Vegan S'mores anyone ?

Chloe says Yes PLS!!!
Dandies Vegan Marshmallows are so yummy !!!

Cereal Killer

Johns 31st Birthday is coming up and I was so excited to give him this gift that I had to do it almost as soon as I got it in the mail :)

Bought this from an Etsy Store called JackBradyStudios... Very nice people. They answered my email very quickly and even put Johns name and the Date at no extra charge. And I got it in the mail very quickly at about 7 days after my order...  Couldn't be happier... Very cute and John loved it !!! :)

It came gift wrapped.. This picture was taken after I was nosy and opened it cause I was so excited to see it... So the Tissue paper that it was wrapped in looked nicer before I touched it :)

Just after opening it and figuring out why I got him a spoon... lol... He loved it <3 br="br" nbsp="nbsp">

The 1st use :)

~All done~

My Christmas List... Of things to do :)

1. Watch The Christmas Story- With added cheer bonuses (see The Grinch for examples); Candy Cane Smores or/ and ice cream ornament ( See pinterest)
2. Order The Nightmare Before Christmas - Smore cresents 
3. Order/Buy The Grinch who stole Christmas ( The original) ( Excuse the number issue Below ..oops ;)

1. Watch Home alone
2. Watch The Grinch that stole Christmas; Make Green Grinch Shakes, and Grinchy Fruits, Grinh cookies (see pinterest)
3. Watch The Nightmare before Christmas
4. Do my nails for Christmas with my new red glitter polish 
5. Make Cookies/ Sweets: Ginger bread cookies, Chocolate chip mint, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter balls, Eggnog thumb print, eggnog bourban balls, Chocolate Gingerbread, Hard Tack Candy, Sugar Cookies, Cinnamon chocolate Pretzels, Gingerbread cheesecake bites, cake/ bread loa like orange cranberry, Chocolate peppermint role, peanut brittle, Cook something in metal cookie cutters, plus a few ...(Speaking of all these yummy, vegan sweets.... Im calorie counting ... Wish me luck) 
6. Make Salt dough or Cinnamon ornaments with my Lil Sister
7. Graham Cracker House
8. Vegan Starbucks Make at home recipes
9. Finish Christmas shopping/ and Johns Bday shopping
10. Wrap big box for Christmas Trash
11. Finish packing Family Warmth Gifts
12. Buy 2 Christmas CDs 
13. Put up Christmas tree ( Pray 1 or more of our 7 cats don't destroy it before Christmas)
14. Plan Johns Bday food
15. Plan what do to in the house for Johns Vaca
16. Make a snow globe for my Grandma
17. Fill out and mail Christmas cards, Dont forget the 3 vet clinics
18. wrap presents and keep them safe from cats and dogs
19. Get Christmas Eve PJs
20. Try to take a family portrait with the Pups (probably Wishful Thinking) To put in Christmas cards
21. Make Christmas Eve Dinner
22. Make Christmas Dinner
23. And of course visit and catch up with Family and Friends
24. Plan New Years Eve and Day as well as Resolutions...

and I am sure I am missing a few things... But Check out my Pinterest with this link and it will show almost all the recipes that I am going to veganize and alot of the other projects I am working on.. Along with all my other pinterest pages that I would be ecstatic if you followed.... Will update again later with pics and progress... Let me know whats on Your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Etc agendas and how much of it you all get done... Pics would be awesome as well... :) and please if anyone has awesome cookie or project ideas for the other movies like The nightmare before Christmas, a Christmas story, Home alone, etc please let me know... would love to try some of them... 

Hiatis

Well This year I have taken a non-meaning to... Hiatis... It was a busy, long/short, trying year that has taught me alot and I am Thankful for my family and friends who have been there all year long.

I feel like I have grown so much as a person this year. I have learned from many many...many ups and downs and have come out the other side as a more confident person who knows she can stand up for her self and be strong when others try her... either for herself or others. And I have also learned no matter how small the time you have with someone... It is special... It is worth it... Even if there is heart break at the end... You still come through with the good memories that will last forever, that you should cherish and never look negatively upon the good that has come from it.. Dont turn the positive times into negatives. Just learn when its time to look forward and move on. While saying some of this I am still dealing with the emotions... I am still learning and still working on my self to do this... But I do cherish every moment...

Saying that... I am going to start from the beginning... Not letting all my secrets out though... They are my business and I dont want/ or need others judgement on those decisions... Because I will not regret them.. ( not saying my readers would be one to judge, just being cautious. ) Any ways... I have had a long year... Had some marital insecurities come into play this year ( not on my side) That took a long and trying time to come back around... But as far as I know everything is wonderful again and has been since August...  But I did get a new tattoo that was originally dedicated to that situation...But has come into play since in many other situations... It was very bumpy for a few months around here.. alot of crying ( on my side), alot of emotions I thought I would never have to face... while trying to decide what I was going to move onto if we would have decided on divorce... But through all of it I have learned to forgive, I have learned not only how to hold on to my beliefs but how to let go when others cant deal with the situations they have entered into openly and honestly... I have always and will always be a very open and honest person with whom ever earns my love and trust... and will forever love unconditionally... So with that I went and got a new tattoo on my wrists to remind me in hard times that.. Holding on isn't always the best thing.. Sometimes if holding on isn't enough ... then you must let go... and Im not saying not to be string and see it through... But sometimes that isn't an option...and I have had to learn this the hard way more than once this year... And its something that I am always going to have to remember that sometimes you just can't do everything it takes to hold on... as much as you may try... Sometimes for yourself you have to let go... Let go of emotions, let go of the past, let go of the hurt, the pain, the arguments, the life you once had or thought you would have... It could be a million things... But it is a good life lesson for me... A person who holds onto everything...

Moving past that ... We lost four of our Little ones this year...

Spanx ( ferret 8Y)- To His Lymphoma that had spread into his bowls. He was a fighter till the end and had a ton of spirit but in the end his bowls perforated and there was nothing that could be done. He passed at home curled up in his warm cover.

Romeo ( Cat 9Y)- We took Rome to the vet for a cold and they ended up finding a Liver tumor the 2nd time we took him cause he was still going down hill. We opted for surgery cause it was his only hope of making it past that week he was so ill... When they started the surgery the vet called and said the tumor was attached and had spread to much to be operable. It was the size of a soft ball... She we had decided if that was the case we didn't want him to suffer after the sugery. We let him go.. The vet never brought him out from under anesthesia and he put him to sleep...

Crownos ( Rooster 3Y)- Was being picked on by one of our bugger roosters... and had been sitting with Lil Banti in the hen house while she was on a nest... We found he had pasted right beside lil Banti in the hen house one day... Not sure why..

Lil Banti ( Hen 3Y)- Past a few months after Crownos.. We found her outside on the ground beside a tree limb that they use to perch on that lays on the ground... Not sure again why she passed...

Medical issues with animals:
Where should we start? Ugh... its always something around here.. So a quick run through of the issues I remember...

Spanx (Ferret)- Lymphoma, intestinal issue from lymphoma, that had to be treated with Steroids and antibiotics..
Gaia( Hen)- Has been fighting infections on and off since she was spayed. Has been on several antibiotics... and Is on one now and finally the vet found out she was still internally laying and now we are working on getting her healthy again and she will get a hormone implant sometime in the beginning of the year to hopefully get her to stop laying.


Titan ( Rooster)- Broke his I believe left leg... Femur clear into and had to have surgical pins put into place... and although he isn't a hundred percent like the vet was hoping... He still limps around pretty good.. But he can still kick our asses... lol... and I am still afraid of him... and he is still with us :)

Romeo- His liver tumor
Moejo( Cat)- Watering eyes and just not feeling well.. Vet didn't find anything put him on meds... Said he might have some boney reconstruction in his nose and that I should take him to a vet clinic that has digital xrays ( they have a regular older xray machine) to check and make sure everything is ok... We plan on doing this also at the beginning on next year sometime.

Marley( Cat) - our newby this year.. Had him Neutered...
Copper ( Cat)- Broke a canine and it needs removed ( 500.00 a tooth)
Seven ( Cat)- Had a broken Canine when we found her last year and it needs removed ( 500.00 a tooth)
Last but not least is one of the issues we are dealing with in the present...
Chloe (Dog)- She had been on pain meds last year for shoulder spasms... They started again this year so used her left over meds.. THey stoped thought all was well ill she started not wanting to walk down stairs and wasn't acting herself.. You could tell she was having pain in her front legs... and maybe her rear legs... about 10 days ago on a monday...Made her a vet appointment and went back to sleep with her and when I woke up about noon she couldn't use her rear legs and was dragging them... Rushed her to the vet for them to tell use she probably had a ruptured or partially ruptured disk to hurry and get an appointment at the Pittsburgh Veterinary specialty and emergancy center... And we took her in that night to hospitalize her.. They called the next morning after her MRI and said she had a severely ruptured disk and they were taking her into surgery... ( of course I am skipping all the tears and emotions... It was a long night and day and another day... it was very stressful !!!!) anyways.. took about an hour and 4o minutes for her surgery and I called to check on her.. The vet and everyone who works there are all extremly nice.. Talked to him and said it took a lil longer than expected cause he had to work around her ribs... But the rupture cleaned up very well he is excepting a pretty much full recovery.. Just no more jumping for her...  but you can't tell the Chlo Chlo that and she has been trying us all... She is doign very well... Can walk again and pretty much can't tell she had surgery at only 11 days out... She still has a ways to go... But she is doing well :)

O a lil off topic... But we built a small outlet on to our porch for a small table :)

There was many others issues this year inside our family and with our friends and animals... But they dont all need listed lol...
I do hope this coming year isn't as full of ups and downs... But I am ready to go into the new year and look forward to what the world has instore for me/ us :)

Update on food, New Years resolutions... and if I'm keeping this blog or starting anew... coming soon :)

Rest In Peace Our Romie

I remember the day we brought him home...  Of all places we had stopped by a pet store to buy some ferret toys or what not... And John comes over to me with the little kitten and I protested him coming home with us... We had just moved out on our own... We already had one cat, 2 chinchillas, and I think at that point only 1 ferret... This pet store would take in cats that were from spring litters around our area because there are always to many for the shelter to take in... As much as I protested when he handed me this lil ball of puring fur... I couldn't say no.. He needed a home and we had one...( I told my parents all these years that he was found under our single wide.. Sry guys...I might have told a lil fib... Which is now out in the open) So he became our 2nd Kitty. He was a cute little kitty running through the house when he was feeling well but as a kitten the place he liked most was curled up in my lap when I sat on the floor with my legs crossed... He had many health problems as a baby and even a young cat... But after the first year or so maybe two... He snapped out of it and we really didnt have any other issues with him except when we lived in the city before he was neutered he single handedly took out ever carpet in our house... and even our sofa... Because the neighbors also had male cats... Anyways... i dont blame him... Its just what animals do... And We move on from the negative things and over them because we love them so. A few years into his life he started not throwing up but regurgitating his food... I wish I knew then what I found out yesterday... This is a sign of a tumor... a Liver tumor... Which is actually very rare in cats... So for years he has regurgitated his food on and off and I blamed it on him eating to fast... There where no other signs... He was always a plump kitty.. That would slim down ever so often when I would feed him different foods but over all was plump, happy, and healthy...  But everything started changing a couple of months ago... I started regurgitating more and started losing weight... We blamed it on the food and changed the food he was eating. He just kept losing weight so i took him to the vet... They ran blood work, took xrays but found nothing so as dehydrated as he was and he was showing other symptoms so they decided it must be pancriatitis. they gave him fluids, and a couple shots of antibiotics and stomach meds and some take home of an appetite enhancer and antibiotics, subQ fluids, and some canned A/D ... that week he started doing so much better... He was eating and not losing weight, he was hydrated, we even let him back out with the other cats once his meds were done... But over the next few days he severely went back down hill and fast after the initial progress.. So I called in and rushed him back... Not knowing what we was going to find but really not thinking cancer...  He felt in his lil belly. He was once a 14 or 15 pd cat and had shrunk to a 9.15pd cat very quickly... He felt his lil  tummy and found a lump... Ok well a lump/ or tumor is removable... So I wasn't totally freaking out... The word Tumor or Cancer is a big one but I also know there is hope and was hoping for some time... After his ultra sound and Xrays he came back to tell me it was his liver... That it hadn't spread to his lungs from what he could see, But he couldn't tell if it has spread else where... With how far he had gone down hill it would only be a matter of a week or two and he would be gone if we didn't do surgery but he was also very stand offish with the surgery because it didn't guarantee him time if he opened him up and it had spread... But I went ahead and made the decision to have the surgery and give him a running chance at life... thats all i wanted for him... For him to be happy and healthy and have many more years... So they brought him back in for me to hold, comfort, and say be strong, we love you, we are doing what we are hoping is best and also our goodbye s just incase...  Today I waited and waited thinking no call, is a good call... Because as long as there isn't a call I know he is alive and I know even if they are in surgery that they could go ahead with it because it was operable... but Sadly at 2:17pm I received the phone call that I was dreading... The cancer/ tumor was inoperable and was attached to to many organs, and had done to much damage... And we had already made the decision that if that was the case that we wasn't going to bring him out of a sugery to try to heel while cancer was playing a war with his body that he had already be losing... So we let him go. It would have been selfish of me to bring him our of that, in pain, to recover or try to recover just to pass very soon and who knows how that would have played on his poor lil body...As I sit here and write this... I can't help but to cry and keep telling him and god how much I love him... and how sorry I am to not have caught this and been able to treat it sooner so he would have had a better chance... And I also have mixed feeling about all of our/ my decision... Should I have spent the time he had left with him instead of rushing this along into a surgery? Did I make the right decision? Did I make the wrong one... ? What would he have wanted? Should I have brought him back out of the surgery and gave him that time that he would have had... Even if it meant trying to recover? I don't know... I just wanted what was best for him... and at this point I don't know if i gave him that or not...

but i hope.. where ever he is... that he knows how much we love him and miss him and will miss him. I hope he knows we tried to make the best decision what was was handed... I don't honestly know if I would have made the same decision today as I made yesterday... I wish i would have listened to myself in the middle of the night last night and went and picked him up, to live what life he had left as comfortable as possible at home, with his family, I can't help but to think that his last few minutes before going under anesthetics was probably spent in fear and i can't stand the thought of that... im just so sry Romie, so sry that we couldn't help you... and i am so sry a few weeks ago when I was sleeping and u was walking on me and just wanting to be with me... That I pushed you off of me multiple times... I will not forgive myself for that...

I know I/we was/were blessed to know him  and all of our babies in this life and I hope one day I will be blessed enough to see him and all of our lil ones again...  We love and miss you Romie... And we always will... Rest In Peace Romie

Will post a couple pictures soon...

Our Lil Man Spanxy Has Past

Our Lil Man has had such a long tough battle with cancer. He was so strong and fought so hard.. They gave him 6 months when they diagnosed him... He made it over a year... Lastnight we came home to him not doing very well... He was passing Blood ... Which normally only means one thing when it comes to something like intestinal lymphoma..And that can't be fixed. He past away early this morning at home, curled up in his nice warm blanket... We love you  Lil Man!!! You will be greatly missed.. Rest In Peace Spanxy

Animal Medical Issues.... Spanxy's Lymphoma & Adrenal Gland Tumor updates

Well... Well.. Well. where should I start....?

Recently after his bath

Spanxy is still hanging in there although his 2 cancers and whatever else is going on in his system is making everything hard to treat. Lets recap He is Lymphoma, adrenal Gland Tumor and an enlarged spleen. Enlarge Spleen which maybe caused by the Lymphoma... Anyways... So he has been on Carafate for probably the last year of his life to keep his gastric ulcers away because the lymphoma is in his intestines. He also goes on and off 2 types of Antibiotics as needed... along with SubQ fluids and syringe feeding when his ulcers are acting up... Which in the last few months haven't acted up at all till just recently and we have had to start his Antibiotics again. He is also on Pred to try to shrink his tumors down and to hold off inflammation in his system as much as possible but this also has its down falls and draw backs... Once you start them on pred for lymphoma it only works for so long... And the cancer is also harder to treat if you decide on an actual treatment but there is no cure and it would only by him a few months... At which he would be sick if we would have done kemo or radiation... So we decided against that and any invasion procedures to remove his viable tumor and enlarged spleen.  The last ferrtonin chip ( helps with symptoms caused by the adrenal gland tumor)  has not seemed to help him get his hair back, with muscle tone, aggression, hind leg weakness, really anything it did help with the first time... In the last 4 months or so he has now started retaining fluid in his abdomen and is having more back leg weakness as caused by the cancers. But there is no cancerous cells in the fluid which is good. So the most invasive thing we have put him through is having the fluid removed from his belly twice... and once we do he is like a new lil Ferret again. So after the 2nd time we started him on Lasik which seemed to help at first but now isn't seeming to help as much and I am going to have to have his belly drained again very soon. He is also eating just chicken baby food, ferretvite, and Ferret duck soup mixed in.. The last two so he can get some vitamins.

It has been a long road... His original estimate was 3 to 6 months of life... and that was almost a year ago... He is our lil fighter there is no doubt about that... He has been so strong but lately he has been worrying me more and more. Fingers crossed and prayers going out that he still has more fight left in him to make it through these ulcers again...

Before his belly was drained

After They drained him lost almost 2 pds

Another Newby: Our Marley Man

A couple months ago (Sometime in Feb I think)  when I was out and about... I received a text from my husband that read " I think we have been adopted" I am more in less like what the heck are you talking about ... He came home to a cat running out from under our front porch and into traffic... and the cat just stayed there... So he decided to bring him in...

 No one answered my Found Cat info.. So he is now neutered and lives with us.  Who's ever Cat he was really is missing out  on a great lil Cat. He has the best temperament in a cat I have ever seen. I actually think he thinks he is a dog half the time. He lays on his back in the middle of the floor he hangs out with the dogs... But he loves to "play" or pick on the other cats..lol. & Surprisingly the dogs and cats really didnt take that long to get used to him... He loves to be petted and loved on and he follows me around every where... Which can be annoying but he is just so darn cute I can't be annoyed at him. and he does the cutest stuff... Is he can be so Chill... He is just awesome and we love him so much!!!

So welcoming into our home and our hearts our Mr. Bob Marley (aka My Marley Man)

We lost our Lil Crownos this week

We recently lost our lil Bantam Rooster Crownos... and although he would chase me and attack when he had the opportunity he was still a good lil rooster, only doing his job of protecting (or what he thought was protecting) his hens. And although I shouldn't pick favorites ... He was my Favorite Rooster. With his Cocky lil Cworky personality. I find that even though we still have 2 roosters that crow all the time and I never thought I would say this.. But... I miss his Crowing... And I am sure his two Best Chicken Buddies Titan and Lil Banti miss him. He is the first out of the original 8 that we brought home 3 years ago and to pass at the early age of three is way to young... We buried him in the chicken yard so he could continue to be with his family that he has been with since he was a day or so old...He is loved and will be greatly missed in our Chicken Yard and lives and will be forever in our hearts...

This may be the last pic I took of him a couple months ago...

2012: Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony: New Years Resolutions

2012 New Year Resolutions- 

"Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony" 

strive/strīv/

Verb:

Make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. Struggle or fight vigorously: "scholars must strive against bias".

bal·ance

   [bal-uhns]  Show IPA noun, verb, -anced,-anc·ing.

1. mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calmbehavior, judgment, etc.

har·mo·ny

   [hahr-muh-nee]  Show IPA

noun, plural -nies.

1.

agreement; accord; harmonious relations.

1. Put Veganism on my front burner: I will not lie.. The last few months of 2011 I was not a good vegan.. I wasn't a vegan at all. Cheese was my down fall and I slipped into old habits that come easy. Easy is never a good thing... Easy is just that Easy and is not a way to strive to become a better me... For me and for the animals...When I am vegan I feel a definite Peace, a Balance, a Harmony from with in and in life... So I am striving to become a vegan and stay a vegan...
2. Workout/ Weight loss/ Nutritional Goals: I am striving to become a better me in alot of ways this year and that includes again... Physically, along with emotional and mentally, I can not be in balance if I am not happy with my physical being... So My goal is to hit the gym atleast 3 Times a week for Cardio and Strength Training. And I am striving for a significant weight loss and toning of my body this year. Weight loss goals: Jan-Mar 10lb, April-June 8lb, July-Oct 8lb, Nov-Dec 5lb... Nutritional Goals will be to eat a more balanced diet that doesn't consist of vegan "junk food" on a regular basis. To cook nutritionally balanced meals.
3. Debt: Pay off 6,000 in debt and put atleast 3,000 in savings to stay.
4. Shopping: Buy only the produce that I plan on using within the new 5 days. Plan actual meal weeks so that I only buy what I need and not more... To save food and money. To not stress shop or make up reasons to buy things I don't really need.
5. Cooking: Cook atleast 1 new healthy recipe a week. 
6. Reading: Read 12 books 
7. Cleaning and Projects: Organize the house and the storage buildings. Try to get done the projects that get planned or have been planned.... ( Kitchen Cabinets, Chicken Coop, Dog Kennel, Storage Shed, Bedroom Floor, and Animal Room Floor, Bathroom). Take recyclables in on a normal basis.
8. Artistic Side: Paint atleast 2 pictures.
9. Relationships: To nurture the relationships that are on the front burner. To give of myself to the extent that I can healthfully and pray they work out successfully, healthfully, lovingly. & happily for all.
10. Procrastinating: I am bad about procrastinating...Not as bad as some (cough cough, John, cough), but still bad all in the same. So Hopefully I can work on getting things done in a more timely manner instead of right before I need it because I didn't want to do it...

Well again I have a good long list and could probably add a few more. I am sure I will think of many over the year that I can add in because it is always a good time to Strive the become the person you want to be.