3 months...

Well its September 25 - three months from now is Christmas - can you believe it?!?! It makes me so happy - I love, love, love Christmas!!! I made my first Christmas present purchases yesterday - its never too early to begin. And I am seeing Christmas decor in more and more stores - which is a tad early in my opinion. I cannot wait to pull out my Christmas stuff and put my tree up, turn on the Christmas music - oh it truly is the most wonderful time of the year - it makes me happy!!

3 months and counting!! Merry Christmas!! ;)

Mouse Hunt Night #3

Well another night went by - still no sign of Jerry. I am hoping he is gone. My exterminator came today and placed this stuff around my house that if they eat it - they get thirsty and look for water. If they do not find water they die. So, if he is in the house - hopefully he will be gone soon. I am still doing good with sleep - which is an accomplishment for me. I am going to stay in Jasper this weekend...just in case he decides to come out of hiding! :)

Mouse Hunt Night #2

Well, another day has come and gone and still no new signs of Jerry of the mouse. I went home yesterday with a new mindset - if he has been caught - great - if not - my thinking was - lets act like he is gone. I did fairly well with that new mindset. I didn't mute my tv as often when I heard noises and I turned down staying at the Durant house (thanks Jason and Jamie for the invite) because I was determined to beat my fear. And the best part of it was I got a full night's sleep. Either the new way of thinking worked or I was so tired from the night before my body couldn't take anymore. Regardless, I slept well!

I woke up this morning and still no signs. My exterminator comes tomorrow to see what he can do and I think I will stay at my house tonight - lets see if I can make it two nights in a row of sleep! I have traps set up all through the house - so either he is great at avoiding them or he has left my house for greener pastures!

Mouse Hunt Night #1

So, I put out my glue pads last night to catch my friend Jerry the Mouse. I tried to keep my mind off of it by catching up on my DVR recordings and watching some new shows - but of course, every little creek I heard, I muted it and listened. I went to bed around 10:30 saying, I was going to sleep, I was not going to worry about a little mouse. I left my tv on in my room last night (for some reason I think - maybe that will keep it out of my room), turned my fan on (so I would not hear every creek in the house and freak me out). I dozed, then I would wake up. I looked as the clock ticked away minute after minute, hour after hour. I thought about going to my car to sleep (yes I thought about it), I thought about going to a hotel and I mapped out my plan of how long I am going to sleep at my house this week (I am going to try it tonight and see how it goes - if it doesn't go well - I am either going to Jasper, to the Durant's or to the Lenning's - this is your warning people - get my room ready - I might be coming for a visit). I also mapped out my plan of, if I catch the mouse in my drawer - how I am going to get it out of there. Its one thing for it to be in a cabinet near the floor - I can just get my broom and sweep it up - its another for a drawer - I have to figure out how to get it out of drawer (thanks to Amanda Moon for the dust pan suggestion). Finally around 1:45 AM I watched a little tv, which made me sleepy and calmed my mind and I finally fell asleep a little after 2 AM. I hate that I can't sleep and I let that little thing consume me - but I HATE HATE mice. Everyone has fears and that is one of mine. Just as Brooke W. told me today - "mice are Satan with tails"!

When that alarm went off this morning, boy was it tough to get up. I did my normal routine. I looked in my closet where I had glue pad #1 - nothing (which I knew since I didn't hear the mouse screaming cause it was stuck). Went to the kitchen to turn on my coffee pot (because goodness knows I need a lot of caffeine after only getting 3.5 hours sleep) and checked my other two - nothing - again not surprised.

So, I can only hope and pray that when I get home today I will have a surprise waiting on me - a dead mouse. Or I pray he is gone where he came from -back outside.

A Mouse In The House!

UGGGG! I have a mouse somewhere in my house...I HATE, HATE, HATE them! I opened my silverware drawer this morning and found the lovely traces of rat poop everywhere! It had gotten into my little packets of ketchup and all in the silverware. All the way to work I was thinking - I need a cat!!

Lets go back to November, 2005, week before Thanksgiving, I was laying on my couch enjoying my Christmas tree and I see a mouse run across my floor. I set out traps everywhere, called the exterminator and moved out of my house for a week. I couldn't sleep since they were stationed under my bed. Literally thought I was having a nervous breakdown (sounds dramatic I know - but it was horrible)! I caught 6 on the glue traps. Disgusting! Since then I have had a deep fear of mice. Sounds make me look around, I rarely sit in the dark watching tv (since that was when I saw them the first time) - I despise them.

So, needless to say when I saw them this morning - I was sick! I have searched my house and only found traces in that one cabinet. Hopefully it has left where it came in. I have set new glue traps in that cabinet, washed all of my silverware and am looking around at every sound and sitting on my couch with the lights on! :)

Ever had mice before? Any suggestions I do not know about? I need help!

Remembering Nick...

16 years ago today Heaven got a very special gift...

He will forever be young, forever be part of our lives, forever be part of our hearts, forever be loved and forever missed.

Fabulous Meal

I got my latest Kraft Food and Family magazine last week. I tore out a few recipes, went to the grocery store and got ingredients for a few meals. I made this one last night and it was WONDERFUL!!

Its a must try!!

Note: I used spaghetti noodles instead of capellini and I used onion, basil and garlic out of the non fresh aisle (out of a shaker) I also used an entire small bottle of the dressing - I kept on adding more to keep the mixture wet.

Capellini Caprese

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:25 min

Makes:4 servings, 1-1/2 cups each

What You Need:
1/2 lb. capellini or spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 cup KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely sliced

Make It:
COOK pasta as directed on package.
MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add tomatoes; cook 5 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta. Add to tomato mixture; mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

YUM!!