Tidings of comfort and joy....

When I was little we went to midnight mass at our church--and I mean midnight. It was exhausting as a little kid, but I grew to love it year after year. The church was dark, except for the Christmas trees all around the perimeter, the lights around the altar and choir areas, and some low lights here and there in the corners. The music, okay, so it was sometimes good and sometimes not-so-good (listening to the all caucasian group singing Harry Belefonte "Long time ago in Bethlehem, so thee holee Bible say..."), yea that wasn't a highlight. But, the church singing "O Come All Ye Faithful" at top volume, all verses, including Latin--that would stir up the heathen.
But let me back up, because all during Advent, the nativity set was up at the altar, with a singular character missing: the Holy Child. So, throughout Advent, my dad would let me go up there after church and point out, "see, he's not there yet." Then, finally, at midnight mass, the priest would bring the statue in, completing the picture of the Holy Family. After mass was over, and people are leaving, my dad would make a point of taking me up to the altar again, to see the baby Jesus in his manger. It was wonderful.
Still today, as I'm driving about town I see other manger scenes, and during Advent, I always point out to my kids, "see he's not there yet," so that after Christmas, they, too are elated to see baby Jesus resting in the manger, too.
Yes, I know it's a statue, and I know he's here, but not here. He does dwell in us, but I love the feeling Advent gives--one of waiting, wanting him to come and stay. And when the little statue is in place, the picture is complete, and the joy is complete. It does make me feel so much better to know he's here and to see the little statues in their places affirms that feeling.
So he's not here yet. He does promise us he's with us always, but he won't completely be back until the time is right. When that does happen, there won't be the waiting, just the elation.

A Fast and Furious New Friend

His name is Spencer, and he is a gangly 42-pound labrador mix. About as wiggly as a 2-year old toddler on a sugar buzz, he is also a pretty happy bloke. I don't know if I'm ready for this, having said good-bye to our dear friend Sam in May. It will be a test of my constitution, patience and will to live to see who survives: the dog or me. Or, my husband, let's just say.

Observations in Gravois Creek Area

Banana, seen alone in parking lot of Women's Health Complex.

Sign posted at library: Learn to make Goth sock puppets.

Santa is sitting in one of the hospital waiting areas, in a green "Bass Pro Shop" sweatshirt, sleeping.

Plunger found on the roof of the hospital.

I signaled to a driver that I was leaving the mall, if she needed my spot. She did not say thank-you. I hope she passes this kindness along.

Just had to share this morning's events. After reading my friend's Caring Bridge website for her husband, I was pretty down. My long list of personal prayers has gotten very long, as I told my husband last night. And, I need somethings to brighten my spirit. I'm looking forward to church tonite to recharge, followed by a late dinner with some friends. I am looking for Crayola Model Magic, so if anyone finds some that is white, let me know, because I'd like to get some for the boys for Christmas. Then, in my running this morning (no shower, hair basically combed and no makeup, in my glasses) I run into a former boyfriend (the one I happened to break up with to date my husband). I'm happy to report that even though I looked pretty bad, he looked just as surprised to see me, wearing a big blue knit stocking cap. Not that I revel in other's misfortunes, but happy that we both looked a bit grubby to be out and about.

In my personal prayers:
SB, SD, MS, SG, KK, MF, ML among my usual prayers for my family and friends. Hear us, Lord! Amen.

Turkey Makeover, part 3

Now we really didn't just have these, this was a couple days ago. To me, it was a homerun:

"Loaded" Potato Pancakes

1 cup finely chopped turkey
2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
2 scallions, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 envelope of instant potatoes, (one that makes 4 servings),
prepared according to package
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup bread crumbs, plus more for coating
S&P
Veg Oil

Combine the turkey, bacon, scallions, egg, cheese, S&P and 1/2 cup bread crumbs into the prepared potatoes. Eat an iron skillet with enough veg oil to coat the bottom completely. Fashion scoops of potatoes into little patties, coat in bread crumb and fry 2-4 minutes per side. Place on paper towel to drain. Serve with sour cream.

We ate these and a salad--a full meal. And, this made approximately15 patties.

Christmas comparison

As you can see from the Venn diagram above, the custom car garage really is the cooler toy.

Being heard!

Last week, Buzz had a sleepover at a friend's house, and we had the younger two at home. Beav slept in the next morning, but Bear was up at the usual time. Padding around behind me, Bear talked about what he dreamed about the night before, what he wanted for Christmas, what he'd be doing for Thanksgiving, and what he wanted for breakfast. The hubbie got up for work as usual and ate breakfast with him, and remarked about how chatty Bear was. "I suppose he just finally had a moment to be heard without any interruption," he said. And being heard without having to yell, I added. Sometimes that's all anyone needs.

Leftover fun

So far, we've had turkey salad sandwiches, turkey stir-fry with ginger sauce, turkey potpie with black beans and sweet potatoes. One last turkey leftover night will be turkey/mashed potato, possibly croquettes. I'm enjoying this whole "leftover" thing.
Got a good post coming for Buzz's Christmas list....I need to get the pictures downloaded, though.

The lesson stuck, I guess

We went to lunch at my aunt's house today, and while I was helping the boys get their plates of food, Beaver says to me, "We can't eat this yet, we gotta pay for it."

Budding cartoonist

While sitting in the aforementioned service, the 4-year old draws this. He says, "Mom, who does this look like?"
"Well, I'd say it looks like Charlie Brown, Beav."
"No, Mom. He has greasy hair, so it's Linus."

Change isn't always good

We went to the Saturday night church service this past weekend. I was looking forward to an inspirational, yet thoughtful service that was contemporary yet respectful. It was...different. Not bad, just different. I'm used to the guitar at church thing, we had this at a few masses growing up and at high school mass. I'm even used to a more loosely structured service. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I had trouble following what we were doing at times, and the music was decidedly so modern, I almost felt it wasn't reverent. I wanted to leave the 16th century, but not the 20th century. I don't think we'll never go back, but we probably won't be regulars. Maybe I'm just an old curmudgeon about it. I don't want to leave the liturgy, I just wanted a makeover. I think I got plastic surgery. Well, maybe next time....

Blow like a bubble on a windy day

Start to flutter when I hear you say

That you feel to good to go away

And you make me feel fine

Youve made my world a warmer place

By the sparkle of your diamond face

On a frayed spot, put a little lace

And you make me feel fine

Warm as the mountain sunshine

On the edge of the snowline

In a meadow of columbine

--"Ripplin' Waters," Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Creation Station

I took Beaver today to Creation Station, something that I've long wanted to do with any of the kids, and today was a good day for it. Very cold, grey skies, and yet this place was really cool. A large wooden boat for the kids to climb on, lots of stations with different toys and activities, crafts and stories. It was such a nice time playing with Beav. We then stopped for a snack: cheez-its for him, and cookies for me. We picked out a few Christmas gifts for his brothers (we'll see if the secret stays), and came home. What a nice morning, just the two of us. "Mom, I'm your buddy," he tells me every day. I told him "and I'm your buddy." That's not going to last forever, so I'll take it now.

Unlikely Words

"Mom, can't we please have sauerkraut?"

Yes, they are good German stock. The oldest even asked for the spicy ground mustard.

Where in the world was I at 7:30 this morning? In the dentist's office, reading old copies of "Family Circle" and listening to two things: Clay Aiken doing a bad cover of "Uptown Girl" and the Bear, wailing because they were about to drill.

Sunday School Lesson

I taught the Sunday school today. The lessons are based on the gospel that day. Today's gospel was Matthew 25: 14-30, which is the one in which the Master gives a certain amount of money to three servants. To the first he gives 5 coins, which the servant doubles through business. The second one gets 2 coins, which he invests and earns double back. To the 3rd, he gave one coin, which that servant buries in the ground, afraid someone might take it. The lesson, of course, is a pretty obvious one for kids (and grown-ups, I suppose): Whatever your talent or treasure, or gift, be sure to share it to the glory of God, in the hope that the return is great. You may help someone else, you may spread the gospel, but if you hide it or don't use it, it is in essence, wasted. "Use it or lose it," I guess is another way to look at it.
I used it to talk about Christmas lists. The kids make lists of things they want for Christmas. But this time, I asked them to turn the list into things they can do to the glory of God for others, using what they had. We had a girl say she could do karate, and she'd teach her little sister to defend herself. We had a boy say he liked sports and could be a good sport and model it to others. Buzz offered he could wiggle his ears, and make people laugh. Good gifts, really.
This got me to think about another side to each of our "gifts," and perhaps even from whom we've inherited some of these traits. I had been thinking about this anyway, so it was an appropriate topic for me this week.
Every morning, Beaver gives me trouble about eating his breakfast, especially in a timely manner. It drives me crazy. Then, I realized, through my aggravation, that I, too, am not a huge breakfast eater, either. I'm just not hungry. In fact, I would rather wait a good hour or two before eating. Bear is a sensitive person, very caring and empathetic. He also cries at the drop of a hat over things like "we're out of popcorn." I, too, can be overly sensitive and so afraid to hurt someone's feelings that I might sacrifice my own. But that's not a gift, per se, it's just a quality. Let's try another one.
Buzz is a sentimental fellow. He saves literally everything, because everything has meaning to him. It's a curse because I find scraps of foil, sorry, future metal hats for Lego men, and I carelessly throw them out. Or there was the last rubber band he found on the playground before they tore it down to move it.
Going through my stuff, I have my first driver's license; a poem I wrote on a scrap of paper, just because I liked it; a broken watch that a former boyfriend gave me (why do I have that old thing anyway?). It's a curse because the stuff proliferates. You simply can't save all of it.
Let's turn it into a blessing to share: I have a good memory for odd trivia--not as good as my sister's--but I remember lots of details. I have a good memory for numbers, measurements, addresses, even the social security numbers. I know what medications my in-laws take and when their appointments are, so that if something happened, I know a possible explanation. Birthdays, anniversaries, dates--pretty good at that. Buzz is, too. He remembers events that occured when he was 3 years old. He is very interested in history and geneology. He is fascinated by all the tedious steps in how a combustion engine works. Rube Goldberg is a hero to him. In the end, my hope is that these sometimes "aggravating" qualities of my children can be turned into true gifts they can share with others in some way.
So, yes, using your talents appropriately is a blessing and necessary. It's also easy to abuse them too. A born leader may end up acting like a dictator; A musician or actor may end up in the wrong end of the industry. A "free spirited" person may forget to pick her kid up from school. Knowing how to incorporate your talent correctly can be difficult.
A friend of mine was contemplating what she possibly could offer another who seemed to have everything. I told her she is obviously in the person's life for a reason--that she filled some sort of gap. That person who has everything, probably envies that my friend lives more simply, or that she is incredibly organized and efficient. So in other words, we don't always know how we are using our gifts, we just are without knowing it. And as I told the Sunday school class, simply having the gift of hearing allows us to be good listeners, at the very least. And what friend doesn't need that gift shared?

Guest poster: Buzz

Dreams are a big deal around here, from my infamous "cupcake" dream, to the dream the other night about the "Vienna Sausage Factory." This is an exciting post today, because Buzz is going to be our guest blogger today, and he is going to share with us his exciting dream:

I dreamed that I was at this place called "the Sir Francis Drake Pancake House," and it had been rebuilt three times because of a little pelican. The pelican would talk so much, that the walls would fall down. I dreamed that I was in a group of 3 people that reinforced the walls until the pelican stopped talking. The pelican started talking, and the walls started shaking. We gathered some beams and propped them against the walls. As far as the giant Paul Newman face on the front, it could withstand all the shaking. The pelican kept blabbering on about the history of the Sir Francis Drake Pancake House. When it finally stopped talking, the two halves of the mouth swayed back and forth but then the pelican started talking again before we could do anything about it. All the walls fell down except for the face. And then we groaned and the dreamed ended. The pelican went "Caw!!" and flew away. About 2 hours later, I dreamed the pelican went through the window, went "Caw!" and pecked me on the neck. He then flew out the window and I woke up.

TC 2-nite

Top Chef, season 5, people. Tonite.

Questioning the logic and safety of this one

We have long had the "widow maker" branch hanging over the front yard, held in place by what appeared to be two small twigs. Every storm, windy day, whatever, I thought, "this'll be the day. It's coming down." It never does. Today I had had enough of watching sway slightly in the breeze, mocking me, and I thought I would just take the thing out with a few good tosses of the football. My accomplices, never to let something this exciting to pass by, say nearby in the previously mentioned "war wagon." I tossed the ball a few times, and the branch, still dangling, would rock and sway, and the soldiers in the wagon shagged the ball for me. Then, while I was retrieving the ball that rolled into the street, the oldest thought he should try, by throwing a bat into the tree. Then another thought he would throw a badminton racket. So now we've got balls, bats, rackets flying. I'm not that careless--they all had helmets on, which was good when the wiffle ball bat came down on Buzz's head with a pop! I then said, "guys, better let me do this." One last toss and down the branch came. The war wagon veterans came to my aid, stomping and breaking the dead limb into pieces. My heroes! And, at the least, the scary limb is gone.

Avast, ye mayteys!!

The boys are into this thing they call "The War Wagon." They've also got the neighbor boy across the street involved, I'm sure much to the dismay of his parents. They load up the wagon with wiffle ball bats, plastic toy rakes and hoes, a water gun (empty), and start at the top of the driveway. Three are inside the wagon, the fourth, the "pusher" is at the back, pushing them down the driveway and jumps in, sort of like the 4-man bobsled. Only instead of all 4 of them ducking and driving as fast as they can, they all scream, brandishing their weapons, flying across the court until they arrive on the other side. The dogs in our area love this, too, and are chasing along after them, while the boys all yell "Aaarrrrrgghhhh!" waving and shouting. They don't actually fight anything, or each other. They simply repeat the process over and over. It's riot to watch. And, it's funny when a neighbor girl comes out--she is frequently chased away by the masculine screams. I love my boys.

Budget crunchy, over?

Well, I guess not really. But it did seem that after I posted the menu for the week, my week plans got altered. So far, this is what I've got:
1. Chili (never got around to it)
2. Soup/sandwich night (potato soup? Sausage/potato chowder?)
3. Fish tacos
4. Pork tenderloin with roasted veggies
5. I'm thinking......probably chicken parmesan or something like that.
I'll try to actually stick to it this time!

Family fun-for-all

We like to do a lot of things as a family, but probably one of the top 5 is "whole house hide n' seek." There are a few exceptions to the "whole house" thing, such as 1) no bathrooms (biohazard), 2) no laundry/workroom (chemical/mechanical hazard) and 3) no Daddy's office (Daddy hazard). It's a great game for the rainy/too cold days, too. What is funny is that I am really, really good at it. I can also get a little work done while "hiding." I have been known to take laundry to the laundry room--this doesn't break the rule, because I'm not actually hiding there, it's merely a stopoff to the hiding spot. Bear is also getting really good at it, too. He knows to hide and be quiet, while big bro Buzz is into jumping out and shouting "AH!" at the "it" person. My best hiding spot this past Saturday was in my own unmade bed.

Pretty fall day

What a pretty day...we took lots of pictures, Mom got vertigo watching the kids get close to the cliff's edge. (That's why Dad is with the crew--I was desperately holding on to a tree)

I personally don't get it while I'm by the edge, but watching the kids makes me spin!

Yee-ouch!

Does anyone else think the knife is awkwardly placed?

Time change went through, elections are done, school, work and home are still the order of the day. Yet I am still surprised by things on a daily basis. Bear came home in tears because he felt "forced" into voting for a candidate because someone told him the other one would steal our money. Buzz is upset because he stands alone politically among his friends. Beaver voted for Bert in the "Ernie vs. Bert" elections at preschool. I told him, really, Bert is the more responsible of the two, and he made a good choice. He says he's changing his mind.
Here's another thing: I am frequently surprised that friends, good friends, respected professionals, do not share my political/social views. I almost feel deserted--which is dumb, because it's their opinion, not mine. But I still have enough type A in me to want to take them aside and say "Do you really know what you're doing? This is what you're saying, and it's wrong." We all get so emotionally attached to elections. Yes, taxes could change, laws could change, constitutions rewritten, but it's nice to know that in my house, it's still roughly about the business of work, home, school, church for my 3 little guys. Some things are constant and therefore comforting to them.

Beaver's Outlook

Over the summer, we were watching some rabbits out the sliding door to the backyard. I asked Beav if he thought the bunnies were cute. His reply "Yea......I'd like to eat 'em. First, I'd catch him, cut him up, and eat the ears." We were doubled over with laughter at that, because he really is a gentle sort of boy when it comes to animals and smaller creatures. We are also aren't hunters, though we have no problem with hunting.
Well, apparently, that wasn't the end of it. Tonite, my husband asks Beav if he'd like to see "Kung Fu Panda."
From Beaver: "Yea...I'd like to eat him. First I'd cut the legs off...because then he'd stop kicking."
Almost sounding like the beginnings of a serial killer, I know. He really is a good little guy. Really. Now... where are my knives?

Sounds good to me

Flipping the station on the radio, Buzz asked "why can't we listen to that song?"
Beaver replied, "It's bad for your teeth."
Good 'nuff for me--I didn't like the song anyway.

Should I be worried?

Lots of people worry about what their children are reading. Last week, Buzz brought home a new book from the library:
The Story of Watergate

Time to say good-bye

I had a busy week this week--not just because of the retreat, but also because we had the visitation and funeral for my Uncle Charlie. As uncles go, he was "the silly one," and had a real knack for interacting with others, young and old. He had a good touch with kids, and like my dad, his brother, liked a good time just as much as the next guy. He liked to tell stories and jokes, play silly tricks on us, and like my dad, a great role model for fatherhood. Good-bye, Uncle Charlie. I miss you, I love you, and I know I will see you someday again.

"I thank my God everytime I remember you." Philippians 1:3

A little peace and quiet

Well, I haven't quiet figured all this blogging out, because even though I loaded the pictures in the order I wanted, they came out backwards. This is the place in which I went on retreat. It is called Queen of Apostles Center, in Imperial, Missouri. Very restful place, good food, good environment and comfortable surroundings. The pictures show the outside entrance, some of the grounds surrounding the center, a meeting room, my messy bedroom, and the kitchenette I used. In case you can't stand the absolute quiet, there was a tv with a dish, so my obsession with watching the weather could continue! Thanks, Sr. Virginia, Sr. Rosemary, Sr. Katherine, and Sr. Emily! What a lovely time!

I Promise to Clean My Room

Had this built in the backyard over the weekend...We'll see if they forget to clean their rooms, now....ha ha, just kidding. This is part of the Halloween exhibit at Grant's Farm. All the kids gave this a try.

Budget crunchy update

I almost forgot to update on how we did with the weekly menu. We actually fared a lot better than I anticipated, because the husband brought home Honeybaked ham and turkey and a bunch of sides from a work luncheon, which actually postponed a dinner. Then, we had the opportunity for a date night, so that night the kids ate McD's while the husband and I dined on steak and scallops. Yum. So....anyway, we did stick to the menu otherwise, and while Beaver is still balking at the veggies, everyone ate well. With that in mind, here's the upcoming menu for this week:
1. bagel pizzas (homemade--those BagelBites are a rip-off!)
2. Chicken and pasta with squash
3. Chili or bean soup, not sure which, but they both sound good
4. "Fish 'n' chip" night
5. Grilled steak from last week that we never ate
6. Ham/potato gratin

That's my best guess. Now, this will be adaptable, because I know at least one meal I won't be home. So...that leaves the husband to cook it, or if he so desires, take the boys out for waffles and pancakes. Other than milk and fruit, I don't anticipate a shopping trip. I stocked up on the veggies during my shopping this past week (I had to go--they were offering chicken at $2 pound!).

3-2-1-Blastoff!!

"This is the coolest playground ever, Mom." We brought paper airplanes to shoot off the top of the rocketship. That thing is taller than you'd think, too. I think that as small as Beaver is, it probably seemed 10 stories high to him. I know my knees were wobbly--of course, I get vertigo just looking out the second story window of my own house.

Full moon, Wednesday morning

Full moon over my neighbor's house, 7 am. I couldn't believe how bright it was at that hour of the day, but I guess it was getting the reflection off the rising sun.

Last weekend, I worked at the hospital. As weekends go, it was a pretty smooth one. No angry doctors, the patients were generally agreeable, and no last minute procedures thrown into the schedule leaving me stuck on the clock that much longer.
Every time I work at the hospital, though, I am reminded of my own health. I've had patients who have various illnesses brought on by smoking or drinking too much, some with injuries related to these vices; I have some with heart issues, diabetes, etc that may be helped, even prevented by taking care of oneself. And while it's easy to say "this could've been prevented," it's equally important to realize that many diseases and illnesses do not discriminate. Each patient should be treated respectfully in this manner. Despite anyone's individual weakness toward a particular vice, I, too, have my own weaknesses and would want my treatment to be top priority to those working with me.
Every time I work at the hospital, I am also reminded of my mortality, as well as my loved ones. Death is ugly and inevitable, yet for a few lucky people can be peaceful and quiet. I like to think of those who have gone on ahead of me as being welcomed into heaven. That does give me some peace. Jesus paved this path for me, by dying for me, and giving me baptism. One day, heaven will be my path. I do have fears and anxiety about it; that is normal, I am finding, and more often, I find that many people my own age are starting to have these fears. That is, I guess a weakness of faith. Thinking about not being with my kids or my husband is overwhelmingly sad to me, yet I am confident of their path to heaven, too, being baptized and forgiven as well.
I now include in my daily prayers that God continually strengthens my faith and knowledge of His love, that He will protect and preserve me on this earth as long as He sees fit. The human in me says I hope it will be for a long time, to see my kids grown and possibly have their own children. But that's just me.

I can see my breath at the breakfast table

Today was the first cold, cold morning of fall. Without the heat turned on, our house was a chilly 58 degrees this morning, and as each kid got out of bed, I quickly threw on the socks and sweat jackets over them and greeted each one with a mug of cocoa. It worked--each one immediately cheered up and warmed up. At one point I looked at them, all with their hoods on, bent over their cocoa, like "down on their luck" fellows. But soon, one made monkey sounds and I knew it was my own kids.

Near and dear

Today, Buzz came home from his first day of class at an enrichment center. Being midway through the semester, he missed quite a bit of the projects and content, and he came home absolutely crushed that he didn't get to make a robot bird. I don't know why, but it pains me most when he is sad. I love all my kids for their wonderful qualities, but when it comes down to it, I know that when Buzz is sad, there is really a reason (even if it is perhaps not a valid one). The other boys are more volatile in their emotions and tend to cry or get angry much quicker (and for more invalid reasons), so I usually spend most of my time explaining things to them rather than true mommy-style consoling. I know these moments are fleeting with Buzz, since he is closing in on double-digits at light-speed time, and he won't always want to sit on my lap to talk about things. But for now, I will take all I can get of it!

New recipe: Budget crunchies

In an effort to be focused on saving money, I periodically plan our meals for a week or so at a time. When I'm feeling exceptionally creative, I plan for even longer periods of time. It does help us eat from the freezer/pantry without a whole lot of impulse buys. I always include kid favorites as well, even grilled cheese, hot dogs, all that stuff. So, I have planned the meals for the week, and looks like I will only be hitting the grocery store for milk (of which we are nearly out), and possibly fruit, as we are down to 4 apples and 2 brown bananas. So...here goes:
Beef/bean enchiladas (Buzz's favorite)
Homemade chicken nuggets
Veg Soup with toast
Grilled flank steak
Ravioli
Leftovers will be good for the husband's lunch, for salads and so forth. Next weekend, I will write about how we did, keeping on this menu.

The sky's the limit!

Our kids have started writing Christmas lists, and generally we let them wish away, but remind them that they won't get everything on their lists. Today, the Beaver dictated his list to me:
1. A rocket
2. A Snoopy train
3. A lamb
4. A remote control hairball (!!)
5. A remote control Pink Panther

I think we're going to have a hard time with this one....

20th Verse, same as the first

The Beaver sang for about 15 minutes straight:
"He's got the whole world, in His hands"
however, he would not rest until all parties were accounted for:
"He's got all the cousins, in His hands"
"He's got all the animals in His hands"
I guess it's nice to know he cares, because he said, "Mom, we have to include EVERYONE. Jesus has EVERYONE in his hands, right?"
"Oh yes," I said.

Then, after that rousing anthem, he asked: "Can we count to 1000 now?"

Shopping day

I have started Christmas shopping-it's official. It was actually started back in August, when my husband and I found some small, but necessary gifts for one of the kiddos. They have been successfully stashed until the appropriate time. Today I couldn't ignore on item on sale, and I already knew of another that looked like a winner, so I picked them up. I think I'll use this as a lesson to see if I actually spend less since it's spread over the next two months, or if I'll spend more, because it's spread over the next two months. Really, I'm sure I already know the answer.

Taco-tastrophe

I'm wondering just how smart it was to let the 4-year old make his own taco. Really, I couldn't help it, a phone call came that I had to take--in fact it was the kind where I had to shut myself in a bedroom so I could pay attention. I came back to the kitchen to find 3 slightly damaged taco shells haphazardly stuffed with meat and cheese, not on his plate, but placed in various places around his plate. More meat and cheese were on the floor, and he was happily eating one of his creations. Hmmm....

My Favorite Time of Year

Welcome to October--my favorite time of year. A lot of people feel the need to clean house and get the new hairdo/makeover in spring, but I get that urge in the fall. I love fall. I have a lot of great fall memories from childhood through the present.
I remember being a little girl and going to pick apples with my parents and grandparents. Then, for the next few days, our kitchen table would be covered in newspapers and apple peels, while Mom and Dad sat at the table, peeling and cutting apples for Mom's homemade applesauce. They would also move the little black and white tv into the kitchen. The kitchen was really warm, and on the stove was a big pot cooking the apples into applesauce, and an enormous kettle of boiling water for canning. I don't know how many quarts of applesauce were made, but I knew it was a lot. I remember breezing into the kitchen and eating long strands of apple peels and snitching a few slices as well. I love that memory.
Still later, I remember my best friend and I would have leaf rides in the wagon. We'd fill the wagon with leaves, and pull each other around, throwing leaves out along the way (how this must have upset some of our retiree-neighbors who kept their lawns leaf-free!). Then we'd take the leaves and make "blueprint" outlines of houses, and play house in them. They were pretty elaborate, too. Some had bay windows and some had closets.
In high school, fall meant school, volleyball for a bit, then later the fall musical.
College in the fall meant football (Go MU Tigers!), and homecoming, which I was only really involved with my freshman year. I drew the lifesize Calvin and Hobbes which got our dorm 1st prize for house decks and on the news! But more importantly, homecoming was the actual coming home. Driving home in the fall colors, rounding the corner of my neighborhood the trees were beautiful, and I always arrived home for dinner Friday night.
Today as an adult, fall means the windows are open, apple picking and pumpkin patch with my own kids, cozy nights by our outdoor firepit or inside with game or show, lots of playing outside, and it's capped off with our annual Halloween chili dinner/bonfire with a few of our neighbors. It's these fun activities and this time of year that make fall a perfect time of year. I hope someday my kids will look back and remember this time of year fondly, too.

Campaign 2008

"Mom, do you think this looks like John McCain? I know this looks like Barack Obama."

Wonders of Nature

We took the boys on a hike yesterday, and saw this on a bridge. I think I've seen walking sticks about 4-5 times in my whole life, so seeing 2 walking sticks, uh, having fun, I'm sure we'll never see again. Quite remarkable.

Me and Buzz

A few nights ago I had to take Buzz to the library, since he forgot his book at school. I initially told my husband we'd be back shortly, but 20 minutes later we were still nose-deep in books, and we still hadn't visited the sale table. We were in our natural habitat: the library.
Fast forward to tonite, and it is quiet and still in the house, the younger two being gone with their daddy to the store, leaving me and Buzz in a quiet house. Both of us reading (yes, I know I'm typing right now), but both of enjoying the quiet of a good book. Sometimes I wonder if the kids will take after me in some way, and tonite I see clearly one feature that brings me very close to Buzz, and it tickles me. I wonder if he'll think about me in that way, too, someday when he picks up a good book.

Waiting

I'm playing the greatest "waiting game" now, called "beat the freezer." You wait to go to the grocery store until you've got almost nothing left. It's going to be close, but I'm really trying to wait this one out as long as I can. I've spent a lot of time waiting this week. Some of it is the general type of waiting: in line at the grocery store deli, waiting for the school bus to come. Some of it was the type of waiting you don't really like to do: waiting in the doctor's office, waiting for results, waiting for my bathroom cleaner to actually start taking the soap scum off the walls. I've even been watching and waiting, like the rest of the country, to see what is happening to our economic system, and I imagine I'll be waiting to see it trickle down my way.
It's kind of hard to wait in this day and age, since we can text each other (something I can do now--wow!), email, make that phone call and reach someone instantaneously. I can have a meal in minutes, thanks to the microwave. I can watch an episode of Law and Order apparently 24-7-365, so no need to wait for that show each week. I can also get a good bottle of red wine and enjoy it now, rather than letting it age. I can get to most any store in my area in about 10 minutes. I can even find out if I'm pregnant in a minute (I'm not--so no need to comment on that, okay?).

Last night, I found myself waiting for something I just dread: The bear was up, complaining of a headache. I gave him the appropriate medicine, which then upset his stomach, so I was up at 2 am waiting with a bucket to see what would happen next. I kept thinking, "well, if he barfs, then it's only a matter of time before the others fall. Then it's a matter of waiting to get everyone well again." Turns out, it was just the medicine, not the headache that upset his tum, and he eventually fell asleep, so I went back to bed to do something I love waiting for: falling asleep.

I suppose my purpose of writing this entry is because I believe it's all about how you handle the waiting. Do you sit and stew, worry, and plan for the worst? What do you do while you wait? Pray, plan, think, analyze, reorganize. Good lesson for grown-ups, really, to sit back and wait. Teaching my kids how to wait is an important lesson, too. They need to learn that they cannot always have a snack right now, they cannot go play right now, they need to sit and wait and that sometimes it just takes longer to find the outcome.

Well, I guess I'll go back to waiting, but I'll keep on living in the meantime.

Yum

Nothing like a nice grilled cheese sandwich, 2 slices of cheese, please.

The view from our house

The city balloon race is this weekend, and the test run for the balloons ran a path directly over our house. What a thrill for the kids! They lay on the ground, trying to spell out "hi" so the balloon operators would see them (they actually spelled "ih"), then attempted yelling to get their attention. We did get one to wave! About a dozen balloons altogether passed over the house.

Hurricane Ike's impact

Sunday, the remnants of the hurricane blew through our area, causing flash flooding of small creeks and rivers. Here's a few pics of the impact after the water went down. Note the water level on the fences.

Beethoven, he ain't

Change in the weather? Lunar Tide?

What explains people's swings in behavior? What is it that makes things go seemingly haywire? This past week was absolutely crazy, and yet oddly enough, smooth in the sense that everything that needed to be done was done. We started this week with one child home sick, by Thursday he had gone back and Friday, another was home sick. In between that time, there were the usual errands, but tossed in was a hair appointment, visit with friends, teacher meeting and parent/teacher meetings, trips to two doctors and a trip to the post office. By Thursday, we were also down one car: it seems our mechanics didn't communicate very well and one took a phone call while the other did a test drive to check our brakes. That part would be fine, except that mechanic #1 had drained all the oil out of the car. That didn't suit the car well at all, as you can imagine, and it died. In a big way. Like, it could never be used again, died.
Of course, this fell on the weekend that I work, so Friday I drove the spouse to work and today he drove me.
Now, I work at a hospital, and things were going crazy there, too. People were clumped in groups in the gift shop angrily discussing the cost of gas. Another person is shaking her cane because the cabby is late and berates the cab driver. I think I walked about 5 miles today, up and down 8 floors and 26 nursing units. Even the patients were, to say it gently, uneasy. News of hurricane Ike approaching our midwest towns has sent people 'round the bend!
Oh, and let us not forget the ants. The ants have started flocking into our house. This happens a couple times a year, and here we go: time to get out the ant bait.
Then my son points out that there is a full moon, or darn near close to it. Hmmm...I wonder. Lunacy or weather?

Taking stock

Today was supposed to be my first day where everyone is out of the house, at least for a couple hours. Generally, this event would be marked with a celebratory bagel or coffee, but not today. Instead, I've got the Bear in tow, as he is under the weather. But it was quite nice, actually. He took an exceptionally long warm bath, played a couple computer games and drank Gatorade. I think he relished the quiet--I changed beds and did laundry while he puttered about independently. So while I was looking forward to a few hours alone, this ended up being a nice surprise, since it is almost never just Bear and me. We did do some stocking up on things I would typically get in November or December: the tylenol, powerade (the non-colored kind), Shasta lemon-lime (only $.25 a can) and chicken noodle soup. We also had nice conversations, all about topics he wanted to talk about. Every now and then, I think kids need a "day off," just away from the others so they can be heard. It also reminds me to "take stock" of the blessings of just being around them while they're young. I really enjoyed the day with him, sickness or not.

How's this for good luck?

Went to the playground after school today, which was a lot of fun and the boys needed it after all the rain we've had. I found not one, but 2 four-leaf clovers (pictured above is the first one I found, I gave the other away). What fun! I actually find them pretty well--not as well as my sister, but let's just say I find some every year, usually when I'm not even looking. I know luck has nothing to do with it--probably more to do with focus and attention. Still it's funny when people say "how lucky!" Oh yea?

When we got home from the playground, my son clogged the toilet, and in my efforts to keep the clean and dry bathroom, well, clean and dry, I lost control of the tank lid, and it shattered in a million pieces. How'd you like that for luck?

I'm in here, they're out there

I'm in here, because I hear "No! Stop! No! You're bothering me!" over and over and over again out there. Generally the kids are good to each other, but every now and then, when one of them really makes the other mad, I'll hear "I'm not forgiving you!" This is a big one at our house--forgiveness, because it's a given: we're going to make each other mad at some point (sometimes daily), and when the perpetrator realizes they've hurt someone else, it hurts them. However, when the intended victim anounces there will be no forgiveness, it hurts more.

Now, it is quiet again, and I can hear them discussing the design of the latest marble run. The youngest has just run in saying "Come see what we've made." Cooperation. Ahhh...that sounds better.

Homemade Gifts

Saturday was the birthday party of a friend of my oldest son. Shopping for the gifts is always a chore, but in this particular case, this friend is easy to buy for because he is a lot like my son, so we had fun. We found a couple small things, but came up with this honey of a homemade gift: The Funnel Fone. It's great for using between bunk beds, or when you're at the top of the slide and your friend is on the ground, awaiting secret mission instructions. And, it cost $4 to make.

When you gotta go

Dropped off the eldest at a camp-out/sleep-over tonite, and while I was talking to the parents, one of them notices a quick flash of red t-shirt dart behind the hollyberry tree in the front yard. "Look," she says, "it's almost like he's hiding something back there, or sneaking something." I walk over to find my child au-naturale from the waist down, relieving himself. "WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!?!?" I yell, but of course, I can't stop the kid--he had to GO NOW. Once he was finished (by the way, he politely had peed into an emergency coffee can we keep in the van for these "emergencies"), he then kicked the can over to empty it--in the yard. The other thing is, he neglected to notice that while he thought he was discreet behind the tree, he was actually in a neighbor's side yard, just outside the bedroom window, facing the street.

Time Warp

I can't believe I just noticed two of my clocks have stopped running. No wonder we missed the bus yesterday.

I can't wait

While discussing what to do with a few spare vacation days, my 6-year old offers an idea:

"I say we go camping and burn marshmallows."

Here's the picture

This is the site of the new development in my beloved green space. Here are some pictures to show you what it looks like, now, so people will remember. It also borders the namesake of this blog. I remember this area well, as it was on my way to piano lessons and my friend's houses. And, I'm really sad that it's going to go. My only hope is that people will rise up and say "middle income doesn't mean we can afford any of this," and the developer will shut down. Of course, then it leaves it open for someone else to develop, but I have to say, "What is wrong with a few trees and a few acres of green?"

Mr Egg Salad

"I call him 'Mr' because he's wearing a beard."

That's probably a good sign you need to clean out the fridge.

Dream a little dream

Most of my friends know about my crazy dreams. Last night's dream was that I was at a convent, where there was a mass going on literally around every corner. One mass was a Christmas mass, one was a charismatic hand-clapping event, one was a Latin mass. I had an empty pack of cigarettes in my hand (I don't smoke, by the way), beer cans, and other trash. I kept looking for a trash can, but kept running into a mass going on. I found my friend (a Catholic nun in reality) and she took me back to a kitchenette in the convent. I opened the fridge and there was nothing but Pepsi in there, and they had been using different kinds of contact paper to wallpaper the kitchenette. Over in one corner my friend, V., was making a dress of contact paper. It looked like calico, but was actually made of contact paper.

"Found money must be spent"

Or at least that's what my mom would have said. I made a little money today, by taking a survey, and it was burning a hole in my wallet. Well, I could get a new pair of tennis shoes, which I needed, a nice bottle of wine, which I wanted, or I could get my son some shorts and pants that he really needed, and some hot wheels for all of them, and pay the "party money fee" the school is asking for us to send. On what did I spend my found money? The shorts, the hot wheels.

It's all in the name

Life in around here can be pretty mundane, but it's never boring. It is generally predictable, yet there is flexibility built in to the schedule. You never know when you'll have a tire blow-out while driving kids home from a birthday party, yet still manage to get home to get the lasagne in the oven for dinner on time. You mop the floor, and someone manages to spill a cup of apple juice on it. So when I toyed around with writing a blog, I obsessed on the title of the blog. The one above is sweet and simple, sort of "Little House on the Prairie-like," but my other idea for a title does have a bit more snap and silliness to it, that lends itself to a blog beatifully. I'm not convinced they couldn't both work, but you see, I am just playing around with this idea. My other working title is "The Concord Village Idiot." I need your help here. Vote for your favorite, or I will be resigned to keeping both, which I'll probably do anyway.