Thursday Challenge

This week's Thursday Challenge is PEACEFUL.



Believe me, this is the only time you find "peaceful" in our little abode!

words on Wednesday

Well, I totally missed doing Tackle It Tuesday yesterday over at my "household crap" blog (cleaning up the sty). Not that I forgot about it, I just didn't get to it. But I didn't want to miss posting words on Wednesday this week. Why I'm so anxious to post my ignorance is anyone's guess. Just love words, I suppose.

Anyway, after I finished the Rwanda book last week, I got all cocky, thinking that now I wouldn't have nearly so many words to be adding to my journal. Wrong! Still added 5 new ones this week. I might need to have Annie start giving me vocabulary tests!

O.K.--so here are this week's words. Are any of them new to you?

*unwonted-not habitual or ordinary; unusual (from The Call of the Wild)
This is a word I know I've run across before, but couldn't really give a definition for.

*brogue-a strong oxford shoe (from The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles)
Probably should have known this, but didn't.

*papilionaceous-resembling a butterfly (from The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles)

*celerity-swiftness; speed (from The Call of the Wild)

*lugubrious-mournful or gloomy, especially to a ludicrous degree (from The Call of the Wild)
Another one I know I've seen before, but couldn't have told you what it meant anymore.

Well, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that once again Jean was the winner from last week! She's my vocabulary idol! Wonder if today's the day she'll bat 1000.

at this moment...

*Gray is singing his made-up little ditty "This old mandible is one of a kind..."

*Annie is still whining about the filling she got today (her first ever cavity).

*Max is in bed. Sent there early for excessive bad behavior. Not an unusual occurrence.

*There are 4 loads of folded laundry on our bed waiting to be put away.

*Bon Jovi is playing on my iPod. (Yes, I'm still totally enthralled with my new little toy.)

*I'm looking forward to the season finale of House.

Just Curious...

Our kids still have 4 weeks left of school at this point. So while the weather is finally cooperating, it still just doesn't seem like "summer" yet. For me, summer just doesn't begin until the school doors are closed.

Just curious...
How about you? When does summer "start" for you? Is the weather? Is it Memorial Day weekend? What signals the beginning for you?


I have to say that I am sooooo anxious for school to be over! I need a break!!! Of course, I'll have to start preparing for next year, but it won't be the same kind of pressure. I've got so much to get finished up in the next couple weeks. Hmmm...and yet here I sit blogging instead.

Another book down.

Finally finished the second of six books for The Spring Reading Thing Challenge. Don't think I'm going to make it...there's only about 3 weeks left now. Oh well.

Anyway, I finished up Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark. Just wasn't impressed. I've been reading her books for what must be more than 20 years now, and I've never been so disappointed before. In fact, I usually absolutely love her books. But not this time. Guess nobody's perfect, huh? Anyway, I'm not sure quite what it was about this one. It may have been that I just couldn't make myself like the main character. I know you're supposed to like her. Sure, she's a nice lady and all. But I also found her a bit arrogant, and a bit condescending. I don't know. I also found parts of the book simply hard to believe...I mean you can only take coincidences so far, if you know what I mean. I certainly haven't given up on Mary Higgins Clark as an author by any means...as I said, her books normally suck me right in and I can't put them down. But this one just didn't do it for me.

But of course, that's just one gal's opinion.

Giddy...

that's me! We finally got my iPod going. (O.K., let's be truthful here...Rich got my iPod going. You all probably know I couldn't have done it myself anyway.) How did I ever live without this thing?!! I'm afraid I'm already seriously addicted! I think it might even be the secret to weight loss...since I'm bopping all over the house now. One major problem I have to overcome though...I really, really, really need to learn to stop singing along. I'm trying. Really I am. And yet I keep catching myself. I mean, I really do love my family enough to not want to subject them to that!

And more good stuff...I got a new Dymo label maker. My old one stopped working, and let me tell you I was lost without it! Definitely among my favorite scrapping tools. Not as exciting as my iPod, but still pretty darn good!

a fun little book meme

Amanda tagged me with this fun little book meme. Amanda, by the way, has to be one of the most voracious readers on the planet, and she's always writing great reviews on her blog.

The Rules Are: Post your responses. Tag anywhere from 1-5 friends. Leave comments to let them know they've been tagged. Come back and leave a comment when your post is up. Ok, here goes:

*Next 5 books on your to be read shelf:

1. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews Edwards
(for the Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge)

2. Call of the Wild by Jack London (for homeschooling)

3. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (for the "The Non-Fiction Five Challenge")

4. The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett (for the The Spring Reading Thing Challenge, and because I've been dying to read it ever since I read Chasing Vermeer)

5. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd Monk (for the Southern Reading Challenge)

--I do, of course, reserve the right to change my mind. The whole woman's prerogative thing, you know.


*Last 4 books you've read:

1. Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark

2. We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch

3. Just Jane by William Lavender

4. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke


Last 3 books you've borrowed (library or friend):

(Wasn't sure if this meant that I'd already read, or ones I still need to read. I'm going the read and returned route.)

1. Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark

2. Executive Orders by Tom Clancy

3. Pablo Picasso by John Beardsley


Last 2 non-fiction books you've read:

1. We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch

2. George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer


The 1 book you wish everyone would read:

I'm afraid I just don't have a clue how to answer this one. Sorry.


And I will now tag Kara, Stacy, and Gail. I know they all love to read...though they may have already played.

a quick break

Just made pizza salad and got some homemade rolls thrown in the oven. Rich is currently grilling some chicken. But I thought I would grab these couple of minutes to pop in. Geez--it's only been a few days since I was last in the land of blog, but it feels like forever. I miss being caught up with what everyone's up to! Might have to sneak in here this evening and see if I can't visit everyone. I should be working on school stuff, but reading everyone's blogs is so much more fun!

Anyway, we had an enjoyable visit with Rich's parents. It was really great to see them...it's been far too long! We pretty much just had supper and hung out Friday evening. Then yesterday after lunch, we took them to Lamberton Conservatory. I did take pictures, but I'm too lazy to load them to the computer at the moment. And we went out the China Buffet for supper. And then we gabbed again all evening. And they left today after lunch. Far too short of a visit!

On another note, I am so very excited! One of my "real life" friends, Kara, has started a blog! All my pestering finally paid off. Stop by and welcome her to this wonderful world when you get a chance...I know she'd love to "meet" you all of you sweet, fun people!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend! I can't wait to go see what you're all up to!

Thursday Challenge

This week's Thursday Challenge topic is FOOD.



Ice cream...good for wearing as well as eating.

good stuff...

*As the meteorologist on NPR said this morning..."Today we'll be having bona-fide shorts weather."

*The smell of all the lilacs blooming in the backyard is simply intoxicating.

*Rich walked into the kitchen as I was washing dishes this morning and said, "Damn, but I picked me a hot wife." (Okay, now I know that this is so NOT true, but it still made me feel good to hear.)

*My in-laws are coming to visit in a few days. (Though I hope they don't turn right around and leave when they see the state of this house.)

Yep, life is good.

not sure how to go about this...

We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories From Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch.

I finished reading it last night. I must admit that, in a way, I'd been dreading coming to the end of this book. For the simple reason that I would then have to write a review of it. And I just don't know where to begin.

This book is undoubtedly one of the most powerful books I've ever read. The other night as my husband was heading out to jog, he said, "Enjoy your reading." I answered that "enjoy" just didn't fit this book. It was gut-retching and heart-rending. It was a good thing I wasn't keeping track of tears shed, because I never could have kept up the count.

Before I read this book, I thought I knew a little about the genocide in Rwanda. But it turns out that what I knew about it didn't even begin to scratch the surface. The first page of the book:

Decimation means the killing of every tenth person in a population, and in the spring and early summer of 1994 a program of massacres decimated the Republic of Rwanda. Although the killing was low-tech--performed largely by machete--it was carried out at dazzling speed: of an original population of about seven and a half million, at least eight hundred thousand people were killed in just a hundred days. Rwandans often speak of a million deaths, and they may be right. The dead of Rwanda accumulated at nearly three times the rate of Jewish dead during the Holocaust. It was the most efficient mass killing since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Mr. Gourevitch does an amazing job of relaying the genocide through the eyes of survivors. And he goes well beyond this as well. The heart-breaking story is laid out about all that came before, about what led Rwanda to the genocide of 1994. And the equally heart-breaking story of what came after is exposed. It's not a pretty picture.

I feel totally inadequate in my ability to relate what a truly moving, powerful book this is. As I said earlier, "enjoy" would not be the right word. But I will be forever grateful that I read this book.

words on Wednesday

Feeling incredibly uneducated this week...with 9 new words added to my journal! I'm only posting 5 of them here, because the others came from the posts of some fellow word fanciers out here in the land of blog so you may have already read about them. But thanks for the great new words Stacy, Gail, and Melissa!

Anyway, here we go...are any of them new to you?

*pusillanimous-cowardly (I hate admitting this, but this came from one of Annie's synonym exercises. Now granted, Annie is doing these exercises at an 8th+ grade level, not a 4th grade level. But still, come on, if 8th and 9th graders are supposed to know this word, surely I should have known it.)

*maunder-to talk incoherently or aimlessly (from We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda)

*satrap-a subordinate ruler (from We wish...)

--These last two words are ones that I definitely knew one definition for, but from the context of my reading, it was obvious I didn't know "the appropriate" meaning. They are listed with the meaning for which they were used in my reading.

*cataract-a large waterfall (from We wish...)

*hydrophobia-rabies (from The Call of the Wild)

Once again, last week's winner was Jean. She knew two of the three words. And yes, I am quite envious of her incredible vocabulary!

Menu Plan Monday

I have an abbreviated menu again this week. When I was making it yesterday morning, I knew there was a chance we would be having guests later this week, but didn't know for sure. So I only made it through Thursday. Now I know that Rich's parents will be arriving Friday, so I'll have to plan a menu for the long weekend. (I don't mean it will be a long weekend because my in-laws will be here, by the way...long weekend, as in Memorial weekend.) Anyway, here's what's on slate (or should I say "on plates" this week). Sheesh...it's pretty obvious how dang tired I am this morning, isn't it?!!

*burgers on the grill/steak fries/cantaloupe

*salsa pasta/Italian bread

*stir fry (courtesy of Rich)

*almost stuffed peppers/muffins (of undetermined variety at this point)

Now, I need to come up with "the company menu". As much as I love having guests, I always have the hardest time trying to decide what to cook...

As always, thank you to our hard-working hostess, Laura! Pop on over there for loads of yummy menu ideas.

snippets

Things are just so crazy around here that I can't even seem to throw my thoughts together for a decent post. So here's just a few recent items from the last couple days...

*Went to visit Mom and Dad yesterday. Had a great time visiting! But bone-headed me forgot the camera.

*New books:




How cool is this?!! Waiting for me in the mailbox was the book I'd won at one of Katrina's incredible book give-away contests! And look, signed by the author, just like the one Stacy won!

And though not having quite the "wow" factor as winning a signed book, Mom also passed along two books to me yesterday (Monster by Jonathan Kellerman and Unspeakable by Sandra Brown). Oh, how I wish I had more time to read!



















*I'm worried about our fruit trees. None of them (cherry, pear, peach, nor apple) had many blossoms at all this year. So bummed! We love all the fruit they've given us in past summers. I've heard that it's because of the bizarre winter we had...I hope that's the case, as I'd hate to think that anything more severe was wrong with them.

*We are fuming with TV executives here in our house. I'm still very upset that my favorite show (Jericho) is being cancelled, but of course, that's the way of the TV industry. But the decision made yesterday...well, it was just inexcusable! Why on earth would they switch to pre-race coverage of the Preakness just as overtime was starting in the Buffalo/Ottawa game. It's not like this was any old hockey game. I mean, come on, this determined who was heading to the Stanley Cup finals! And it wasn't like it was the actual race they switched to...it was just pre-race commentary...the race wasn't starting for another hour+. I wonder how many irate calls were received by local affiliates. I just don't get it.

Anyway, I best run...too much to do.

The 10:4 Challenge

Meant to weigh-in (ugh.) and check-in yesterday, as that was closer to mid-month. But here I am, better late than never I suppose. Got on the scale this morning seriously expecting to see no change what-so-ever. (O.K. and really hoping the numbers hadn't gone up!) Instead, the scale said (well, it didn't actually speak...I don't have one of those fancy ones) that I'd lost 4 pounds. But don't go congratulating me or anything. For whatever reason, I'm just not trusting it. I don't feel like I actually worked hard enough for that to have happened. If that 4 pounds is still off at the end of the month, then maybe I'll celebrate.

Anyway, my next little baby step is to drink more water. For the next two weeks I'm going to shoot for 32 oz. a day. I know I really need to be drinking double that, but I figure I'd better work my way up. I drink way too much coffee and iced tea. So in upping the water, I should also be lowering those. (And of course, I'm going to keep eating breakfast, as well...which I've been doing pretty well with.)

Wish me luck.

can we just move on to tomorrow?

The temps are only supposed to reach the upper 40s today.

Not only was my favorite show, Jericho, not on last night, I found out that it's not coming back next year. This so depresses me.

Gray is major league cranky today...likely culprit being that the boys refused to go to sleep last night. Oh, how they need separate bedrooms!

My to do list for the next few weeks may just bury me alive.


And yet...life is good. It really is.

Thursday Challenge

This week's topic for Thursday Challenge is MOTION.



Maybe not the best take on the theme, but I like this photo anyway.

words on Wednesday

Didn't run across nearly as many unfamiliar words this past week in my reading. No, I'm not getting any smarter...I think I just didn't get as much read. But in addition to the one word I acquired reading, I acquired two from A Silver Tongue (Melissa's new writing blog). She's started a fun "word of the day" thingie. Anyway, here are this week's words...are any of them new to you?

1. diaspora-any group migration or flight from a country or region (from We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda)

2. jackanape-a mischievous child (from The Silver Tongue)

3. serry-to crowd together (from The Silver Tongue)

The big winner last week was Jean...she knew 3 of the 4 words! Unfortunately for her, the only prize is the knowledge that she has an amazing vocabulary (and I'm sure she already knew that anyway). You know, I may have to cogitate on this a bit...maybe I can come up with some kind of prize.

Anyway, I suppose I should run here. Have a multitude of thoughts serrying in my brain. Need to get some lists made and put some order to them.

(Hope I used the word correctly, Melissa. Wish I would have seen yesterday's word in time...would have been easy to work jackanape into yesterday's post!)

time for a bath

Maxidoodle was up coughing all night, so I figured it best he skip preschool again. Can anyone guess what movie I let him watch on TV this morning while Annie and I were working?




Yep, it was The Tigger Movie...and I'm fairly certain he enjoyed it.

past, present, future...

The past:

*We headed out Friday afternoon for our "field trip" to Saratoga. It was one of those "can anything else go wrong?!!" kind of days. Nothing major...just a million little minor things. Like having to make an unexpected trip to the vet's office before leaving to get Baker a different dosage of pills. Like Baker pooping on the floor when we were waiting to "check in" at the kennel. Like me accidentally going into the men's room (twice!) to get paper towels to wipe up the floor. Like not being able to find a hotel (though we eventually did). Just those piddly little nuisances making us wonder if this trip was a good idea.

*But Saturday turned out to be wonderful! We had a fabulous time at Saratoga National Historical Park. They have a great visitors center...the battlefield tour was fantastic...and of course, we enjoyed the hiking trail. (Though the boys were sort of dragging there at the end.) They were also having British Camp Days at the park...so we got to see some reenactment activity. The boys have been playing Redcoats and Patriots ever since.






*Mother's Day was somewhat uneventful. Too many errands and whatnot, I suppose. Picking up Baker from the kennel, grocery shopping, and the like. We did go out to dinner. And of course, I got presents. In fact, they totally surprised me with the cutest little iPod shuffle! I am so excited! Now I just have to figure out how to use it...which for me, will be quite a task!

The Present:

*Poor little Maxidoodle is sick and staying home from school today. He actually isn't complaining at all...he's always such a trooper when he's under the weather. But he is running a fever and has a nasty cough.

*Annie and I have a lot of catching up to do for school. We really got out of whack somehow last week, but I'm not really worried about it.

*I really need to sit down and work on a major "to do" list for the next couple weeks. Things have somehow fallen apart around here. And we're going to be getting some company over the next month...first my in-laws and then some old friends from Tennessee. I'm so excited! But I need to get this place whipped back into shape first!

*"Soccer season" starts tonight. The kids love playing, and I think it's really good for them. But...it really makes things hectic around here. Monday through Thursday nights are now booked through the end of July.

*The weather this time of the year is frustrating. I'm not complaining. Really. It's wonderful to be enjoying beautiful spring afternoons! Today, for example, we're supposed to have a high of 70 degrees. Shall be glorious! But of course, the nights are still rather cold. It just makes it hard to dress for the day when it's in the 30s in the morning, but then reaches 70 in the afternoon. I usually just don my shorts and shiver for a while. The kids usually choose to dress warmer and then change later in the day...just what I need...twice the laundry. But I can't really blame them.

The Future:

*Well, mostly that will be filled with trying to bring some order back to this house. Trying for finish up our school year over the next 6 weeks. Trying to come up with a plan for next year's schooling. Trying to make a dent in some of my challenges. And as always, trying to make our home a happy place to be.

Menu Plan Monday

I'm afraid this is another one of those incredibly boring "we're really broke, so we have to eat lots of pasta" weeks. It's a short week as well, because I believe we'll be heading down to my parents next weekend. Still haven't made the Taco Soup that I've had on the menu for the past two weeks, so maybe week three will be the charm, huh?

*spaghetti/Italian bread/salad

*ladle-it-on/bread

*chicken and stove top casserole (a new recipe I found on Eye of the Rainbow's blog, which for some odd reason I can't get to link here even though the recipe would)/cauliflower/muffins (kind yet to be decided)

*taco soup/corn muffins

*chicken sandwiches/fries

As always, a huge thank you to Laura! She's so sweet to host this! Be sure to head over for plenty of yummy menu ideas.

a little of this, a little of that

*Wow. I can't believe how many people's kids have needed braces! Almost sounds like the norm. I don't remember many people wearing braces when I was a kid. Not that it was uncommon, but I don't think there was more than a handful of kids in my class that wore them. Maybe I'm just not remembering correctly. I didn't have them, though I certainly could have benefited. My teeth aren't overly crooked or anything, but I do have a nice big gap between my front teeth. Anyway, I'm just curious...

Did you wear braces as a kid? Are they more common today, or is that just my imagination?

*We've altered our plans for the weekend a bit. Instead of hitting both Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga, we've decided to just focus on Saratoga. For one thing, we didn't realize it would be so expensive to go to Fort Ticonderoga. And for another, if we get home before 1:00pm on Sunday, we won't have to pay an extra $30 to the kennel. And it looks like there's plenty to do at Saratoga alone...along with the visitors center and the battlefield tour, it looks like they've got at least one nice hiking trail (we can't ever seem to pass up a hiking trail). So I think that's going to give a full day of fun right there.

*Baker went to the vet yesterday. He needed to have another blood test to see how his thyroid meds are doing. The good news...he'd lost 2.2 pounds in the last 3 weeks. Of course, we're a little worried about how he's losing the weight...after about a week on the meds, he went on a hunger strike. He used to act like he was starving to death all the time, and now you have to cajole him to eat just a few bites. But it is good that he's losing weight...and the meds seem to have done wonders for his energy level, too. He's like a puppy again! He chases the kids around the back yard, and he doesn't sleep for 20 hours a day anymore.



*I'm beginning to wonder if the potty issues will ever end with the Maxidoodle. Don't get me wrong...I'm still incredibly grateful that he started using the potty at all. And apart from occasionally peeing his pants at preschool, because he's nervous about using the potty there, he's doing very well with that end of things. The "other" issue however, is a whole 'nother story! He's had problems with constipation since he was 6 weeks old. Of course, they always say breast-fed babies don't have such problems. WRONG. Anyway, he's been on medication for years. Thought things were finally straightening themselves out, until the whole "using the potty" thing came up. We expected problems. We dealt with problems. We thought all problems had been resolved. But all of a sudden, after doing fine for a month or so, the problems are back. Several "accidents" a day caused by trying to hold it instead of just going to the bathroom. He knows that we're getting a bit frustrated with this behavior, and with the constant cleaning out of poopy underwear. So, last evening, being the big can-do kind of boy that he is, he tried to deal with the mess himself. When we discovered him in the bathroom, he was clad only in a t-shirt, had poop smeared across the counter, and was standing there holding his dripping wet Lightning McQueen underwear over the toilet. Bless his sweet little heart, he had tried clean up his own mess and wash out his underwear in the toilet. Of course, the resulting mess to both the bathroom (which I had cleaned a mere 3 hours earlier) and to himself was a hundred times worse than if he had just called for help to start with. But I tried to look at the bright side...he was trying to be a helpful big boy.

Well, now that I've left everyone with those unsavory images, I suppose I should be off. Need to pack for our little jaunt, and Annie and I are running behind on our schooling for the week as it is. Hope everyone has a truly wonderful weekend!

words on Wednesday...

I used to think that I had a fairly decent vocabulary. Not that I never run across an unfamiliar word, of course. In fact, I keep a little journal in my nightstand to add my new vocabulary acquisitions to. But this past week, I've had my assumptions challenged. I'm no longer feeling all that confident. I've had to add four new words to my book in the past 7 days. Anyway, I thought it might be fun to see if any of these words are new to you...

1. inimitable-defying imitation (from "The Fiddler", a short story by Herman Melville)
--This really seems like a word I should have known, but I didn't.

2. hegemony-the dominance of one state over others (from We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch)

3. parastatal-working with the government in an unofficial capacity (again from We wish...)

4. hagiography-a worshipful or idealizing biography (again from We wish...)

**Sorry I couldn't come up with a more interesting post today...I think I'm still in shock. Sticker shock, that is. Had all three munchkins to the dentist today...just check-ups, cleanings, etc. Almost $600! And Annie has her first cavity (but luckily our insurance will pay for part of that, though they don't pay for any of the preventative stuff...how dumb is that?!!). Anyway, as if that $600 wasn't bad enough, Annie's in need of braces (which doesn't exactly come as a big surprise, but we didn't realize the day would come so soon). And where exactly the $4300 for that is going to come from is quite a mystery at the moment. Good thing Rich signed up for a heavy teaching load this summer!

10 on Tuesday

I really like this week's 10 on Tuesday topic...it will be a lot of fun to read everyone's lists. But I'm not sure how to answer it myself. Because, well frankly, I'm (a.) an open book already and (b.) pretty darn boring as well. But I'll give it a try.

**10 Things Most People Don't Know About You**

1. I love eating those little dinner mints mixed together with salty nuts. Or chocolate covered pretzels. Just love that sweet/salty combination.

2. I was blond until about age 5, when my hair started turning darker, eventually reaching a medium to dark brown. Now it is generously sprinkled with gray. (Though I do very sporadically color it.)

3. I swelled up so bad (due to preeclampsia) when I was pregnant with Annie, that the little toe on my right foot actually split open. I also drove Rich a little crazy because I talked funny because my tongue was so swollen.

--Please feel free to quit reading at any time...I don't want to bore anyone to sleep here.

4. I'm very low maintenance...don't like jewelry, prefer wildflowers to roses and the like, buy all my clothes and shoes from thrift stores, etc.

5. I hate crowds, talking on the phone, and in general, social situations where I don't know many people.

6. My labor was induced 5-6 weeks early with Annie, Gray, and Max (again due to preeclampsia).

7. I scored 1220 on my SATs despite (or maybe because of?) being "under the weather".

--Argh. This is so hard. I have absolutely nothing of interest to say! This is oh so pathetic!

8. I have really ugly thumbs. They look like overly long big toes.

9. I used to walk in my sleep; I still occasionally talk in my sleep.

10. My not-so-secret longing was to have sang back-up in a Motown group. (Too bad I can't sing.)

And there you have it...10 little known facts about me. Bet you wish you still didn't know them, huh? Happy Tuesday!

Menu Plan Monday

Before we get to this week's menu, I wanted to say sorry to Carrie for grossing her out. I swear Wankerflots are totally harmless...it's just our family's goofy name for doctored up refried beans. Started years ago with Gray whining, "I don't like beans!" To which Rich answered, "But they're not beans, they're Wankerflots. Just try them." To which, of course, Gray laughed, took a small bite, and promptly declared that he didn't like Wankerflots either. Anyway, the name stuck.

This week's menu is going to be rather short...because if all goes well, we're going to be heading out Friday afternoon for a weekend jaunt to visit both Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga. Annie and I are so excited! Anyway, even if we are home for supper on Sunday...I'm NOT cooking. (It is Mother's Day, after all!) This week's menu also has a few hold-overs from last week...because, well, no matter how much we plan around here, something gets screwed up.

*Cheesy beef and bean enchiladas/Chili Cheese Puff/Wankerflots

*Taco Soup/Corn Muffins

*Salsa Pasta (which is just spaghetti with a sauce made from salsa and ricotta cheese)/Italian bread

*Ladle-It-On (which is just shells with a sauce of crushed tomatoes, basil, and garlic)/garlic bread/salad

I also wanted to mention that we tried a new recipe yesterday...and it was quite yummy! Max and I made this for his "preschool homework". Anyway, it is the perfect recipe for little ones! It's called Mud Pie Cake. Max loves helping me bake anyway, but this whole bag shaking thing...well, he really thought that was cool!



As always, thank you Laura for so graciously hosting!

creating update (weeks 10-11)

WARNING: MOM, in the unlikely event that you are reading this, STOP. Unless you you want to ruin the surprise of part of your Mother's Day gifts.

Okay, now on with the update...

Yep, totally forgot to do this last week. Though in truth, I don't think I would have had anything to post then. But this week, I do actually have a few odds 'n ends...

Thanks to the 30 Day Organizational Challenge I whipped up some quick little valances for the windows in my little craft room. Nothing fancy, but they seem to work pretty well in those horrid basement windows...they cover up a bit of the natural ugliness yet still let in the precious little natural light that the room so desperately needs.



Also for in the room, I covered a couple of Velveeta (well, the generic version of Velveeta) boxes with some fabric scraps from the valances. Again, nothing fancy, but they look better than before they were covered.



On the knitting front, I finally finished Annie's scarf. Now that spring seems to have actually arrived. Well, it's still down in the 30s most nights...maybe she can wear it then.



And now that I feel I have the basics (and I really do mean just the basics) of knitting down, I decided to go back to crocheting for a project. I'm working on a baby afghan to donate to Newborns in Need. Of course, it doesn't look much like an afghan yet.



As well as my own projects, I helped the boys (mostly in the form of wielding the hot iron) finish up their Mother's Day gifts for their Grammy. (Grandmother's still need to be made.) Anyway, Max made this cute little suncatcher (which I really wish I could keep for myself)...



And Gray's present to Grammy is a t-shirt. His part of the project actually occurred early last fall. But as soon as I saw this drawing of his, I knew it was going to become Mother's Day gifts. And this past week, I finally got around to turning his artwork into a tee for Grammy. (Grandmother will also be getting one of these treasures. And I really think I must make one for myself, too!) Annie was gracious enough to model it for me, as I thought it would photograph better that way.



And I do believe that completes this creating update.

**If you would like to read how creative the boys can be in other endeavors, please feel free to read the post below. LOL

in the genes...

Grandpa, the chemist. Daddy, the biologist. And now Max, the...hmmmm. Biochemist, maybe?

The last few days, the boys have been having the time of their lives "experimenting" in the backyard. Daddy was even so kind as to give them some plastic beakers. They have been gathering up all manner of reactants, reagents, solvents (O.K.--I have know idea what to call them...I'm not a chemist. I'm a wife'n'mom...I really just want to call them ingredients.) Anyway, we're talking berries, pine cones, leaves, maple seeds, sand, etc. And water. Lots and lots of water.

Well, the other day, I was inside folding laundry. Am I ever NOT folding laundry?!! Anyway, I hear Gray yelling, "I'm gonna tell Mom! I mean it...you better go tell her, or I'm going to!" Not actually giving Max a chance to 'fess up himself, Gray was in the door, down the hall, and ratting his brother out in approximately 5 seconds. I had already heaved that all-important sigh. Then Gray blurts out, "Max went in the bushes and peed in his cup and then poured it in his experiment!"

Needless to say, there was no holding back the laughter! I tried. Really I did.

Gray runs to the back door yelling, "Don't worry, Max. Mom's not mad. She's laughing!"

I did go out to ask Max about his "little experiment" and yes, to clean up the results. In his sweet little 4-year-old voice, he told me, "I needed a new chemical." Guess, you can't argue with science, huh?

highlights (and lowlight)...

of the last few days:

*Wednesday-Annie went to school with Rich because he was taking his Vertebrate Zoology class on a field trip to a fish hatchery.

*Wednesday-With 2 hours to myself, I managed to make curtains for the craft room. And later in the day, finished up the room entirely. Whew.

*Wednesday-A community group held a mini carnival at Max's preschool. He had a ball, and came home with all kinds of goodies that had been donated.

*Thursday-Someone smashed in the window of Rich's car while he was at work.

*Thursday-Annie and I watched episode 5 of The Revolution. Such a good series! Now we're all excited to go visit Fort Ticonderoga and Saratoga.

*Friday-Max had to stay home from school, because of the car situation.

*Friday-The library book sale! We splurged! All together we bought 33 books for $9. Annie and I made out the best...








































And now it's Saturday...National Scrapbooking Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Kentucky Derby Day all rolled into one. But I really don't know what we'll be doing with ourselves yet.

tagged...

By Gail. To name 7 random things about myself. And then to tag 7 others.

Truly, this shouldn't be so difficult, should it? After all, it didn't say they had to be interesting things, right?

1. I married the love of my life almost 17 years ago in my parents' backyard.

2. His parents offered to send us anywhere we wanted to go for our honeymoon, but we chose to hike on the Appalachian Trail.

3. We've lived in 10 different places since being married, but barring any unforeseen circumstances, we're finally staying put.

4. I'm really lousy at being pregnant.

5. I hate being wet. A beach vacation is my idea of torture.

6. I don't mind spiders, snakes, or any of those other creepy crawlies that most people despise, but I really hate driving.

7. Aside from the four other humans, I also share this house with a dog, a cat, a behemoth goldfish, 4 mice, approximately 20 guppies (it's hard to keep track...they keep multiplying), several snails, and a multitude of tadpoles. Salamander eggs are due to arrive any day. And I suspect my husband will be bringing home his tarantula at the end of this semester.

Not terribly exciting, I know. But I'm going to tag Carrie, Jennifer, Dawn, Rebecca, Karen, Marianne, and Annie (yes, my sweet little Annie). I'm willing to bet they all have much more interesting things to say!

all those pesky challenges

Just thought I'd post an update on the quadrillions of challenges I can't seem to stop myself from signing up for. Why? Because I'm so thrilled to say my first challenge--The 30 Day Organizational Challenge--is now behind me! Hooray! I did it! Can you tell I'm pleased with myself? I'll even show you the proof...click here, if you're interested in seeing the photos of my transformation. (Had to answer some questions for the challenge, but if you scroll down a tiny bit you'll get to the "before" and "after" shots.) Yep, I not only got it organized, but I painted the room and made curtains, too.

As for the 10:4 Challenge that I signed up for yesterday, I've decided that twice a month I'm going to try to adopt one new small healthy change. Nothing major...I know myself too well to expect miracles here. But I figure that lots of little changes is better than nothing at all. So my first change is to stop skipping breakfast. I'm just never hungry in the morning. But when I don't have breakfast, by lunch time I'm starving, and in the process of fixing the munchkins lunch I nibble down 3 times as many calories as I would have if I just had a small, sensible breakfast. So that's small change #1.

And as for the multiple book challenges...well, I guess only 3 of them are currently underway: Once Upon a Time Challenge--I'm one book down, 4 to go (by June 21), The Spring Reading Thing Challenge--I'm one book down, 5 to go (by June 21), and The Non-Fiction Five Challenge--0 books down, 5 to go (by Sept. 30). Hmmm...maybe I should go hole up in my new clean little craft room with a big pile of books, huh?

a new challenge

But not a reading one this time. This time we're shooting for healthy. I actually saw a weight loss challenge over at Jennifer's this morning. The challenge is actually here, but I read about it at Jennifer's (one of my favorite daily reads!). Anyway, I was all set (somewhat reluctantly) to join, but then I read about another challenge over at Carl's that I thought might be a better fit for me. The gist of Carl's 10:4 Challenge is to lose 10 pounds in 4 months. No, that's not a lot of weight, and heaven knows I need to lose more than that. But the idea behind Carl's is to make small changes to your habits. Changes that you can really stick with for life. It's not about dropping a lot of weight fast. I like the idea of making this a "thoughtful process". Doing it smart. And with a challenge and a goal, there's accountability...I'm hoping that will help.

just a minute for regrouping

Just had to sit down and try to get my act together. For whatever reason, I didn't make myself a "to do" list for the day...and I think it's thrown me out of whack. Or maybe it's the annoying headache that kept waking me up throughout the night. Not a killer headache or anything, just annoying.

The alarm went of at 4:53. The time it's set for each day there's something worth taping on Assignment Discovery. (This week is all Language Arts programming...great stuff for school next year.) Anyway, since then I've checked e-mail and caught up on my daily blog reads. The kids have been fed, breakfast dishes cleaned up, lunch packed, pitcher of tea made. Annie's bedding is in the dryer (can't wait till Rich gets my clothesline up!) and a load of clothes is in the washer. Bed made. Kids dressed (okay, only 2 out of 3 are...Maxidoodle is sitting naked in the living room refusing to put his clothes on). Baker's been out, fed (though he's on a feeding strike...we're wondering if his medication needs adjusted), and had his morning pill. I've gathered up what we need for today's schooling.

In other words, it's taken me three hours to do what should have taken one. Just an off day, I guess. Not really a day I can afford to be having an off day (okay, that's a bit melodramatic...the world will not come to an end if I don't accomplish what I have planned). Annie and I have a big day today with school. I need to clean the bathroom and vacuum the house. I'd hoped to give the stove a baking soda rub-down. Need to gather up the books we've put in the garage to take to the library for their library sale. Need to make curtains for my craft room. Need to sweep out craft room. Need to start putting everything back into craft room. The 30 Day Organizational Challenge ends tomorrow at 11:59pm...and I've got a ways to go. Though I did finally get it painted...hooray! Tonight is McCare Night (the teacher's at Gray's school work at McDonalds this evening for charity), so we'll be heading out for that.

I don't know...my head's just not in it. Maybe I should just give up now.