Sodas vs. Lawsuits

The news came out today that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing a ban on sugary drinks larger than 16oz at restaurants, movie theaters, stadiums, etc.    To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about this - I wish the government wouldn't invade our choices like this and in all reality this still doesn't solve the obesity epidemic at hand.    You can still buy two 16 oz. beverages, or you can go to the store and buy as large a size as you want.    You can buy a 16oz. beverage and get refills.    Hell - you can ignore the soda, and order a milkshake - or you can order a burger and large fries.   There are plenty of ways around the soda where someone is still bringing in those calories, if not more.  

Its also not the governments place to determine what we should and shouldn't eat.   People need to learn appropriate nutritional habits and exercise routine.   Instead of spending the money to get this proposal passed and enforced, why don't we spend the money to really educate people.    And I'm not talking just about educating the kids - educate the parents, because that is where it starts.   Provide some sort of benefits to the companies that make this stuff, for them to make healthier options, or produce more of the healthier options.   Somehow encourage them to make the prices (and sale prices) equal between the healthy and unhealthy (or hell - make the unhealther more expensive).

This also may solve frivolous lawsuits like this Nutella lawsuit.   This lawsuit annoyed the crap out of me!   I love Nutella, and when I buy it, I know its a treat that I should eat in moderation.   And at no point did I ever think it was a healthy snack - but I also know those peanut butter and jelly uncrustables aren't healthy either!    It annoys me that Ferrero even settled - I understand why they did that, because its cheaper in the long run for them - because they never should have had to.   It opens up a whole can of worms for people to start suing food manufacturers because their food is unhealthy and they can't make their own decisions on how to eat a healthy diet.

I wish that people could just use their brains and stop trying to make a quick buck - and then the government wouldn't need to get involved with our tax payer bucks.

But then again, if that were the case, so much would be different about this world we live in...don't even get me started...

Happy Mothers Day and Some Recipes

I wanted to wish all the mom's and mom-to-be's out there a Happy Mothers Day!   This is my first Mothers Day where I'm celebrating.   I know not all people consider this a first since the babies aren't here, but to my husband and I it is my first (and in June it will be his first Fathers Day even though the babies won't be here (or they better not...they still have another 4-6 weeks after that to stay inside me).

Anyways, this year, we hosted a little breakfast for my MIL and SIL.    All went succesfully with no drama to speak of (yet).    And I made a couple new dishes that were a hit.

The first recipe is this Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole, which I had made before, both times with modifications.  

• This time, instead of making it in an 8x8, I made it in a 13x9 pan, so I increased everything 50% (8 oz=12 oz, 10 eggs=15 eggs, etc).   
• Just like last time, I added in "facon" (Morningstar Bacon that my husband and I have become HUGE fans of since my friend introduced it to us at a brunch back in January).   I used 1/2 package (8 pieces) - cooking them in a frying pan first and then crumbling it into pieces and adding them in after the veggies.   
• Instead of mixed frozen veggies, I decided to just use broccoli this time - buying chopped broccoli so I didn't have to worry about food size.
• And the last modification was totally by accident.    I realized when I was taking it out of the oven that I forgot to add in the cheese - OOPS!   But it was perfectly fine if you don't like cheese, but I will try not to leave that out in the future as I think it adds good texture and flavor.

The second recipe was the big hit.   I love the french toast breakfast casseroles that soak overnight, but there are so many good options out there, that I keep trying new recipes.   Well I think I hit the jackpot with this recipe!   It was super delicious - and the addition of ricotta cheese really made it perfect.    You don't have to make the strawberry syrup, you could just as well use regular syrup, but it was really good that I think Im gonna make the syrup just to have in the house for waffles (and I've got TONS of frozen strawberries that I defrosted and now need to use up.    I only made one modification, and I wouldn't quite call it a modification.   I had lots of ricotta in the house, so I just spread a nice layer of cheese over the entire top not measuring out 2/3 of a cup.    I probably ended up using about 1-1/3 cups.  

Lastly, we had bagels, and there was a pumpkin cream cheese I have been wanting to try, so I thought this a good opportunity.   I don't think anyone but myself took it, but I was pleased with it - and I have plenty of bagels left for me to eat it over the next couple weeks :)

Now off to enjoy the rest of the day.    I'm celebrating in the same manner I have for the past 8 years or so (although not always on Mothers Day).   I'm taking my mom to the Phillies game for their Mothers Day game.   Its always a fun time - but definitely more so if they win - so lets hope they get out of their slump and put together a few good hits, score a bunch of runs and get solid pitching from the starter AND the bullpen.

And then off to eat at the best BBQ joint in Philly - Sweet Lucy's - with my parents, sisters and their significant other and my niece.   So excited to give my mom her mothers day gift - BIG SURPRISE!!

Back with a Bang!

Note: I started this post about 2 weeks ago - just been too busy to finish, so when I refer to recent days, its really a couple weeks prior.

All my friends kept asking how things were with the ILs cause I hadn't posted anything, and I kept saying that things seemed to be going good and I guess maybe they were learning now that we have kids coming, that they needed to back off a bit.

I was just dreaming...

Or maybe it was the calm before the storm?

Really, I just should have known better.

We somehow have not seen them in almost 3 months, but Hubby has been getting better about calling them and/or emailing them.   But alas, there starts the issue.   It all started probably last Friday or Saturday...

Hubby got a call from his brother, at the same time I got an e-mail from my SIL.    BIL called MIL to say hi, and she didn't pick up - but she emailed him back some crazy email about how she was "decompressing" in the shower because its nice when no one can hear you cry, and its just been rough and blah blah blah, but they are so lucky to have BIL, SIL and their boys in their lives.

So after seeing/hearing about that, Hubby emailed FIL to see how things were doing and FIL responded with "In short, Not Good".    How does one respond to/handle that one?   So Hubby picked up the phone and called to see what's going on.

DUH DUH DUUUUUUUUUUH....the flood gates have opened..

• He got lectured about how they don't see us.   My counterpoints would be that a) invites work both ways and b) when they did/do invite us over/out, they only invite us when they know it doesn't work with Hubby's work schedule such as a weeknight that isn't Monday, or Saturday "dinner" plans at 3:30pm (he works noon-9pm Tuesday -Friday and 7am-5pm Saturday) - and whenever we tried to get together with them, they were ALWAYS "busy".    They just kept complaining about one thing or another - which we know there is no way to respond that will make them happy - so Adam said he was sorry, and we were just busy with work and preparing for the BABIES.   More complaining.
• The next day, we got an email from FIL.  MIL and FIL bought us the double stroller we registered for!   This is awesome - don't get me wrong, it was a pricey stroller and I assumed we might need to purchase it, but they let us know a few weeks earlier they were going to buy us our double stroller.   And to be completely honest, I had huge concerns that they were going to pick out some random stroller that we didn't want.   Although ours is expensive it hits 90% of my wants/needs.   The good news is they ordered what we wanted.   The bad news is to save a few bucks (which wasn't even the best savings they could do), they ordered it from one of the furniture stores we looked at and ordered it to be delivered with our furniture.   Issue #1: We haven't ordered furniture, and that place only had one set we liked and wasn't gonna provide as deep a twin discount as the other store, which had 4 sets we liked.   Issue #2: The delivery charge is being paid for by my parents who are very generously buying all of our furniture.   At least ask them before you add on to the delivery - even if it isn't gonna cost extra - it is quite rude in my opinion!
• A couple days later was MILs bday, and I realized the night before that I never sent out a card to arrive on her bday, which has always been a big no-no.   So we figured we were in trouble.    Hubby called on her birthday to wish her a happy b-day and we seemed to get off with that.
• But then the day after MILs bday, Hubby got a call from MIL complaining about how I don't call her and give her constant updates on my pregnancy after each doctors appt.   When she was pregnant with hubby, she called her MIL and gave her updates.    Ummmmm - where do I even start with this one??   A) If you want to know how I am - call or email and ask!   We never had a good relationship once Hubby moved in with me and my parents.   MIL has NEVER called me directly, and I have surely returned that favor by never calling her directly.  And B) What happens at the doc is my health information.   There is no reason I should feel like I need to update her - especially when I'm closer with co-workers than I am with her!   Congratulations to her for having a good relationship with her MIL (of course Im fairly certain that was just her fakeness, because I know she talks about Hubbys mom-mom negatively) and being close enough to call her and give her constant updates.   But I am COMPLETELY different from my MIL and have a totally different personality, so she shouldn't EVER expect me to be the same as her or do the same things as her.   And for that matter, no one should ever expect that from anyone - we are all different and do things differently!
• The very next day, I sent FIL an email inviting him to the Phillies Picnic in the Park that I get tickets to as a season ticket holder.    I knew he wouldn't be able to go because I had already found out when I invited SIL, that MIL and FIL bought tickets to a show for my nephews and were taking BIL and SIL with them as well.   But I wanted to make sure I put the invitation out there in case he found out that I have offered to most of the rest of the family.    In my email, I explained that we get two tickets each year, and that Hubby and I went the first year, but that we try to share the experience with family members as well.    He replied back saying he couldn't go, but maybe next year.   This is a small issue, but one I take great annoyance to!   If someone offers you free tickets to a concert and you can't go - are you gonna assume that the offer will be there again?   That's a rude assumption to make!    We will have two infants next year, and I can't wait to take them and get lots of pictures of them in the clubhouse, in the dugout, on the field, etc.    Why would you assume you are gonna get this offer next year??  
• And finally 2 days later (3 days after MILs bday), the expected phone call finally arrived.   Hubby got yelled at by FIL for not sending a card.   The most ironic thing is the BIL got a call on MILs bday about how it would be appreciated if the kids actually called MIL on her bday.    The issue being THEY DID, and MIL didn't pick up so they left a voicemail - so BIL confronted FIL and FIL said they have no expectations that we do XYZ and that they send us cards and whatnot because they want to, but its not expected in return.    Oh really now?  

In hindsight, I wouldn't change a thing though!   I much prefer 3 months of quiet and calm and a week of their craziness every 3 months versus seeing them once a month (or more often - AHH!) and having to deal with the pain of the entire experience plus whatever backlash/fights come out of it (because you never walk out of there without some issue to arise from it).

Of course, we invited them for mothers day breakfast at our house, so Im sure there will be more stories to tell after that - because we very rarely see them without a story coming out of it.    Things are only quiet when we don't see them at all :)

P.S. You think since we will see them mothers day, we can get away with not seeing them again until the babies are born?   That's under 3 months :)  Once the babies are here, how long do you think we can hold off after each visit?   I know we will never get away with 3 months again :(

Recent Recipes

So these recipes actually aren't that recent, I have been meaning to post them for a few weeks now, but the craziness has temporarily died down.   I guess this will last about a week or semi-calmnees (if that) as I just created a mega to-do list of things that I want/need to get done before the babies come, and so much of it needs to get done sooner rather than later.   Of course, I do have pregnancy brain - so if there is something you think should be on my list, let me know so I can either double check it is there or add it (or just ignore you :)

Anyways, on to the recipes.   Back in February I had a few of my AU Crew friends and husbands over and made one of many chili recipes Ive been wanting to try - and it ended up being a big hit with everyone.   So Beth and Julie, here is that recipe you wanted :)

I made this Slow Cooker Tequila Turkey Chili but with a few variations.

• I like beans in my chili so I used half the amount of ground turkey needed and replaced that with beans.   In this instance, I actually just doubled the recipe since it was feeding 6 (plus two fetuses), so instead of doubling the meat, I used 2 cans of kidney beans.
• I don't like mixing meat and dairy, so I cut out the milk and bread and just got rid of the first step.
• I didn't have tomato sauce in the house, but I did have crushed tomatoes, so I just replaced that

If you like chili, or just don't know if you like chili, I highly recommend this.   Its so simple and tastes delicious, and a further added bonus - just as with most slow cooker recipe - it leaves the house smelling delicious.

Also in February, and I believe that same weekend, I went to go visit my friend Abbye and her newborn son, and I was thinking that I wanted to bring some food along for them to enjoy, and I had bananas that were too ripe, so I was going to look for a banana bread recipe when this recipe for pumpkin banana bread came along on one of the blogs I follow.   I must say it helps that I have two cases of canned pumpkin on my shelves because I love using it in my morning oatmeal and I knew that I wouldn't find it so easily once thanksgiving passed.

If you like banana bread - I highly recommend this one, it was quite yummy!

Well with that, I'm off to go be productive around the house - and maybe make that bread again since I have more bananas that are too ripe.

Verizon doesn't know who they are messing with!

I received an email this past week saying the cost of my DVR was going up by $1.   In all reality $1 makes no big difference to me - I understand that prices increase on items, and we just have to deal with the fact that while our salaries are staying the same or decreasing, everyone is raising their prices.   Do I think its fair?  Obviously not, but unfortunately, I have become accustomed to it.

What I take issue to is the fact that I am locked into a 2 year contract where I can not make any adjustments to my plan - but apparently they can.  

About a month after we locked into this plan, I regretted my decision.   I had already been set on going TV free, but then what I thought was a good deal came along and I stupidly signed an agreement (at least with Comcast I didn't have to sign any agreements).    Even worse, the agreement was a 2 year agreement of which I'm only a year plus into - and trust me I count the days until November when I can finally cancel with them.   

When the person sold it to us, she showed us all the tv channels we would have and the cost for Prime.   The thing is their advertising along with the way the sales person worded it was VERY deceiving.   They list all the channel on one sheet, and just have them in different colors - and she pointed to all the channels.   So stupid me was thinking the higher plans were for the extra packages (Movies, Sports, etc).   There are a ton of channels we got with Comcast, that we no longer got with Verizon - some of which I would say are more basic.    We get HGTV, but we don't get DIY Network.    We get Food Network, but we don't get Cooking Channel.    We get History Channel, but we don't get other similar channels.  

After just a couple weeks, I called to see if there was any time frame in which I could back out and if not, what the penalty was to back out.   Since this post even exists, there obviously was no opt-out time frame and the penalty was too high.   I even asked if I could just downgrade from a quad-play to a triple-play - that was a no-go.

Additionally, the WHOLE reason I even have cable tv is to watch my beloved Phillies.   I must have had games knocked out a dozen times or so last season because of poor connections on their side.   And their response?   There isn't anything we can do...its the connections they are given at the games...

So here I sit - waiting for the day I can cancel the TV service and just buy a computer to hook up to the TV and watch TV and movies from that, even if it means I just listen to my games on radio -  when along comes that e-mail that says they are increasing the price of the DVR.   And so I called Verizon to fight the increase.   Its obviously not the $1 less cost that I want - I really want out of the damn contract.  

I talked to a service rep, who I felt bad for as soon as she answered, cause I know its not her fault, and very nicely told her that I received this email, and I wanted to know how they can be making changes to my agreement, yet I can't.    She tried to tell me I could make changes, I just can't cancel services, but I can go up or down within a bundle.    Well, I'm already at the bottom of the bundle - where the hell else am I gonna go without cancelling a portion of the bundle (which is not allowed)?

So I said again, how do they have the right to change the agreement on me, but not I on them?   She tried to tell me it was a nationwide price increase.   So what?   When a nationwide price increase goes up for my cell, I'm grandfathered in to my current plan and rate until I have to re-up.   This should be the same.   That's why there is a freaking agreement - so neither of us gets screwed.

She continued to give me the same BS and try to tell me it is what it is and she can't do anything - which I know she can't.   So I said I want to speak to her supervisor.    Do you know you have to wait up to 2 business days for a supervisor to CALL YOU BACK?   WTF!!  

You can be sure that no matter what they do once they finally call me back, I'm going to be dropping their assess the minute I have the opportunity!  

Dear Douche-bag Driver...

Dear douche-bag driver,

I'm talking to the guy in the gray ford focus yesterday on 295 who did multiple things to annoy me.   Yes ,you, with the PA tags HWV 4283 (that's right, I'm totally calling you out - not that you are even reading this).

First you drove for 6-8 miles in the left lane of a 65mph highway going 70mph.   The left lane is for passing - and I'm fairly confident the only thing you passed was the grass and trees on the side of the road.   NJ especially does not like when you do things like that in the left lane, which is why they are looking to increase those fines for people like you.  When the middle lane is going the same speed or more than you - that should be the millionth sign that you shouldn't be sitting in the left lane!

Then when I finally passed you - and the 7 other people behind you and in front of me being stuck there by you - by driving in the far right lane, you were quite a distance behind me, but then sped down the exit ramp that we both exited on and cut me off at the merge off the ramp and on the road - WTF!   Pick a speed and stay there.

Finally, I got ahead of you because yet again, you chose to drive in the left lane, but this time you got stuck behind someone turning left, which gave me the opportunity to get around you.   This time, you were stuck behind me and I watched you do the following while driving.   You took your glasses off and put both hands over both your eyes to rub them as if you were tired.    We weren't slowing down or coming to a light or anything.    That is reckless driving!     After that I couldn't stop keeping my eyes on you, worried that you would slam into the back of my car because of your erratic driving behavior.  

Oh, did I forget to mention, all this occurred in a period of 10 minutes or so?

You make me question how certain people have driving licenses, don't get in accidents and/or don't get tickets.    Now with that, please get off the road or learn to drive.   If you want to drive 70 mph, that's fine with me, but don't do it in the left lane.    Don't cut people off - especially pregnant, hormonal women - and finally keep your hand(s) on the wheel and your eye(s) on the road!  

Sincerely,
Lynda (the pregnant woman in the dark blue Chevy Traverse who gave you evil looks)

Reaching a goal

At the beginning of the year, I wrote about how I don't make resolutions, but I have continuing goals that I create throughout the year.   One of my many goals that were created in the last few months of last year that I discussed was "De-clutter" my house.   You can ask anyone who has been to my house, I don't live in a clutter-filled house.   It's well kept and everything has a place - I just have a lot of "everything"'s :)   Over the past couple weeks, I have made a lot of progress in putting together piles/boxes of things to sell at my family's annual yard sale this year - many of which I am quite proud of myself for.

When I was in high school, I had a friend whose parents had tons of VHS tapes and DVDs (DVDs were just starting to come out) - probably half a wall full of.   I really liked that idea because I could just be hanging out searching for something to watch and whalah - lots of options right in front of me.   And thus started my "addiction" to buying movies.    I always bought movies at a discount price (pre-viewed 4 for $20 or 5 for $20 sales at blockbuster, columbia house, flea markets, etc).   My collection  included over 250 movies, a full bookcase full.   Unfortunately, I rarely got up and picked a movie from my collection.   

At first I decided I was going to get rid of all my movies, and then I started looking through it, and there were just some that I didn't want to part with.   Some were good classic movies such as Shawshank Redemption and ET; others were great movies for kids (for when the kiddos are older) such as Cars, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc; some just never get old like Crash and Mean Girls; Others were good cinematic education for the kiddos when they are much older (if DVDs still work) like John Adams (tv series), 9/11 movies, An Inconvenient Truth, Pearl Harbor and Holocaust movies; and finally there are just the ones that are just enjoyable to watch now and then - the Harry Potter series, Office Space, Thank You for Smoking, Mighty Ducks series (yes I really do own all 3 movies AND find them enjoyable).  

But even with that - I made a lot of progress.   I went from having 6 shelves of a bookcase full of movies and TV shows down to 2 and a half!    Maybe in a few more years Ill be more willing to get rid of more - but at least now Ill stick to renting through RedBox or something.

I also have cleared through most of my Phillies stuff, and gotten rid of most of a bookcase full of items.    Just like the movies, I'm getting rid of about half of my stuff and calling that a lot of progress for now.  

On the list to go is 90% of my bobbleheads, little knick-knacks, some mugs, the media guides, Phillies magazines and half of the books I had.  

On the list to stay is all the phanatic stuff (for the kids bedroom), all the autographed memorabilia, the games that I kept as collectors stuff but will keep for playing with the kiddos (Phillies 2008 Champions Monopoly, Phillies 2008 Champions puzzle, Phillies Checkers), half the Phillies books and the Phillies Yearbooks.   Oh and of course staying and was never a consideration of going was my collection of baseball cards, the seats from Vet Stadium and the things that I actually use such as hats (got rid of half of them last year), shirts, blankets, etc..   So I guess I didn't quite get rid of half the stuff - probably less than a quarter of my stuff - but this is a BIG step :)

I still have a few more smaller areas to go through, but now I really just need to post the furniture Im looking to sell and have the yard sale (already scheduled for April 21st) so I can really get started into turning our den into a guest bedroom/playroom, which means going back out and spending money....but I promise to try and reach my goal of being more of a "minimalist" as well!   Its all a work in progress throughout my lifetime, not throughout a year.

Only real things left on the "goal" list that I made are get more active in judaism and pick up a new skill or two.   But for those skills - gardening will be out of the picture for a little while, Im thinking more like photography and knitting...