sick days & a new floor

I hate being sick. Really really hate it. I started Monday night with a fever and chills, and it's lasted for 2 whole days! and counting! The only things I can do are nap and hold down a chair. And cough. I can really really cough. I can practically cough up a lung. Other than that.. I have had to sit and watch Chris finish the new laminate floor in the kitchen and family room without me. He is doing a great job, with Dad's help. Any of you who know what a DIY addict I am know it's killing me to not be right in there helping. Dad and I started demo on Monday night. The 3 of us got about 1/2 the floor in by 9. Dad went home and Chris and I finished the kitchen part. By then I was really tired and sore, but thought it was from all the labor. Tuesday Chris finished the floor, with me napping and occasionally wandering in to say "Good job, honey". Dad came over after work and they figured out the stairs and bought trim. Today Chris had to fix the back door and the laundry room door, because neither one would open on the new taller floor. Oops. Tonight the trim goes in, and then the furniture! WooHoo! Here is a picture in progress.. I'll add more after nap number 3!

Sunday dessert

Fruit pizza (not too sweet recipe)

Crust- use your favorite sugar cookie dough or mine:
2 c. Flour
½ tsp Baking powder
Dash of Salt
½ tbsp Powdered milk
¾ c. Sugar
1 Egg
½ c. Butter or margarine
1 tsp Vanilla
¼ c. Water
Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl, set aside. In mixer cream butter, add sugar and cream again. Add the egg and vanilla and mix one more time. Add ½ the dry ingredients and mix 5-10 seconds. Add the water, and mix again briefly. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix one last time just until combined. Flour a pizza pan and your hands well, gently press the dough out to about ½ inch thickness. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Crust will be just golden around the edge. Cool completely before assembling.

Pudding “pizza sauce”: Use 2/3 of a batch of magic mix vanilla pudding. I use powdered goat milk due to a child who cannot have regular milk. In this recipe my entire family prefers the goat milk pudding. Really!

Topping:
Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Banana, Kiwi, Grapes
Pineapple Tidbits in juice, Mandarin Oranges, Peaches or Pears

Use whatever is on sale and in season. This is great with oranges (canned or fresh). Clean and dry the fruit (as dry as possible is the key). Set the fruit out on paper towels for a few minutes. It’s worth the time in the end.

Glaze:
1/3 cup low sugar orange marmalade
1 Tbsp hot water

Warm on the stove or in the microwave until it is thin enough to spread.

the coolest recycling project EVER!

I am so excited to try this! I just saw "Cansolidator" shelves at Costco for $35 today... Heck, I have all kinds of cardboard around here for free!

What was that? I can't hear you.

Maybe you had a grandma like mine who said "Don't go out in the cold with wet hair. You'll catch pneumonia". Well, it's not pneumonia, but seriously, I went out Saturday morning with wet hair and lost my voice 2 hours later. I should sometimes listen to Grandma!

The good things about laryngitis:
1. Kids let you nap when you are "sick".
2. Everyone gets a little quieter when you whisper at them.
3. I can still whistle.

The not so fun things about laryngitis:
1. Sounding like an obscene caller on the phone.
2. Can't sing along with fun 80's love songs.
3. Feeling guilty 'cause you don't feel sick.
4. Kids start to ignore the whistle.
5. Have to go to the other end of the house every time you need someone/ something.
6. The dogs LOVE the whistle and come running.
7. I tend to trip on the dogs.

Game plan: bumped up the vitamins and supplements!

I *pink puffy heart* love music

I had this idea. I'm bored, and Chris is on nights this week. I thought I would make a playlist with a few love songs for Valentine's day. Just find a few. Only, I couldn't think of any. So I Googled it. Oh my Gosh!!! There are so many great love songs! This really grew out of control fast. I think I listed 58 songs?!? I covered everything from the 60's to the present, spending a bit longer than necessary in the "olden days", as Hannah calls it.... my beloved 80's. So there should be something you like. And everything I like. And a few I forgot about. And a couple I didn't know I liked until I listened to them... and some from good movies... and... well, you can see where this is headed... (oh.. and I didn't look up Chicago, and I think I only got one REO Speedwagon...)

REJECTED by the IRS!

What is that quote about death and taxes? Because I'd like to strangle someone at Turbo tax tonight. I do our taxes every year, for at least the last 12 years. I'm good at it. I like it. It's straightforward and simple. And I use TurboTax every year. Except last year. Last year I used a different program. Now my disloyalty is being repaid!

OK, it was nothing personal. Because of some weird glitch with the electronic signature my return was REJECTED by the IRS. Now 2 days later I am still fighting with the program and customer service. AARRGGHH!! Good luck to everyone else this tax season.

Happy Birthday Nancy

I had a friend in school, Nancy Mumford (Black), who was born on Groundhog Day. She became a nurse, and helped deliver Alex.... um.... many years after the 2nd grade. And, um... 12 years and change ago. Wow. I have no idea why I remember that her birthday in on Groundhog Day. Happy Birthday Nancy, wherever you are! I always think of you!