Vacation On! and Snow Cream!

The next day, after being woken up waaaaaay too early in the morning by eager kids, we began our first day in Tahoe. There was plenty of snow, so finding enough for snowballs was not a difficult thing for the kids. After the kids ate, they quickly dressed for the outside. And suddenly, the cabin was quiet! The great outdoors?........not so much.

I stayed happily, and cozily, inside with my dear friend Rachel as we cleaned up the breakfast dishes and straightened up before the kids came back inside to tear it all apart again. Yes, it was official, we were on vacation!

the view from the living room

That first day was somewhat lazy, after a trip into town for lunch and supplies. The kids played countless games of hide-and-go-seek as the adults talked and played a few games around the fire.

The next day, Tuesday, was Caleb's birthday! He turned six this time. And it seemed that the day was celebrating him right along with us. The day before had been a beautiful snowy day with clouds and huge chunks of falling snow, but Tuesday dawned bright and clear and laden with at least a foot of fresh snow! And what else should one do (when celebrating their birthday) with tons of fresh snow????.....sledding! That's right! So sledding we went!

But first.....we had snow cream!

What's snow cream, you ask? Well, let me tell ya....it's wonderfully, delicious, icey mounds of goodness. What'd you expect?? Ok, fine, I'll indulge you with an explanation.

My friend Rachel, grew up in a place where it snowed a couple times a year and it was always a treat. She tells me that when it would snow, her mother would gather up the fresh snow and make snow cream. I vaguely remember Rachel tell me of this when I lived in Michigan. I think I half listened and blew it off because, at the time, I was sick of looking at the snow, which I had affectionately named white crap. (gasp! I know, sorry for such harsh language, but it's true, I was tired of the snow and the thought of eating it was just abhorrent to me - sorry Rachel!). If I had listened, I may have found a piece of enjoyment out of the stuff.

Here's a basic recipe, then I'll explain;

Mix together:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
scant 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
large bowl of snow (about 3 quarts)

The only problem with this recipe, that we had, was that there wasn't any vanilla in the cabin. So we improvised and used the peppermint mocha creamer that was in the cabinet. Oh boy!!!!....I like to call this a happy accident! The snow cream was light and icy with a nice aftertaste of peppermint. It was fab-u-lous!!!! There aren't words to describe how absolutely wonderful it tasted. All I gotta say is......if you ever visit the snow, take some peppermint mocha creamer and make yourself some lovely snow cream!

Rachel made one batch late that morning and it was gobbled up in no time (by everyone!). Then I asked her to make some more after we got back from sledding. This was certainly an unexpected highlight for me on this trip. Oh to have one more serving!

Then, we went sledding........

The Trip to Tahoe

After a long travel day the day before, we headed off to Tahoe on Christmas Sunday. We were armed with dvds rented from our library (and because of the holiday closures I wouldn't have to think about renewing them before we returned!!!) and they helped the kids (and consequently Ryan and I) endure the slow, snow-covered roads through the mountains. I can't express how wonderful it was to have fresh new movies to distract the kids with!!! Anyway, six hours later we finally arrived at the cabin and were greeted by the warmth of the fire and friendship (wasn't that a lovely sentiment?).

After being cooped up in the truck one might have thought that the kids were pooped and ready for a nice, warm, evenings sleep. One who doesn't have kids might think that. If they did, they be sorely mistaken (and very tired the next morning). On the contrary, they were excited about their friends, the cabin, the bunk beds, and just about everything else.

Two hours, and many threats tucks-back-into-beds later, the cabin was quiet, with the exception of the adults catching up by the fire.

Ahhhhh....we were on vacation.

These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

We've been home for one week now. And I've posted absolutely nothing about our trip to Tahoe or our Christmas with family. Shame on me! But somehow I think my reader(s) may forgive me. Won't you??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was more than ready for our Christmas vacation started before it began. We were going to meet some friends up in Tahoe for the first part of the week, then head to Modesto for Christmas and the remainder of our time. However, before we could leave, I had to secure all the gear needed for the kids to enjoy the snow. I thought I had enough leftovers from our time in Michigan that I'd only have to get a few things for Mae and Caleb.

I was wrong.

Turns out that Caleb is a much bigger guy than Mae was at the same age. Much to my disappointment, I discovered that the boots I intended Caleb to wear would actually be the ones for Isabel. Bummer! But Craigslist is my friend. For the most part, that is. Isabel would be fully assembled, thanks to the leftovers, but Mae and Caleb needed pretty much a full wardrobe!

Thanks to Mr. Craig, Big Lots and the dollar section at Target (oh how I love thee, let me count the ways....$1!!!) I was able to get snow pants and jacket for Caleb, snow pants for Mae, as well as hats, gloves. The one thing left, days before leaving on our trip, was boots for my boy.

That Thursday, two days left mind you, I gave up on Craigslist and decided to bite the bullet and buy new ones at Target. Easy enough, so I thought. However, when I got there all that was left were small sizes, and in pink! Who would have thought that a Southern California store would SELL OUT of snow boots??!

To make a long story (and long afternoon!) short......4 stores and 2 hours later, I found some boots for Caleb. The price was good, but they were also two sizes too big! I didn't have another choice really (and I don't count the pair at a sporting goods store for forty bucks! as a choice, I wouldn't pay that even if we lived in Michigan and he wore them everyday!). So I bought the two-sizes-too-big pair and figured I'd have him double up on socks. In the end, they worked out and the boy had a great time in the snow and stayed nice and dry the entire time!

The moral of this story is this; The Lord cares about boots for my boy. I had been praying the entire time while gathering gear. It was my intent to spend our money wisely, and I see that the Lord honored my efforts and provided me with what we needed.

Thank you Lord for another opportunity to trust you, even in silly things like snow boots for a five year old boy!

After all my efforts, you don't think it's asking too much for him to wear them to school, do you?

Another Good Christmas

I'm back. We returned home late this afternoon from an eight day trip to Modesto and Tahoe over the week of Christmas. I'd like to go into further detail, but to be honest, I'm plum tuckered out. The kids are down for the night and I am lounging in my cozy evening wear (nice pair of sweat-type pants and slippers) and I am thinking that my own bedtime is fast approaching. I do plan to tell of our adventures in the snow and Christmas 2008, but for now I'll give a few snippets to whet your appetite!

........fabulous dvd's, snow cream, sledding, unexpected family connections, and toilets.....

Do I have your attention??? I know you're only coming back to hear how 'toilets' fit into the Christmas scheme of things, aren't you?

'Til then....

Beware of the Doghouse

My brother is a wise man. Recently he posted this video on his Facebook as a warning to his fellow man so they would shop with discernment this Christmas season when it comes to getting their wives a gift. I thought it was appropriate and would be appreciated by my reader(s) as well.

Enjoy!

Christmas Song Trivia- part 2

Here is the second part of the song trivia. If you missed the first part then scroll down to yesterday's post for the explanation.

11. Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals. *Frosty the Snowman* Caterina

12. Natal celebration devoid of color. *White Christmas* Sarah

13. In awe of the nocturnal time span characterized by religiosity. *O Holy Night* Sarah

14. Geographic state of fantasy during the season of mother nature's dormancy. *Winter Wonderland* Sarah

15. The first person nominative plural of a triumvirate of far eastern heads of state. *We Three Kings* Sarah

16. Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted, metallic, resonant cups. *Silver Bells* Sarah

17. In a distant location the existence of an improvised unit of newborn children's slumber furniture. *Away in the Manger* Caterina

18. Proceed forth declaring upon a specific geological alpine formation. *Go Tell it on the Mountain* Sarah

19. Jovial Yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us. *We Wish You A Merry Christmas* Sarah

Christmas Song Trivia

A couple weeks ago I was at church for the ladies bible study. Although it was more of a Christmas social gathering than it was a bible study that day. Among the goodies and chatting with friends, we played a game, it was called Christmas Synonyms. We all had a list of 19 Christmas songs but the catch was instead of having the name of the song there was a descriptive sentence. We had to translate the statements back into recognizable English and therefore we'd get the song title. We had fun comparing ideas and figuring out the correct title. Sometimes we were completely stumped but a few times we actually got it right!

Since I'm in a blogging slump (I blame it on Nablopomo of last month!) I have decided to share this fun little quiz with you. Let's see how well you can do!!! Once a correct guess has been made, I will add in the answer after the clue along with the person who guessed it. To make it last longer, I'll put the answer in black, so if you see someones name after the clue then you'll know it's been answered correctly but still able to play along. If you want to see the answer then select the blank space between the * and the text will appear.

I'm going to break this up between two days since I have so many songs. I'll give the answer to the first one to give you an idea of how it works. So here is the first set! Let's see how well you can do!!!

1. Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds. *Hark the Herald Angels Sing* sample

2. Nocturnal timespan of unbroken quietness. *Silent Night* Sarah

3. An emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere. *Joy to the World* Sarah

4. Embellish the interior passageways. *Deck the Halls* Caterina

5. Exalted heavenly beings to whom hearkened. *Angels We Have Heard on High* Sarah

6. Twelve o'clock on a clement night witnesses its arrival. *It Came Upon A Midnight Clear* Sarah

7. The Christmas preceding all others. *The First Noel* Sarah

8. Small municipality in Judea southeast of Jerusalem. *O Little Town of Bethleham* Sarah

9. Diminutive masculine master of skin-covered percussionistic cylinder. *Little Drummer Boy* Sarah

10. Omnipotent Supreme Being who elicits respite to ecstatic distinguished males. *God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen* Sarah

How Lovely Are Your Branches

A couple weeks ago we busted out the fake Christmas tree and set it up. A fake tree just makes sense for our family since we tend to be gone over Christmas and having a real tree just isn't safe. So last year we broke down and bought a fake pre-lit tree. In another year or so it will have paid for itself. And it doesn't look too bad either!

Anyway, back to decorating....

After the tree was set up and lights all working (although they did go out for a while, but my man fixed it!) I got out the other boxes of Christmas decorations. The kids love these boxes and hoover around me as I pull things out. They are quick to snatch up the ornaments and tend to have the tree decorated by the time I finish pulling things out.

I had even more fun this year decorating the tree. Last year my mom gave me some silver beaded garland that she didn't use anymore, so now I had one last thing to add to our tree! I love the silver garland, it just adds the right touch to our tree. The kids even helped me put it up. See....



Well, I guess we got a little carried away, didn't we?!

Because the Winters Here are Frigid

This will be my third winter in Southern California since moving from Michigan a couple years ago. And I think I've finally acclimated. How do I know, you ask??? The temps are in the mid 60's and I'm cold. That's how I know!

I remember being in Michigan and knowing when we had acclimated to the cold winters there. Ryan had gotten home from work and we were all heading to the gym for a quick workout before coming home and having dinner. I was wearing some lightweight workout pants and t-shirt with a sweatshirt on top. The temperature was about 40 degrees and at the most I felt a little chilly.

Yesterday the temps were in the mid 60's and I wore pants, long sleeved mock turtle neck shirt and a cozy lightweight fleece jacket. At night I'm bundling up and layering my socks to keep my toes warm. And I think I need to add an extra blanket to the bed. However, I'm still wearing my sandals. I'm a southern California girl, what can I say!

God Rest Ye Politically Correct Gentlemen

It's the Christmas season!!! This means I can pull out my favorite Christmas cd's (ok, so I only have two, so out they come!). One of the cd's I have is Harry Conick Jr.'s When My Heart Finds Christmas, and the other is by Mannheim Steamroller (pictured at right).

The other day I was looking at the back cover of the Mannheim Steamroller cd and I noticed an interesting little tid bit of information. To one side there was a little write up about the song God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I thought it was interesting and decided to share it. This is what it said;

God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen: This Yuletide phrase is ofen printed- and sung- with this punctuation and the pause it implies. But that's not the way the charming old carol has it. Properly, it's "God rest ye merry, gentlemen." The phrase "rest ye merry", which is older than Shakespeare, who used it in Romeo and Juliet, dates to the beginning of the 15th century. Incidently, the Old English word for 'merry' did not mean gay and lively, but merely pleasant or agreeable. By the 14th century, however, it had acquired its present meaning.

Hows that for a lesson on political correctness? Again, there is nothing new under the sun.

Merry Christmas! Ahem, or should I say, may you have an agreeable holiday season? Nah. Merry Christmas!!!

The Self-Cut May Be Free, But It's Soooo Not Worth it

I may have brought it upon myself. I'm not sure. I remember talking with a friend about this very situation but I said something like "Yea, but none of my kids have ever done that. Yet." Somehow I don't think the 'yet' was good enough to save me from what happened last night.

It was time for dinner so we rounded up the kids to the table. Where was Isabel? Oh, there she is. Come on Isabel, time to eat! She sits down and we all proceed to hold hands to pray before we eat. That is when I saw it and let out a loud gasp!

I was speechless. Ryan looked at me and asked me what was wrong. I could not say a word (I think instant stress or surprises do that to me). All I could do was look at Isabel and then will Ryan to follow my eyes to her head. How could he not see? How is it that he doesn't notice the gaping hack job of a hair do that Isabel is now sporting?

My emotions ranged from laughter (we all fought it during prayer!), to 'oh well, it'll grow' attitude, to anger. How could she do that? She just got her hair cut, like, three weeks ago??! It was so stinkin' cute too! Now look at it, it's terrible! The ugly inside me waged to get out, and I was a grump for the next hour and a half. But my baby, so sweet and so cute, is now sporting a I-did-my-own-hair-cut cut!!!! It's just not right.

Yes. It has happened. Isabel cut her hair. After seven years of raising children I learn that I am not immune to a child finding a pair of scissors and going to town on their perfectly coiffed hair. But as I thought earlier, it will grow. And my revenge is that I can blog about it and post pictures! Ha!

before, when all was cute and right in the world


after

November Movie Review

1. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - I was looking forward to seeing this, but wasn't sure if I'd like it as well as I enjoyed the others. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't as good as the first Indy movies. That's ok, I suppose. It had the action with an interesting story with a bit of love stuff thrown in, but not too much. The one thing I didn't like was the silly cg stuff. It didn't look real AT ALL and just made it seem hokey. Cg is great and all, but if not used right then its just overkill and silly. There should be a limit to how much is used, or at the very least it should be supervised and thrown out if necessary. In this, throw it out. Anyway, overall the movie was fun and it was great to see Indy again!

2. 84 Charing Cross Road - I'm a sucker for most things Anthony Hopkins. So when I saw this movie with a young Hopkins on the cover, I snatched it up. I didn't care that it was made in the mid 80's or that movies made during that time to appeal much to me, but I nabbed it anyway. It had SIR Anthony Hopkins in it, do I need another reason??! This was a fun movie that I enjoyed very much, despite the 80's feel to it. It begins in 1949 as a female write in New York is looking for old English novels but can't find them in the US. So she writes to Hopkins who works in a book shop in England. They converse over the course of two decades as he fulfills her list of wanted books and she continues to request more. She makes a guenine friendship with Hopkins as well as with several others in the book shop. I enjoyed how the movie was told in the perspective of them writing letters to each other. At one point she almost makes it over for a visit, but ut doesn't work out. I think I know how they must have felt to not have been able to finally meet each other. I found myself empathising with them because that is how I would feel if I was about to meet a blog friend and it falling through. Actually, I was thinking a lot about the people I've met because of my blog and how I think of them as real friends even though we have never met. I think that may be a large reason why I was engaged in the movie as much as I was. Anyway, I liked the movie and would reccomend it to any of my bloggies (but they have to like Sir Hopkins as well!)

3. Grace Is Gone - This was a sad movie. If you have a family member serving in Iraq then I don't suggest you see this one, not right now anyway. It's about a man who learns that his wife was killed while serving in Iraq and how he is unable to tell his two daughters. In his inability to tell his girls, he takes them on an impromptu road trip. I can't say that the movie was particulary enjoyable, but it was interesting to watch this man and how he struggled to deal with the reality of his wife's death. If you're the type that likes sad tear-jerkers then this is for you. If not, then go rent a nice Christmas flick for the family.....It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favs!

So Long, Farwell Nablopomo!

Today is the last day of November. You do realize what this means, don't you? The last day of my posting for Nablopomo!!! But for me it means that I don't have to rack my brain for a post everyday.

What was that?? Did I just hear a sigh a relief from my reader(s)??!

Well, that actually that might have been from me! But really it hasn't been that bad. I've enjoyed posting a few things. I think my favorite was writing down the story of Ryan and I. It's nice to have it preserved within my blog, and one of these days I'll get it printed out. I did intend to write more things but I ran out of creative juice. I meant to write about our wedding and the births of each of the kids. Maybe next year. But for now all I can think of is saying good bye to November and having to post every day. In my head is a song that sounds a little like this....

Christmas Movie Trivia

And so begins the Christmas season! It is now ok to see decorations around town and on neighbors houses. It is now ok to hear Christmas music in stores and on the radio. And it is also the time to bust out our favorite Christmas movies!!!

I've compiled a short list of traditional Christmas movies, with a few new(ish) ones thrown in just for fun. Each movie is represented with quote. So how good is your Christmas movie knowledge?? Read the quotes and take a guess in the comment section. When a correct guess has been made, I will add in the answer along with the name of the person who answered it after each quote. (and no cheating!!! please.)

Have fun, and may I be among the first to wish you a Merry Christmas!

1. "If you're really Santa Claus, you can get it for me. And if you can't, you're only a nice man with a white beard like mother says. " Miracle on 34th Street - Caterina

2. "Can we take a direct flight back to reality, or do we have to change planes in Denver?" The Santa Clause - Caterina

3. "Now, come on, get your clothes on, and we'll stroll up to my car and get... Oh, I'm sorry. I'll stroll. You fly." It's a Wonderful Life - Lani

4. "Yeah, you know something... Vermont should be beautiful this time of year, with all that snow." White Christmas - Lani

5. "Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl." A Christmas Story - Angela

6. "Bah! Humbug!" Christmas Carol - Caterina (although she had guessed Scrooge, but really that's pretty much the same thing *wink*)

7. "Oh, that uh, that there's an RV. Yeah, yeah, I borrowed it off a buddy of mine. He took my house, I took the RV. It's a good looking vehicle, ain't it?" National Lampoons Christmas Vacation - Angela

8. "The thing about trains... it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on. " The Polar Express - Angela

9. "I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel." Elf - Maggie

10. "I must stop this whole thing! Why, for fifty-three years I've put up with it now. I must stop Christmas from coming... but how?" How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Maggie

Black Friday is Black Indeed

I'm not a big Black Friday shopper. In fact I have NEVER gotten up before the sun to partake in the super deals. Only once have I even gone into the stores on the day after Thanksgiving. And even then it was later in the morning. I've never been a crowd type person and I will avoid it when I can. So Black Friday is an easy one for me.

But after reading this story, I now have more reason to stay in safety of my nice warm bed while others are out literally busting down the doors all for the sake of saving a few bucks! It's so not worth it.

A Day of Thanks and Feasting!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope all my reader(s) are surrounded by family and friends and have a great day!

Ok, I'm off to start the Thanksgiving day feast preparations!

No Laughing Matter

This Thanksgiving, make sure all appliances are in working order. Oh, and it might be a good idea to have a home safety inspection. You just never know when a disaster may occur, and we wouldn't want anything to spoil our day of thanks and feasting. Now would we?

Alternative Dish

We have selected our menu items for our Thanksgiving feast. And we have been to the store. Now all we gotta do is wait for Thursday! Our table will be boasting a small turkey, bbq tri-tip, rolls, mashed potatoes, stuffing, two kinds of grilled veggies (asparagus and zucchini, I believe), cranberry sauce (as my sister in law would say, in the shape of a can), green rice, and pumpkin and apple pie, with vanilla ice cream and cool whip to top it off with!

Now, maybe you just read my list and are wondering what in the world 'green rice' is. Well, let me tell ya....it's my green bean casserole alternative. Would you like the recipe?

Green Rice

1 stick of butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 chopped med green pepper
2 cups minute rice - cooked
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 pkgs chopped frozen brocoli - cooked
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Saute onion, celery and green pepper in butter. Add rice, brocoli and cheddar cheese soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add cream of mushroom soup. Put in ungreased cassarole dish, sprinkle with parmasean cheese. Bake 350 til hot and bubbly.

*I usually skip the baking part and just use my crock pot instead, on the low setting.
**If you want the dish to look truly green, then add green food coloring to the water when cooking the rice. I usually skip that part too, the green rice kinda freaks me out.

If you try this recipe, let me know! I'd love to hear how you like (or dislike) it.

You Know the Boy is Gettin Better When....

...you have to tell the boy to;

1) settle down!

2) be quiet!

3) leave your sister alone!

4) stop running!

Yes, Caleb is feeling better. He's not 100%, but he's certainly much much better than he was yesterday. He did come into our room at about 2 this morning, but it was just to tell us that his throat hurt (so no hot shower treatment was need - thank you Jesus!!!).

Now all we have to do is survive this week as the kids are out of school! I think we can manage that.

You Know the Boy is Sick When....

I stayed home from church today (gasp!). But I had good reason. Caleb was not well. Actually, he seemed pretty ok to me, but Ryan told me he should stay home. So I stayed behind with Caleb as Ryan and the girls headed to church.

Caleb was playing with his cars and tracks and generally being his normal little self, with a slight cough. No big deal. He'd watch a little tv then go back to playing and being silly. But then he stopped and just hung out on the couch near me as I perused the blogs and dinked around on Facebook. He said his throat hurt. I gave him some medicine.

Then, after lunch, he didn't want to play. He just wanted to lay down on the couch. I asked him if he'd like to lay down in his room and take a little nap? No, he just wanted to stay where he was. Within ten minutes he was asleep.

This tells me that my boy is not well. The other tell-tale sign is when he doesn't care about missing out on Awana. And when hearing that his friends missed him, doesn't phase him.

Poor guy! It's heart breaking to see my boy not well.

Caleb seems to get croupy when he gets even a small cold. It's just what happens to him when he gets a cold. It must be a result of when he was a baby and had RSV and then asthma (which he has since grown out of, thank you Jesus!). So, now we just know to use the vaporize/humidifier thingy at night. And we've also learned that hot steamy showers that envelope bathrooms are good for croup (as well as chilly night air, but the showers are easier to do and doesn't require us to go anywhere).

So tonight my sad little boy is asleep and breathing in some steamy air. But I won't be surprised if he comes into our room in the middle of the night with the sound of a walrus in his chest.

The good thing is that he doesn't have school this week, so he won't be missing any school days. Not this time at least.

Dear Lord, please heal my boy and help him to get good rest tonight. Amen

T-Y-P-I-N-G

I remember taking a typing class my freshman year in high school. The classroom had about six long tables, three on each side of the room, with an isle down the center of the class. On each table there were three or four typewriters.

Mr. Phillips was my teacher. And he was a stickler for not looking at your fingers while typing! Ho boy, don't let him catch you looking down at the keys instead of at the book as you type! No sir. If caught, Mr. Phillips would take a half sheet of paper and tape it just above the top line of the keys so that when you were typing it would cover your hands and keep you from seeing the keys. Fortunately, I was never caught. Caught being the operative word, because I was certainly guilty of peeking.

Funny that I learned to type on a typewriter, isn't it? Wait, I'm dating myself here. Moving on!

I consider myself to type pretty fast. And I was curious as to exactly how fast I am. So I went over to TypingTest.com to find out. Now I don't feel so confident. My highest was 58 wpm (with a 98% accuracy). I know I could have a higher number if I would stop going back to correct my mistakes. Oh, and there is also that nasty little habit of peeking at the keys. Mr. Phillips would not be pleased.

So what's your WPM? Does Mr. Phillips need to come over with his little piece of paper to help you along?

It Was a God Day (and no, that's not a type-o)

My day started at about 4:30 this morning. A call from a friend who was at the ER with her daughter, she needed me. I'm not known for being an early riser. Not in the slightest. In fact, I balk at any occasion that gets me out of bed before I'm ready. But there is something about being needed by a friend and being used by the Lord that made this day good.

It wasn't an easy day, but it was good.

So as I sit here (sipping some Oh My Chai!, just got some the other day!) I am tired and ready for bed, and it's only a little after 8:00! Who knew a night person could be sleepy so soon after the sun goes down?! But I think I'll read for a little bit, then go to bed. However, I won't stay up too late, for one never knows if they'll be called upon in the middle of the night.

So don't stay up too late....I'm just sayin'.

All for Love

In junior and senior high, at church, my youth pastor had this saying when talking about teenage girls and their one reason why they did silly or non-intelligent things because of a boy they liked, it went like this....'because I love him!'. It was always said in a fun, humorous way, and always in a tone like a teenage girl would use - whiny. But I have found another use for the phrase, and I use it to describe why I have done things that I said I'd never do when I was a parent. Here are a few occasions that I excuse myself for all because I love my kids.......

* buy character clothes or shoes - Caleb has a a couple sets of superhero pj's, a few Cars t-shirts, and is on his second pair of cartoon shoes (right now he's sporting Spiderman, his hero of choice).










* allow, or buy, my girls clothes in any shade of pink - I'm not a pink girl myself and the thought of donning my children in it kind of repulsed me, now their closet fairly radiates the hue.











* have my girls wear silly pigtails that stick out of the side of their head - it's so stinkin' cute, I just can't help myself!















And I don't regret any of it. Not one bitty bit!

School Pictures

Last month Mae and Caleb came home with the proofs from the school pictures that had been taken. The sad thing is that we don't like them. Not a one. Both of their smiles look fake and nothing like how they normally look when happy and smiling. The other sad thing is that we have decided not to buy any. The prices of the packages, coupled with the available sizes in each package were not worth it. We don't want a gazillion wallets (or smaller sizes) and we don't need a plethora of 8 by 10's. So we opted to buy none. I console myself with the fact that we take plenty of pictures of the kids during the year. And we have also decided that we will take a group photo (of the kids) taken after the holidays to make up for the fact that a) we didn't purchase school pics and b) we haven't had a group shot of the kids in over two years. Yeah, it's about time.

But tomorrow is picture day at Isabel's school. I already know that we won't be buying any. Besides, if she is anything like how her sister was at the same age, then she won't want her picture taken (and will refuse) anyway. But I still need to have her looking nice and pretty, for their will be a class picture taken. Besides, I took a picture of Isabel the other day after she had her hair cut. I think it can pass for a nice solo picture. Don't you think??

YouTube Tuesday - Lost Season 5 Trailer

It's still Tuesday and I am posting this just under the wire for my Nablopomo post for the day. Too bad I've been battling a headache for the past couple days. I haven't felt like spending a lot of time on the computer delving into the past (doesn't help the headache situation). So today I bring you a trailer for the next season of Lost (even though those who follow the show have probably already seen it). All I have to say about the wait for the next season is....2 more months!!!!



*Whew, glad I got that taken care of! Wha...??! I have to post again tomorrow? Crap.

First Comes Love, part 3

I like to figure things out, and if given even an teensy bit of info I can easily solve a mystery. Ryan may not have known this about me at this point, but he did a pretty good job of throwing me off when it came to giving me my ring.

I was anxious to get that band of gold and diamond on my finger. I was ready to stick out my hand at any moment! But every weekend Ryan kept me waiting. We hadn't even set a date yet and I was waiting to be 'official' before we did (but that didn't stop me from ordering my dress!). It didn't take me too long before I figured out that he was waiting for my birthday to give me my ring. Ryan was going to take me to San Fransisco for the day, and I knew, just knew!, that he was going to give it to me then. I was absolutely, almost, certain.

So I waited.

I waited in the house when he came to pick me up. But he had to use the restroom first before we quickly left. That's ok, I'd rather have him give it to me when we're in the city anyway.

I waited as we sat on a blanket in Golden Gate Park and had our picnic lunch. That would have been a nice place. It would have been a great setting for a momentous occasion.

But still no ring.

I waited in the car as we parked outside the San Fransisco Zoo. I thought 'Ok, the zoo is......well, nice. I can imagine Ryan producing a little box when we sit by the monkeys cage. That can work.'. But before we got out of the car to go inside the zoo, Ryan gave me a present! It was a large present (large when one is expecting a small package containing a ring, that is). But it was a teddy bear. With no ring. It was just another birthday gift. And again, no ring graced my hand as we returned to the car after the zoo either! *hmph!*

And still I waited as we walked in and out of shops on Pier 39. Wouldn't an official proposal at the end of the pier make for a romantic story? Well, it didn't happen there either. And it had started to rain and our day was winding down, so we decided to head home.

By this point I was very much disappointed and inwardly embarrassed. We were driving back home and all I could think of was how I had told everyone, my family, friends, co-workers, that I was getting my ring that weekend. The next day was Monday and I dreaded going to work with a naked finger. But as we drove home, Ryan said something about renting a movie or doing something else when we got back into town. And a little light of knowingness began to glow, deep down inside me. I knew Ryan's plans for the day were not yet over. Hope was born! My ring was coming!!!!

As we pulled into town and Ryan took me to my parents house, after we picked up a movie to watch, I went inside to my waiting parents. Thankfully no one jumped up to ask about a ring or details of the day, and as Ryan got settled I quietly talked with my mom and sadly told her that I did not get my ring (there was still a small part of me that was not convinced I was getting it that night, so I truly was embarrassed and sad to tell her). The night was coming to a close and so my parents said goodnight and went to bed. But Ryan and I still had our movie to watch.

As we settled in for the movie, Ryan gave me a card. Another birthday card. This one had a black and white picture of two kids dressed up as adults (which were quite popular those days). The little boy was standing in front of the little girl and was holding a bunch of red roses out to her. On the inside of the card was Ryan's written words of adoration and declaration of love..........and his official request for marriage. Of course I had tears in my eyes at this point, and as I closed the card I told him 'yes'. Then!, finally!, after all this time!!!, he brought out the little band of gold and diamond I'd been waiting for all day, and he slipped it on my finger. Ryan had secretly hid the ring in the bathroom when he had picked me up earlier that day, and the entire day had been planned to string me along (the stinker!).



So I went to work the next day with such a story to tell! But I didn't wear my ring. I wanted to show my mother first, and she had left before I got up that morning (hey, it was a late night so I had slept in, ok?!). But as soon as my shift was over, I raced home, put on my ring and drove to my mothers work to show her!

Soon after, we set a date. And I just had this feeling that July 13th was going to be a great day.

We Interupt the Regular Scheduled Posting for This Very Important Announcement.....

~~~ Isabel has been moved to a big girl bed ~~~

*sigh* I knew this day was coming, but I was in denial. We didn't wake up yesterday with the purpose to move Isabel. It just kind of, well, happened.

The day began just like any other typical Saturday in our house. We went to Costco and loaded up on necessities (and samples, and lunch). Then the kids and bikes were hauled to the park. And while Ryan and I sat and watched the kids, we decided that it was time to cut the cord and swap out the crib for the toddler bed.

before


We've put off this move long enough. So it was time. I'm still not looking forward to dealing with the change it will bring....putting Isabel to bed countless times a night as well as finding out exactly how early she gets up in the morning.

after


Contrary to how I've been feeling, Isabel is so very ready. She was excited about her new bed and the new arrangement in her shared room with Mae. Isabel even placed a few of her things just so around her bed, so she's certainly put her stamp of ownership on the room.

I tried not to think about this momentous occasion in my home as I tucked her in and read her a story. I tried not to think about the crib and how it has been a part of our daily life for seven years and how strange that it is no longer there and never needed again. I tried not to think of my little girl, my baby!, in her big girl bed with a big grin. And I tried not to cry.

But I keep telling myself that although the crib is in pieces in the garage, it can still be put back together! (right???)

***this has been a message from the Emergency Blogcast System. Regular scheduled posting will resume tomorrow. (beeeeeeeeeep!)

First Comes Love, part 2

Ryan and I dated for a total of 2 1/2 years before getting married. Not long for a couple of youngin's. For about the first half of that time we continued to work together. Our manager knew of our relationship and allowed us to continue to work together even though it was against store policy. Little did he know of a few rendezvous in the walk-in freezer. I'm not sure, but the frozen chicken stars may have covered their little eyes a few times when we shared a couple of kisses. (insert embarrassed blushing here) But within that first year the owners found out that we were dating and I was transferred to another restaurant.

When not working together, we spent our time going to movies and plays, and day trips to San Fransisco, Yosemite or Lake Pincrest. We had picnics, hiked trails and took our bikes and rode the paths. For his birthday that first year, I took Ryan on a dinner cruise on the Sacramento delta. Don't be overly impressed, it didn't end up being the grand excursion I thought it would be, but it was an experience we shared. And on my birthday, Ryan took me to San Fransisco to see Phantom of the Opera (he knew it was my favorite). Yeah, that blows away the previous birthday adventure.

By the end of our first year together, Ryan had transferred to San Jose State University with Car Design as his career goal. He continued to live in town, but was traveling back and forth, an hour and a half each way, during the week for his classes and new job. And I quickly missed our mid-week evening times together....like when he'd be outside my class when I finished, or when I'd spot him there before I got out and I would smile or sometimes he made me laugh (which is generally not appreciated by college teachers and they'd shut the door). So by the end of that spring semester he was ready to move to the university and go full time, and the fall of '95 marked his official move away.

As we both prepared for his move to San Jose, we were looking at our relationship. By this time we had been dating for a year and a half and breaking up was not an option either one of us considered. And the next logical step for us seemed to be marriage. So before Ryan moved, we were unofficially engaged. The next big step was for Ryan to talk to my parents (dun dun dun!), which he did, and they gave their consent (thanks Dad, thanks Mom!). And a summer wedding of the next year was in the works as I cried my eyes out as Ryan's little white Honda Civic took my betrothed an hour and a half away from me.

The fall of '95 was an exciting time. My lifelong dream was within reach as I planned for our wedding. Ryan was now gone all week at college and super, super busy with his major, but still made time EVERY WEEKEND (save one) of that entire school year to come back to see me. We shopped for my ring, and bought one. Then I waited for him to give it to me. Yes, he made me wait (the stinker!).

First Comes Love, part 1

I met Ryan when I wasn't quite out of high school. He had graduated the year before me and was already in the college group at church when I went to an audition for a musical that the group was putting on that summer. This was my first interaction with the college group (even though I knew most of the people since they had been through the high school ministry in previous years). I went and, as expected, recognized most of the people auditioning, but there were a handful of others that I did not know. Ryan was among the unknowns. My first thought when I saw him was something like 'I'm gonna like this college group!' (how shallow was I?! -don't answer that.). And he did not disappoint! But it wasn't until later in the tour of the musical that we actually met and began to get to know each other.

Through the course of the tour of the musical in LA that summer, we started to hang out with the same people. Although I had an attraction for him, it was not mutual. We were becoming good acquaintances, but that was it. (hello, future wife here!!!) Not only did I think Ryan was easy on the eyes, but I was also attracted to his love for God and his desire to live for Him. It helped, too, that he made me laugh!

As the summer was winding down and we all began to focus on the start of college classes, a new home bible study was starting up, and Ryan was the leader. He was also looking for people to join in with him. Ryan asked many people in our mutual group, including myself. Seeing how I didn't belong to one yet, it only made sense to join. But at this point I was also sensing no return in my attraction for him, so I began to let the idea of us go. So I joined the home group and enjoyed the new friend I had made. And that was it, until later that winter....

When I started attending the local community college I also had the mission to get a job. Being the picky person that I am, I was getting nowhere. A few interviews, but no call backs or offers. Fast food was not at the top of the list for possible future employers. In fact, it wasn't even on the list! But after much discussion with anxious parents for me to get a job!, I finally turned to Ryan for help. You see, Ryan was a shift manager at a nearby Carl's Jr. Again, never on my list. He had offered to help me get an interview, and after one of those discussions with my parents, I finally asked for an application. Low and behold, they were hiring and offered me a job. And so began our working relationship.

It didn't take long either. We didn't work together all the time, but when we did we were able to talk more. That's when he was overcome with admiration and love for me...... Ok, so he finally broke down and asked me out.

After working with Ryan for a little bit, I was no longer able to push aside my attraction. We were talking more and I just couldn't help but enjoy it! I wondered if I was becoming too obvious or if our coworkers or lead manager were thinking we were talking too much or getting too close. I remember sitting in the break room one day and Ryan was looking at the schedule for the week when he asked me if we could get together. Being the guilt ridden person that I was, I thought he wanted to talk about our working relationship and define some boundaries or say that we needed to back off or something (mind you, we had never expressed any feelings for each other, we were just getting started!). So I had no idea that he was asking me out on a date! But I agreed to get together that following Saturday.

The days leading up to that date were nerve wracking! I vacillated between fear and excitement. However, my friends finally convinced me that the meeting was not, in his mind, a time to talk about how we were working together. And they were right.

Ryan picked me up in time for lunch and we went to a nearby grocery store and bought deli sandwiches and walked over to a little man-made lake. We ate while sitting on the dock, and just talked and enjoyed our leisurely time together. Afterward, we decided to go to a movie, Mrs. Doubtfire (not a movie I would recommend today, but it was better than the other options). On our way to the theater we were seen by a coworker. Talk around the employees were sure to fly now. What were we doing anyway? Why were we together? Well, as we continued to the theater, we talked about it. We were on our first date. Yes, we were dating (insert inward glee here!). And I was able to answer those questions with confidence (albeit with a little blushing!) later that night when I went in for my next shift.

So, as of January 9, 1994 Ryan and I were together.

New-ish Toy!

Yesterday my neighbor down the street told me that she had a bunch of stuff ready for the Salvation Army and did I want poke through the books and things before they came? Um, YEAH!

So we went over after school and I pulled out several books. Plus she had some clothes that might fit Mae along with a Light Bright! Well, all the clothes fit Mae (horray again for hand me downs!) and the kids are loving the Light Bright.

The best thing about the Light Bright is that it's a newer model than what was out when I was a kid. It's a Light Bright Cube, which means that two, and possibly four, kids can play with it at once. That is if all the kids can crowd around the cube, poke in their pegs AND still get along. But I suppose that's a battle for another day. As for today, Mae and Caleb had fun breaking in their new-to-them toy!

I'm thinking that hand-me-down toys are pretty cool too!

What I Wanna Be

On the way to school this morning, Caleb told me that he was thinking of what he wants to be when he grows up. Here is our conversation;

Me: Oh yeah buddy, what do you want to be?

Caleb: Either a cowboy or a police man.

Me: And what do cowboys do?

Caleb: They ride horses and rescue animals with their rope.

Me: And what does a police man do?

Caleb: They rescue people and give tickets to people who are driving.

I love his perspective! It's fun to get a peek into how he thinks of the world around him. I wonder what he'd say if I asked him what a mom does?! Maybe I'll do an update later today when he gets home from school.

Family

I remember a little poem or saying from my high school drama class. The teacher used it to help us enunciate our words and speak more clearly. Today I am taking that poem and putting my own spin on it. So it goes something like this.....

Whether the weather be cold.

Whether the weather be hot.

We'll be together

whatever the weather

whether we like it

or not.

Nothing

That's right. I've got nothing to say today. Not really. I had a lazy kind of day today. I should have at least gone to the store to do a little grocery shopping for the week. But I didn't. Instead I took it slow around the house and played a few Tetris games on Facebook (ok, so it was more like a lot). But I did beat a record I was shooting for! How's that for productivity?!

I also forgot to get the mail today. I was thinking ahead to tomorrow when the kids don't have school because of Veteran's Day and I mistakenly thought the mail didn't run today. I was wrong. That will happen tomorrow. But I did set the garbage out for the regular Tuesday pick up! However, I realized afterwards that the garbage pick up will be delayed for one day because the holiday. Well, I didn't get the mail but at least we won't have an overflowing gargabe for the next week! I'm sure my neighbors are thankful to be looking at our garbage can for an extra day. Oh well.

See? I told you I didn't have much of anything to say today. Maybe tomorrow will be a more insightful day. But at least I have my post in for the day!

A Perfect Day

Today is a lovely, dreary, rainy day. And I am so thankful. The weather here has been warm for way too long. When I have been craving chilly days with cozy sweaters I have been donning t-shirts and capris. Now I love capris and sandals but it time to break out the cool weather wardrobe! And today is the day!

I love rainy days. In fact, when I was a teenager, I would pray for days leading up to my birthday that it would be a dreary rainy day. I don't recall it raining too much on that day, but then I moved to Portland. It rained a lot there, though not as much as I thought it would. I think after moving there I must have stopped praying for rainy birthdays. I can't remember the last time I asked for a rainy birthday.

But here I am today in a thankful mood over rain. Do you know what makes a rainy day even more perfect???....a nice cozy nap. And yes, I was able to partake in that as well on this very fine day. I breathe a contented sigh as I feel that all is right in my world, now that I've had a delicious nap under rainy skies.

I Knew I Was In Trouble Before It Was Finished

Since we no longer have our handy dandy school buses to help us out this year, my neighbor and I have worked out a carpool swap. It only makes sense to do this, since we both have kids there and need to take them to and from school. Besides, it saves us on gas!

So yesterday was my afternoon to pick up her kids after school and take them home. We all really like Katie and Ryan. Isabel adores Katie and likes to try to talk to Ryan who sits behind her in the truck. And sometimes Katie has mad libs and we fill in the blanks on the way home.

Then there was yesterday....Ryan had a joke to tell Mae. As it began, I had this sinking feeling inside. A feeling that was foretelling that I'd hear it over and over and over again for a long long time to come. You'll see.....the joke goes like this...

Pete and Repete were in a boat. Pete falls out. Who's left?

Mae didn't get it. She kept answering the question, and Ryan kept retelling the joke. Now Katie and Ryan are home and probably on to other after school activities. But me? Well, I'm still listening to the kids and the new joke they learned.

Thanks Ryan.

Friday Tradition

When I was growing up, my family always had pizza on Friday nights. It was our way of splurging I suppose. Our way of having something fun together. Well, now that I'm all grown up with a family of my own, I want to keep this weekly tradition.

When Ryan and I were first married I was intent on keeping the tradition the way it was, pizza every Friday. But Ryan needs variation in his life or he gets bored. So we kept the Friday night tradition but decided to branch out and eat at different places other than pizza joints.

Today, the big question when Ryan comes through the door on Friday after work is "where should we go for dinner?". Sometimes one of us or the kids has a place in mind, and other times we can't agree so the decision falls to one person. Many a Friday night we can be found at places like Rubios, Panera, Taco Bell, and sometimes at a local pizzeria (gasp!).

October Movie Review

It's that time of the month again! Noooo, not that! It's movie review time! Here's what we saw using Blockbuster Online;

1. Jumper - this movie is a classic example of something that I would not pay to see at the theater but somewhat enjoyed at home. It's a sci-fi adventure about a guy who discovers that he can jump, or teleport, anywhere he wants to go. He uses his 'talent' to rob banks and travel to all places around the world. Of course there is a group that doesn't like 'jumpers' and takes it upon themselves to eliminate them. The storyline is predictable from there. But it was entertaining and somewhat original, I will admit. The main character was played by Hayden Christensen (the guy who played Anakin in the last two movies, or was that #2 and #3? anyway) and he wasn't much better in this movie either. He was better than in the Star Wars movies but not by a whole lot. Anyway, I'd reccommend this one if you're into sci-fi movies and would like to see something somewhat new. (but I will warn you that we did skip through at least one bedroom scene...just an fyi, if you care about those things).

2. 21 - Ok, now this one fascinated me! Let me back up a bit and explain. First of all, the movie touts that it is 'based on a true story' of a group of students and a teacher from MIT who take their intellect and use it to their advantage in Vegas by counting cards. After doing a little reading on the world wide web, turns out that the tag line should read more like this 'factual accounts based on fiction'. Needles to say, there's more fiction than fact going on here. But that isn't what got me thinking. I was totally into the story as a mirror of human struggle between doing the right thing (aka obedience to Christ) and how Satan gently lures us in with innocence and 'safety'. I would be interested in hearing someone elses opinion if they've seen it. Other than that, the movie was ok, predictable but entertaining.

3. The Spiderwick Chronicles - Ryan and I watched this on Halloween, not on purpose, but it seemed appropriate. At first I thought I was going to regret watching it, thinking it was going to be too juvenile. But it wasn't, not too bad anyway. So, the story is about three siblings that move to an old family house that no one has lived in for 80 years or so. They happen upon a secret book that reveals the hidden life of mystical beings around them. Now that they've uncovered the book, there is an evil ogre that desires the book and its secrets for himself (and rule the world....mwahahahaha). The kids must protect the book while they find a way to destroy it. I found it highly entertaining and it kept my attention the entire time (although the ending of the ogre storyline was a bit anti-climatic). It's about time there's a movie out there that has entertainment without gore and s3x! I'll let my kids watch it in a couple years when they won't be super-freaked out by the goblins and the havoc they create.

So, we didn't see a terrible amount of movies this month, as you can see. It's hard to find movies that aren't full of, ahem, crap. I get tired of seeing people with loose morals and filthy mouths. I wonder how much longer we will keep our account with Blockbuster Online. If you can recommend anything that you find entertaining with out the filth, please let me know and I'll add it to our queue.

I Wish!

If I click my heels together three times do you think I can get me a pair of these???



I came across them while traversing blog-land last week. I'm not one who wears heels much, if ever these days (seeing how I'm only an inch shorter than Ryan), but I can wear them when not in his presence...right?? *sigh* I may scarcely wear a pair of heels, but there is something about a Mary Jane style shoe that gets my attention. And these lovely ladies are practically calling my name. I can envision myself wearing them with jeans or with a pretty dress. I can make them work for every day or for a nice evening out. I just know I can! Too bad they cost $150 big ones.

One thing that puzzles me about these beauties is that they are made by Crocs in a new line they call YOU (at least I assume it's a new line). But since they are made by Crocs, it makes me think that these shoes are probably very comfortable, which is pretty much an oxymoron when it comes to heels. I think I should try them out and let you know. Do you think Crocs will pass me a pair so I can do a product review??? Wish they would.

Just in case.....Dear Crocs, I wear a size 7, please email me for my address info. thanks!

Election Day

I'm not much of a political person. I don't follow the daily digs and speeches. And I'm certainly not one for debating the topics with others. I just don't care for it. But as much as I don't like it, I can't escape the fact that I need to vote. And so I do.

There are many things to consider with this election though. The candidates and all that they stand for and represent, as well as the other emotionally charged propositions. But these things are not so much on my mind today. For one thing, I voted a couple weeks ago, but mostly because I know that the Lord already knows who will win and what will or will not pass. How do I know this? Because He's God!

Romans 13, verse 1 says "for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." So God knows who's going to win because He has already put them in place according to His plan and purposes. It may not be the one that I think best for our country, so I remind myself that that the Lord has said "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" (Isaiah 55:8) I am not sure of what the Lord has planned, and so I rest in the fact that He knows what he's doing - because He is holy, and perfect, and no plan of His has ever failed! (and that's a track record I can stand behind!)

In conclusion, I am not overly concerned about today's results. I have done what I can, I've voted, now I can only continue to pray for my country and state and stand firm in the knowledge that the Lord is in control of all.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but (I) trust in the name of the LORD (my) God.
Pslam 20:7

Monster Winner

This is the picture that Mae drew and colored, and what started the whole challenge. What do you think of Mae's yellow fuzzy headed, googly eyed, striped shirt with a heart and red arms and legged monster with a bow and roller skates??! (whom she also named Koco Nut! hahaha)



We had several people enter Mae's Monster Challenge, and Mae and I had fun looking at everyone's interpretation of the monster. Everyone did a great job! Mae and I say a great big THANK YOU to those who entered!

Of course there can only be one winner of the bag o' candy corn. Mae was very diligent in writing down the names of each person who entered on little slips of paper, she even numbered them! Then she put them in a hat, and I shook them up real real good, then she pulled out one name. And the winner is....

Sarah! And here is her picture!


Didn't Sarah do a great job?! Mae and I loved how she cut out the paper and added a fuzzy ball for the head, and of course the googly eyes are the best!!!

33

Yep, it's my birthday.

All. day.

Actually, I like to think of it as my birthday month! Too bad no one else sees it that way. Bummer! Oh well. I will be thankful for the day I have and how my family and friends make me feel special.....and how one fabulous friend is watching Isabel tonight so that Ryan and I can go out to dinner (MaeLeb will be a Awana so they are already cared for!). So here's to another year of life completed on this earth....and the Lord willing, many more!

NaBloPoMo

What is NaBloPoMo anyway?

Glad you asked!

NaBloPoMo is National Blog Posting Month, silly! What did you think it was? All I have to do is post on my blog each day for the month of November. That shouldn't be too difficult, should it? I think I'm up for the challenge this time around. Last year I had thought about participating, but I knew I'd be gone over Thanksgiving and I didn't want to add that pressure on myself. But now I have a secret weapon. It's called auto-posting! *shhh, don't tell* At this point I have no auto postings up my sleeve, but if I have a sudden burst of bloggy inspiration then I can use that handy little option. If not (which most days will be the case, I'm sure) then my blog fan(s) will be subject to daily drivel as I scrape together a post for the day.

However, you are more than welcome to help me with my blog posts. The other month, when I hit my blogoversary, I asked my adoring fan(s) to ask me questions which I answered the next day in my following post. So, here's another chance to ask me any question you'd like (but please keep it clean, any offensive questions or remarks will be deleted.) And if (ahem, when) I get writers block then I'll pull out a question or two. How's that for keeping things exciting around here?!

So, today's the big day! My first post for November!!! It's not too late, go to NaBloPoMo and join in! Not bad for right out of the gate, eh?