Marla Anson Photography

I grew up in upstate New York. I am white. As a result it had never before occurred to me that I could make my own tortillas on taco night. There has been many a night when my husband and I would say “Let’s make tacos! Oh wait, we have no tortillas and I don’t feel like going to the store….”

I’m not sure where I got the idea from, but all of a sudden, last month I decided to try making some for myself. I did an internet search, found a recipe and started making them. They are so much better than the store bought stuff! It took me a little while to figure out how to properly roll them out, but once I got the hang of it they were pretty easy. I felt so proud of myself for making them, I don’t think I will ever by the stuff from the store again. The recipe I used came from Texas Rolling Pins.

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I just saw this sitting in my inbox:

Good afternoon, Since the House of Representatives voted to pass health reform legislation on Sunday night, the legislative process and its political impact have been the focus of all the newspapers and cable TV pundits. Outside of DC, however, many Americans are trying to cut through the chatter and get to the substance of reform with a simple question: “What does health insurance reform actually mean for me?” To help, we’ve put together some of the key benefits from health insurance reform. Let’s start with how health insurance reform will expand and strengthen coverage: This year, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage. Once the new health insurance exchanges begin in the coming years, pre-existing condition discrimination will become a thing of the past for everyone. This year, health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents’ insurance policy up until their 26th birthday. This year, insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage. This year, restrictive annual limits on coverage will be banned for certain plans. Under health insurance reform, Americans will be ensured access to the care they need. This year, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool. In the next fiscal year, the bill increases funding for community health centers, so they can treat nearly double the number of patients over the next five years. This year, we’ll also establish an independent commission to advise on how best to build the health care workforce and increase the number of nurses, doctors and other professionals to meet our country’s needs.  Going forward, we will provide $1.5 billion in funding to support the next generation of doctors, nurses and other primary care practitioners — on top of a $500 million investment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Health insurance reform will also curb some of the worst insurance industry practices and strengthen consumer protections: This year, this bill creates a new, independent appeals process that ensures consumers in new private plans have access to an effective process to appeal decisions made by their insurer. This year, discrimination based on salary will be outlawed. New group health plans will be prohibited from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that discriminate in favor of higher-wage employees. Beginning this fiscal year, this bill provides funding to states to help establish offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals in the process of filing complaints or appeals against insurance companies. Starting January 1, 2011, insurers in the individual and small group market will be required to spend 80 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Insurers in the large group market will be required to spend 85 percent of their premium dollars on medical services. Any insurers who don’t meet those thresholds will be required to provide rebates to their policyholders. Starting in 2011, this bill helps states require insurance companies to submit justification for requested premium increases. Any company with excessive or unjustified premium increases may not be able to participate in the new health insurance exchanges. Reform immediately begins to lower health care costs for American families and small businesses: This year, small businesses that choose to offer coverage will begin to receive tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums to help make employee coverage more affordable. This year, new private plans will be required to provide free preventive care: no co-payments and no deductibles for preventive services. And beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare will do the same. This year, this bill will provide help for early retirees by creating a temporary re-insurance program to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees age 55-64. This year, this bill starts to close the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ by providing a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the gap in prescription drug coverage. And beginning in 2011, the bill institutes a 50% discount on prescription drugs in the ‘donut hole.’ Thank you, Nancy-Ann DeParle Director, White House Office of Health Reform

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I realized that I have been baking way too many sweets lately. I made my chocolate chip cookies and had absolutely zero self control in regards to eating them. That was about a week and half or two weeks ago and I haven’t made any cookies since, but I want to so badly, I can practically taste those buttery, chocolatey cookies right now….

Anyway, since I have not been baking sweets, I still have a major sweet tooth that cannot seem to be ignored. Enter, once again, the Jessica Seinfeld “Deceptively Delicious” cook book. She has a recipe for ice cream sandwiches in there that I figured I would give a go at. It’s made with yogurt, buttermilk, lemons and graham crackers and they are absolutely fantastic! I cannot stop eating them, and I don’t feel bad because they are mostly yogurt. I need to make another batch I think…

My biggest problem with the recipe is the freezing times that it gives. The book says it should take an hour and a half for your yogurt mixture to freeze. Wow, was that one waaaaaaaay off. I waited almost five hours for it to freeze properly, and it still could have gone just a little longer. Since I had started making them in the evening, I was up late and couldn’t wait any longer for the mix to freeze to the proper consistency.

So, to overview, ice cream sandwiches; good. Directions on how to make them; bad.

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Icesis had to have surgery today. Poor dog. At least it went well.

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I like yogurt. I like the kind that comes in the little cups at the store. You know, the ones that have too much sugar and have yummy flavors like blueberry and cherry-pineapple. I do have a pet-peeve about yogurt, though. For some reason, it makes me absolutely mental when the companies that make yogurt put the fruit on the bottom of the cup. I HATE it. So much.

I mean really. Why? Why do that? It must save on cost or something. Instead of mixing all the fruit and sugar into the yogurt, they just put some on the bottom and the yogurt goes on top and I guess it saves a couple of cents? Too me, that’s just lazy. If I am paying money for the yogurt, I don’t want to have the to do the work of mixing it myself. The way I see it, that’s part of what I am paying for, not having to do the work.

Speaking of paying, did you ever notice that the yogurt that does have the fruit on the bottom is usually smaller AND more expensive then, say, the store brand that already has all the fruit mixed in? The store brand cups are usually some where between six and eight ounces and the name brand crap is usually four to six ounces. It also seems to be the only kind that you can buy, as well. When I go to the grocery store, if I’m not buying the store brand stuff I REALLY have to search for something that already has the fruit mixed in. What gives??

There is one more thing that really irks me about fruit on the bottom yogurt. It’s the stupidest thing, really, but bothers me none the less. I hate that when you have to stir up the fruit the yogurt gets all over the handle of the spoon. I don’t know why that bothers me so much, but it is probably the one that bothers me the most.

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So, one of the worst things EVER happened. Square Enix released the original Final Fantasy on the iPhone. This is bad for me since video games are terribly distracting and completely divert me from doing things that I really need to be doing. Like taking care of my children. So far I have made it to the Earth Gift Temple.

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Today was SO gorgeous, even I couldn’t ignore it! I’m writing this entry on my deck right now while the kids play with their toys and the dog destroys her birthday presents. I opened all the windows in the house to let the fresh air in and I’ll probably leave the ones in my bedroom open a crack tonight. Hunter and Trent are loving spending time outside right now. I wanted to take them for a walk after lunch today, but I was waiting for Verizon to call. Of course they never did,  but at least Trent took a good nap. I’m so glad Spring is almost here!

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Hooray!

Since we moved into our house back in November, my living room has been a constant source of clutter, which I can’t stand. I believe your living room should be the one room in your house free of a mess. We have a family room that should be full of the build up of living a life with small children. For some reason it makes me a more sane person to have at least one room that looks nice and inviting.

This weekend, I spent the entire time rearranging and cleaning my living room. I am soooooo happy with the results. I feel like a more stable person now.

Update March 10, 2009: I am SO enjoying having a neat and tidy house! I actually want to have people come over and check the place out finally. It’s also putting me in the mood to clean other areas of the house. Today the boys and I are working on the family room, putting all the toys away, vacuuming, sweeping, etc., since we have a play date here tomorrow. There is just something about having the house clean that puts me in a super duper mood.

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I’m chilling in bed with the kids today watching movies. Garrick walked into the room and saw Trent violently hugging Hunter. (It’s a good thing the fatty is so sturdy.) He told Trent to be gentle and then grabbed Hunter for a hug. At this Trent jumped up, put his arms around the baby and announced “NO! MY HUNTER!” and kept saying it until Garrick let go.

Sure made me feel good.

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