Scarey!!!!

Usually, I don't have many hair-raising experiences at the grocery store, but today, I was shopping with my mother and we found something downright scarey! IMITATION BOLOGNA!

Come on, bologna is scarey enough as it is.....but imitation? It was sort of a greyish color, but that might have just been the rag on the outside. I tried to read the ingredients, but couldn't make them all out. I might not have wanted to know anyway.

Ever since the tank truck turned over on the interstate and leaked pinkish bologna/hotdog goo on the road, I have sort of not eaten those products too much. However, we do still buy "boloney" because my older child thinks that it is the ONLY thing suitable for his lunchbox, and of course both kids love hotdogs. I admit, I do like it too. I remember my papaw eating bologna, cheese, and crackers nearly every day as soon as he got home from the bakery. It was never a whole lot, just enough to make it 'til supper. Anyway, I still don't know what imitation bologna is, but I do know that we probably won't be having it here!!!!!

Siblings

Even though big brother would rather get his teeth drilled than go to dance recitals and competitions, he is proud of his little sister's accomplishment and was very excited to have a picture taken with her. They will be so glad they did this some day.

ShowStoppers!

This weekend was our first dance competition and it was So much fun! Our little girl's team got two division first's and a third overall. I only have about a thousand pictures, so y'all should get ready to be innundated with them, in small increments of course.

Yay! I can have OATMEAL!

Yesterday when I was cruising in the Walmart, I found this SUGAR FREE Instant Oatmeal.

I was so excited because I really like oatmeal, and have missed being able to have it when the mood struck. I know, it is possible to make regular quick-cooking oatmeal without sugar, but I have a real problem with portion control when I make that. I always make more than one serving, and then am compelled to eat more than one serving. This way, one packet is all I have.

The pictures shows the apple cinnamon flavor, but I got the maple/brown sugar variety. ( How can they make it taste like brown sugar when there is no sugar?) At 100 calories, 2 g fat and 15 g net carbs, it sounds like it will fit the bill perfectly.

I just had one packet with 1 tsp of Olive oil margarine and a little extra splenda on top. It didn't taste quite sweet enough without it. I added a boiled egg to round out the breakfast and add some protein, which will slow down the carbs in the oatmeal.

My fasting glucose was 115 ( that is pretty good) this morning, so I guess we will see in a little while how the oatmeal affects it.............. ( Imagine time lapsing here..........)

So, one hour later, glucose is 107, which I feel is pretty darn good considering that it was 115 BEFORE the carbilicious oatmeal. I am thinking about adding a tablespoon of pure oat bran to it next time to see what that does. Hmmmmmm.......

Big Top Cupcake

The Big Top Cupcake pan is an item that my children had been begging for , so I found one only after visiting three different Walgreen's. I attempted to make one according to the directions, using one box of cake mix. It didn't fill the pans enough, so on the second attempt, I let the child make it , using TWO boxes of cake mix. It really only needed about 1 more cup of batter, so we baked off the extra in a loaf pan. It will keep in the freezer for a surprise treat later.

The filling on this particular one was the filling mix from a jello "Oreo" no bake dessert, sans the oreo bits. It is just basically a white cream. We topped the white filling with half a jar of strawberry preserves, which ran out the seam when the top was set on. Oh well, it tasted good according to the little pastry chef.

I think that given more time, and less help, I would decorate the next one with a piping tip and actually frost the bottom part, perhaps in a contrasting color. The possibilities are endless!

A BIG Surprise!

We woke up this morning to about 6 inches of totally unexpected snowfall. It was absolutely beautiful at sunrise when all was still and quiet and nothing was disturbed.

Then the kids got up and set about wrecking all the beauty of it, instead, filling the neighborhood with laughter and screams and snowball fights.

We made strawberry snow smoothies and snow cream.

..and a lovly snow lady resplendant in her purple hat and pink scarf.

Then we ventured to the church for a bit of sliding down the hill in the plastic pool that we had on top of the rabbit cage.

Snow bunnies.

My handsome boy. I think he grows taller every day.

It is kinda cold.....can you tell from her cheeks?

They are back!

When I went out with the dogs this morning, there were about 10 of these sitting in the big tree in the back yard and on the fence. I really love hearing them call. It is the sound of summer.

This is the female red-wing. Pretty plain little thing and I have to say that I didn't see a single one out with the boys in the yard this morning.

Hopefully, the spring warming will be here soon. We are so tired of the cold and wet!

New Laptop

So, as you may already know if you are with me on Facebook, my old laptop began to pop it's buttons a week ago and we had to make the executive decision to go ahead and replace it. So after a bit of internet research, Sunday ad checking and check book balancing, we decided to go with this CompaQ Notebook.

So far it has been easy to use, although the number pad on the right side makes the letter keys be off center by an inch or so, making me type some really strange things if I am watching tv and trying to type at the same time.

Hopefully with a faster, less encumbered computer, I will be able to upload pictures faster and get them to YOU faster......Now all I have to do is get out there and find something to take pictures of!

Y'all have a great weekend!