HIC Cakes!

We're a family of 6 - my husband, myself, and our 4 children. Our food budget is just slightly over $500 a month. I don't consider this super, super low, but it does mean that in order to make sure we have enough good food to eat around here, I have to watch what I spend. Unfortunately (and fortunately, I suppose), I'm picky about what we eat. Sometimes, albiet rarely, I'll let us all have treats that contain ingredients on my 'Oh, hell no!' list. What ingredients are those you ask? This isn't an exaustive list, but some include:

*High Fructose Corn Syrup

*Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

*Artificial Flavorings

*Artificial Sweeteners (including things like Splenda, and other 'real sugar!' *rolls eyes* substitutes)

*Dyes

*Synthetic preservatives

*Non-organic fruits and veggies on the dirty dozen list

Hey, sometimes I want that snickers bar, or that box of cereal (even though the packaging contains BHA), but in general I try to keep our diet free of those sorts of things. I'm not a fanatic about it, though. This isn't really the point of this post though - I'm just trying to show you that keeping this crap out of our diet isn't exactly conducive to keeping your grocery bill down. I refuse to pay an arm and a leg for most of the pre-made stuff that is 'organic' or 'all-natural!'. I prefer to either make stuff from scratch or find products that aren't touting their 'we're awesome!' benefits, but that still don't contain the things I listed above (and there are A LOT, you just have to look!).

Anyway, my husband loves to make pancakes on Sunday. He prefers the Krusteaz 'Just add water!' mix... I prefer my made from scratch stuff. I'm fairly certain the Krusteaz stuff meets my oh-hell-no requirements, but honestly, I think it tastes like crap. And making it from scratch saves a few pennies (refer to my post yesterday about shipping if you want to see how fanatical I can get about a few pennies...). There are times I really don't want to make pancake mix on Sunday for my darling husband to cook, though. I want to sit, drink my coffee, possibly go to church, and just be (in general) a lazy lump on the couch.

Here is my comprise (so I don't have to listen to him whine): I made him a mix that all he has to add is water, 2 eggs, and (if he feels like it), vanilla. We all like the recipe, and it's HIC (He Isn't a Chef) Husband tested and approved. This recipe feels our whole clan, making about 20 6-inch pancakes (about the size of a dessert plate). The only thing you'll notice on the recipe is that the water content is "2 1/2 - 3 cups" - Mike likes his pancakes thinner, I like mine fluffier. I'm the 2 1/2, he is the 3.

I make the dry ingredients, put them in a gallon sized Ziploc baggie, and put the label on the front. When the mixed is used up, I replenish. Easy peasy. Keep in mind that when I have the time, I still do *my* favorite pancake mix, that is a little more fuss than this one - the HIC mix isn't the absolute best pancake you've ever tasted - but I still think it's a helluva lot better than the Krusteaz mix!

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H*I*C Pancake Mix, Family Size

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup dry non-fat powdered milk

2 ½ - 3 cups water
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
butter for cooking

The dry ingredients are mixed together and stored (up to half of the flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour, if you prefer).

To start, set a pan on the stove over low-medium heat.

When you’re ready to make some HIC cakes, put the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk all wet ingredients (not the butter!) together and then add to the dry ingredients. A fork works well – do not over mix! Lumps should remain.

Swipe the heated pan with the stick of butter. Using a ladle or measuring cup (I usually use a ½ cup measuring cup, not quite all the way full), add your mix to the pan. When bubbles start to form almost to the center of the pancake, flip them over and cook for the same amount of time as you did the first side.

Repeat until mix is gone. ENJOY!

Makes about 20 6-inch pancakes

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I ship things a lot for various reasons, and so I always have 2-per-sheet adhesive shipping labels handy. I print this recipe on a label and stick it on the Ziploc bag. I can't seem to upload the document to google docs without it screwing around with the formatting. If you'd like me to e-mail you this recipe formatted for shipping labels (there are two per sheet, but you can erase one of them if you only need to print out one), just leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you!

Here is what it ends up looking like (and yes, that IS pink :swoon: - you can change the color if you prefer):

Mostly normal... with a *pinch* of crazy...

For the most part, I'm a pretty easy going gal. Sometimes though, I just *have* to have what I want (don't we ALL have those moments, though? I mean... I hope you all do, or I'm nuttier than I previously thought...).

Today, it was a pencil pouch.

Yeah, you read right (I'd say 'you heard me'... buuuuut, you didn't. You're reading.) - a pencil pouch. Why? Beats the shit outta me!

A few years back, the last time I was in school, I bought a 'pencil pouch' for all my loose shit that needed to be contained. Pencils, pens, highlighters, lead, erasers, thumb drives - you get the picture. If I couldn't snap it in to the binder, or place it neatly (read: FLAT) in a folder, then it went in to the shit carrier. Turns out, the one I bought this last time was perfect...

It was well made (that sucker lasted me 2+ years of college abuse!), had a *real* zipper (unlike some of those glorified 'sealing' zippers that look like I just bought a Ziplock Freezer Bag and 3-hole punched it and called it a pencil pouch), and unlike the majority of the other shit carriers I came across it had a CLEAR window instead of mesh. Mesh windows simply won't do. Why? Allow me to enlighten you:

--> Tiny pieces of lead, should they manage their way out of the container, fall helplessly through the mesh to its certain death on the floor or the bottomless pit commonly referred to as a backpack.

--> Miniature mechanical pencil eraser refills will wiggle their way through the mesh once they realize their lead brethren have escaped.

--> Freshly sharpened #2 pencils will lodge in the mesh, breaking their glorious tips.

--> Highlighter and pen 'shirt clips' (I don't know wtf they're called - the little lips on the caps that you use to clip them on to things!) can snag on the mesh and create a show-down between owner and manipulative in trying to untangle it from the mesh's hold.

--> Travel sized pencil sharpeners that house the clippings from your once beautiful, now mangled, #2 pencils will undoubtedly open at the most inconvenient time and let loose its wooden terror. These shavings will migrate through your entire binder like miniature beasts of burden, staining and contaminating all it its path.

--> And you can just forget about putting anything with a relatively sharp edge in a mesh window pencil pouch. Rather than being violently snipped apart, it surrenders its mesh at its own 'hands', unraveling at the mere thought of being encountered by said sharp edged object.

There are more reasons, but I'm sure I've shown you the light. Mesh windowed shit containers are worthless - they.will.not.do.

So off I am, searching the internet for a clear-window shit container, that looks to be of good construction similar to my last.

After a decent allotment of time sitting, my ass starting to get sore, I find it. It's perfect. THE shit container I've been passionately searching for all my past 32 minutes! But there was a problem. The price was right ($2.08), the shipping was not ($6.04). What is a girl to do? Of course, I could buy it - but paying more for shipping than the object itself goes against my very being. I just can't do it. I would have happily paid $5.00 for the case and $3.12 in shipping, equaling out to be the same price as its current listing... but unfortunately that's not what it was listed as, and I couldn't bring myself to click "BUY NOW!".

I did what any semi-rational person with a pencil pouch fixation and OCD about shipping prices would do - I copied the brand, name, and item number of the shit container and started scouring the internet. Everywhere I looked, shipping was more than the item! EVERYWHERE! So then I started searching for free shipping coupons... and discount coupons... and free shipping with registration or first order coupons... I searched on E-Bay, Amazon, the Google and Bing stores, and even CRAIG'S LIST (what the fuck was I thinking there? Who is going to list a shit container on Craig's List!?)

And it was then, at my weakest moment - I found it. $4.44 with no shipping. The rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun shone down on this most beautiful moment. Without hesitation, the shit container was bought. When it comes, and I verify it's quality, I plan on returning to the same store and purchasing 5 more - hoping never to have to endure this sort of pencil pouch suffrage again (and no, I'm not kidding - I really do plan on buying more).

I've uploaded a photo for you all, so you may revel in its gloriousness alongside me :harp music and gospel choir:

I think the only thing that would make it better is if it were pink... but that venture, already taken, has proven fruitless...

Well... not great, but not disastrous

My registration time this morning was 8 a.m. You already know from my previous post what I was HOPING to get in to. After 3 hours of back-and-forth emails, numerous head bangs against the wall, and one or two attempts to kill someone with my mind over the phone, THESE are the classes I was able to snag:

Summer: Sociology, Music, and Statistics for sure. I'm #4 on the wait list for Chemistry (and I wouldn't be on the mother-effing wait list had the window-licking professor been so kind as to get me my access code one of the MANY times I tried contacting him in the last MONTH).

Fall: Psychology 200, English 103, Nutrition, and PE 100. I couldn't get in to A & P fast enough - they maxed out the wait list before I even had a chance. Microbiology I COULD get in to if I could ever get word back from the course's professor. So, to play it safe, I replaced both of those courses with English and Nutrition.

I'm bummed, and slightly stressed, that I have to wait until Winter to get in to A&P because that's the last.possible.time to get in before it messes with my graduation schedule. I did happen to get an entry code from the oh-so-helpful (no, not sarcasm) A&P teach. She told me to try and get in after Spring grades come out (so c'mon everyone! Pray with me that at least 13 of them failed! :praaaaaaaaaaaying:), or after fees are due for the quarter (so maybe only 7 people fail and the other 6 go broke? Either way, I'm down for whatever!).

SO.

My day was hectic. My main source of entertainment was busy (thanks, Dan :fizzle:). My 3 year old broke 2 of my wine tumblers (hooray I have 10 more!). My knee hurt so bad I couldn't run and had to instead WALK like some sort of reject. And more.

I think tonight is a good night for moderate to heavy drinking and mindless television and/or movies ... WHO'S WITH ME?! :D

Well it's about damn time!

It only took 3 FREAKING days to drop 4 ounces! I'm finally in the 182s! I know that this is my 'first thing in the morning' weight and that inevitably I will creep back up in to the 183s at some point today, but I'm just happy to have cracked the 183 mark at all! And don't you love to see the broom, and my husband's underpants bunched up in the photo? You can tell how much I cared this morning...

It's 1 week and 5 days until my birthday (25th)... I wonder if I get get to the 180s by then?

I'm still on the lookout for a good 'core training' DVD or program (for a fat-ass beginner!) to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays (I run on MWF and Saturday)... if you have any suggestions, PLEASE (for the love of GOD), PLEASE suggest them.

I also register for Summer and Fall classes today. I've been sweating like a sinner in church as I see the class tally go up to 1... 2... 4... 6... students for some important classes I need to get in to. One of these classes is Chemistry - and the teacher seems to be quite the douche. You need a course entry code to register. I've been in contact with him since the end of APRIL trying to get one. He told me that they couldn't be generated until at least May 8th. Fine. I contacted him post-May 8th. Twice. No response (you. mother. fucker. >.<) and now today, I'm still without it. Being a non-traditional student, I have limitted time in my busy schedule to take courses. I have them all carefully planned out over the course of the next 4 quarters so that I can graduate this Spring, and I will be DAMNED if some holier-than-thou asshole professor will keep me from doing so.

I've e-mailed him AGAIN this morning (my registration time is 8 a.m.) and you can bet your ass that as soon as the phone lines open up on the switch board I'll be blowing up his phone too.
Classes for this summer and fall are:

SUMMER

Sociology 101 (full online)
Statistics (full online - this I'm actually somewhat looking forward to, as odd as that may sound)
Music 100 (Mondays and Wednesday from 6ish to 9ish. I have the sad feeling that this class will be me playing hot cross buns on a recorder... but it's the only class I can take that fits my schedule and fills my humanities requirement)
Chemistry 121 (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5ish to 10ish) - class capacity for this is 24. There are currently 21 students enrolled - I feel like my head is in a vice grip watching it grow and knowing I'm STILL NOT IN IT!!!

FALL

Psychology 200 (Lifespan psych)
Anatomy & Physiology 1
General Microbiology
PE 100 (how stupid is THIS requirment? PE? Seriously?! And it hurts even MORE when I remember I have to fucking PAY FOR IT!!!!)


SO! Lets see how many of those I successfully am able to register for this morning... and how many heads I have to smash in, and ears I have to fuck (yes, I said 'ear fuck'. Get over it), in order to do it.

Damn! One ounce shy!

No 182s today. Damn.

Pre-run and Post subway (and 3 cookies)

183.3!!! Maybe tomorrow will be my entering-the-182s?!

Deep in thought

Definitely looks nothing like this...

I was bored (SHOCKER) waiting in the car with the crib midgets while my knocked-up dog's x-rays were developing at the vet clinic... It seemed like a perfectly reasonable way to spend my time.

Easily amused. Easily Bored.

I am a person that takes some 'getting used to' to be around for long periods of time. People tend to love me because I'm easily amused (and can be quite amusing in return!). I also can lose (or simply cast away) plenty of people in my life when they realize I'm quite easily bored.

Why is this a problem? Well... it makes conversations jumpy - I tend to go off on tangents talking about whatever pops in to my head (then on to the next tangent because the first tangent no longer held my interest); it leads me to being fickle and finicky, because I can never pay attention or stay interested in something long enough to make up my damn mind... and even if I DO make a decision, I tend to go back on it at some point in the near future to try out the other previously refuted option; I tend to be extremely off and on because in the brief moment I'm happy with whatever decision I've made (or topic of conversation I've happened upon), I'm quite laid back... much unlike the hyper, squirrel-like girl I was a few moments before.

I have few friends (many acquaintances though... apparently I'm great at providing quality entertainment), but those I do have love me and appreciate me for who I am. And at least those who didn't care to stick around, or who I was bored of and left, tend to leave my mind rather quickly. I'm no good at holding grudges or engaging in prolonged fights or bickering (boooooooring).

It honestly amazes me that I have been married as long as I have, considering my past record of relationships before him (I only entered in to two 'semi-serious' relationships before my husband, each of which only lasted a few months). I guess my husband knows what he got himself in to, bless him.

Why am I mentioning any of this? I have no idea. Consider it a warning. I'm not sure what a warning OF exactly, but if ever you leave comments or send me e-mails asking me what the fuck it was I was talking about in post x-y-z, then the only answer I'll have to give you is "Hey, I warned you!".

And on an unrelated note, I bought some leopard print ballet flats today from target. My husband hates them. I don't really give a shit - I'm rockin' the animal print and think they are AWESOME.

Post breakfast weight

Down a little bit... This is my post coffee and breakfast weight. Off to do my 2 miles in a few minutes...

26 miles by 26 years... and other ramblings

In a few weeks, I turn age 25... I'm WAY overweight for my height (I'm only 5'4"... EEK) and I'm sick and tired of feeling like a cow (and it only took me a decade and 4 crib midgets to figure that out! Go me!).

SO.

I am determined to be able to run a marathon (26.2 miles) by my 26th birthday! I printed out a year long couch-to-marathon plan courtesy of www.digitalrunning.com, laminated it (with 4 kids in the house you can never be too careful), and it will be hanging oh-so-lovely on my fridge. **side note: why is there a 'd' in the word 'fridge' when there is no 'd' in the word 'refrigerator'??**

And apparently I'm having some sort of quarter-year crisis (mid-life is at 50, yes? So 25 would be quarter... right?!), because I've also re-enrolled in college. Assuming I get in to the classes I need to (my registration time is the 25th at 8 am), I'll be taking 20 credits this quarter, and 17 credits fall quarter. Pray for me that I pass all of my classes from now until Spring, so that I can have that coveted piece of paper called a 'degree' by then (Spring). Then it'll be time to go crazy all over again applying to 4 year colleges to their BSN programs.

Ahh, ain't life grand...

If my fat-ass, food loving, procrastinating, goldfish-memory, millisecond attention span, finicky, fickle self can make it through the next year alive (and HEALTHIER... with the awesome perk of *hopefully* being thinner)... I may just have to go back to church regularly... Lord knows I'll need the help.