Playlist

I have Ryan's hand-me-down iphone. He's done well showing me how to use it. And I've learned the ropes of itunes and how to download my music to my iphone (hello 21st century, I have finally arrived!).

Now, I intend to use my newly uploaded music for the gym, to help me power through a few workouts. I've tried to keep the music upbeat and pumpin'! There's a little bit of everything in there. I've got some Stephen Curtis Chapman, and Dc Talk. Then there's a snippet of Coldplay along with some Michael Jackson. A little of Brooks and Dunn and Need To Breathe. See....a little bit of everything!

But I only have a few songs, really not a whole lot. Would you like to add to my playlist? If you did, what would you suggest???

He's At It Again....

Edward, he's playing with his food again. My only hope is that he doesn't feel the need to share any with us. I don't think I'll like rabbit. My tastes are a bit more distinguished (even if it does taste like chicken).

On Household Tasks

Changing sheets on mattresses needs to be done. It's just a given when trying to care for your household. It's a thankless job....and mom has to do it.

But putting clean sheets on the top bunk is just plain tiring.

Period.

Gooooooooal!

Last Friday was Caleb's last soccer game. He has enjoyed soccer so much and since this was his first season to play, he was quite sad about it coming to an end. On the way to the game I reminded him to play and enjoy his last game. Caleb's response to me was, "I'm gonna kick some goals today, just for you Mom!". Well, that was a nice thought, but since he hadn't kicked any goals this entire season I just encouraged him to play his best and enjoy the game.

Despite my encouragement to just play and have fun, he went ahead and scored two goals! Once he kicked his first goal, I could see not only his excitement over what he had just done but also there was a fire in his eyes that wasn't there before. It was his first taste of victory and he kinda liked it and wanted more.

Again, this was Caleb's first season of soccer, or for any sport for that matter. Timing and cost have kept me from signing him up for anything prior to this. And frankly I haven't really seen the need for it. Sure, it would be fun for Caleb to learn a sport and make friends, but I told myself that he got some of that at school. But now I get it! It was so great to see Caleb learn how to play soccer and to do well. And it felt great to sit on the sidelines and cheer for my son as he scored his first goals. I'm so proud of my son! Too bad soccer is over. But I'll be signing him up for other things very soon.

And as Isabel often said throughout the season during Caleb's games......Go Caleb! Go Caleb! Go Caleb!!!

My Husband Loves Me Because I'm Cheap

It's true. I'm a sucker for paying a low price. Or a reduced price. Pretty much any price that isn't the full deal. And I'll to great lengths to pay a lower price, even when I shouldn't. But it works out in the end, most times.

When we moved into our house last year, I noticed that the silverware basket wasn't the one that originally came with the dishwasher. In fact, it was a small metal basket that barely fit all the silverware (if you call jamming the silverware into any available crevice a 'fit', that is). The worst part was that it was metal and it was rusting in areas and therefore starting to get rust on my some of my silverware. So I called Sears with my dishwasher part information to order a replacement. Should have been easy enough, right? Well, it was, actually, but the price that was quoted to me was something I was not willing to pay. The lady on the phone said it was going to be forty bucks!!! And that did not include shipping. After her insistence that she wasn't kidding me, I told her I wasn't willing to pay that much for such a part, and quickly (and gracefully) ended the call. The funny part was that Ryan was willing to shell out the forty-plus bucks for the simple little plastic piece of dishwasherness, but I was not. And so began my quest for a cheaper part.

And I found it! Gotta love the internet and it's ease of searching for stuff. I was able to locate a dishwasher basket that would fit. Would you like to guess how much I paid for it??

Twenty bucks. Including shipping. Wah-lah! I just saved us twenty-plus dollars!!!! Not much could make me happier.

And that is why my husband loves his cheap wife.

Then End.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

On my nightstand is usually one book and my One Year Bible, my teeny alarm clock and a bedside light. But I'm a bit behind in reading and a few books have gathered beside my bed, all wanting my attention. Then yesterday at a ladies gathering at church there was a table of donated books and they were free for the taking. And because I must like to have lists of unfinished 'things to do', I grabbed a set of four books. Yes, I know, I'm crazy.

And what once was my nightstand has now become a bookshelf, apparently.



Currently, the books that are gracing my bedside are;

The One Year Bible (God)
The Note (Angela Hunt)
The Girls (Lori Lansens)
Captian Wentworth's Diary (Amanda Grange)
Take Three (Karen Kingsbury)
The Yada Yada Prayer Group - all four in the series (Neta Jackson)
Conspiracy In Kiev (Noel Hynd)

When I am finished with these, I plan to pick up some of the books mentioned here. And after that, who knows!

So what's on your nightstand?

Getting the Second Round of Shots

A few months ago we got the kids vaccinated for H1N1. Well, they got the first round of it due to their age. If you recall, I was sneaky and didn't tell the kids that they were getting a shot until we were pulling into the parking lot. When they heard the news there was all kinds of cries protest and tears. While there, they learned that they would need to get a second shot in a few weeks. But I refused to tell them exactly when. However, I made a different plan.

Mae was asking me when the next appointment was, and still I wouldn't tell her exactly when it was. I asked her what she preferred, but I had her think about her answer before she told me. My question was this, "would you like me to tell you the morning of the appointment, or just before we get to the doctors office?". After thinking about it, her answer was that I tell her the morning of, but I made her promise that she wouldn't worry about it all day.

When the day came, before school, I pulled Mae aside and told her that after school was the vaccine appointment. In addition to telling her the event, I also gave her a bible verse. The verse was Philippians 4:8, which says;

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I explained to Mae that when she had thoughts about getting the shot and started to worry, that she could go over this verse and focus her thoughts on things that were good and not worrisome.

In the end, Mae did not fuss or complain at any time before getting the shot. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

Again, His word does not return void!

Keeping The Peace

The kids and I recently made a trip to Modesto during their spring break. Typically on road trips I get snacks to help everyone make it between pit stops (of which I limit to only one, to the best of my ability). For this trip I got a box of wheat thins, goldfish crackers, and tootsie pops and usually I dole them out when requested, but this time I did something a bit differently. I gave them their snacks before we left.

I had an idea to divvy out the crackers between three ziplock baggies, and wrote a child's name on each baggie. The idea was that when they got hungry they could eat and not bother the driver (me!). And it worked out perfectly. No one bugged me with announcements of hunger or wanting more, and therefore, I was able to focus my attention on the road. It was one of those moments where I say to myself "why didn't I think of this sooner?".

The tootsie pops, however, were kept near me in a safe place. We can't have kids going willy nilly with sugar. Not is a confined space, that is.

Ultimate Blog Party - Sometimes I Pretend to be a Good Cook

Greetings! Welcome to my little corner of the Ultimate Blog Party! Feel free to mosey around and make your self comfortable. Now, if I was having a real-life party or a small gathering of friends, I'd have a few snacks on hand and I'd probably have a big ol' bowl of tortilla chips along with some guacamole (my favorite snacky snack). And I just got a recipe for iced coffee, so I'd most likely serve some of that too. If I was a true proficient in the kitchen then I'd probably whip up something more elaborate and exciting. But alas, I am not. When I cook it is only to survive. Although, I've been known, on occasion, to get a little creative and produce a dish of delight....

Like the time I was assigned to bring a potato dish to a bible study social event. I had no idea what to make! None. So I asked around and was given a recipe for what was called Funeral Potatoes. I don't recall too clearly how I made it or what was in it (aside from frozen hash browns) but as I was making it I decided to sprinkle some curry on top to help give it a little more taste. And the potatoes were a hit!

Then there was the time that I accidentally opened the wrong can wile I was making dinner. I was supposed to use cream of mushroom soup for my dish but instead I opened cream of chicken. So I put the cream of chicken in a plastic container and into the fridge it went, where it would wait until the next day when I would use it creatively, somehow, because I didn't want to waste it. After consulting my mother, I put some frozen chicken in the crock pot along with the cream of chicken soup (which I mixed with some curry, not too much, just enough to add some flavor) then I added some broccoli that was had been sitting around in the vegetable drawer of my fridge. After several hours, when dinner was served.....wah-lah! we had a fabulous dinner that was raved about! A called that one my happy accident (which I have served more than once).

And there have also been a few times when I just throw a couple things together and it consumed as though it was a bonafide dish. Like when I threw in some salsa from a jar into a pot of kernel corn. And the time I fried up some canned sliced potatoes with green onion, spices and cubed tomatoes (although I must admit that my husband helped with that dish, a little).

So sometimes I amaze myself. But other times I'm just throwing things together so we can live. I'm not a marvel in the kitchen, but there are times I pretend that I am and my family lives to tell about it.....and asks for more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the prize drawing, if I win, my choices would be;

* US39 - the 2 night stay at a Hilton Garden hotel
* US75 - $100 gift certificate to Summit Camping Gear
* US7 - Tupperware prize pack
or - any Amazon or Target gift card (I'm easy to please ;)