Easy Yummy Dinner

A while back Kodie tried Tilapia and really really liked it.  Ever since I have been trying to get up the courage to buy and cook some.  So last night I finally grew a pair prepared this yummy recipe.  I have seen it a couple of times and it looked so easy I thought what the heck!

photo from All Recipes.com

 Broiled Tilapia Parmesean

It was sooooo good.  It took about 10 minutes to make and we mowed it down!

I also baked/broiled asparagus and brussel sprouts.  Kodie once again didn't appreciate the brussel sprouts but she chewed it and swallowed it instead of spitting it out.

 Here is how I made the asparagus and brussell sprouts. Use what you will eat.

rinse and break off ends of asparagus (I like the skinniest asparagus I can find)

rinse then cut off the ends of the brussel sprouts then cut in half. (I had about 8-10)

spread them out on a baking sheet I lined mine with parchment paper to help with clean up.  Spray or drizzle olive oil over them. Sprinkle with some sea salt and onion salt.  Using the juice of half a lemon squirt it over the veggies. I sprinkled about 1/2 cup of parmesean cheese then I kind of stirred it around.  Place it in the oven at 350 degrees and I let them bake about 10 minutes before I turned on the broiler for the fish.  I then left the baking sheet in the oven while the fish broiled.  

Kodie told me about 10 times that we have to make this again!  We try a lot of new recipes and this is for sure a keeper.  She told me we need to have this again like twice a month!  So funny.  Well next time I am at the grocery store I am stocking up on tilapia.  So quick easy and DELICIOUS!!!.  

If you try it let me know what you think. Do you cook fish? What is your favorite recipe?

10 Things Thursday

Ok lovely lady Laura I am jumping on the bandwagon! I haven't blogged in a while and I am sure you have all missed reading my lame crap!

So thanks to Laura Belle at Beer Dogs and Getting Healthier. I am going to do 10 things Thursday, hmmm I hope I can think of 10 things.....

1. I made Kale Chips! they are so yummy.  Trust me I was a total skeptic but I took a moment in the produce section and purchased some Kale.  I told a guy at work and after we talked about it I told him I would bring some in for him to try.  They were a hit.  Almost everyone enjoyed them only one wouldn't try them and other than getting looks of are you trying to drug me (I work with law enforcement officers and the kale kinda looked like MJ, if you know what I mean). Ya dried leafy green subject was consumed by all.  I should mention Kodie spit it out.....oh well her loss, more for me!

2. I have had some funky dreams lately.  I only remember them a little bit but they involve co-workers and strange situations. (and no I am not partaking of any other green leafy substances besides kale).

3. I need to clean my house. Or better yet will somebody come clean my house.  I just have no motivation!!! bleck, I did scrub the toilet so there is that, but we need to sweep, mop and DUST!.  I need to wash Kodie's sheets.  What a slacker I am.  Maybe if Kodie helps me I will treat her to a movie this weekend?

4. I bought movie tickets for 50% off on eversave.com.  2 tickets for $14 not bad right! So I really want to go to the movies.  Problem is I want to see One for the Money with Katherine Heigl and I am not so sure it is appropriate for my 11 year old.....hmmm maybe I will go read the reviews.  I took her to see The Help! (am I a bad mom, for not screening more of the crap I let my kid watch?)

5. I had a date on Saturday!!  woohoo It was nice.  It was with someone I dated before so I am very hesitant.  Do I really want to try this again.  I told him that I was willing to try and "date" but go really really slowwww! not like last time we moved to fast to quick and it caused a lot of resentment on my part I felt like we were roommates.  He moved in really quick....long story but it had to do with my car situation at the time.  When I told my dad he said "really? he is so lazy".  My mom is cool with it just said be smart, and my sister said "why not!, we all like him and he is a really nice guy." so we will see.

6. Kodie finally got to talk to "Buddy" who is currently in Australia with his girlfriend for 3 months. and I was going to link a previous post where I tell about "buddy" but I can't find it....grrrr! anywho! Kodie skyped with them and as soon as she hung up she started sobbing.  She misses him so much.

7. Kodie finally got a present from her bio dad.  They bought her a 22" tv for her room.  Bought damn time is all I have to say about that.  4 years no birthday or Christmas presents!!! jerk!

8. I am finally getting my financial shiz together.  I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel thank you baby Jesus amen.  I just hope everything stays on track.  My luck something will happen.  and that would totally suck because.....

9. I am planning a trip to Disneyland with my family.  My sister's family and my mom are going.  It seemed like the perfect opportunity to slide in and have a really cheap way to get there.  A guy I work with is giving us buddy passes to fly.  We can stay with the rest of the fam-damnly. Thanks to Kodie's dad we can get military passes for a 3 day park hopper it is $99, we can get 6 so I am helping my sister and her family save some bucks too.  I am so excited but I haven't told Kodie yet.  I want to surprise her and if anything happens I don't want to disappoint her.  She has never been to Disneyland and I haven't been since I was 8.  any thoughts on ways to surprise her????

10. holy snot balls I had 10 things to say! ok so I am cheating on this last one.  I blogged though so that is a win right.  Think I might have to celebrate with an icy cold PBR, right Laura?

have a great day you loyal readers, I love reading your blogs and even though I haven't been blogging, I am still reading!!!

B.Y.O.C.

BYOC - Bring Your Own Crazy!

It’s Friday and that means it’s time for BYOC. Bring Your Own Crazy. We answer five questions in an effort to get to know each other better and to give our blogging brains a break. Copy and paste if you so desire and ENJOY!


1. Have you ever bought undies/bra/lingerie for someone else? Or has anyone ever bought them for you? How was the “experience”?

Hell to the no!  I would never buy lingerie for someone else.  I have never had anyone buy it for me.  I had a boyfriend try to buy me jammies once (nothing sexy) let's just say his eyes said large and my body says bring on the 2x baby.  It was very sweet though.


2. Do you have an internal song you replay in your head that is just yours?
not really not anything I can think of off the top of my head.

3. I heard on the news the other day that something like 80% of people think a tan person is way sexier than “not tan”. How do you feel about that? Do you tan? Fake bake? Real sun? Or do you wear SPF 150?
I love love love to be tan.  I try not to get sunburned though, especially my face.  I wear sunscreen when I will have the chance to get sunburned.  My legs are always stuck out there to see the lights.  I have a pool at my condo but I never go to the tanning beds.

4. Do you vote in the presidential election? Do you vote based on news, family opinions or research or your gut?
I vote in the presidential election and when I feel strongly about a local candidate but if I miss the vote I miss it.  

5. Repeat question: Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

I have posted (including this post) 3 times this week.  Pretty good for me!  Life is good! doing some clean living and focusing on my kiddo.  Life is good!!!

The New Doctor

I went to visit an Internist not a family practitioner.  When I got the appointment they did the usual, weight (down 10 pounds since last dr. visit), blood pressure, etc. The nurse asked me a bunch of questions and warned me that the Dr. has a thick russian accent and if I couldn't understand something she said to just let her know.
Enter this lady.

HECHT, MALGORZATA F, MD  

She had already researched me.  Did you hear that people?  She had before I came in as a new patient gone in and already knew a ton about my medical history.

She took my blood, yep the doctor herself drew my blood, while she was talking to me and looking me over.  I said to her "I've never had a doctor take my blood"  she said it is faster and why make you wait for someone from the lab to come do it when I am qualified to do it myself.  She gave me a breast exam even though she knew I had just had a mammogram and knew it was normal. 

They didn't even charge me, they billed it as a new patient consultation and there is no co-pay for that.  This was on Friday.  On Tuesday I received a letter from her office with my blood results and a personal note from her about what she wanted me to do, unlike the previous idiot  dr. that made me come back in for a follow-up appointment for the lab results 3 weeks later (and another $25 co-pay). 

Dr. Hecht wants to see me every 3 months.  I also was referred to a diabetes class, which I have my appointment for.

Needless to say, I feel much better about my health care provider.  I think this Dr. actually gives a flying fart about me and not just the money, and get me in, get me out. I feel like with her help and my mindset I will be able to lose weight and get my health issues under control. Oh yeah and as of this morning I am down another 5 pounds!

Thanks everyone for your comments on my last doctor post.  It is good to hear other people's thoughts and personal experiences.

I'm still here!

I am alive and well.  I am really working on eating better.  I have some news about my new doctor that is so great.  We have been busy....doing what I am not sure just life in general. 

My ex (who is like a dad to my kid) left for Australia for 3 months to live there with his girlfriend (I guess that is their plan for now) she was here for 3 months and now he is going there for 3 months.  Let's just say I have an 11 year old that is not very happy about it and there were tears shed by both when he had to say goodbye. : (

He bought her a ski pass but ran out of time before he had to leave to take her so he has arranged to have a buddy and his daughter take her.  She was also sad about that she really wanted to go skiing with "buddy". 
The saddest part is if her dad had to go away for 3 months she would just say okay see ya when you get back (what a dink).

This last Saturday we attended the National Women and Girls in Sports day.  This is the 3rd annual and our second year attending.  It is such a great opportunity.

The four girls!

Each girl gets a t-shirt, backpack and water bottle.  It costs $10.50 but I was able to get Kodie in for free with a scholarship fund they have. (thank heavens then we were able to afford lunch before hand)

They have about 12 different "sport type" activities the girls get to select 3 in advance.  They have LaCrosse, Golf, Rock Climbing, Zumba, Yoga, etc.. Last year Kodie did rock climbing but didn't want to do that again she said it was to scary (from what I understand she did great until she knew I was watching and then chickened out) so this year she did Karate, Zumba, and swimming. 

In Karate they taught them some basic self defense moves, and proper use of Karate.

in Zumba they just danced their tushies off. The mom in this picture has lost 50 lbs since last year at this time.  That is her daughter sulking by the wall she didn't want to do zumba.  I have no coordination and I have a stupid cough and I knew that if I started working out I would end up hacking up a lung.

The last activity was swimming I didn't get any pictures because it was really hot in the pool area and us mom's relocated to visiting area just outside and we bs'd

It was a super fun day!

Dumb Dumb Doctor

As I posted earlier I have been diagnosed with type II diabetes because I am a giant fat cow it runs in my family.  That is all! Like as in that is all I was told!!

~~~~~HEY LADY you have diabetes have a great day!~~~~ 

This doctor has me come in for a second visit to discuss a problem with my blood results.  Makes me wait 2 weeks because it wasn't urgent but they can't just tell me over the phone (money suckers).  

So I go in kind of suspecting that is what it will be and she proceeds to tell me in an

"oh bummer sorry to be the bearer of bad news kind of way" 

that I have diabetes but with medication I should be able to keep it under control.  

I told her I was looking into Lap Band and she said that was a great idea.  Then she hands me a prescription, I am like well do I need to test my blood sugar? Oh, no! she says that is really for people that need insulin.....wtf? 

Ok I know kind of how this works because it runs in my family and I am pretty sure I need to test my blood sugar like umm dailyish. Anyway she tells me to have a nice day and come back in 30-90 days to have my blood work checked again.

hmmm pshawww ya right dudette "miss professional I went to eight years of college to be an idiot that doesn't really give a damn".  We just met for the last time. 

I contacted my insurance Healthy Utah Program and made an appointment (for 2 days later).  I went in and started the entire process all over again, except now I am on meds (cause I did fill the script) my blood sugar was normal when they tested me and they gave me an entire packet of information and help ideas, including phone numbers and websites.  

I also made an appointment with an Internist

so that I can have someone who might actually care help me with this situation.

Now is it just me? or am I making a big deal about nothing?

11 questions!

Here are the rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things yourself.
3. Answer the questions the tag­ger set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tag­ging sec­tion about ‘you are tagged if you are read­ing this.’ blah blah blah, you actually have to tag 11 peeps!

11 things about me

1. I am a single mom, duh! My ex-boyfriend is a better dad to my daughter than the sperm doner that pays child support, at least he pays child support though, right!

2. I love to read but it is toward the bottom of my priority list

3. I wish my daughter loved to read as much as I do.

4. I need new sheets and a shower curtain, but I am going to buy my daughter a phone case and shield first.

5. My dog just had a help! moment and TG it passed cause I can't afford a vet bill!

6. My daughter is my world and the most important person/thing/being in my life.

7. I need to finish putting my Christmas decorations away.  My tree is down and my deco but it needs to be packed away and taken to the storage closet.....anyone want to come help?

8. I need to make my daughter clean her room.

9. I want to exercise more and eat better and drink less!

10. I really want to qualify for lap-band surgery.

11. My weight is a huge issue that I like to ignore and put at the bottom of my to-do list......naughty I know......

Here are my 11 questions!

1 - What do you want done with your body after you die? I want to be buried.

2 - Would you rather receive a practical gift you need or something silly that means something special?

both! this year I got both.  I am single so if I want it and I can afford then that is what I get myself.  My daughter bought me a lovely black and silver bracelet that is my very favorite present this year.  My second fav present is my droid phone. Thanks to my daddy giving me money.

3 - How many pets do you have and what kinds?

I have 2 dogs, Bella a mini dachshund and Prissy a pekingese. We have 2 guinea pigs Petunia and Rose and a goldfish Nelly that almost lost her life in the garbage disposal, but luckily survived.

4 - If money weren't an issue, what would you buy?

a new car, I love my Explorer but something a little more economical would be nice, and pay off all my bills......

5 - What is one thing you plan on doing before 2012 is over?

Lose weight, quit smoking (again, stupid fool) make my daughter my number one priority and the highlight of my world....oh yeah she already is!

6 - How did you spend your last birthday? 

Home with my girl. 

7 - What are you hoping your next NSV will be? (Non Scale Victory)

get out of debt, finish filing for bankruptcy!

8 - What is your favorite healthy snack?

nuts and fruit

9 - Do you like crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

crunchy, crunchy, extra crunchy!

10 - Do you wear your shoes inside your house?

nope never, first thing I kick off when I walk through the door. I wear socks though to keep my tootsies warm.

11 - What kind of car do you drive?

I drive a 1997 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer.  It is a great vehicle, I am just always worried that something is going to break. Older car = mechanical issues.  Keep your fingers crossed that I make it through 2012 with less vehicle expenses.

Here are your 11 questions!

1. What are your all time favorite songs? 1-3 choices and why?

2. Who is your favorite author and/or book?

3. What is a word that you dislike and wish would be abolished from the human language?

4. What is your dream job/career/profession?

5. Do you have a particular tradition on your birthday?

6. What is your dream vacation spot?

7. What is your biggest nerd trait or habit, if any?

8. Do you believe in ghosts and/or spirits? Any encounters/hauntings?

9. From the time you get out of bed until you get out the door for the day to work or wherever... how long does it take you? Shower, dress, make-up, coffee, etc..?

10. Did you have a childhood toy, teddy bear, etc. that was your fave and what was its name?

11. Did you make 2012 Resolutions and what are the top two?