Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holiday's. I love getting friends and family together and eating, drinking and hanging out. I love the traditions that go along with it. Getting up in the morning and staying in your jammies (although I do that every morning), but it seems better on holiday's. I love to watch cheesy movies, like Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving, to get into the spirit. I love to bake and give food as gifts this time of year.
I have been making a lot of food for the police department lately. It has got to the point were David's Sgt took him aside and asked if I was "chubby" because I liked baking so much. I asked David what he said and after a moment he replied, he said, "I told him NO!" I think he had to think about it too long. He promised it was because he wasn't listening. I am not sure which is worse so I dropped it.
So back to Thanksgiving, I am in charge of dip or appetizers. I am taking a hot artichoke dip and I am gonna throw some garlic in it because garlic makes everything better. I am also taking the cream cheese slab with jalapeno jam on top. I would have made more because I love to cook and to share what I cook because I am fat enough, but I swear the grocery store marked all the food up for the holidays. And my Mom's side of the family had this weird obsession with food and being overweight. If you are over a size 8, you are considered fat. I am over a size 8, so I wear baggy clothes and big sweaters. I will sweat all day, but they will not stare at me and talk about me behind my back! It's pretty sad actually. My Mom is always making jabs at me for being bigger then the good ol' days. I had two freaking kids. There is skin hanging from my mid-section and it seems to not even be attached to my body, except for a couple layers of skin. I would perform a self tummy tuck, but I wouldn't want to clean the kitchen up after it! For people who are so petty and shallow, may you become fat like me someday. Man, I must have written myself into a funk! I am going to turn this frown upside down.
So, tomorrow is going to be good. I will wear several layers of clothing and smile and talk to everyone until they can't stand it anymore. They are gonna be happy that they won't have to see me again for another month. Then I will come home and drink some hot tea and take some Pepto because after all that food comes the air that compresses inside the stomach. Thank goodness David will be working and not have to deal with that fun part of the day! Then I will go to bed. I will watch my TV and become a vegetable for a couple hours!
I hope you all have a wonderful day and eat yourselves into oblivion. May we all be bloated and feel disgusting together!

Funny article. Mom's read!

To read it clearly, click on the article itself.

Wines

So David and I love to drink wine. For the last two nights, we have sat in the backyard, put a log in the fire pit and poured a glass of wine and watched the boys play "detective" in the backyard. It is definitely been a good last couple nights.
So, although we have our cheap stand-by, Foxbrook Cabernet, which I get by the case, we also like the occasional splurge.
I encourage everyone to try J. Lohr Valdigue and Riesling. Both of these wine are about $10 at Savemart. They are sweeter wines, but have a deep quality about them. I wish I could afford them more often. I am wanting to go wine tasting at their facility, but we haven't done a wine tasting vacation...yet!
Another good wine, Smoking Loon. I like the smokey taste about this one. It's really good with BBQ or a smokey-type dinner. I tried it for the first time at my parents. It's about $5-$7, which isn't that bad, but if it's over $1.99-we, again, have to wait for a special occasion.
Now, I am still a beginner when it comes to wines, but I know a lot about beer. Maybe it was from parties at Frat houses or going and having pizza and beer at BC's Pizza and Beer (they had great beer there!), but I am kinda picky about beer. It has progressed from my younger years of Bud Light to dark beers like Newcastle and Sam Adams. My favorite, which David hates, is Hefenweizen. Yum!!
Now I have realized that wine really is a hobby of mine. I think you can still be a wine fan on a budget. I think you can enjoy wine with friends and family and appreciate someones hard work needed to develope and create new flavors. I wish I could say I knew a lot, but all I can tell you are the ones I like and that taste good to me. Add to this!! Leave comments, I am always up for suggestions!

Wednesday night

It started out as a normal day. We hung out as a family for a couple hours until David had to go to work and after he left, I went about my business. I made dinner, cleaned up dinner, cleaned up kids, read books and got in bed. I watched TV until my eyes wouldn't stay open. I guess it was about 11:15 when I called it a night.
It was 12:30-ish when I got a call on my cell phone from David. I was kind of irritated because I had tried calling him all evening and he didn't answer my calls or send me a text message telling me goodnight. So I ignored the first call. Next, he called on the home phone. Fine, I'll pick up. He sounded weird and told me, "Don't worry, I'm okay". Okay, don't call me in the middle if the night and say that. What happened? He went on to say he was in an "OIS". First he freaks me out with his comment, now he's gonna use an acronym? I had to ask what an OIS is since I was still asleep. He replied "Officer involved shooting". Since I was kinda out of it, I said, "Okay". He went on to tell me that he would be late because he had to be interviewed by Detectives and so on. So I had got off the phone with him and realized that I didn't ask if he was the shooter. I tried text messaging him with negative results.
So, needless to say, I didn't sleep well. He got home at 6:00-ish, at which time I jumped out of bed and met up with him in the office to talk about what had happened. It turned out it was his partner that was the shooter, but he was right there next to him. He saw the suspect get shot and said that if he had he had a clear shot, he would have shot him also.
So after the de-briefing, I was amazed at how comfortable I was with everything. I know that David is a good cop. I have full faith in him as an officer, that he can handle any situation and know that he will do everything in his power to come home at night. I tried to be encouraging, but I could tell that he was a little different, as anyone would be after going thru something like this. So he waived his right to three days paid administrative leave and meeting with a Doctor to go back to work the next day.
Well, Thursday night he went to work, even though I thought it wasn't the best idea. At 8 o'clock he calls and tells me that he was being sent home by his Sgt because he hadn't been "cleared" to come back to work yet. Apparently he has to meet with a Shrink and have three days off, which is standard protocol. He was glad to be home, but I could tell he was sorta angry inside.
Today, he went to the Doctor and had a great experience. He was really positive about their talk and explained to me some of the weird things he was experiencing. He went into things he could and couldn't do for health reasons and why different things were happening with his body. It was great to see him make sense of things that he would have otherwise, not.
I am still in a little bit of shock, but all in all it has been a good week. My husband went through a very difficult situation and I felt like I was able to help him and encourage him. He still has some things to deal with, but all in all, we are good and healthy. He has told me he doesn't want to talk about it to people, which I respect. He wants to move on and learn from this experience. Keep him in your prayers and thoughts as he still has some things to cope with.

Ghost Hunters

I watch a show called Ghost Hunters pretty regularly. It's on cable and it's about a group of guys that goes to house/hospitals/hotels, or the like, in search of paranormal activity. This really isn't my thing, or hadn't been. When I hear ghost stories, or things like that, I get all choked up and my eyes tear-like I am crying. Kind of a weird reaction, but regardless, that's what happens.
So David and I have been watching these shows and I sit there and cry and he constantly says, "Did you see that?" or "Wow". I can't watch these shows by myself and after watching them, David has to rub my back until I go to sleep-how brave of me, huh?
So Sunday morning when he gets up, he tells me that he watched the show when I was asleep and that this particular group (TAPS) is coming to Clovis. I knew what house immediately after he said that. They are coming to the haunted house on Clovis Ave, that they have used for several years as a Halloween attraction. The last I heard is that they shut it down because the fake haunting was being disrupted by the real haunting. Anyway, they have concluded the investigation and are airing it on TV soon. I am sure I will write about it because I have such an exciting life that I have to write about TV instead of my fun filled days. Heck, I will probably air the You Tube version on here for those of you who are cable-less.

Sunday's

Normally Sunday's aren't that great. David is usually working and after church I am alone with the boys, doing whatever. No, not whatever, I clean, cook and do laundry.
Anyway, today was a good day. I got up and had my daily pumpkin pie latte and read the paper and lounged for a couple hours. Then I got the family ready for church, went and came home. I made lunch for my parents, who were here for about an hour and then, I relaxed. I put my sweats on and got on the internet and did nothing.
This is huge! I am watching my DVR and catching up with all my shows, including 90210, Grey's Anatomy and, finally Lipstick Jungle. This is gonna go in the record books for one of the greatest days of 2008. And to top off the day, the boys are getting along really well and haven't got in trouble at all today!

Dogs

Before I had kids, I never knew the love a parent has for a child. What I did know was that I loved my wedding present, a red dachshund named Klyde. I didn't know I could love a child more then Klyde. Klyde slept with me every night under the covers and we would cuddle all the time. He would go to Fresno with me....let's just say he was my child. I was excited when I found out I was pregnant with Gavin, but I really didn't know how this child would change my life and my relationship with Klyde.
When Gavin came home the dynamics changed. It was like, "Klyde who?". He wasn't allowed in my bed because Gavin was there. Klyde wasn't allowed on the couch anymore because I was on the couch nursing Gavin, which seemed like 24 hour a day. Poor Klyde. I understood at that moment, that a child, especially a baby, takes first priority. To this day I feel guilty that I don't spend time with Klyde like I used to. The only time he goes for rides in the car is to go the vet. He doesn't get a weekly bath or play time. I feel like I don't have the time I used to have.
My poor Klyde, I hope he still knows I still love him. I may not hug him as much or hold him when I walk around, but he is still loved. The only difference is the feelings David has for him. His love has turned to a thorn in his flesh. But what he lost in David, he gained from two little boys, who chase him around and play with him.

Addictions

I have seen a lot of different addictions in my lifetime. I have seen many people with addictions to methamphetamine, heroin and the like. I have dealt with people under the influence of all these drugs, as well as alcohol. I have handled all these drugs and can pretty much identify them through taste-just kidding-through sight. I have seen women who were actively using drugs while they were pregnant or with small children in their house. I have talked to children who could tell me the difference between marijuana and a cigarette and the smells they omit.
It still amazes me to think of how people abuse their bodies and people around them, with these things. The worst thing is the fact that no matter how much you try to help addicted people, they will always have an addiction.
I openly admit that I have problems with shopping, food and caffeine. I love my addictions because I feel like they are mildly healthy. I am addicted to taking care of myself so I eat. The fact that I eat everything in sight is not the point. All the things I buy clothing-wise are on sale-that's good right? Caffeine? Hello!! That is the healthiest of all. It keeps me awake, very important with two small children.
I know I would have a problem quitting my addictions, but they couldn't potentially kill me. For instance, when I worked for Visalia PD, I was driving past a bar around 1:30am and while looking for a DUI, I noticed a man on the side of the road, going through what appeared to be a seizure. I stopped and checked out with this man, who seemed to be homeless. I let him do his thing and stood by with him, talking to him and so forth until the paramedics came. They took the man to the hospital, where he was admitted. I saw the paramedics later and asked about the man. They said that he was an alcoholic and was going through detox or withdrawal. They told me that had I not stopped and called for them and the man had not received treatment, he would have died within an hour.
Hello? I may feel like if I don't hit Macy's I will die, but there is a difference there.
Another example. I responded to a house where I had developed a relationship with a family, where three of the four children were dirt bags. Well, the son, who was about 18, was huffing gasoline. That is weird to me. Go ahead and smoke a joint, but gasoline? Anyway, I talk to the kid and he smells like a gas station. He is showing signs of being under the influence so I arrest him and take him to the hospital to be medically cleared. I guess huffing gasoline is dangerous-who would have known. We are leaving the hospital and what does he ask me for? A cigarette. What? Of course I couldn't let that go. I made fun of him, asking him, "What do you want to explode?" Apparently he doesn't know about reactions, such as gas to flame.
So I will take my problems any day. I will embrace them and brag about them because I know they are not life threatening or dangerous to me. I will smile and suggest that others become addicted to them also. Keep in mind, you may be my next recruit....

David worked last night, in the rain. He responded to the shooting call at San Joaquin Memorial high school, where two men were shot. That is what police officers live for.
Now, don't get me wrong, its unfortunate for the subject who gets shot, but the blood and guts-that's cool. I loved going to calls regarding gruesome things. Call me weird. It all started when my old roommate and I would would eat chinese food and watch Faces or Death movies. Now that is gross.
So he calls me and tells me that he had to stand in the rain for an hour, without a rain coat. Uniform rain coats are about $100. If he could wear a regular rain coat-no problem. If he could even carry an umbrella-no problem, but the restrictions for Fresno PD are so outta control. He can't wear certain pants because it's not in "dress code", he can't wear certain jackets and so on and so on. So he calls me and says that his pants are so wet that it's down to his boxers. How uncomfortable is that? He had to wear those wet pants all night, from 10:30 until he got off at 2am.
I remember going on a homicide call in the dead of winter, on graveyards. It was so cold and I had to take perimeter. I was like a walking ice cube after having to stand there for 2 or 3 long hours.
So the moral of the story. If you can't stand wearing polyester in summer, don't be police officer. If you can't handle standing in the rain for hours, don't be a police officer. And, if you don't like the thought of brains splattered on a wall after someone commits suicide, don't become a police officer. My husband is lucky!

Don't know what to title this.

Can I just say this: I really miss my friends. I miss Visalia. I miss being able to go to coffee with someone and not being judged. I miss the fact that I could count on people who lived less than fifteen minutes from me. Blame it on the wine, because I have had some, but it makes me sad to think that I can't go to coffee or Keva Juice after taking my kids to preschool and kindergarten. I can't stop by at Audrey's around dinner and have her invite me to stay and eat. I miss the fact that my kids friends are all playing together without my monsters. I hate always trying so hard to make friends and keeping positive to my husband, when I am really sad that everyone that is close to me, isn't here. I hate that my in-laws are so far from me that I can't drop off my kids for an hour so I can stop by the tanning booth or get my nails done. Truth is, after all the time that I wanted to move here, I see that maybe my life had, actually, moved to Visalia. I guess this is just a bad night. I am sure things will turn around, hopefully soon.

New Season

I am so happy that the weather is getting colder. I love bundling up and wearing sweats!! I love the gray days, the rain and wearing long coats that cover my big ass. I love hot coffee, whether it be at home or at Starbucks. I love the holiday season, especially the parts involving eating and shopping (who would have guessed). I love spending time with my family, baking all day and watching movies on the couch. Most of all I love the fact that I am not so sweaty and I can wear my flannel all day! I love taking the boys to the snow, even though it isn't always happy for them. I love sleeping with the window cracked so I get cold enough to let my husband hold me at night. I love the sales that occur this time of the year. I love homemade hot soup and burning candles. I am so excited this time of the year has finally come. I hope everyone can appreciate it like me!

Theft

I was thinking today, would it be considered stealing to take a candy out of my kids halloween basket-wait, let me finish-if you know they wouldn't eat it.
Both of my boys don't really dig on chocolate. Well, chocolate is right up my alley, especially right now (girls, you know what I mean). I have caught myself a couple times now, sneaking candy. I know, how terrible is that? But, in my self defense, how much candy can a kid have anyway. I wouldn't let my kids eat all that garbage. They would still be eatting it this summer!
So my question to you is, "Does paying for your kids costumes get repaid with the candy they get for looking so cute at halloween?"