Monday Musings

Well here we go again!

  

Are you looking for something good?  Well not sure where my fingers will take us today.

I just got back from my annual physical.  Every time it is time for my annual appointment I start feeling sick.  I start feeling every ache and pain.  I wonder if something is really wrong with me.  So I drove over there.  A young nurse named "Kacie" took my height, weight, bp, pulse and oxygen rate.  In case you were wondering, my BMI is 21,  My weight is up a pound from last year so I figure if I live another 40 years, I might be a big old lady.  I was then told to strip down and put on 'the gown' and the large napkin to make me feel a bit less vulnerable I guess.  Just moments after I got up on the butcher paper table in walks my doctor.  She makes small talk and asks if I have any issues to discuss.  I can hardly think of any but I did offer up a couple things for her to investigate (which leads to more doctor visits).  It's just always slightly strange to sit there in my altogether visiting along about my family and life with someone I see not more than once a year.  I may or may not have worn the lightest clothes I own so I didn't cringe when I stepped on the scale.

I have a $1.00 rebate to mail in.  Somehow it seems kinda silly considering postage stamps currently are 49 cents and I would need to drive the rebate check to the bank.  

Riding along in the car last night, one of the MYP said in passing, 'you know that's why I like going to other people's houses.  They have such good food.  Their pantries have lots of junk food to eat.  Not like ours which is full of gross healthy stuff.'  I told her maybe some day she'd thank me for being healthy.  She said, probably not.  I heard a collective groan when I got out my crock pot this morning.  I assured them it was only for making applesauce today.

I saw a few things last night I enjoyed.  So here you go.

And finally:

Post 1090

I just noticed that this will be post #1090.  That's a lot of nothingness.  I know fewer people are blogging all the time.  Some day, that'll be me. But for now, I will offer up some Wednesday Words.

I was just at the grocery store after a chiro appointment.  Why am I at the chiro?  Did I have an accident or something?  Well actually no.  My tailbone has been a bit 'off'' and I've needed some adjustments the past week.  Better to have my tailbone out of joint than my nose, eh?  Heh.  I digress... I was at the grocery store.  And I saw this:  I wanted to buy the Cheez-Its to see what "Pingles" were.

Speaking of food.  I've been trying to have smoothies for lunch lately.  It's kind of like reverting back to infancy and mixing up a bunch of stuff together and slurping it down.  Yesterday's ingredients consisted of:  carrot juice, spinach, frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana, one container Greek yogurt, a bit of ground flax, and a generous tablespoon of coconut oil.  Voila!  I called it 'Barf in a Blender' because that's what it looked like.  Oddly, it was quite tasty and I might go for a second one today.

Speaking of coconut oil, I've been reading lots of accolades about how wonderful it is for your skin and hair and tempering appetite, so I've been trying to get some into me each day.  This morning at the suggestion of Google, I put a tablespoon into my coffee.  It tasted ok.  But the coffee seemed predictably slightly oily and it really... well never mind.

Speaking of food.  Have you ever had green bananas that never ripened?  It has become an experiment in the fruit bowl here.  We are on 10-days and they are slightly showing signs of ripening, but I'm not very confident.

I winterized our camper yesterday.  It made me sad...

The Chairman and I took one of those silly tests last night, 'where should you live?'.  I got farmhouse.  He got skyscraper.  So far, we are still together.  Maybe a tall farmhouse?  Or chickens living in the city?

I was doing an extra-large pile of laundry last night from daughter #2.  I was throwing folded socks and skirts that hadn't been worn into the washing machine and thought, 'wait a minute!  These haven't even been worn!'.  Then I recalled throwing piles of clean clothes down the clothes chute to have my room cleaned in a hurry.  I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

There are certain things that go together.  Salt and pepper.  Bacon and eggs.  Apples and caramel.  Last night I discovered something that doesn't go together.  Fleece sheets and hot flashes.  I was about 1 degree away from grabbing a fire extinguisher.

This was on the bumper of a car at the grocery store.  I doubt it is the dog that bites, but the owner.  Most dogs I know really love most anyone despite their political preference.

Well we have some loved ones meeting at our home tonight and I would love to have it close to spotless if at all possible.  So I better grab my Norwex and see what I can do.

Happy mid-week!

Monday Musings

I type this to the din of cement trucks.  Lots of activity in the neighborhood today.  The neighbors across the street are getting a driveway poured.  A new foundation is also being poured for a new home the other direction.  However, it isn't stopping a good Monday morning nap.  I may be terribly biased, but I think they are so cute together.

I read a statistic yesterday.  Eighty-one percent of the people that read blogs trust the blog writers.  The bloggers can even be influential in purchases.  Sixty-one percent make purchases based on a bloggers recommendation.  This could be fun!

We were attempting to do our annual camping weekend and it ended up being just day-camping for us with family and an early exit due to frigid and wet conditions.  However, I found some pictures on my phone that someone took and some I took.

I've been thinking about teaching.  I am not a teacher but I love to teach.  Having the privilege to parent the MYP has given ample opportunities to teach.  When we returned from China with our developmentally delayed darling daughter (I like redundancy), we experienced the joy of teaching at euphoric levels.  She changed by day from learning to sit up to crawling around like a crab within weeks.  We taught the fundamentals of subtraction by playing a tape of Raffi singing 'Five Green and Speckled Frogs'.  We attempted to teach them how to be kind to each other.  But there is something that isn't easy and is sometimes painful to teach.  That is the quality of self-denial.  But maybe the best way to teach it is to live it.  I hope to learn how to do that better.

This will be enough aMusing for today.  I might have to catch up with you in a few days when I have more time and there could be promise of more aMusement.

Trip to Titletown

If you know me, you know that I don't get highly excitable.  I am not one of those that squeal when they sit in a new car.  I don't jump up and down over the prospect of money.  I don't go crazy when we are leaving for a fun trip.  That's not me.  But this week, I was excited!  A date to Titletown!  With the Chairman!

The Chairman calls and informs me a few days ago that he has free tickets to a Packer game.  If you are from WI, this is a big deal.  A real big deal.  To get season tickets, you need to apply for them today and possibly your grandchildren might get a couple of seats long after you are pushing up daisies.  So someone the Chairman knows has season tickets and offered up free seats and parking. This may have been the only time in my life that I'll get into that stadium.

We arrive and filter in with a sea of green and gold and few speckles of brilliant purple.  Since I relocated to dairyland from Minnesnowta (spelling intended), it was a win-win for me!  But once I settled into section 129, row 57, and seat 27 I realized I'm a Packer fan.  How could I not be?  I was surrounded by delirious nut-cases.  I saw everything from extra-large body painted men to women sporting cheesehead bras under their rain jacket.  Green and gold hair and men wearing full football gear in the stands.  Crazy I say! It wasn't the frozen tundra this time.  Maybe more like the 'soakin' tundra as it rained a few times as we sat there.

The fans were actually very pleasant.  This guy directly in front of me was just a hoot.  He looked like a football player.  He had the latest iphone and all authentic NFL apparel.  He high-fived me with (too much) gusto at every touchdown (go check the score and you'll know why my hand was stinging).

One lady who visited with me in the extra-long lines for the bathroom chastised me for not tail-gating and making a whole day of the experience.  

Here's how you sit in there.  Yes, it's cozy. 

We stayed until the last Packer ran back into the tunnel just below where we were sitting.  We walked out of the stadium with hoarse throats and rabid fans.  Got into the car and drove with 78,054 other people for home.  Traffic was terrible for the first hour but no one seemed rattled.  We arrived home by 1:45 and the alarm sounding at 5:45 didn't sound pretty today.

So it was a date!  It was an experience! It was a win-win-win!  

Words this Wednesday

Just some words.

Today I was thankful for Google.  Why you ask?  Because they own the platform to the blogspot that I get to use each week?  That the Google car is fascinating?  That their web-searches are so useful?  No.  Today I'm thankful for an alarming e-mail I received telling me that someone in Malaysia knew my password and was logging into my accounts.  They warned to change my password(s) immediately which I did.  Who knows what mayhem may have come out of Malaysia.

Today I had to smile.  I was at a car dealership (Chevy this time!) waiting for the oil change to be completed in a crowded waiting room.  A stooped-over elderly man came over to me.  He smiles at me and says for everyone to hear, 'you have a very nice outfit!  Can I say that to you?  I don't want you to think I'm fresh or anything.'  No, you cute little older man.  I don't think of you being 'fresh'.  I haven't heard that term since forever.  And yes, you did make me smile.

Today I heard the MYP complain.  You see they have such a negative connotation over 'crock pot meals'.  They walk in from school and I have some beef simmering in the pot.  I also am serving mashed potatoes out of the garden, sweet corn I froze with my own hands, and a spinach salad.  Yes, they are complaining today.  But some day!  Some day they will be wondering what to make themselves for supper and wish it came out of a crock pot.  Or not.

Today I am excited!  You see the Chairman called yesterday.  He said he has two free tickets to go see a Packer game tomorrow night!  I have always kinda-sorta wanted to go.  I have wanted more and more lately to have alone-time with the Chairman.  And!  The home team is playing my former home team.  No matter the team that wins, I'll feel happy.  It's a win-win-win!

Today I read this.  I found it interesting about stay-at-home moms.  I'm ashamed I often feel like I need to justify being 'just home'.  The Chairman is 145% supportive.  The MYP are supportive.  My friends and family are supportive.  Yet deep inside I feel as if I should do more.  And I do.  It just happens to be that it is at home.

Well enough words from me today.  Thanks for the chat!

Monday Musings

Well happy new week to you!  We've had spectaculicious weather the last while.  Perfect temperatures, vibrant colors on the foliage with a stunning blue backdrop.  And to think I used to dread fall.

If you know me or have followed my blog, you know that my creativity is challenged at best.  Have you ever seen those posts about pinterest fails?  They are funny.  And they are so me.  I tried do a little something creative yesterday.

Look closely.  You can see where the spray paint got on the left side of the pumpkin.  You can see where it dripped in the middle of the "D".  I give up.  Crafty-clever-cute can be left to the rest of you.

We've had some wonderful days out hiking in nature.  Daughter #2 accompanied me on Saturday.  I love this picture because it looks like I'm in my home state of South Dakota again.  Oh how I miss the prairie some days.  

Of course Lisi came too.  I had her sit by a little pile of leaves daughter #2 collected.  Dogs are such love able dim-wits.  I tell her to sit in the middle of the path to pose by some leaves and she sincerely thinks it's a good idea.  

Then there's "Ranya".  She is standing there in the cream/black.  She is the aunt of the opposing rec soccer team our daughter played late-Saturday afternoon.  "Ranya" (yes her real name, she spelled it for someone) screamed and hollered and carried on like this was the semi-finals of the World Cup.  Her sister-in-law (in the green chair) looked like she about had enough at one point.  And I did too as I hastened to move my camp chair over to the other side by half-time.  Thankfully, we won and "Ranya" knocked the decibels down a couple notches.  Meeska!   

Our family all headed out for another park Sunday afternoon.  Here's the Chairman and I!  

Here's the MYP.  The top was taken 12 years ago.  The bottom was yesterday.  I would love to recreate it again with them in decent clothes.  But oh well.  I was just quite pleased they were willing to do it and to gasp!  Hold hands for a few seconds.  

At 5 am on Sunday morning my phone blared a warning sign in the bedroom.  I popped up and squinted my aging eyes trying to read what it was saying.  I saw "Amber Alert" and put the phone down and went back to bed.  I told the MYP at breakfast what had happened.  One of them pipes up, 'did you come upstairs to see if we were still there?'.  Um.  No.  

Well I hear it is 'National Coffee Day'.  I plan on doing nothing different today.  I had my mug of 'joe' this morning.  And I intend to have my cuppa black tea this afternoon.  I'm rebellious like that. 

Happy week ahead! 

Thursday Thoughts

Good Thursday morning!  I took this picture of our street from my trusty iPhone 4s this am while running out to get the paper.  I may or may not have been wearing my fleece pj's and flip flops while standing in the middle of street.

You see I was sleepy at 6:10 am.  Why you ask?  Because it was 6:10 am and I had just finished making french toast and packed three lunches.  But there's more!  You see the Chairman likes to walk in the evenings with Lisi.  Last night was later because of our study meeting.  He returns from the walk at 10:30 and asks me (while reading in bed) if Lisi had come back home after he lost track of her 1/2 mile from home.  Um.  No.  So I get up and put on something decent and head off in the car and he by foot.  Now mind you I had just swigged down a full dose of Nyquil to keep me from coughing up body parts while I slept.  There's nothing quite like driving around in the dark night whistling for your dog all the while feeling slightly woozy and drunk on Nyquil at 10:50 at night.  Alls well that ends well.  Lisi came back home all on her own and seemed highly excited and surprised to see me drive in.  I was just thankful I didn't hit the garage as I parked the van.

I really enjoy all things food.  I love cooking, baking, stir-frying, boiling... you name it.  I take a slight pride in the fact that I feed the family healthy and tasty meals day after day after day....  However, last night was a complete failure in the eyes of the MYP. One of them who you might guess said the following that I posted on FB. "Normally I don't eat a lot because I just don't like food that much. But tonight's supper was bad. I'll give you an A+ for effort, but it was bad. Real bad."  Thank you my sweets!  On a side note, the Chairman approved but didn't ask for it again real soon.

I knew it wasn't very filling when son #1 put in the request for french toast as I was saying goodnight to him.  Nothing like sending your MYP to bed hungry!  

The other night when I was actually cooking a meal that everyone enjoyed I heard a "whoosh" sound that seemed very close.  I rushed outside and there it was!  It was so close you could have thrown a football to the folks in the basket.  Fall is such a pretty time.

I needed to make a call to a major retailer that did a repair on our lawn mower.  You see I found a coupon after the repair was completed and wanted to see if it was possible to get a money credit for the work performed.  Well let me tell you, fast talking worked!  I got $49 credited back to my account and I made a new friend in Texas!  She's a single mom (her husband died) with five kids from age 22 down to 13.  She lives just outside of Dallas in the country and cooks a dozen eggs for breakfast each morning for her family after she rises at 3:00 am to have coffee and some quiet time before the family gets up.  I could go on, but I believe you smart readers get the point.  

Well trying to make amends with the MYP and have cinnamon rolls ready for the oven.  Hope you have a good rest of the week.  I think these Thursday Thoughts are through.