Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!


Friday, December 21, 2007

Papa's Coming to Town

My Dad will be here tomorrow! Wahoo! It will be the first Christmas I've spent with him in five years! He flies in tomorrow and will be staying with us for two weeks.

Today was the usual end of school/start of winter break for the kids. They had a day care party in the morning, and then Q had kindergarten today. While our class doesn't officially celebrate Christmas, me and the other Room Parent brought a craft and snacks today. I think it went well ... all the years of me working in Parks/Recreation/Museums came into play.

So, the fudge is cooling on the stove. The Rum Balls are sitting out overnight, per the directions. The brownies will be baked tomorrow. I will brave the early crowds and pick up two forgotten gifts at Kohls, and one "we have no place to put it so buy it at the last minute" from Target. This may not be fun, but I can hope for the best.

The Daughter and I will be going to my cousin's performance of The Nutcracker, while The Husband and The Son pick up The Father from O'Hare. Let's hope that the fog lifts and his flight is not delayed. My husband is a patient man, but I still wouldn't want to be hanging around the airport with a five year old waiting for a flight to land.

We're having chili for dinner tomorrow, if anybody cares. Chicken pot pie on Sunday.

And, I almost forgot, I got my blood test results back, and my cholesterol is 169! Hot diggity! It hasn't been this low in years, even when I was an anemic vegetarian. And I don't even eat oatmeal.

Enjoy the weekend - don't get too caught up in the last minute stuff to forget to take some time for yourself and your family and friends. Don't just get ready for it, but enjoy it.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

The Kids Favorite Gifts


My kids got these as gifts last night ... huge hit! Who would've thunk it? Her ski mask goes remarkably well with the red sparkly shoes she got as well.

Thanks Aunt Becky!

Photographic Week in Review

Since I've got a fancy schmancy new camera, why not have a photo week in review!

Last Sunday, at The Nephews 8th Birthday Party. Me, The Husband and The Father In Law taking a few minutes out of festivities, chatting. I think that The Husband eventually fell asleep ...





Our advent calendar, passed down from my Mother In Law ... she made it for the boys, and they used it growing up. Now it's ours ... it needs a little work, and after last nights party, a couple of ornaments are missing, so I'll be making new felt ornaments this week.









This is why I'm not fond of fund raisers, amongst other reasons ... I had to figure out where to put eleven cookie cubes until I could get them delivered. Luckily for me, most of them were delivered that night. In the middle of a icy snow storm. That's fun. At least if I would have wrecked myself, I had sustinence with me in the car.



This is what happens when you're in a hurry. You can run over your recycle bin. At least we weren't late for the school field trip, and the newspapers didn't blow away down the street. Downside to that, a new recycle bin is in my future. Woo Hoo! Merry Christmas to Me!


So today will be a day of recycle bin shopping, grocery shopping, driveway shoveling (darn snowblower isn't working for some reason), lazing around the house, eating leftover yummies from last night (cookies, cookies and more cookies). I may even make some stuffed green pepper soup - yum!


Whatever your week brings you, I hope it's fun!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Celebrating, Round 2

Today is the second Christmas Party of the year for us, and the first one that we are hosting.

I've got a list a mile long, and yet I choose to ignore it and cruise around the blog world for six more minutes. This is most likely the only quiet time I will get today, until after everybody leaves at 9:00, if not later. And, as a note, they are getting here at 2:00.

I've got a floor to mop, prizes to buy, gifts to wrap, surfaces to decorate ... it'll happen. If it doesn't, that's fine too ... I'm more of a minimalist when it comes to decorating. I don't like having every flat surface covered with "stuff" ... plus, the kids end up playing with it and then the "NOEL" train, says "NOL" for the rest of the season.

We'll be using the new camera today, so that will be fun. I've been having a lot of fun taking a lot of pictures. The quality is so much better too! If anybody is thinking about SLR, I say go for it. It's a lot of money (for us anyway), but it's so worth it. I've actually been able to get pictures of my daughter dancing, and she is not just a whirl of hair with a blurry face.

I have one minute left, on my self imposed internet time limit, so I am off to be joyous and merry, or something like that.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

something I shouldn't have bought

Chocolate Covered Peppermint Ice Cream Bites from Schwans.

Too yummy for my butts own good.

At least I was smart enough to put them in the basement freezer, so I have to go down there and eat them - if they were in the kitchen freezer, I would be in serious trouble.

Monday, December 03, 2007

did it

Well, I did it.

I bought the camera and all it's assorted accessories. But, by waiting almost six weeks, the price dropped by about $80.

I will admit that I'm excited to be getting it, and as an extra selling point, The Husband is getting a bonus at work this year, so we won't have to make payments, but will actually be able to pay it off when the bill comes in.

Let's hope I like it.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

weekend in review

It was an interesting week/weekend for us here ... nothing bad, just busy and interesting and mildly annoying.

Where to begin ...

Last week, our opening mechanism on our front door went out. You could still lock the door, you just couldn't get in from the outside, so the fact that it did lock was pretty pointless. We had to use the garage all week, which wasn't a big deal. Until Saturday.

You may have heard about the Winter Storm that hit the Midwest this past weekend. It hit us around 3:00 Saturday. We were getting ready to go to a Christmas Party, and because I hadn't felt well the night before, I didn't make a dessert, so I had to run to the local dairy store and picked up some cheesecakes. I made it back home, and because the door didn't work, I tried to use the garage. You may notice that I used the word tried. This indicated an attempt that was unsuccessful, due to a quarter inch of ice on the front of our house. Lovely.

And of course nobody heard me pounding on the front door for at least a full minute, so I got sleeted on too. Beauty-full!

So today DH took the door knob off and out fell some little plastic piece that is apparently vital to the proper functioning of a front door. He gave the rest of the knob to the kids and I think that they had it completely stripped in under ten minutes. I went to the hardware store and picked up a new door knob - did you know how many choices there are. Good Lord. All I wanted was a doorknob that locked and let me in when I wanted. So, I picked one up and brought it home, and I put it on. This was, without a doubt, the easiest door knob I have ever installed. The backplate just slides right over the screws, so no more dropping them. That in itself is so worth it. So now, we can actually let ourselves back in our house. What a nice feature.

And tonight I used my "super coupon" at JC Penney and finished Grandmas shopping - I managed to get clothes for five children, pants and a shirt for each, for under $97. Not too bad, I must say.

I learned something about Penney's tonight - if you have your own totebag to bring your purchases home in, which I typically bring with me, so as to not bring home more plastic bags, they will not use it. They have to put your purchases in a plastic Penney's bag. I asked her why and she said it was for security purposes. I said, even if I have my receipt in hand and am going the ten feet to the door (this is a free standing Penney's, not in a mall, which I would understand). She said yes, that there was no way to know if I had been wandering through the store shoplifting. And, the thought I had, but did not say was, "Okay, but I gave you an empty cloth bag, and am literally going straight to the door, but I'll take your stupid plastic bag, and trash the planet in the process. Thanks, Penneys, the Earth loves ya babe!"

For the past several months DH has been at a client site twice a week working on a system conversion. I'm not exactly sure what they are converting, but there is an inventory involved, and a lot of columns. The last few weeks have been hellishly bad for them all, and even at 4:30 on Friday (the conversion was scheduled to start at 6:00) they (not management, but the people doing the conversion) were hoping to get it delayed. But no, there was one other change made at 5:15, DH got home at 5:30 and went to the basement and kicked off the conversion at 6:00. He literally had to sit there and watch it until 6:45 Saturday morning, just to be sure it didn't stop for some reason or there was some other error. Did I mention that he had already worked a full work week by Thursday at noon and still worked from 8:00 - 5:15 on Friday.

There was a knock at the door at around noon, and the company set me flowers as an apology for keeping my husband busy the last few weeks, especially during what is normally family time. Do you know how hard it is to stay miffed at a company when they send you pink roses, cream gerber daises and white carnations, amidst greenery and pine? They're beautiful, and they totally took away my steam. So I guess they do realize how much DH has/is putting into it (he's down there working right now, fixing some problem they found).

And, keeping in the thread of being miffed, it's been so damn windy here that the plastic I have covering our west windows has popped on five of the eight windows I covered. I guess I sealed them too tightly. So now I can sit here and watch my blinds literally move with the breeze as the wind is gusting like crazy tonight. I think they're blowing at something like 25 - 30 mph. I suppose the blinds wouldn't dance as much if it was coming in all around the window, but now that it's funneled through the one spot where the plastic popped off, it almost looks like my window is breathing. It's on my list of things to fix tomorrow.

Speaking of things to fix (can you tell my DH has been busy and I haven't talked to another adult in what feels like forever?!) I fixed the stoppers on my bathroom sinks today. That was kind of cool - much less expensive than the $100 faucets I want to replace it with. DH says I can, but I'll look around first, I'm sure I can find something cheaper.

Quick list of my Home Repair Skills
  • Repair drywall
  • Painting
  • Kitchen faucet installation
  • Fixing the stoppers on the sinks
  • Hang blinds
  • Replacing light fixtures (safely, and without creating a fire hazard)
  • Re-screening windows (very costly to have it done for you)
  • Replace the float on the toilet
  • Insulating, which is not very fun

It's not the most impressive of lists, but it's still something I can do myself and don't have to hire out. My next task is to repair the leak in the bathtub upstairs. I'm a little more hesitant with that one, since I'm supposed to drill a hole in my bathtub and put fill foam in there, and then seal the actual crack in the tub. There is something about drilling a hole in my bathtub that makes me leery ... I think I'll wait until my Dad is here in December and he can help me.

Speaking of which, my Dad will be here for two weeks in December. Yay us! He gets here the 22nd and leaves the 5th. It will be the first Christmas and New Years we've spent together in five years. Now I've got to get ready for it ...

I think that's enough for tonight ... off to look around on the internet and see what else is out there.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

And we're off!

to the grandparents house we go!

The deviled eggs - done!
The pumpkin cranberry bread - done!
The blueberry pie - done!
Oven on clean - done!

A few years ago, it may have been the year my Mom passed away, in 2000, I decided that I was starting a new tradition. Every year, in early November, I pester an assorted handful of relatives, near and far, and request that they tell me three things they are thankful for. This is our eighth year, and we have added a decent number of relatives - my two kids, my brother in laws three kids, a couple of husbands and a cousin. The list is now three pages long, when everyone participates.

I am in charge of "The List" - getting answers, compiling it and reading it. Even for those of us that are not at the local gathering, emails are sent, with the instructions to read it before you sit down to eat.

This year, I'll share our immediate families list:

MINE
  • A husband that indulges and loves me enough that he's considering flying my Dad up for Christmas.
  • Everything that is based out of a certain home in North Aurora - my home, my husband and my children, and everything, joyful, funny and frustrating that goes along with them.
  • My paper shredder

THE HUSBAND
  • The joys and frustrations that my wonderful children bring to me every day
  • An understanding and wonderful wife
  • Friends and family who love me for what I am

THE SON, aka Q, age 5 1/2
  • Turkey
  • Pumpkins, watermelon and fruit salad
  • Bronco Football games
  • My whole family, Mommy, Daddy, Q, The Bee, Mimi, Boompa, Zoe and that’s not all of them

THE DAUGHTER, aka The Bee, age 3 1/2

  • My Mommy and My Daddy and Mimi and Boompa and Zoe
  • My plate
  • Strawberries

Some years the list is more serious - current political events, health issues, money ebbing and tiding - they all show up at some point or another. Some years we're not as serious - Cheetos, lip gloss, movies and leopard print have made an appearance as well. I've got all of these saved on the computer, and a hard copy is floating around here somewhere. I don't have a definite, long range plan for these lists ... they're just something I wanted to start making, and we'll see how it goes as we get there.

Have a wonderful holiday, and I hope you are able to indulge in all of your favorite things! Hug those that are around you and enjoy the holiday.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving

I'm not in a super serious mood tonight ... I have very many lovely Thanksgiving memories, and I do enjoy the holiday, so forgive what some people would probably call blasphemy, but here's a bit of fun for a holiday that tends to be a bit stressful.



Have fun!

Sunday, November 04, 2007

who I met yesterday

Yesterday I decided to take the kids to the local Children's Museum for something different to do. You can only do the same things over and over before it drives you bonkers, so off we went ... We saw a marionette show, which was good until the whale ate Pinocchio, and that weirded The Bee out.

After a bit more playing time, we stopped at McDonald's for lunch. It's never first on my list, but in the end, I'm glad we went.

The kids ate their lunches, and we had coupons for free ice cream cones. I sent Q up there to get his by himself, and when he came back, The Bee and I went up.

We were standing in line and I noticed that a biker had walked in and was in line behind us. I got a closer look at the patches on his vest, and one of them was florescent yellow - Patriot Guard Rider. I was keeping The Bee in line, so I quickly commented, "Oh, you guys do good work". He didn't really say anything, and after a couple more minutes in line, I turned around and offered to buy him a cup of coffee.

Me: Sir, can I buy you a cup of coffee?
PGR: No, I'll pass.
Me: Really. I'd like to buy you a cup of coffee. You are doing a great thing, and I really appreciate it.
PGR: No, thank you, I appreciate it though.

It was at this point that I almost dropped my soda on the floor and The Bee got her ice cream, so we went back to the table and The Rider ordered his lunch.

If you're not familiar with the Patriot Guards, they are a volunteer group that provides a barrier to the public (usually protesters) at military funerals, whether they be active duty or retired from the service. They also provide motorcycle escorts along the way. They started in response to a church group that was protesting outside the funeral of a fallen soldier. Very quickly, word spread, and now, I believe, there are groups in many of the 50 states.

But, the weird thing is, I couldn't stop staring at him. I literally wanted to sit next to him and just chat. It's like he was a celebrity or something ... he was better than a movie star, better than a politician - he is an Ordinary Joe, volunteering to do something good for somebody he most likely doesn't even know. Just because it's the right thing to do.

While we were waiting for The Bee to finish her ice cream, Q was holding the door for folks coming in and out of McDonalds, and he held the door for The Rider on his way out. The kids like motorcycles anyway (so does their Mom!), so I let them stand in the breezeway and watch him leave. I was almost in tears - I was just so proud of him and the group he represents.

As he drove away I saw the two huge American flags that he had on the back of his bike. Initially, when I saw his bike in the lot, I thought it was strange that somebody was riding their bike with two giant pool noodles on the back, but later I realized that those are his flags, and they were covered to keep them from blowing.

So if you're ever out and happen to see a motorcycle with two pool noodles and a florescent patch, know that he's a Patriot Guard Rider.

Friday, November 02, 2007

Halloween Fallout

Or should I say, Halloween, make your teeth fall out?

The Children had a marvelous time on Wednesday, both trick or treating and handing out candy. Q will literally run down our driveway to meet you at the sidewalk to give you candy. Needless to say, he tends to shock more than a few kids by doing this.

At around six o'clock (I love writing out the time) Wonder Woman and Darth Vader made a sudden appearance, as did Shaggy (my husband), and off we went to gather some loot. And gather loot we did.

We were gone for about an hour or so ... which in the whole scheme of things, is not a long time. When I was trick or treating, we used to be gone from 1 -5. Granted, this was always the Sunday before Halloween, but we were out the door at one, and back in after five.

I don't know what the difference is, but there were not a lot of kids out this year. I could have easily gotten by with two bags of candy, and I'm not talking the big ones. While we were gone, my mother in law handed out candy to four kids. After we got home, there was nobody until just before eight o'clock. I think our total was maybe forty kids, and that is being generous.

And, even though I'm in the Chicago area, and the running joke is that you have to plan a Halloween costume to go around winter jackets and snow pants, it was actually a very nice night. I managed with a turtle neck under my t-shirt and a sweater coat. Last year it rained, and I remember as a kid, trick or treating in the snow or in very cold (freezing) weather.

So ... what did my kids come away with ... I weighed it out, and here's the totals:

  • 1 pound, 4 ounces of candy is being taken to my work (sweet tarts, suckers, the chewy or sticky stuff we can't eat)
  • 5 pounds, 6 ounces is being kept here (although some of it has been frozen to bake with later this year - I'm sure I can find a recipe for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kats)
  • 10 ounces of chocolate bars are being taken to my husbands work, because I know that they like these particular candies, and we don't
  • 1 pound, 1 ounce of snacks - pretzels, goldfish crackers, etc
  • 3 pounds leftover from our house (some of this has been frozen too)
This does not include the play doh, mini flashlights and other assorted toys they received.

That is almost 12 POUNDS of candy that is currently in my house. Holy crap.

If I were to eat it all, not only would I make myself sick, it would probably result in a net gain of 21 POUNDS on my body, specifically in the hip and thigh area, and a loss of probably $600 from my checking account for dental bills.

I hope you weren't tricked, and were treated well.

Monday, October 22, 2007

going shopping tonight

I've really missed my camera these last few weeks ... I seem to see a lot more pretty "stuff" when I don't have a camera, and of course, the kids have been full of picture worthy antics lately.

So ... tonights the night. We're going to go shopping and get the fancy camera. I really want the Nikon, but there are two people pushing Canon, and my only argument against the Canon/for the Nikon is, "Well, we have one at work and I really like it". That's not enough, I guess. In cases like this, some technical knowledge would be helpful.

Let's hope it's as good as they say it is ... I'm going to have it for a long time.

Friday, October 19, 2007

it's cold, so why not go out for ice cream

So this has been one of the coldest days in a long time ... but I can say that it is late October and I am still managing to grow tomatoes. I figure that my gardening luck will run out next week, but that's another post.

For tonight, the wind is definitely breezy, the windows are closed, the kids are in 'zippy go-jamas', and I'm sending The Husband out for ice cream.

I think he loves me.

I love him too.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Little Boy Blue aka Johnny Doe

This is not something I normally post ... but this really hits me.

Two years ago, a little boy was found, stuffed in a laundry bag, near some trees, about halfway in between where I work and where I live. He was estimated to be 3 - 4 years of age. The same age that MY SON was when this happened.

Nobody ever claimed him. Ever. They do not know his name. Why he died. How he died.

This little boy was laid to rest today, nameless, in a donated plot, in a cemetery in Wheaton, IL.

I cannot imagine the circumstances that would lead to a child being left, dead and alone, without a clue as to who or why.



He is not forgotten, today or any day. I pray for his spirit, and that during his years that were spent Earth side, that he knew joy, and love, and fun. I hope that he had a fantastic life, and that there was just one small moment, in his whole wonderful life, where something horrible happened, and somebody is too ashamed or afraid to come forward. I need to think that this boy was loved beyond belief up until the point of his death, and that even now, somebody is loving him and missing him, hoping and praying for him. This is what I need to think, because for me, the alternative is unimaginable.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

still about me

It's interesting ... I think I may have ended a friendship last night. Unintentionally, but still ended a friendship.

I don't know how to feel about this. I guess that if she is willing to let seven or eight years of being friends go away because I called her on talking smack, maybe it wasn't a real friendship at all.

Although, I am sort of proud of myself for standing up and saying something, which is not something I normally do. I'm a fence walker, as she likes to say. I don't tend to pick a side and go with it, usually because I don't care. But, last night, from me, it came forth. Probably not the best timing, but I figured if it would save the four of us from a very unwanted bar fight, it needed to be said. I've made it twelve legal drinking years so far and managed to avoid a bar fight, and I'd like to keep it that way. Call me silly.

It's just a very weird feeling ... I would not at all take back what I said, because no matter what I said or how I said it, I would have been wrong in her eyes. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. I really hope I still have a friend when this is all done.

Monday, October 08, 2007

did it

I ordered the cd. It should be here this week.

Happy Early Birthday to me!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Wow she's funny

Okay, I'm sitting here totally exhausted, still not having finished anything off of THAT list over there ... plus, I got three new books from the library, so that is another new distraction for me.

Anyway, back to now. Totally exhausted, finished up some birthy stuff, answered a bunch of emails, deleted some more, when I checked in on a website, linked then linked some more. I found a link to Anita Renfroe.

I have not yet heard of her ... but here is a link to her video. If you are a mom, you MUST watch this. Not only is it set to the Willian Tell Overture, which I always love (awesome driving song, too) but she is right on.

Check this out.

I may buy this for myself for my birthday. Or just because the day ends in -y.

In fact, I may order it now. Because I'm the Mom.

things heard around our house lately

It's been another busy few weeks, and here are a few things that we've heard at our house:

Mommy, where's my penis? (This being said by the girl child)

Mommy, you're the best driver thruer ever. (This being said in response to picking up juice boxes and hash browns at McDs)

Are you going to die? (This being said by the boy child, pretty much out of nowhere)

When I die, I want them to bury me next to you. Make sure they draw my picture too. (Part of the previous conversation. The drawing is because the kids have seen my Mom's headstone (weeks ago) and we have pictures of her and my StepDad (still living) on there)

Mimi, where's your Dick? (This being asked of my MIL, who has been married to my FIL Dick for 37 years, who happened to leave through a different exit of the hospital)

Sister, you're the best draw-er ever (from the boy child to the girl child)

Hi my cute wife (from The Husband to Me)

It's like having mini stand up comics for kids some days ...

Monday, October 01, 2007

home

Well, my sister and my nephew are home. I took them back to the halfway point this past Saturday, and of course, I cried. It was so nice to have my sister around, and of course, Nephew #2 was so much fun. Of course my sister and I didn't get along the entire time, there were ups and downs and a couple of rough spots, but overall, it was so nice to have them here. I don't know when I'll see them again ... I'm hoping to see them once more before Christmas and the snow starts to fly around the lake.

So, we're now settling back into a house of four. The kids ask when they're coming back, and talk about how much fun he was. I'm glad that they can get together like this ... it's good for them. I know that I have some fantastic memories of my cousins and I playing (and fighting) together, making up our own adventures, living out the lives of superheroes and what not.

It's almost too quiet, and the ride back from the Michigan/Indiana border was definitely too quiet. No little feet behind my seat, no jabbery jibberish comments either. My sister talked the entire time she was here, so that was quiet too. I only had Q with me, so he filled some of the space. It was nice to have time for just the two of us. We stopped and had whatever it is you eat at 3 in the afternoon at a McDonalds, and I let him order a strawberry shake. We chatted on the way home, he pointed out the sights, made guesses about what people were doing, etc. We made it to church on time for the annual Beef Supper, so that was a nice way to end the night. I fell into bed that night exhausted, and that carried through to Sunday. And Sunday night. And the rain that chased two littles out of their beds and into mine. So The Bee and I slept on the floor in my room last night, and I have no idea when Q joined us ... he was there when I woke up at 6am.

Hoping for an early night tonight, having to work tomorrow. In addition to a Room Parent Meeting at school at 6:30, Q has to be at a party at 6. So The Husband will take them, and I'll go to the meeting. And so it goes. I wonder if this will be the start of the "passing in the night" that I hear about - Mom goes this way, Dad goes that, and we're all lucky if we recognize each other at the end of the week.

The month of October is pretty much full for us ... I'm hoping to catch a breath now and again.

And hoping to get a camera soon ... I'm missing mine!

Monday, September 24, 2007

it's good

My sister and I are sitting here chatting and supervising, sipping lukewarm coffee, because we both know that it will never truly be hot, as long as the kids are little. Q is cutting and building Puppet Man, complete with ears and a penis. The Bee is gluing, folding and gluing some more. Nephew #2 is creating his first painted masterpiece, both on the paper and himself.

It's good.

Friday, September 21, 2007

tomorrow can't come soon enough - upside and downside

I'm totally jazzed - I get to see my sister tomorrow! And my nephew! They'll be at our house for a week, until I take them back next Saturday. I am so looking forward to their visit. I can do without the goodbye scenes though. I suck at those. And you would think I might be good at it by now, seeing as I have been saying goodbye to people since I was seven. Nope. I still cry, almost every time.

The downside is the broken camera. We went and looked at them tonight, and one store had a semi-broken display model of one of the cameras we're interested in. So, we had to go to a different store to look at it. It's hard to compare cameras when one is sort of broken. Now, I need to sit down and make a spreadsheet to figure out who has what at what price and what not. This is way more than the last camera - oh, that will fit in my purse and/or the diaper bag, let's get that. And I would usually not mind if we did not have a camera, but tomorrow is Poppa's 77th birthday, and a good number of us will be there (4 of the 5 adult kids, 6 of the 10 grandkids, 4 of 4 great grandkids) so it would be really nice to have a camera. I think I'm borrowing my Father In Law's camera tomorrow - I just have to remember to get it from him when I pick up the kids in the morning.

Yep, that's right, no kids, house to ourselves, and I'm blogging and my husband is submitting one of his turns for an online game forum he's on. Woo Hoo! What a rockin' kidless Friday we have!

Back to the camera ... it's also a good thing I DID NOT send my husband by himself, because he would have come home with the Cadillac of cameras, to the tune of $3500. I'm not saying it's not a nice camera, because it is a very lovely camera, but I think that for us, a camera like that would be over kill.

So now I have to narrow it down to the Nikon D80 and the Canon Rebel XTi, with an upgraded lens.

Anybody have any thoughts on DSLR cameras? If so, leave me a note, I'd love to hear what you think.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

celebrating

a few things ...


International Talk Like a Pirate Day

If you're interested, click here.

If I had known about it earlier, I totally would have done something with this.

Perhaps we'll watch a little Pirates of the Carribean tonight.

and ...

it looks like the planets may have actually lined up, because as of last night, my sister and my nephew are coming down on Friday, and will be at my house from Saturday the 22nd until Saturday the 29th. Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog!

It should be a fun week ... now I just have to shell out money for a new camera. Shit. Not celebrating the spending of the money, but, rather, the purchase of a new camera. The money spending part still sucks. Bleck.

Or, in pirate speak, Aargh!

Monday, September 17, 2007

line up the planets

in the hopes that my sister and my nephew can get her act in gear and be ready to come down here this weekend and stay for the week.

I haven't heard from her yet this week and am leaving messages, hoping to get an answer. She needs to either pay her phone bill (or actually, the boyfriend does, since he is in charge of the money - more on that later) or call me back or drop me an email.

Dad is coming down this Saturday for Poppa's 77th Birthday Party, which is also dual purpose, for Madison's 3rd Birthday. All Dad has to do is swing by, pick her & Will up and c'mon down!

So ... if you ever think about these types of things, could you send out a thought that the stars line up, the ducks get in a row ... whatever it is that has to happen to get them here.

If it's not this weekend, it won't be for at least two or three more weeks, if not more. I don't think I can wait that long.

Keeping everything crossed ...

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Oh crapinski!

as my mother used to say ...

Our digital camera broke today. This is not good. Not that I put a lot of pictures on here (my husband has me phobic about that), but I normally take a decent amount of pictures, and we have a separate website that we host that actually does have pictures of the kids.

Otherwise, the day was fantastic-inski! We spent a couple of hours at the Big Rock Plow Match. We saw a 4H cow show. The kids rode on some carnival rides. The weather was beautiful.

I finished a baby blanket, for a baby that is now six weeks old! Ack! It goes in the mail tomorrow.

It should be another busy week ... let's hope to get some more good weather out of it.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Joy

on so many levels ...

The house is open, I have a wonderful breeze blowing through the house.
I can hear the crickets in my garden, just outside the window where I sit.
My daughter is next to me cutting and gluing.
My husband and my son are playing checkers in the living room.
I have a counter full of garden grown tomatoes, waiting to be turned into sauces and Bruchetta in a Jar.
Dinner is in the oven, and we're hoping Uncle Jeff will come over for dinner.
I am sipping a cup of hot coffee out of one of my oversized mugs.
I made the neighbors Christmas gift today, pickled hot banana peppers, and they are sitting on the counter, cooling.
I talked to my Dad this morning, and all is well in Florida.

Where did you find joy today?

Friday, September 07, 2007

Recipes

I started going through the cabinets earlier this week, in my attempt to corral some of the errant recipes I've got floating around here. Tonight, I started transferring the "keepers" to index cards to be filed away.

I have two recipe card boxes, both were my Mom's.

1. The Campbell's Soup recipe box that she got a few years before she died, one of those you got if you sent in enough upcs or whatever. It came with an assortment of recipes, I have it, but I don't use it much.

2. The Other Box. I saw it on ebay once, it was listed as vintage, from the early 1970's. I assume that my Mom got it when she was newly married. It has definitely yellowed with age, and the lid doesn't shut quite right, but it is usually kept open anyway, so a wonky lid doesn't factor in that much.

I was going through The Other Box tonight, and in doing that, I see bits and pieces of my Mom. The pecan pie recipe, most likely my Aunt Alma's, written on a dessert size paper plate, folded in half and in half again. Two copies of my Grama's Pineapple Upside Down Cake (PUD Cake), stored in two different places - C for Cake and P for Pineapple. The very yellow, and very worn, recipe cards for fudge, brownies, banana bread and cookie bars. Those are my most used cards, and they don't even get filed away, but rather stuffed back in the front, like she did, with the Happy Home Recipe.

My Mom died over seven years ago, and I've had the recipe card box for almost as long ... it was one of the first things I grabbed when I went back home shortly after she died. I didn't take a lot ... the recipe card box, a few things from her dresser, her Tupperware mixing bowl with the handle and the lid. If you were to look at what I kept, it wouldn't be worth more than $2 at a garage sale, but to me it's the world. It's a bit of her, who she was, what she taught me. The recipes have her hand writing on them - something to show my kids. The recipes are who she was - what she liked, what she was thinking about. It's like going back in time a bit ...

It also brings back the memories you have with the dish ... the party you served the Swedish Meatballs at, the picnic where Lisa introduced us to Apple Dip, the instructions for Swedish Potato Sausage, our traditional New Years Day meal. It's also the time spent in the kitchen, the conversations had while mixing up a meatloaf or stirring up chocolate for another pan of fudge. It's so much more than a recipe ... it's my history, it's my kids' history.

I'm slowly adding my most loved recipes to the front of the box - green pepper soup, pound cake, yeast bread. The new white index cards blend with the yellow and the frayed. The hands that touch them now are mine, cooking for the people that I love. Dog eared corners, splats where water may have dripped, chocolate fingerprint smudges ... what you can't see is the love that goes in there. Thats what I'm sharing every time I go into the kitchen.

Thanks, Mom.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Revenge

I spoke earlier of the Trifecta of Terror ... some small revenge is being eked (is this how you even spell that word?) as i speak.

The hornworms have now become the breeding ground for some sort of wasp that uses the worm as it's place to lay eggs. So now I have one very fat hormworm that looks like he's been rolling in a pile of rice - those are the eggs for the wasp. It will be kind of cool if I can see these things hatch. Maybe I'll pull the branch off of the plant and toss it in a jar or something.

It's actually pretty cool looking in a gross sort of way.

Now if I could only keep Charlie Chipmunk and his relatives away. He/They are having a field day in this one tomato plant ...

Wacky Wednesday

I don't think that yesterday could have gotten any wackier. Or if it could have, I'm glad it didn't.

The day started off as an average Wednesday, I sent Q with The Husband to The Office so he could take Q to school at 11:45. I had agreed to take G & G to the airport for the return flight to Arizona. As of 8:00, no problems.

8:15 - Problem 1 - I forgot that the furnace guy was coming to clean and service our furnace (they are usually so good at giving reminder calls!) ... so no shower for me then. I opened the door with what must have been a look of utter panic, because the first thing I blurted out was "Oh God, I forgot about you. I have to leave at 9:00!" He told me he would hurry and sure enough, he had a check in hand at 8:55. I zoomed past him at 9:00 as he was sitting at the curb, just up the street. most likely waiting for his next stop. Problem 1 Solved.

9:05 - Problem 2 - The Bee is insisting that I take her home to go potty. I told her no, we couldn't do that, but she could go at the hotel. No. She cries. She screams. We go to the hotel.

9:15 - arrive at the hotel. G & G are in the lobby with Mimi (The Husband's Mom). Mimi offers The Bee a donut, which she declines. This should have been a HUGE tip off of what was to come, as she NEVER passes up chocolate. I walked her down to the potty, which she had finally agreed to do. As she's on the potty, we're talking about whatever, and she proceeds to arch her back and pee all over her underwear. Beautiful. I left her in there, asked Mimi to go sit with her while I went out to the car for Outfit #3 (the first had yogurt, and the second had pee). This solved Problem #2, but created Problem #3.

9:20 - Problem 4. After she got dressed, I went to the bathroom. As I was coming down the hall to the lobby, I noticed pink all over the floor, and my first thought was "Where did she get juice from - I hope her clothes are dry." WRONG. Vomit. All over the lobby, all over her. And, just for Mommy, one more shot all over the lobby. Lovely. "Welcome to the Hampton Inn and Suites, please ignore the crying preschooler just to the right of the entrance, and especially ignore the scent of Frankenberry Laced Vomit. How will you be paying for your stay today? We're so glad you chose us."

So we got this all figured out - The Bee went home with Mimi, after I gave her my carseat, and I took G & G to the airport. Normally, it wouldn't be a huge deal, except that Gpa was adamant about the fact that he arrive TWO HOURS before his flight. It was a 12:45 flight, so he wanted to be there by 10:45. He's also 77 years old, and not the quietest or most tactful.

Off to the airport we go - zoom zoom. Luckily, traffic was working with us instead of against us. I pulled up to the sky cap at 10:15, got them checked and the wheelchairs ordered. The police officer let me pull up closer to the curb for easier unloading. I got them out, their carry ons, and sent them in with instructions on where to go. Beautiful. In the airport at 10:30. But ... their hearing is horrible ... so I ran back to the police officer and asked, almost begged, if I could run in and see that they made it to the wheelchair holding area, just to be sure. I promised that was the only place I would go and I would be right back.

I ran in, they were in the right spot, one more hug and kiss for each of them, and back to the car I went. Big sigh of relief. Very big.

I made it home in time to take Q to school, back to pick up the Bee. She had been sick once more at Mimi's house ... and in a move of perfect timing, we had been home five minutes and then she proceeded to blast the kitchen floor, wall, cabinet, and in a move that I had never experienced, the spin to give Mommy a hug and blast her too.

Several different versions of that scene were repeated throughout the day ... although I can say, that my daughter handled it very well, and she was actually very good in spite of being sick.

G & G made it home safely and uneventfully. They called to thank me for such a great flight ... all I did was get them to the airport, I have nothing to do with weather or air travel.

And then, finally, at 9:00 last night, I got The Bee into bed, no more throw up.

She did get me up at 2:30 to tell me that she didn't think that her brother had brushed his teeth before bed because she didn't see his toothbrush on the counter (I had put it away) ... and then she needed someone to snuggle with her. So I grabbed my pillow and spent the rest of the night in her room.

To date, I have not gotten sick.

Let's hope that every Wednesday is not a wacky one.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Happy Labor Day!

Have a fantastic Labor Day! Here's hoping that you don't have to work today, and get to spend the day as you choose ...

We're getting ready to head over to my husbands parents' for the day - a combination Labor Day, G & G are going back to Arizona party. We'll have brats from the local meat market, I'm bringing two blueberry pies and a tomato salad, Gram has the chips and hummus ...

Factor in five kids, the inflatable water slide, and a nice sunny day ... woot!

Have a Great Day!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

WOW

We had our follow up at the dentist today ... being the "good parent" I took The Bee in for a re-check of her tooth ... everything was fine. Nothing left and her tooth seems to have set itself back into place.

But, and here's the WOW part of it, neither visit cost me anything!

They didn't charge me last week, so I was expecting a big number this week, but nothing. Zang.

Nice. Now, how can I pay it forward?

The Garden Trifecta

You may remember me complaining about how the rabbits had obliterated my green peppers and hostas, and how the chipmunks have taken up residence under both the front and back porch (nothing like a buckling sidewalk to say Welcome to Our Home!). I think I mentioned that the only thing that would make my garden complete would be a visit from horn worms.

Well, they're here.

I found my first one yesterday morning, I'm expecting to go get more this morning.

These things are ugly in a cool sort of way, if you can overlook the fact that they are on a course to destroy my tomato plants. Which, I might add, are growing the most delicious tomatoes this summer, even if they are splitting from too much rain.

I'm sure that horn worms serve some purpose, other than turning into a moth. I can't imagine what it is, other than a source of enjoyment for my neighbors that watch me scurry all over the place searching for them.

And, if you haven't ever had the joy of meeting a horn worm, they blend perfectly with the plant, which makes them that much harder to find. But, if you look for the strangely naked branches on the plant, look on the underside of the stem and there you'll find them. Their poop is also strangely geometric in a gross sort of way.

So ... my summer is complete ... I've achieved the trifecta of terror.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Dentist Update

So we went to the dentist to have the tooth looked at.

You never really like it when a medical person makes *those* faces, especially when it's your child they are looking at. Although, I do know that the dentist has a child of her own, and maybe she was just channeling some of her mothering instinct into looking at my daughters bruised up mouth.

One of the first things she said, "Wow, I'm surprised she didn't break her nose."

Not the way you want to start out a visit to the dentist.

So, it turns out that when The Bee fell, she caught herself on her moustache area, and when she hit the slide, the force of it bruised the inside of her upper lip, leaving four nice tooth imprints. She also has some major bruising and a little swelling. And, her front right tooth is loose.

So, the dentist told me to keep an eye on the swelling, and if she turns into a puffer fish (my words, not hers) to call her asap. And to come back next Wednesday. If she doesn't like the way it's healing, or if there is an infection up in her gums, then we get to go to a pediodontist. Lovely. That is so NOT on my list of things to do in this lifetime.

Apparently, if it doesn't heal right, an infection can set in her gums and that could affect the way her permanent tooth comes in, since it's already forming up in there.

And, because my daughter is a thumb sucker, she can no longer do that because of the loose tooth - the pressure can keep it loose or make it jaunty. So basically more of a confirmation that at least one of my children will need orthodontic work.

And, that little connector thing that is in the front of your mouth, when you stick your tongue up over your front teeth, that's your frenum. She ripped that too, when she fell, so that is why she was bleeding.

She seems to be fine, except that she is having a hard time not sucking her thumb. I made a deal with her that she could only suck her thumb in bed - after she falls asleep it falls out anyway, so I'll settle for that for now.

It's been a long, hellish week. I think I'm glad it's Friday.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Days at Preschool 3, Injuries 1

It took three days before the first "boo boo" came in.

Apparently The Bee was going up the slide, as children are wont to do, and her shoe fell off. She hit her face on the slide. Now she has a very lovely bruise on the inside of her upper lip, her mouth is bleeding on and off and she won't let me touch her tooth.

We have a dentist appointment today at 3:00.

This could be a very interesting school year.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

The Beach and The Museum: Vacation Part 2

The second part of our Mini Vacation took us to Warren Dunes in Michigan on Sunday. If you have not had the chance to visit this particular stretch of lake, I say, DO IT!

After having been introduced to beaches on that side of the lake when my folks moved there when I was 11, I have become a Beach Elitist. Yes, an elitist. While yes, we do have beaches on this side of the lake, they are nothing compared to beaches in Michigan.

Illinois beaches: rocky, dirty, stinky, usually accompanied by a few floating fish
Michigan beaches: the smoothest sand I've ever seen, clean, no floating fish

Now maybe I've only been to yucky Illinois beaches, but when compared to Western Michigan beaches ... there is no comparison. Like I said, an elitist.

Warren Dunes was only a two hour drive from our house, less than a tank of gas, and very doable with two small kids. We loaded up some snacks, sunblock and the sand toys and off we went.

We played on the beach and in the water. Had some corn dogs for lunch, at a very reasonably priced concession stand - $9.00 and some change for four corndogs and an order of fries. Technically it was three corndogs after The Bee dropped hers in the sand on her first bite, but still ... and anyway, there was about an inch gap between the towels, and wouldn't you know, that is the exact place where her hot dog fell. Kind of like the buttered side of the bread always landing down.

After two and a half hours on the beach and in the water, we took our stuff back to the car, put on our shoes and decided to climb the Dunes. I have a few hints for this:

  • flip flops are a no-no - either do it barefoot or in gymshoes
  • don't do it on an 85 degree day at 3 in the afternoon
  • bring your water
  • wear a hat
  • bring a camera - the view is awesome!
Much to our surprise, both kids made it to the top. They were both determined to make it ... it took a few stops and starts, and a short rest on a toppled tree, but we all made it to the top. And, if we're being honest, I think that Mommy and Daddy appreciated the breaks too.

The Lake is always beautiful, no matter where you get to see it from - a variety of shades of blue, waves coming in, the sound of it breaking on the beach ... I don't think I've ever been to the Lake and been disappointed. Growing up, after my Mom married my Bob, we spent a lot of our weekends on the boat on the Chain of Lakes. For me, the Lake is so calming ... the sound of the water lapping, the sun shining, the wind as you bounce across the water ... it almost centers me, in a way, if that makes any sense. I know that this weekend, as we went around a corner and we got our first glimpse of the lake, I gasped. And I think that I felt everything wash out of me, like the water going back out from the beach. In that one moment, everything stopped and it was perfect.

After our day at the Dunes, we made our way to our Hotel. If you're ever in Stevensville, Michigan (exit 23, I believe), stay at the Choice Hotels, just off the expressway. Stevensville is a nice little town, the hotel was lovely, and the staff was excellent. We had dinner at Cracker Barrel, and then headed back for more fun in the pool! Can you say waterlogged?!

The next day we made our way over to Curious Kids Children's Museum in St. Joseph Michigan (exit 27). St. Joseph is another lovely town along the lake - wonderful old building, homes that used to belong to area lumber barons ... beautiful woodwork, wide staircases, big front porches. And of course, the lake.

The kids had a good time, and we left to come back home when the meltdowns started. Travel back home was quick and uneventful.

So now we're home, and getting ready to settle into School Mode. Kindergarten and Preschool start next week. Just like it seems like Q and The Bee were just born, and now they're going to school, it feels like summer just started, and now it's over.

I don't remember summer being this short when I was a kid, that's for sure.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

A mini vacation - Grama and the Wild West

Yesterday was the unofficial start of a family vacation weekend.

The kids and I took yesterday and went "home", which is the town where I grew up. There is something so comfortable about going home, even if "home" is getting a little worn around the edges, and they are making changes you don't necessarily like. I must have made that right turn a zillion times, and it still feels so right. Then the left by the Junior High School, then the right to go past the High School, left past the Cop Shop, through a few back roads, and then to Grama's House we Went.

Yesterday was her birthday, she is 77 years old now. This is a good long time to be alive. She is in good physical health, although I fear that her mind is starting to dull a bit. I think that one of my biggest fears is that she will follow the Alzheimer's Path that her mother took ... I pray that she takes a different course.

The kids wanted to bring her a cake, so we made one. It was beautifully decorated with bright blue glittery sugar and rainbow sprinkles. We also took food to grill, because crowds tend to make Grama nervous. This way, if a bunch of us showed up, she wouldn't have to worry about having enough food to feed all of us.

We were there. So was an Aunt. And another Aunt, although she is the crabby one. And then my Dad showed up! Yeah! The kids got to play with Poppy (my Dad), I got to chat with his girlfriend Susan, and Grama and Poppa finally got to meet her. This took a huge weight off of her - she told me in the kitchen while Dad & Susan were outside, that she and Pop were afraid that maybe Daddy was ashamed of them, where they lived, or something like that. I quickly squashed that thought - the honest reason that Daddy hadn't brought Susan yet is that every time they were down, it was always an "event" and it's easier to visit with Grama one family at a time. She's too nervous otherwise.

We stayed for what is for us, a long time, almost four and a half hours. I usually try to get home so I'm not sitting with two kids in (you're not) rush (ing) hour traffic, but this time I said No, I'm having a good time, I'm tired of leaving early, screw traffic. And in the end, it wasn't such a bad ride home. A good visit, and pretty okay commute, and short naps for the littles on the way home.

For today, Day 2 of our Mini Vacation, we went to Donley's Wild West Town in Union, Illinois. We spent a good chunk of our day there. While there, it was mostly for the kids, but I'll say "we":

Saw the first five minutes of a Wild West Show, until the kids declared it too loud, so we went in search of something quieter.

The kids got to ride in mini canoes

Rode on a pony

Pet and fed goats, sheep and a chicken. We didn't feed the duck or the potbellied pig, though.

Pet a donkey that had wandered out of it's pen

Rode the hand cars

Had a picnic lunch, complete with Peanut Butter and HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY JAM sandwiches.

Panned for "gold"

Had strawberry "sundaes"

There were big naps for the littles on the ride home. Q woke up, but the Bee stayed asleep, and I had to wake her up at 6:00 for dinner. The drawback to this, is that I checked on her before I started this, and she was still asleep.

In fact, I should be getting ready for Part 2 of our Mini Vacation, which will take us to Michigan,
this time for fun on the beach, maybe a museum ... the only thing we know for sure is that we have a place to stay tomorrow night! Whatever happens before and after that, we'll see.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Zukey Bread

So, we've had a bit of a cold front come through here ... it's down to the lower 80s with humidity in the mid 70's, so it only feels like 84 degrees outside, with a slight breeze and some clouds ... so what better to do than bake! It's been crazy hot and humid here for the last two weeks, and I've been staring down the zucchini on the counter. Today, I baked.

I think this may be my favorite recipe for zucchini bread. I've got a couple I work with, but I like this the best - it's a combination of my Moms, an aunts, something from a cookbook, and a tip from a friend.

1 stick butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups of grated zucchini - I grate mine on the smallest grating board, since I don't like big pieces of zucchini. It also seems to kick the seeds out. When I'm done grating it, I put it into a strainer and let some of the liquid drip out, and then before I measure it, I sort of toss it with a fork so it's not so compressed together into a zucchini blob.

3 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the topping:
more chopped walnuts
raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350.
You can either butter and dust your loaf pans (you'll need 2) or line them with parchment paper, which ever you choose. I come from a family of butterers, so parchment paper is new to me as of a few years ago.

In the mixer, mix the butter until fluffy.
Add the sugars and beat again, on low speed, until mixed well.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well, still on low speed.
Add the zucchini, about a cup at a time, mixing well between each cup.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and powder, and cinnamon.
Add the dry ingredients, about a cup at a time to the mixer. Mix well between each addition.

If you choose to put walnuts in your bread, add them at the end, again mixing well.

Split the batter between the pans, and give them a jiggle to even out the tops.

For the topping, I take a handful (1/2 cup?) of chopped walnuts and sprinkle them on top of the bread. I follow that with a sprinkle of raw sugar. I like the crunch that it gives the bread.

Bake the loaves for 45 - 50 minutes, on the middle rack of the oven. My mom was an overbaker, so I tend to under bake bread to keep it on the moister side of life. After you take the bread out of the oven, leave it in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes to cool, and then remember to take it out of the pan (sponge bread, anyone?) and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Happy Gardening & Happy Baking!

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Mmm ... it's National Night Out

and we have fresh blueberry pie, made with the blueberries we picked last week.


Tonight is National Night Out and this is my contribution to dinner with the neighbors. They will supply the pizza, we'll supply the pie and soda, the neighbors across the street will wander on over too ... we'll see how it turns out. I'm hoping the rain will hold off, at least long enough to let the kids play when it's a little cooler. Nothing says oppressive like a heat index near 100, with humidity not too far behind. Can I also say that I look like a chia pet this week?

This is my attempt at creating a little slice of neighborliness (is that a word?) on my street. I like where I live, and I like my neighbors, it's just that they all get home and go inside, only to come back out the next morning to go back to work. It was two years before I even knew that the neighbors had an older daughter!

Tonight, turn off the tv, stay away from the computer, turn on the porch light and go outside and visit with the people on your street.

What else are you doing for National Night Out?

Saturday, August 04, 2007

They've been Simpsonized

I've seen quite a bit of people on the internet lately with their alter, Simpson images.

Here are my kids:



Friday, August 03, 2007

Todays the day for a Festival

It's North Aurora Days this weekend, and it's a perfect weekend for it. We've got friends coming over today, and we will be:

  • grilling our dinner
  • watching an Emergency Vehicle Parade - if it's got lights and/or a siren, you can bet it'll be here
  • going over to climb on the trucks, etc
  • playing in the bouncy house and going down the inflatable slide
  • eating Rice Krispy Treats
  • eating fudge
  • watching fireworks from the front yard
  • eating popcorn
  • drinking a few beers
  • listening to the band from our front yard

We all look forward to this every year ... it's very small town and it's very nice. It's one of those, "what summer is all about" type of things in my book.

I think the part that gets me the most is you hear the fire engines before you see them (they're almost always in the lead because they're the biggest, and I would think, the most difficult to park) and they have their lights on and their sirens going, and they have the very big American flags up. Almost every year I think I catch my husband tearing up at this ... I definitely married a Proud American. It is quite the sight ... a nice reminder of us, as Americans. And then the kids are so excited, and my son screams at the top of his voice, and jumps around and claps and waves, and he can hardly speak he's so excited ... I absolutely love it. It is one of my best and favorite Mom moments.

Whatever it is you find yourself doing this weekend, I hope you enjoy it. If you're in the western suburbs tomorrow and you hear the incessant droning of a helicopter, give a wave, it just may be us taking a ride!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Berry Bountiful

It was a berry bountiful trip today ... nice to get away, even if only to Michigan, only for a few hours. Days like today are what summer is all about. As I sit here right now, with my sunburned toes, despite six hours in the car with two kids, I can honestly say that today was awesome. Even though my list of things to start and/or finish is longer than I'd care to imagine, I'm surprisingly care free ... days like today rock.

I was actually much closer to my Dad than I realized, only about an hour south of him ... he wasn't able to meet us today, due to his work schedule. I suppose I should give him more than twelve hours notice next time we do this.

After we got to the blueberry farm, and had our first potty break, we hit the fields! It smelled so good, just standing there, in the hot hot sun, just a bit of a breeze and the scent of blueberries. I think the second best feeling today was kneeling down in the sandy dirt, reaching in between the bushes, chatting with the kids while we picked. You could feel the temperature difference in shade of the bushes and smell the berries. It was hot sun beating down on you, but cool shade in the bushes, and the plunk plunk plunk of berries as they hit the buckets.

We worked well as a team - we stayed together and worked the rows. I am actually surprised at how well The Bee did, as her attention span is usually shorter than the life span of a fruit fly. She took blueberry picking very seriously, and only occasionally would ask me, "Mommy, I can eat this blueberry please?" The kids stayed together, within a few bushes of me, and there was no fighting, and I was actually able to hear Q give his sister berry advice:

  • Now, Bee, you don't want to eat too many berries, because you'll have to make a big poo, and you could throw up. I did that one year, at Mimi & Boompa's house.
  • No, you don't want that one, it's too green.
  • Oh, here, this is a good one, they're just your age (he was referring to her height)
  • Don't go too far, otherwise Mommy can't see you, and this place is REALLY BIG!
  • You dropped some, make sure they go in your bucket, so we can make a pie when we get home.
We sort of lost our focus after our snack break, so we called it quits, and between the three of us, we ended up with almost 12 pounds of berries!

Off to the market we went to see what was there ... another thirty pounds of berries, and some dried cranberries as well. The Bee loved the dried cranberries, seeing as she cleared out the sample bowls they had in the store too.

So now, I'm sorting, rinsing and freezing my excess of blueberries. I'll definitely have enough to last me the year.

And, strangely enough, I'm making jalapeno jelly right now.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Garden Action

The hosta that has been eaten back to never before seen levels
















Our very first tomato of the season ... and it was a yummy one too!















One of our many "zukes" (as my mother called them) ... after three days of rain it was almost three times this size. And it made a mean loaf of zukey bread too!
















Tomorrow, we plan on making a 'Michigan Run' for some blueberries! Hopefully the picking is good! I'm also hoping that my Dad can meet us at the blueberry farm for lunch ... it's just past the halfway point for me ... a bit closer for him. Nothing like 300 miles round trip in the name of good berries.

We've met my Dad for berry picking before ... my Dad is a very fun "Poppy" ... and the kids really have a good time with him. I'm trying to help make memories for all of them, and with my Dad being four hours away, the opportunities aren't always there, so we have to try a bit harder for them, and definitely take them when we can get them. I have always wanted to live closer to my Dads (I have two), for a variety of reasons, but now that I have kids, the ache is more common.

But enough of that tonight ... no melancholy for me, at least not tonight, I've got a road trip to get ready for.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Do you sometimes feel

like you just suck as a parent?

I am pretty sure that I'm not the worst one out there, but the last few days have been very long, and at the end of the day, I think that I just might suck at parenting.

I don't know if it's the ages (5 & 3), or if they both just happen to be in some sort of phase at the same time ... but it feels like more often than not I find myself correcting inappropriate behavior (hanging from the refrigerator doors/handles, going through my scrapbook things, sassy back talk, etc) and then it tends to carry on throughout the day. It feels like it's just one after another ... stop teasing your sister, you stop whining at him and I in return, don't shut the door on your sister when she is trying to go potty in the bathroom without the light on, you need to do what I tell you to do, no, you may not go and play in the front yard without me, why, because I'm cooking dinner, but you may go in the backyard where I can watch you, well then, you'll have to stay inside while I'm making dinner .... no, you may not have applesauce for dinner, you need to eat something else first, etc etc etc

I want to enjoy the days with them before they start back up in school, because once school starts, Q is committed every day, there are no more jaunts to the zoo on a moments notice or trips to Grama & Poppa's house when we feel like it. Once the end of August gets here, we're back on a much stricter schedule.

Big sigh ...

I don't know what it is ... maybe we all just need a vacation, but with the way that these two are acting, I don't really want to take them anywhere.

We'll see how it turns out ... at this point, I don't think it can get much worse.

Can it?

Saturday, July 21, 2007

I closed the book

I've finished the book.

Some of what I thought, some of what I didn't.

Still not sure if I liked it or not, though.

I'll have to think on this one.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

everyone else is doing it

As I think the entire world knows, tomorrow at the stroke of midnight is the release of Book 7 in the Harry Potter Series. I pre-ordered this book, as I have done in the past, but have never gone to a book release shindig.

I'm going tomorrow. Crazy me.

I have to stop at Borders any time after 9am to pick up my wristband so I can get my book later that night. Then, I'll head back up to Borders, who knows when, and hang out with everyone else and wait for my book. Hopefully, I'll get my book and be able to get back home without someone ruining if for me.

I seriously think that if someone would yell out the ending, or give away some big part of the book, I think I might have to want to punch them. And yes, I'm one of those people that can't believe that people fight over hot new, must have electronics the day after Thanksgiving, but if someone wrecks this book for me, I'm going to be seriously pissed.

Will I know if they are telling the truth or not, no, not until I get to the end of the book, but still. You just don't do that.

And, here's the kicker, the only other thing I have EVER stood in line for - Jimmy Buffet tickets for Alpine Valley.

Harry Potter. Jimmy Buffet.

Jimmy Buffet is playing in Tinley Park (I think) Saturday night. I'll be reading about all of Harry Potter's adventures. I'd really like to be hanging out with all the other Parrotheads singing about Cheeseburgers and the carefree life. But ... I'm hoping to get the book read before I have to go back and face the real world again (Monday at work) and just pray that nobody lets the ending go.

And, since we all "know" that two people die ... maybe thats a load of crap too, just to get us all worked up and thinking ... maybe nobody dies, maybe everybody does.

Let's think on it:

  • Harry - can you kill the hero of your book and ever expect to show your face in public again? It's kind of like Who Shot JR? People would be seriously pissed off at JK Rowling.
  • Ron - the hero's faithful sidekick? He can't have bumbled along this far only to eat it in the end, did he?
  • Hermoine - the other faithful sidekick? She's almost too smart to die, but if she did, I would hope it wasn't in a stupid fashion.
  • Hagrid - everybodys favorite giant game keeper. If he hasn't been eaten by anything yet, I would assume he's safe.
  • Snape - the one we all want to hate, but should we?
  • Mr. Dursley - the Uncle we all do hate
  • Mrs. Dursley - the Aunt we want to hate, but not as much as the Uncle
  • Dudley - the person we all knew in high school and did hate
  • Mr or Mrs Weasley?
  • Ginny Weasley?
  • Neville Longbottom - I think that something amazing is going to come from him. I have no idea what it is, but I think it may be good.
  • Mrs. McGonagall - everyones favorite teacher, very no nonsense
  • Dobby - I have to throw that one out there
  • Lucius Malfoy? I have to say though, I really like the long, white blonde hair, even if his character is basically an ass
  • Draco Malfoy? He's the obnoxious kid we all knew from school
  • Voldemort - we all want him to die, because if he does, then Harry lives. What if he doesn't?

And then, to think, that I'm even hopping on the Harry Potter blog about it bandwagon. It's almost like I'm hip and with it or something. Or, just a big dork. I'd vote for the 2nd.

We'll see how it turns out ... and if you hear of a basically normal suburban mom going off the deep end and 'opening up a can' on a book spoiler, it might just be me.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Under Assault

I'm the victim of a two pronged attack here ...

I planted tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini this spring. The tomatoes are doing wonderfully well so far, and at this rate, we will have plenty of tomatoes to can and to share. This is a good thing. In fact, right now, I hear the buzzing of a honey bee doing it's job on my tomato plant. It's a nice fat bee, going to town. This is indeed good.

The zucchini seems to be setting itself up to be a massive grower as well ... I think this is a good thing, although I may resort to doing the leave the zuke on the doorstep and run from days past as a way to share my abundance. You can only freeze so much zucchini. Look in my freezer, at last years harvest, and it will speak for itself.

Now the peppers. I am normally a fan of wildlife, in all it's forms, big and small, cute and not so cute. But ... I am under assault over here. I have one rabbit that is persistently eating the leaves off my pepper plants. Today I watched him crawl in and go right up to the plant and start munching away. Last year, I had managed to grow in the neighborhood of 75 peppers! I made jam, I made soup, I froze them. It was wonderful. This year, I have sticks.

Last week I made some stinky concoction of garlic and onion, to spray on my plants as a rabbit deterrent. Ha! The little asshole apparently has become immune to the scent.

And then, when I was out there chasing the little bugger off ... I turned around and there was a chipmunk sitting on my back step. If I would not have been swearing at it, I'm sure I would have heard it laughing at me. It apparently lives under the toy box or somewhere on that side of the house.

My only hope now is that the hook worms don't come back this year and decimate my tomato plants.

I'm on my way out there now with chicken wire and a staple gun to close off the gaps in the fencing, and then will be closing off around the pepper plants. After I'm done with this, it will have been cheaper to go to the farmers market or the grocery store to buy the peppers. But there is still nothing better than going out in your yard and picking it from your plant. I love the smell of newly picked green peppers and tomatoes.

Stay tuned, this could be interesting.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Todays Version of "All I Want"

Is time to sit with a hot cup of coffee and a clear table and my sewing machine.

I'm really itching to "make" these days, and am having trouble making the time for myself to do it. I suppose I could do it, after the kids are in bed, the kitchen is cleaned up, the laundry is folded and the living room tidied ... but I'm just too darn tired by then. I could just plunk the kids in front of the TV, but I'm not a big fan of that either.

So ... not that I'm expecting much to come of it, just making my wants known. I know that I SHOULD be making time for ME, but sometimes it's really hard to do. Maybe if I acknowledge it, and make it public, it'll flip the me switch on.

If I had time, I would make:

  • Nephew #1's Star Wars bag
  • A shoulder bag/hobo bag for me ... I've got an idea and don't know if it would work
  • Four berry jam ... very scrumdelicioso
  • Cloth gift bags for Christmas
  • I would finish the snow lady pillow I started last year
  • Turkey place mats that I have been eyeing in the Pottery Barn catalog for too many years now ... I've got the fabric, I just need to do it.
Off the top of my head, I think that is all that I've got the "ingredients" for ... I've got a whole crafty room upstairs waiting for me.

*Big Sigh*

I really can't complain though, I've been spending a great fun amount of time with the kids, playing and watching them enjoy the summer days ... too soon for them, summer won't be as much as it is now.

Maybe the cup of coffee I'm drinking now will get me through a little creative spurt tonight.

If not, there's always next week.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Green Check

Yesterday was Live Earth ... I managed to catch some of the bands, and was able to hear some great music. I will admit that Kanye West and The Police didn't mesh well in my book, but I'm not a big Kanye West fan either.

I've always been rather "earthy" but I got serious about it in high school. I don't know if it had anything to do with the big 20th Anniversary Earth Day celebration, or if I just knew enough and was more aware of it all. My family was not a big recycling family, and we didn't have recycling available to us where we lived. My step dad now recycles because he has curbside available where he lives.

There are several sites available that let you calculate your carbon emissions and also allow you to purchase carbon offsets. I calculated our carbon footprint, and not to my surprise, it's much higher than the average. The culprit: the Mom car. A 2004 Chrysler Pacifica AWD that gets 17 mpg. So not only is my car draining my wallet with the price of gas, it's killing the environment too. Lovely.

But, I do what I can to make differences in other ways. At our house we:

  • change to CFL bulbs when the old bulb burns out
  • I take my own bags to the store instead of using their plastic. If I forget, I request paper.
  • use cloth napkins
  • hang our clothes to dry, either inside on a clothes rack or outside in the sun
  • cloth diaper, part time
  • breastfed
  • leave the AC at 77 or 78 in the summer and the heat at 65 - 68 in the winter
  • turn lights off when not in the room
  • compost our food scraps in our worm bins - I use the resulting compost and worm tea in the gardens
  • recycle our pool water to use in the garden
  • grow some of our own food - vegetables that are canned or frozen for year round use
  • recycle almost everything we can. I am very proud of the fact that our family of four only produces one kitchen garbage bag of garbage per week! We often have two full recycle bins.
  • but at the farmers markets and freeze or can for year round use
  • use refillable water bottles as opposed to off the shelf, single use bottles
  • actively recycle electronics and books. When I see computer monitors and parts on the curb I stop and pick them up and then take them to the monthly recycling event.
  • give things that are no longer needed away on the Freecycle list or at the Goodwill store
  • use as much of something as I can - I took a pair of old sweat pants and turned them into two door drafters, and the only garbage left over was the elastic at the waist and ankles. I turned the pockets into cloth napkins!
  • use natural cleaning products - baking soda, vinegar and ammonia
I'm trying to figure out how to make a lid for a rain barrel. It's actually a 50 gallon aluminum industrial mixer waiting to be converted into a rain catcher, and if I can do that, then I'll have one of them!

I know there is more that I can do ... the biggest problem is the car. We aren't in a position right now to trade in and get something more earth friendly ... I drive the best that I can, do regular maintenance to make sure it runs well and make as few trips as possible. Luckily DH is only a twenty mile round trip to/from work, so that helps on his end. It's my fifty miles round trip twice a week that doesn't help, and I'm not in a spot to take the train, although I work on the train stop. Maybe after the kids go back to school in the fall I can look into taking the train, but my only concern is that if they need me to get the kids for some reason, I'll be stuck at work, unable to get to them because of the train. It's something to think on.

Thinking Green is a way of life for our family ... can you make it part of yours?

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Happy Birthday America!


Have a Happy and Safe Holiday!

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

The Girl is Three

So ... The Bee is three.

This is actually kind of funny, since she spent most of her 2nd year telling everyone she was three. Now, she tells you she is two.

I look at this little girl person of mine and I see so many different things, and bits of so many different people too.

She is determined, some days it's just sheer stubborn-ness, but one day this will get her where she wants to go, and I won't worry as much about her not getting where she wants to be.

She is dramatic. I don't know where she gets it from ... certainly NOT ME! I suppose this is a useful trait to have as well, but I have trouble seeing it some days.

She is funny. She thinks everything is funny. She's not going to care one bit about anything, and it's all going to roll off her back. She'll have a wickedly fantastic sense of humor when she gets older.

She enjoys everything - she loves dirt and water, and if they're together, it's even better. She loves socks and her flip flops, sometimes together too. Her bike. Her brother. Chocolate. Her Boompa. Animals, especially dogs and cats. Being outside. Running. The amusement park and the zoo.

She looks like my Mom. I think I'm okay with this. I suppose I should say that she looks like me since I look so much like my Mom ... but I don't see me in her, I see my Mom. It's a different smile than the one I have, more like my Mom's was.

And oh the things she has taught me so far ...

It's really okay to not like your child some days, but you still love them to no end.

I'm not in charge of anything, I'm only the driver and the grocery shopper.

Labor can be a speed train of a ride but childbirth is beautiful.

Cuddling in the middle of anything is really very nice.

While it may be difficult sharing your bed with a baby, once they migrate to their own bed, that space they took up sure seems a lot bigger and emptier when they're not there.

When you see some of your own qualities in your child, you wonder how anyone has put up with you for so long, and good Lord, I actually got somebody to marry me, by choice!

So ... to the Queen Bee ... your Mommy loves you. Thank you for challenging me and not letting me get comfortable, for showing me that yes, you can love two children and your heart will in fact, not burst, but somehow expands to contain the love, for making me a better person by making me look inside myself and really think.

Thank you for being mine. I am so glad I get to be your Mommy, and even though we may clash at times, I am so looking forward to what the next day brings.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

vacation funnies

We're on a small vacation, to the Detroit area, and, believe it or not, we ended up at a park today. Not that Illinois doesn't have parks, but two kids that hadn't napped, stuck in a hotel room with one tired & hot mama, wasn't working. I wandered down the hall, got the rest of the group - one aunt, one cousin and her three kids (5, 3 and 1) and the other cousin's wife and two of their three kids (13 stayed behind, 7 and almost 3 went with). Off to the park we went.

We got lost trying to get there, but found it.

So, the two girls were swinging with my aunt - the girls are both three.

I was pushing the boys, both age 5, on the big kid swings. The girls were on the baby swings. There was also a girl, we discovered her 7th birthday is tomorrow, that was helping push the girls.

She offered to push The Bee, but she was yelling for me. My Aunt said, "thats okay, her mom will come help her."

The Girl asked, "Which one is her Mom?"

My aunt pointed me out to her, and then she asked, "Well, how come her hair is nappy (pointing to me) and hers (pointed to The Bee) isn't?"

My Aunt said that it took everything in her not to laugh. She didn't have an answer for her either.

And, what makes it even funnier, is that the girl that was asking only had 3/4 of her hair braided, and the rest hadn't been done yet, but had obviously been combed out, and was quite large too.

You've gotta love kids.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

She's Three

This will be a quick one, with more to come later ... but my baby is three. Her birthday was officially this past Sunday. She finally made it ... after waiting for so long, she is three. She's wanted to be three since she was one and a half.

At our house, when you're three, you get to:

  • Use scissors
  • Use a butter knife at the table
  • Take your first train ride (although she did this when she was younger, I don't think she remembers it)

You also get your first car.

You also figure out how to ride a bike with training wheels, which Mommy is so NOT ready for.

More to come on all of this ... but we're gearing up for another busy day!

Happy Birthday, my Peanut Brickle.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Seriously folks, serious anger

Keep your damn eyes open - be on the lookout for motorcycles!

Every year at this time, we get all the news reports and friendly reminders to "Share the Road".

Do it - share the road.

Here's my not so friendly reminder: In the past three weeks, one girl that I went to school with lost her father when he was killed in a motorcycle accident. Someone pulled out in front of him, and he didn't have room to stop.

Sunday, a boy that I watched grow up, now a young man, was killed when a car cut him off. Now I get to go and tell his Mother how sorry I am that she has to bury one of her sons.

Both were wearing helmets.

Hang up the damn phone, watch what you're doing and be freakin careful.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Jell-O wake up calls

We were all awake and laying in bed this morning, at about 6:30, when Q says:

"Mom, is this your butt right here? This big thing?"

"Yes, that's my butt"

Q proceeds to shake it for me, which is always a lovely feeling and a reminder of just how much kids and the aging process have affected the body

"Wow. It's jiggly. Like Jell-O."

"Thanks, Q. Thanks"

What were YOU greeted with this morning?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Desperate Housewives

The Disney version

interesting site

I was flipping through Time Magazine, and saw a full page ad for The Hilton Family be hospitable campaign. I'm not so sure how I feel about the Hilton daughters, but the blonde one has supposedly turned her new leaf while serving her sentence for whatever driving violation it was.

It's worth checking out ... be hospitable

With the world being what it is today, the idea of being nice for nice-ness sake is sometimes surprising. People tend to be caught up in their own world and not notice others. Let's hope the world is nicer than we think it is sometimes.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

I need a hint

How do you all do it?

Aren't we supposed to be using all this technology available to us to chronicle the lives of our little ones forever and eternity? To share with far away friends and family?

Well, today we tie-dyed some shirts in the backyard. Now, I'll admit that this is the first time I've actually been responsible for the entire set up, from start to finish, but ack!

How am I supposed to be taking pictures of my kids, having a very good time, when I myself have gloves on, and am still supposed to be supervising the littlest one, who is still a bit wreckless and not the best direction follower?!?

And, then there are those of you that have sequential, start to finish, ready for the scrapbook pictures. I didn't get any. Not a one. I'll have pictures of them in their shirts, but not making them.

I suppose I could have woken The Husband up from his afternoon snooze and made him the picture taker ... but what does everybody do when The Other Adult isn't home.

These are the things I think about.

Any hints?

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

another sign that he's growing up

Up until today, every time we saw a certain piece of construction equipment, Q would point out the "extavader"

Today he pointed out an excavator.

And yellow is officially yellow, not lellow.

And Mrs. Rios isn't Mrs. Reeros anymore.

And today, "certainly is a nice day, Mom"

Yes, it was a nice day.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Speaking of birthdays - Q is Five!

Five. That number, depending on the context, can be a very little something, or a very big something. Well, around here, it is a very big something.

If it's five pennies, it's not too much. Five cars, that can be a lot.

It's been five years.

Five years ago, on May 8th, I was "due" with my first child.

On May 9th, I rode on the riding lawnmower hoping to get something started.

On May 10th, we went to the hospital because I thought it was early labor. It was, almost too early, but it was labor, so we stayed.

Almost 12 hours later, my son was born, via c-section, under general anesthesia, for face presentation. It was not pretty.

On May 11th, after a night that seemed to stretch on forever, I met my son for the first time. It was like coming home. I had waited for that moment for months, and then the night before, when we thought it was almost "THE TIME", I was so excited, and I just wanted labor to be over so I could push that baby out and meet him or her. I was ready to be a Mom.

The next Sunday was Mother's Day, my very first as a parent. What a great gift to myself.

In those first five days in the NICU, I learned so much about being a parent and the love, joy and heartache it can bring you. While he wasn't "sick", he needed to be watched to make sure the swelling in his face went down, that he didn't jaundice up from the bruising, his breathing was okay, the collapsed vocal cord was going to heal, he could nurse enough to maintain and gain weight.

I had waited to meet my baby, now I had to wait to bring him home.

Then we were sprung! I was in such a hurry to call my husband, that I mis-dialed a few times before I got it right.

He came back up and got us, and took us home. That night for dinner, we had chicken, and a salad and some grapes, and I napped on the couch with my son. I think that may have been the best Wednesday of my life.

And we've had five years of Wednesdays since then.

He has showed me so much, and brought so much to my life, in so many ways, big and small, heart breaking and hysterical ... I don't know if there is a way to thank your child for showing you the world, for giving you a new set of eyes to view things with.

Q is my blonde haired, blue eyed boy, tall and as skinny as a rail. My cuddler, my thinker, my planner. He is my serious one, but with a great sense of humor. He takes such joy in his every day, that you can't help but enjoy being with him. There are a million things to do and discover, and he is so eager to do it ...

My Rooney ... I am so thankful, every day, that I get to be your Mama, and that you made your way to me.