Those Darn Commercials

I have to admit I am a sucker for commercials and ads.

There is a Hallmark commercial out this year...they get me everytime...

To see the one that has got me this year go to www.hallmark.com

Under the Crown Stores column click the "commercial" link; then click the "Now and Then :Featuring the Christmas Plate" commercial.

It's too much...
















On a less weepy note:

We are so thankful here...Thanksgiving was great. We baked and cooked and walked and ran around the yard and enjoyed a warm(er) day of 62 degrees! We played Uno and the Cranium Family fun Game and ate about 2.3 pounds of the 19.5 lb. bird I made! (We will be eating turkey for a while.) We all watched a movie and then tucked ourselves into bed for a well earned slumber.

















La Vida Dulce!

Thanksgiving Eve

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Not only is it the Mr.'s Birthday, but this is the day that I love! All the preparation before the BIG DAY! I spend a good portion of the day baking and preparing for tomorrow. I am already listening to Christmas CD's and my house smells of Garlic and yeast rolls.

But the BEST part of this day is that today is the day that I get to get my Turkey drunk.

Yes, I intoxicate my turkey...And this makes me giggle every year. I make a joke of how soaking in a beer brine will help the turkey to feel less pain as he slowly cooks tomorrow. My long enduring husband, who has heard this same joke for 10 years, will smile like he has never heard it before and play along saying, "Yes, Honey, I am sure he will like that MGD as his last 'Hurrah'....only probably not as much as I would have enjoyed it." (Happy Birthday Honey!)

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Tree's, Being Lost, and Long Underwear

It is officially cold.

Literally overnight all the trees dropped their leaves. Last Saturday we spent about 3 hours sweeping the area around our house and raking up the yard, pushing leaves into the "woodsy" part of the yard. We felt so accomplished until Wednesday... when a large of gust of wind came through, followed by a little rain. When I woke up on Thursday the trees were completely naked and our yard, driveway and deck looked as if we hadn't swept since last Spring!

This "shedding of the leaves", if you will, means only one thing...it is cold. And this desert rat has a tough winter-time reality to face...I am going to freeze my keister off.

Unfortunately this has effected my poor children. The Kindergarten teacher has had to send a note home to me, not once, but twice because "we still go to the playground on cold days, please send your child to school with a jacket". The second note said "You don't live in the desert anymore, between October and March it will be frigid here (even if there is an occasional "warm" day). Your kid needs a jacket so that she doesn't go outside and turn purple and have to be sent to the nurse to treat frost bite. What kind of mother are you anyway?"

I am exaggerating...but that second note did get my attention.

On Saturday my running buddy and I went for a run at 7:00 am. It was 27 degrees. I actually had to put on long underwear, running pants, gloves, two shirts, a running jacket and a "keep-your-ears-warm-headband-thing" and I was still so cold that running was actually enjoyable....mostly because my legs were so chilled that I couldn't feel them. It was like running with a spinal block. The only downer was that my friend and I almost broke out in a sweat trying to communicate with each other... our lips were numb. It is very hard to run when you can't talk. We managed to talk but it was slow...we ran 4 miles but the conversation was only about 2 miles worth...

Which bring me to another crazy seasonal changing problem. Every time the season changes, the landscape changes, and I end up getting lost and having to find my way through a new city all over again. Thankfully we are rounding out through the last season of change before we start our second year here. So I will now know what everything looks like Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall. At least now I have friend here who has lived here all her life and doesn't mind me calling her in a pinch. I like to think of it as a "Win-Win" situation. I get to where I am going and she gets a good laugh for the day. These (weekly, or so) phone calls go kind of like this: "Hey, I am trying to find out where the Jacket Store is to get an acceptable coat for my daughter who is currently at school turning purple... I thought I could find it without my Mapsco, but because all the leaves have changed and fallen to the ground all my landmarks have been changed...where the heck am I going? By the way, is it always so cold this time of year?"

So, if you don't see a post for awhile it's either because my fingers are frozen and i can't type, or I fell over during a run and can't get up because I look like a Stay-Puff Marshmallow in all my winter running gear (and having frozen lips can't call for help) or I am bundled up in my queen sized, "cookie monster" blue, heating blanket,turned up to DESERT HEAT HOT...and will be there 'til March.

New Alarm Clock

Now that the temperature has gotten close to freezing each night we have a new boarder in our house. He sneaks in through the outside vent holes that lead from the outside into the attic above our garage. Then he squeezes himself between the tiny two inch crack that lies between the attic pull down door, that sags (just a bit) from the ceiling. His name? Mr. Mockingbird.

We don't mind housing birds at all. As a matter of fact we have the sweetest pair of wren's that make the eves of our front porch into there fine casa each night. They fly in around dark and place there little beaks into the corner (we think there might be issues because they sleep in separate corners) and sleep til dawn promises to break. When I get up in the morning it is often before the moon has set, yet that sweet couple has already started their day....the early bird you know...

But back to Mr. Mockingbird. This bird is not as quiet as the Wren couple. As a matter of fact, when the mocking bird is outside he mimics the sounds of the other birds in the neighborhood which is beautiful and melodic. But the sound he chooses to mimic in our closed garage at precisely 6:15 each morning is the exact sound of a car alarm...and I am being very serious.

We laughed the first morning. How fun is it that it can mimic the exact sound of a car alarm? But on the weekends we are not amused. Now, not only does it sound off and let us know that it is awake and ready to be let loose, but it perches on the window sill inside the garage and watches the door to see if I am awake and going to come out and open the garage. I know this because I get up and watch him through a window that looks into the garage. This bird is no dummy. He points his beak up into the air, takes in a deep breath, sounds his alarm loud enough for people in Florida to hear and then looks over at the door with a look in his eye that says "I should only have to do this once."

He's got me trained.

But in my defense, I make him wait until I have poured my cup of coffee.

The Story of Being 33

I have found emancipation in being 33! It's made me daring and brave.

For instance, when I went to a restaurant the other day I didn't order the same thing that I have ordered since I was 10 years old. As a kid my parents would laugh at me, and make bets with each other over what I would order. Inevitably I would order the Turkey Club (no Mayo), where upon I would receive my order and proceed to pull out the bacon, the middle piece of bread and the ham (which by the way...why, when it is called a turkey club, do they insist on putting in ham?). This routine made my "turkey club" a dry Turkey sandwich.. So, when I ordered my lunch the other day and branched out from my usual order I thought to myself--Must be the "33 Factor".

This is true with others things as well. For my birthday my mom gave me a gift certificate for some shoes I had been looking at: they are Red, a little funky, and I love them. I haven't owned a pair of red shoes since I was like 5... So two days ago, I was wearing jeans and a maroon shirt and I thought to myself --These red shoes don't exactly match what I am wearing. But then I decided, I am 33 years old...who cares?

Well today I made another 33 year old decision...

I am going to make tamales for Christmas.

I know, I know... My dad will say "You always managed to find something else to do on the weekends we made tamales." And yes, I have a history of bailing...there was even that one year when I was dating that sweet man of mine; He came over to help with the tamales and I managed to sneak away. My Brother will say "Is this such a great idea? Do you not remember that year when you burnt 12 pounds of the Masa?" (note: the masa isn't supposed to be cooked until the tamale is already rolled with meat and placed in the pot to be cooked together!) My mom will laugh and say, "Make sure you get it done before we get there to visit. The mess is amazing....and I know messes. We have made tamales for 30 years together... plus, I raised three kids." My youngest brother will say "Cool. Send me some."

Maybe this decision comes from being 33, or maybe it comes from a desire to establish traditions in our home that creates a place of belonging and creates a centerpiece where stories are born. It's a fact that parents want to give their kids what they never had, and I am no exception. But being 33 also makes me think that I want to give my kids what I did have...traditions.

So, look for the blog sometime around Christmas when I write about my first attempt at tamale making. Having grown up in a house where tamales are a tradition, it is common knowledge that where there are tamales being made, there's always a story!

A Letter From The Dog

Master,

Kellie and I have talked about your great frustration over my intense need to roll in poop. I know this causes you a great deal of anger and I am sorry. Per my conversation with my co-owner, your beloved wife, we will do our best to keep on a leash so that I am not tempted to run away (although I have a compulsion that I cannot control...since I am a canine...and although I am exceptionally bright, I am a little lacking in practical matters).

However, there are a number of dogs that run around our large yard (which, by the way, I thank you for) who tend to do their own business...and although I have agreed to the leash terms I cannot guarantee that I will never be tempted roll in disgustingness when it is lying around our acre.

Also, in my conversation with that lady who does her best to keep me fed and watered, she mentioned that she hates it that she had a tiff with you first thing in the morning and had to send you off to work in such haste. She sincerely hopes that you will forgive her.

Sorry for annoying you so much. I will try harder to be "man's best friend"...which I know is hard when I have "Ode de Feces" behind my ears.

Your pet,
Kona

PS: Early this morning I had a bath and am now bright and shiny, if not a little cold, and sitting in my kennel in the garage awaiting your homecoming. If I could I would have the paper and your slippers ready for you upon your arrival....but alas, I have been told that you have neither a subscription to the weekly paper nor a pair of slippers. I will make note of this and add it to my Christmas shopping list this year.

PPS: The Mrs. says she loves you...

Camping

This weekend we took the kids camping. The four of us and some new friends from church went camping in Central NC. Someone told me that North Carolina is God's country and after this weekend I am inclined to shout: I Believe! I Believe!

On Friday we loaded up and met our friends, a family of 8, and headed for Hanging Rock, NC.

After a fairly long, but beautiful, drive we arrived and my breath literally was taken away...and without trying to be dramatic (as some have accused me of being) I felt weepy. I could hardly believe that there could be so much color on the tree's! The photographs can't really give you the full picture of the awesome view.

The weather was amazing. We are experiencing a very late Indian Summer and the weather was perfect - warm in the day and chilly at night.

I really do love camping but must admit I was a little concerned about spend two nights in a tent, sleeping in the cold, eating food over a campfire with 8 children and three other adults, all while wearing no make-up and wearing camping clothes. But it was one the most fun and relaxing weekends we have had in a long time.

There something to be said about sitting around a campfire in the afternoon and doing NOTHING...thinking things like: Do I want to go for a hike and burn off the smores, cookies, hot dogs and chips from last night? Or do I want to sit here and talk with my friend about everything and nothing in particular for 2 hours (while eating something) because I never sit around and do NOTHING? Or should i say, I never sit around and do NOTHING legally. Meaning that I can choose to do nothing around here, but it always hangs over my head so I can't enjoy doing nothing....kind of like the days so long ago when I should've been doing my homework...but I digress...We had a lovely time and got to experience the fall leaves and it made my little family happy.

La vida dulce!

Disclaimer: Dad, I know you may have a thought or two about the attire of my youngest child...Although I am still loyal to my UofA heritage, when in Rome..... ;)

October

I can't believe my favorite month is already over! Although it was incredibly eventful!

As a kid there was a song that I heard on my Mom's Barry Manilow record...and yes I do mean vinyl...that I always think about when October is over. I looked up the words on the internet and the fact that it is even more sappy than I remembered makes it even better!

When October Goes

And when October goes
The snow begins to fly
Above the smokey roofs
I watch the planes go by
The children running home
Beneath a twilight sky
Oh, for the fun of them
When I was one of them
And when October goes
The same old dream appears
And you are in my arms
To share the happy years
I turn my head away
To hide the helpless tears
Oh how I hate to see October go
I should be over it now I know
It doesn't matter much
How old I grow
I hate to see October go

But on the flip side...I wish you could see the leaves here. They are amazing. And trick or treating last night, it was actually cold, with dry leaves on the ground that rustled when we walked, and the smell of all the pumpkins and candy...it was very fun.

PS: Don't judge me 'cuz I have a soft spot for Barry...I can't help it...I was brain washed as a child. My Mom also listened to Willie Nelson, Barbra Striesand, and Anne Murray...and (just between you and me)I love them all too!

Country Living

We always dreamed of having a home in the country where our children would have the luxury of spending most of their time out doors instead of in front of the TV. And we are grateful that we are living that dream in an amazing way....

We have enjoyed sipping soda's on the deck and taking short walks over to the lake. We have listened to the wind blow through the pines and listened to the crickets chirp happily at sunset...

But there has been trouble around our friendly woods...

There is a large family that lives here in the country with us. The nasty Poison Family. They looked harmless enough...honestly we really hadn't even notice them, but they are there... hiding, and lurking about. Through reliable sources we have found they are completely, undeniably, unscrupulous and sneaky. They are despicably mean and they have a tendency to bite.

They are three little "Untouchables" by the names Ivy, Oak and Sumac. And they have overtaken our acre...and my firstborn child.

I was a little bothered when I saw them hanging around the driveway, but now they have messed with my baby...the war is on.

We won't be defeated! NO! We won't back away. We are ready and armed with "Weed-B-Gone" and Prednisone!

We are taking back our yard if it's the last things we do!

A Happy, Happy birthday!

After having Jen in town and celebrating my birthday last weekend, I feel like I get to have a birthday two weekends in a row!

Today I am officially 33 years old and it was a great day...

I got to spend the day with my favorite man, shopping and hanging out. We had lattes at Starbucks, bought red shoes at REI, ate a yummy lunch, picked up the kids, had pizza for dinner and had my fave cake...Baskin Robbins ice cream cake: chocolate mint chip/chocolate cake flavor.

It was a great day...

I got lots of amazing gifts...but this was the best...

In the early morning darkness, dimly lit by a small lamp, wrapped in a blanket, drinking coffee, and reading at my little desk I heard a little one come creaking down the stairs. It was The Girl who was still warm in her cozy fall-time PJ's and shading her eyes from the light. She says "Happy Birthday, Mom" in a sweet quiet voice...she crawls into my lap for a minute then hops down and the says she'll be right back. A few seconds later she comes back with a piece of paper in her hands and announces, "Here's an early birthday gift for you..." and I reach out to receive the paper when she leans over, gives me the sweetest kiss on the cheek and quietly scampers out of the room, paper still in hand.

Precious.

I also heard from many friends. How fun is it to come home from doing all that fun stuff and hear voice messages from people all over the country including new friends right here in town.

Have I mentioned it was a great day?

Someone asked me why I liked birthdays so much. She didn't really like birthdays...cuz it means you get older. My thought was that I love birthdays because it gives us a chance to be happy for someone, to be thankful, to be encouraged and to give a gift.. Whether it's a phone call, or a visit, or a kiss on the cheek. But what I said was "I grew up in a home where we enjoyed celebration. I like to celebrate."

And now I look forward to next years birthday...

On this day next year my family and i will be celebrating like never before...

'Cuz my youngest brother is FINALLY going to tie the knot with a gal we all think is pretty cool.

364 more days...the countdown is on.

Pride...The Root of All Botched Eyebrows

There is a biblical saying that goes like this: Pride goes before destruction...Proverbs 16:18

And let me announce that it is always good to have a little bit of humility before one waxes her eyebrows.

About a year ago I decided that I was tired of paying someone almost $20 bucks to remove unsightly facial hair. I mean really, how hard can it be to put hot wax above your eyeballs and strip away unwanted strays...or in my case large strips that look like the gigantic, black, furry caterpillars my kids find in the yard....my face actually feels lighter afterward...some people take off their shoes when they weigh themselves...I wax my brows. But I digress....

I had been doing pretty good, if I don't say so myself (which is precisely where I got myself into trouble).

Today, I was in a rush. And I had been doing so well. I thought myself a pro...

Confession: I was beginning to think I could do this on other people...not anybody I know. Just some people I saw on TV or when I people watch at the mall, etc.

I now know why people actually go to school to learn this stuff and get paid big bucks to do it...plus then you can blame someone else when people ask why you look surprised in one eye all the time.

Oh well...the good news is that they most definitely will grow back...Do you think the Uni-brow will ever become fashionable?

Things I'm Grateful For...

I am known as a lover of "little" things. I love babies. I love coffee beans. I love a small price tag (like the running pants I bought on clearance at Target this weekend for $3.50). It doesn't take much to make me happy and often these "little things" fill my heart with gratitude that sometimes feels like it might be too much for me to heave around in this small chest of mine (no pun intended).

Like this weekend...I realized how much I like curbside drop off at the airport. And although i do not like the circumstances by which this curbside drop off became pretty much a mandatory thing...I have to say I am grateful that I do not have to walk my visitors to their gate and sit and wait for them to board the aircraft, and then sit and wait for it to take-off...as we used to do in the "old-days" when everybody and their brother was allowed to enter the airport terminal.

I love curbside drop off because in a world that has become so aware of things like "denial" and "pain avoidance" I can drop off my visitors at curbside and avoid all the feelings that go along with saying goodbye...and get away with it.

By the way, if this blog was entitled Things I Hate....saying goodbye would be top on the list.

This weekend, my sweet friend Jen came to help me celebrate an early birthday (also a "little thing" that I really do love!)

We had the greatest time doing "little things"... we did a little relaxing, a little shopping, a little eating, a little hiking, and most importantly, a lot of talking. Oh, and went to a real movie theater and saw a movie...which is a little something we always wanted to do in TX but never felt that we had the time...

So when you come to visit and I take you to the airport and I do a "Drop and Run" at the curbside of the airport...you can know that I miss you already...and can't wait til you come back.

Laundry

I think I may have invented a new extreme sport.

I have just spent the last two days doing nothing but laundry.

Literally.

well, I did do other things but I literally did laundry...hauling, washing, drying, folding, (some ironing), hanging and putting away. I have sore muscles and lost 2 pounds....

Extreme Laundry...it could happen.

Kills Bugs Fast

This morning, after the kids were off to school and I was in the middle of some serious oatmeal eating and reading the paper on the internet, I notice something scurry across the foyer. After a second look I realized that a huge (about the size of a dime), black spider was hurrying off to find someplace nice to build a nest and have lots and lots of baby spiders in my home...my first reaction was to holler for my seriously brave bug killer...my 8 year old son.

These are the times when I seriously consider homeschooling... that way I won't ever have to worry about being alone in the house with insects...or worse...Arachnids. But I was brave and found a nearby shoe and killed that spider in one hard swat and then I cleaned up the mess...which is also a gross task that he readily takes care of (and I might mention that my sweet, brave boy will not very often pick up after himself until he has killed a bug...then it is fun to clean up and inspect the fresh kill).

After this exciting adventure, and a few minutes of nice thoughts about the advantages of having a cool son, I thought that maybe I would blog about it...but then decided not to, in the event that someone may not know of my bug "issues" and think less of me.

But I was wrong to think I could hide such a flaw.

The Boy came home today and said that his class had written a book and everyone in the "whole school" was going to read it. He was so excited to show me his copy of this book. It was a photo copied copy, neatly bound with staples down the middle to make the spine.

The book is called "Helping With The Jobs". And it explains what everyone in the class does to help their parents at home. Some said they helped with laundry, some said they cleaned their room. One little boy said that he helped his Dad with the goats! After about 20 pages I asked The Boy when his page would come up...he said it would be soon...

The very last page of the book read:

The jig is up. I am afraid of bugs and I use my children to kill them.

Rabbit Rabbit!

In eighth grade I went to school with a girl whose family had a tradition to wake up on the first day of each month and race to see who could say "Rabbit Rabbit!" to each other first. Whoever said it first got some sort of prize. I think it is funny that I can't remember why or what they did this for but I still think to myself "Rabbit Rabbit" occasionally on the first of the month...weird.

Well, speaking of rabbits who are fast runners...You all have heard the story of the Tortoise and the Hare...

Just by the fact that my fingers are typing this blog you can assume that I have made it through the 10K. I actually did pretty well...for someone who is not a rabbit. My goal was to run the entire course...without walking. And I did meet that goal. My running partner and her two friends wanted to run it in under an hour. My goals were not that high! I just wanted to finish! At the last half mile or so the others decided to go ahead and try to make their goal of less than an hour and quickened their pace. So the last 1/2 mile I just kept going along... Slow and steady (think tortoise). But I didn't too bad. I made it in 1 hour and....drumroll please....1 minute. Not too shabby for this "jogger" girl. My running friends made it in just under an hour and met there goal as well. Of course this was a "club" run with only a handful of "non-club" members (that would be us!). The club is fairly serious with true "runners" who took this run like a stroll in the park and in under 40 minutes! And let me tell you when that 70 year old lady passed me by with nary a bead of sweat or a breath too long, I was humbled... and yet encouraged!

But I wasn't dead last...and I didn't walk.

But now after several weeks of training...I am walking for the next week! This ole' turtle needs a rest!

What Was I Thinking?

I have been running for several years now. Since The Girl was born. And I ran for exercise off and on throughout college...mostly during that first year of dating my sweet husband...he was a runner so I wanted to impress him...the things we do for love.

But it occurred to me that I have actually paid 20 bucks to run in a 10K (6.3 miles) this Saturday. And this morning when I woke up I thought to myself "What were you thinking?!"

Homemaker Perks

To satisfy the curiosity of those (most of whom don't even know this blog exists) who want to know what I do now that the kids are in school for 7 hours I want to announce what I am doing right this very minute!

Right now it is 2:15 in the afternoon. I have done 45 minutes of yoga/pilates; a load of laundry; stuffed, stamped and mailed 75 letters for my Mother's business I; ironed my husbands karate outfit; ate a peanut butter sandwich; studied the material for two bible studies I participate in; called my mother; talked to two Texas friends; let the dog out...twice; figured out what's for dinner and got it half prepared; packed two snacks (for the kids) and the current book I am reading "SisterChicks in Sombrero's" for the carpool line (where I will "park and wait" everyday for 35 minutes); showered; dressed; and now blogged.


This all happened after all the things I did between 5:30-8:30 this morning trying to get two children to school on time. And before I start my Tuesday night "stuff"...

I am not bored. I am not lonely, I do not sit and watch soap operas all day. In fact, I love what I do and I my job description hasn't changed one bit. I still do all the things I did before with two children in the home (only there's a little more stuff to do now since we all have homework, and lunches to be made, and after school classes to get to....etc). Except now it is quieter and I get more done in less time. Which brings me to the subject of "time".

The best thing about being a stay at home mom of school aged children is that I now have time to do my job well.

Time is what is what everyone wants...and as a homemaker "time" is a perk of the profession. I love it and don't feel guilty about it, and I pray everyday that I will use my time wisely...which means: "No, I will not keep your kids three days a week, or clean your house, or do all the things you don't like to do, but because you think I have nothing to do without my kids at home you didn't think i'd mind."

Want to know another perk ...right now it is 2:30 pm I am eating a bowl of Breyer's mint chip Ice cream.

So the truth is sometime I DO sit around at home and eat the proverbial "Bon- Bons".

And, for the record... they are awesome.

La Vida Dulce!

Anticipation

The kids have been asking for homemade cinnamon rolls for over a week now. So this morning I got up and spent three hours measuring, kneading and waiting for dough to rise(all to the tune of "are they ready yet?" over and over again )...But The Girl's wait was much longer....When she found out they were FINALLY going in the oven she ran to the living room, got her chair and planted herself in front of the oven door, so as not to miss them when they came out.

I sneaked (snook? Snuck?) this picture.

It starts!

I was warned that the smells would change. They said the very feel of the air would become different. They were right.

Fall is coming, and you can feel it. The smell of fall floats from time to time in the breeze. I suddenly feel like baking. I begin to start hankering for soup, and bread that has pumpkin or ginger in it. The geese are noisily making their return. And of course the leaves are turning...red, gold, deep brown.


Seasons...they are pretty cool.... La vida dulce!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

I haven't posted in awhile because it seemed weird to write...I like to write about two things; things that are funny and things that I can complain about in a funny way. With all the gulf coast news I haven't felt funny, and I haven't felt like complaining because I have so much to be thankful for.

Yesterday while I did homework with The Boy, I told The Girl to color, to draw something that she learned in school or something that she was thinking about. She drew this and said:

"I can't stop thinking about all those people and that hurricane. It makes me sad."

Me too babe..Me too.