Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The kittens have names & personalities
Ok I didn't think I would want to name the kittens, mostly out of fear of getting too attached to them. But now that they are starting to have very distinct personalities, I can't help but name them. With help from the kids of course LOL So here we go:
Gray kitty - "Chipper" - Girl
The gray kitty was the third to be born, I believe, and it took her a few minutes to come around. But once she was doing good boy there was no stopping her! She is DEFINITELY the biggest and most adventurous. So where did "Chipper" come from? Well,
I always talked about her big round chipmunk face. And since I had a dog that I loved when I was younger named Chipper, I just had to name her that! But she is already the one leading the pack when it comes to walking on all fours. She's still a little uncoordinated, but she's really doing good. Very strong! She's best friends with the black kitty, but she looks out for all of them. She even goes up to them and appears to nibble at their ears! She's definitely playful and LOVES being picked up and talked to.
White kitty - "Ginger" - Girl
The white kitty was the first to be born. She was the only one I didn't get to see being born (by the time she was born my son noticed and came and got me). Ginger is
one of the smallest, but she's really developing nicely! I thought she was going to be all white, but her ears, tail, and paws are turning black. But she's got an all-white body. She tends to want to cuddle with her brothers & sisters, but she loves it when I hold her and just sit and talk to her. She loves to be petted too! Even my husband agrees, she looks like a "Ginger". Don't ask me where I came up with the name, it just came to me LOL
Black kitty "Midnight" Girl
The black kitty was the second to be born, I believe. At first she looked all black,
but now she has beautiful specks of (what I call gold) orange across her face and a little on her back. Colin loves this one. He's the one who came up with "Midnight". She is about the same size as Ginger, one of the smaller ones, and is very friendly. She loves trying to keep up with Chipper on the floor! Not quite fast enough though LOL
The Orange Boys
Ok, the two orange boys are all about drama. They are absolutely gorgeous being all orange with little white stripes throughout. And they have the most incredible big round eyes. They love to cuddle with each other and are about mid-sized. Smaller
than Chipper but bigger than Ginger and Midnight. The thing about them is they HATE to be held!! As long as they are laying down somewhere they love to be petted. But DO NOT pick them up. Not only do they cry, they SCREAM!!! Nikita (the mom) comes back freaking out thinking someone is hurting her kitties. LOL NO! We just picked them up. So for now we are letting them stay in their bed while their sisters come out and walk on the carpet. They are ok with walking, but not as good as their sisters. We're still trying to come up with names for these two. We were thinking "Bobby" (as in Bobby Cox who is sure to strike up an argument with the umpire during a Braves game whether it gets him kicked out or not) and "Billy" (after the late Billy Mays, the pitchman on the Oxy Clean commercials who had a loud, yet catchy voice full of passion). I'm not sure if "Billy" & "Bobby" will stick. We've even thought of naming them "Swiper" and "Diego" so go figure LOL
Gray kitty - "Chipper" - Girl
The gray kitty was the third to be born, I believe, and it took her a few minutes to come around. But once she was doing good boy there was no stopping her! She is DEFINITELY the biggest and most adventurous. So where did "Chipper" come from? Well,
I always talked about her big round chipmunk face. And since I had a dog that I loved when I was younger named Chipper, I just had to name her that! But she is already the one leading the pack when it comes to walking on all fours. She's still a little uncoordinated, but she's really doing good. Very strong! She's best friends with the black kitty, but she looks out for all of them. She even goes up to them and appears to nibble at their ears! She's definitely playful and LOVES being picked up and talked to. White kitty - "Ginger" - Girl
The white kitty was the first to be born. She was the only one I didn't get to see being born (by the time she was born my son noticed and came and got me). Ginger is
one of the smallest, but she's really developing nicely! I thought she was going to be all white, but her ears, tail, and paws are turning black. But she's got an all-white body. She tends to want to cuddle with her brothers & sisters, but she loves it when I hold her and just sit and talk to her. She loves to be petted too! Even my husband agrees, she looks like a "Ginger". Don't ask me where I came up with the name, it just came to me LOLBlack kitty "Midnight" Girl
The black kitty was the second to be born, I believe. At first she looked all black,
but now she has beautiful specks of (what I call gold) orange across her face and a little on her back. Colin loves this one. He's the one who came up with "Midnight". She is about the same size as Ginger, one of the smaller ones, and is very friendly. She loves trying to keep up with Chipper on the floor! Not quite fast enough though LOLThe Orange Boys
Ok, the two orange boys are all about drama. They are absolutely gorgeous being all orange with little white stripes throughout. And they have the most incredible big round eyes. They love to cuddle with each other and are about mid-sized. Smaller
than Chipper but bigger than Ginger and Midnight. The thing about them is they HATE to be held!! As long as they are laying down somewhere they love to be petted. But DO NOT pick them up. Not only do they cry, they SCREAM!!! Nikita (the mom) comes back freaking out thinking someone is hurting her kitties. LOL NO! We just picked them up. So for now we are letting them stay in their bed while their sisters come out and walk on the carpet. They are ok with walking, but not as good as their sisters. We're still trying to come up with names for these two. We were thinking "Bobby" (as in Bobby Cox who is sure to strike up an argument with the umpire during a Braves game whether it gets him kicked out or not) and "Billy" (after the late Billy Mays, the pitchman on the Oxy Clean commercials who had a loud, yet catchy voice full of passion). I'm not sure if "Billy" & "Bobby" will stick. We've even thought of naming them "Swiper" and "Diego" so go figure LOL
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Restaurant City for Boneheads - Facebook
Ok, there aren't very many games at all that I give my valuable time to online, but this is one of the few. I thought I would compile a list of valuable hints and tips to get you going in the game! :-)
Things you need to play the game:
1) A restaurant. You are provided a very basic restaurant space to begin. You will need a stove, tables, chairs, and at least 2 employees (waiter & cook). It will walk you through this very basic stuff.
2) Customers. They will come to you. They will order on their own and your employees will handle their order without any help from you. Well, one exception. They start out with 100% energy that diminishes as time goes by. When you see their energy getting low, provide them with a snack. Various snacks have a certain value when it comes to "recharging" them and the higher the recharging value, the more it costs.
3) Money. Of course, you earn more money with each customer you serve. But you will need money to recharge your employees when their energy gets too low. Plus, as you expand you will want to add more chairs, tables, & stoves. Seriously, I wouldn't stress too much about extra decorations at this point.
When it comes to energy, the best tip is when you are going to be away from the game, put all of your employees to "rest". They are able to recharge for free. But to keep your approval rating up there (& bringing more customers) place an object in front of the door (on the inside). Your restaurant is basically "closed". If you don't do this, customers will continue coming in and your employees will continue working until they have 0 energy. When that happens, customers continue coming in and get mad because they aren't being served. Your approval rating drops to 0 and you have to work to bring it back up again.
Ingredients: You need ingredients to make food right! In this game, you basically don't know how to make anything until you receive the ingredients to learn. So how do you get ingredients?
1) Each day you will receive a free ingredient just by coming into the game.
2) The market. There's a girl on the street that sells items. There are three items to choose from each day, but they are pretty expensive. I don't even go there LOL
3) Each day you are given a food quiz. Most of them are really easy, some aren't so much. Answer correctly and you get a free ingredients.
4) Go to the street! The first time you visit a friends restaurant you get a free ingredient.
5) When you visit a friends restaurant you can go to their ingredient list and offer to trade them. Just select the ingredient you want and select the ingredient you are willing to part with.
Learning to make dishes/Changing the menu:
When the menu opens up you will see the ingredients you have and the meals you can make above that. Under each meal you will see the ingredients you need to make that dish. If you have all of the ingredients it will either say "Learn" or "Upgrade". You can go up to level 10 on each meal. They just changed it so that there are 4 categories of meals (Starter, Main, Dessert, Drink) and you can select 3 items from each category. Go with the highest "level" of food that you have.
Customers will automatically order what category they want and the cooks will automatically prepare what they order. So just sit back and watch!
Hints:
-Pick up trash around your restaurant and others' restaurants to earn some cash.
-All of the stoves cook at the same speed. So other than "looks" there really isn't any reason to "upgrade".
-At level 8 and above your customers will want a toilet to use. A toilet is great until they get dirty. Start out by just pulling one of your cooks or servers to clean it when it gets dirty. But as you get higher up with more customers and more toilets, it's best to assign people to be cleaners.
-Every time you fire or "sack" an employee you lose 200 points. So be nice :-)
-When you are visiting a friend's restaurant, click on the trees around their building. Every so often you will get more money :-)
-You servers will work faster if they don't have far to walk to serve food. Put tables around stoves.
-When you save up enough money, buy an arcade machine. Customers will play those if they have to wait and if it still takes too long to get a table they will leave without your reputation points going down.
-Provide "waiting" chairs for customers who have to wait for a table. That way they don't just walk out.
-Create a "maze" for your customers to walk through to get to the tables. This makes them stay in your restaurant longer and the opportunity for a table generally arises. (Check out my generic picture below with the path used for a customer to finally make it to the tables)
Levels:
Level 1
50 Gourmet Points
2000 Cash
Level 2
70 Gourmet Points
3rd Employee and 300 Cash
Level 3
100 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 4
200 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 5
500 Gourmet Points
4th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 6
1,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 7
2,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 8
4,000 Gourmet Points
5th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 9
6,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 10
8,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 11
10,000 Gourmet Points
6th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 12
14,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 13
18,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 14
22,000 Gourmet Points
7th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 15
30,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 16
38,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 17
46,000 Gourmet Points
8th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 18
58,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 19
70,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 20
86,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 21
102,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 22
122,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 23
142,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 24
166,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 25
190,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 26
218,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 27
246,000
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Food Quiz Q & A
Q: Agar is a gelatinous substance derived from what?
A: Seaweed
Q: Which of the following beverages does not contain milk?
A: Espresso
Q: Bechamel sauce is also known as...
A: White Sauce
Q: To blanch a vegetable, means to?
A: Boil and Cool off quickly
Q: Calamari is fried?
A: Squid
Q: What is a Calzone?
A: A turnover made of pizza dough
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find Calzone?
A: Italian
Q: Caviar is made from?
A: Fish Egg
Q: What kind of pizza is chicago style?
A: Deep dish
Q: Chilli is a?
A: Fruit
Q: Which of these chillies is the spiciest?
A: Naga jolokia pepper
Q: What is chinese gooseberry called in ancient time?
A: Kiwi
Q: What is chocolate bloom?
A: Cocoa fat or sugar
Q: The chuck is found where on the cow?
A: Front
Q: Which continent produces the most cocoa?
A: Africa
Q: What is coconut?
A: Fruit
Q: Q: A crepe is typical a ...?
A: Thinly cooked pancake
Q: Dim sum originated from which country?
A: China
Q: Dulce de leche is prepared by heating...?
A: Sweetened Milk
Q: Which sauce is typically used in the dish Eggs Benedict?
A: Hollandaise sauce
Q: Where did Feta Cheese come from?
A: Greece
Q: The flank is found where on the cow?
A: Mid
Q: Foie gras is food made from which part of an animal?
A: Liver
Q: In England, French Fries are called?
A: Chips
Q: To garnish a dish, means to?
A: Add final touches
Q: What is gelatin made of?
A: Algae
Q: How many Gourmet points do you get for a level 10 dish?
A: 2.8
Q: Granny smith apples are?
A: Green
Q: Grapes grow on?
A: Vines
Q: The main ingredient in Guacamole is?
A: Avocado
Q: Where is the hamburger originaly from?
A: United states
Q: What is Hashi?
A: Chopsticks
Q: Honey comes from?
A: Bees
Q: What is the main ingredient in Houmous?
A: Chickpeas
Q: Hors D'oeuvres is French for?
A: Appetizers
Q: What is Houmous made of?
A: Chickpeas
Q: Kimchi is a Korean dish made of fermented?
A: Vegetables
Q: What is Ketchup made of?
A: Tomatoes
Q: Kobe Beef originates from which country?
A: Japan
Q: Lard is the fat obtained from which animal?
A: Pig
Q: Marzipan is made from?
A: Almonds
Q: Which of the following is not the ingredient of Mayonnaise?
A: Milk
Q: Naan is typically from?
A: India
Q: Naan Bread is served with... ?
A: Indian Food
Q: Natto, a traditional Japanese food, is made from fermented?
A: Soybeans
Q: New-York Style Pizzas are typically?
A: Thin crust
Q: Which item is not a type of pasta?
A: Miso
Q: Which of the following is traditionally found in pesto?
A: Basil
Q: The pizza originates from which country?
A: Italy
Q: To poach something means?
A: To cook in boiling water
Q: To Proof dough means to...
A: Allow it to rise
Q: Prunes are dried...?
A: Plums
Q: Raisins are dried...?
A: Grapes
Q: Ratatouille is?
A: A vegetarian dish
Q: The main ingredient of Ratatouille is?
A: Tomatoes
Q: To refresh vegetables is....?
A: To immerse in COLD water
Q: What is the color of Rhubarb?
A: Red
Q: The rump is found where on the cow?
A: Back
Q: What is Saffron?
A: Spice
Q: What gives traditional salsa verde its vibrant green color?
A: Parsley
Q: Sauerkraut is made from?
A: Fermented Cabbage
Q: To saute a dish, means to?
A: Fry quickly in hot pan
Q: The sirloin is found where on the cow?
A: Mid
Q: What is the most expensive spice in the world?
A: Saffron
Q: Which of the following spices is the most expensive?
A: Pure Vanilla
Q: Traditional Soy Sauce is?
A: Salty
Q: Steak tartare is a meat dish made from raw?
A: Beef
Q: What is Stracchino?
A: a fresh cheese from Italy
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find sushi?
A: Japanese
Q: Where does taco orignate from?
A: Mexico
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find tacos?
A: Mexican
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find Tapas?
A: Spanish
Q: What is the main ingredient of tofu?
A: Soybean
Q: A tomato is a?
A: Fruit
Q: Truffles is a?
A: Fungi
Q: What color is Tuna meat?
A: Pink
Q: The Tuna is a?
A: Salt Water Fish
Q: Where is Tuna from?
A: Salt Water
Q: The main ingredients in Tzatziki are?
A: Yoghurt and Cucumber
Q: Venison is the meat from what animal?
A: Deer
Q: What is the main ingredient of wasabi?
A: Horseradish
Q: Wasabi is made from a type of Japanese?
A: Horseradish
(Thank you to "oumsker" from http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=529150)
Things you need to play the game:
1) A restaurant. You are provided a very basic restaurant space to begin. You will need a stove, tables, chairs, and at least 2 employees (waiter & cook). It will walk you through this very basic stuff.
2) Customers. They will come to you. They will order on their own and your employees will handle their order without any help from you. Well, one exception. They start out with 100% energy that diminishes as time goes by. When you see their energy getting low, provide them with a snack. Various snacks have a certain value when it comes to "recharging" them and the higher the recharging value, the more it costs.
3) Money. Of course, you earn more money with each customer you serve. But you will need money to recharge your employees when their energy gets too low. Plus, as you expand you will want to add more chairs, tables, & stoves. Seriously, I wouldn't stress too much about extra decorations at this point.
When it comes to energy, the best tip is when you are going to be away from the game, put all of your employees to "rest". They are able to recharge for free. But to keep your approval rating up there (& bringing more customers) place an object in front of the door (on the inside). Your restaurant is basically "closed". If you don't do this, customers will continue coming in and your employees will continue working until they have 0 energy. When that happens, customers continue coming in and get mad because they aren't being served. Your approval rating drops to 0 and you have to work to bring it back up again.
Ingredients: You need ingredients to make food right! In this game, you basically don't know how to make anything until you receive the ingredients to learn. So how do you get ingredients?
1) Each day you will receive a free ingredient just by coming into the game.
2) The market. There's a girl on the street that sells items. There are three items to choose from each day, but they are pretty expensive. I don't even go there LOL
3) Each day you are given a food quiz. Most of them are really easy, some aren't so much. Answer correctly and you get a free ingredients.
4) Go to the street! The first time you visit a friends restaurant you get a free ingredient.
5) When you visit a friends restaurant you can go to their ingredient list and offer to trade them. Just select the ingredient you want and select the ingredient you are willing to part with.
Learning to make dishes/Changing the menu:
When the menu opens up you will see the ingredients you have and the meals you can make above that. Under each meal you will see the ingredients you need to make that dish. If you have all of the ingredients it will either say "Learn" or "Upgrade". You can go up to level 10 on each meal. They just changed it so that there are 4 categories of meals (Starter, Main, Dessert, Drink) and you can select 3 items from each category. Go with the highest "level" of food that you have.
Customers will automatically order what category they want and the cooks will automatically prepare what they order. So just sit back and watch!
Hints:
-Pick up trash around your restaurant and others' restaurants to earn some cash.
-All of the stoves cook at the same speed. So other than "looks" there really isn't any reason to "upgrade".
-At level 8 and above your customers will want a toilet to use. A toilet is great until they get dirty. Start out by just pulling one of your cooks or servers to clean it when it gets dirty. But as you get higher up with more customers and more toilets, it's best to assign people to be cleaners.
-Every time you fire or "sack" an employee you lose 200 points. So be nice :-)
-When you are visiting a friend's restaurant, click on the trees around their building. Every so often you will get more money :-)
-You servers will work faster if they don't have far to walk to serve food. Put tables around stoves.
-When you save up enough money, buy an arcade machine. Customers will play those if they have to wait and if it still takes too long to get a table they will leave without your reputation points going down.
-Provide "waiting" chairs for customers who have to wait for a table. That way they don't just walk out.
-Create a "maze" for your customers to walk through to get to the tables. This makes them stay in your restaurant longer and the opportunity for a table generally arises. (Check out my generic picture below with the path used for a customer to finally make it to the tables)
Levels:
Level 1
50 Gourmet Points
2000 Cash
Level 2
70 Gourmet Points
3rd Employee and 300 Cash
Level 3
100 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 4
200 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 5
500 Gourmet Points
4th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 6
1,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 7
2,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 8
4,000 Gourmet Points
5th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 9
6,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 10
8,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 11
10,000 Gourmet Points
6th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 12
14,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 13
18,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 14
22,000 Gourmet Points
7th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 15
30,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 16
38,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 17
46,000 Gourmet Points
8th Employee and 300 Cash
Level 18
58,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 19
70,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 20
86,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 21
102,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 22
122,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 23
142,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 24
166,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 25
190,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 26
218,000 Gourmet Points
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Level 27
246,000
Larger Restaurant and 300 Cash
Food Quiz Q & A
Q: Agar is a gelatinous substance derived from what?
A: Seaweed
Q: Which of the following beverages does not contain milk?
A: Espresso
Q: Bechamel sauce is also known as...
A: White Sauce
Q: To blanch a vegetable, means to?
A: Boil and Cool off quickly
Q: Calamari is fried?
A: Squid
Q: What is a Calzone?
A: A turnover made of pizza dough
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find Calzone?
A: Italian
Q: Caviar is made from?
A: Fish Egg
Q: What kind of pizza is chicago style?
A: Deep dish
Q: Chilli is a?
A: Fruit
Q: Which of these chillies is the spiciest?
A: Naga jolokia pepper
Q: What is chinese gooseberry called in ancient time?
A: Kiwi
Q: What is chocolate bloom?
A: Cocoa fat or sugar
Q: The chuck is found where on the cow?
A: Front
Q: Which continent produces the most cocoa?
A: Africa
Q: What is coconut?
A: Fruit
Q: Q: A crepe is typical a ...?
A: Thinly cooked pancake
Q: Dim sum originated from which country?
A: China
Q: Dulce de leche is prepared by heating...?
A: Sweetened Milk
Q: Which sauce is typically used in the dish Eggs Benedict?
A: Hollandaise sauce
Q: Where did Feta Cheese come from?
A: Greece
Q: The flank is found where on the cow?
A: Mid
Q: Foie gras is food made from which part of an animal?
A: Liver
Q: In England, French Fries are called?
A: Chips
Q: To garnish a dish, means to?
A: Add final touches
Q: What is gelatin made of?
A: Algae
Q: How many Gourmet points do you get for a level 10 dish?
A: 2.8
Q: Granny smith apples are?
A: Green
Q: Grapes grow on?
A: Vines
Q: The main ingredient in Guacamole is?
A: Avocado
Q: Where is the hamburger originaly from?
A: United states
Q: What is Hashi?
A: Chopsticks
Q: Honey comes from?
A: Bees
Q: What is the main ingredient in Houmous?
A: Chickpeas
Q: Hors D'oeuvres is French for?
A: Appetizers
Q: What is Houmous made of?
A: Chickpeas
Q: Kimchi is a Korean dish made of fermented?
A: Vegetables
Q: What is Ketchup made of?
A: Tomatoes
Q: Kobe Beef originates from which country?
A: Japan
Q: Lard is the fat obtained from which animal?
A: Pig
Q: Marzipan is made from?
A: Almonds
Q: Which of the following is not the ingredient of Mayonnaise?
A: Milk
Q: Naan is typically from?
A: India
Q: Naan Bread is served with... ?
A: Indian Food
Q: Natto, a traditional Japanese food, is made from fermented?
A: Soybeans
Q: New-York Style Pizzas are typically?
A: Thin crust
Q: Which item is not a type of pasta?
A: Miso
Q: Which of the following is traditionally found in pesto?
A: Basil
Q: The pizza originates from which country?
A: Italy
Q: To poach something means?
A: To cook in boiling water
Q: To Proof dough means to...
A: Allow it to rise
Q: Prunes are dried...?
A: Plums
Q: Raisins are dried...?
A: Grapes
Q: Ratatouille is?
A: A vegetarian dish
Q: The main ingredient of Ratatouille is?
A: Tomatoes
Q: To refresh vegetables is....?
A: To immerse in COLD water
Q: What is the color of Rhubarb?
A: Red
Q: The rump is found where on the cow?
A: Back
Q: What is Saffron?
A: Spice
Q: What gives traditional salsa verde its vibrant green color?
A: Parsley
Q: Sauerkraut is made from?
A: Fermented Cabbage
Q: To saute a dish, means to?
A: Fry quickly in hot pan
Q: The sirloin is found where on the cow?
A: Mid
Q: What is the most expensive spice in the world?
A: Saffron
Q: Which of the following spices is the most expensive?
A: Pure Vanilla
Q: Traditional Soy Sauce is?
A: Salty
Q: Steak tartare is a meat dish made from raw?
A: Beef
Q: What is Stracchino?
A: a fresh cheese from Italy
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find sushi?
A: Japanese
Q: Where does taco orignate from?
A: Mexico
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find tacos?
A: Mexican
Q: In which restaurant would you typically find Tapas?
A: Spanish
Q: What is the main ingredient of tofu?
A: Soybean
Q: A tomato is a?
A: Fruit
Q: Truffles is a?
A: Fungi
Q: What color is Tuna meat?
A: Pink
Q: The Tuna is a?
A: Salt Water Fish
Q: Where is Tuna from?
A: Salt Water
Q: The main ingredients in Tzatziki are?
A: Yoghurt and Cucumber
Q: Venison is the meat from what animal?
A: Deer
Q: What is the main ingredient of wasabi?
A: Horseradish
Q: Wasabi is made from a type of Japanese?
A: Horseradish
(Thank you to "oumsker" from http://forum.playfish.com/showthread.php?t=529150)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Colin's Pre-K Orientation
Because Colin turns 5 4 days after the state kindergarten cutoff, he will not start kindergarten this year. He has to wait until next year. I was going to try enrolling him in the states pre-k lottery system (your kid isn't guaranteed a spot in pre-k). But because I didn't know which hospital I would be working at (and figured I would have taken and passed the NCLEX by now) I did not even apply for the state's pre-k program.
But imagine my surprise when I got word that our church was starting their own pre-k (non-lottery funded)!!! I was SO excited! Plus if I have my way, Colin will be brought up in private schools. I just find it so important that Colin gets a good education, especially with a Christian foundation.
Colin is a very shy boy, especially around girls. So he didn't like the idea of starting pre-k this year. He loves staying home. But tonight we took him to the orientation at the church. We didn't tell him where we were going, but when we were there we told him. By then he was already curious. When we got there he was excited to see lots of kids that "looked like him" (ie 4 year olds).
They took the kids to their classrooms to check things out while they talked to us. He didn't mind at all! He wanted to go! No fit or anything! And he was one of the best behaved kids! I was so proud of my big man.
So he starts pre-k next Monday and Cody starts 8th grade Monday too. Because the school system will not be providing bus transportation this year I will take Cody to school in time for class at 830 and Colin at 900. They will be in 2 separate county school systems, but both schools are on the line. So it's not a bad drive at all.
I'm so excited!
Colin taught us everything he learned in class tonight (about bullying, teasing, misbehaving, etc). He remembered SO much! I hope he's that way in school :-)
But imagine my surprise when I got word that our church was starting their own pre-k (non-lottery funded)!!! I was SO excited! Plus if I have my way, Colin will be brought up in private schools. I just find it so important that Colin gets a good education, especially with a Christian foundation.
Colin is a very shy boy, especially around girls. So he didn't like the idea of starting pre-k this year. He loves staying home. But tonight we took him to the orientation at the church. We didn't tell him where we were going, but when we were there we told him. By then he was already curious. When we got there he was excited to see lots of kids that "looked like him" (ie 4 year olds).
They took the kids to their classrooms to check things out while they talked to us. He didn't mind at all! He wanted to go! No fit or anything! And he was one of the best behaved kids! I was so proud of my big man.
So he starts pre-k next Monday and Cody starts 8th grade Monday too. Because the school system will not be providing bus transportation this year I will take Cody to school in time for class at 830 and Colin at 900. They will be in 2 separate county school systems, but both schools are on the line. So it's not a bad drive at all.
I'm so excited!
Colin taught us everything he learned in class tonight (about bullying, teasing, misbehaving, etc). He remembered SO much! I hope he's that way in school :-)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Gates - Obama - Police
It's been quite awhile since I've gone off on my impression of Obama. Mostly because he continues to appall me whenever I do manage to turn the television on. I have always, and still do, think that Obama is some sort of puppet for key government officials. I don't consider him the "Savior to Mankind". I became quite frustrated with my "fellow American's" who bought into the whole "hope" and "change" and "Yes we can" rhetoric and failed to look at the facts regarding Obama. I mean, could you imagine the outrage if there was ANY question regarding President Bush's natural citizenship? Could you imagine the outrage if there was credible question into the authenticity of Bush's birth certificate? And lawsuit after lawsuit asking Bush to produce a live and valid copy of his birth certificate (& to answer questions that still lingered) and the Supreme Court itself refused to involve itself? The left would SWEAR that there was a conspiracy and all hell would break loose. I've heard it proposed that the Supreme Court feared that Obama WOULD be ineligible to be president and throwing him out would create riots and a literal civil war. Well, isn't that special.
So I've basically tried to stay away from the news and television in general. Mostly because I'm so busy. But it's hard to avoid the headlines that pop up all over the internet about the foolishness that Obama pulls out of his butt almost daily. At least people are starting to take more notice regarding the facts and are less hung up on the "celebrity" of the left media. Sorry to say ladies and gentlemen: Too late.
So now we have a president that involves himself in matters of the police departments on a local level. Great. And God forbid anyone arrests a "friend" of his. The slander that follows later is absurd! Suddenly, it's all about racism.
Racism. That's such an ugly word. Yes, racism still occurs. But it's not 100% white against black. It occurs between all groups. No one group is innocent. But to assume that because you are being questioned about breaking into this house... which did not go unnoticed by one of this guys neighbors... the police played safe than sorry. Maybe this Gates character was tired after his trip. Who knows? But to suddenly and immediately call this racism is beyond me. Even Obama admitted he did not know all the facts of the case, but the police just "had" to be acting "stupidly". WTH? Why? Cause it was his friend? Mr. President, with all due respect, you are an idiot. Did your teleprompter tell you to say that? Seems without the all knowing teleprompter, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.
I don't doubt for a second that the job of the police is difficult. And I'm sure it's scary at times. If Gates was confronted by the police after making his way into his "stately" home without a key, shouldn't he feel grateful that there are officers willing to risk their own safety to make sure Gates' home is safe? Oh no! The officers are racists. Again, WTH?!
Even the black cop who was with the white officer agreed that Gates was behaving suspiciously. So what are the police to do now? Only have black officers confront black suspects? White officers only confront white suspects? I don't know what goes through Gates' mind, but I think it makes ALOT of people look bad. And let's add in his all-powerful, all-knowing friend Barack Obama to make things worse. Of all the things screwed up in the country, Obama has to run his mouth about stuff he admits he doesn't know much about.
Comments recently posted on the Boston Herald's website in response to this story are mixed. Here are a few:
DWorth: Without racism Gates doesn't have a job. He saw a cop and there was no way he was going to pass up a chance to provoke him. Gates...you are the problem. The cop did the right thing.
BeTrueSeekTruth: Its a clear abuse of power. Since the patriot act, police have been schooled that every citizen is a potential terrorist, especially when they refuse to grovel and even hint at their constitutional rights. Remember that leading politicians and elitists feel that the constitution is just a "g** d*** piece of paper. Face it, we're living in a police state here in what used to be the land of the free.
(This bonehead obviously has never had his home broken into. Yeah, God forbid police have absolute probable cause. In fact, they were CALLED to the home by a neighbor witnessing the incident! What were they supposed to do? Not respond?)
eclair: I think a big component here other than race, is the whole Ivy league arrogance I'm a Harvard professor, you are the lowly cop. I'm up here, you're down there. Ridiculous. This could have been so simple. Thanks for protecting my house and property, officer. Have a nice day.
nonelitist: Excellent M10. Exactly!!!..The black elitists at HaaaaaVaaaaad and the white ones there label all whites as racist and GET AWAY WITH IT!!..Can you picture if the HaaaaaVaaaaad staff labeled all blacks as fried chicken eating watermellon loving people???!!! This cop is being labeled racist just because he has white skin, He needs a good team of laywers and should sue the guts out of these clowns.
BonedawgStarStar: This is so far from over. The tapes are coming out. Skip Gates case is going in the toilet. Deval & Sharpton are already hiding under the bed and not taking Skip's calls. Obama is going to have to apoligize the Sgt Crowley and the Cambridge Police. Harvard Pres. Drew Faust will need to address Gates' actions, overreactions and then subsequent abuse of his position. Gates should then resign or be fired. These things just need to happen. They so messed with the wrong cop. Sgt. Crowley will someday somewhere be Commissioner Crowley. This is so not over.
(LOL Ooooook)
lightdawns: What guts? These cowards that hide behinf the term racism everyrime something doesb't go their way HAVE NO GUTS Let's sue their say, asses off there seems to be plenty of them around
(Yikes!)
Sick_of_it_all: Sgt Crowley should get on CNN & the like & give his side of the story. Even the President made it sound one sided. Gates is an opportunist jerk. He's the racist here. Not Crowley. And now he has the audacity to make money off this situation. That's all you need to know.
morriseyblvd: This is going to cost Obama dearly. Hey Police Unions - Wake up! Obama is not your friend.
(Unfortunately, this is not true. Obama is still the messiah to so many. He forever has immunity!)
FOLEY9482: Prof. Gates found this to be the perfect example for his classroom of racist bias. This incident isn't about black or white it is about being Blue. The police officer did what he was trained to do, and kept himself and his fellow officers safe.
(Right on!)
JohnnyRetard: Here's my racist story. One Christmas day while visiting my hometown, I saw a black woman in a car with a flat tire at a closed service station. In this predominantly white neighborhood, I should have left immediately, knowing this was a racial incident in the making. However, I threw caution to the wind and exited my car (in a suit, tie, white shirt and dress shoes). I asked whether she needed assistance. She explained her tire was flat and wanted to get it changed, but couldn't find an open service station. I then asked whether she had a spare. She did. I then offered to change it for her. She looked back at me (all dressed up) and strenuously argued that I'd get all dirty. No problem, it was changed in about 10 minutes. When she offered compensation, I declined ... Madam, it's Christmas. Oh, did I mention it was raining? I apologize to all my white brothers and siters for crossing "the line" and possibly having offended them. I'll be taking senstivity classes from Sgt. Crowley next week given that I falied to rotate & balance her tires, wash & wax the car, or even buy her a new one. Remember, healing begins with forgiveness.
(That was actually a nice story. I'm happy he was there to help her out!! Regardless of color!)
murraygm359: In order to be a successful educator, you must look at the world through the eyes of the student....something Professor Gates has shown he is totally incapable of doing. He instead has proven to be an opportunist, elitist, and even slanderer. He is "shocked" that a police officer, responding to a B and E in progress(putting himself at great risk), would actually question persons on the scene. How could anyone with a modicum of common sense question a fundamental police inquiry? Sgt. Crowley was there, PROTECTING the Professor's property, and yet the supposedly esteemed gentleman can't even draw this most obvious and remedial conclusion. According to Professor Gates logic, any black man who is questioned is the target of racism....so then should every black man be immune from cooperation with law enforcement? Sadly, Gates is perpetuating the very stereotypes he has, apparently, worked to eliminate. It's time for Professor Gates to stop talking, look back on the incident with an unbiased eye, and become the student once more.
So I've basically tried to stay away from the news and television in general. Mostly because I'm so busy. But it's hard to avoid the headlines that pop up all over the internet about the foolishness that Obama pulls out of his butt almost daily. At least people are starting to take more notice regarding the facts and are less hung up on the "celebrity" of the left media. Sorry to say ladies and gentlemen: Too late.
So now we have a president that involves himself in matters of the police departments on a local level. Great. And God forbid anyone arrests a "friend" of his. The slander that follows later is absurd! Suddenly, it's all about racism.
Racism. That's such an ugly word. Yes, racism still occurs. But it's not 100% white against black. It occurs between all groups. No one group is innocent. But to assume that because you are being questioned about breaking into this house... which did not go unnoticed by one of this guys neighbors... the police played safe than sorry. Maybe this Gates character was tired after his trip. Who knows? But to suddenly and immediately call this racism is beyond me. Even Obama admitted he did not know all the facts of the case, but the police just "had" to be acting "stupidly". WTH? Why? Cause it was his friend? Mr. President, with all due respect, you are an idiot. Did your teleprompter tell you to say that? Seems without the all knowing teleprompter, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.
I don't doubt for a second that the job of the police is difficult. And I'm sure it's scary at times. If Gates was confronted by the police after making his way into his "stately" home without a key, shouldn't he feel grateful that there are officers willing to risk their own safety to make sure Gates' home is safe? Oh no! The officers are racists. Again, WTH?!
Even the black cop who was with the white officer agreed that Gates was behaving suspiciously. So what are the police to do now? Only have black officers confront black suspects? White officers only confront white suspects? I don't know what goes through Gates' mind, but I think it makes ALOT of people look bad. And let's add in his all-powerful, all-knowing friend Barack Obama to make things worse. Of all the things screwed up in the country, Obama has to run his mouth about stuff he admits he doesn't know much about.
Comments recently posted on the Boston Herald's website in response to this story are mixed. Here are a few:
DWorth: Without racism Gates doesn't have a job. He saw a cop and there was no way he was going to pass up a chance to provoke him. Gates...you are the problem. The cop did the right thing.
BeTrueSeekTruth: Its a clear abuse of power. Since the patriot act, police have been schooled that every citizen is a potential terrorist, especially when they refuse to grovel and even hint at their constitutional rights. Remember that leading politicians and elitists feel that the constitution is just a "g** d*** piece of paper. Face it, we're living in a police state here in what used to be the land of the free.
(This bonehead obviously has never had his home broken into. Yeah, God forbid police have absolute probable cause. In fact, they were CALLED to the home by a neighbor witnessing the incident! What were they supposed to do? Not respond?)
eclair: I think a big component here other than race, is the whole Ivy league arrogance I'm a Harvard professor, you are the lowly cop. I'm up here, you're down there. Ridiculous. This could have been so simple. Thanks for protecting my house and property, officer. Have a nice day.
nonelitist: Excellent M10. Exactly!!!..The black elitists at HaaaaaVaaaaad and the white ones there label all whites as racist and GET AWAY WITH IT!!..Can you picture if the HaaaaaVaaaaad staff labeled all blacks as fried chicken eating watermellon loving people???!!! This cop is being labeled racist just because he has white skin, He needs a good team of laywers and should sue the guts out of these clowns.
BonedawgStarStar: This is so far from over. The tapes are coming out. Skip Gates case is going in the toilet. Deval & Sharpton are already hiding under the bed and not taking Skip's calls. Obama is going to have to apoligize the Sgt Crowley and the Cambridge Police. Harvard Pres. Drew Faust will need to address Gates' actions, overreactions and then subsequent abuse of his position. Gates should then resign or be fired. These things just need to happen. They so messed with the wrong cop. Sgt. Crowley will someday somewhere be Commissioner Crowley. This is so not over.
(LOL Ooooook)
lightdawns: What guts? These cowards that hide behinf the term racism everyrime something doesb't go their way HAVE NO GUTS Let's sue their say, asses off there seems to be plenty of them around
(Yikes!)
Sick_of_it_all: Sgt Crowley should get on CNN & the like & give his side of the story. Even the President made it sound one sided. Gates is an opportunist jerk. He's the racist here. Not Crowley. And now he has the audacity to make money off this situation. That's all you need to know.
morriseyblvd: This is going to cost Obama dearly. Hey Police Unions - Wake up! Obama is not your friend.
(Unfortunately, this is not true. Obama is still the messiah to so many. He forever has immunity!)
FOLEY9482: Prof. Gates found this to be the perfect example for his classroom of racist bias. This incident isn't about black or white it is about being Blue. The police officer did what he was trained to do, and kept himself and his fellow officers safe.
(Right on!)
JohnnyRetard: Here's my racist story. One Christmas day while visiting my hometown, I saw a black woman in a car with a flat tire at a closed service station. In this predominantly white neighborhood, I should have left immediately, knowing this was a racial incident in the making. However, I threw caution to the wind and exited my car (in a suit, tie, white shirt and dress shoes). I asked whether she needed assistance. She explained her tire was flat and wanted to get it changed, but couldn't find an open service station. I then asked whether she had a spare. She did. I then offered to change it for her. She looked back at me (all dressed up) and strenuously argued that I'd get all dirty. No problem, it was changed in about 10 minutes. When she offered compensation, I declined ... Madam, it's Christmas. Oh, did I mention it was raining? I apologize to all my white brothers and siters for crossing "the line" and possibly having offended them. I'll be taking senstivity classes from Sgt. Crowley next week given that I falied to rotate & balance her tires, wash & wax the car, or even buy her a new one. Remember, healing begins with forgiveness.
(That was actually a nice story. I'm happy he was there to help her out!! Regardless of color!)
murraygm359: In order to be a successful educator, you must look at the world through the eyes of the student....something Professor Gates has shown he is totally incapable of doing. He instead has proven to be an opportunist, elitist, and even slanderer. He is "shocked" that a police officer, responding to a B and E in progress(putting himself at great risk), would actually question persons on the scene. How could anyone with a modicum of common sense question a fundamental police inquiry? Sgt. Crowley was there, PROTECTING the Professor's property, and yet the supposedly esteemed gentleman can't even draw this most obvious and remedial conclusion. According to Professor Gates logic, any black man who is questioned is the target of racism....so then should every black man be immune from cooperation with law enforcement? Sadly, Gates is perpetuating the very stereotypes he has, apparently, worked to eliminate. It's time for Professor Gates to stop talking, look back on the incident with an unbiased eye, and become the student once more.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thursday's Excitement
Ok, not much excitement today LOL I volunteered at the clinic tonight though. I was working pretty much on my own now. And I survived! And at the beginning of the evening I looked up and saw my doctor walking in. I was like "Hello!!!!" I was surprised. So was he. He was like "Hello!!!!" haha.. it was nice to work with him tonight. He's a sweetheart.
I was checking in on the kittens tonight too. I got a great shot of one of the orange ones. They're 1 week old today!
I mean are you serious?! Kitty that was so cute! I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl for sure yet. Going by the way one website told me (looking to see if it has an exclamation point) I think it's a girl. But I could be wrong. Like I said, this is my first experience with a cat having kittens :-) So far it's bliss.
Here's another picture of Mama Nikita with her chunky butt babies LOL
I was checking in on the kittens tonight too. I got a great shot of one of the orange ones. They're 1 week old today!
I mean are you serious?! Kitty that was so cute! I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl for sure yet. Going by the way one website told me (looking to see if it has an exclamation point) I think it's a girl. But I could be wrong. Like I said, this is my first experience with a cat having kittens :-) So far it's bliss.
Here's another picture of Mama Nikita with her chunky butt babies LOL
Monday, July 20, 2009
16 and Pregnant on MTV
Because I was a teen mother myself, I have a special place in my heart to teen mothers who bust their butt in life trying hard to do right by their children. I especially applaud teen fathers who stick around, even when times are tough and scary. I was fortunate to have a boyfriend (who later became my husband after graduation) who stuck around and helped to care for his son. We both worked and went to school and graduated high school with a diploma. Even today, although we are divorced and living many states away, he still maintains a close relationship with his son. Although we aren't in love, we are still friends and that has worked quite well. I'm blessed to have a husband who is understanding of the situation, has also stepped up to the plate from day one, and raises our son as his own (& has a great rapport with my ex-husband!)
Someday, when I am a midwife, I would LOVE to open a clinic focused at teen parents. I want to be able to find ways to get them through high school and to find employment. It can happen for ambitious teen parents who are willing to work for it and not give up, but just lack the resources. I can't wait to make it happen!!
Anyways. So I enjoy hearing about other teen parents, and that's why I watch "16 & Pregnant" on MTV. I was especially touched by the season finale couple, Caitlynn and Tyler. If you haven't seen this episode, please watch it before continuing on because I have some major spoilers.
If the video doesn't work, go to YouTube.com and type in "16 and pregnant caitlynn"
***EDIT UPDATE: MTV has been having issues with this video so I went ahead and deleted it. I suggest Youtube for searching for the video***
Ok, with that being said (& seen) let me say a few things about this couple.
First of all, aren't they gorgeous! This is one couple I hope stays together. They are about as close to soul mates as you can get.
Second, I don't know of many adults, much less teenagers, that can make the decision they made and stay strong enough to live with it. I applaud them for not resorting to abortion, which personally is just NOT an option. It's too bad that people have them. Tyler is right, love isn't all a baby needs. If it was, they would raise the most perfectly happy baby. There's no doubt in my mind they love their baby. And they did THE most unselfish thing and put their feelings aside and gave the gift of life, essentially, to a very wonderful family. I admire Brandon & Teresa as well. They seem to be a very good couple and individuals.
I'll just say, I cried my eyes out! I even got Marty to watch it with me and he cried. He agrees, they are phenomenal kids. I can't wait to see the Finale Special show that they have scheduled for this week with Dr Drew. All of the kids from this season are getting together to talk with him. And the preview showed Brandon and Teresa coming with baby Carly to visit with Caitlynn and Tyler! Oh man, I started crying just seeing that!!
I'm SO not into reality shows, but this one really stole my heart. I hope that teens are able to see this show and realize while they still can that birth control is something they should take very seriously. Yeah, like I have room to talk... I DO! I've been there! Although I consider my situation to have a happy ending and if I could relive my life I would live it exactly the same way (probably speak up when I'm done wrong more though LOL), not everyone else ends up like this. It's always best to hold off until you are at least out of high school.
Someday, when I am a midwife, I would LOVE to open a clinic focused at teen parents. I want to be able to find ways to get them through high school and to find employment. It can happen for ambitious teen parents who are willing to work for it and not give up, but just lack the resources. I can't wait to make it happen!!
Anyways. So I enjoy hearing about other teen parents, and that's why I watch "16 & Pregnant" on MTV. I was especially touched by the season finale couple, Caitlynn and Tyler. If you haven't seen this episode, please watch it before continuing on because I have some major spoilers.
If the video doesn't work, go to YouTube.com and type in "16 and pregnant caitlynn"
***EDIT UPDATE: MTV has been having issues with this video so I went ahead and deleted it. I suggest Youtube for searching for the video***
Ok, with that being said (& seen) let me say a few things about this couple.
First of all, aren't they gorgeous! This is one couple I hope stays together. They are about as close to soul mates as you can get.
Second, I don't know of many adults, much less teenagers, that can make the decision they made and stay strong enough to live with it. I applaud them for not resorting to abortion, which personally is just NOT an option. It's too bad that people have them. Tyler is right, love isn't all a baby needs. If it was, they would raise the most perfectly happy baby. There's no doubt in my mind they love their baby. And they did THE most unselfish thing and put their feelings aside and gave the gift of life, essentially, to a very wonderful family. I admire Brandon & Teresa as well. They seem to be a very good couple and individuals.
I'll just say, I cried my eyes out! I even got Marty to watch it with me and he cried. He agrees, they are phenomenal kids. I can't wait to see the Finale Special show that they have scheduled for this week with Dr Drew. All of the kids from this season are getting together to talk with him. And the preview showed Brandon and Teresa coming with baby Carly to visit with Caitlynn and Tyler! Oh man, I started crying just seeing that!!
I'm SO not into reality shows, but this one really stole my heart. I hope that teens are able to see this show and realize while they still can that birth control is something they should take very seriously. Yeah, like I have room to talk... I DO! I've been there! Although I consider my situation to have a happy ending and if I could relive my life I would live it exactly the same way (probably speak up when I'm done wrong more though LOL), not everyone else ends up like this. It's always best to hold off until you are at least out of high school.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Nikita, her kittens, & my money saving adventure!
Well, I went into the kitchen today and got quite a surprise. I heard whimpering and turned around and Nikita had one of her kittens by the back of the neck and was carrying it around the house! Ooooook! I soon learned that sometimes if the kittens are being handled too much and the mother just wants a new nesting spot. She had the kittens in the corner of our dining room, but after they were born I moved them into our bedroom in a box. But I'll admit, seeing them there all the time makes us all want to hold them and pet them. So I ended up moving "the box" back into the dining room where she had them. It's also set back in a corner between furniture so she probably feels safe back there. I also found that with the kittens back there, we're not as tempted to go and touch them. Plus, I think Nikita enjoys being a bigger part of our family now rather than set back in our bedroom.
I'm also preparing more for the NCLEX. I have to work up the motivation to finish the work from my summer classes (English and Philosophy). That way nursing can be my number one priority.
Oh! I almost forgot! Ok, let me back up a little. I have started trying to save money on groceries. I've done a good job clipping coupons and taking them to the store with me. I've been lucky enough to start saving $5-$10 each time. But lately I have been starting to save nearly $40!!! I'm so proud of myself LOL I needed to buy a new air freshener can for our spray machine thing. I had a coupon for $1 off. That was going to make it about $4 a can. But I looked at a whole starter kit that was normally close to $10 on clearance for $6. I took another look at some old coupons I had clipped and I had a $4 off coupon for a starter kit. I got a $10 starter kit for $2!!! YAY!!! I'm getting there! I also saved $5 off of razors for Marty. They were about $8. The refills were around $5 and I had a $3 off coupon. I got $13 worth of "premium" razors for $5. Marty tends to break out real bad with cheap razors, so I wanted him to try something of better quality. I found a $3.50 off coupon for kitten food that only cost $4 something at Walmart. Plus the manufacturer gives $1 to an animal rescue center of your choice! How cool is that?
I'm hoping to start posting online coupon links for everyone to start getting great deals on things. Especially when you combine it with a clearance price. You can end up saving 90%!
I'm also preparing more for the NCLEX. I have to work up the motivation to finish the work from my summer classes (English and Philosophy). That way nursing can be my number one priority.
Oh! I almost forgot! Ok, let me back up a little. I have started trying to save money on groceries. I've done a good job clipping coupons and taking them to the store with me. I've been lucky enough to start saving $5-$10 each time. But lately I have been starting to save nearly $40!!! I'm so proud of myself LOL I needed to buy a new air freshener can for our spray machine thing. I had a coupon for $1 off. That was going to make it about $4 a can. But I looked at a whole starter kit that was normally close to $10 on clearance for $6. I took another look at some old coupons I had clipped and I had a $4 off coupon for a starter kit. I got a $10 starter kit for $2!!! YAY!!! I'm getting there! I also saved $5 off of razors for Marty. They were about $8. The refills were around $5 and I had a $3 off coupon. I got $13 worth of "premium" razors for $5. Marty tends to break out real bad with cheap razors, so I wanted him to try something of better quality. I found a $3.50 off coupon for kitten food that only cost $4 something at Walmart. Plus the manufacturer gives $1 to an animal rescue center of your choice! How cool is that?
I'm hoping to start posting online coupon links for everyone to start getting great deals on things. Especially when you combine it with a clearance price. You can end up saving 90%!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Things I'm learning about Newborn Kitten care
Like I said, when come across something new I research the heck out of it. With this being my first time at having a cat have kittens I needed to know what to expect. So here's what I'm learning so far:
1) Newborn kittens nurse the first 24 hours receiving a heavy dose of antibodies and vitamins through the queen's colostrum. Just like human mothers produce a fluid that isn't white like milk, so do cats. So it's very important for the kittens to nurse this first 24 hours.
2) The mother will lick her kittens bellies and behinds to stimulate a bowel movement and urination. This continues for two to three weeks.
3) Keep food, water, and a litter box nearby for the mother to use. Offer food and water frequently. Just keep it out of reach of the kittens. The mother should eat a high quality cat food, preferably one for kittens because it provides the extra vitamins and nutrients. Her appetite will double in the next one or two hours.
4) The kittens should nurse every 1-2 hours. They should have a round belly and sleep quietly. If they are restless and not nursing, they may need a supplement. If they get weaker they will become still and not cry.
5) The site that I read from says to weigh the kittens daily. They should start around 100 grams and go up 7-10 grams a day. By day 14, they should be double in weight.
I suppose this is mostly what I need to know right now. I'm going out today to get a good quality kitten food for Nikita. A vitamin supplement probably wouldn't hurt and was recommended through www.peteducation.com. I'll check with the vet. I probably should have done all of this before the kittens were born LOL
1) Newborn kittens nurse the first 24 hours receiving a heavy dose of antibodies and vitamins through the queen's colostrum. Just like human mothers produce a fluid that isn't white like milk, so do cats. So it's very important for the kittens to nurse this first 24 hours.
2) The mother will lick her kittens bellies and behinds to stimulate a bowel movement and urination. This continues for two to three weeks.
3) Keep food, water, and a litter box nearby for the mother to use. Offer food and water frequently. Just keep it out of reach of the kittens. The mother should eat a high quality cat food, preferably one for kittens because it provides the extra vitamins and nutrients. Her appetite will double in the next one or two hours.
4) The kittens should nurse every 1-2 hours. They should have a round belly and sleep quietly. If they are restless and not nursing, they may need a supplement. If they get weaker they will become still and not cry.
5) The site that I read from says to weigh the kittens daily. They should start around 100 grams and go up 7-10 grams a day. By day 14, they should be double in weight.
I suppose this is mostly what I need to know right now. I'm going out today to get a good quality kitten food for Nikita. A vitamin supplement probably wouldn't hurt and was recommended through www.peteducation.com. I'll check with the vet. I probably should have done all of this before the kittens were born LOL
Nikita had her kittens!
Good thing Cody was up early today (for him on summer break that means 10 am). I was up sick the night before and took Phenergan to stop the N&V. But when Cody came in to tell me Nikita had her kittens I jumped out of bed right away.
A few weeks ago I turned our walk in closet into a "safe room" for Nikita to have her kittens. Wouldn't you figure she chose the bare floor in the dining room corner to have them? LOL She only had one kitten at this point, so when it looked safe I offered her box (with towels and newspaper) to her and she climbed in right away.
Despite my wild fascination with the whole "Miracle of Life" process, I tried to hang back as much as possible. I tend to over-research topics when they are presented to me and I read that it's best to leave the birthing queen alone. When they are laboring and feel threatened (or a big audience) they will actually stop. So I put up some boxes to give her a sense of privacy and she seemed so much at ease.
Cody and I got to see her deliver 4 more kittens. She has a total of 5. Fortunately, none of them were stillborn. I watched kitten delivery videos on youtube and a few of them said stillbirths aren't uncommon. I didn't want to see her deliver a stillborn kitten, but I was prepared. Thank God she didn't.
After she was done I removed the wet newspaper and left her with some old towels. Actually, I think that worked out really well and I recommend it to anyone who has a pregnant cat (queen). Put a few layers of old towels down in a box with several layers of newspaper on top. After she delivers just pull out the newspaper so she has clean, dry towels under it. She will lick her kittens constantly and that with a combination of the dry towels will dry them off and help them keep their body temperature up. Just in case something went wrong we had a small box with a heating pad on "Low" and a blanket on top. A sort of "warmer" for the kittens. But my intent was to let Mother Nature (& Nikita) do her job.
I was really proud of Nikita. She really knew what to do and took over. The kittens basically nursed all day and night. She stayed with them, except for a couple of short walks within eye shot of her kittens.
I did have a little scare when I thought I felt another kitten inside of Nikita. I was worried because after Nikita had her 5th kitten she still pushed a little. So I was very concerned about another kitten being left behind. I called a nearby vet's office, who suggested I bring her in. It was $75 for an office visit (which I really don't have), $100 for Xrays (to see if there were any more kittens), and $900 for a cesarean if there was another one in there. I REALLY don't have that. I got kinda emotional at that thought because I knew I couldn't give her all of that and if a kitten was left behind she would certainly die from infection.
But I took her to the vet anyone. They took Nikita and the kittens back. I told them that she was a stray that I took in one day when I saw her nearly passed out under our living room window. The cat that we adopted (Sara) was spayed to prevent pregnancies that we couldn't afford (& to do our part for decreasing the kitty population). I was trying to do the right thing by rescuing this cat and now I was being confronted with a situation where I HAD to chose to possibly let her die. I was so upset.
The lady came out a short while later. She said the vet felt Nikita's belly and although it was hard, there were no more kittens. But she wouldn't know for sure unless an x-ray was done. Because this was a stray she wasn't going to charge us. Thank you Lord! I appreciated that SO much!! I wanted to do what was right, but I couldn't afford it by a long shot. Fortunately, Nikita would be ok.
So I took Nikita home and laid her in her box with her kittens. I put the box on my bed and laid there next to them until I fell asleep. I needed a quick nap so badly!
I fell asleep to the sound of whimpering kittens being warmed and loved by their mother. It was so wonderful!! Here are the pictures I took on my phone (please forgive the poor quality). There are two orange ones, a black one, a white one, and a gray one. Now I know who the kittydaddy is. The black and white one prowling the neighborhood!
A few weeks ago I turned our walk in closet into a "safe room" for Nikita to have her kittens. Wouldn't you figure she chose the bare floor in the dining room corner to have them? LOL She only had one kitten at this point, so when it looked safe I offered her box (with towels and newspaper) to her and she climbed in right away.
Despite my wild fascination with the whole "Miracle of Life" process, I tried to hang back as much as possible. I tend to over-research topics when they are presented to me and I read that it's best to leave the birthing queen alone. When they are laboring and feel threatened (or a big audience) they will actually stop. So I put up some boxes to give her a sense of privacy and she seemed so much at ease.
Cody and I got to see her deliver 4 more kittens. She has a total of 5. Fortunately, none of them were stillborn. I watched kitten delivery videos on youtube and a few of them said stillbirths aren't uncommon. I didn't want to see her deliver a stillborn kitten, but I was prepared. Thank God she didn't.
After she was done I removed the wet newspaper and left her with some old towels. Actually, I think that worked out really well and I recommend it to anyone who has a pregnant cat (queen). Put a few layers of old towels down in a box with several layers of newspaper on top. After she delivers just pull out the newspaper so she has clean, dry towels under it. She will lick her kittens constantly and that with a combination of the dry towels will dry them off and help them keep their body temperature up. Just in case something went wrong we had a small box with a heating pad on "Low" and a blanket on top. A sort of "warmer" for the kittens. But my intent was to let Mother Nature (& Nikita) do her job.
I was really proud of Nikita. She really knew what to do and took over. The kittens basically nursed all day and night. She stayed with them, except for a couple of short walks within eye shot of her kittens.
I did have a little scare when I thought I felt another kitten inside of Nikita. I was worried because after Nikita had her 5th kitten she still pushed a little. So I was very concerned about another kitten being left behind. I called a nearby vet's office, who suggested I bring her in. It was $75 for an office visit (which I really don't have), $100 for Xrays (to see if there were any more kittens), and $900 for a cesarean if there was another one in there. I REALLY don't have that. I got kinda emotional at that thought because I knew I couldn't give her all of that and if a kitten was left behind she would certainly die from infection.
But I took her to the vet anyone. They took Nikita and the kittens back. I told them that she was a stray that I took in one day when I saw her nearly passed out under our living room window. The cat that we adopted (Sara) was spayed to prevent pregnancies that we couldn't afford (& to do our part for decreasing the kitty population). I was trying to do the right thing by rescuing this cat and now I was being confronted with a situation where I HAD to chose to possibly let her die. I was so upset.
The lady came out a short while later. She said the vet felt Nikita's belly and although it was hard, there were no more kittens. But she wouldn't know for sure unless an x-ray was done. Because this was a stray she wasn't going to charge us. Thank you Lord! I appreciated that SO much!! I wanted to do what was right, but I couldn't afford it by a long shot. Fortunately, Nikita would be ok.
So I took Nikita home and laid her in her box with her kittens. I put the box on my bed and laid there next to them until I fell asleep. I needed a quick nap so badly!
I fell asleep to the sound of whimpering kittens being warmed and loved by their mother. It was so wonderful!! Here are the pictures I took on my phone (please forgive the poor quality). There are two orange ones, a black one, a white one, and a gray one. Now I know who the kittydaddy is. The black and white one prowling the neighborhood!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
It FINALLY arrived!
After almost exactly two months after graduation I FINALLY received the ATT giving me authorization to take the NCLEX. I suppose the timing is good. I got one of my laptops back today. So now it will be easier to get my two classes done for the semester. For my English Comp class I just have a 3500 word essay to get done. For Philosophy I have two finals, an essay, and a couple of discussion postings to do. Then I'm DONE! I'm scheduled to take the NCLEX on August 4th. So that will give me some time to do some extra studying for the exam.
Still no kittens. She'll probably have them the night before the NCLEX. HAHA! She sure does sleep alot. Sara is getting more relaxed, but I think she is still a little scared of Nikita. Nikita is getting protective and slightly territorial. She never hisses, she just stares Sara down. That gets Sara nervous and she hisses at her. So when I see Sara kinda cornered I intervene by picking her up and walking her into the next room. We will see!!!
Still no kittens. She'll probably have them the night before the NCLEX. HAHA! She sure does sleep alot. Sara is getting more relaxed, but I think she is still a little scared of Nikita. Nikita is getting protective and slightly territorial. She never hisses, she just stares Sara down. That gets Sara nervous and she hisses at her. So when I see Sara kinda cornered I intervene by picking her up and walking her into the next room. We will see!!!
Monday, July 13, 2009
CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain Review (BzzAgent)
First of all I want to let everyone know that I belong to a website that is totally cool. The whole point of it is to tell others about products that you try and love (or maybe don't love). After building your way up, you are able to join a "campaign" where a manufacturer will send you their product to try out and tell others about it. The name of this site is BzzAgent.com and that makes me a BzzAgent! LOL So anyways, with this review I am NOT told what to say. I tried this product and this is my honest opinion.
Ok, with that being said, now on to CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain. It comes in a nifty tube that is like a thich Sharpie. The part you apply the lipstain is like a thick marker. It says it has a great scent, but I thought it was too light to really notice.
I tried the Cinnamon Smile color. I have to wear lip color that has a brown shade or else it looks too bright and orangey on me. So I chose this. Unfortunately, it came out more of a red color on me. Not saying this is how it will work on everyone, but that's how it did on me.
I do like how you are able to adjust if you want just a little or more intense color and you can line your lips with the sharper point. And it doesn't feel heavy on your lips like traditional lipstick can. This is definitely a bonus during the summer months.
Because this is a lip STAIN it is meant to stay on your lips longer. I found it did ok. Alot of times I end up applying my makeup in a rush and then realize I need to brush my teeth, so one morning I ended up brushing my teeth AFTER I applied the stain. It stayed on pretty well. So I was pleased. But the staying power isn't that fantastic after that. It might just be because I don't apply it too heavily because the shade doesn't come out right on me, but it didn't last so long.
The price tag is around $7 or $8 on the store shelves and there are $1 off coupons available. Even given this information, I'm not sure I'd spend my money on it. It was ok, lasts longer than lip gloss, tends to be drying (I had to apply chapstick after each application), and nice and light. But don't expect to put it on in the morning before work and it to be there a few hours later.
It's JULY?!
Wow! Seems like this summer is really going by fast! It's been a rough summer, no doubt. Lots of work to get done, lots of waiting, and lots of new things occurring.
Where to begin? Well, May 15th I graduated from Georgia Perimeter with a degree in nursing. Just before I graduated I submitted my application for classes at Grand Canyon University in Arizona for my BSN. But before I can "officially" be a student there and start my nursing classes there I have to have my RN license. The state has my application and now I just need to wait for my authorization to test. At that point I will schedule my date to take the NCLEX. If I pass, I will be an RN! Officially!
In the meantime, I am able to take the remaining core classes that I need to get my BSN. I'm taking English Composition 2 and Philosophy. Those are two subjects that I figured I would LOVE to take. I love writing of course. I just love writing free style. I guess I do good writing with a pre-determined topic. I just don't enjoy it LOL Philosophy is hard on an exhausted brain. I'm so drained academically. And it doesn't help both of my laptops stopped working the day before classes started. I should get one of my laptops back this week. YAY! But in the meantime it's meant using the business center where I live, one of my husbands offices, and my father in laws house. I just want the luxury of doing school work when I'm ready again.
Anyways, I rescued a stray cat from the neighborhood who seemed more like a rogue, "Mafia" kitty. So I gave her a good Russian name, "Nikita". Turns out she is PREGGO! BIG TIME! Well, now she is. I couldn't quite tell at the time. So I'm caring for her till she has her kittens. She is so lovable. We've decided to keep her after she has her kittens, but once her kittens are old enough we have to let them go. I've never dealt with this situation before. It's also a situation I never wanted to be in. We finally decided to adopt a cat earlier this year, Sara, and we made sure she was already fixed. I firmly believe in doing the responsible thing and having pets spayed or neutered. I love the ASPCA and used to donate money to them each month until this summer rolled around. Then money became tight LOL But still, you have to live what you preach right? Anyways, I'm excited and scared about these little kitties coming :-)
Cody is about to start 8th grade. Master of the Middle School before he becomes a high school freshman. Wow. I can't believe he's gotten this far! He's still my baby! Ugh. His best friend came to stay with us for a week and a half. He just got done having his pacemaker removed and while he was here his incision started getting infected. So I played nurse and took care of it. It's much better now :-) But having two teenage boys is exhausting! Especially when all they do is eat. But that's the joys of parenthood.
Colin is really starting to mature this summer. He turns 5 in September. Wow. But he misses the cutoff here for starting kindergarten so he'll start next year. But fortunately we found out that our church is going to be having a pre-k this year! I'm SO happy! So now we just need to get him registered and ready to start! He shocked me the other night with 2 loose teeth. Down at the bottom in the front. He ended up pulling them out! I was so proud of him for not freaking out. I did have to teach him how to blow out the pain when it got to be too much. Well... he did it! Silly boy.
Well, anyways, I'm about to get off of here but I just wanted to make note of JULY. Wow. It's been July for almost 2 weeks now but it just dawned on me. Something isn't it? LOL
Where to begin? Well, May 15th I graduated from Georgia Perimeter with a degree in nursing. Just before I graduated I submitted my application for classes at Grand Canyon University in Arizona for my BSN. But before I can "officially" be a student there and start my nursing classes there I have to have my RN license. The state has my application and now I just need to wait for my authorization to test. At that point I will schedule my date to take the NCLEX. If I pass, I will be an RN! Officially!
In the meantime, I am able to take the remaining core classes that I need to get my BSN. I'm taking English Composition 2 and Philosophy. Those are two subjects that I figured I would LOVE to take. I love writing of course. I just love writing free style. I guess I do good writing with a pre-determined topic. I just don't enjoy it LOL Philosophy is hard on an exhausted brain. I'm so drained academically. And it doesn't help both of my laptops stopped working the day before classes started. I should get one of my laptops back this week. YAY! But in the meantime it's meant using the business center where I live, one of my husbands offices, and my father in laws house. I just want the luxury of doing school work when I'm ready again.
Anyways, I rescued a stray cat from the neighborhood who seemed more like a rogue, "Mafia" kitty. So I gave her a good Russian name, "Nikita". Turns out she is PREGGO! BIG TIME! Well, now she is. I couldn't quite tell at the time. So I'm caring for her till she has her kittens. She is so lovable. We've decided to keep her after she has her kittens, but once her kittens are old enough we have to let them go. I've never dealt with this situation before. It's also a situation I never wanted to be in. We finally decided to adopt a cat earlier this year, Sara, and we made sure she was already fixed. I firmly believe in doing the responsible thing and having pets spayed or neutered. I love the ASPCA and used to donate money to them each month until this summer rolled around. Then money became tight LOL But still, you have to live what you preach right? Anyways, I'm excited and scared about these little kitties coming :-)
Cody is about to start 8th grade. Master of the Middle School before he becomes a high school freshman. Wow. I can't believe he's gotten this far! He's still my baby! Ugh. His best friend came to stay with us for a week and a half. He just got done having his pacemaker removed and while he was here his incision started getting infected. So I played nurse and took care of it. It's much better now :-) But having two teenage boys is exhausting! Especially when all they do is eat. But that's the joys of parenthood.
Colin is really starting to mature this summer. He turns 5 in September. Wow. But he misses the cutoff here for starting kindergarten so he'll start next year. But fortunately we found out that our church is going to be having a pre-k this year! I'm SO happy! So now we just need to get him registered and ready to start! He shocked me the other night with 2 loose teeth. Down at the bottom in the front. He ended up pulling them out! I was so proud of him for not freaking out. I did have to teach him how to blow out the pain when it got to be too much. Well... he did it! Silly boy.
Well, anyways, I'm about to get off of here but I just wanted to make note of JULY. Wow. It's been July for almost 2 weeks now but it just dawned on me. Something isn't it? LOL
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Waiting on the ATT
Ok, I graduated from nursing school on May 15. Finally on June 18th the paperwork from the school made it to the state (talk about a long wait in itself). It is now July 7th and the state STILL has not processed my paperwork (and that of most of my classmates). Until the state processes the paperwork and sends us our authorization to take the state board exam, we are in limbo. We aren't licensed RNs and we can't get jobs in hospitals! This is just a little, I mean ALOT, absurd! We have families to take care of! We have student loan payments that are going to come due before we know it. And Atlanta hospitals are FILLED! It's nearly impossible to find an RN job in the Atlanta area. But I will remain positive about my chances of even getting to take the state boards and eventually getting a job. As hard as it gets I know God will look out for us. And unfortunately we have made the decision to put adding a new little member to our family on hold for now. Fulton Paper got sold so we are unsure about Marty's employment future. It's so scary and money is SO tight right now. It's situation critical! But we're trying. I'm almost done with my summer BSN pre-req classes! Can't wait until those are done. Ugh! :-)
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