Well hmph....

I came to blog this morning, yesterday's Friday Fill-Ins, but I can't seem to locate it.... The only one I can find on the blog is last weeks (that I missed) *sighs* oh well, I was a day late anywho ;)

With that being said, I've had quite an eventful two weeks.... With summer being in full force, and me training to be Summer Camp Director, it's been crazy (and fun!).... Last week we went to Gatorland! It was my first time there and it is totally a place that Keegan would enjoy. We will definitely be going there in the near future! We also went to this AMAZING Aquatic Center! Awesome area for the kids! We will be going there soon too ;) This past week, we went to Monkey Joes, among other places.... It was my first time going to this one and it was SOOOOO much bigger than the one I have been to.... This is definitely one of the children's favorite field trips! I am thoroughly enjoying this summer! I'm completely exhausted by the end of the day, but I'm enjoying it! :)

This week also marked the end of my first Body by Vi - 90 Day Challenge! I'm proud to say that I have lost 25.8 pounds and 16.5 inches in 90 days! It's been an amazing journey! I didn't realize how big I had gotten until I was putting our before and after pictures together.... I have had an amazing partner in all of this. *Jami* She lost 23 pounds and 11 inches! We are not finished yet.... With the end of the first challenge, we begin another! Hopefully by the end of this next 90 days we will both be at our goal weight! Here's two pictures of my success - One from the front, and one from the side :)

Click my pictures for a closer look ;) If you want to learn more about the challenge just click the "Body by Vi - 90 Day Challenge" link above.... I would post Jami's pictures but I'm not sure how she would feel about that! ;)

Besides that, everything is going good! I'm hopefully signing Keegan up for swimming lessons on Friday! Lord knows living in Florida, with water everywhere, he definitely needs to know how to swim! :) I guess that's all for now!

Friday Fill-Ins :)

My First Friday Fill-Ins since I've decided to start bloggin' again! YAY!

....here we go!

1. I knew it was love when... I saw my gorgeous son's face for the first time!
2. My heart can be broken but you always make me smile.
3. A dog is a loyal companion and friend.
4. My how you have a sexy smile.
5. Can you see the sunshine through all the rain?
6. And the week has been long, I'm glad it's almost through.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to Kobe's with my Florida family and celebrating my 3 year anniversary from work & my birthday (that's really next week), tomorrow my plans include going to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's at 2pm and Sunday, I want to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! ;)

I found this a while ago....

....and I have yet to try it out.... (although since it combines my two favorite pies I'm sure I'm gonna love it!) I figured someone else might have the same loves as me and want to try it to, so I give you:

Pumpkin Apple Pie

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups thinly sliced, peeled, cored apples
3/4 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Stir in water and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add apples and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ginger and cloves. Beat until well blended using a rotary or electric mixer on low speed.

Pour apple mixture into unbaked pie crust. Spoon an even layer of pumpkin mixture over apple mixture. Bake 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 40 minutes or until filling is set around edge. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

--If anyone tries it out, PUH-LEASE let me know how it turns out! :)

How does the time pass so fast?!

I'm not sure how I let so much time pass without blogging at all! Seriously, maybe that's why I've been crazy! Where do I even begin?!

I have recently graduated with my Child Development Associates degree and am now teaching Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten! I'm the last teacher they have before they are off to "big school" and it has been quite a learning experience for me, just as much as the kids I teach!

Speaking of my class we just had graduation on Friday! It was quite an emotional week for me! I'm glad that it's done with and my life can resume regularly now. Next for me, is summertime with school-age kids... Field trips and crafts all summer long!

Keegan is big as can be, four and a half already and I'm not sure how that happened?! Where does the time go? In the fall he will begin his final year of preschool. I'm gonna be a crybaby I'm sure! I just can't believe 5 years ago I was pregnant with him, it really doesn't seem like it has been that long. He's so smart (but of course I'm bias)! He can spell his full name, knows our address, numbers to 20, the alphabet, etc. I am so proud of the little boy he has become.

We moved into a duplex with a big back yard last month and it has been great for us! I couldn't be happier with my decision to move here! As for my love life... I'm currently single... and I'm content... It's time to focus on me... and of course Keegan :)

and for old time's sake here's my current desktop for June :)



I downloaded it from the Shabby Shoppe Blog....

Wow, it's been almost a year!

I just made some yummy peanut butter fudge, and thought I'd share the recipe!

1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk, I just like to use cream)
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer Reese's!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
4. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
5. Pour into an 8x8 inch dish. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

It's yumm-oh! And a helpful hint, if you have some wax paper, line your pan with it first and then it comes out super easy and just peels off the wax paper!

A Grand New Year

This year has been nothing but great so far.. Justin is completely out of the picture I think.. He hasn't been here, or tried to contact me since he came with the cops to get the last of his stuff.. It's a great relief.. I've found someone new to keep my attention. I love it. He's great! Keegan likes him, and he is good with him.... His boys love me and I love them.... Alls good :] I'll keep ya posted on that ;)

Keegan is growing like a weed! We are potty training and it's an up and down process! He's doing great at day care.... Hasn't really been having any accidents there, it's just tackling the at home accidents.... We will get there :) He also just had his first haircut about three weeks ago.... He doesn't even look like the same kid! It's crazy! I miss his hair, but well that's part of letting go of him being a baby! He's my big boy now.... I can't believe I have a running, crazy, rotten two year old!

I love my job! I love the kids! I can't imagine doing anything else! All in all.... Things are good :)

Something has to give!

My emotions are yet again at a breaking point. From all of the mess that is my break-up with Justin to trying to figure out how to get out of the hole he has point me in financially. I feel like I get one step forward just to be knocked back four steps. I'm not sure how much more I can take. I'm trying my damnedest to be strong and believe that God doesn't give you more than you can handle, but I mean really can't he test someone else. I just need a break. Something has to give. Being the holiday season I think everyone is struggling. But I just feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. All because he's a lying bastard that didn't feel he needed to pay the bills that HE was supposed to pay. Seriously you are 26 and you don't feel the need to be responsible. I guess that's why you were single when I got with you. Had I had known that I would go from having ONE son to TWO I would have never came here with him. I guess you live and learn. I now have a job that I absolutely LOVE, and a place to call my own. Granted I am struggling, really struggling, right now trying to play catch up (and pay everything needed in the current time) because of him, but I believe I will come out of this on top. It's just going to be rough and right now I'm not sure how it's going to happen but it will. Maybe I should play the lottery. Gosh, it will help if I could hit it, but really that's not practical. How I wish it was though. Having all of this idle time is doing nothing but giving me more time to think about everything. They say idle hands are the devil's playground and really I believe that idle time is the devil's time, as well. The more time I sit here alone the more I think and the sadder I get about it all. I'm thankful to have a healthy, gorgeous son and a job, but really I need something else to give. I'm doing my best to provide the best life possible for my son and I feel like I'm just being spit in the face for trying to do it on my own. I really need a break.

I'm beyond excited to go home to see my family and friends in a little less than two weeks, but I know that when I come back I'm going to struggle more than I am now. Taking two days off work is going to put me back 18 hours of pay. That's devastating that it comes to me seeing my family and friends for Christmas or being able to make all my bills. It shouldn't be this way. I wish that he wouldn't have put me in this position. Really. I don't know what to do.

Something really has to give.