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I have always believed, me as a mother was a huge cosmic joke played by whatever higher power you may believe in. It seemed uncanny that a woman that could barely take care of herself could take care of 3 offspring. But here I am mother and care taker to 3 very different but beautiful child.

Two of these are twins but the only thing they ever shared was the womb. The oldest is five and you would never know he was five after a convo with him. I blame it all on his dad. Smart is an under statement . But what urges me to write ..my muse at this present moment,  is the baby crying in the CVS drugstore bathroom and the mother holding him. A feeling of worry rushes over me as I hear her making “shhh” noises and hear the piercing, relentless  screams of her chubby one year old. I am instantly taking to the moments when I try to quite any one of my three in public. The frustration is stronger than 20 elephants pulling in one direction.  The love in her eyes….much stronger.

She seems embarrassed but content at her job of getting him to stop crying in that tiny bathroom.  I smile at her like she is suppose to know that I too have been the mom in the bathroom before.

You don’t know it lady, but I have 3 under the age of 5 . You feel hot and flushed and embarrassed by another person’s behavior that you can’t control at the present moment.

Ohhh those moments are so great. Yes, great. Its amazing how it strengths your bond and you can find just how to relate to this small creature. Its these moments that create what the cosmic world calls a mom.
  

I remember my mom making these for us as a kid. Hers were more patty than meatball looking. She also cooked the crap out of them (she hates pink or even browned meat for her it should be black). I made these tonight for the kids because trying to feed a thousand of something (rice) to two 18 month old twins isn’t my idea of fun.
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Preparation:

Directions for porcupine meatballs
Mix ground beef with rice, 1/2 cup of water, chopped onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape porcupine ground beef mixture by tablespoon into 1 1/2-inch balls.
Place the porcupine meatballs in an ungreased 2-quart shallow baking dish. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the porcupine meatballs. Cover and bake at 350° F. oven for about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake porcupine meatballs 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Porcupine meatballs serve 4 to 6.

So were they a hit?!

Easter morning 2014 on Gladstone: http://youtu.be/tke0mfUXnK8

The mess of the tree falling last night during the storm is mostly gone. Me and Lewis picked up most of it this morning to let Marijo out to get her pedicure today. The mocking bird still comes and lands on the trunk or in the pile of branches on the curb. Passersby still stop, pause and apologize. Sometimes they say “Awww”. Sometimes it’s an ” I’m sorry man” and sometimes just silence. I just keep saying to myself it’s an opportunity to plant something new.

If you’ve ever been to our little chateau on Gladstone, especially at Mardi Gras, you’ve seen our little tree out front. Tonight…we lost him.
Continue reading Our Little Tree

Me and Puff from 99X were trying to figure out where to get Corned Beef and Cabbage today. Cracker Barrel had it, but at what cost!? We found some folks who had Shepherds Pie but no cabbage. Also found out the Irish Pub in the Boardwalk was closed! Blast it! Found some people had cabbage, but no corned beef. Marilyn’s Place had it yesterday for brunch and Noble Savage wasn’t opened for lunch. No help. We DID find some in the most unlikely of places…The Stones Throw Cafe at the Airport. Weird right!? Delicious. With cornbread, mashed potatoes and macaroni that was darned near perfect.

My order finally came in! It came in on time but my anticipation made it seem longer than the 5 days it took to get here. I ordered frankincense and myrrh beard oil from Whiskey Ink & Lace. They have all sorts of items from oils to soaps to beard kits and grooming. I found them on Amazon, then on Facebook. After reading about them, I had to get my hands (and my beard) on some of their hand made beard oil.
Here’s the box

And here’s the bag

And the bottle

The site says this about the oil:
This rich, aromatic beard oil uses argan and avocado oil to give your beard a deep moisturizing treatment, while treating you to an enlightening experience.

This beard oil is scented with frankincense and myrrh, historical perfume and cologne essences that offer smoky, warm aromas. It’s a strong smell, stimulating uplifting feelings. Frankincense and myrrh essential oils are known for their enlightening and focusing properties, helping to elevate stress and ease your mind.
These oils have been used for centuries upon centuries, and breathing them in links you to the dawning of civilization. They have been used for centuries for skin care, as well, so you know that the skin underneath your beard is being well cared for.
This beard oil works hard on your beard and your face. What you put on your beard ultimately works its way to your skin, which is exactly what this oil is meant to do. It will help soften the skin under your beard, fight acne, and prevent irritation. The base of sweet almond, avocado, and argan oils help to soften and condition the hair as well as the skin underneath.
I put a few drops on each fingertip

Lewis likes it and so does my wife! 😉

Well worth the wait!

The foul weather didn’t stop us from letting the good times roll.