Hi My Name is Kasey... and I'm an Addict

It's been 6 hours since my last Mountain Dew.  I have been addicted for years.  I stopped drinking it while I was pregnant only to pick up the habit again.  I drink about 16 ounces a day which didn't sound like a lot to me.  Until recently.  In my never-ending journey to lose weight I signed up for Spark People.  It's a really helpful website that helps you track how many calories, carbs, and fats you consume each day.  There are so many features and resources that I'm still trying to figure out but the daily tracker is awesome!  Unfortunately, it showed me just how many of those daily calories and carbs I'm drinking.  220 Calories and 62 Carbs to be exact.... UGH!

I've been tracking for about 4 days and I know it's time to say good bye to my habit but habits are hard to break.  Right now I'm hungry.  My bag of Sun Chips at Subway along with the Dew I drank has put me a little over my calories for the day.  I'm not way over but I know that if I didn't drink that Dew today then I would be able to have a healthy snack tonight.  It's sad that I am willing to substitute a bottle of soda for food.  Can you say addicted?!?  

As I'm sitting here thinking about what I'm going to eat tomorrow, I find myself still factoring my Dew in.  To eat or to drink... this is a toughie!  As long as I make extremely healthy food choices, it should fit in just fine... Right?  I know, I know. I'll give it up cold turkey as soon as the last 4 bottles are gone!  Pinky promise!

Chocolate Melts in the Sun...

My sisters and I hosted our very first fundraiser this past Saturday and overall it was a success.  We learned an important lesson though:  Chocolate, and icing, melts in the sun!


We got a late start but we started strong.  Before the table was set up we sold 2 dozen of these cute cupcakes:

Everything looked absolutely adorable and pink!

We started a reject pile of cupcakes and cookies that got messy when I dropped the container on the ride over.  My sister was going to sell them to her poor boyfriend.  Unfortunately, at noon the sun started to melt everything and his pile of treats was getting ridiculously big and sad looking.  We realized we had a problem when someone went to buy a chocolate lollipop and it turned to mush.  

We ended up tossing more than we sold but we did raise $310 for Susan G. Komen!  Lesson learned... no more chocolate and frosting during these hot summer months!

Five Question Friday!

I hope everyone is looking forward to this weekend and spending time with the Dads in your life!  We have our fundraiser that me and my sisters have been working hard on so I'll be sure to let you know how we did.  I'll also let you know how Abby did since her Uncle is babysitting her for the first time... should be interesting!



Now, it's time for Five Question Friday!  Pop on over to Mama M's to link up!

1.  What is your favorite thing about summertime?
I love summer... mostly because I don't have to worry about snow!  Here in Maryland we had about 70 inches this past winter... ugh!  Summer means nice driving weather so we can visit who ever we want without worrying about it.  Love it!

2.  What is your ideal retirement location (if money didn't matter)?
Where wouldn't matter as long as we are close to family.  My ideal retirement would be spent traveling... stateside and internationally!

3.  Do you live in the same town you grew up in?
Nope... but I wish I did.  Growing up I went to the same schools as my parents, had teachers that my parents had or went to school with, and hung out with kids whose parents knew mine.  I miss that sense of community.  My dad lives on the same block he did growing up and most of the same people are there too.  I didn't appreciate much when I was younger, but it also meant that everyone looked out for you.

4.  What nervous habit did you have as a child that you kicked to the curb before becoming an adult?
At first I couldn't think of anything but then it hit me!  My mom used to always tell me that when I was a toddler, I would also pick my toes!  I know... kinda gross but true.  Apparently I hated lit and I would sit and clean in between my toes!  I'm happy to say that I have kicked that habit and actually have no memory of ever doing it.

5.  What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you while on the job?
Oh my... I cringe thinking about it!  Let me start by saying, I have a highly reactive stomach which leads to many embarrassing situations.  While working for a cosmetic company in a department store my stomach decided to be reactive.  So, I said I had to go to the stock room but instead went to the bathroom.  I came back and started helping customers.  After I was done helping my customers, a coworker came over and told me I had a toilet paper tail!  She was nonchalant about it, thankfully, but I was mortified!!!  I am so happy she told me and I didn't walk around all night like that!  Embarrassing!

Keeping Busy... Abby Style!

While I was busy this morning making these

And these

This is what Abby was doing:

Makes me want to say, "TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

If only she had some olive leaves!

Kitchen Adventures with a Culinary Goddess

In my head, I'm a culinary goddess.  Someone who can whip up a fabulous dinner with the odds and ends left over at the end of the week.  In my head my baking is out of this world and there is nothing that is too complicated.  In reality, my skill set does not quite match my ambition!  It doesn't stop me from trying and I think today was a success!

After about 4 long hours, I now have 43 pink ribbon white chocolate lollipops!  I've never made chocolate lollipops before (which didn't stop me from agreeing to make them for the fundraiser but also for Abby's Christening) and it was a little bit of trial and error at first.  Here are some things that I learned:

• It's much easier to use the double broiler method then microwaving the chocolate.  First, I found it took longer in the microwave for some reason.  Second, using the double broiler allows you to keep the chocolate warm while your working.
• I had bought a little squeeze bottle which I had read was the easiest way to deposit the chocolate into the mold.  I couldn't agree less.  Unless you melt the chocolate in the squeeze, it takes a lot more time.  I found it was much easier, for this mold anyway, to use a baby spoon.
• The first test lollipop had lots of air bubbles.  Tapping the mold helps to release them.  The method that worked best for me was to tap after every scoop of chocolate.  This also helped to distribute the chocolate evenly.
• Since I'm a total perfectionist, I was worried about keeping everything neat so I was using a paper towel to clean up any chocolate outside the mold.  Thankfully, I figured out there was no need to do that!  After putting the chocolate in the molds, I froze them for about 5 - 10 minutes.  When you pop the lollipops out the molds take a lollipop and just run it around the outside to clean it up. The spills should have only left a thin layer of chocolate and they fall right off!  Voila... a perfect lollipop!

I'm hoping that the rest of my kitchen adventures go without a hitch because I have a million and 1 things to do before Saturday!  I'm sure for a culinary goddess like myself, everything will turn out perfect! Wish me luck!

To Serve and Protect

There are so many dangerous jobs in this world.  Accidents happen and result in tragedy.  Most recently, the oil rig workers in the Gulf oil spill.  Most of us go to work each day and never imagine that we may not be coming home.

There are some people whose job requires them to be in the thick of the most dangerous situations.  They have volunteered to put their own life on the line to protect us.  I'm talking about our service men and women, firefighters, and police officers.  These men and women are called upon to respond to situations that everyone else is trying to flee from.

My husband was in the military when we met and spent the first year of our relationship in Iraq.  When my husband came home and his military life was behind him he went on to fulfill his lifelong goal:  become a police officer.  I've been asked a lot over the years how I handle always being worried and my answer is always the same... I try to ignore it.  I tried to keep myself never fully aware of what was going on when he was in Iraq and do the same now.  I trust my husband and know that in intense situations he remains level headed.  I trust that he will come home and don't want to fill my days with needless worry.

Sometimes, something will happen that reminds me of the reality of his job.  Last night, a 24 year old state trooper was shot and killed in the county my husband works in.  I woke up last night at 2:30 in the morning to find that my husband wasn't home.  My first reaction was fear and then I checked my cell phone and saw the text he sent:  an officer was shot.  My second reaction was a mixture of sorrow and relief.  My husband was ok but someone else was not.

I can't put into words how sorry I feel for this officer's family.  I can't put into words how sad I am that we live in a world where someone can take the life of another over something as petty as a tab at a restaurant.  I have struggled since I was 5 years old to understand how it is possible for someone to take another's life and still look in the mirror the next day.  

Today, I ask you to remember all of our emergency responders... EMT's, firefighters, military and police officers.  Remember all of the fallen and keep their families in your heart.

Five Question Friday

It's Friday so that only means one thing... time for Mama M's 5 Question Friday!  As always, hop on over to her site to join in!



1.  What do you think makes a good friend or friendship?
A good friend


2.  What is the last thing you bought and later regretted?
This happens all of the time.  Just this past week I bought labels that were too big, clothes for my husband that were too small, and sandals for my daughter that hurt her feet.  All of that can be returned and is really small potatoes compared to our big regret.  Our biggest purchase that we regret is our bedroom set.  The dresser and night stands are discolored for no reason and the mattress slumps in the middle.  It's only a couple years old and looked so pretty when we got it but none of it seems to be very good quality.

3.  Have you ever had a prank played on you?
I can't remember anyone ever playing an elaborate one on me although I've played a few of my own.  Hmm... I really can't think of one right now.  I'll have to ask my husband later if he remembers any (my memory is not that good so I often tap into my husband's brain!).

4.  What is your favorite theme part?
Wow, I haven't been to an amusement part in years!  I used to love them, especially the roller coasters!  I would have to say that Six Flags in New Jersey... the one with the Safari... was always my favorite.

5.  Have you ever seen someone else give birth?
No way!  I didn't even want to see myself give birth!  I even made my husband promise he wouldn't look.  That changed once I was actively pushing because at that point the last thing I was worried about was who was looking!

Have a great weekend!