Monday Musings

Outside my window... gray skies but a beautiful yard with blooming trees and plants

I am thankful for...my risen Savior

I am wearing... Vera Bradley pj bottoms (what else?) and a blue T-shirt

I am remembering... my crazy wierd dream last night. It involved having another baby (that wasn't even real), taking 12 boys to Florida on a private plane, the appearance of people from different times in my life. I can't even attempt to analyze this one.

I am going... to have lunch with a friend I have known since I was 14 years old.

I am reading... still reading Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala and the Bible in a year - I am sslloooowwww. I also bought a new book called "First Family" by David Baldacci.

I am hoping... to make it through the day without eating the cadbury eggs I bought last night. STUPID!

On my mind... friends on a mission trip

From the kitchen... not much - simple tonight b/c the boys will be out. Coffee and a peanut butter South Beach bar for breakfast and lunch with a friend

Around the house... pictures that need to be hung, laundry that needs to be folded, and rugs that need to be bought!

Plans for the week... errands, Claire's acting class, T plays ball at halftime of the Bobcats game, work, T's bball practice, packing to go to the beach for Easter, Claire's Easter program at school, dyeing eggs, celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus

One of my favorite things... Easter candy!

Spring Break Texas Style

Can I just say how much I LOVE Texas! I have often said if it were not to come home, I would have never wanted to leave Houston. It was such a fun place to live and we had (have!) some wonderful friends there. Of course, now that I am back settled here - it would be hard to leave, but I love visiting there. We had the best time last weekend showing the kids around and telling them about our life there. We visited old friends, ate at our favorite restaurants, went to the Houston Rodeo & Livestock Show, our old church, Space Center Houston, and a Rockets' game. We also showed Taylor where he was born, the house we lived in, and where Mike and I used to work.

The kids loved the rodeo. Of course they had never seen anything like it. Here are a few pictures of them at the rodeo.







Here the kids in front of some rockets and touching a moon rock at Space Center Houston:




Besides the WONDERFUL food - my favorite part of the trip was seeing my friends. The time with them was too short, but it was definitely sweet. It is so wonderful to be able to pick up right where we left off each time. It was really neat to see how Claire just fit right in with all of my friends' kids. When we didn't have our family close by, our friends were our family, and I wish we could see them more often.

I am so thankful for the chance to visit Houston last weekend. We had a blast!!

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

That is what I feel like right now. I have fallen so hard off the healthy eating/exercising wagon that I cannot get back up. It is like I am powerless to say no to sweets and yes to physical activity. Clothes that were falling off of me months ago are snug now. Ever since after the marathon I have been eating so many things I shouldn't. I am not one to think we should totally deprive ourselves and I believe that we should have desserts/treats in moderation. If only I was actually following that right now. I am eating multiple "sweets" a lot of days not just one every so often.

Charlotte Christian has the best scones and muffins EVER. I am having a hard time saying no to them on my work days. Another work day issue is candy and homemade things people put in the kitchen. Last week I picked out all the mini krackel bars out of the hershey miniature bag and ate them ALL. In one sitting. Over the past two days I have eaten two really big pieces of the best carrot cake in the whole world. I just can't say no.

I have the opposite problem with exercise. I can't say yes. Now that I am not training for something I cannot make myself go outside and run. I have decided a need to set another goal and make an effort to train for something. I definitely don't want to run another marathon, but I could see doing a half marathon or a 10K.

With the Holy Spirit living inside of me I know I have all the power I need to change these bad habits. I just have to want to do it. And - I guess that is what it boils down to - I just haven't wanted to bad enough. So - after my trip to Houston on Friday - where I have every meal planned out in writing - I am going to turn over a new leaf and pick back up where I left off in November. Wish me luck!

Pet Peeve - Literally!

Since my last post was a vent session (according to my mom) I will continue in the same spirit. This is not necessarily something that affects me directly but just something that I consider to be seriously stupid. Before I even say what it is - I will say that I have good friends who do this. I see it all the time - but I don't get it. What is it??? People who drive a car with a dog in their lap.

I absolutely think that is one of the craziest things I see on a regular basis. There is no possible way that is safe. Who can predict that a dog will just sit quietly and not jump, bark, scratch, pee - whatever? How do you turn the steering wheel with a dog in your lap? It is one thing to ride around town with your dog in the car. I see people every day whose dog sits in the front seat beside them. In fact I saw the funniest thing EVER yesterday. It is partially what prompted this post. An older woman was driving a car with her fairly large dog sitting in the front seat beside her and a man (her husband) sitting in the back seat! It wasn't an SUV or a large car where the man had a good amount of room. It was a small car and he looked crowded. I wish I had my camera because I laughed out loud it was so funny! That picture was worth 1,000 words.

Now - we don't have a dog for health reasons, so I will be the first to say I do not have that bond with a pet like so many others do. But, if I did, I hope common sense would prevail, and I would know better that to tote a living UNPREDICTABLE animal around on my lap when I was operating a 4,000 pound motor vehicle that has the ability to kill people when not used properly.

Prroject Hell

Can I just say that I HATE school projects? I hated them when I was a child, and I especially hate them now that I am an adult. For me, science projects were always the worst. If you just mention the words "science fair" I immediately have heart palpitations. I hate tri-fold boards, foam core boards and poster boards. I am not crafty or creative, and I believe this is partially why projects conjure up such negative emotions within me. I feel like they are nothing more than busy work.

Since my children have been in school - here are some of the projects I can remember them having to do:

Decorate any type of shoe to represent a fairy tale - REALLY?????????
Decorate a "family" turkey - again I say REALLY????
Create an imaginary land and make a map of it - teaching topography I guess
Biome bottle - EXPENSIVE - had to buy lots of little animals & sand to fit into a coke bottle
Read a chapter in a mathematical puzzle book and illustrate the problem in a creative way - WORST EVER!
Make an art project out of trash - busy work
Make a mobile to represent the book The Angry Sailor - why a mobile?
Various research projects on winter animals, habitats, weather phenomenons all on poster board - they all run together
Roman/Greek History project - pick your own topic and medium - my son wanted to make a DVD - HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE DVD's!!!!

I know there are more that I can't remember. The worst is when the project revolves around a book or something I haven't read and my kids need help on it. That drives me wild. How am I supposed to help when I have no idea what the subject matter even is? All this has been recently brought to the surface b/c of the three projects my son had due in different classes in the same week. On top of the projects he had two papers due as well - not to mention the daily regular homework.

Let me say this first and foremost - I LOVE MY SON'S TEACHERS! I think they are awesome and I respect them tremendously. That being said, however, I wonder if they don't talk or just don't care that they all assigned projects the same week. They might not think it is a big deal since they give them a good amount of notice but it killed me last week. I SPENT 16 YEARS IN SCHOOL. I already did my work. I don't want to do my kids' work, too. I am a firm believer that kids should do their own projects and have stood by that all these years. HOWEVER - I had to be very involved in all three projects last week. It was like a nightmare from my school days all over again.

I am thinking of starting a Facebook group called "I hate school projects." I bet I could get many fans VERY quickly.

Monday Musings

Outside my window... rain, rain, rain. After a beautiful weekend - it is a rainy Monday morning. I was going to go exercise but, darn - guess I can't.

I am thankful for... feeling better today after having a cold for the past three days. Today I just have a headache!

I am wearing... gray sweatpants and a T-short from the 2001 Presidential Inauguration

I am remembering... nothing! I try to keep everything written down b/c I feel like I am always forgetting something.

I am going... to keep my 8-month-old nephew today. We are so excited. I get to pick him up from preschool and take care of him for the afternoon today and Wed. and next Monday, too.

I am reading... Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala; Off-season by Anne Rivers Siddons; Rachel Ray magazines

I am hoping... dinner will magically appear on my table tonight

On my mind... what to make for dinner tonight.

From the kitchen... NOTHING! We need food so I am going to the grocery store today - do you see a theme here???

Around the house... leftover silver and red confetti from my mom's birthday party. There are pieces everywhere.

Plans for the week...keeping Knox today and Wed.; Claire's play practice 3 days this week; Mike leaving for Vegas on Thursday; basketball tourney this weekend; lots of friends w/birthdays

One of my favorite things...mornings with nothing to do but housework. I am happy staying at home doing laundry, cleaning the kitchen, etc. as long as I can stay in my pjs.

Birthday Week

I survived birthday week. More than Christmas, more than the last week of school - the first two weeks of February stress me out more than any other time of year. We have three birthdays in Feb. - Mike 2/4, Claire, 2/10 and mom 2/16 and then valentines thrown in the middle. I start planning Claire's bday in mid-January, but it never fails that in the midst of all that, Mike's sneaks up on me. Of course the day doesn't require much planning, but I do have to purchase his gifts and make his special triple chocolate cheesecake that I make him every year.

For Claire's birthday we had a tea party down at Ratcliffe on the Green. It was so fun. The girls were super cute. The party was very easy b/c she wanted very simple food. The restaurant was a beautiful setting and they did a great job with the girls. We gae each girl a hat and they got into it. Claire wanted "conversation starters" - things for the girsl to talk about when they got there. It was so cute hearing them talk about their most embarrassing moment or what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Here are some pics from Claire's party:







Next came Valentine's day and mom's birthday. I try to make V day special every year for my kids with heart shaped foods and decorations and small gifts. This year, however, all that I was able to get done was the gift part. My mom turned the big 6-0 and we celebrated her birthday as a family on Valentines Day at my house. My brother cooked a fabulous three-course dinner for all 18 of us. Here was the menu:

Mixed green salad w/roasted pecans, pears and blue cheese
Braised short rib w/mushroom risotto
Pan seared halibut w/choice of pineapple salsa and chorizo black beans or fresh, steamed vegetables
Choice of wheat roll from Great Harvest Bread Co. or Sister Schubert's yeast rolls

We finished the night with a chocolate vanilla bean torte and strawberries. It was so yummy. We ordered a nugget tray from Chick-fil-A for the kids. We had a fun night. Claire made place cards for everyone and we randomly placed them around so kids and adults were mixed up. We had beautiful flowers and everyone received a chocolate brownie pop as a party favor. We hired a photographer to take pictures of all the different family groups - mom with her grandkids, dad with all of his sons and grandsons, each individual family, the four generations of women - Mimi, mom, me & Claire. I can't wait to see how they turned out. Meanwhile, here are some of my pictures from mom's party.







I had a lot of fun with all of these celebrations but boy am I glad they are over!