Another trip to the zoo

Bryan and Amy decided to go to the zoo today, so we decided to go again. LeCount and Morgan didn't go with Jaden and I earlier this week, so it was a first for them. I know I put a lot of animal pictures on the last zoo post, so I am keeping this one with mostly humans. We took the train again, and spent the day walking through the zoo. The group was all of our family, plus Bryan, Amy, James, Edwin (Bryan's co-worker), and Jessica and Madison (Amy's sister, Kelly's, kids). We had fun, but the kids were worn out. If you look closely at the picture of Morgan in my lap, she is sound asleep.

Spontaneous humor by Jaden

For everyone that doesn't know, here are some of the things that Jaden does (so that you can better understand the hilarity of the next few scenarios). Jaden talks to herself. She asks herself questions, and then answers herself. She, also, doesn't know the difference between yesterday, and 5 months ago, or next year and a few minutes from now.
So, just a few minutes ago, while Morgan was stuffing her mouth with a banana, Jaden said, "Morgan, you have banana all over your face. We are going to have to wash you face this year!"
At the zoo, she was talking to the monkeys (she doesn't wait for them to talk back). She asked the monkey, "Monkey, is that your family? It is? Great! I have a family, too. Right, mommy?"
There are so many other things she says at random. I will plug them in later, but at least I have provided a reference on some of the things she does. Now, when I tell you about a conversation she has had with herself, you will understand.

Coloring together

Well, my blogs are not going in chronological order. I forgot about these pictures from this morning. Morgan has been watching Jaden take her baby for a walk in the stroller, and now she does it, too... The only difference is that Morgan puts the baby on their hear instead of their bottom. Hahahahaha!! Then, later on, they decided to color. Please ignore their hair. They had just woken up about 30 minutes before, so they were still in their PJs and had bed head.

Cousin meeting

We just had to get out of the house today. It was in the 50's, but the wind really made it feel cold. Since I knew we couldn't play outside, I decided to take the girls to the mall to play in the play area. Amy happened to call asking if she could meet up with us this afternoon, so it worked out perfectly. We met up with Amy and cousin James at the mall, and the kids played and played and played. They had fun. Once the big kids got there (after school let out), it got more dangerous with them running around. We packed up and headed out of the play area around 5 PM, and then, we just walked the mall for another hour. It was fun, and I always look forward toi getting so exercise in where I can. I accidentally let my camera at home (which I never forget), so I have to get the pictures from Amy. As soon as I get them, I will update this post with pictures.

What is that noise on the roof?

Morgy has a new favorite food- BANANAS- or as Jaden used to call them- ga-na-ganas. She goes through 2 whole bananas in one sitting. These banana pictures are from this morning. As you can see, the banana doesn't have a chance with her!!! Hahahahaha!!

Then, just a few minutes ago, it started hailing, so here is a picture and video of the hail. In the video, you will also see the charcoal that the puppy got into. He tore up the whole bag. Why would you want to eat charcoal? Anyway...

Visiting the aMiNals

Riding the DART rail to the Dallas Zoo

What a gorgeous day!!! It was in the 70's today. Perfect day to see the aMiNals (Jaden's word for animals). Since I couldn't get LeCount to go with us, I could only take Jaden. Morgan has enjoyed the pictures and videos of the animals, though. Sorry for the short blog. I wanted ya'll to see the pictures. I am not too much in the blogging mood today. I am stressed to the max, and am not really in the mood for much. I always try to keep my blogs light and on a happy beat, but I am all happied out right now. LeCount gets his last unemployment check this week, and my last one will be 3 weeks from now. I am beside myself with worry. We have put in for 100's of jobs, and gone on interviews, but their is so much competition right now. LeCount even started looking at temporary jobs, but we still have nothing, so far. All we can do is keep plugging along, and praying.

From the South Bend Tribune:

Analysis: Can extended jobless benefits help to cure ailing economy?Michigan's high unemployment would make it eligible under proposalBy JESSE J. HOLLANDAssociated Press WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — For a bipartisan majority of senators, providing three months or six months of extra unemployment checks to more than 1 million jobless people is a better way to dig the economy out of a recession than just printing tax rebate checks. Some economists agree, and undoubtedly, so do the nearly 1.3 million unemployed workers who face losing an average $282 a week in benefits before June.But there is strong opposition leading up to a Senate vote in the week ahead on whether to add an extension of jobless benefits to a $161 billion House-passed combination of tax rebates and business tax cuts.
Consider Deborah El, a 64-year-old diabetic who lives in Pittsburgh. She will exhaust her 26 weeks of regular benefits this month after being laid off from her job as a program coordinator at a nonprofit literacy agency.El is taking care of her 26-year-old disabled daughter, Orissa, while also looking for a job and trying to find a new place to live."I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm really scared," she said. "I've never been like this before. I've always been employed, I've always worked. I went back to school a few years ago and got a master's degree, but it doesn't mean anything."As the economy has slowed, more people have signed up for jobless benefits. The situation can only get worse given the report last week that employers payrolls by 17,000 in January — a job loss not seen since the tail of the last recession in 2003.The unemployment rate also is on a generally upward trend. It jumped to 5 percent in December, the highest since right after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, then dipped to 4.9 percent in January.Last week, the number of laid off workers filing applications for unemployment benefits soared by 69,000 to 375,000. It was the most new claims in one week since October 2005, when Hurricane Katrina and the other Gulf Coast storms disrupted the economy.The National Employment Law Project estimates that 1.28 million people now collecting unemployment checks will be unable to find a job in the next six months and thus lose that help.The plan before the 100-member Senate will need 60 votes to prevail. It would cost $14 billion and extend unemployment payments for 13 weeks nationwide to people whose 26 weeks of regular benefits have run out.People without jobs in states where the unemployment rate has averaged 6.5 percent or more for three months could qualify for an additional 13 weeks of benefits, or 52 weeks altogether. Only Michigan would qualify for the extra 13-week extended benefits now; more states could join it if the job market continues to worsen."Every economist will tell you that stimulus spending will get into the economy much quicker than a tax rebate," says Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy, estimates that every dollar spent on extending jobless benefits will generate $1.64 in new economic activity. Income tax rebates, he said, generate $1.26 of economic activity for every dollar they cost the Treasury."It is hard to think of a group of Americans who are more likely to spend the marginal dollar than families that have been forced by job loss to scale back their normal standards of living," said Alan S. Blinder, a Princeton University economics and public affairs professor.Zandi said rebates have the added advantage of helping fight off a loss in consumer confidence."Nothing is more psychologically debilitating, even to those still employed, than watching unemployed friends and relatives lose benefits," Zandi said.House Democrats, in their negotiations with Republicans and the White House, sacrificed extended unemployment benefits in a deal to let millions of people who do not pay income taxes but earn at least $3,000 a year share in the rebates.Many conservatives and Republicans view jobless benefits as a drain on the economy rather than a potential boost to it. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said extending jobless benefits may keep people from working."Most people find a job in the last two weeks of their unemployment," Gregg said. "That's human nature. They stay on unemployment almost until the end and then they find a job. If you extend it another year, those folks who could be productive, producing a job, creating economic activity by having a job will stay on unemployment even though there may be a job out there that they could take."Unemployment insurance is a joint program between states and the federal government that is almost completely funded by employer taxes, either state or federal. Only three states — Alaska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — collect taxes from workers for their unemployment benefit programs.Currently, people who are out of work generally through no fault of their own can collect up to 26 weeks of state aid in most states, with an additional 13 weeks available in states that have high unemployment rates.The Labor Department estimates that 7.5 million people got about $32.2 billion in unemployment benefits between October 2006 and September 2007.The average weekly benefit is $282; Hawaii has the highest state average, $384.16, and Mississippi the lowest, $176.05, according to the most recent Labor Department data.Congress has extended the benefits before during periods that turned out to be recessions: twice in the 1970s, again in the early 1980s and 1990s and most recently from March 2002 through December 2003.

We finally got a boy!! dog, that is

I know it seems unbelieveable, but we really got a puppy. We picked him up from the animal shelter this afternoon. They think he is about 10 weeks old. They said that even though they think he is a german shepherd mix, he will not be a large dog. He will probably be about 40 pounds or so. Jaden was trying to decide between the names Scamp and Sparky (she got those names from Lady and the Tramp II). I prefer the name Scamp, but she really wants the name Sparky, so I guess that is what it will be. His ears are the cutest feature about him, I think. Now, we are trying to set up the invisible fence so that he won't get away from us. For now, he is staying in the bathroom until we can get it set up. Hopefully, tonight he will be able to go outside.

January's country focus- TANZANIA

I decided to introduce the girls to foods from different cultures. I am, also, teaching them a little about whichever country we are eating the food of. This month was Tanzania. I chose Tanzania because one of our sponsored children lives there. He is pictured in the blog right before this one. With the riots in Kenya, it seemed fitting to start with Africa. Tanzania is the neighbor to the south of Kenya. The foods that I made are prepared in Tanzania, but they are, also, prepared in other countries in East Africa (such as Kenya & Uganda).

I am providing 3 recipes, in case anyone is interested in tasting these delicious dishes.



Futari ya Ndizi (food ranking ***)
you need:
7 green bananas (not plantains)
1 can coconut milk
2 tsp Cardamon (spice)
1 tsp butter

Put butter, coconut milk, and cardamon in a pan big enough to hold the 7 bananas (but do not put the bananas in yet). Heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Cut bananas in thirds & put into boiling mixture. Lower the heat to low and cover. Simmer until cooked (about 5 to 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Serve warm.

Samosa (food ranking ****)
you need:
1 lb ground beef, pork or chicken
3 tbsp crushed garlic
1 1/2 tsp whole Anise seeds
salt
vegetable oil for frying
1 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
60 wonton wrappers (1 package)
flour

cook the ground meat until brown. add salt, garlic, anise, cumin and cilantro until garlic is cooked. let cool. put half of the wonton wrappers down on floured counter. mix 1/4 flour with a small amount of water to make a paste. brush the flour paste around the edges of the wonton wrappers. put meat mixture in the middle of the wonton. put another wonton wrapper on top of that one to make a sandwich out of the meat mixture. Use the flour paste to fill in any gaps in the two wontons. Heat 1 inch oil in fry pan. Once the oil is hot, place the filled wontons into the oil. Turn once. They cook very fast, so you will turn them after a few seconds. Let cool.

Mkate wa iriki (Cardamon Bread- food ranking ****)
you need:
1 dry yeast packet (or 2 1/4 tsp dry yeast)
1/2 cup warm water
1tsp sugar
1tsp ground Cardamon
3 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp oil

mix 1 tsp sugar and yeast in warm water. cover with plastic wrap and let rise. add sugar, oil, cardamon, and coconut milk. add flour little by little and mix by hand. knead dough for 10 minutes on a floured counter. put dough in an oiled bowl. cover with a cloth and let rise. once it has doubled in size, knead the dough again for 2 minutes. place the dough into a loaf baking dish. let rise until it is above the rim of the pan. preheat oven to 350, and bake for 30 minutes.

Doctor's visit misery

Here is what the front of my hair looks like.

Today Morgan had her one year check up. She is now into the 19 pound category. She was 19.05 pounds. The poor baby had to get 5 shots!!! It was horrible!!! She is still acting clingy 8 hours after the visit. She is not quite herself. We have, also, had to take her OFF of whole milk. We just started her on whole milk 2 weeks ago, but she is not able to handle the fat content. The doctor suggested that we switch to 2 % milk, and see if she gets better. If she doesn't get better, we will have to give her the second step formula that companies make for toddlers. I hope she can tolerate the milk! Other than that, she is right on target for everything. She even has two more teeth- for a total of 6!!!
We went to Jaden's old school after the doctor's visit. Everyone was so excited to see them. Jaden's three teachers from the baby room were there. They had never met Morgan, so it was an "oooooohhhhh, aaaaaawwwwww" moment. Of all of the kids that Jaden went to school with as a baby, there is only one left (and it is the owner's grandbaby), so she wasn't able to see her former school mates. Morgan enjoyed seeing all of the babies. She even got up in a high chair and had a cracker with them.
We headed home at 1 PM, and the girls fell right to sleep in the car. Jaden slept for 3 hours, and Morgan slept for 3 1/2 (so, I guess they were pretty worn out).

Count your blessings

Morgan at almost 3 months old

Jaden at the same age

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

The booty shop

Rebekah and Jaden before getting their hair done

Rebekah getting braids put in

I thought a phone conversation with Daddy would calm
Jaden down, but it didn't seem to help.

Jaden just got her hair flat-ironed.

This is my "do". I got mocha brown low
lights and light blonde highlights.

Jaden, Rebekah and I went to the beauty shop today. Jaden hates getting her hair done. I thought that having Rebekah there would help, but she cried the whole time. She seems to like how it turned out, but she just doesn't like what it takes to get it that way. I was intending to cut about 4 inches off of my hair- instead, I settled for 2 inches. I'll do more next time. Then, of course, I got the color, too. We went to the beauty school 40 miles away because we know one of the hair dresser students there. All three of us got our hair done for a total of $55!!!

I'll put in a front view picture of my hair after I get some sleep. It has been a long day. I got up at 4:30 AM. We left the house at 8 AM, and we didn't get home until 3 PM... So, I need to take a nap. I'll put in another picture of Jaden's hair, too because I have it in a pony tail now. Now, I am going to sleep!!!

This is what's up

These are pictures from when we visited the grandparents in the southern part of the state. The bottom two pictures are at Grandma Alice and Grandpa Bonnie's house. They watched the girls while LeCount and I did two mystery shops. When we got back to their house, both of the girls were down for their naps. The stack of blankets that Morgan is standing on was her bed, and Jaden was asleep on the couch (as you can see). They had so much fun. They ate a lot of food and drank kool-aid. We don't give them Kool-aid at home because I am afraid of the stains, but it was funny to see Jaden's Kool-aid moustache. That is what the top picture is a picture of.

Anyway, I am restless. I get this way sometimes. I feel like I need to get out of the house. Most things are closed this time of night, and it is very cold outside. I really wish I had something to get up and do outside of the house. When I feel this way, I usually take Jaden somewhere to play, but it is already 7:30 PM on a Sunday night- most people are in their homes getting ready to start a new work week.

Job offer

After so much job hunting, I thought I had found the perfect job at the Public Library (part-time). I found out yesterday that they chose someone else. Today I had another interview, and this time I was offered a job working at home for 1800 flowers. I guess I should be happy, but I am disappointed. The job is part-time seasonal. I will train for 10 days (4 hours a day), and then, work February 10th-18th (8 hour shifts). That will be the end of it. They said that there is a possibility that I may be chosen for the same schedule around Mother's Day, but it is not guaranteed. The next is a big "if"- If I am chosen to stay on with them (they told me that they are already fully staffed right now, but maybe in the future), I would get 6 to 10 hours a week. Ouch!!! So, that is what I have going on right now.

The pictures above are some pictures I took today in in our small city, by the way.

Our mystery shopping has slowed almost to a halt. I am looking everywhere for more shops, but it gets slow at the end of the month. Hopefully, we will get some more shops soon.

LeCount is going to a temporary agency in town on Monday to see if he can get a temp to hire position somewhere close to home.

Nasty driving weather

The weather has been yucky all week. I was really hoping it would clear up before we headed back home, but no luck. It rained the whole way, and it stayed at 36 degrees. As you can see, the girls get to sit right next to each other now- facing the same direction. I set them up with Lady and the Tramp II. They watched that movie 5 times during our trip!!

Dancing to gospel music

On Thursday night, we watched Tyler Perry's play "I Can Do Bad All By Myself". At the end of the play, all of the characters get together to sign a gospel song. Morgan was dancing like crazy, so I ran to get my camera. By the time I turned the camera on, Jaden was doing most of the dancing. I don't know where they got their moves from. Hahahahahaha!!!