Pre-Vacation Vacation Day

I'm officially on VACATION!  I'm all packed up and ready to go.  Tomorrow I just have to ice down some food and get it all to my parents.  Oh and survive a 3 hour drive with my parents and unpacking everything into a very small cabin.  Thank all that is holy that beer exists!

I made a new recipe tonight and it deserves to be shared!  I found it on Pinterest and credit the lovely Sally for her creativity.  I tweaked it a bit since I'm feeding 5 adults with huge sweet tooths (teeth).

Butterscotch Puppy Chow (original recipe I found here)

Ingredients

• 6 and 1/2 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 1 cup salted peanuts (or more, go by preference)
• 1 and 1/2 cups butterscotch morsels
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural style PB)
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Pour the cereal and the peanuts into a very large bowl. Mix them together and set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt the butterscotch morsels and peanut butter. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and pour over the cereal mixture, stirring very gently to coat. You do not want to break up the cereal.
3. Pour the powdered sugar into a large zipped-top bag or large tupperware container. Add the cereal. Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the powdered mixture.
4. Discard excess powder and enjoy

My revised recipe

1 box Crispix cereal

3 cups butterscotch chips

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups peanuts

3.5 cups powdered sugar

1. Put peanuts and cereal in a bowl, mix 'em on up

2.  Melt the chips and PB until smooth

3.  Mix it all together, Crispix are more durable than Chex 

4.  Put the powdered sugar in a paper bag, dump in the cereal, fold down the bag and do a shimmy shake until it's all coated up.  I find the paper bag way easier when making a larger quantity.  For beginners use doubled up paper bags, I'm an old hat at this and can use 1 without getting any holes or leaking sugar.

Getting over the Hump Day

I die over this romper, the white bits are like shells!

Oh the cheesiness of this kid!

This week has flown by.  The heat and humidity make my job very difficult.  Every night I'm exhausted and so dehydrated.  I drink as much as I can throughout the day but it's not enough.  I have 3 claims left tomorrow and 1 assist with another rep.  I get my hair done at 3:30 and I'm trying to squeeze in a lunch with a co-worker who's going home.  Oh and I'm going to get in all the grocery shopping for next week.  I should probably just go to bed now.  I'm also hoping to bake a little on Friday.  It's exhausting when I think about it all, plus laundry and packing.  GAH!  OK I'm really going to just go to bed now.

Weekend Randomness

BFF!!!!

She's never used a pacifier, but has taken to chewing on this one like an old man with a pipe.

Saturday was spent working.  After Friday's storms I had some extra work to help out people who couldn't live in their homes.  Once I was done I went to my BFF's house and played with her (trip to Target and Sonic) and the twins (play d'oh is still awesome)!  It was a good way to end a very busy week.

Today I've been very low key.  Gave myself a pedi, watched a couple movies, vacuumed my car and the work van and dinner with my co-worker tonight.  It was so nice to see him and our dinner was great.  We both graduated from UWRF so we headed over their for dinner.  I even got in some play time with BooBoo.  Her new word is No, and she says it correctly and very enthusiastically.  She's so much fun to be around.  I can't wait to play in the sand and lake next week with her.

5 days to vacation!  I've already decided I'm flexing off Friday to shop and prepare.  Heck I may even take off half of Thursday too.  I've got lunch plans with another co-worker and I'm getting my hair done.  Plus after killing myself for the last 4 weeks I deserve it.

Thunder Buddies!

Today has been all about storms.  I've been up since about 3:45 am when the first wave went through.  Hail is loud!  And annoying and kept me awake.  Also kept my poor nephew awake, my poor buddies!  As round two has just subsided this evening I doubt he's sleeping again.  My BFF is gonna be one wiped out momma tomorrow.  I was hoping for a visit but my boss has already started emailing about a plan of attack for tomorrow.  I have 3 inspections but that doesn't mean I can't scope out damages or call agencies in between.  I've been glued to the TV and there are 2 more rounds of storms headed this way.  The photos already show lots of downed trees, and I'm curious if more fires from lightening.  What a way to go out before my vacation.  7 days to go!!!

Candy crushing weirdness

I didn't cry at work but every time I have a frustrating day I immediately think this!  Today was frustrating and I've eaten all my points so now I'm grumpy.  I don't feel hungry I just want to eat whatever I want.  Dieting is HARD!

Work was so maddening today.  I only had 2 inspections and those weren't bad at all.  It's always all the other BS that goes along with it.  Apparently my job is to take all the crap that the others don't want to do.  30 new claims and I only kept 16, I am no one's bitch!

The weirdest part of today was trying to decipher my first contractor.  He was roughly my age and I think he was flirting with me.  He was cute, but kind of awkward.  One of his "lines" was asking if I played Candy Crush.  I don't and he seemed a bit defeated that I'm not a fan.  I mentioned I play Words with Friends and he said he wasn't smart enough for that game.  After that it all went weird and he asked all kinds of personal questions.  I was a bit relieved when the insured came home and broke up all the weird.

And now as I reflect back on my day I realized I talked to several people and not one asked me how my day was.  I only shared that story with one co-worker.  I've talked to Clint 3 times today and never got a word in edgewise.  HUH!  I'm chalking it all up to weirdness.  Time to shower and maybe watch a movie.  Tomorrow's gonna be long and hot and probably sucky.

Fawns, foes and friends

Today as I pulled up to my first claim I saw a doe and 2 fawns.  Not these two above, but similar little cuties.  I love seeing nature in the suburbs, even though it's as far from natural as possible.  The comfort I take is knowing the neighborhood borders a huge nature preserve.

Work was really frustrating today.  I think my boss is finally catching on to a coworkers shenanigans.  This week it's over a vacation request during the same time as my 2 weeks off.  My boss basically told him no because staffing won't allow and I got mine in first.  So there, suck it stupid head!!  I may or may not be getting PMS.

I'm also very hungry.  I made a pact with my sister to track all of our food on WW until we go on vacation.  One last push before we spend a week in shorts and tankinis.  Yesterday was fine, today has been super tough.  All I can think about is Chipotle and I don't even like it that much.  I have points left to eat tonight because I've only had one meal and that was at 4pm when I got home.  There aren't many points but I don't much care.  I think it's time for a shower, then some raisinettes and popcorn with a side of True Blood.  Couple more episodes and I'm current again!  Fuck you PMS, FUCK YOU!

Working Hard

I've had to keep reminding myself why I keep pushing myself so hard for work.  Today I took a bit of a breather but still got in 8 easy hours and didn't do any inspections.  

• I looked at my paychecks, cha ching overtime
• I completed my timecard, even more overtime
• I looked at my bank account, hello bonus paycheck I haven't even touched
• Credit card balances of $0.00
• Window/web shopping Vera Bradley, and having $250 in my cart and knowing I can afford it all
• Vacation in 10 days!!!!

I really need to decide on a focus.  I feel like I have to chose between my continuing ed for work or a healthy life style.  It really shouldn't be like that, but I don't have enough time for both.  Tonight I shopped for healthy food all week, then cooked and chopped it all, then portioned it out.  I don't think I'll get home much before 7 any night this week so there goes exercise time and spending 1.5 hours studying isn't exactly appealing either.  I guess I can resort to my procrastination/tried and true method of just cramming all my studying in over vacation and hoping it's enough to pass.  I really don't want to, but I really need a pass soon.

Maybe I'll watch an episode of True Blood in bed and mull it over in my sleep!  Tomorrow seems like a much better time to make decisions.