My Little Hurricane, Soon to Combine for "The Perfect Storm"

I have my own little hurricane and I don't even need a weather forecaster to tell me when she is coming (he would be wrong half the time anyway). She is here everyday, her level of destruction differs on any given day. This particular day she was at level 5. I took a few pictures, and from them you can guess what else she did to my front room, basement, book cases, putting her own artwork on the wall, and pulling clothes out of her drawers and those of her siblings. I love my little hurricane, but hope she tames down into a mild tropical storm sometime soon.
By the time she calms down I will have another hurricane destroying everything. I have a feeling they will combine forces to become "The Perfect Storm". Oh well, this is temporary, right? I disagree when I see my 9 year old's closet. Someday the chaos will subside, but then what will I do? (At least she didn't start pulling trash out of the trash can for this picture).

Fundraising

The picture pretty much sums up what I think about fund raisers. And it shows what happens to almost all fundraisers that cross into the Nelson house. My kids are always bummed not to get the prizes that entice them to sell this junk. But they get over it.

Now, there are some that I don't mind doing, like buying hoagies (or subs) or the occasional spaghetti dinner, where I actually get something that I want. It is the $15 cookie dough, $30 cheesecake, and $10 roll of gift wrap that I refuse to let my kids sell (they usually only get about 20% of the profit anyway, I would much rather make a donation).

My 9 year old plays baseball and one night at practice the president of the league came to make a presentation to the kids about the fundraiser. My sons eyes lit up as the man talked about the prizes he could earn, a ticket to the Reading Phillies (minor league, but none the less fun to watch), if he sold 10 items. The least expensive of these items was about $15. So, if he sells $150 worth of stuff, cons 10 people into buying this stuff, he gets a $10 ticket to the game. He went on to inspire my son that if he sold another 10 items he could make $10 to spend at the game. (My son LOVES to hear about fast ways to earn money that don't require a bunch of work). By the end of the meeting he was thinking that Dad and I were going to buy 20 items and he would cash in on us. He also didn't realize that every kid in our town has been sent home with the same info, therefore any neighbors we have are out.

Hmmmm. How about I save us a bunch of time and we spend $20 for a tickets for you and Dad to go to the game instead. He was happy with that, although disappointed that he will not be able to make any money. He is planning on doing a lemonade stand this summer. Where we live is VERY rural, and I think he may learn that making money takes a lot of time sometimes. It will be a good lesson.

Andrea's Peanut Butter Dip

My friend, Andrea, gave me a great idea for a snack. I did a "deceptively delicious" add-in, and my kids could not tell the difference (I have a serious problem, and feel compelled to add in veggies whenever possible). I could just eat this by the spoonful without the apples or celery, but it is really good with them too. Craisins or dried cherries might also go well in this. I'll have to experiment.

Ingredients:

1 cup Peanut Butter (I prefer the "natural" and crunchy kind without added oil, etc)

1/2 cup carrot, sweet potato, or pumpkin puree

1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup chocolate chips (I probably added more)

Apples (sliced)

Celery (sliced)

Mix all ingredients except apples and celery. Dip apples and celery in PB mixture. Very, very good.

Avacodo, tomato, and black bean salad

I have been craving salad lately, so here is another creation.

Ingredients:
1 avocado, diced
4 tomatoes, sliced
1 can of seasoned black beans
Salad (I used 1/2 a head of romaine and 1/2 a bag of spinach)

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1 to 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt (I think I will add more next time)
1 teaspoon of lime juice (optional)
sprinkle of pepper

Cut up avocado and tomatoes, mix with beans. Combine all dressing ingredients and shake, whisk, or mix in a blender. Dump dressing on veggies and beans, stir and let it sit for a few minutes. Add veggies and beans to salad, mix well. Enjoy. This is good sprinkled with chips and cheese too. I think next time I make the dressing I will add some paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper, for a little kick.

Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon

My sister, Kelly, made these on the grill when we went to the shore last summer. They make a great appetizer, but I can eat them as a complete meal. I made them and had some left over and put them in an omelet the next day for breakfast. Very good. A like to drizzle mine with some brown mustard and top them with tomatoes.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of asparagus
1 lb. of bacon
toothpicks
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper
Cookie sheet with sides

Preheat oven to 450. Wash asparagus and snap off bottoms that are hard and "woody". Decide how many asparagus you can use with the amount of bacon you have. (I wrapped 3 to 4 pieces of asparagus in 1 slice of bacon) Secure with a toothpick. Brush pan with olive oil and place the asparagus wrapped in bacon on the pan and brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once during that time. It is done when the bacon looks done.

Chocolate Chips, you have been my friend, and will be with me FOREVER .

The last year of my life has been a bit of a stress, I am wondering if it ever won't be stressful. Probably when I am in a coma or dead, the stress will end. So, I guess it is a good thing to have the stress, it means I am still kickin'. Through this time, of a huge pay cut, finding a new job, selling a house, moving half way across the country, pregnancy #6, and trying to buy another house, I have had many friends who have helped along the way. But, there is one friend who is there waiting for me whenever I am in need. It is my bag of Nestle chocolate chips. (Sorry for all who work at Hershey or who are loyal because we are so close, I prefer Nestle). I call this friend Nessie. She was there for me when my husband got his pay cut and all throughout our move. She was there for me when I found out I was pregnant with baby #6. She was there for me, waiting for me to munch, in the cabinet when my son's friend told me my house was a mess (yes, that really happened, sad thing was I had just cleaned up a bit). She will probably be with me forever, on my hips, under my chin, on my cheeks, and around my belly. I will have a constant reminder of what a good friend Nessie has been to me. My other friends have been there as well to listen and make me laugh. But my chocolate chips are there, hidden in the cupboard, freezer, and fridge waiting for whenever I am in need.

Triple Chocolate Overload Pie

This recipe is so easy, it just takes a little bit of time because you have to let the chocolate yummy stuff cool a bit. There are 3 parts to this: the chocolate crust (I just bought mine, found them 4 for $1.99), the chocolate mousse, and the chocolate filling and topping. Make sure you send all children and spouse outside if you don't want to share the spoons, whisk, saucepans and bowl used in this. I always have all of the ingredients in my house (except the crust) so this is really tempting not to make every week. I have added in my pureed veggies to this and the kids have not known the difference. I have added avocado and carrots (no, seriously, I have, sounds gross, but it puts some vitamins into it then) This is an awesome dessert to bring to a choco-holic friend. I made this for a dessert auction and it went for $40. Hope they enjoyed it.

Ingredients:
A pie shell, oreo cookie for the triple choc., or a regular one is fine too. I have also made it using the brownie recipe I posted awhile ago. Bake the brownies and then push them down in the pan so that they are thinner.

Mousse:

1 12 oz. package of chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 Container of Cool whip, or 2 cups of Whipping cream (whip it and add about 2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar, or regular sugar if you are out of PS.)

In a saucepan melt choc chips with butter and milk. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Cook over med to med-hi heat, whisking constantly so it doesn't burn. It will take about 5 minutes and mixture will thicken noticeably (it starts to look more like brownie mix). Let cool for about an hour. Whip cream in mixing bowl or put cool whip in mixing bowl. Add chocolate mixture and whip until well blended.

Chocolate Layer and Topping:

1 cup chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons milk

Melt ingredients together in a saucepan. Let cool.

To assemble pie: Put half of the mousse in pie shell. Spread with half of the chocolate filling. Put the rest of the mousse on top. Spread the rest of chocolate topping over it. You could also add Oreos, Andes candies, Hershey Kisses. I had some strawberries, so that is what is topping my pie. Put in the fridge and remove about 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

You can also make this without the pie shell and just serve it in bowls.

Lots of "Me Time"

I have had two very fun days in a row. Yesterday Mike took me to one of my favorite places to shop. I feel like when I walk in the "gods of organization and cool ideas" and their angels sing heavenly praises and rays of sunlight shine on me. Yes, we went to IKEA to spend a gift card that his mom gave me for my birthday. I love their kitchen stuff. If you lack cabinet and drawer space they make fabulous rods where you can hang your cooking utensils. They also have these really cool knife magnets that you mount and then can store your knives, can opener, kitchen scissors, anything else metal that you want to store there (I didn't have to buy one of these because this is what Mike made me for my birthday. A knife magnet encased in this beautiful "birdseye maple" wood). It was a fun day and my husband was such a good sport about it. We ate there and my lunch was sooooooooo good. The people near us had gotten their kids the organic pasta and vegetable medley. Well, our kids ate the PB & J, cookies, and chocolate milk. I think my 23 month old had some fries, juice, and a cookie. So much for a healthy meal. I don't push it when we are out, not worth the fight for me right now. Dinner was more healthy.

Today I got another treat. For my birthday my mom got me a gift card to a spa for a facial. She watched the kids while I went and got a facial. It was so nice to lay there for an hour of peace and quiet. The facial was nice, only had a small part that was uncomfortable. I told the lady about my skin issues on my nose (large pores, lots of junk gets caught in there). She had this little tool that was the size of a pen and had suction in it, like a little vacuum and pushed it all over my nose. Honestly, it was painful, but she got all of the junk out of the pores. That is the job for me. One of my weird secrets is that I should have become a dermatologist. When I see a pimple on myself, husband, or kids for some reason it is so hard for me to resist an attempt to pop it. I know, totally, totally gross. Sorry, probably TMI, but this is my blog, so there. It was a great birthday. My kitchen will be so much more organized and my skin is so smooth and clean. Back to reality tomorrow.

Greek Veggie, Feta, and Bean Salad

I have been craving Greek Salad lately and wanted to try something new. This is one of those "let's see what I have in my fridge" recipes. If I had them I would have added olives, maybe some chopped up carrots, and even some chopped up chicken, turkey, or ham would be good too. You can use any combo of veggies for this salad. It turned out well and I will enjoy it all week long.

Ingredients:
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1 Cucumber, sliced
1 Yellow or Red pepper, diced
1/2 Red onion, sliced (soak in vinegar for about 10 minutes, it takes some of the bite away. this is a tip from my good friend, Nicole. She has a great blog at http://nicoleiskeepingitsimple.blogspot.com Lots of really good recipes.)
Feta cheese (However much you want. I used about 4 oz.)
Fresh Spinach, chopped (I used 1/2 a 6 oz. bag, but could use more)
Fresh Parsley, chopped (I didn't have any of this, but it would be really good in this salad)
1 28 oz. can of Garbanzo Beans (you could also use kidney beans, northern beans, a variety if you prefer)

Greek Salad Dressing:
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar (I was out so I used Balsamic Vinegar and it tasted really good)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 to 1 tsp. minced garlic
A squirt of mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Blend ingredients (I put mine in "the magic bullet", but you could probably just shake them up really well in a jar)

Mix all ingredients together. Add dressing. Mix well and enjoy. You could use this over lettuce too, or in pasta salad.

I Think This Is What It Is Like To Get Old (No offense to any seniors)

For some reason, maybe because this IS baby number 6 and I will be 37 this year (okay, so the truth is out, I am really not 29 anymore, but I still report that age on every survey I take except, the census). I feel like this pregnancy has been the hardest for me. But I have come to the conclusion that this pregnancy is what it is like to get old.


Forgetting where I put my keys, while they are in my pocket.


Not knowing where my glasses are, while I am wearing them.


Having to pee all of the time.


Grunting when I get up, sit down, get in and out of the car, bend over to pick something up (it could be worse, I could be peeing when I do this, or farting, that would be way worse. I guess that is what I have to look forward to).


Falling asleep 5 minutes into the show I have been excited to see all day long. I am toast after 9 PM. (I am really struggling with LOST not having the "pop up" rerun before the new episode. I forget what happened the previous week because I was half asleep watching it.)



Body aches of all kinds


Forgetting where I put my keys, did I say that already?


Sucking wind after walking up the steps.


Calling one child the other child's name and then getting frustrated when the child I was referring to does not answer (even though I didn't say his name (usually a him that I am frustrated, glad this one is a girl)).


Sneezing and peeing at the same time.


Teeth falling out. (Seriously, the crown I had put in about 5 years ago fell out in January. I will need dentures at age 40, these darn kids.)


Varicose veins, all OVER my right ankle and lower leg. VERY attractive. It looks like I seriously sprained my ankle. I really hope they go away. If they don't go away, maybe I will get a tatoo or something. "mom of 6" or a big "S" for Supermom (or Supercrazy Lady, that's more like it).

ALL of my hair coming in is grey, I guess that is why I have so many red highlights when I color it. This is probably more from my 29+ age, rather than pregnancy, but it sure grows fast.

Losing my keys, in my pocket, I think I may have said that, but not sure. Did I mention memory lapses?


All of these things are what I look forward to in 25 years. I don't know if I will remember I have been through it before or not. It may just seem like de ja vu in that much time. I know it is worth it in end, I just don't think my body can do this again. 11 more weeks, I can do it.

Fruit Salad with Lime

The inspiration behind this salad came from my friend, Emmily's, "Momma". She is an amazing cook and always makes stuff that makes you say, "This is the best something I have ever had." When you ask her how she made it she says, "Oh, it was so easy, you just toss this with that." She makes some great stuff. Last summer I had a fruit salad kind of like this at Em's house. I can't remember exactly how Momma told me to make it, so I improvised. It turned out well.

Ingredients:

Assortment of fruit
Pineapple
Cantaloupe
Watermelon (didn't have any for mine)
Mango
Strawberries
Honey Dew (not there)
Blueberries (also missing)
3 limes, zested, and then squeeze the juice from them
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Zest limes and squeeze juice out of them into measuring cup (see note at the end). Measure as much sugar and water as you have lime juice (mine was about 1/4 cup). Mix them together in a small saucepan, bringing mixture to a boil. Let boil gently (stir a few times to make sure sugar is dissolving) for about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Cut up other fruit and mix together in a bowl, top with lime zest. When lime mixture is cooled pour it over fruit salad and mix. It tastes really good with the watermelon and other fruit that I didn't add to this salad this time. Enjoy.
Just a note, I tried to just throw the limes in the blender with the sugar and water and then boil the mixture. It tasted like soap and I threw it out before I added it to the fruit. Instead I didn't zest any limes and just used equal parts of bottled lime juice, sugar, and water. I added a little sugar after cooking the mixture to make it a little sweeter. The kids liked it better without the zest, they tried to pick it off before. It was really good with hondeydew and strawberries.

Chocolate Chip Cookie S'Mores

This is a version of the old standard, and I like them even better. Make or purchase chocolate chip cookies (I have a great recipe under cookies, "Celia's Chocolate Chip Cookies"), and the rest is like when you are camping.

Ingredients:
Chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate bars, split into fourths (or halves, depending on how much you want to share, or just use the whole thing for you)
Marshmallows

Roast marshmallows over campfire or grill. Put a piece of chocolate on a cookie and sandwich the marshmallow with another cookie. Enjoy. Have plenty of wipes because it gets sticky and gooey.

"Butterfly, Fly Away"

(This actually happened a few weeks ago and I thought I posted it.) The hormones are in full swing if Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray can make me cry. Today we had "Parent/Teacher Conferences". My kids have both improved markedly this past quarter and I was very proud of them for their hard work. But I was more proud when my 5th grade daughter's teacher told me what a nice kid she is and how impressed she is with the choices she has made in friends and how she treats other students. (I was also proud of my son, but this entry has more to do with my daughter). I then had to take her to get her picture taken for her passport for a trip she is going on this summer with one of her grandmothers. As she posed for the photo I was struck by how she has grown and how beautiful she is. I can't believe middle school is next year, don't think I am ready for that. As I was paying for the photos she wanted to use my phone to text her dad, another "more grown up" thing to do, rather than just calling. Then on the way home we were listening to the Miley Cyrus CD and the song, "Butterfly, Fly Away" (don't know if that is the real title, but that was the chorus) came on. It is Miley C singing about how her Dad used to tuck her in at night, and how he cared for her growing up and how she is now growing wings to fly away. Then they sing together. I had to hide the tears because I am seeing this beautiful young woman blossom and grow and it will be time for her to fly away before I know it. It was seriously like a slide show that went through my head of her from when she started walking through the years until now. This is one of the days that I took time to give thanks for the honor it is to have all of these kids and see them grow. It is a lot of work and mundane at times, but it is totally worth it.

"Mom, You're Not Doing That Exercise Right!!"

I like to get up in the morning and do a workout video, I have mentioned before "Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred", still have yet to feel shredded, but I do feel stronger. I do it in the morning because usually no one is awake and trying to talk to me as I am sucking wind and sweating bullets trying to keep up with the 3 totally fit trainers who do the workout. However, the past couple of times my 5 year old daughter and 3 year old son have been up and laid down on the couch to watch me workout (probably much more entertaining than any show they have watched, including America's Funniest Videos"). I modify the workout so that when they do the really bouncy stuff I just march in place, so yes, it is quite different than what they are doing. These are the comments I get from these two nuts of mine (that I love dearly):
"Mom, why aren't you doing that exercise like her?"
"Mom, why aren't their bellies really big like yours?"
"Mom, her but is not big like yours."
"Mom, you are doing that wrong."
"Mom, why is she wearing that shirt?"
"How come that girl is brown?" (we live in a VERY, VERY rural area).
I also have times when doing girly pushups and my 3 year old tries to climb in between my arms, saying, "Hi Mommy" or they try to do the workout with me, stealing my weights when I am not using them. Not distracting at all, right? Working out in peace and quiet has become a novelty, like going to the bathroom without anyone opening the door (because I cannot remember to lock it until I am sitting on the pot), or taking a shower without anyone knocking and asking if they can watch TV before they eat breakfast or are ready for school (is the answer ever different?). Someday my nirvana of a workout in peace will come, but not anytime soon. That's OK, just so I can get some time in.
Updated 4/16 - the other day my 3 year old told me that the girls on the TV were jumping like penguins. As I am sucking wind our conversation was like this: "Mom, those dirls are like penguins. They look like they are flying. Do penguins fly?" "No, breath, breath, penguins don't fly." "Mom, why don't penguins fly?" "Because their wings don't (breath, breath) work like that." "Why, Mom?" "Go ask your (breath, breath) Dad." He was so fascinated with penguins NOT flying.

Homemade Pancake Syrup

Has this ever happened to you? You decide you are going to make pancakes, waffles, or french toast and get halfway through making it and find that you don't have enough syrup. This has happened to me more than once, or I have bought syrup and can't find where I put it. My husband taught me how to make syrup, and it is really easy. I actually like it better than store bought now. It is not as thick, but it tastes good.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons of corn syrup
1 tsp. maple or vanilla flavoring, or a little cinnamon

Combine sugars, corn syrup, and water in a pan, bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium and let it cook for about 5 minutes (maybe less). Stir a few times during this process. Add flavoring or cinnamon. Remove from heat. Enjoy over pancakes and other breakfast yummies.

The Government Should Hire Us

A couple of weeks ago I decided we would take a trip to the dairy to get some ice cream as a treat. I did manage to fix the shirt my 3 year old had put on backwards. However, as he was running into the dairy I noticed his pants were on backwards. Oh well. We ordered our ice cream without incident, and then it began. My 3 year old climbed up on the table where there is a puzzle that the workers put together when they are not busy, starts taking the pieces apart. Note to self - I need to order his ice cream first next time. As we are finishing ordering a young couple walks in. I have my 21 month old on my hip, my prego belly sticking way out and 4 other kids slurping up ice cream, with my mom there helping as well. I could just see the pity in their eyes. I got my shake and went to the table. My 21 month old decided she wanted to hold the shake, which I tell her, "no" and gave her a spoon. She decided to throw a fit, laid on the floor, screamed at the top of her lungs, tried to push over a chair. What a nice family outing, right? The young couple went outside. When we are about done my 9 year old decided he wanted to get goat food for everyone to feed the goats, very nice of him. So, we went to feed the goats, my 21 MO still screaming and on my hip. I put her down and let her roll around on the grass, continuing to throw this tantrum. Finally, when I was done I picked her up and took her to the car. I looked over and the young couple just stared at me. I seriously think we put a damper on their romantic outing to the Mennonite dairy. They will think twice about having unprotected sex, let alone 6 kids.
Another incident involved getting my 11 year old her passport to go on a trip with one of her grandmothers this summer. We only had 4 kids with us this time. She was well behaved, but the youngest three acted like they had just all had a 32 oz. Mountain Dew. My 3 year old was break dancing, doing "the spin" on his back on the floor. They were playing tag, I was so thankful we were the only ones in the office and very glad my husband was there to help. I thought the passport lady was going to volunteer to give all of us free passports and get us out of the country. She was very polite about it, but the kids were CRAZY.
Seriously, instead of funding planned parenthood and abortions, the government could hire us to follow people around Walmart, or go into McDonalds, or try to pick a video at the red box (I don't bring anyone with me any more for that one) or any of the other everyday things that I don't like to do when I have everyone with me. But, if they came to our house for the campfire we had last night, or for family scripture study (most of the time), or when the kids are working really well together, they might think that a houseful is not so bad. I wouldn't trade any of them. They all bring something important and vital to our family. I hope this new one arriving in June knows what she is getting herself into. It is going to be a bumpy ride. I remember watching the movie "Parenthood" and the wife telling the husband that life is like a roller coaster and that is what makes it fun and Steve Martin just looking at her like, I want to get off this ride. We are in it for the long haul. At the end he realized that too, and it is worth it.

Salsa Chicken Over Salad

This was so easy and very fast. I like to make things that I only have to stir a couple of times so that I can get all of the rest of the work done that is around here, or at least some of it. I made a red pepper salsa by roasting the peppers and onions, then pureeing with the tomatoes and the cilantro. Then heated up about 2 to 3 cups of cooked chicken that I had frozen, added 1 to 2 cups of the salsa (just depends on how "saucy" you want it) and just cooked it on the stove on low until it was heated through. My kids ate it with chips and my 9 year old told me about 5 times how awesome it was.

Ingredients:

3 colored peppers (I used the multi colored pack from Wal-mart)

1 sweet onion

1 bunch cilantro

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

Lime juice (about 2 tablespoons)

Lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)

Sugar to taste (I usually add about 1 teaspoon)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded (optional)

About 2 to 3 cups of cooked chicken (mine was shredded, you could chop it too, depending on how you are going to serve it)

Rice (If you want this meal to go further)

Beans (If you want this meal to go further)

Salad

Chips, optional

Tortillas or tostadas if you want to eat them that way

Preheat oven to 410 degrees (or whatever is closest) Cut up peppers (not jalapeno) and onion (so that they will fit in your blender or food processor), put in a 9 by 13 pan, drizzle with Olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring once. Wash and tear cilantro into pieces that will fit in your blender or food processor. Once veggies have cooled for a few minutes transfer them to a bowl. Add tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper, sugar, lime and lemon juice. Working in batches puree mixture, I also added about 1 cup of cooked red beans, just thickens it up and adds some fiber too. In a pan or pot, warm chicken and 1 to 2 cups of salsa. I heated mine for about 45 min, just because I kind of forgot about it. It was really good over salad with some beans and tortilla chips. You will have salsa left to enjoy later too.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I am starting to "hit the wall" with cooking with this pregnancy, 11 weeks left, I can do it. Maybe this is just an off week, the weather has been so nice so we are outside all of the time. I need to start looking up crock pot recipes again. But, this was totally easy. I put it in the oven in the morning and it was done at 6. I used a 4.5 pound pork tenderloin, but you could use a pork shoulder, a cut of meat with the bone, whatever.

Ingredients:

4 to 5 pound pork tenderloin (or other cut of meat)

Pork rub (I got mine at Walmart in the baking isle near the spices. There are also several recipes online for different "rubs", I am not motivated enough to make any homemade)
Aluminum foil
Rolls
Sauteed sweet onions and peppers (optional)
Mozz cheese (optional)
BBQ sauce

Rub pork with "pork rub". Place meat on 2 pieces of aluminum foil big enough to wrap meat in. Wrap foil around meat and place in a 9 by 13 pan. Cook in oven at 225 degrees 8 to 10 hours (mine took about 10 hours). Remove from oven and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes (I would also check with a meat thermometer to make sure it is done, which it should be). Take 2 forks and pull meat apart. You can pour BBQ sauce on it, or top it with BBQ sauce when you put it on the rolls. Top with onions, peppers, Mozz cheese. This roast made enough for about 3 meals for our family. I used it for lunch the next day and then used it in tacos for another meal. Love the cook once, use 3 times theory.

It Could Be Worse...He Could Have...

This is how I think when my 3 year old my does something that bugs me. I try to think this, rather than getting mad at him (most of the time, it does not always work). He never ceases to surprise me. Actually, I guess he does cease to surprise me because when he does something like this I just roll my eyes now and go get the camera. This afternoon was so nice outside I sent the kids out in their swimsuits and splashy clothes and let them play in the creek near our house. It tires them out, they take an early bath before dinner and then are ready to sleep by 7. Works like magic. It is very marshy in our backyard right now, so rather than wearing shoes, my son goes barefoot. I am ok with it, just wash him off before he comes in and carry him to the bath. He decided he was going to wash his feet off himself. We have a hose out there, but rather than turning it on, he dumped his lemonade from the bottle on his feet. I asked him what he did (hoping that the puddle at his feet was water, rather than pee) and he says, "What, I washed my feet off with my lemonade?" The way he said it was "Duh, Mom, we always bathe in lemonade." So, when he does stuff like this I try to think, "It could be worse". I guess he could have peed on his feet in an effort to wash himself off (I am sure that will happen later in the week, as he is still adventurous when relieving himself.) That would have been way worse.