hope a couple of days a week. I’m really not looking forward to school starting, I have enjoyed this summer, busy as it was with Dylan in summer school, Justin graduating from high school and Raye graduating from 5^th grade. Dylan will be a junior, he worked hard and I hope he keeps it up. He can’t screw up anymore – he has to work hard this year, go to summer school and work hard his senior year – no time to rest. Raye’s starting middle school, while I’m excited that I no longer have to wake up at the butt crack of dawn (for the last 12 years that has been my mornings)…I’m weary of her schedule and the teachers she has – her brothers had the same social studies teacher and she didn’t treat the boys very well. So my guard is up.

Getting Caught Up

I swear I feel like I’m never here –

I’ve been reading blogs – late at night so not many comments – I’m sorry but just know I’m reading and enjoying.

I was up late last night working on a little Halloween project – I got two letters cut out – a long way to go…I can see it in my head, just hope it turns out as cute as I see it. It is a recycle project – using cereal boxes.

LG Fridge Repair - Take One

Here we are – the LG repairman just left, his name was Edgar and he works for the Geek Squad aka Best Buy.

About two years ago I picked out a new fridge with all the bells and whistles or so I thought. I mean, just how many bells and whistles can you get with a fridge? So, anyway – it was the newer type fridge on top with double doors and freezer drawer on the bottom. I soon learned that I truly hated the freezer drawer. The water and icemaker are on the outside of the door…that was a must have!

Fast forward several months, our brand new fridge started behaving like some sort of gremlin was living in the icemaker. If you wanted crushed, you got whole cubes, if you wanted whole cubes, you got crushed. AND there was a time that you couldn’t get either – why, you ask? Let me tell you – because it was FROZEN!! So thankfully we decided to purchase the extended warranty, it’s been well used. That fridge lives in another house – and has been repaired three times now – the fourth is coming next Tuesday. The whole door is being replaced - because ya know that'll work...

Now – the fridge that got repaired today is also a LG –don’t judge me…it’s a side by side, I didn’t think we’d have the same issues as the one above. BUT golly molly – the same gremlin lives in this one.

I originally chose the LG because their washer and dryer was top of the line (I actually own the Maytag Neptune) –well, I’ve learned a lesson.TWICE – OK…I hear you…

The end -

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS

And also - I ended up with a pretty busy week and didn't get to bake what I wanted to bake for Matt's National Guard get together...but I did find something really yummy for them. I do hope they enjoy it - next time, I promise something extra special...just ran out of time. I suck - I'm sorry :(

Cupcakes or Cheesecake Pops

So – a while back I saw a cheesecake pops recipe on Bakerella’s site and thought I’d make and send them in for Matt’s Texas National Guard Unit – well, friends, time got in the way. Life gets crazy sometimes. I didn’t forget, but it is all kinds of hard trying to mix a thick batter using just a cheap – o hand mixer. Cheap – o hand mixer that cost $6 using a grocery store coupon. A lot of my baking was stopped – like the parking lot on MOPAC at 5:18pm on Friday. After trying to use the hand mixer and having it lock up on me and smell of burnt plastic – I went shopping and was told to pick out a stand mixer. YAY! Let us fast forward to last week, and this is what was said. “My unit was assigned desserts!” (Honestly, I think they know about my baking and “they” assigned Matt’s unit desserts for a reason – or I’d like to believe that – don’t rain on my parade!) The Heavens opened up and I heard the angels sing – I LOVE TO BAKE!! So I’ve been told I need to bake something for an upcoming event – for his unit. I’ve decided against the original (maybe not...I can't make my mind up) plan but still opting for cupcakes – I have two different recipes in mind. The first being the Malted Milk Balls Cupcakes and the second is one a friend just made - Key Lime Pie Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue (found in the cake mix doctor cupcake cookbook).