Whoop-de-freakin'-do.

The big day is here. Woo. Hoo.






So, what's the big deal??






50 isn't as old as it used to be.





At least - that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

She's 23!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

It's my daughter's birthday today and I can't be with her. Last year either. But this year I was at least able to make sure she had a cake from Mom, even though I didn't make it myself. Those of you with kids in college who won't be home for special occasions might check out the University's offerings - Dani's school will deliver a cake, a snack care package, a chocolate assortment, and other choices - to the student's dorm room or as in my daughter's case - charge you a bit more for off-campus delivery. Very nice. And a surprise as well! And hopefully I didn't ruin any plans her boyfriend had because as Dani said "It's okay, if Dan has a cake for me he's so positive he would say 'oh good! TWO cakes!'" He also loves sweets so that may play into it.

Happy Birthday Honey! Yes, I AM putting the Sweet Pea cake on my blog. You love it, you know you do :)

Martha Stewart I'm not.

I have been somewhat MIA lately, messing with my new computer and dealing with a virus I downloaded from somewhere. Ugh that makes me mad! I think it's gone now though, after trying every kind of malware, spyware, adware, virus killer, stomper, demolisher out there. Holy cow, some kind of Trojan that was giving me pop-ups out of nowhere. Made me nuts. At least the pop-ups themselves weren't obscene or anything.

Yesterday was my son's TWENTY FIFTH birthday, WHEN did he get that old??? But, he had to work so we decided to "do" his birthday today. I, in my infinite wisdom, decided to make him a special *cough* cake. It's only him and me, my daughter is back at school. And since Andy will normally have 1 piece of birthday cake and then concentrate on the ice cream for the rest of the week, I decided I would make him an ice cream cake! That way he would actually help finish off the cake instead of leaving it all for me. Oh yes I would. Nothing better on the weekend than a piece of birthday cake for breakfast!

All I can say is that the next time I attempt to combine baked goods with frozen ingredients, I will not make a round layered thing. Maybe a sheet cake that remains in the pan. I baked the 2 chocolate cake layers last night. Formed the mint ice cream layer last night as well, popped it into the freezer to harden. I'm thinking I should have frozen the cake layers as well. A little while ago I thought I would give the assembly of said ice cream cake a go. It could have been an I Love Lucy episode.

I frosted the bottom layer - might have been a bad idea. Frosting is slippery. Didn't think of this. Frosted the top layer on a piece of wax paper so it would be ready to pop on top. Took out the ice cream layer, carefully unwrapped it and placed it on top of the bottom layer, placed the top layer on top of the ice cream, and voila! Right? Not exactly.

I decided I should try to frost the ice cream layer - I could do it reallyreally fast and maybe it would stick. Uh huh. NOT. Not only wasn't the frosting sticking to the ice cream, but the top 2 layers started sliding off the bottom layer. I would push it back one way and it would try to slide off the other way. The only thing left for me to do was to freeze the whole kit 'n kaboodle and hope it all held together in the end.

No room in my freezer for that - so now Andy's cake is freezing (hopefully solid) in a tupperware cake-safe in the garage, with a Samsonite cosmetic case sitting on top of it to make sure it's safe. I'm hoping there aren't any critters at all in my garage but you never know. Took me a minute or 2 to find a spot in the garage that was actually level but as I walked away all layers were in their appointed places. Cross your fingers for me. It's 26 degrees outside and the temps will be dropping lower than that soon, and it will be at least 5 hours before I need to actually cut the cake. Maybe time is on my side.

I can only hope, right? I'll let you know how it turns out. Um. . . I doubt there will be pictures.

It's all I've ever wanted!

So yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from my daughter who informed me she was on her way home from school “to clean the house!!”

???

She was coming home to clean the house as a birthday gift to me, being the starving college student and all that. I have been asking for this gift since I don’t know – forever maybe??? Mother’s Day, my birthday, Christmas – kids – don’t spend money on me – just clean the house. I’ll love it!

And now it’s finally happening. Sigh-h-h.

Life is good.

It's your birthday, it's your birthday!

~ DANI ~

You've always had your own mind and your own style Honey. Although it IS a bit more sophisticated now. :)


Wish you could be home for your birthday but we will celebrate when you are able to make it. Happy Birthday Sweet Pea.
Love you! Kisses!

~Mom~

Enough complaining!

So - I am done complaining. Had a rather relaxing day at work today. One of the gals, Linda, is having a birthday - 7/7/07. She - and a couple others - Ysabel and Joan, decided there would be no better time to go to Vegas. Working only a half day today so they would be able to leave and get to the airport early for their afternoon flight, the mood was very light and enjoyable.

I received a phone call later in the day - Ysabel - whispering into the phone - giggling - "we're on the plane!!" Oka-a-a-a-y. Have you guys been drinking already? Maybe a little. :) They are SO ready to have a good time!

Ysabel travels a lot, mostly with her husband, sometimes with her daughters, she is very comfortable in most situations. She will be the leader and the one to take charge if anything goes wrong. I know Ysabel better than the others, known her longer and worked with her longer. I affectionately call her "miss bossy pants" when the situation calls for it.

Linda worries a bit, is happily divorced and plans to stay single, she likes to party, loves to dance and have fun. She's usually pretty agreeable when it comes to compromising with a group and I think she will take it pretty well if she is thrown a curve ball and has to change direction or plans.

Joan - well - Joan is a trip. She is actually very sweet and in some ways a bit naive. I'm not sure how long she has been married but she has a daughter in Jr High which gives me some idea. Apparently in all the time she has been married she not only has never gone on a girls only trip - but never on a girls night out - period! She's also a bit of a germaphobe which Ysabel just may have to deal with. I suggested that Linda and Ysabel carry sanitizing wipes and lotions with them so they can whip them out whenever Joan has a "moment". She was already planning on what she would do when they get up to the hotel room - call the front desk and have someone come up and change the sheets, blankets, and bedspreads on the beds.

This should be interesting. We all work together, but we have never socialized outside of work. Not sure why we haven't exactly, because I really do adore the gals. So - the first time ever going out together being a trip to Vegas - could have some fun results. At least I hope so! I am SO looking forward to some stories when they get back and that old thing "whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" isn't gonna fly. I want all the details. :)

I was invited but I couldn't afford it right now. When I did get my hands on some extra money I decided to spend it on my diet instead of going on a trip. I'm not a great traveler anyway and I'm not big on Vegas. My Mom used to live there and when I first got divorced my kids went there for part of the summer for the first 3 years I think. I would have to fly out to get them and I would take a mini-vacation while I was there. We would spend one day on the strip going to casinos and what-not - but the rest of the time we mostly stayed at my Mom's and visited. I preferred that.

I hope the girls have a wonderful time and come back with some stories. I am thinking the interesting parts will mostly be about how they interact with each other more than anything else. And OH! I hope they get pictures!

*****************Go for it Ladies!!*****************

Fooled the Smoke Alarm!

Hello Hello Hello!!! These are the earrings I sold. Still the only thing I have sold online but that's okay. There will be more.

Saturday was my birthday, and my sweetheart girlchild insisted on putting all the candles on the cake! Took 2 people to light them - had to open the front and back doors to prevent the smoke alarm from going off - but I got every last one of those candles out! Hey, I made a wish - I HAD too!

So, my boychild went to a baseball game in Milwaukee, so my daughter and I did some birthday bonding. We slept late - had spinach dip for lunch, ran out and got our hair cut together, and then we colored eggs. It was nice. Nice and slow paced - (except for the spur of the moment haircuts!) My girlie wanted to do something special for dinner but we had ordered Thai food the night before and I wanted my leftovers. Just the kind of girl I am - don't need anything fancy. Later we did the cake and ice cream thing with my girlie, my boychild and my girlie's boyfriend. It was nice, it was a good day.

I received some major encouragement towards a website - my boyfriend has been very helpful, and the beautiful multi-colored roses didn't hurt either!!! His birthday gift to me will help me get set up which is an icredible present! My girlie gave me a beading book and a book on marketing and selling my jewelry. I just want to research before I launch into anything. Keeping some things on Etsy while I'm doing that should keep me in good stead.

I googled myself the other night - shocked the crap outa me! Just typed in BetteJo and I'm all over the place!! Now I just need me to come up when I type in Beads - or beaded jewelry!


OMG Sanjaya is on American Idol! What did he do to his hair this time? He has a spit curl on his forehead! Well, kind of. He has a little goatee and mustache - can't tell if it is freakin' drawn on or what?!!!!! Ugh. What's with this kid? I actually feel bad for him cause I think he believes he's good when he's only being voted for by screaming little girls, all his Indian neighbors and by those who think he's the worst!

Oh well, enough bad thoughts. I just feel bad because I don't think people realize that this is a 17 year old boy who is naive and probably too sensitive to find out the bubble he's in right now is all fake. Not fair for him, possibly dangerous to his emotional well-being. Spoken like a mother, right?

Jennifer Lopez was fun though, she really helped the contestants - seemed really natural and nice.

Anyway. Time for bed. Have a lovely evening!

BetteJo