I Really Ought To Be Doing Something Else...

Warning- I Have My Mom Hat On!!

2010-08-05T22:04:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow I will be the mother of a 1st grader.

Tomorrow I will be the mother of a 1st grader who doesn't want his mom to take him to his first day of school... he wants Daddy to take him. Ultimately, I think this is what is best, considering that last year he cried every morning and sometimes had to be physically taken to the classroom which broke my heart every single day. If he goes with Daddy, he will give him a "See ya", and be off.

Please don't think I'm a horrible mother who is sending her son off into the great unknown of the 1st grade. I did get to go to visit the classroom, meet the teacher, and sit through school wide, mandatory ~~40 Minutes of Torture~~ "K-12 orientation". The classroom is really cute, his teacher seems super nice- she even greeted him by name when we walked in the classroom!!, and he already has friends in the class. The reality of it is he is 2 doors down from his class last year, and this feels like old-hat to him.

Why am I even spending time on this? I think because it's going to be way more dramatic for me than it is for the Boy. Shoot, it already has been!

It Could Happen

2010-07-28T13:55:00.001-05:00

I've had a day. Yes, it's only 1:56pm, but it's still been "a day".

I've considered posting an ad on Craigslist.

Wanted: Caregiver for 2 children who may or may not listen and obey as they will not listen to their mother or to one another. Some dog supervision will also be required for the prevention of lying on blankets that have been pulled into the middle of the floor followed by ingestion of coasters, old Leapsters, books, wall decor, and cardboard boxes. Duration of employment has yet to be determined as it is dependent upon how long it takes aforementioned mother to recover from nervous breakdown. Position available immediately.

Think I'll get any takers?

Well...

2010-07-28T12:46:00.002-05:00

To say that I've greatly neglected the blog would be an understatement.

It just wasn't something that was even on the radar screen for a good while. Then it had been so long I was starting to feel guilty about it. Then I felt silly about feeling guilty- it is just something floating around in cyberspace that very few, if any, people even read. Then I thought I would get back into blogging, but didn't have a clue as to where to start.

Here we are today... I have need for a creative outlet, but don't have the time or space to really get stuff out and be physically creative. I have decided that I am over all the other stuff and am just going to dive in as if my last post was yesterday. If I mention anything that has happened in the past that you are unaware of you have 2 options; a) play along and pretend that you know what's going on b) shoot me a question and get ready for an appropriately lengthy response so that you are "in the loop". How you'd like to handle the potentially awkward situation is up to you!

Having said all of that... I Really Ought To Be Doing Something Else... but then what would you be doing?

Hello World!

2010-01-25T09:53:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I didn't follow-through with my hermit theory.

In fact, I spent much of last week out and about- doing many things that were not strictly necessary. I have made progress on the list of stuff though!

All it took was a list. Ahhhh, glorious lists!

Just Call Me Hermit

2010-01-18T22:08:00.006-06:00

I informed Husband today that I am going to cancel everything for the next week. I'm not going anywhere unless it is strictly necessary.

My brilliant plan is to use this week long block of time to get all of the little projects done around the house that have been bugging me.

Things like folding 13 loads of laundry; Cleaning out the closet in our bedroom so that we are no longer attacked by the exercise equipment "resting" there (my theory is that since we are not moving it, it is trying to move us... how's that for a creepy thought??!); Vacuuming the outdoor carpet on the screen porch; Scrubbing the funny looking spot at the very top of the 9 foot high wall in the hall; Cleaning the little ledge on the tops of all of the baseboards. Okay, so you get the point.

Do you know what the problem is with my brilliant plan? I have already had not one, but two weeks of having everything cancelled.

Did I get any of these things done? Not one! But I did get to hang out with my kiddos and The Hubs and make some really cool family memories.

I guess 2 extra weeks of wearing protective gear when venturing into the closet was worth it.

Not off to a better start, am I?

2010-01-15T10:05:00.004-06:00

So I guess I wasn't better about posting yesterday. I do have an excuse though, and I think it's pretty viable.

I was either terribly tired or terribly distracted yesterday. Can't figure out which one it was. Either way, not the best time to blog.

How do I know that it's not just some lame excuse to try and weasel yourself out of the guilt that you may or may not feel about saying you were going to be better about posting and then not following through? (That's probably what you're thinking to yourself- or at least what I would be thinking to myself- right about now...)

My simple answer is this. I closed my own face in the refrigerator door last night.

Now, honestly, aren't you glad that I didn't post yesterday?

Harsh Realities

2010-01-13T14:13:00.002-06:00

I realized that it had been a while since posting.

I realized just how long it had been once I had to hack into the account because I couldn't remember the password and all of the 14 guesses that I made were wrong. Oops!

I suppose I should be better about blogging!

Starting... tomorrow?!

Just So You Know...

2009-09-13T19:53:00.002-05:00

When coloring your own hair, if you should choose a color called "Navajo Bronze", be ready for more Bronze than Navajo.

When trying to cover said color with "Suede", be prepared for not just Suede, but- yes, this color is my own custom color creation- Suanze. That's right, some Suede and some Bronze together.

Although, not an altogether bad color, not really what I was going for either. Glad I wasn't brave enough to go with the permanent color!

Hello?

2009-08-14T09:17:00.002-05:00

Yep, I'm still around.

We've had several sets of visitors, yard sale-ing (as previously mentioned), new schedules, and school starting. At this point, I'm just trying to make it through the rest of the week! As we get settled into our new routine, things will move much more smoothly, and I will be able to function a bit better. I have now had to retype about 15 words... apparently something else that has changed is my ability to spell.

More updates after I re-learn how to spell ~~or have the common sense to use the spellcheck function, which I really didn't even think about until just now~~.

Sailing, Sailing...

2009-07-26T15:29:00.002-05:00

OK, it really should be sale-ing, but that isn't a word and even if it were, I think it would be pretty bad in the grammar department.

We're getting ready for a yard sale around here. Next weekend we will be having a "Large, Multi-family Yard Sale"... at least that's what the signs will all say. Some girlfriends and I are going to be having a yard sale together on Saturday. For this week, that means a messy house... or at least a messy garage. Husband pulled bins down from the attic for me to go through and sort and I have been through the kids' closets.

It's amazing how much stuff there is around here! I discovered that most of the items that we had in the bins in the attic are clothing. Lots of kids' clothes. Like, all the clothes except the clothes worn in the first 3 months of Son's life that the kids have ever worn. Eek.

Let me just leave you with this to ponder... what am I supposed to do with the 21 pairs of underwear- all the same size!!- that my son has outgrown? More to the point... why did he even have 21 pairs of underwear to outgrow?

I Really Have Lost My Mind

2009-07-10T12:43:00.003-05:00

What was I thinking?

Son's birthday was yesterday. Happy Birthday, 5 year old!! How did we celebrate? First I made a cake for him to take to school with him (he's doing Parent's Day Out over the Summer, and LOVES it!!). Spider Man was the choice for the school cake. Then he needed a different one for his family "home" birthday cake. Batman was the preferred superhero for that cake. Mix in presents, Husband and I spending the morning filming a segment to show at church, building a backyard obstacle course, 200 water balloons, and a trip to fetch pizza for dinner in a crazy storm, and you've got a pretty full day.

Today is Son's birthday party day. We started by being at the pediatrician by 8:00am for his check-up and immunizations. A rude way to start the day, I must say. Follow that with a flurry of quick trips in and out of a couple stores, home to set up the previously mentioned obstacle course, and cleaning-up the backyard and you will approach lunch. I now have just over 2 hours before a dozen 5-ish year old will descend upon my house, rapidly followed by a trip to Montgomery to fetch my parents who will be here for 10 days. I am still needing to fold laundry, dust, clean the bathrooms, steam the floors, and clean the kitchen. Yesterday is sounding pretty good right about now.

Now, I need to go finish the Transformers cake for the party. ~~First I think I'll have a break-down.~~ Excuse me.

It's That Time of Year...

2009-06-25T10:43:00.002-05:00

Every year around this time, I feel the overwhelming need for change. And not just wear-a-new-color-of-eyeshadow kind of change. I mean change.
I think it's the Army wife in me. When we move, every 2-3 years, it happens about this time of year. When I have had both of my children, it has been about this time of year. Well... this year we are not moving, and I am not having any children.
Last year when I was in this same situation, I pierced my nose. This year, I have decided that we need to have all the carpet in the house replaced, the back porch screened, and the furniture in the family room rearranged. Guess what?! That's a whole heck of a lot of change to pay for! I decided that moving the furniture is easily done, and free. That was accomplished last week. The porch will be done in the next couple of weeks, so that will be fantastic! We will be able to go out and sit in the back without being attacked by bugs! Yay!! I priced out having the carpet done... I decided that I would go with having it cleaned for a small fraction of the price of replacement. Maybe it will just look like new.
We'll see if this will satisfy my need for change. ~~If not... how do you think my eyebrow would look pierced?~~

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

2009-06-17T14:09:00.002-05:00

It's hot. That's about all I can wrap my head around right now. It's hot. I went to get something out of the bug and I almost melted onto the driveway. It' hot. I now need to go out and get the mail. It's hot.

By the way, did I mention that's it's hot?

Silly Songs

2009-06-01T11:52:00.002-05:00

"The donkey on the bus says; 'He, haw. He, haw.'"....
"The man on the bus says; 'What are you doing here? What are you doing here?'"

Brought to you today courtesy of Daughter.

Ugh!

2009-05-16T10:17:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it really stinks to do the right thing.
Especially when it backfires on you!

Shhhhhhh...

2009-05-14T09:34:00.003-05:00

It's Thursday morning and all is quiet in my house.

Son and Daughter are at school, Husband is at work, and I am home alone. There are only the dog and her snoring to keep me company.

This hasn't happened in quite a while. I love it. I think I might take a little nap.

I Really Ought To Be, But I Don't Want To...

2009-05-11T09:40:00.003-05:00

I am procrastinating right now. I really don't want to dust, vacuum, or clean the bathrooms. Instead, I'll share a short little story with you.

We were at the gas station yesterday and pulled up behind a convertible VW bug from the early '60s. Son told us that we should get a car like that. Husband told him that we already have a car like that.
Son's response? "No. One without a lid."

And now... I will dust.

I Did It...

2009-04-27T19:45:00.001-05:00

I now am on Facebook.

Maybe I'll be better at that than I am about posting here! Don't bet on it though...

Food On A Stick Friday

2009-04-24T18:37:00.004-05:00

Each Friday we have some sort of a family night. Previously it has mostly consisted of pizza and a movie, but ~~the circumference of my waist was beginning to object~~ we decided that it was time for a change. No pizza tonight, and probably not for many Friday nights to come. We have decided that it will be food on/ with a stick Fridays around here. Meaning, of course, that the whole meal will consist of food that is either served on a stick (see tonight's menu) or eaten with sticks (usually of the chop- variety). Our menu for tonight...
*Corn dogs
*Apple squares on a stick
*Cheese kabobs (cheese hunks on a toothpick, but cheese kabobs sound so much classier ~~as if classiness were a factor at a meal whose main dish is a molded meat-product shoved on a stick, dipped in mushed-up dried corn, and then fried...~~)

I have to say, I think it was the most popular meal that I've made in quite a while. Long live Food on a stick Fridays!!

Wow! That's Wonderful Wednesday!

2009-04-15T19:35:00.003-05:00

Today's Wow! That's Wonderful Wednesday...

Check this out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

I know that it's a bit long, but be sure that you watch all the way to the end. It really is wonderful!

Good Friday

2009-04-10T16:34:00.005-05:00

I was walking into the house a while ago after putting the hose on the trees and thought, "Ugh. It is nasty humid, windy, cloudy, and just plain icky. It's too humid for me to be comfortable."

Then it hit me. I was suddenly so overwhelmed that it literally brought me to tears.

Here I am griping that I am uncomfortable because it's humid and I had to go out to water the trees so that they won't die. Today, thousands of years ago a perfect man was unfairly arrested, unjustly tried, brutally beaten and hung on a cross to die- I'm sure being more than just a bit uncomfortable- so that I will never have to die.

So really, who cares about the humidity. It is indeed, Good Friday!

Not Inherent?

2009-04-03T18:13:00.004-05:00

Whoever said that the only differences between boys and girls are what we have taught them has never spent any time in my house.

At dinner this evening, Daughter graced us with a rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamp". Shortly after she was finished, Son piped up with "So, let's talk about dinosaurs and blood".

And it's all what I've taught them?

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

2009-04-02T12:59:00.005-05:00

The current weather prediction for our area is that by the end of the night tonight, there will have been 10+ inches of rain that has fallen over the last 5 days, 6 of which are supposed to fall this afternoon.

It has turned my children into wild monkeys.

Wow! That's Wonderful Wednesday

2009-04-01T13:48:00.002-05:00

Welcome back, Wow! That's Wonderful Wednesday!
This week's wonderfulness...

Chocolate. In any form.

Enough said.

Updates and $22.48

2009-03-19T10:24:00.006-05:00

Surgery went well for Husband. He is quite the trooper and is recovering very well. Surgery was on Friday, and Sunday morning he was sitting in church. Yay! He now has 30 days off for recovery. It's too bad (for me) that he is one-armed right now, because I can think of a million things that he could help me with if he had 2 functioning arms over the next month. Oh well. I will just enjoy his company while I do the stuff myself.

My mom is coming in from CA tomorrow and will spend 10 days with us. Her timing could not have been more perfect! Husband will still be recuperating and the kiddos will be on Spring break the whole time she is here. I however, have school, so it will be nice from Hubby to have a second set of hands to help out.

I went to Target this morning to grab some eye-cream (I am currently fixated on finding ~~one that works well and doesn't cost so much that I will have to dip into the kids' college funds [but hey, at least they wouldn't have a wrinkly old hag of a mom!!]~~ just the right one) and I wandered back to the garden department. I was looking at a wood bench for our back patio and I found one that I liked... priced for $22.48. It is made of ash, looks frighteningly like my dining room chairs, and was crazy cheap. After making sure that the numbers on the tag actually matched the numbers on the bench, I called a guy over to ask if that was really the right price suspecting that it wasn't. He said that if it was marked that way then that was the price I should get, and even wrote the price and his name on the tag. Of course when we got to the register it rang-up as $99.99, but they still gave me the $22.48 price!! I am so excited about what a good deal it was! I almost asked them to check the back for any more, but I thought that might be pushing my luck. Whatever, though! A $100 bench for $22.48! Awesome!! What makes it super awesome is the fact that it is just right for the back porch. Yay!!

Thanks, Jesus, for the gift of a good surgeon, my mom's pending visit at just the right time, and an awesome bench that we so didn't need but is just what we wanted! :)

Slice Em and Dice Em

2009-03-12T20:54:00.005-05:00

Just to be very honest with you right up front, Husband does not like the title of this post. Just because I am ornery tonight, I am going to leave it.

Tomorrow will be a LONG day at our house. Husband has shoulder surgery number 3 in the morning. We have to be there at 6:15am. Ick.

When we were taking about the plan for tomorrow with the kiddos at dinner, we discussed that when the kids got in the car in the morning to go to our friends' house they would still be in their jammies. Son asked me if I would still be in my jammies too, and the most proper response that I could come up with was "I will wish that I was".

Anyway, I have to be up at ~~pre-o'dark thirty~~ 4:30am tomorrow, so I'm headed to bed. If you happen to be up at 7:15am (CST), please pray that surgery goes well and that they don't find any surprises once they get in there!

Really? In the Family Room?

2009-03-11T21:03:00.003-05:00

Can someone please tell me exactly how toothpaste got on the inside of the recliner arm?

The ~~bathroom~~ toothbrushing room is completely across the house!

The "Grass" is Always Greener...

2009-03-10T14:05:00.003-05:00

I was looking out my kitchen window at lunch today and I noticed that things are looking decidedly greener than they were a couple of days ago. Marvelous! As I was washing dishes I told Husband how excited I was that Spring was finally "in the air".

His response? "You do realize that those are weeds, right?"

Yes, Ma'm

2009-03-05T20:28:00.003-06:00

I had a first today.

I went to the jeweler to have my pearls restrung.

Aren't I a good Southern girl?

Cleanse and Purge...

2009-03-04T19:11:00.005-06:00

I have 3 things I need to confess.

1- I am blogging right now because I do not want to face the disaster that is my house.
There is not a single kid book on the book shelf, there are dishes to be done, and clutter to be de-cluttered. I don't want to do any of it right now, so I am doing this instead.

2- I was doing fairly well with "Wow! That's Wonderful Wednesdays", but now I'm not.
I wasn't very (not that I am now) consistent with blogging for a while there and I fell off the WTWW bandwagon. I am considering getting back on. What do you think?

3- I am in a funk.
My biology class is beating me down. I am pretty far above the class average, but I think the class average is WAY too low to be considered. I am only taking the class one night a week, for a 5-hour stretch (who thought that was a good idea??!) and I am finding that it is difficult to keep up with the amount of info that the instructor bombards us with on Tuesday nights. I leave feeling like my brain has become isotonic with it's biological surroundings and that for every piece of new information that goes in, an old one goes out. A nice method for your underwear drawer, not so much for your education. Oh well, this too shall pass. ~~The true question is will I?~~

OK- Now that I have shared my funk, I am off to shovel out the house, scrub my face, get in my jammies, and settle in to see who makes it to the next round of American Idol (while having a glass of wine and some Girl Scout cookies). That should make for a nice end to a very long day!

Oops!!

2009-02-28T20:36:00.002-06:00

I just logged into MySpace....
For the first time since the end of September!

Hope you haven't been looking for me there! ;)

Why?

2009-02-27T10:38:00.003-06:00

I have been asked exactly why Husband was trying to look like a Jonas Brother (not one specific one, any of them would do). The answer is quite simple.

For church, of course!

He helps to lead worship in our middle-school environment and the opener last week was a song by the Jonas Brothers. What can I say? If you want to engage a bunch of tweenagers, you have to go where they go. And Husband did.

I have to say, he rocked the JB!!

On another completely separate note...

Congratulations to Anna on learning ~~the fantasticness that is~~ the strike through. May you use it often and proudly!

So Nice!

2009-02-21T11:15:00.006-06:00

Things I love (possibly to be expounded upon later)...

*Fuzzy flip-flop slippers
*Wii Fit
*Silky blankets
*Front-load washer and dryer sets
*Automatically opening/ closing doors on an automobile
*Drive-up windows at the pharmacy
*Watching ~~my 31 year-old~~ Husband trying to figure out how to look like one of the Jonas Brothers

Who May I Say Is Calling, Please?

2009-02-09T10:58:00.003-06:00

We got a funny phone call this morning.

Husband answered it without looking at the caller ID and found that there wasn't anyone on the other end of the line. After he hung-up, he checked the caller ID. This is what it said:

Phone Number:
305-474-9429
Name:
Scam Artist

What a funny way to start the week! :)

Hello, Honda!

2009-02-04T09:31:00.007-06:00

We now own a mini-van.

I think I now qualify as an "average American Mom"- I live in the 'burbs (albeit the suburb of a small southern Alabama town and not a big city), I have a house with a picket fence, I have a great husband, 2 kids and a dog, and I drive a mini-van.

I have to say, I love my life! :)

A One Track Mind

2009-01-29T19:57:00.004-06:00

I discovered something about myself today.

I simply cannot be Mommy and a rock star on Guitar Hero World Tour at the same time. Every time one of the kiddos' names is even said, I miss a note- and forget it if one of them is ~~drumming on the others' head~~ talking to me. Apparently the "Mommy brain" works more efficiently and effectively than the "Rocker Chick brain".

I guess that's a good thing.

Is It Time For Bed Yet?

2009-01-28T20:02:00.002-06:00

Children amaze me.

For some reason, Son was up before I was this morning. When I got up at 5:10am, he was lying in his bed playing his Leapster so I can only imagine what time it was that he actually woke-up!

Whatever it was that caused Son to be up early was apparently contagious, because Daughter was up before 6:00am.

Needless to say, by lunch they were both complete disasters. When I put them each down for a nap (an hour earlier than usual!!), neither would actually sleep. Daughter eventually slept for about 45 minutes, but Son stayed awake.

It is now an hour after they are usually in bed and Daughter was just up talking about being "sirsty" while holding her cup in her hand. Son just went to sleep.

Please note that it is now 8:10pm and I am ready for bed. Why were the kids, that supposedly need more sleep than I do, not falling asleep at the dinner table? I'm ready now to fall asleep sitting at the computer!

It must be one of the perks of youth!

30 And Loving It!

2009-01-27T21:00:00.004-06:00

So I was listening to the morning radio show this morning that I listen to just about every morning and I did something so out of character that I surprised myself.

There was a woman that called and said something that just made me mad. Before I knew what I was doing, I had picked up my cell phone and was talking to the call screener and telling her what radio station I listen to the show on. 30 seconds later I was on the air. I don't think I made my point very eloquently ~~because I was so ticked that I could have crawled though the phone and rung the neck of the previous caller~~ but I did present a different train of thought on the subject, and I think that's what mattered.

When I hung-up the phone, I was shocked that I actually did it! I ~~rant over~~ discuss the many things that I feel passionate about around the house and to Husband all the time, but I actually took this one out in public, and on a national radio broadcast at that!

I have to say, I think turning 30 has made me bold!

Extra Thick, Double Fudge

2009-01-24T20:36:00.005-06:00

I have lots of brownie points coming my way. LOTS!!

My birthday is coming... I'll be 30.

There have been packages arriving by UPS and in the mail. I am the only adult home when these packages arrive. They are addressed to me. I know they are for me and I know they are meant for my birthday. Do I open them? No. I do not.

You see, we have a rule about gifts in our family. It is the rule in my house and it is the rule in the house I grew up in. It is as follows; If you find out what your gift is before the gift-giving event (in this case, my birthday) due to snooping or peeking, you do not get the gift, and it will not be replaced, therefore forfeiting your present. Harsh? Maybe a bit. But I will say this... it has proven to be very effective.

Here is where the brownie points work into the system. I could very easily open the packages and see what they are without anyone knowing. The packages come in the early afternoon- usually just as the kids are going down for quiet time- and Husband usually doesn't get home from work for several hours after they come, thereby giving me plenty of time to open, investigate, rewrap, and reseal the packages. Have I done any of this? No. I'll take my brownie points in the double-fudge flavor, please.

My Dad and I were discussing this on the phone yesterday and he asked me if I was trying to set a good example for my kids. I am not. I tried to convince him that it was my inherent goodness that kept me from peeking, but he just laughed at that.

Really? I think I haven't poked around because I am subconsciously blocking the fact that I will be 30. And do you know what's really rude? I was thinking that I had another week and a half before it was my birthday, but it's on Tuesday.

My how 30 sneaks up on you!

Intervention, Anyone?

2009-01-21T21:18:00.002-06:00

I have shirked my duties.

I sit here at 9:22pm on a Wednesday night with a sink full of dishes, a chapter of Biology to read, a photo-essay on the Inauguration to compile, and the previously mentioned not-putting-itself-away-laundry to put away. Why is this? ~~And, if I have these things to do tonight, why in the world am I siting at the computer blogging??~~ It is because I spent nearly 2 hours tonight playing Guitar Hero. By myself. I now have a personalized rocker. Her name is LuLu. She likes purple, pina-coladas, and getting caught in the rain.

Is there a 12-Step program for Guitar Hero yet? Not that I need one. I can quit anytime I want to. Really. I can.

Did You Know?

2009-01-20T13:28:00.003-06:00

It seems that no matter what it contains, how long it sits there, or who it belongs to, ~~four loads~~ a basket of laundry will not fold and put itself away.

Trust me.

A Work In Progress...

2009-01-19T15:04:00.005-06:00

Don't Forget to Tip Your Waitress!!

2008-11-17T11:10:00.005-06:00

There has been lots of sickness and general unpleasantness (from potty training and sick, cranky kiddos) in my house lately. We have had a few good laughs, too!

Some funny things recently heard from those in my household:

*Son, after being handed some cotton candy at the fair; "Do I eat all this fur?"

*Daughter, after spilling milk at the dinner table; "Awww, Ma'm!" (That's my good southern girl!!)

*Son; "Do fish like being eaten by the seals?"

*Son, after being told "Use your fork. We can do that... it's why God gave us opposable thumbs"; "Thank you God, for thumbs."

A Glimpse

2008-11-10T19:44:00.003-06:00

4 weeks
+ 2 sick children
+3 trips to the pediatrician
+2 rounds of antibiotics
+1 full bottle of children's Motrin (now empty)
----------------------------------------
Mommy who needs some social interaction

3 Words

2008-11-07T10:50:00.000-06:00

Potty. Training. Yuck.

2008-10-27T20:03:00.003-05:00

So, Husband is "out on the town" tonight. He is in town at a concert given by a guitar "finger-picking virtuoso"- I believe that is how the musician was described to me. Anyway, Husband sent a message with a little bit of the concert, and I have to say that it sounded great, even through the high-quality voice mail that we have!

My exciting evening? After getting the kiddos to bed and cleaning up around the house, I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to use the "rack dry, air-dry temp" setting on my dryer. Until tonight, I didn't know that there was a "rack dry, air-dry temp" setting on my dryer. We'll see how exciting this evening truly gets when the dryer beeps and I can see if my sweater is any dryer than it was when I put it in! :)

Wish me luck!

***UPDATE*** My sweater is not even this much dryer than it was when I put it in. Maybe next time it's 42 degrees out I should try using something other than the "air-dry temp".

A Soapy Day

2008-10-23T21:58:00.006-05:00

Warning... I found my soap-box today, and it is about to get some use!!!

A guy in my class this evening mentioned that he isn't going to vote. His reasoning? "Whatever. It doesn't matter if I vote, taxes will go up no matter". I just about crawled out of my skin. Mind you, I am not normally a terribly outspoken person, particularly to people that I don't know and have only spoken to as part of a large, passing conversation. He was standing in the front of the class next to the instructor talking about this and I- sitting in the second row back- looked at him and said "Did you just day you don't vote?" When he repeated his sentiments, I couldn't hold my tongue and said to him "Shame on you!" I felt a little like my grandmother.

I got to thinking this evening about just why it bothers me so much that people don't vote. To me, it is a HUGE privilege. I remember the first time I got to vote. I was super excited to know that I was taking part in something so big. ~~I was excited because it was my first "grown-up" responsibility and I was on my way, baby!!~~ I honestly, to this day, remember looking down at that huge list of registrants and waiting for them to find my name so that I could go into that little red, white, and blue curtained booth to cast my vote. It is a privilege that so many in the world do not have. It is something that people, even today, are fighting- and dying- for. It is a privilege that our forefathers fought for, that women before me fought for, that minorities fought for.

It means that I don't have to sit idly by and let one person decide what the world is going to look like for me. There are a lot of things going on in our country that I don't like. There are laws I don't agree with. There are people in power that I don't think should be. There are things going on that I think are just down-right stupid. You know what? I have the power to change things. Do I always see that power reflected? Maybe not. It may not seem like my one little vote makes a difference, but guess what? It does. I have had the privilege to take part in elections that have truly turned our "local" politics around, and I'm proud to say that I was a part of making that happen. I'm proud to say that I went out- in the 3 degree weather, in the dark, in the ice and snow, with a baby- to cast my vote, because it is such a privilege.

Voting is not a right, it's a privilege. It's not a requirement, a privilege. It is not something that I have to do. If I don't go to the polls, there won't be any thugs knocking down my door in the dead of night to make me vote. Lightening will not strike me dead. I won't be visited by plagues. Really, not one single thing will happen to me. But I vote anyway. Because I can. Because I realize that it is an honor to be able to vote- for our next President, for our representatives in Congress and the House, for our state and local representatives, for our laws and statues- for the very things that will shape the future of our country... the future of the world for my children. How could I not want to be a part of that?

Can someone pass me a ladder? I don't think I realized just how tall my soap-box was, and I'm having a bit of trouble climbing down!!

Ahhhhh

2008-10-21T09:37:00.003-05:00

It's quiet in my house this morning. The kiddos are both back in school this morning after fall break and being sick. Husband is at work. The dog is sleeping.

I'm tempted to just sit and veg all morning, but I think I will take the time I have and get some things done!

The Crazies Are Out Tonight

2008-10-18T18:03:00.003-05:00

I had to excuse myself from the dinner table early tonight. The craziness was closing in on me.

To my left: a 4 year-old making up songs with gibberish words.
To my right: my husband, wearing his Army issue glasses. (Better known as "BCGs"- birth control glasses.)
To his right: a 2 year-old trying to out-sing her brother in broken English/ Toddlerese.

Dinner in my house is never boring!

A Morning Spent With 4 Year Olds

2008-09-30T15:23:00.003-05:00

Since I have Tuesday and Thursday mornings completely child-free, I thought I would volunteer to spend some of that time helping in Son's class. Today was my first day and I think it went well. I was able to help the teacher out a little bit since Tuesday mornings her aide is in classes and not there to help. I spent most of the time I was there prepping for projects to come, but got to help with the art project a little bit, too.

It was fun to be there as a "fly on the wall" and just sort-of observe how things went. I heard some very interesting things out of the moths of the kids. My favorite:

"We're so smart!! Are we smart?"

Huh! I'm an adult, and I still have times when I think the exact same thing!

Disgruntled?

2008-09-29T22:36:00.004-05:00

I saw a sign outside of a local store in town the other day. It read:

"My family tree produced a couple of lemons, some nuts, and a few bad apples."

I wonder how long it took that guy to be disinherited?

Welcome, Betsy!

2008-09-28T21:06:00.005-05:00

So, Husband has been ~~hogging~~ using the computer a lot lately.

He has been on the hunt for a vw bug. Not a new beetle, but an old bug. He has scoured the whole southeastern US (no joke) for weeks now looking for just the right one. He thought several times that he found "the one", but it just never worked out.

Until yesterday.

Friday night he was getting ready to take an 8 hour drive to TN to look at a bug that was all in pieces when he decided to take one more look around to see if he could find something that was closer, or put together. Well, he found one that was both closer and put together. He called the owner and had a good chat for about 15 minutes followed by a quick decision that this was to be the new addition to our family. He got up on Saturday morning and left the house before 6:00am (ugh... too early on a Saturday for me!!) and off he went. He has a 4.5 hour drive ahead of him, but he was stoked. Please remember that at this point, he still had only seen pictures of the car!

He got there around noon, local time, and discovered that this was truly the car he had been looking for. It started, stopped and ran well. It wasn't nasty rusty. There were no parts falling off of it. It was in our target price range. It was his!! He loaded her up on the trailer, and he headed home. The kiddos and I were all glad to see him roll up with that little tiny car on the trailer. As soon as it was unloaded, we all piled in and took a spin around the block. The kiddos LOVE it, and I think it's awesome.

Husband and I have quite a history with bugs. We have a picture that was taken of us when we were dating that shows me sitting in the driveway next to a bug reading a book while Husband was under the car fixing something. (I'll try to find it and post it in the next couple of days.) It's neat because we get so sit so close... it makes it easy to hold hands. There isn't a radio, so we're forced to have conversation. It will be something that Husband and Son can work on together.

We all loaded into the car- including the 2 car seats in the back, to go to the store and Small Group tonight, what a blast! Such a fun family memory. It's not the car that we will regularly use for our family trips (the big ol' honker that I drive is much more comfortable!!) but it will be fun on occasion.

I'm really excited about our new vehicular addition. Now to be rid of another. Know anyone that is interested in buying a Volvo station wagon?

Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday

2008-09-24T20:30:00.005-05:00

Today's Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday post is something that I know many of you don't appreciate like you should. It is something that, when you heard that I own one of these, you mocked me. Yet, I feel compelled to give it such a place of honor as holding a place on Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday. For your further amazement, I present you with...

That's right folks, it's a Tony Little Gazelle!

Most of you may know this man with the long, curly man-pony-tail and the crazy upbeat personality from your sleepless late-night channel surfing. Or perhaps you know him from a lazy Sunday afternoon doze-on-the-couch-while-trying-to-avoid-watching-baseball-on-TV-with-your-husband. I always thought that it was a joke and that any person who looked that happy while flailing, (somewhat controllably) was probably ~~supplementing with some "natural" remedies, if you know what I mean~~ just a good salesman. Well, I'm here to tell you, that I bought a Gazelle, and I love it. It makes me go Wow! I can get up and exercise without even having to leave my house. Which CPS prefers since I have small children that are usually asleep and Husband is often gone when I use it resulting with me being the only adult- not generally a good idea to leave the kiddos to go for a walk! And really, who doesn't want to look like a gazelle? They are fast, slim, and graceful. They just may be the ballerinas of the African grasslands. My type of gazelle folds very neatly and leans against the wall of my closet when not in use. I can pull it out and in just minutes- including the time it takes for me to get on shoes and socks, pour a glass of water, and grab the remotes- I'm gliding along, looking as happy as a perky man with a wild pony-tail.

Why do I give the Tony Little Gazelle a Wow! That's Wonderful! slot? Because when I use it regularly (please note the words when and regularly) I can look at my thighs and butt and go "Wow! That's Wonderful!"

Shamefully Submitted...

2008-09-22T19:50:00.002-05:00

I come to you with my head hanging in shame. I feel really silly about my last post.

I wrote it on Saturday night, just before I went to bed. The next morning, we got up and went to church, as per our usual Sunday routine.

The sermon series that we are going through is called "How to be Rich"... not how to get rich, but how to be rich. It really is all about realizing the fact that we are, in fact rich. If you are reading this right now... you are rich. You have Internet access and free time to spend reading this blog! I am rich, God has blessed me with more than I need. I have Internet access and free time to type this blog! I have plenty to eat, everyday. I get to water my lawn with water that comes out of a hose and is suitable to drink (never mind the water I drink- it comes right out of a little spout in the fridge door and it's cold!). I don't have to carry nasty river water in a bucket on my head to my village every morning. I have walls made of wood, sheet rock, and insulation- not paper or grass. I can get into my car and drive down the road to the hospital when my children are sick- not worry about weather or not they are going to survive the night.

And yet I spend my time with my nose out of joint because the guy who is coming to fix my satellite dish (so that I can sit on my couch and randomly flip through 250+ channels of nothing to watch) was late and didn't bother to call.

Maybe it's time for a bit of an attitude adjustment! How about being grateful for all that I have, and remembering that "I am rich, God has blessed me with more than I need".

Arrrggg!

2008-09-20T21:21:00.003-05:00

***DISCLAIMER-I feel a bit on the disgruntled side this evening. Please, do not read this if you feel unequipped to handle my disgruntledness. I think I will have Husband make me a delicious liquid treat when I am done posting to see if I can leave my disgruntledness behind. ***

I have not decided to go Pirate, but I can think of no better way to describe the feeling other than "Arrrggg".

We had a HUGE random storm blow through here the other day. The winds were strong enough that they literally blew the gate off the hinges on the fence. Talk about strange. Nothing has been quite right since then. Over the last week, I have spent lots of time on hold with the satellite company (What?? A television provider would keep me on hold? For a ridiculous amount of time? I know it's a stretch, but go with me here!) and with the tech support division of our Internet company. For some reason, we cannot have Internet unless we go through about a gazillion different steps. The computers are running slow as well. I don't know if it has something to do with the power surge during the storm or what. The satellite man finally showed up on Thursday night- at 7:00pm. Of course, I had to be home between 12:00pm and 5:00pm so as not to miss him. It turns out that the only problem with the satellite was that the wind blew hard enough that it actually moved the dish out of position. I was at school when the guy came, but Husband said that it only took him about 15 minuets to get it all fixed.

I fell the need to share "Arrrggg" with you so that you know why I haven't posted the last couple of days. I think we may have found a cure to the no-Internet-in-the-morning situation, so things should run a bit more smoothly from here on out.

Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday

2008-09-17T20:56:00.004-05:00

It's Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday again! Yes! I am using a LOT of exclamation points!

I was thinking through my life and trying to narrow down what I was going to Wow! you all with today and I came up with quite a few options. This one, however, was not one of them. Today, we will veer from the household products that were discussed last week and visit something a little less conventional. Today's Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday topic is... the strikethrough.

I think the ~~strikethrough~~ is Wonderful! for several reasons.

1- It lets you know that I typed something that I really do mean, but want to give you the illusion that I really don't mean it. That way you won't think I'm quite as sassy as I really am sometimes.
2-I just discovered how to use the ~~strikethrough~~ (I mean just discovered it... like 45 seconds ago!) and I now feel so empowered that it made me say Wow! That's Wonderful!

Here I will give you an example of how Wonderful! the ~~strikethrough~~ really is:

It is now 9:00pm and I am ready for bed. A bit early, yes, but seeing as how I ~~am getting old~~ have young children that keep me moving all day and rise ~~with the crazy people~~ at the break of dawn, it seems to me like it would be a good idea to just admit defeat, give up, and go to bed.

And now you see how our Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday invention enriches all the lives that it touches.

Now I'm going to bed.

Pilobolus

2008-09-15T08:04:00.002-05:00

I have seen this commercial on some tv show about commercials... I do find that it is terribly ironic that we have a DVR and don't watch anything live so that we can skip through all of the commercials, yet will watch a whole show of nothing but commercials, but moving on... and thought it was so cool! Then my Aunt sent me a clip of these guys on the Conan O'Brian show. When I You-tubed them , all kinds of stuff came up! Have I been living under a rock, or what?

Anyway... please note that I am not out stumping for Volkswagen, though they did just come out with an awesome new mini-van, and Husband is a big fan of the bugs. I just thought this was really cool!

Such A Deal!!

2008-09-12T20:11:00.004-05:00

I did something the other day that is very unlike me. So unlike me in fact, that I honestly wondered the next day if I dreamed that I did it. So unlike me that when I told Husband what I did, his exact words to me were; "That is so unlike you".

I was reading the MSN Money message board the other day... there is a group of people that saved $200,000 in 6 months- very inspiring to me!!... and stumbled upon the smart buys (or something like that) section. Well, staring me in the face was something that I didn't really need, per se, but something that is very practical and used everyday. I have had trouble finding it in the past, and there it was. Not only was it there and available, but it was cheap! Like, super cheap. I mean c.h.e.a.p. Cheap. (Are you getting that it was really cheap?) So, I saw it, I clicked it, I signed into my account, I clicked again, and it was purchased. I didn't talk to Husband about it. I didn't look around online to see if I could find a better deal somewhere else. I didn't hem-and-haw over weather or not we truly needed it. I didn't mull it over for days wondering if it was really worth spending the money on. I didn't analyze why it was such a good deal. I just bought it. Again, very unlike me.

I checked on my order this evening, and saw that the price has doubled in the last 36 hours. Now I feel like I really got a good deal. It makes me wonder how much I have missed out on all those times I put off making a purchase just so I could think it over, and over, and over only to lose out on the great deal because I spent too much time thinking it over. Hmmm, will this lead to a change in my spending pattern? No, probably not. But next time I see something that I will actually use on a daily basis for 85% off, I certainly won't hesitate to click right away. I have to admit, it makes me feel like a very prudent shopper to know that I got such a good price!

What is this super exciting, amazing, wonderful daily-use thing that I got such a fantastic deal on? Brace yourself for the excitement... silverware. A 45-piece place setting of silverware!! Now that I typed that, I realize just how awfully mundane my life must seem! But whatever... a deal is a deal. If only I could get Husband to find that kind of deal on some diamonds...

Thank You

2008-09-11T22:09:00.004-05:00

Thank you to all of you who serve our country, thereby serving us.

Thank you to all the families that have sacrificed so much to make this country the amazing place that it is today.

Thank you to all those who remember (and will truly never forget) the day that changed our lives forever.

Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday

2008-09-10T20:51:00.005-05:00

Welcome to Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday. In an attempt to structure my blogging life (please ignore the previous attempt at organization as it fell flat on it's face pretty much right out of the chute), I have deemed Wednesdays to be Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesdays. This will be a day that I will share something that I think is wonderful. It will not be a day for sap to ooze while I gush on and on about how wonderful my husband is, my kids are, my dog is, etc.

No, this will be a day to be in wonder and awe of stuff. Stuff that we all should think is wonderful. Things like... Ziploc baggies with the sliding zipper. Pre-shredded cheese that comes in a resealable bag. The automatic car wash. The floor mat cleaning machine at the automatic car wash. Mr. Dyson and his awesome vacuum. The light bulb. Paint. I think you probably get the point.

Today, for the inaugural Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday, I choose to share my enthusiasm and fondness for the Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush toilet cleaning system. It enables me to clean my toilets and never have to touch a chemical. I open the little container with the scrubbing pads in it, slide the little thingy on the handle to lock the scrubber in place, and scrub away. When mt toilet bowl is sparkling clean and fresh, I simply slide the thingy again and toss the scrubbing pad in the trash. I then store the handle until I need to use it again. Done. Gone are my days of storing a toilet brush and sprinkling that nasty powdery stuff in the bowl. Thank you, Scrubbing Bubbles, for making cleaning my toilets- not a joy, or even a pleasure- tolerable. I think, given the circumstances, that this is a very generous compliment.

And there you have it. Tune in next Wednesday for another edition of Wow! That's Wonderful! Wednesday. If you have anything that you would like to wonder at... please share it! :)

Catching Up

2008-09-10T14:23:00.004-05:00

Contrary to popular belief (or to no one's belief, but whatever...) I have not fallen off the face of the earth. It's just that life has caught up with me.

When school started for son... life kicked up a notch for everyone in our house. We had a pretty relaxed Summer, and now it's time to get moving! Since I last posted...

*My parents were here for what ended-up being a 2 week visit
*I started back to school
*Daughter started school 2 mornings a week
*Husband started back to work
*Both kiddos have been to the Dr.
*1 kiddo has been to the ER
*I have fallen behind on my housework
*I have started back to my weekly Bible study
*We now have 6 guitars in our house
*I have felt guilty for having not yet taken my violin lessons that I got for my birthday (in JANUARY!!)

Since I started this post...

*My children have not stopped crying. They are mad at me. Very. Mad. They are both cranky. With a C_R_A_N_K_Y. They both feel that it is necessary to share their overwhelming crankiness with me. Thank you very much, but I think I'll pass on that one!

****I will now try to get back to your regularly scheduled Blogging.****

Not Much To Say

2008-08-22T21:28:00.003-05:00

I don't really have much to post, but I feel as if I should since it's been a while. So, here are just a few things going on in my house:

-We have a new Friend that came to visit us today. Her name is Fay. Some of you mat have heard of her. We'll see how long she stays around.

-Son is still loving school. He thinks it is the greatest thing to be able to go every day. I am soooo glad that he likes it. It has changed his attitude around the house, too- always a plus to have a happy kid.

-Daughter is really enjoying her alone time with Mommy and Daddy. She is very excited when "Bruder" gets home for the day though!

-Husband is enjoying being at home, I think. Since his surgery was last week, he still has a week and a half before he has to go back to work. I'll miss having him around during the day.

-I registered for school on Thursday. That could be a post in and of itself. Maybe tomorrow. I will start on Tuesday of next week.

-My parents are coming for a visit. They will be here for 10 days. We are looking forward to having them around and being able to spend time with them!

Husband just cam in and informed me that I am missing the 50m Men's Race Walk. You all know just how much "I love me some" Race Walk (some more Southern vernacular for you). I hope the skinny little guys git to the end of their race to no where quickly!

First Day Of School

2008-08-18T20:19:00.003-05:00

Son started preschool today.

He went 3 mornings a week last year, but this year is different. He is gone 5 mornings a week. At his school last year, I had to take him and drop him off at his class each morning, and wait outside his class in the hall for him to be done. It sometimes seemed more like a glorified play group than tyre preschool. This year, I can walk him to his class in the morning if I want to (otherwise we can use the carpool lane and just drop him at the curb where he will be "escorted" to his class by school staff) and then, if I'm not using the carpool lane to pick-up, I have to wait in the lobby for the class to be dismissed and the children to be brought out. I have to say... this all seems awfully grown-up to me.

Last year, Son cried every morning that I left him at school. About 2 minutes after I was out the door, he was over it and playing (I would wait outside the door or watch through the window where he wasn't able to see me). He had a good time every school day, but there was always a bit of dread when the time came to actually go to school. Lots of questions... "Who is going to pick me up? Do I have to stay for naps? Is my regular teacher going to be there? When are you going to come get me?" If I were an outsider listening to his questions, I would think that his mother routinely failed to fetch him from school so that he had to stay all day, take naps on rocks, was left with a new teacher each day and then had a total stranger arrive at the end of the day to take him home. Please note... not once did I forget to pick my child up from school. Only once was I late, and I called the school to let them know it was going to be 5 extra minutes. Son never had to take a nap, he had the same teacher in his class almost all year, and Husband and I were the only people to pick him up from school. Ever.

So, being the kind and thoughtful mother that I am, I figured I would launch a preemptive strike against his fears. Last night while Son was in the tub, I was telling him about how he was going to go to school, I would drop him off, pick him up, his teacher was named ___ and would be there all year (he met her at Open House on Friday), ect. His response was "I know. I know. I know. I know. I met her already and she's nice. Can I smell the shampoo when you wash my hair?" I guess we didn't need to have that conversation!

This morning, he was up and ready to go. He got himself dressed- shoes and all- before he even came out of his room (he did have to change before we left for school though... a ratty t-shirt and high water jeans are not the most appropriate school clothes), ate breakfast, brushed his teeth and was ready to head out the door about 45 minutes early. Once we got to school, there were no tears, no hesitations, no nervousness... just 5 kisses, 5 hugs, and confidence as he walked into the room and started his new school year. I was so proud!

Now the true test will be how things go once he realizes that he gets to do this every morning! As some people know... the next day isn't always as great as the first.

Tag... I'm It!

2008-08-17T20:29:00.003-05:00

OK- so I mentioned yesterday that I was tagged by Some People Call Me Mom... here we go!

Four jobs I’ve had:
1- Barista
2- Nanny
3- Restaurant Manager
4- Administrative Assistant/ Office Manager

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:
1- Never Been Kissed
2- Back to the Future (all 3!!)
3- Sweet Home Alabama
4- Moulin Rouge

Four places I’ve lived:
1- California
2- North Carolina
3- Alabama
4- Alaska

Four TV shows I watch:
1- Lost
2- How I Met Your Mother
3- Divine Design
4- Jon and Kate Plus 8

Four places I’ve been:
1- Mexico
2- Victoria, Canada
3- Fairbanks, Alaska
4- Kingsburg, California (Home of Sun-Maid raisins!!)

Four people who email me regularly:
1- My Mom
2- Husband
3- Sis J
4- Small Group Folks

Four of my favorite foods:
1- Cheese
2- Ice Cream
3- Grilled Veggies
4- Beans

Four places I would love to visit:
1- Egypt
2- Ireland
3- Paris... at the finish of the Tour de France
4- the Caribbean

Four things I’m looking forward to in the coming year:
1- Son enjoying his new school
2- Watching Daughter discover who she is outside of being around her brother
3- Visiting Sis J and BW in Chicago
4- Getting to develop new relationships through the new year at CBS

Four -3- 2- friends I’m tagging: (I don't have that many Friends)
1- Ashley's Adventures
2- The Musings and Thought of Anna

The Funniest Thing I Have Seen In A Long Time

2008-08-16T20:48:00.006-05:00

Husband had shoulder surgery on Thursday, so we have been doing a whole lot of nothing as a family for the last several days. That happens to work out well since it is time for the Olympics.

Husband has the DVR set to record all the Olympic coverage we can get. As we don't get NBC at our house, we don't get to watch the "good"Olympics. You know, all the stuff that people really want to watch. Swimming, diving, gymnastics... Instead we get things like handball, white water rafting, table tennis, field hockey, weight lifting, air-rifle... and the crowning glory of all the cast-off Olympic sports (please note that I use the term "sports" loosely here) race walking. Are you kidding me? Race walking? I thought that was something ladies did to try and shrink their hip size!

We turned the recorded Olympics on tonight after the kids got into bed (as has become our custom for the last few nights) and on came the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. Mens' 20km Race Walk. If you are in the mood for a giggle, check out all the skinny little men with their hips waggling along, trying their hardest to get somewhere (or no where since they are on a set loop course) quickly without running. Husband said he thought they needed some good music playing as a sound track- something along the lines of "What Is Love"... think Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell. I said they needed to have polyester jogging suits and hips about a mile wide. I just can't help thinking of the stereo-typical group of older ladies that "power walked" downtown in the evenings of the small town that I grew up in. I can't laugh too hard though, as the reason I saw those ladies so often is because I was out there with them!!

And now... I have been "tagged" by my friend over at Some People Call Me Mom. But, I'm going to cheat and wait until tomorrow to share and to tag others. I have some more obscure Olympic sport coverage to watch tonight.

Random Conversation of the Evening

2008-08-14T20:21:00.003-05:00

Daughter (lying in bed): Mommy, come in here. Mommy, come in here. Mommy, come in here.

Me (entering Daughter's room): What is it Daughter?

Daughter (standing up in her bed, reaching for a hug): I want nose napkin.

Me (wondering if I heard correctly): You want a nose napkin?

Daughter: I want nose napkin, please.

Me (moving toward tissue box): Here's a nose napkin.

Daughter (waiting patiently as I clean her nose): Thank you, Mommy.

Me (moving toward door after laying Daughter back in bed): Goodnight, Daughter.

Daughter: Thank you, Mommy. Goodnight.

Thanking me for wiping her nose with a "nose napkin"? (By, the way... not what the rest of the family calls it!!) Do I have the most polite 2- year old on the planet? If not, she has to be right up toward the top of that list!!

Bread like Bricks...

2008-08-14T07:14:00.002-05:00

More later...

The Saga Continues

2008-08-12T20:13:00.003-05:00

I have AFB baking in the oven right now.

It looked sad and wimpy when I pulled it out of the fridge. I added the final ingredients and began to mix. The dough began to look angry. And then... it grew. I quickly finished the mixing, spooned it into the bread tins and popped it into the oven. That is where it is now. I just went to peek at it and it is still growing. Yes, I realize that bread is supposed to rise in the oven, but this seems to be rising very quickly. We'll see. I also realized that I pushed a button on my oven and I don't know what it does. Again, we'll see.

Has anyone ever seen that episode of "I Love Lucy" where she bakes the bread and when she opens the oven door it just keeps on coming out until she is pinned against the wall? If you don't hear from me tomorrow, assume that I am pinned against the wall... and send Ethel for help.

Bad Bread Juju

2008-08-11T20:04:00.004-05:00

Maybe I shouldn't even try to make all of the variations of Amish Friendship Bread that I had previously decided to do. I think my negligence may be creating some negative bread-related feelings.

My thought was that, every 10 days, it would be great fun to have some new and wonderful smells filling my home with the scent of homemade loveliness. It was going to be wonderful to have fresh baked bread that my husband and children would cherish with each delicious nibble because of all the love that was stirred into the batter with each whisk of my wrist. I was going to be that mom on my street that always had some yummy treat just waiting for the neighborhood kiddos to much on whenever they stopped by. Not that it happens now... my kids are only 4 and 2. Not so much in the friends-stopping-by-to-snack stage of life yet. But I was thinking waaaaay in the future here, people!

Not so much.

The first batch went swimmingly, as some of you may remember. The next batch didn't go well at all. As in, I was late "feeding" the starter and it started to bubble and foam like a big, mushy, rabid blob. That bag of starter took a trip to the dump before it decided that it was so hungry and neglected that it needed to feed on my small, sweet children in the middle of the night. A friend gave me one of her starters, and that was going well. I fed it, got it separated, and started to mix the ingredients for another batch of bread tonight. I then realized that I don't have any eggs. My recipe calls for 3. SO, I decided to break ALL of the rules and see what happens tomorrow. I put it in a glass bowl (not glazed ceramic or plastic per the instructions), mixed it with a metal whisk (you are specifically told not to use anything metal) and then put cling wrap over the top and stuck it in the fridge (do. not. refrigerate.). I'll pick up some eggs tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.

Stay tuned and see how the Great Bread Saga of 2008 turns out.

Friends

2008-08-10T20:45:00.003-05:00

I know this is going to sound sappy, but Husband and I have been blessed with wonderful friends. Being a military family, we have friends all over the globe (literally!) and are truly thankful for each and every one. There are lots of friends that we don't get to talk to or see as often as we would like to, but that doesn't mean that we care for them any less.

I have a friend that used to live next door to me. She put out a fire inside my house while I stood outside panicked. Enough said.

I have a friend that I grew up with. We literally grew up just a couple of houses down the street from each other. We have known one another longer than we have known our own siblings. Even after 25 years of knowing each other and living in opposite ends of the country, we still talk on a regular basis. We have grown up. Boyfriends have come and gone, jobs have changed, moves have been made, husbands have come along, babies have been born, but we are still friends... and I love it!

Husband and I have friends that we met when we were stationed at our first duty station. They were a little further along in life (not older!). While it was just Husband and I (and the dog, of course) they had 2 kiddos with another one to join the family soon. When She friend went into labor with kidlet #3, Husband and I went to stay with the older 2. Wow! To let 2 people with no children care for their 2 children... that's trust (or foolishness on their part- you decide which!). Between our families there have been more moves than one would care to count. But whenever possible, we make the effort to spend time together. Our lives have all changed dramatically... illness, moves, job changes, moves, adding more children to the mix, moves... yet we still remain friends.

My family meets with a group of people each week to "do life" together. We are able to get to know one another as both individuals and as couples. When things are tough, we are able to pray for one another and encourage one another. When things are going well, we are able to be celebrate together. These are the type of friends that lend you a car while yours is in the shop. These are the type of friends that will take care of your children while your husband is having surgery so that you don't have to worry a bit about them. These are the type of friends that offer to take your children after your husband has surgery so that you can have a break! These are the type of friends that feel comfortable enough with you to ask how the stud stays in your nose and then follow up with the question of weather or not boogers stick to it. Now how's that for friendship?

I have a friend that I went to high school with, whom my husband dated, and that I shared an apartment with in college. We too, have remained friends over the years. Are we as close as we used to be? No, life changes things. (Not living in the same house really can change how often people see one another!) But does that mean that I love her any less or think of her less than daily? Certainly not.

Sitting at dinner tonight, with some of our friends, I was overcome with gratitude. I have been blessed with truly wonderful people in my life. I have friends who love and care for me. I have a husband who loves me with every fiber of his being and is so much more than I ever dreamed of. I have children who adore me and look up to me and really are the sweetest little people I have ever met (even though they are on the stinker list occasionally!). I have a family that loves and supports not only me as part of their flesh and blood, but my Husband and children, just as if they were their own. I have a God who loves me so much that He truly gave ALL just for me... so that I could have the life that I don't deserve.

I hope that in my life I can be a friend to someone- even just one someone- that will be able to make a difference in their life as much as just one of the wonderful people in my life has for me.

Birthdays and Cakes and Presents, Oh My!

2008-08-08T20:50:00.005-05:00

BIRTHDAYS:
We have been involved in celebrating no less than 8 I kid you not kiddo birthdays since the beginning of July. We are just about birthdayed out around here. "Happy Birthday" has become the family theme song. We have done enough renditions of it that Daughter sings it to everyone (including the dog and her beloved Bear) and that she sings it to you whenever she brings you some of the delicious cake or "birthday soup" that she cooks in her new kitchen. Today we were supposed to be at 2 birthday parties... at the same time of course. Obviously that didn't happen. We did have a great time at the one we did attend though.

CAKES:
I didn't post last night because I was working on a birthday cake. A friend of ours asked me to make a Spider Man themed cake for her 4-year-old's birthday... the first one turned out pretty well, but the second one rocked- if I do say so myself. There were cement-block buildings of various sizes with Spider Man perched on the top and his web thrown over the city streets below onto the neighboring buildings. The larger of the towers began to lean as the humidity grew here, so I wasn't thrilled about that. I think that the birthday boy and his mom were excited about them though, and that's what matters.

PRESENTS:
Since both Son and Daughter have July birthdays, we have received presents in the mail at least once a week for the last 6 weeks now and the kids will soon grow disappointed when the Mail Man- excuse me- Postal Carrier no longer leaves packages for them at the door step. We have also purchased numerous gifts for kiddos of many different ages. I have the 4-year-old boy gift giving down pat, and the 2-year-old girl gift is like second nature, but beyond that I have a bit of trouble. We went for the cool kid sport watch for the 7-year-old boy tonight. Boys that age are into racing and timing stuff, right? What better way to keep track of all things competitive than with a sport watch?! Weather he ends up liking it or not... that is what he got. I'll probably think back on this night in 3 years (when Son is 7) and wonder just what I was worried about. In 15 minutes he won't remember anything but the new bike (or Rollerblades, or skateboard, or whatever the cool thing is at the time) that Mom and Dad got for him!

OH MY!
I'm tired. There are a zillion things going on and no end in sight. That must mean that the Summer is winding down and school is starting up! At least in our house a full calendar (usually) makes for happy people. This family does NOT like to be bored! I guess I'll take a breath and dive right in! Wish me luck!!

This Week

2008-08-06T19:21:00.004-05:00

I realized this morning that it had been a week since I last posted. It has been quite an "interesting" week, and I was just too pooped-out to post.

This last week was not particularly pleasant... lots of stuff going wrong, people getting sick, and stuff needing to be fixed. Let's just put it this way... if there were a game show (hosted by Chuck Woolery- of course!) titled "How Many Ways Can You Hemorrhage Money?" we would be the winners of this week's show!

It hasn't been a week of total yuckiness though- we have had some good things too. Daughter turned 2 this past week. My how time flys! We have had some small victories with Son and a few bad habits that he had gotten into. (2 weeks in a row now of no clinging and screaming when he was dropped off at school or church!!) I got some really great deals on school clothes for the kids during our tax-free weekend. Husband and I got to go out and see Batman. AWESOME!!! I don't know that I have ever said this about any movie, but I would go see it again in a heartbeat... and not just because Christian Bale is so easy on the eyes! One of our crepe myrtle trees in the front finally bloomed.

I am off now to eat ice cream and then work-out. That way the ice cream doesn't have a chance to settle into anything and it doesn't count that I ate it.

No Bread Today...

2008-08-06T12:55:00.003-05:00

No bread when it should have been Bread Day, either. I missed a day or two (which turned into about 5 days) on the Amish Friendship Bread, so there is a bit of delay in the bread tasting. I have a friend that has offered to let me have one of the starters from the starter that I gave her, so hopefully I will be back on track soon. There are about a zillion recipes just waiting for me to try out!

Caught You!

2008-07-29T20:07:00.003-05:00

Daughter has recently decided that she doesn't really need to stay in bed once we put her to bed. That means that we spend about 20 minutes putting her back into bed after we already put her to bed for the night. I think I figured out that if I cut her nap off early, she will just stay in for the night once she is down.

Today though, because selfish honesty here... I wanted to watch the end of a show on HGTV without interruptions (I know... so important!!) I let her sleep a little longer than usual. Needless to say, she has been up several times since putting her to bed. I thought I heard her up preparing to squish herself against the door to peek under it so I jumped up, quickly got to the door and flung the door open in hopes of catching her in the act and, therefore, teaching her that Mommy really does know what is going on even when she is not in the same room and you are supposed to be asleep.

So I'm thinking to myself "HA! Caught you!!"... and then I look over and see the precious little sleepy head snuggled deep into her bed, cuddling Bear- right where I left her. Nice going, Mom! Way to show Daughter just how smart you really are!

"I Just Wanted To Say Hi!"

2008-07-28T08:13:00.006-05:00

We were driving down the road yesterday and had a totally weird experience.

As we were sitting at a red light- on a major road in town- we see this woman get out of the car stopped behind us and start running toward our car. She starts waving her arms and smiling this somewhat-crazy-personish smile as she approaches my side of the car. Husband unrolls my window (BTW, thanks, Honey, for opening the car up to a wild looking random stranger running up to our car at the stop light for no apparent reason!) and she says "Hi! I'm from Alaska and I saw your licence plates and I just wanted to say Hi!". And then she runs back to her car.

Yes, we have licence plates from Alaska, and yes it does tend to make people stop to chat with us... ask what part we are from, what we thought of it, how we like it here ("Is it hot enough for you here?"- always followed by a little chuckle)... your typical out-of-towner type of chat. This happens lots of times in "box store" parking lots, occasionally in a restaurant parking lot, sometimes even at the gas station. Never however, had we ever had someone stop and run to us on the middle of the road. We figured that she must have been really homesick!

I Did It

2008-07-26T20:23:00.004-05:00

I sat down and wrote this post earlier this evening. It turned into something that I wasn't expecting and I don't know how willing I am to post the whole thing. Maybe tomorrow I will post it all, but for now- to quote a great movie- "No, there is too much. Let me sum up":

The other day I posted about having done something in my younger years that I was considering repeating. Well, I did it. I pierced my nose. OK-so I didn't actually do it, I went and had it done, but whatever. I realize that this still doesn't make me a wild woman (maybe it does to a few people, but not the majority of folks) but I don't think I'm going for Wild Woman status. Maybe just a little bit less not-wild!

Just A Peek

2008-07-24T20:10:00.003-05:00

I am not a particularly wild woman. Being bold for me means wearing red polish on my fingernails. I was a little wilder in my pre-motherhood years. Once upon a time, I cracked open my shell a little and poked my head into the big, wide world. I am thinking about doing it again. I am a bit uncertain of how it would be received, however.

We are headed to the beach for the weekend and I think that, if I were to do it, now would be the time to once again break out of my shell a little bit, to take another peek at that big world you hear so much about. The question is- just how far out if my shell am I willing to come? Hmmmmm...

Google Makes Me Giggle

2008-07-23T19:27:00.004-05:00

I discovered something last night that I really got a kick out of. This is only going to add to the mounding pile of evidence that I am indeed a nerd... but try this:

Google "Eyebrow floss" and see what you get. Go ahead, I'll wait...

That's right! I Really Ought To Be Doing Something Else is #2 on the list of results. That makes me giggle. (When you Google me, I giggle!) I realize that this is not a major- or even minor, I don't think- accomplishment in life, but I still think it's pretty cool.

Is This Really Me?

2008-07-22T20:07:00.003-05:00

I have been blogging now for about 3 months. I am perfectly willing to admit that I have not been as faithful to is as some are, but I have been at it on a fairly regular basis.

My immediate family members have not been regular readers. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are certain someones in my immediate family that have not even read one post, but that's OK. Blog reading isn't for everyone- I know this particular person would rather pick up the phone and call. (That way there's a chance that one of my kiddos will be around to talk to also!) One of my sisters, however, has read at least one post... this I am sure of. How can I be so sure? Because after reading my first post (and I do think it's the only post she's read) she asked me who wrote it. That's right, Sis J really asked me who wrote the post on my blog. When I informed her that I was the one who posted on my blog (with maybe just a hint more incredulity and the biggest eye-roll ever known to mankind thrown in for good measure) she informed me that this is not what she thought my inner monologue would sound like. Apparently knowing me for the last 25 years has not been long enough for her to realize that this is me. This is who I am. Nerdiness and all.

The Bakery Is Open

2008-07-20T20:53:00.007-05:00

A friend of mine gave me something called "friendship bread" about 10 days ago. I had never heard about it, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I graciously accepted it.

It turns out that it is a type of bread starter that you are given. As the days go by, this starter grows, you add a few more ingredients as you go along, and the stuff continues to grow. 10 days later, you divide the starter that you have had for the last week and a half, toss some more ingredients in, mix it up, pop it in the oven and you've got bread! The parts that you have divided (the starters) are put into their own bags and sent on their merry way so that your friends can make some bread of their own. Hence the name "friendship bread". I'm sure there is some sort of heart-string tugging story that can go along with the origination of the bread and how it was some one's hope that through one little starter of bread, the whole world will one day be united (or something like that, but maybe not quite so cynical) but I don't know what it is- nor do I have the desire to discover the humble beginnings of this phenomenon right now.

Yesterday was day 10 of my friendship bread bag and therefore the day to divide and bake. When I got the bag of goo, I also was given the directions and a recipe. I used the recipe that was provided (with a little bit of tweaking since my family can be a bit particular) and it turned out deliciously. It is a wonderfully moist cinnamon bread that has proven to be just right as an accessory to my morning coffee, a great afternoon snack for just-up-from-nap kiddos, and the perfect treat for the late-night snack with a glass of chocolate milk.

Unlike some people that I know, I had never truly made bread until this point. The only bread making experiences I had were:
1) Open the box and follow the directions before pouring the batter into muffin tins
2) Open the box and follow the directions before pushing the start button on the bread machine

I had a very pleasant time making the bread and have decided to add my first "feature" to my blog. I have yet to come up with a catchy title for it, but I am going to keep on with this friendship bread thing and try all the different recipes for it that I can. I think it will help me to add some "focus" to my blogging and I think my family will enjoy tasting my experiments! So if you don't check back in before then, come see me in another 10 days and find out what the next bread is!

****UPDATE**** I did a bit of research and discovered that this is called "Amish Friendship Bread". There are about 5 zillion different variations of this bread, so stay tuned... I'll be baking bread from "Can 'til Can't". (A local phrase I learned recently... maybe I'll keep you updated on all those little gems as well!!)

Shake, Shake, Shake Senora!

2008-07-19T20:52:00.004-05:00

I am feeling the need for change. I need to shake things up a bit.

I have changed some things around here on the Blog page, but I am not satisfied. I think I need more pizazz or something. You know... something that you see and think, "Holy Cow! This woman's page in unbelievable. She must be so interesting and creative and I can't wait to read what she has written. In fact, her site looks so great that even though I haven't read anything yet, I can't wait until she writes again in the future just so I will have a valid reason to come back and look at this page again!"

My problem is this... I don't know what I am doing. Just setting this thing up this far has been a stretch for me. I am actually very proud of myself for getting this far all on my own. Do I stick with my pride and just hack along trying to figure out how to "pizazz it up" on my own, or do I give up and ask for help?

I will leave it at this... if you have any suggestions, please leave them- I think I need the creative inspiration- and I will try to get things moving from there!

Can You Get What In Writing?

2008-07-14T20:23:00.004-05:00

I was in my bathroom putting on my lipstick this morning and Son wandered in to see if there was anything exciting going on. Apparently the most exciting thing going on in our house at 7:30 in the morning is me applying lipstick since he stuck around for a while. We were chatting about something (I can't remember what it was) and he says to me, "You know, since I'm 4 now I'm not going to fuss." My immediate response to this statement was "Awesome. Can I get that in writing?" Well, that just opened a whole new can of worms. "Can you get what in writing? What does that mean? Where do you want me to write something?" How do you explain the concept of a contract to a 4- year old? Thinking back on it, I could have done a much better job of explaining it than I did, but I only had a cup and a half of coffee in my system at that point, so I'll cut myself a little slack.

Anyway... after several attempts of explanation into just the basics of a contract, Son was frustrated and so was I. He didn't get it, and I didn't know how else to explain it. Son really likes to know everything there is to know about anything and he just wasn't getting it. So what is the natural progression for a frustrated 4- year old? You guessed it... he fussed about it.

I knew I should have gotten it in writing when I had the chance.

What???

2008-07-11T21:01:00.003-05:00

I said something today that until this point in life, I never even imagined I would say. "A 37 pound watermelon really puts a cramp in my refrigerator organization." What?? That was not a typo- I have a 37 pound watermelon in my fridge. It is so big that I had to remove a shelf to make it fit. It weighs as much as my 4-year old son does. Husband said it wasn't even the largest one at the Farmer's Market, either.

This may be shedding a little bit of light onto a few things about me, but I am truly amazed by this watermelon. It's a melon... as heavy as my son. Not only is it big and heavy, but it is a yellow- flesh watermelon. When we cut it open tomorrow for Son's birthday, it won't be the normal pinky-red juicy thing that we cut into... it will be yellow. And it will still weigh just as much as the Birthday Boy.

I am so amazed by this particular fruit, I think I will take pics and post them here, just so you can be amazed too. Because it's a piece of fruit, and it weighs as much as my kid.

The Sigh Heard Around The World

2008-07-07T20:05:00.004-05:00

That sound you thought you heard this afternoon? The one that sounded like a stressed out crazy woman sighing a sight of relief? That was probably me. Then the slightly softer sigh-ish sound you heard? Probably that of my family.

I was able to count off several projects today that I was stressing about. Daughter's new headboard and bedding are now complete. The new art pieces for Son's walls are now finished and hung. The stinky, yellow, suicidal fern that was drowning on my front porch (it was root- bound and tried to escape to a happier life through the drain hole in the bottom of the pot, preventing the water from draining and therefore making it's sad life even sadder) has been salvaged, cut down to just living parts and repotted. The back flowerbed has been weeded. By the way, the grasshoppers are back, though not with quite as many reinforcements. Husband poisoned again this evening, hopefully they will stay away forever. I don't think I can live my life with a chicken running around my back yard. Husband is currently out purchasing the last of the birthday presents for Son's birthday on Wednesday. My laundry is finished, though I still need to fold and put away several loads of it.

I am a much happier lady now. My family no longer wants to throw me to the wolves. (In our house we have a frequent saying... "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"- which has been a bit on the true side the last day or two!)

Aaaaahhhhhhh. Now, back to life as usual.

Feeling Thin

2008-07-06T20:44:00.006-05:00

I wish I were feeling thin in the pants... but alas, I'm only feeling thinly stretched.

I am an advertiser's dream... just ask Husband. If a commercial comes on for a hamburger, it always sounds so good I just have to have one. Chicken? I to have some that's "finger lickin' good". A new coffee drink? Can we skip the glass and just give it to me intravenously? Subway commercials are really the killers for me, especially when I'm pregnant. With Son, Husband and I were at our local Subway often enough that I didn't even have to tell them what I wanted. True confession time? It was so bad that when I sent Husband in to get a sandwich for me at 1:30 am, they knew what to make when he walked in. I'm not just a sucker for food advertisements, though. I want to try so many things. The Perfect Patch grass seed, Aqua Globes, Diamonique jewelry, you name it...

So what does all this have to do with being stretched thin?

Enter the national home improvement store advertisers. They convinced me that since it was a long weekend it would be the perfect time to start all of those little projects around the house. Please note that if you really listen to those commercials, they don't tell you that it is the perfect weekend to complete all those little projects, just to start them. Well, I bought it. I started several of those "little projects". I finished none of those little projects. I really hate (I don't often use the word hate, in fact it is a naughty word in our house, but that's how strongly I feel about this!) not having things finished. It stresses me out. It makes me not sleep well. Then I am tired and don't have the energy to work on the things that are stressing me out and not making me sleep well, and it just is a vicious ugly circle. Oh how I need to break the circle!

I am sitting here, typing away, formulating a plan. I wonder if it will work? It all starts with me being up around 5:00 am tomorrow, so I Really Ought To Be heading off for bed, or at least off to folding the laundry that is impeding my path to the bed.

Wish me luck! Does anyone have a sleeping pill so that I can get a good night sleep before being up at 0-dark:30?

She's A Big Girl Now

2008-07-02T19:38:00.004-05:00

My Baby isn't so much a baby anymore. Tonight is her first night in a "big girl bed". Daughter has been in a toddler bed for some time now, but tonight it is official. We went to the store this morning and found a twin mattress set for a killer deal, brought the bed home this afternoon, and this evening she sleeping in a real bed. No more crib kiddos.

I have to say I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.

She's our baby and it's sometimes tough to realize that she's no longer much of a baby. Sometimes I wonder if I have cherished things enough. Do I spend enough time soaking up the memories while I am changing her diapers? Once she is potty-trained, there won't be anymore time spent with her up on the changing table asking me to blow on the bottoms of her feet. Do I spend enough time relishing the wiggle worm trying to squirm away from me while I am clipping her fingernails? Once she is old enough to know that I am not going to chop her finger off, she won't have to snuggle so close while I'm clipping. And what about when she yells "Hep! Hep!" (that translates to "Help! Help!" for those of you not well versed in toddler-eeze) when she can't reach her spoon all the way to the bottom of the yogurt container? Will I miss stopping in the middle of whatever I am doing to rescue the pitiful short-fingered little yogurt monster?

She's our baby and it's sometimes amazing to realize that she's no longer much of a baby. Sometimes I think about all of the cool stuff coming our way. Family bike rides. Summer trips to the beach- when we will all be allowed to actually get in the water, unlike now. Trips to Disneyland. Watching my precious baby Daughter growing from this little tiny thing that we brought home from the hospital and held in one arm into a real person whom her Daddy will eventually lead- once again on one arm- to start a life and a family of her own.

So no more crib kiddos. Am I sad? A little. Am I excited? A lot! :)

Funky

2008-07-01T20:12:00.002-05:00

I have been in a bit of a funk lately. I have just been blah... do you know what I mean? I had just chalked it up to the fact that it is Summer and we really don't have much of a schedule going on. We are defiantly a schedule type of family. The kiddos haven't been in school on a regular basis, Husband has been traveling, Daughter was sick for a good week, and Son is getting stir crazy. I figured that all of this combined has just put me in a funk.

Until last night. Husband and I were sitting on the couch talking (while he gave me a foot rub!!) and something dawned on me. I was thinking about the sermon we had at church on Sunday and it hit me like a ton of bricks. We are going through a sermon series called "Destinations" and so far it has proven to be fantastic (they usually are). The basis of the series is that we are all on different paths in life- the path of your marriage (or single life), your career path, your family path, even things like the type of entertainment you choose is a path that you are on. You may be on the right path, or you may be headed down a not-so-great path, but you are on a path none-the-less. (If you are interested in the series you can download it here.)

As Husband and I were just sitting and chatting about what the future hold for us (there are a lot of "what-if"s going on in our house right now!) it occurred to me that my funk isn't induced by anyone other than me. It isn't because Daughter was sick and wearing her Super Crank suit, it isn't because Son is getting to be more like a big boy every day and is therefore becoming more interested in stuff that I can't relate to at all (I just really don't understand the excitement of tackling your sister when she is peacefully minding her own business and reading books), it isn't because of a lack of scheduled outings or whatever else I can point my finger at. My funk is because of me and the paths I am on. I am not on a wrong path, and I don't even think I am headed in the wrong direction on the right path (unless I am really turned around and don't even know I'm not going the right way!!)... it's that I am on the path and just standing there. I am looking around at the scenery and becoming frustrated that it looks just like it did yesterday. What do I expect... I'm not going anywhere!!! That realization really compelled me to get off of my funky heine and do something to change the view. I started to get up at my "regular" time and not sleeping in just because we don't have anything on the docket for the day. I worked on keeping the house maintained instead of letting it slip into dust (not bunnies) jack-a-lope heaven. I worked on being kind to my children... not just tolerant and nice, but truly "I love you from the bottom of my heart and I am so glad that you are my kiddo" kind. I worked on lovingly communicating with Husband, not just interacting like a husband and wife in the midst of life with small children sometimes do.

You know... it's only been a day, but I feel a lot less funky.

Where Are The Gypsies When You Need Them?

2008-06-23T20:40:00.003-05:00

I spent all morning looking out the front windows hoping a band of Gypsies would wander down my street today.

I had just what they needed, and I hoped that they had what I needed. I was perfectly willing to trade 2 cute, whiny, foul tempered small children for a set of new pots and pans. Not just any posts and pans, they would need to be just the right kind, but you see, I need (well, don't exactly need right now but will soon need) some new pots and pans. What I did not need this morning was whining, crying, fit-throwing, ugly attitude filled children. Fortunately for my children (and for me, I suppose- In most of the world, it's frowned upon when you trade kids for cookware) it appeared there was to be no roving band of Gypsies traveling through our little town this morning.

After several hours of household bliss, I wondered... If we went to the larger neighboring town, would we find the aforementioned Gypsies?

Nope, but we did find Home Depot and got some stuff that Husband needed to finish a project that he started this weekend and was just this short on supplies. After a trip out of the house, a bit of fresh air, and a visit to our beloved Home Depot (Son would spend just about every day there if he had his way!) my cute, loving, happy, fun, silly children were back.

I'm glad the Gypsies didn't travel down our road today. I still need new pots and pans though.

Happy Solstice!

2008-06-20T19:49:00.004-05:00

Today is the Summer Solstice.

Summer Solstice is an exciting day in our house. For one thing, it is the true beginning of Summer (except this year as we are in the leap year cycle).

The real reason it is so exciting to our family is because Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. Here in the "lower 48" that doesn't really mean much. For us it is exciting because we have many fond memories attached to this mostly overlooked day. We spent 3 years in Alaska, the "land of the midnight sun" and the summers were fantastic! There were always lots of things to do during the summer... street festivals (like the Solstice Festival and the Midnight Sun Run), Community Band concerts held out in the downtown/ river park (which Husband played in), softball games, midnight baseball games (on the day of Solstice), playing at the Pioneer Park and riding the train with the kids, and always lots of time to dig in the yard. Since there was soooooo much sun, all of our flowers grew and grew and grew. We literally had to mow the yard twice as often as we have to here. It seemed like everyone in the building would be out working in their yards (at least all of the social people that we really enjoyed) at the same time and the evening intended for yard work would turn into a fun evening with friends. The kids would all ride their bikes in the parking lot, we would open the gates between fences and the dogs would run "free" back and forth like maniacs, the men would stand around and talk about whatever guys need to talk about, and the ladies would walk in endless circles around the parking lot pushing babies in strollers or guiding toddlers on tricycles. Sometimes we would be able to convince the men that they needed to do the pushing and the girls would sit and have a glass of wine together. What a great way to spend the evening!

So, for those of you who haven't truly celebrated Summer Solstice... go out and live it up tonight! The sun may have already set where you are, but go outside, close your eyes, and just imagine that you are basking in the midnight sun! I think I'll grab a glass of wine and head out there myself.

My Goals

2008-06-19T19:47:00.008-05:00

I set 2 goals for the week that Husband is gone.

The first goal was to not eat any junk food. Note I say was. That one hit the door about 6 hours after Husband left the door and the kiddos felt the need to push every single button I have. Yay, Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream. The ironic thing is that I set this goal for myself several days before Husband left, and since I knew I wasn't going to be eating junk for the whole week, I told myself that it was OK to just eat whatever I felt like since that would be it for at least the next week. Not so much.

The second goal is to organize something each day that he is gone. That one has been successful. Kiddos and I were at Target the other morning and there were several types of storage boxes for a super good deal, so I took advantage. I have gone through and organized the kid's craft cupboard, the pantry, the game cabinet, and each of the kid's toy closets. I also installed a shelf in Daughter's toy closet that we purchased before our trip to CA in May but hadn't installed yet. The directions on how to install it were not good, but with the assistance of a hammer and a few good whacks, the shelf went in beautifully. I am happy to say that I no longer fear for the lives of my children when they open their toy closets. Son's was so bad that on Tuesday I literally just closed my eyes and shut the door so that I wouldn't have to see what a disaster it was. It only took about 20 minutes of sorting, and not much throwing away, and it looked as good as new in there!

And the true question is... does anyone care that I cleaned out the closets? Did the kids even notice? Oh, the glamorous and exciting life of a SAHM.

We Have Not Been Reduced To A Pile Of Burning Embers

2008-06-17T17:24:00.006-05:00

I'm telling you this because I am kind and thinking of your feelings...

I know you probably couldn't even sleep last night because you were so filled with angst over weather or not I would have to be brave all alone and haul 2 children and the dog out of the house for fear that the roaring blaze next door would jump the .25 acre that separates our houses and set us ablaze. But fear not, Fair Friends, we all made it through the storm last night, though it was a whopper. There were somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 rolls of thunder. Neither of the neighbors' houses were struck by lightening or caught fire.

Now, get a good night's sleep tonight. I know you need it after being up fretting about us all last night.

Home Alone

2008-06-16T19:26:00.006-05:00

Well, not exactly alone. I still have 2 children and a dog at home, but Husband is gone. He had to go to Texas for work this week. I miss him already.

I know this is going to sound ridiculous... but it's stormy outside and I wish Husband were here to protect me. I really am not afraid of storms... in fact I actually enjoy them most of the time. What I don't like is when I have to be the brave one in the house. Say, if lightening hits the house next door to us (not likely, I realize) I don't want to have to be the only one to be brave and calm and round up the kids and the dog and all of the stuff you have to grab along with the kids and the dog after lightening hits the house next door to you and catches on fire. Do I sound nuts, yet?

When Husband was deployed I just about scared myself sick (literally) one night. Son was still very little and I was boiling his bottle parts and pacifiers (lovingly called "pluggies" in our house) after he went to bed. Well, I hopped on the computer upstairs in the office to do something and completely forgot that I had things boiling on the stove. I forgot until 11:00pm and the whole building fire alarm started going off. After I went downstairs to be sure that it wasn't me setting off the fire alarm late at night in the dead of winter when it was- honestly- 5 degrees outside, I realized that it was my kitchen on fire. The pot that I was boiling everything in had boiled completely dry and not just melted all of the rubber and plastic things in the pot, but literally set them on fire. I couldn't get the fire out by throwing a lid on the pot, so I ran upstairs to grab the baby and the dog (and all the stuff you have to grab along with the baby and the dog) and ran outside until the fire department came (from directly across the parking lot). Luckily, I was blessed to have a wonderful and calm neighbor who put the fire out with baking soda while I was outside completely freaked out. Thank you Olivia's Mommy!! After the fire department traipsed through the house leaving melted snow and black marks all over the first floor of the house (including on the walls- explain that!) things settled down a bit. I don't think I slept at all that night though!

Now you know why I like for husband to be here during a storm. Doesn't make a lick of sense, but welcome to my life!

From Bunnies To Jack-A-Lopes

2008-06-13T15:44:00.007-05:00

OK- I admit it. At times I can be a bit high-strung. Sometimes even a bit, how do I say this delicately?- anal. (Alright not so delicate, but truthful.) I also struggle a bit with perfectionism. I certainly don't expect other people to be perfect, but I tend to hold myself to a different standard. I can't remember if I have always been like this or if it is something that has developed as I have grown-up. Maybe it started when Husband deployed and I was the only mobile person in the house? (Son was 5 months old when Husband left... just a baby lump- though a very cute baby lump.) When you are the only one to "blame" when something isn't where it should be, it makes you pretty motivated to put things where they belong! At least that has been my experience.

Where was I going with this?

Oh yeah... high-strung. I have been pretty much on the high-strung side for the last... 2.5 months? We had a rather unexpected death in the family at the end of March that really seemed to throw me for a loop. I don't think that I have really been able to get my bearings back since then. My house has suffered the most, I think. I can't seem to keep up with the laundry, there always seems to be clutter out on the counters (not in the clutter basket where it belongs!!), we have progressed from just having dust bunnies to having dust jack-a-lopes. My whole cleaning schedule has really been off. Well, I lost it yesterday. The kiddos both went to hourly care on post and I got more done in the 3 hours while they were there than I have in the last 3 weeks. I attacked the house with a vengeance. I potted plants, I dusted, I cleared clutter from counters, I scrubbed bathrooms, I cleaned the stove, I cleaned floors (though not the garage floor, because Husband did that for me on Tuesday!!), I washed walls and baseboards, I finally got the house back into the condition that it belongs. And then my children came home.

For someone who doesn't like messes, and who truly doesn't function well in a messy environment, children can be a challenge. There's a part of me that wants my children to just sit on the couch and look pretty all day, that way they won't make a mess. But that's not what children are for. I have been blessed with 2 healthy, active children that really like to make messes, as children should. It's just finding that happy medium for me that sometimes causes a true internal struggle. Someone once told me to remember that the house "needs to be clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be happy". Maybe if I had that painted on a wall somewhere in the house it would be easier for me to remember.

Chickens Or A Hedgehog?

2008-06-10T19:57:00.004-05:00

We have been inundated by grasshoppers. The new flower bed that I mentioned in a previous post is taking the brunt of it. Each day the lovely hydrangeas that I planted look slightly less lovely than they did the day before. My daisies are beginning to look like they will soon be "pushing up daisies" of their own. I am nearing my whits' end.

I decided that I need to take some drastic measures here- measures other than going out into the backyard and squirting the grasshoppers while yelling at them to GO AWAY and leave my plants alone. I hopped online to see what type of grasshopper remedies I could come up with. (Because there you have the world at your fingertips.) Believe it or not, the most common suggestion I found was to get a chicken. Then there was the guy that suggested getting an hedgehog. A chicken. Or a hedgehog. For my backyard. Where my children and dog go to play. Give me a break.

Upon further research, I came upon a couple of yucky sounding concoctions that may do the trick. Then I remembered that we have a bug man. He is a man who gets bugs to stay away from my house professionally. I am happy to write him a check to make the grasshoppers GO AWAY and leave my plants alone. He will be here on Thursday morning. He might even be able to make them go away without yelling.

Summer In The South

2008-06-09T19:55:00.002-05:00

Summer in the south includes lots of sun in the morning, humidity all day and thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening.

Today was the first BIG thunderstorm we have had this year. The black clouds rolled in very quickly and the thunder started in fast. We lost power a couple of times... not enough to really throw things off, just long enough for us to have to reset the clocks. The thunder literally shook the house. The lightening was close enough at one point that I thought there was a chance of it actually hitting the house (not that I can be at all dramatic or anything). It did hit one of the neighbors fields. The rain was torrential... we actually watched the rain head to our house. It truly is a bizarre thing to see. Of course, I spent 45 minutes watering plants and bushes this afternoon before we got the 1/2 inch of rain. That's OK- we're all about letting God water our lawn for us. In fact, it is not unusual to hear Husband, Son or I saying "Thanks for the water, God!" during a rain shower.

I checked the weather online (which isn't surprising as I check the weather about 5 times a day... maybe I should be a weather girl?!) and we have thunderstorms and rain in the forecast for the next 10 days. We are super excited about that! We desperately need the rain around here... until today we hardly have had any rain for the last month. If we can take some of the rain for the poor folks in the Midwest right now, we'll do all we can!

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

2008-06-08T16:44:00.004-05:00

It is hot here.

We decided that to escape the heat here at home, we would take a trip to the beach for the day. The kids and I went to the store on Wednesday morning and bought all things beach related... beach towels, beach umbrella (really a patio umbrella because Wal-Mart doesn't sell beach umbrellas here), beach floaties, beach pails and shovels, beach whatever else we could think of. We were ready! Only 2.5 more days until we left! (Try to explain to a 3 year old on Wednesday morning that you are loading up on all this fun stuff so that on Saturday you can go to the beach... but you can't play with any of the fun stuff now because Mommy doesn't have anywhere for you to dig with your new shovel and pail except the flower bed that she just spent the better part of a long weekend digging and planting and mulching so that it would look pretty...)

Saturday arrives... we get up and are packed- new beach accoutrements, beach blanket, picnic lunch and more snacks than we know what to do with -and on the road by 9:00am. Only an hour later than we had hoped for, but whatever. We decide mid-drive that we are going to try a beach that we have never been to before, but is very popular not only with fellow South Alabamians, but with people all over the world. Since we have never been to this particular beach we decide that it would be a good idea to stop at the Visitor's Center to see just what we have in store for us (and because I really had to go potty!). After making the necessary first stop, I chat with the nice ladies that are there to give you info about where you should go, what you should see, etc. Only after finding out where the best "family" beach is, how to get there, where to park, yadda, yadda, do they mention that there is a "double red flag" posted for the day. Meaning that the water is closed. Yes, after driving in the car for almost 2 hours with Son asking (for almost 2 hours) if we are at the beach yet, the water is closed. As in, don't get in the water or the horrific riptide will suck you all the way to Cuba.

What the heck are we going to do now?

The nice ladies suggest a few alternatives... all of which we explored and decided against for several reasons:
1- Cost lots of money
2- The water is closed, so everyone else that drove almost 2 hours to go to the beach is trying to find something else to do too.

After all agreeing that so far this trip had not been fun, let's just all complain about it loudly together and get it out of our systems now we decide that we will go to the beach, not get in the water and at least have some lunch and play in the sand for a while. Turns out that was a good decision. The weather was perfect for a day at the beach. We found a great spot to lay everything out and dig in the sand (while eating sandwiches for lunch). We decided to try our luck and get in the water, a little. Neither of the kiddos really wanted to spend much time in the water. Son only wanted to get his calves wet and Daughter really didn't want anything other than her big toe to be wet, so this worked in our favor for the day. (It was nice to know that we wouldn't have to worry about any last-minute trips to Cuba.) The amount of water play was just enough to cool off when we got too hot and just enough to rinse off when we got too sandy.

Roughly 4 hours after arriving at the beach we decide to pack it up and head for home. The trip home was much easier, mainly because we knew which home we were heading to (unlike when we decided to try the "new" beach and just decided that it was "that direction"- not really knowing it was "that direction"). After arriving home we were still hot- it was about 15 degrees hotter at home than at the beach- but we were all so tired and had such a good time that we didn't care how hot we felt.

Chalk one up for another not-so-spur-of-the-moment-change-plans-in-the-middle-of-the-trip kind of family trip.

I Thought I Was Going To Wet My Pants...

2008-06-04T19:56:00.004-05:00

I was randomly zipping around the internet (because there you have the whole world at your fingertips!) and found an article titled "Bold Dresses for the Bold Bride" or something to that effect. I thought I would see how styles have changed in the wedding world since I was a part of it many years ago. Not that I was a "bold" bride, but whatever.

As I am clicking through the slide show of pictures I am seeing lots of dresses that I would never in my wildest imagination dare to wear, though I do find intriguing. Then I happen upon this picture. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants.

Now I can get over the yellow apron with black ink stains all over it. The dress as the bottom "layer" of the outfit seems like a dress that I would wear myself, should the occasion arise. I wonder is she knows that she is wearing a pin cushion for a bracelet? What really cracks me up is the fact that this poor woman apparently has one of two things (or two of two things) going on on her wedding day;

1- She is marrying a tyrant who won't even let her have their wedding day off from sewing clothes for all of the little elves that so painstakingly calligraphied (is that a word?) all of the wedding invitations by hand.

-or-

2- The poor woman's biological clock is ticking so loudly that she just wants to be done with it and let everyone know that, yes, she does realize that she is getting older and, yes, she does have babies on the brain. She, in fact, has so many babies on the brain that it is too difficult to even hold her head up straight.

Poor woman! I sure hope that the-seamstress-to-ink-spraying-elves-wife-of-a-tyrant can have kids soon so she can at least get that darned kink out of her neck!

It's 9:00... Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

2008-06-02T21:10:00.004-05:00

I know where my children are.

Daughter is laying on the floor in her room squishing her fingers under the door and saying "Mommy? Mommy? Mommy?".

Son is out of bed wandering around to tell me that he has "the most hiccups all the time".

And believe it or not, Husband has been sacked out on the couch for the last hour. (Not that he is one of my children, but I thought you might like to know anyway.)

What is going on in this house? Kiddos are usually in bed by 7:15 at the latest and asleep not long after that. Husband and I are usually in bed by 10:00 at the earliest (and asleep about 3 seconds after our heads hit the pillow!). Is it the knowledge that outside our house it's Summer time? Is it the knowledge that out in the yard it is not nearly as hot as it was this afternoon and might therefore actually be enjoyable to play on the swing set (except that we are experiencing about 4000% humidity right now)? Maybe it's the fact that the kiddos know that Daddy is asleep and feel the need to keep me company until my quilt finally finishes drying in the dryer (they are pretty sweet like that!) and I can go to bed myself.

Whatever it is, I Really Ought To Be Doing Something Else... like sorting through the large USPS Priority Mail box that I have stuffed full of papers (mostly junk mail, I think) to organize. It has been looking at me all day. I guess I should get to it now- I am afraid that if I ignore it any longer, it will crawl into bed with me in the middle of the night just so that I can't ignore it in the morning. Not such a nice thing to wake up to... unless it is bring me my coffee.

June

2008-06-02T17:08:00.002-05:00

It's June. How do I know? Not because the calendar says it is. Because we had June Bugs last night. Did I see any when I was outside on the night of May 31st? Nope. June 1st? Yep.

June Bugs... the most dependable calendar there is. Yuck.

Oh Sheets!!

2008-05-29T15:05:00.005-05:00

We have 3 beds in this house. I have washed 5 sets of sheets in the past 36 hours. The math just shouldn't add up. Put a little boy with too much to drink right before bed and a husband with a maimed thumb, and there's how the equation works.

The bright spot in this whole sheet washing frenzy? 2 "clean sheet" nights in a row. How I love to crawl into a bed that has not yet been slept in. Utterly wrinkle free. The lovely, symmetric fold lines still visible in the sheets. The light scent of freshly dried cotton as the quilt is folded down for the night and the linens are exposed. Oh, bliss.

It is the only night when I am guaranteed to be the first one in bed. Husband knows how much I love clean sheet night, so each week he dutifully stands next to the bed while I appreciatively crawl into the bed ever so slowly as to not wrinkle the smooth surface any more than is strictly necessary. I suppose it's the little pleasures in life that get you through, right?

The bad side of 3 beds = 5 sheet sets? I have to wash 5 sets of sheets (and fold them!!). The good side of 3 beds = 5 sheet sets? Clean sheet night x2 this week!