New Year, New Post

It is 2017. So much has been going on for the past 2 months, which is why I haven’t been posting. I could go into it, but I’ll be here for a quite a while and probably lose your interest in the process. Let’s just say my grandmother returned from a disastrous trip to Washington that has now left her in more need of daily assistance than ever, and I have been her nurse maid all of late November through December. She’s getting better, now, but will unlikely ever be able to live on her own again, or even drive. Her body is just giving in to the trials and tribulations of getting old- she is 82, after all. The best way for me to put how much time and effort she required from me these past 6 weeks is to say it was like having a newborn in the house, only fortunately she can speak and I didn’t have to change any diapers.

It’s a new year now, so it’s time to get back on the ball. My real estate aspirations were shelved after realizing my time was going to be limited with Grandma’s care being a priority for a period of time, but I am back to hitting the books and will hopefully pass the State Exam to get my license in NC. I took the test prior…and failed. It was quite defeating. Turns out, North Carolina has one of the highest fail rates on their real estate exams- YAY! So, at least I got to walk away knowing it’s not just be, others have failed, too. Repeatedly. Six times, according to one broker I met. Can’t wait.

Paul is in the process of getting his bus drivers license, which is also proving to be a much more daunting and drawn-out task than we were originally lead to believe. One of us will have to start working somewhere by the end of the month if things don’t start moving faster soon.

Lily continues to thrive and she is now a Daisy (Girl Scout) and recently earned her first yellow stripe in Kung Fu! I have also been taking adult classes 3-4 times a month, which has been a lot more awesome than I ever expected. I hope to boost it to 6-8 classes a month soon, but for now, that is all my time/finances will allow.

Proud Daisy the night she was officially added as a member

The adjustment to Carolina living continues, and I’m finding out about all kinds of political strife and undeveloped social acceptance in this state I used to just consider beautiful and easy-going. They are living in the past in so many ways, and just not very open-minded and ethical at all. Really sad, but, I can’t worry about that right now. We have made this commitment, and we are sticking to it. We still love where we live and the quality of life still tops NJ, so we ain’t heading over yonder jus’ yet!

We had an awesome Halloween, which i really wish I had posted about because we took a trip to Old Salem for their Halloween event, and i got a lot of great pics. Here's one of Lily in front of a haunted house:

She went as Mulan !!!

Thanksgiving was crazy, but fun. We had between 10-15 visiting for a week during that holiday, and it was tolling on all of us, but worth every second. It was especially nice having loved ones with me for my birthday, which was on November 26. Christmas was quiet, but I was stressed anyway, mainly because of all the other things I had teetering on my plate. I have shed all of that which was dragging me down as I stepped into this new year, so I am doing my best to keep my head up, stay focused, and continue to do what is best for me and my family. What else can I do, really?

One thing is, I am really starting to miss my friends. This was the first NYE that I did not receive a single call or text from anyone at midnight. However, I did receive a few calls and texts earlier in the day, but not right at midnight. I know it is actually because most of my friends and family were sleeping already (we getting old!), but I couldn’t help but make this sad observation. It’s not like I called or texted anyone myself, and I would’ve slept through the ball drop as well had Paul not woken me, so this may just be the norm now. We’re in our thirties and can’t be bothered to stay up until midnight. I think a lot of people were sick, too. Lily had a stomach bug most of the day on New Year’s Eve, so we weren’t about to do anything too exciting.

Still, noticing this change- the lack of a social life, that is –is a bit disheartening. I hope it changes soon, and I know it will. Once I get back to work it will. At least I have Toastmasters and Kung Fu to fill in those spaces when I feel as if I am about to burst from just the thought of having no one but Grandma and Paul to talk to most of the time. I feel despicable and ungrateful just stating that, but I can’t help how I feel. I was always on the go back in the tri-state. Now I am just a homebody. Not really for me, but I have to remember I can make changes and control that if I really want to. I just know Grandma needs me, but she’s getting better. Everything will get better and be wonderful once again.

Also, I will try and post more. It’s therapeutic.

Shots from Christmas...

Almond Butter Pretzel Spiders

SPOOKY!

It has been a weird month….definitely vexing and just WTF at times. Maybe it’s the ramping up of the election, maybe it’s the fluctuating seasons, maybe it had something to do with the big, fat full moon we had this month, whatever it is, I’m ready for October to be the awesome month it usually is.

I won’t get into any rants about all the aggravations I’ve been dealing with this month, all I’ll say is that it was high time my luck started running low, but I’m trying to remain in a positive and grateful state of mind…after all, IT’S ALMOST HALLOWEEN!!!

We got a couple of pumpkins, and decorated the house this week. Lily had a lot of fun doing that. Tomorrow she goes on a hayride with her new Girl Scouts Daisy troop! She’s SO excited! Then there is a fall festival at a local church on Sunday, so perhaps things will start looking up…

The cutest little witch

During the fall season, as soon as the air gets even the slightest chill, it’s like something inside of me awakens from its deep summer hibernation, and has the impossible-to-ignore desire to bake and create. This month I’ve already made 2 Healthy Apple Crumbles, 2 casseroles, 2 rounds of No-BakeChocolate Peanut Butter M&M Balls, yummy banana oat blender muffins, and the ADORABLE Almond Butter Pretzel Spiders below!

They remind me of...

...these little guys from Spirited Away, no?

I got the idea after making the No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter M&M Balls and realizing that the possibilities for variations were endless, and due to my desire to make something cute for Halloween with Lily.

So here’s what we did:

Almond Butter Pretzel Spiders

(makes between 24-30 spiders)

Ingredients:

2 cups almond butter (or other nut butter)

½ cup melted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tbsp coconut oil

Around ½ cups M&Ms minis

About 2 cups broken thin pretzel twists (directions for breaking below)

Will also need:

A few small bowls for separating ingredients
Toothpicks for picking up the balls, or a small fork

Parchment paper to lay balls on

Baking sheets

Mix the almond butter or other nut butter, melted butter, and powdered sugar until blended and malleable; add more powdered sugar if mixture is too sticky, a little at a time, until consistency is similar to that of cookie dough. Roll about a spoonful of mixture into little balls, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet(s), then place baking sheet(s) into freezer. Freeze for about 30 minutes, or until hard.

Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave for about 45 seconds or until melted, or in a double-boiler until melted. Take the pretzels, and break into pieces so you have many small, curved sticks that you can use for spider legs. Set melted chocolate, M&Ms, and pretzel legs out in bowls. Remove almond butter balls from freezer, and stick each one with toothpick to dip into chocolate until completely covered. Set each back onto baking sheet then stick 8 little pretzel legs on either side, and 2 or however many M&Ms you want on the top. Use the tip of toothpick dipped in chocolate to add pupils to M&M eyes if so desired.

Lily's creatures

Getting melty real fast in this warm weather!

Once entire tray is complete, stick it back into the fridge until chocolate and pretzels are set, then you can put them all in a container in the fridge. Now, I had an issue with the almond butter balls getting soft as I went because it’s been so warm this week, so if that happens to you, just put them back in freezer as you go until they firm up again. It will be a process, but I promise- as evidenced in images! –it will be worth it!

SOB trying to sneak away...

Lily had a lot of fun putting them together with me, although hers looked a tad bit more like mutant octopuses. They all still tasted delish!

We'll just keep monkeying around ova here...