30 Days of Games Challenge: Day One- First Video Game

First off I would like to say, I wrote this blog waaaay back on Friday and thought that I had posted it.  Apparently I just hit “save” instead of “publish”…go me.  As for the rest of the posts that should have been posted for my 30 day challenge?  Well, I guess I am failsauce at 30 day challenges.  I promise to try to do better!!  Now, without further delay, Day 1 of the 30 Days of Games Challenge: My First Video Game!

Day one of my challenge was supposed to be the first game I ever played.  I decided that I would instead not only talk about the first game I ever played, but also the first game I ever completed.  

Nearly twenty five years ago when I was just the ripe age of five years old, I went to my Aunt's house for a little visit with my mom.  When we got there she was bubbling with excitement over her new “toy” that she just had to show us. 

She brought us over to her tv, and in my little five year old hands she placed a plastic gun with a long cord which was connected to a grey box on the floor.  She gently helped me point the gun at the tv, “Shoot the ducks!”

I wasn’t exactly sure what she was talking about but was curious so I took aim and began shooting away at the first bird that popped it’s head out from behind the bush.  I missed it, of course and actually tried to shoot the cheeky pup that was on the screen laughing at me.  That game, of course, was “Duck Hunt” on the NES.

After that day, video games were mostly just a special treat.  Something I’d get to play on the rare occasion that I was at my Aunt’s house or visiting a friend who was lucky enough to have a gaming system of their own.  That was until I was around twelve or thirteen years old, that is when my dad bought me an SNES for Christmas, along with a copy of “Aladdin”.

I instantly fell in love with that game and literally spent months of my life figuring out the easiest way to get through the different levels.  I was a girl on a mission, I was going to beat that game. 

It took me nearly five months of trial, error, and frustration till I finally did it.  That little “street rat” bounced off the top of Jafar’s snakey head and I got the little “death scene” and I was elated.  I immediately called all of my friends, bragged to my brother, and I’m pretty sure I did a happy dance.  And to be honest, to this day when I beat a new game…I still do that same dance.  Guess some things never change.

30 Days Of Gaming Challenge

I love to write, yet lately I have been having more and more difficulty actually doing it.  So, after perusing my fellow Dragon Age Addict JayRain’s blog I decided to try out the "30 Days of Games" challenge that she had recently taken on.  Let’s see if a fun topic like video games gets my muse a workin’!

Day 1 – Very first video game.
Day 2 – Your favorite character.
Day 3 – A game that is underrated.
Day 4 – Your guilty pleasure game.
Day 5 – Game character you feel you are most like (or wish you were).
Day 6 – Most annoying character.
Day 7 – Favorite game couple.
Day 8 – Best soundtrack.
Day 9 – Saddest game scene.
Day 10 – Best gameplay.
Day 11 – Gaming system of choice.
Day 12 – A game everyone should play.
Day 13 – A game you’ve played more than five times.
Day 14 – Current (or most recent) gaming wallpaper.
Day 15 – Post a screenshot from the game you’re playing right now.
Day 16 – Game with the best cut scenes.
Day 17 – Favorite antagonist.
Day 18 – Favorite protagonist.
Day 19 – Picture of a game setting you wish you lived in.
Day 20 – Favorite genre.
Day 21 – Game with the best story.
Day 22 – A game sequel which disappointed you.
Day 23 – Game you think had the best graphics or art style.
Day 24 – Favorite classic game.
Day 25 – A game you plan on playing.
Day 26 – Best voice acting.
Day 27 – Most epic scene ever.
Day 28 – Favorite game developer.
Day 29 – A game you thought you wouldn’t like, but ended up loving.
Day 30 – Your favorite game of all time.

Mommy's Left-Overs Soup

This is a recipe for cabbage soup that I threw together one night, when we had a bunch of veggies that needed to be used up.  Even my seven year old Blake, who is the pickiest eater I’ve ever met LOVES this recipe.  He calls it “Mommy’s Left-Overs Soup”.  Hope you all enjoy!!

Cabbage Soup (AKA "Mommy's Left-Overs Soup)

(Keep in mind when you make this that I cook for what amounts to a small army.  Unless you REALLY like leftovers, I recommend cutting the recipe in half.  You can also make a big batch and freeze half of it, I have done this with the leftovers and they taste fine re-heated on the stove)

Ingredients

1 Medium/Large Head Cabbage (Chopped)

1 Large White Onion (minced)

Approx. 3/4lb Baby Carrots (sliced)

2 Large Tomatoes (Diced)

2 Cans of Rotel Tomatoes (Do NOT Drain, add Juice and All)

2 Cans of Diced Potatoes (Drained and Rinsed)

2 Cans of Light Red Kidney Beans (Drained and Rinsed)

1lb Thick Cut Bacon

5 Cups Chicken Stock

Water

Salt, Pepper, Garlic to Taste

Instructions (I make it all in one pan)

In large pot cook bacon slowly until slightly crispy.  Once bacon is cooked (do NOT drain) add onion, carrots, tomatoes, Rotel, and Potatoes; stir and cook for approx 1 - 2 minutes. Then add chicken stock and cabbage.  Stir ingredients together and fill the pot up with water.  Stir again, turn down heat to simmer, cover and let cook.  If at any point it starts to boil rapidly turn the heat down some more, it should cook very slowly.  After about 60 - 90 minutes add kidney beans and begin adding salt, pepper and garlic.  I can't really tell you how much to add, you'll just have to add, let it cook some and taste...when it tastes good for you, then you're good to go.  If when adding beans it makes it so that the pot is getting too full, just ladle out some of the juice and put it to the side.  As the soup cooks down for a bit you can add the excess juice back into the pot.  I let mine cook for a few hours.

16 Week Summer Project Challenge

Two blogs in two days!?  Wow, I am on a roll!

In doing a bunch of what I guess you can call “soul searching”, I’ve come to realize that one of the things keeping me from getting everything done that I want to get done is that I try to do too much at once.  I am way too “all or nothing” and I wind up with either nothing done, or more often than not a bigger mess on my hands than I had in the first place. 

I come up with these huge projects that I want to finish and I’ll try to squeeze all of it into a small period of time along with the other “mandatory” household tasks that need to be accomplished, so I end up with a handful of half-done projects and a filthy house, and that in turn kills my mood and makes it hard for me to get ANYTHING done.

So, I have decided that I instead will pick a project a week, set aside time each day to devote to ONLY that project and get it done.  I thought during the summer would be a good time to do this since I won’t have kids’ homework to focus on and I will have extra hands around to help move stuff, clean stuff, and take care of younger siblings.

I am going to start my first project on Monday, May 21^st and my last project will be the week of September 3^rd  (16 weeks total, if you’re counting)and I’d like to update my blog weekly with before and after pictures.  We will be going on vacation for a week during the summer and obviously I can’t do any household projects while I’m away, I’m going to set that week for the week that Independence Day falls on, but it could potentially change as we haven’t decided for sure when or where we are going.

Projects:

Week 1: Designate and Organize A Craft Closet For My Crafting Stuff

Week 2: Create A “Kid’s Corner” Art and Activity Area

Week 3: Clean Up The Backyard and Make a Sandbox Play Area For The Kids

Week 4: Plant A Garden In Front Of The House

Week 5: Organize and Decorate Max and Cheyenne’s Bedroom

Week 6: Organize and Decorate Julian and Blake’s Bedroom

Week 7: Vacation

Week 8: Kitchen Organization

Week 9: Decorate and Organize Living Room/Family Room

Week 10: Photo Organization

Week 11: Master Bedroom Decoration and Organization

Week 12: Decorate and Organize Bathrooms

Week 13: Self Improvement (Nails, Hair, and Clothes “Oh, My!”)

Week 14: Carpet and Furniture Shampooing YEEHAW!

Week 15: Back To School Plan Of Action (Planning Ahead To Make The School Year Run Smoothly)

Week 16: Organizing The Hell That Is My Home Office