Random Tid bits

1. This week my sister had her baby girl. What I thought would be a really positive experience has flipped into being difficult. Margaret (my niece) was breech. They got her flipped, so my sister was induced. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her legs and arms. Off to an emergency C-Section she went. My sister lost a lot of blood.  
   
   They took Margaret, and put her in the NICU. She was having mini seizures, so she got put on a cooling mat. I thought in the photos she looked more like her brother Emerson that has Trisomy 18, than her other brothers. 
   
   
2. When my sister was pregnant she got a blood test. All results showed that Margaret is normal. We now know she does have Trisomy 18 like Emerson does. 
   
   
3. I've been feeling excited with a new baby about to happen, sad that she had to be taken via c-section, angry that her brothers that have no chromosome problems will have even more attention taken from them, and not knowing how to feel. I love my nephew Emerson,  but he's a lot of of work. He has had tons of medical issues. He’ll never know what it’s like to live without pain. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. If someone taught a Psychology course...my family that has at least 3 carriers of Trisomy 18 would be a great topic. Should someone that wants to have kids, have them if they carry this to pass on? So much could be brought up: God, Life, Quality of Life, Medical Needs, Late Term Abortion, and so on. Late term abortion would have never been an option, for my sister, but it’s a topic that would be brought up. It's hard to know how to feel and talk about. We put other animals down that are in pain, but we don't with humans. I'm not saying we should. I just don't know how I feel about it all. 
   
   
5. To make this random, online learning is going to work...I think. We've had our bumps. I took Isaak in twice, for tech support. I thought it was his account. Turns out he was using Teams in the browser, and not the downloaded app. Errors occur with that. He's good now. What's really wonderful is that he got a new ipad on Friday. It will work so much better than the old PC they gave him. Isaak likes that he can hear the teacher! No random kids talking. Homework is all put in one place.
   
   The district has made adjustments along the way. Kindergarten, first and second graders now have 1/2 days, with bigger breaks. I think that's a smart move.
   
   What do you think about online learning? Is it working where you live?

#WW Tomatoes {Linky}

Processing tomatoes is almost an everyday thing. I'm pretty sure we go through the longest way to process them. 

1. Pick Them
2. Sun Bathe Them in the Windows
3. Slice Them
4. Boil Them
5. Put Them in an Ice Water Bath
6. Peel Them
7. Deseed Them
8. Put Them in a Big ZipLoc Bag
9. Deep Freeze Them
10. Can Them When the Deep Freezer is Full

I'd skip the deseeding part, but I'm an ultra allergy sufferer. I've read that the seeds are what bother many with allergies. They get stomach aches, and don't even know why. Tomatoes were on the list of foods to avoid - from my allergy | asthma doctor. I only am supposed to avoid them during the season, when they grow. The same goes with squash. 

If you are ever frustrated with - LIFE, just go through the whole process. Read my captions, and you'll understand. 

The Attack of the Killer Tomato

The Sacrifice

Bobbing for Tomatoes

Peeling Some Skin

Naked Tomato Nest

Squeezing Some Guts

Are you growing anything in your garden this year?

#WW Rotary Honor Roll #Linky

I got a call last week. Ring Ring...Hello is this Mrs. Apel? Do you still live on such and such street? This is King Science Middle School, and we want to drop off an award for Mica. 

I wasn't crying. Really I wasn't. ;) I shut myself in my room, and let it all go. It was a flood of emotions. I was proud of Mica! At the same time I was scared for the boy's future. I was sad that Mica won't be starting high school in a building, making new friends. Usually I'm getting ready for school. Since 2002 August meant school was starting for me. I had Mica the second day of school August 10, 2005. This year I'm not a teacher. I lost my job in May. I just got word that the college I worked for will close. How could they possibly stay open, when all of high school is remote. All understandable. If universities and community colleges are hurting, technical and art school are really struggling! 

With all the craziness in the world right now, what is something that has been the hardest on you?

Mica said, "Mom don't take a picture, when they get here!" Oh I wanted to!

The councilors don't even know how much I appreciate them dropping off this piece of paper to my son. He got all A's and one B+ last semester. He did everything he was supposed to do; even though they weren't grading his work.

The award stands for:

•Leadership: Works well with others | Respects opinions of others | Honest, dependable and reliable

•Character – Kind and courteous | Responsible | Demonstrates respect for others and respect for the environment

•Scholarship –Demonstrates thirst for knowledge | Shows ownership of academic outcomes | Respects teachers & the learning environment

•Presence – Behaves appropriately | Respects self and others in dress, speech and actions | Responsible for portraying positive self-image

Processing #tomatoes

Per usual Travis has a lot going on in the garden.

Things we grew:

• Kale
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Popcorn
• Different Types of Dried Beans
• Basil
• Oregano
• A few Types Peppers
• Strawberries

...and more

He plants it, and for the most part I process it. 

We have a system with tomatoes:

1. We bake egg shells, grind them in a coffee grinder to sprinkle on the ground, where the tomatoes grow. They love the calcium! 
   
   
2. I have 3 windows where tomatoes go. 1 is for green and yellow ones, another is for orange ones, and the last is for almost ready ones. Once the almost ready ones are ready it's time to move on to the next step.
   
   
3. I slice the tomatoes in a cross formation. That makes them easier to peel. It feels a bit odd, like I'm sacrificing something. Ha! I find that ceramic knives work so well to do this. They are sharper. I don't want to cut into the tomato, just the peeling.
   
   
4. I boil a big pot of water, to put the tomatoes in for 2 minutes. 
   
   
5. Then it's time for the tomatoes to move to an ice bath. They sit in there, for a minute or two.
   
   
6. They peel so easily!
   
   
   
   
   
7. After they are all peeled, and the peeling has moved into the compost pile I cut them, and deseed them. Anyone with allergies should deseed tomatoes. The seeds are what many are allergic to. You wouldn't even know that you're allergic to them. You just get common allergies all the more, with ingesting the seeds. 
   
   
8. It's time to cut them, and put them in a silicone reusable bag, or ZipLoc bag. 
   
   
9. There is a ton of tomato juice. Travis used to dispose of it. One year I was like, "Let's keep it!" I have to say that I'm glad we started doing that! I use the cubes for soups, and any dish that requires chicken or beef broth. It adds flavor!
   

About TigexPro Silicon Ice Cube Trays:

You can get them on Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/TigexPro-Silicone-Whiskey-Beverages-Popsicles/dp/B082KFJHRV/ref=sr_1_88?dchild=1&keywords=whiskey%20ice%20cubes&qid=1586811325&sr=8-88&fbclid=IwAR1zsh0KBuPWWK3Kl-PDlIFGEoFlogWXzIKOGfDawZFHADNnHKyTATj8cMw

Cost: $11.99 

Included: A red and black silicone deep ice cube tray, with lids. 

What Else the TigexPro Silicon Ice Cube Trays Can Be Used for:

• Homemade Baby Food
  
• Frozen Fruits for Smoothies
• Frozen Veggies for Soups
• Ice
• Alcoholic Drinks
• These are deep enough, where dried snacks could go in each one, for little kids

Popping Out the Cubes:

They easily pop out if you run the bottom of the tray under warm, or hot water in the sink. They do have lids to prevent anything from getting freezer burned + to cover the cubes, so they don't fall in the sink + to pop out the cubes. 

I pop them out, once they are frozen, and store them in a big ZipLoc bag or reusable silicone bag. Then use them when I need them.  

What would you use silicone ice cube trays for?

Disclaimer: I got the silicone ice cube trays, for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Happy 15th Birthday Mica!

Today we had an odd storm roll through. It happened very suddenly, and left many in the Omaha area, including us with no power. 

Your birthday didn’t really start out on a positive note. You were brushing your teeth in the dark. 

We are in the middle of a pandemic. I have to say out of all of us in the Apel house you’ve adapted the best to solitude + change. You said that this pandemic gives you time to self reflect.

You were supposed to start high school today. North High Magnet School focuses on Biomedical and Engineering. We found out just two days ago that classes are going to be held remote, for the first semester. You were excited that school wasn’t going to begin on your birthday.

What you got, for your birthday:

•A room makeover - You would have never asked for a room makeover. Why? Because it required work. Ha!

•You also wanted something on the PS4, but missed playing time with your cousins due to the power outage. 

•I got you some candy. I know jellybeans are one of your favorites, but you never get any because Isaak can’t have them, due to his braces. The Dentist may not thank me, but you’ll enjoy them. 

•I made you an ice cream cake, and got Chinese take out. 

Likes: 

•Eating! I went to get a snack, and the whole pan was empty. It threw me because the foil was still on the pan. You're growing like a weed, so I get why you're hungry all the time.

•Battlefront - A PS4 game

•You liked the show Hunters on Amazon Prime

•You still enjoy reading

•You often are listening to music

Dislikes: 

•Bugs

•Getting your hands dirty in the kitchen

Struggles: 

•Scoliosis is our main scare with you right now. You didn't do well at the doctor's office, they sent you to get a scan, and you didn't do great on that either. I'm hoping you just grew too fast. You have to get yet another scan in three months. 

•You have no interest in driving. We shall see. 

Strengths:

You got a big award sent your way from school last year. More on that in a big.  

Overall you're a pretty darn good kid, and I love you!

Happy Birthday Mica!

Carrot Cake #doughnuts

Typically I wake up before everyone else. I lay there pondering about what I should make.

This morning I was thinking, What do we have that needs to be used up? We have lots of carrots, and raisins. No one in our house likes raisins all that much, except in desserts, or breakfast goodies like this. 

They were easier to make, then my Dark Chocolate Doughnuts, or the Lemon Doughnuts I've shared with you. They were just as good as both, but I have to say it's hard to pass up chocolate! 

Carrot Cake Doughnuts by AlissaSpiehs-Apel on Scribd

Sometimes I skip the glaze. It's not because it's not good. It's just that we don't need the extra sugar. This time I decided to add it.

What I Paired the Carrot Cake Doughnuts Up With:

• Spinach Leaves
• A Date
• Bing Cherries
• Cottage Cheese
• Emergen-C Drink

It was a hit with everyone. Mica per usual on a weekend morning asked, for seconds. 

What kind of homemade doughnuts do you prefer?

Random Tid Bits

1. I know it's been awhile since I've posted a random post. Working from 4:30 AM to 1:30 PM isn't too bad. What's bad is working from 1:30 PM to 9:30 PM a few days later. I feel like I have no routine. I'm tired ALL the time!
   
   
2. The boys were supposed to start school next week. Omaha is doing so bad with COVID! The teachers got on the news, and talked about how they don't feel safe going back. I have a few thoughts on this. First I agree with them, second I see groups of kids all over hanging out without masks on, and with their parents out and about without masks... How is going to school any different?
   
   Education should be in my mind set before sports, and the economy. We've made it clear as a society that education is last. If we would have kept all things that we could shut down as long as we could, and had school in session first that would have been ideal. 
   
   
3. Things need to change, and fast! I've been saying this for years. We should move to one person in a family working. Single parents, shouldn't have to work as hard as they do. This would give children a stable home environment, that they need. Then make the price point of everything just a bit cheaper. If everything was cheaper this could be accomplished.
   
   Kids need home cooked meals, supervision, help with their homework, and someone to talk to.  
   
   What are your thoughts on all this? I'm not in the position to judge you. I want to know what you think. To me it's crazy how political this has gotten. We need ideas, compromise, and resolution. 
   
   
4. Isaak was cracking me up the other day. He said, "Mica do you think all holiday shows are kind of cheesy?" I don't even know that I heard Mica's answer. Then he said, "Mica do you think it's odd that dogs always talk in cartoon movies and shows?" 
   
   It reminded me of that seen in Stand By Me...
   
   
   
   
5. At home I wear Cheez-it shirts all the time. I literally a walking advertisement for them. They are comfortable. At the store a lady said, "I love your shirt!" I wanted to say, "If you follow me home I'll give you one." I have about seven of them. Ha!
   
   

 

Wagner Smart Roller Review

Recently we've had a few house updates. Both boys needed a room update. 

Mica's always been the type that just has never cared if anything is updated. Reason...he knows it requires work. Can we say, "LAZY"? I think most kidadults would skip out on making things look better if they knew it required work. 

Mica wanted a space theme that's graphic. We struggled because I pictured a galaxy, or star star wall. He wanted an exploding earth. Then I got him a starry bed spread. I'm thinking of getting him a starry blanket to cover his chair too.

Main Color: Red-Orange

Now that Travis and I basically have opposite working schedules, it was hard getting Mica's room done. We had most of Mica's room in our living room, for three weeks.  

I taught Mica how to roll, so we had three people working on this project. You can tell he was oh so excited to start rolling. Ha!

A good way to get a home project going, is having the right tools to do it. 

List of Products to Help With This Job:

• We had three gallons of paint: Navaho White, Red Orange, and Teal
• We mixed up two more colors with the three
• Rollers
• Paint Brushes
• Painter's Tape

Process:

• Paint with a base - We used Navaho White
• Tape with painter's tape - We free formed it
• Burnish the tape
• Roll base color on
• Use a brush to edge the colors
• Roll on the colors
• Take away the tape
• Fix up bleeding paint with a brush

Setting up the Wagner Smart Roller:

The Wagner Smart Roller came in pieces. Travis had the roller set up in minutes.

Where to Get the Wagner Smart Roller:

You can get it here: https://www.wagnerspraytech.com/products/paint-rollers/smart-roller/, for $19.99.

 

The roller was fairly easy to use. We picked to use the Wagner Smart Roller, for the biggest area of paint that we needed to cover. 

We did feel like the paint got in the parts, and was a pain to clean. I think I'd want to use this, for a room that's all the same color. 

How to Use:

The paint gets pumped up into the gigantic syringe AKA a fill tube.

Mica at first didn't think it was working, but it was.

There's a release, to work the paint into the roller. We did it over a paint tray; to not make a mess on the floor.

Start to roll. It puts mini dots all over. I know the dots are meant to roll on, and mesh a solid uniform coating. I happen to like them. I could see the dots in a pop art room. 

We were all hoping the paint would cover more area. It didn't seem like it lasted long. I know it's a bright color. With bright colors you do need a lot of coats. It still seemed like with all the work of getting the paint up into the fill tube it would cover a more massive area. 

The mess was less. There was no paint tray really needed. We had one just in case. It was more of a pain to clean the roller out. Way harder than a typical roller. 

The results were great though. Mica's happy with it. This is his biggest gift, for his birthday. 

What was the last room in your house, that you painted? What color did you paint it? 

Disclaimer: I got the Wagner Smart Roller for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Dress for Halloween

Halloween is so fun! Although I don't know how into the holiday I will be this year. When I worked at an art school, it was a blast. When the boys were in elementary school they had a Fall Festival. Many peoople dressed up for that as well. My costumes were used for a few events. Now I'm not really needing a costume. Possibly Halloween socks, or a shirt will be all I need. 

I do like to pass on my love for Halloween to others. 

My niece to be is going to get a Halloween dress from me. 

What I like about this outfit:

• It's themed wonderfully for Halloween!
• At first I didn't like that there were some things right side up, and other things upside down, but now I like it. Babies lay down. No matter how they lay, you can see the fun designs. 
• The colors are pretty.
• I love my boys, but now I can get something girly. 

What I dislike about this outfit:

• The skirt wrinkles fairly easily.
• The pumpkin gets hidden by the skirt. It would have been better if it was sewn higher up. 
• I wish it was a onesie under the skirt; instead of a shirt. Babies never keep shirts tucked in. 
  
  

Overall it's a cute outfit!

Where to get it?

 

You can get this outfit, and another cute one similar on Amazon for $10.98 to $12.98: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V7SRVJJ. 

Sizes:

• 6-12 Month
• 12-18 Month
• 18-24 Month
• 2T-3T
• 3T-4T

Considering that my niece Margaret is due mid August, I would have ordered a 3-6 month. They didn't have this size. My sister is a seamstress, so she might be able to adjust the dress part. Really it would look cute with a black or white shirt. 

About the Bow:

I like bows, but only if they aren't covering the babies head. Some bows are just too big in my opinion. This one is a fairly small size. 

Do you like bows on babies? 

Is Halloween a holiday you enjoy?

Disclaimer: I got this product, for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Random Tid Bits

1. Mica had his routine check-up with the doctor yesterday. The boy is almost 6 foot. Because he grew so fast, he has some stretch marks. He's never been fat; in fact he's slimmed down his tummy. He just grew oh so quickly. Doctor Harrison doesn't think there's anything that really works for stretch marks. Have you found anything that does?


2. Mica failed his Scoliosis test. I was and still am a little worried about it. It helped when my sister told me in regards to Evan (my nephew Mica's age), "Evan failed his too. I think he just grew so fast. His body was catching up somehow." Today Mica got his scan. Oh joy - more expense. I do want to make sure he's ok.


3. Isaak and I have been watching the old show Lost. Isaak and I seem to have the same taste in shows. We both liked Medium. Travis and Mica could have cared less, for both of them. Travis and Mica like documentaries. Isaak and I are like, "Really? Documentaries! They are boring. I feel like I'm in school!" I like some documentaries, but not a lot of them. 


4. We're in the process of redoing Mica's room. Because I work some of the weekend, it's taking for-ever! I spackled, sanded, and primed. Then Travis taped, and painted. We still have painting to do though. Mica's bedroom is infringing on our living room, so I'm ready for it to be done!


5. I'm tired like 90% of the time. Waking up at 4:30 AM to go to work by 5:30 is rough. I have successfully opened up. My trainer said she has faith that I'll get down closing as well. It seems intimidating. I don't mind the job. I just don't like when asked - "What do you like about this job the most?" She answered, "Going home." Most designer/marketing jobs around here have about 50 applicants on the low side, so that's a challenge. I keep trying. Each time I get shot down, something else pops up that I'm excited about. Something, sometime will happen.
   
   This old song from Sesame Street keeps popping into my head: