hello, goodbye

First things first this has been one busy Sunday! But plenty of fun. Woke up and drank coffee then headed straight for work. Then I went and picked up little Jacob Riley so we could take him to Kids N Play for Honey's cousins birthday party. Honeys family loveddd him, I mean who couldn't? Even though he hadnt had a nap he was still behaving extremely well. We left there and headed to Honeys where we watched some history show on sharks, because Jacob is obsessed with them! Him and I crawled in the recliner and took a nap while Honey took a cat nap on the sofa. I didn't even realize we had all fallen asleep till honey woke me up and told me it was time to go to Little S's going away party.



Do I really need to explain how hard it was waking this precious boy up? He actually wasn't cranky at all. He did, however, stare at me like I had five heads when he finally opened his eyes. It didn't take him too long to figure out where he was though. He turned and saw TRex standing in the kitchen and just stared. Apparently he's never scene such an abundance of muscle lol. He even behaved for his diaper change. Woopwoop!

We headed to the party where I returned him to his mommy yet wanted nothing todo with her and everything to do with his Pawpaw. Once again he was the life of the party...



Mogo decided to put his hair in a ponytail on top of his head, he definitely was not a fan. He's sitting by his pawpaw, no surprise there.



It was so hard saying goodbye. Work isn't going to be the same without Little S. Not only was it hard saying goodbye to S but to Jacob as well. I already miss that little man.

Running after a two year old all day completely wore honey and I out. Honeys in bed as I'm typing and I'm about to head that way myself.

I'm definitely not ready for the work week ahead. I haven't decided whether or not to confront Bee on her betraying actions or not. Maybe I'll let her continue thinking she's playing me like a fool in order to keep peace. As far as pretending everything is okay though I'm not going there. I'm not going to treat her as if she's any type of friend to me let alone a best friend. Trust is one thing I don't give very easily and once you betray that...HOLLA!

Hope everyone had a fab weekend. Mine was topped off pretty splendidly.

give me a beer, maybe a dozen

Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you try you just cannot for the life of you get on top of things? If one thing isn't wrong another is... I just can't quite seem to make it to the top. As soon as I mark off one thing on my mental to do list ten more pile on. Literally, I'm spent.

I need a vacation more than ever right now. Work is sucking me in and under to the point I'm exhausted mentally and physically. I was suppose to be off today, I had to attend regardless. I'm suppose to be off tomorrow, still having to go in. Work seven days a week is enough to do anyone in but considering I have more than an overloaded plate of work issues right now just tops everything off.

If being overloaded with work isn't enough, recently I've come to the realization that the term best friend is nonexistent in my life. Over the past 23 years of my life, not including the elementary and middle school best friends that you change out like underwear, I've had four people that claimed me as there best friend and I've claimed back. All four have shit on me, lied to me, backstabbed me...the list goes on. Maybe I have the wrong definition of best friend. Maybe I didn't get the memo that you're suppose to lie, backstab, and all the other previous mentioned and gone unsaid. When I say I'm going to be there for you I mean it through thick and thin. Regardless if I gave you the advice to keep you from the problem in your life yet you decided to forego and take your own. Maybe I'm too sensitive of a person. I dont know but I'm quickly learning that this year is about getting rid of the trash in my life.

Oh that's not enough to weigh me down right about now is it? Let's pile on that I'm practically being nagged and belittled by Queen almost daily to the point I'm in midst of being smothered. Thank God Honey has patience with me because I've quickly become snappy as fuck.

Does anyone have a hole I can crawl into and hide for possibly a month? Because all jokes aside I'm about ready to do just that.

What? I'm overdue for a rant.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fast, easy, scrumptious? Yes please!

Okay so in Monday's post I mentioned my new favorite recipe. That post actually reminded me that I've been meaning to post about it because well, its just that freaking delicious!! You can find the original recipe HERE but I tweaked several things so I'm also going to give you mine :)
*my changes are in italic.
ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef 1 lb ground turkey
1 onion , chopped I used a 1/2 of a yellow onion
2 garlic cloves , smashed I substituted this for 2tsp of garlic salt
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt completely left this out because I used garlic salt instead
1 teaspoon dried oregano Oregano doesn't make a ton of difference so I just sprinkled until satisfied
12 ounces cottage cheese (we like 2%) Being that cottage cheese only locally comes in 16oz containers I just used the full 16oz instead. I also used fat free.
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup asiago cheese
12 ounces lasagna noodles , uncooked My crockpot is circle so I just basically broke up the noodles because they wouldn't fit and I layered
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

directions:
1
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
2
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
3
Cook long enough to get it warm.
4
Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
5
Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
6
Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
7
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

I highly recommend only cooking for 4. Also on many reviews that I read it said to add 1 cup of water. I used 2 cups of water instead, it helps to not burn your noodles up. Also this isn't a recipe that you can just leave in the pot for several hours after the four hours are up promptly remove it or you're going to have black burnt edges. Generally I get about 3 layers of noodles, make sure you double layer throughout or it will be a little more on the watery side (not completely, I mean its still good being that I single layered the first time but tonight when I cooked it it was much much better).

If I still haven't sold you on this recipe, I'll lay out some facts for you: Honey normally gets two servings majority of the time with other dishes I make. TRex normally sticks to one. This time honey couldn't get enough and took it for lunch the next day. TRex actually had gone to dinner with a friend prior to coming home and when he got here, he smelt it and grabbed himself a bowl. Then a second...then informed me he wanted the rest of the leftovers for lunch. Huge hit in this household! don't worry, I gave myself a huge pat on the back being that these boys are some picky picky eaters!

Saturday night we are having a girls sleepover and we are all bringing appetizers/finger foods. I'm still undecided on what to bring...any suggestions?

What I'm loving Wednesday! +giveaway

Happy Hump Day! I'm more than excited that this weekend is halfway over, just an FYI. I didn't sleep good last night, I tossed and turned literally all night. If I were to say, it had to do with the fact that I was pretty much crying my eyes out right before I fell asleep. Apparently when someone commits suicide in front of your car there is no "claim" that it falls under. Thus meaning all damage and expenses come out of my insurance and what insurance doesn't pay comes out of my pockets. Being that it's now up to $1200 just out of my pocket, well let's just say it's a tough pill to swallow. The only way I can get "his side" to pay is by going after his family. In no way shape or form am I interested in doing so. It's not there responsibility, nor do I feel it's mine but in the end someone has to cough up the cash and though it's really putting a hurt on me, I don't think his family should have to suffer through any more than they have with losing their child. I just have to let it be in God's hands.

But enough about depressing stuff, let's get on to what I'm loving this Wednesday! That's right! I'm linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday!




My sweet, sweet Honey recently purchased him and I a set of Plantronics 903+ Backbeat earphones! Ohhh they're amazing!!



They sync via Bluetooth with your iPhone. While I'm at the gym, hitting the weight room, it never fails I always end up in some sort of tangled knot with my iPhone earphones. (I use my iphone as my iPod, even though I own three iPods, don't ask). No more though! Now I can use my belt clip and put my iPhone on my hip and not worry about any strings. If no strings isn't good enough, if someone calls me I can quickly answer it...finish the call...then continue listening to my jams. Um, can it get any better? Why yes! I can control the volume with them, they're rechargeable, I can go back and forth between songs, anddd I can press the power button while they're in use and it informs me of how much battery life I have remaining. Yes, my boyfriend is the besttttt! I seriously cannot wait to hit the gym with this bad boy!

What are you loving!?

Don't forget $25 Amazon.com giveaway! Ends 2/29 and only two entrees so far! You can enter Here!

TAG! You're it.

Yay for blog games! My friend, in RL and blogosphere, Amanda over at The Brandon and Amanda Story has tagged me in a little blog game.

The Rules:
1. You must post the rules
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post
3. Answer the questions the tagged set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag eleven people and link them on your post.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

eleven facts:
1. I believe with no doubt in mind that Honey is my soulmate. I'm so fortunate to have him in my life.



2. I'm a list making freak. I probably make about 5-10 lists each week concerning different things. Inventory for work, grocery lists, to do lists, you name it, I list it.

3. God has blessed me with so much. A lot of the times I wonder why, then I remember because he's good like that.

4. I adore my family. My family is unusually close. We openly talk about things that many families don't. Honestly if all families were as close as mine I think the world would be a much better place: more love, less hate.

5. My nephew is my shining star. He showed me just how much I can love and has taught me things no one else has even though he's two. Maybe I'm bias but he's cutest two year old there is. Just saying hehe.



Who couldn't love that sweet baby face with bed head like that?

6. I'm highly addicted to The Sims. It started in fifth grade, and I'm still playing it. I've had the original game, the sims 2, and now the sims 3. All EP's and stuff packs. Nerd? I know. Proud of it. When The Sims 3 first came out I purchased it "preorder". I received it bought the limited edition along with the pricey playing guide. Scheduled off work, got up early AM to pick it up, only to get home and load it to my computer to realize my computer is not update enough. Two years later I still hadn't been able to play it and then Honey went out and bought me a new computer for Christmas and made sure that it had enough ghz just for the game. Now, it's on like donkey kong!

7. Ive had six car wrecks: rear ended my friend when I was 16, ran off the road and flipped 3 times in my Volkswagen bug, two involved mailboxes (seriously, don't ask), one time I was rear ended by an old guy who didn't pay attention, and my most recent (like I just got my car back today) was December 17th and a guy jumped out in front of my car on the interstate and committed suicide. I'm hoping thats my last one, seriously.

8. Diagnosed and treated for depression in 2005. I think it has a lot to do with me creating a blog. My physician gave me two options: therapy or a journal that he could checkup on every month. I went with a journal and I've found a passion for writing ever since.

9. I'm obsessed with organizing. I love all things organizational.

10. Don't send me to Walmart unless you have no hurry to retrieve the items you sent me for. I get distracted, I could browse for hours. Honey HATES this. (I love the school supplies aisle and craft section...I've learned to stay away. )

11. I'm naturally blonde hair blue eyed but I haven't been blonde since I was in middle school.

Amanda's questions, Diva's answers:
1. Your favorite DIY project you have done? And if you haven't done one, which one is on your to do list?
I haven't DIY'ed in a long time. But I would have to say I knitted a scarf and I love it. There's a TON of stuff on Pinterest that I want to tackle but I'm saving them for when Honey and I buy our house.
2. What's your favorite ap?
Sorry Amanda but my favorite what?!
3. When you log onto the internet, where is the first place you go?
Well normally I surf the web from my phone so I normally have a place I'm directly going. But my top two are blogger and google.
4. What's your favorite thing about the blogging world?
Seeing life from all different points of views. Reading about the views of different mothers on motherhood and just meeting people from all over the world.
5. Favorite vacation spot?
I wish I could do more vacationing/traveling but I don't. If I had to chose obviously Florida. I love the hot summer sun and sand between my toes.
6. Your favorite thing to cook? Will you share the recipe?
Of course! My easiest meal is chili.
1lb Ground beef (I use turkey for health purposes)
Large can of crushed tomatoes (I cant remember what oz but I think it's 16? ...)
McCormick chili packet
Kidney beans (optional, size is as well it just however much you want)

Brown meat. When finished add meat to a pot along with all other ingredients. I normally drain the kidney beans. If it's a little chunkier than desired add a touch of water. Simmer for 30minutes and serve.

The my most recent and favorite recipe is crockpot turkey lasagna. Recipe can be found Here but once again, ground turkey instead of beef.

7. When was the last time you did a good deed and what was it?
I try to do good deeds on a daily basis, no really I do. I guess I would have to say that I helped TRex, Honey's roommate do his laundry because he hadn't had much time to.
8. What's the best book you have read?
Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel will always be my favorite just because it helped me receive more in-depth insight regarding my depression. I also love the Ellen Hopkins series because of her poetic form of writing.
9. What's your go to bible verse?
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
10. What's the last thing you purchased?
Gas. :-/
11. Who is your favorite Disney princess?
Cinderella! Duh she has little mice for friends and she sings with the birds. Do I need to bring up her good taste in glass slippers?

Your Turn!!
Venassa @ The Best Days
Boobies @ Boobies Babies and a Blog
Summer @ Summer's Story
Bailey @ Addicted to Addison
And Amanda, I'm tagging you back just because I want to see your answers hehe. You don't have to do the whole game again :)
Diva's questions, Your answers:
1. You have one night. What's your ideal way to spend the evening?
2. One movie you have watched more than a handful of times, why?
3. What's your go to blog? Ya know, the one you check almost daily?
4. Favorite brand name? Yes, you can only choose one...shoes, clothing, purses, scrap booking items...anything. Name one.
5. The day you realized what love is. Why? Who what when?
6. Favorite summer time activity? What about winter?
7. Number one thing you hate about weight loss/working out?
8. One day that you will never forget. When and why?
9. Tell me about your very first car. Do you still drive it? Why did you get rid of it?
10. Are you an introvert or extrovert? Elaborate a little.
11. Share one of your all time favorite pictures of you. Why is it your favorite?

Let me know if you join in :)

Tell All Series v.1.0

As previously mentioned in my giveaway post, I will be starting a new "tell all" series. Each series will be some sort of collection of a different "tell all" subject. It will be week to week, no particular day. Some will be about motherhood, some about sex, some about nothing particular.


Via google Tell all v1.0- The Awkward One Night Stand We all may have them, few actually talk about them. Bee Some friends and I went out one evening obviously indulging in quite a bit of liquid encouragement. Being the wild party animal I once was I indulged a lot. I ended up going home with a guy and the next morning I was woken up in a room filled with condom wrappers and his mother screaming, "get this little whore out of my house!". Apparently, as I was told in a sober mind later, I sat up looking directly at his mother and laughed then went back to sleep. The most awkward part? A month or so later I became his girlfriend. How's that for meeting the parents...twice. stay tuned to read about Miller's experience with the late night, coffee drinking mother (v.1.1) Don't forget to enter my current giveaway! Only two entries so far end 2/29/2012! $25 Amazon.com gift card! You're chances are looking good. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

show me your...

GIVEAWAY! Dirty minds...




Today I'm linking up with Boobies and Masshole Mommy for their Show Me Yours Sunday. A link up that features current giveaways being held. You can go there and peruse different giveaways or you can post yours to get more entries. Win/win situation.

Speaking of giveaway, I never set an "end date". The giveaway will end on February 29th at 12AM, yep...leap year baby. The winner will be announced within a week. If the winner does not claim prize within a week, another will be chosen.

It's been just another Sunday spent in DTown. This time we did things a little different. Instead of going to either of Honey's grandparents house we went to his sister's. She made spaghetti, nomnomnom! Then we headed to his parents house where unfortunately his mom had to work but his dad had some friends over playing guitar and whatnot in the basement. Nothing too terribly eventful which is kind of a relief because I haven't been up for too much excitement in my plans this weekend. I'm loving the laying low status right now ha! Honey took off to the gym so now I'm at home with loads of laundry, again. No one's home so it's kind of the perfect way to round off the weekend. Alone time. Quiet. Peaceful...I don't get much of that anymore. I'm off to go spend "me time" and by "me time" I mean I'm going to over indulge in The Sims 3- ever since I got my new computer I'm sure Kyle half-way feels single again (yeah right, he calls it my babysitter).

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Valium vs Crack

I have learned a significant difference between Honey and I. Obviously we're going to have our differences, that's a given. After a year of being together you would expect that I would have learned this way before now. When it comes to our Saturday mornings I like to ease out of bed, so does Honey, yet when it comes to us actually being out of bed he likes to go full force. Eat some breakfast, plan our day, and get to it. Um hello? No! I like to start my day with some caffeine, a cigarette, and relaxation. Monday through Friday I have to get out of bed and haul ass through my morning for work. Saturday I don't want to spend my mornings doing the same. I want to take it at ease, reflect on my week then get stuff done. Sometimes I even try to get out of bed a bit earlier than he does to get a head start on him and his 'get-r-done' outlook. However it never fails as soon as I wiggle my way out of bed he wakes up and is ready to go. My morning is much like a Valium induced coma his more like a crack induced hype. metaphorically speaking of course. Needless to say my favorite Saturday morning activity is getting up, smoking a cigarette while indulging in caffeine and all the while perusing over blogs and updating mine...which here lately I have fallen short on. Don't miss my giveaway! You can enter HERE. It has been brought to my attention that readers from outside of the US are not eligible so I will work on a quick fix for that. Not mentioned in the giveaway post: I was not endorsed to provide this giveaway. Amazon.com in no way contacted me to do so, it's strictly on my own terms. Coming soon: a series on awkward one night stands. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Holidays 2011 and a giveaway

It has become apparent to me that I try to juggle too many balls, put too many eggs in my basket, and make too many false promises to myself. I've been swallowed up alive in my busyness and it would be nice to just sit back and breath. The question I've been asking myself literally all week? Where the hell does my time go!? I don't even have kids like seriously...ready to scream. Nevertheless I will fill you in on all that I mentioned before or atleast try to touch base. I "promised" mysel I would make an extravagant post with one of those giveaway copters and all. But really? I'm posting from my iPhone because time does not bare much more. So yeah here's the Christmas run down:


Long time bestie Beezie and I at the game. Christmas eve Honey and I went to the titans game then headed to my parents house. We spent the evening with my parents, uncle, and grandfather. Possibly the best Christmas eve I've ever had including childhood. It was my grandfathers (we will call him Big J) first Christmas in society and not in prison in six years. We definitely made it one he could cherish and having him there meant the world. My mom and I spent the evening cooking up some goodies: sausage balls, pigs in a blanket, and our newly added tradition:


buffalo turds! They're hollowed out peppers with some sort of cream cheese mixture for the filling and wrappe with bacon and then baked. Delicious!!


Mine and Honey's first Christmas Eve together :)


Dad and Honey. Funny story: Honey made Apple Pie Moonshine and my grandfather asked what was in it. When he replied 'everclear' my grandfather responded "EVERQUEER!?" so when this picture was taken I had just said "aw look how cute y'all are " and my grandfather (commenting on the fact that they were siting in a small recliner together) says "yeah they both must've got ahold of some of that EVERQUEER. Hahahah. Okay moving on.... Christmas day sister BIL and little baby bumble came over. We indulged in all the yummy food and then headed to unwrap presents. This year was definitely not about "my presents" for me. It was more about seeing how excited the presents I bought for others made them. I think I did a pretty good job in that area. Oh! And baby bumble Jacob got a cute tricycle!!


Pawpaw (my dad) and lil Jacob taking the new tricycle for a text drive. He loved it! Later honey and I went off to DTown to his family's gathering. I love them so much! It's like they've just always been my family. Afterwards we went to his parents and stayed the night. The following morning we did Christmas with his parents sister BIL and their kids. Fun overload.


Honey and I Christmas day. New years eve we went to dinner with my parents and A couple that is family friends. Later we picked up T-Rex and headed to Mogo's house and played some games and what not. The holidays were so busy and though I enjoyed all of them I'm semi happy they're over with and the new year is here. So now for the GIVEAWAY Item: $25 gift card to Amazon.com To enter: Mandatory: Leave a comment: including your email address and URL for your blog(+1) Follow The Diva Bee (+1) Extra Entries, and a better chance to win: Add The Diva Bee button to your blog ((+1) Follow TheHaleyBarr on twitter (+2) Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment to the link (+3) Blog about the giveaway and link back to it (+5) Leave a comment telling me your favorite item ever purchased on Amazon.com or if you've never used it tell me something you would like to have off of amazon.com (+2) And there you have it. Every (+#) is how many entries you will have in the giveaway. Therefore commenting(telling me you're entering) following my blog and then blogging about the giveaway will give you a total of 7 entries. Every time you blog about it leave an addition comment for an addition 5 entries. Easy. Oh and to spice things up every time you refer someone to my giveaway you get an additional 5 entries. So when you blog about it tell your readers to mention your name in their comment entry! Happy new years and belated Christmas everyone :) Coming soon: a series of awkward one night stands. More info soon ;) Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone