If you have a prayer to spare...

I don't normally do posts like this, for 2 reasons. One, I like to keep it light hearted. And two, I'm lucky enough to have a fairly healthy family that doesn't always require posts like this.

My cousin, Amy, is in the hospital in Jamaica with Encephalitis, which is an infection of the brain. She was in the States and had a baby on Christmas Eve, then headed back down to Jamaica with her husband, 3 daughters, and new baby boy on February 2nd.

Last Saturday, she had an earache. On Sunday, a headache, and later that day she started vomitting. Her husband, Errol, took her to the hospital where they gave her a shot of Baralgin/Metamizole, which is banned in the US. By Monday, they were considering her a psychiatric patient because she was going crazy, and then she went into a coma for 3 days. She was transferred to Kingston where they did a CAT scan and a spinal tap. She is very foggy and does not remember having her son, but remembers her girls. Right now, she is on oxygen and has a tube coming out of her brain that is draining puss and blood.

Encephalitis doesn't always have a cheery outcome. Right now, she could use all of the prayers she can get. If you have a minute, could you please send one her way?

Nothing says "winter fun" like a sheep flying a kite!

We had snow for about 13 minutes yesterday, so Grafton threw on his dad's vintage snow suit, circa 1978, hopped in his ghetto sled, and had a bit of wintry fun. 13 whole minutes worth of wintry fun!

Minty fresh!

If you haven't discovered Mint.com, I suggest you check it out. As in HIGHLY suggest. As in GET YOUR ASS TO THE SITE AND GET YOUR FINANCES ORGANIZED THIS YEAR.

I'm addicted, so if you decide to start using it and have any questions, call me. I'm willing to provide free technical support. Why? Well, that's just the kind of person I am :)

Girl, you betta check yo self!

Last weekend I ventured out to the Dirty-B to do a little grocery shopping (code name for the nasty HEB by my house, where at any given point in time, I'm probably best looking person in there, not to mention the only little white girl. And that's on a day where I haven't showered and I'm still in my pajamas.). I hate the place with a passion, and to go on Superbowl weekend does not help matters. Last weekend it was full of NFL fans (that's the only way I know how to describe them without saying something I shouldn't) in their sweat pants. The Walmart kind, with the elastic at the bottom. You know what I'm talking about.

It was quite entertaining.... from the screaming children to the arguing couple in the deli meat aisle fighting over which package of pre-sliced preservative-filled ham they should buy. He didn't understand why she didn't like it, and he wouldn't let it go. He had to know why. That very moment. And as I was passing, the crazy woman yelled out, "I DON'T KNOW WHY I DON'T LIKE IT. WHY DON'T YOU LIKE BEETS, HUH??"

Classic!

Anywho, I'm checking out and I hear a loud crash in my cart, so I turn my head quickly to see what it was. And I see the 16 year old bagger turn to her BFF, the checker, and say "Girl, did you see that? She's mad at me."

I assume she's talking about me, so I politely step in and say, "excuse me?"

Bagger: "Yeah, I saw that look you gave me. It's not like I broke anything."

Me: "I'm sorry, but I don't think I gave you a look."

Bagger: "Uh, yeah you did. I just saw you!"

Seriously? Did I just get called out by a 16 year old sassy kid that works at the Dirty-B?

I think I did.

January Love Story

January came and went. And even though I had to sell my plasma to pay all of the pediatrician co-pays, it was a fun month. I was diggin' it. Although, it's hard to function without any plasma.

My January faves:

:: This goofball. And yes, he's wearing safety glasses at dinner. Because sometimes, dinner is a dangerous thing.

:: Will at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with his sister.

:: Trivial Pursuit gone array at the neighbor's. I didn't know that game could actually be fun!


A trip to NC to surprise Will's sister for the big 4-0!
More pics:

:: Soul Sister, by Train. Turn it up and sing full blast. Or just nod your head, whatever does it for you.

The Great Unknown

I have decided to try my hand in the kitchen. I mean, makes perfect sense right?

I am a woman: check.
I have a husband and kid: check.
I have a fully renovated kitchen that I spend 85% of my time in: check.
La Familia's gotta eat: check.

What's the problem, you ask? I HATE TO COOK. Despise it. Everything about it. I hate grocery shopping. I hate deciding what's for dinner. I hate chopping and cutting and prepping and whisking and sifting and stirring and boiling and waiting and tasting. All of it. Okay, maybe not the tasting part, but everything else, I hate.

So, I've started to tackle this head on, starting with Sundays. I have already cooked 4 Sundays this year, which is 4 more times than the entire year of 2009. I'm on a roll.

Why am I telling you this? I'm a sharer. Is that even a word? I'm a giver, in a bad way. I'm the girl that tells you that her shirt only cost 4.99, when I should just say "Thanks!" and walk away.

Here are the 4 recipes I have made so far. I highly recommend all 4, unless you don't like chicken or eating your dinner out of a bowl.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken Artichoke Casserole
White Bean Chicken Chili
Cheesy Potato Soup (recipe from friend with lots of alterations)

Happy Cooking!