Thank You Mom

This is a public shout out to my mama...

Thank you mom...

For being my friend.
For your words of encouragement.
For your wisdom.
For understanding me.
For loving me.
For caring for me.
For imparting your Biblical knowledge to me.
For praying for me.
For praying with me.
For talking me "down" when I'm anxious or afraid.
For giving me grace when I mess up.
For listening to me.
For reminding me that I'm a child of the Most High God.

Thank you mom for everything.

Spare Room Dilemma

If there is one thing about this house that I wish I could change, it would be the closet and storage space. We literally have ONE spare closet in our entire house and it's under the stairs, so as you can imagine, it's not a walk in closet and space is limited to the ceiling slope of the stairs above it. People, we don't even have a linen closet. And... our pantry doubles as our laundry room. We truly are cramped for storage space.

We have a spare bedroom, but the people who built this house, decided to make the room function as an office and they didn't feel the need to have a closet put into the spare room. What?! Who doesn't put a closet in a room, in a house that is already lacking in closet space?

But, I digress...sort've...

Here's my dilemma:

We have this spare room on the first floor of our house. I want to convert it to a storage/craft room/computer room, but Randy is concerned that if we do that, we would lose the spare bedroom functionality.

Of course, that is a concern of mine too, but the reality is, we have visitors (our parents) in our home about 3-4x a year (or approximately 6-8 days out of 365). The other 357 days, the spare bedroom/craft room looks like this...
I cannot keep this room organized for several reasons!

1.) The girls use this room for their art projects and crafts. They don't clean up their messes very well. That's fine, I'm okay with that. I want them to be able to have fun with their projects and not worry about creating a mess.

2.) The second reason is because this room has become a "catch all" room and it's hard to organize/clean an area that is designated as the catch all room.

We talked about a getting a Murphy Bed, but they are over $1K for a decent one. Air mattress is out of the question because our folks can't sleep on the floor. Giving up our room to our parents when they visit is not even worth arguing over with Randy... So, you see? I'm stuck with a queen sized bed in a small closet-less bedroom.

If I had my way, this is what my storage/craft room would look like minus the sink & washer/dryer:

I also like this set up, but it's more scrapbook/craft oriented, but I like the built-in countertops:

I love this storage area and we have something very similar from IKEA, but I don't envision our stuff being as neatly arranged and organized as this:

And of course, I love this storage set up... but not for pantry food items:

So, a quick question... what are your thoughts?

• Ditch the spare and go for storage?
• Or, compromise and do both (better and more efficiently)?

I only nag you, because I want you to be happy

Several night ago, Randy and I were lying in bed talking and I wrapped up my portion of the conversation by saying, "I only nag you (about this) because I want you to be happy."

Oh, did he get a laugh out of that one. And really, I wasn't trying to be funny. It was totally and completely appropriate in the context of our conversation. Or, so I thought.

Whatever my intent and purpose was, he found it hilarious. He called it "deep woman logic" that was "simple, yet complex" and made complete and utter sense to him in his quest for understanding me.

What? Oh no! Part of the mystery and intrigue that surrounds me is the fact that Randy does not fully understand me. What have I done? Did I spill the beans on myself? On all woman-kind? Have I ruined it for everyone?

I relent. It's true. I nag, because I want everyone to be happy. Or, at least, my brand of happiness.

So, when you hear me nag my husband, nag my girls or nag my friends, it's only because of the love I have in my heart.

[Sigh...]

Blog Brain Dump

It's that time again... time for a "Blog Brain Dump - PMS Version"

So, today marks 6 days without my kids. And thanks to my husband, we'll be picking them up on Sunday, not Saturday, as originally intended. I nearly broke down in tears last night when he was making plans with his dad. I want my kids back now. Like yesterday.

I had such grandiose cleaning aspirations while they were gone this week. I have checked off about 3/4 of my to-do list, but unfortunately, I've left the hard stuff for today and (now... see above) tomorrow. I did manage to clean out, clear out and remove a vast amount of clutter from the girls' rooms including, but not limited to, clothing and hoarded bits of paper, trinkets and trash.

I figure since Elisan will be turning 9 in several weeks, this will probably be one of the last times I will be able to get into her room and go through it freely without her crying foul. Don't get me wrong, she still lives in my house and I'll have access to her room... but, with wailing and gnashing of teeth, of course.

I had dinner with one of my dearest friends on Wednesday and she also has two girls. During the course of our conversation, she asked me, "So, does Elisan know who Justin Bieber is?" I told her I only know who he is because the radio DJ's were talking about him, otherwise, no... no one on our family is familiar with him, his face or his music. She looked at me and said, "How is that possible?" I dunno... probably because we don't listen to his music, watch television where he is featured and Elisan's best friend is Kyla, who, incidentally, is also my child.

I gathered from her expression that she was impressed that we've managed to stay out of the loop for so long. I'm hoping it stays that way, but something tells me that 4th grade will be an entirely new ball of wax. Sigh...

Speaking of television, Randy has the girls hooked on "The A-Team". Ah, yes... I recall watching The A-Team when I was a little kid. That show is so lame. How we ever thought it was cool and exciting is beyond me. But, my kids love it and it is pretty harmless,... aside from the fact that "Face" tends to kiss all the pretty girls each week. Both girls agree that Face is their favorite character. I know why they like him, but Elisan is a little more coy in her response. "He's funny" she says. But, not Kyla... she's say, "Because he's cute!" I have a live one on my hands.

I guess I'd rather them watch "The A-Team" versus teen situation comedies where parents are portrayed as clueless and dumb. At least I can stomach "The A-Team" much better.

Tonight is date night with Randy. And now, since we're not going to pick up the girls until Sunday, Saturday is also date night. We're going to eat sushi tonight and then tomorrow, who knows... I'm open to suggestions though...

So, I think that is all for now. I still have plenty of stuff to talk about, but I figure this post is long enough. My attention span is already maxed out.

Happy Friday!

Shredded Pork

It's true... shredded pork is so versatile! And, the added benefit, pork roasts aren't nearly as expensive as beef.

I usually buy a shoulder pork roast. The price ranges anywhere from $6-$7. Since I am roasting it, I'm not particularly interested in fancy cuts or varieties. A plain 'ol shoulder roast will do.



I generously season with the roast with coarse ground pepper and sea salt. Toss in a few bay leaves, pour in a cup or two of water, cover it with the lid and place in the oven at 350 degrees. I let the roast cook for several hours. Once it's cooked, I'll remove the roast from the oven and let it rest until it is cool enough to handle. (Discard bay leaves.)



Then, I shred it with two forks until it is looks like this. I don't shred it ultra-fine. I just shred it enough to have nice big chunks that allow me to portion the roast into smaller containers. I usually get about 3 family size portions from each roast.

Here are a few ways I use shredded pork:

• Pork Soft Tacos w/verde sauce
• Hatch Soup (add shredded pork for a heartier soup)
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches (add a bit of BBQ sauce)
• Enchiladas (w/verde or red sauce)

Enjoy!

Best Deal of the Year!

Check out my Goodwill Gal blog to read up on the "BEST DEAL OF THE YEAR!"

What's a mom to do?

Guess what I'm doing this week? Or, better yet... guess what my kids are doing this week?

They are with their grandparents for the week, which means... WHICH MEANS... I'm home, sans kids. And here's the kicker. This is the first time I've been alone in this house, without kids for this extended amount of time in my life.

Sure, they've visited their grandparents for a week before, but we've always had something going on too. Like the cruise we took several years ago, or part-time work, or Randy was home and we were doing projects around the house. Or, Elisan was the only child to go out of town, because Kyla was still too young... You get the gist.

This is the first time I've been without kids for this extended amount of time in my life. IN. MY. LIFE.

So, what am I doing? I know you are dying to see how fabulous I really am...

I am cleaning. Yep. Fascinating, isn't it? Cleaning, de-cluttering (again), reorganizing AND hoping to make some serious headway while I'm at it. I'm going to buy fancy new storage bins that actually fit in our teeny tiny closets and begin the act of organizing. I'm going to throw out stuff that has long ago wore out it's welcome. I'm going to bag up clothes that I've kept in the 'off chance' I will get fat (again) and hand them over to a local consignment store. I'm going to go through the year's worth of school papers and art projects and ditch 90% of it. Yes! I'm on a mission.

But, there's a problem. I think I'm too optimistic that this will all get done this week. But, lucky me, the girls will be spending a week with their other set of grandparents in July, so I'll get the chance to finish up my big household sweep then... that is, if I don't finish this week.

I do plan to do something fun this week. I plan on seeing a matinee this week - maybe Thursday and I'm having dinner with one of my friends Wednesday night. And don't forget about the loads and loads of time that Randy and I get to spend together while the kids are away. I think he's even taking me on a date Friday night!

So, don't cry for me. It's not a completely boring week of cleaning.

Battle of the hair wash

Two weekends ago we had an incident at our house that I was SURE would not repeat itself.

Every Saturday afternoon, we take the girls out to eat and run errands. This particular Saturday, the girls took their baths before we departed because they were extra dirty from a day's worth of outdoor play.

Kyla took her shower, got dressed and came downstairs to get her hair brushed and fixed. I literally could not pull a brush through her hair. Upon careful inspection and a quick sniff test, I realized that she had not washed her hair. Oh... she stood in the shower for 10 minutes, but did not in fact wash her hair. After a 2 minute stand off with her denying the allegations that she did not wash her hair, she finally confessed that she indeed had not washed her hair and had no idea why she did not.

Randy told me to let it go, because she eventually told the truth and it wasn't that big of a deal.

Fast forward to last night...she takes her bath and I tell her to get the brush so we can brush it out and lo & behold... she did not wash her hair AGAIN! After another 2 minute standoff, she admitted to not washing it. However, this time, she received a punishment. Last night, she had to go to bed 30 minutes early and without dessert.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. She cried and cried and cried. She cried all through dinner, she cried until bedtime and she cried for 30 minutes after we put her to bed. I definitely nailed her "currency" with this punishment.

I'm thinking she won't do that again. Let's hope not, anyway.

Goodwill Shopping Day!

A few weeks ago, my friend Heather decided to organize a Goodwill Shopping Day. Of course I was on board and I couldn't wait to head out to the stores! So, yesterday was THE day and we had a great time.

Heather and I know each other from church and have many mutual friends, but we've never had the opportunity to hang out together. It was fun getting to know her a bit better and realize that we have A LOT in common. Aside from loving a good deal at any type of thrift or resale store, we both are stay at home moms with common values in how we raise our kids. She's also a type A personality which is always a good pairing for this type A personality!

We ended up stopping at two Goodwill stores and the Salvation Army. Heather had never been to the Salvation Army, so it was great to introduce her to the 1/2 price deals of SA.

Heather got some great deals on school uniforms for her daughter who will be starting Kindergarten this year. She also found several really cute outfits for her youngest daughter who is almost two. She also scored some really great clothing items for herself.

I found a variety of items and ended up spending less than $30 the entire day.

• Banana Republic tank
• 2 New Balance sport bras
• Nike skort and soccer shirt for soccer practice
• 5 books
  
• Littlest Pet Shop playhouse
• Ron Jon Surf Shop boogie board

It was a fun day and Heather and I agreed that we will need to set up another Goodwill Hunting shopping day soon.

Organized Mom

Okay, y'all... it's true that I have friends who wonder how I do it. Do what? Do IT... this thing called mothering and housewiving... and continue to do it on time, on a schedule and make it seem effortless and so organized... Hah! Yeah, right.

Seriously, though... I am an organized mom. Things might not be effortless, but being organized sure makes it look that way.

Last week, I read an article that described ME (as a mom/wife) perfectly. I'm not sharing this article to say.... "oh, oh! Look at me!", but rather to give you insight on what this author deems an organized mom. (Some of you may enjoy this article, others may want to stick your finger down your throat and make gag noises. That's fine too. Whatever works for you and your family, right?)

Here's the article link, but I've copied and pasted it for you here.

The Organized Mom

by Beverly Frank

A mom often wears many hats, taxi driver, cook, housekeeper, bread-winner, shoulder to cry on, and more. So, how does mom juggle it all? The following are six secrets of organized moms to help make things easier:

1. Routines. Organized moms serve dinner at the same time each night, have strict bed times, have after school routines with homework and socializing. If you want to be an organized mom, you have to have a routine you stick to. This might mean that you get your child up at the same time each day, and expect them to get dressed and make their bed before they come in to breakfast. You may have a few different routines, such as your morning routine, your after school and evening routine, and your weekend routine. A routine helps you, the mom, keep things on track, and helps your children to know what to expect, and what is expected of them.

2. Meal plans. Organized moms do not spend extra time in the grocery store, or standing in front of the refrigerator trying to determine what to prepare that night. Organized moms take a few minutes once a week to create a meal plan for the week. Monday: Soup, Tuesday: Chicken, Wednesday: Pizza, Thursday: Hamburgers, and the list goes on. The idea is that if you know what you are going to make you can be prepared throughout the day. For example, if you are going to roast a chicken for dinner, you will need to get it out of the freezer in the morning in order for it to be defrosted by dinner time.

3. Rules. Organized moms have rules or guidelines for their families. They may be simple like dinner is at 5:30. Or they may be more complex like, no friends, television, or snacking until your homework is completed. A mom can’t keep the whole family organized without some participation, so rules, and guidelines are helpful. Make them clear, and enforce them.

4. Time off. An organized mom does not let herself get overly stressed, or overwhelmed because she knows when to say no, when to de-stress, and when to take a break. She knows that when she is starting to lose her cool, that letting dad take the kids to McDonald’s rather than fixing a nice meal, is sometimes better, even if it is not the healthiest option. The organized mom knows when she needs a break, and figures out how to take one.

5. Organized home. The organized mom has an organized home. She creates a place for everything so that school mornings are not spent hastily trying to find shoes, backpacks, pens that work, etc. Instead, everything has a place, and the kids know where things go, and contribute by being sure to put their backpack on the hook, in the cubby, or whatever the case may be, the night before.

6. Back-up plans. Organized moms always plan ahead, and prepare for the worst. They carry a spare outfit, some cash, and phone numbers of friends and family, just in case. They take things in stride. So, for example, if your tire goes flat while driving, and it is your day to do carpool, the organized mom has the numbers of the other carpool moms on hand, and knows which ones can typically swap days. So, have a back up plan.

Beverly is a stay-at-home mom and writer. For more parenting tips, visit http://www.surfnetparents.com.

Great gift idea!

Several years ago, I purchased a great gift for Randy for his birthday. With Father's Day coming up, I thought I'd pass it along!

I bought him a weather station. I know... sounds cheesy, but trust me, he has gotten more enjoyment and use out of it than I ever expected.

Anyway, there are many, many styles and price ranges to choose from. I bought ours on eBay, but I've seen them on Amazon.com, Cabela's, Home Depot, etc.

If you have a great Father's Day gift idea, share it in the comment section!

Next time, she won't miss

Last night, as the girls were heading upstairs to brush their teeth for bed, we heard a faint wailing from the bathroom. It was Kyla.

Next thing we knew, Elisan was bounding down the stairs to tell us what had happened. She said, "Kyla hurt her hand. She was trying to spank my booty, but missed. She hit the door instead."

By this time, Kyla's faint wailing, turned into full blown loud and obnoxious wailing. Randy called out to Kyla, "Kyla, what's wrong?"

She wails/says, "I hurt my hand." (Notice no mention on how she hurt her hand.)

As I'm heading up the stairs I ask her, "But how did you hurt your hand?"

She is standing on the stairs waiting for me in full wail regalia , "I hit the door with my hand."

I say, "But how? Why did you hit the door?"

She (finally) wails, "I was trying to spank Elisan's booty and I missed! Wahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

I pick her up and she's inconsolable. Randy notices her hand is red and puffy. She really meant to punch Elisan's booty, not spank it! Randy then tells her, "Next time, try not to miss and you won't hurt your hand."

In her teeny voice, she says, "Okay, Daddy."

Blog Brain Dump

I think Blog Brain Dump is going to be a regularly featured "topic" on my blog. I think by making it official, I don't have to feel bad about it.

Onward and upward...

So, a while back my shopping savvy friend Leigh Ann (from now on will be referred to as LA... it's just easier) told me about TERVIS TUMBLERS. I had never heard of them. They are double insulated plastic cups that according to LA, keep your cold drinks cold and your hot drinks hot. She said she also loves to give them as gifts because of their functionality and cute appeal. I had to check them out, because I'm always in the market for cute disguised as functional. She said that Bed Bath & Beyond sells them and that she uses the 20% off coupon when she buys them. I walked into BB&B and there they were, front and center, displayed in a section that you see as soon as you walk in. Tervis Tumblers in their clear plastic double insulated glory. But, here's the deal... They are pricey. A set of four tumblers is $40ish and to buy individually, they are roughly $12-$15 - depending on style. So, I didn't buy one.

Imagine my surprise when I walked into TJ Maxx the other day and saw this. It's NOT a Tervis Tumbler, but it's a stinkin' close knock off and it was only $3.99. Sold! And while it is not a Tervis Tumbler, it is awesome. It keeps my drinks super cold for hours. It's my new favorite drinking cup.

Last week marked our first outing to the pool. Y'all, I'm going to try not to complain about the droves of people who show up at the gate wanting to be let in because they "forgot" their key. Honestly, some of the teenagers that stand at the door don't even bother with the whole, "I forgot my key" story anymore. They just stand there until someone walks out or walks into the pool area. Sigh... Okay, that's my first and last complaint (publicly) about this issue. Cleary, I'm offended, but apparently no one enforces the rules, so being mad about it is only hurting me.

But, here's a cute picture of my girls enjoying their first official swim!

It's that time of year again... birthday party plans are underway for Little Miss Elisan. She (with my subtle influence) has decided to have a "Luau" party theme. Oh, and wow... The Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby have a ton of Luau stuff out right now.... who would've thought?

So, anyway, we bought a few key pieces at Hobby Lobby and filler stuff at The Dollar Tree and now we have the makings of a really cute party! Here's a picture of the items we bought at Hobby Lobby.


And because I love to make the girls' invitations on Photoshop, I decided to re-create a set of graphics to match this design.


And here's how the invitation looks! I just love this and Elisan thinks it's so cool!


This is really random and comes from outta no-where, but I've been witness to some Facebook bullying over the weekend. It's so sad to see and it makes me feel awful. Because one of the people being bullied is a family member close to me, I've decided to "un-friend" the other family members who have been doing the bullying. Yes... you read that right... family members. I never in my ENTIRE life thought that my family members would stoop so low as to publicly defame another family member in a public forum like Facebook. It's so juvenile, that it is almost laughable, except that it hits close to home. And the kicker? These family members are OLDER than me. Yes... OLDER, more "mature" adults. It's just... sad.

My family member has asked me to not get involved and stoop to their level, which I have agreed to, thus the reason why I "un-friended" them. But, I just had to get it out somewhere...here?... how ridiculous it is. So, there. I feel better.

Ahem...

And so, I leave you with this picture of my girls. The skirt and shorts they are wearing were purchased from Goodwill. I blogged about it on my Goodwill Gal blog last week! I just think they look so cute!

Through a Mom's Eye

So, the last two weeks Randy has been out of town on business, which means... I get to watch whatever television I want. So one night, while perusing the cable guide, I noticed that the movie "Dirty Dancing" was showing and I decided to record it.

Here's a bit of back story about "Dirty Dancing"... This movie was banned from my house growing up as a kid. The movie came out in 1987, so I was 15 years old. A freshman in high school. Well, of course, I was going to watch it the very first chance I could and I did. (Sorry Mom...) I remember getting my hands on it (somehow) and watching a rented VHS copy of it one weekend while my parents were out of town on a fishing trip. I recall loving the movie way back when. I laughed, I cried... it moved me. The soundtrack was fabulous and I can't hear "I've Had the Time of My Life" or "She's Like The Wind" without thinking fondly of Johnny & Baby.

So, I was excited to watch "Dirty Dancing" last week, without interruption (or sneaking around), in the privacy of my own home. Let me just say... wow. Watching this movie through a mother's eyes now... well, it's just wow. I can certainly understand why this movie was banned from my house when I was a blossoming teenager. The (well..um... dirty) dancing made me blush, the story line with the botched abortion, references to one-night stands and of course, Baby and Johnny's many (many) sex scenes...well, it was just... shocking to me... As.An.Adult!

I have honestly never watched any of the newer television shows that focus on teens and young adult situations like "The O.C.", "The Hills" or whatever... But I can only imagine the content is much more racier than what I saw on "Dirty Dancing" (now and way back when, in 1987!)

That, people... scares me. Yes, it does.

So lately, I've been going back and forth in my mind about my "purpose" in this world and what I am contributing to the planet as a human being living for Jesus Christ. But, you know... it seems like it is becoming more and more clear to me that my "purpose" - at least for now - is to:

• Raise my girls to be LIGHTS to this world!
• Raise my girls to be beautiful on the inside!
• Raise my girls to be lovers of Jesus Christ, not of this world!
• Raise my girls to know about true love... real love... not the "love" they see on television!

Being a mom of two girls, IS my purpose. It is my mission.

And weirdly enough, sometimes it takes a little bit of "Dirty Dancing" for me to see what my purpose is.

No one has ever accused me of having a green thumb!

This year, the girls and I decided we needed a garden in our backyard. I did not want to be too ambitious in our endeavor, so I settled for two varieties tomato plants, a jalapeno plant, a strawberry plant, basil and rosemary. We have enjoyed watching our little plants grow and Kyla especially enjoys plucking the tomatoes off the vine in the evening.

I do have to admit though, about 3 weeks ago I very nearly killed each and every plant we had out there. I mixed up a solution of dish soap and water for a mild spray detergent to get rid of bugs and I ended up burning the leaves on my plants. So much so, I had to trim back all but ONE of the leaves on my jalapeno plant. I had to trim about 1/3 of the leaves on my tomato plants as well.

Thankfully, my little plants have much more resilience than I gave them credit for, because they are once again flourishing. Notice the new leaf growth on my jalapeno?

(That yellow stuff around the plants is cornmeal to help keep the ants away)

Unfortunately, I have not had any success with my strawberries. Oh, the plant is producing a lot of fruit... but, as you can see, the strawberries are a wee bit small!


Elisan has enjoyed the garden so much this year, she wanted to plant some more tomatoes. So, we started some seedlings in the house to transplant later on. Not sure they will do anything since it is so late (and hot!), but we can definitely try.


And finally, I leave you with this little guy. I saw him in the grass by the house the other day. I see these caterpillars everywhere! If you look close enough, you can see these furry little guys scurry across the streets in the cool of the morning. These little caterpillars can move fast! I think they will be moths, but I'm not certain.

Southwestern Salad

I love this time of year when eating a salad for dinner feels "right". You know what I mean?

Anyway, I found this recipe online and as usual I tweeked it a bit to suit my family's taste buds.

Southwestern Salad

• Romain Lettuce
• Tomato (diced)
• Red Onion (sliced)
• Black Olives
• 1 can black beans (rinsed)
• 1 can corn (rinsed)
• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts (diced)

Dressing:

• Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing (store bought variety - or make your own)
• 1-2 Chipotle peppers
• Cilantro
  

Blend dressing, cilantro and peppers in blender until smooth.

Note: I like to toss and coat the lettuce in the dressing before I add in the additional toppings. I place the lettuce in a large plastic container and add a tablespoon of dressing. I cover the container and shake it all around. If necessary, I add more dressing. I end up using less dressing this way, which helps cut down on the calories!

Enjoy!


Oh, and yes... that's a pie plate. We find it works better than a regular plate! (Yes, rednecks... I know.)

(Near) Throw Down at Kindergarten Graduation

Oh yes, seriously people. If I had not been in a church sanctuary last night for Kyla's Kindergarten graduation, it would have gotten ugly.

I'll set the scene:

Graduation start time 6:30. We arrive at 5:40 to find a seat and get Kyla in the dressing room. I walk up to the front and rows and rows and ROWS of seats are saved. Like someone emptied out the contents of their purse and put an item on each seat to indicate that those seats were saved. So, exasperated with this, I spotted an section at the end of row six or seven that was not reserved. So, we made a beeline over there, set our purses down (on two seats, one for me and one for Elisan) and brought Kyla to her room.

I make it back to the seats and I notice another purse is sitting on the same seat as my purse. I think, okay, someone must be saving the seats next to mine for someone else. But remember, the entire end of this row is empty, except for our purses. Moments later, a woman comes and sits right next to me and says,

"I'm sorry, these seats are saved."
With a puzzled look on my face, I say, "Um... since when?"
She says, "I've been here since 5:30 saving these seats. The entire row is saved."
I say (still puzzled), "You've got to be kidding me."
She says, "No. I'm going to have to ask you to move."
I say, "Seriously? Okay then. C'mon Elisan. Let's move."
Elisan says, "Why mommy?"
I say, "Because some people are rude and feel like they need to save an ENTIRE row so no one can have a good seat." (Oh, she heard me too...)

And then we move back to row 13-15 and now Elisan can't see a thing.

Okay, I'm almost certain that had we not been where we were last night, I would have said, "I'm sorry. Your stuff wasn't on these two seats indicating that they were saved, so I'm sorry, we're not moving."

Randy said regardless of Christian school or not, he would not have moved. He said he would have looked at her like she was crazy (which she was) and not have said a word to her. Too bad he was out of town on a business trip... I would have loved to have seen his passive aggressiveness at work!

So, aside from that potential throw down, once I settled down and stopped grumbling to myself, I was able to enjoy Kindergarten Graduation. They kicked off the night with a production that they worked on for months. The kids were to dress up like puppy dogs. Kyla was a bird dog (or a black lab.)

I happened to attend the dress rehearsal yesterday morning and I was able to get a front row seat (imagine that!) so I took some pretty cute pictures of her on stage! (Thank goodness for a little preparation on my part... by attending the dress rehearsal, I was at least able to see my child perform!)

Kindergarten Rodeo

This is what I did today... Love Kindergarten Rodeo!

Same ole'- Same ole'

At my gym, I see the same people every day. You kind of get to know them... or at least, you become familiar with them.

Today, while I was lifting weights, an older man (50ish) who I've seen around the gym for years said to me, "Girl, you're still at! You've got patience. I would have given up by now."

Two things popped in my head since I haven't given up by now is:

a.) I'm still doing the same 'ole-same 'ole with little result; or
b.) I'm still doing the same 'ole-same 'ole with no results...

Hmmm, now I'm wondering if I'm spinning my wheels. I'm not "training" for anything in particular. I'm not trying to lose weight anymore. I'm really just lifting weights now for kicks... because I enjoy it. I won't ever be a competition figure model for various reasons... 1.) I've had kids; 2.) I've nursed said kids; 3.) Surgery would be required... so, that's out.

So, while I may have tremendous patience where my weight lifting is concerned, I wonder what I'm getting out of it. I mean, really getting out of it. Because, why do something if you aren't producing results, right?

In conclusion, I may be redirecting my goals a bit. Not sure what that means yet. When I figure it out, I'll let you know.

Weird, True and Freaky

There's this show on Animal Planet called "Weird, True and Freaky" that my girls love to watch... that is, if they can keep their eyes open long enough to watch an entire segment.

This show focuses on the top ten "Weird, True and Freaky" animal related events, like 10 Ten Animal Rescues, Top Ten Animal Oddities, etc., etc.

(This is a family blog, but this show's initial's are true to form... use your imagination on this one...)

Last night's show ended with a whopper of an animal rescue. This stray dog chased a rabbit into this pipe and as you can see, his head got stuck. The dog remarkably lived through the entire ordeal, but died two weeks later due to complications from heart worms. It was sad. Afterward, Kyla busted out crying, feeling so sympathetic for the dog. She didn't understand that the dog died because it was sick. She thought it died because it was stuck in the pipe.


And, she cried. And cried. And cried. I could hardly console the child. She kept saying, "I love dogs. I want to help them. That's why I want to be a vet. I don't want them to get hurt. That's why I want a dog."

Once I finally calmed her down and put her to bed, I was sharing with Randy what Kyla had said. I mentioned how cool it would be for Kyla to discover her life's passion at six years old!

Don't get me wrong, I know that 95% of six year old kids want to be a veterinarian and the other 5% want to be a firefighter. I know, I know... But, it could happen. Who am I to suppress her dream?

So... we're getting a dog!

Ha. That's a joke. Seriously. It is.

It's that time again....

It's time for random. I love random. If I could rename my blog something that conveys random, I would... Oh, wait, it already is. (Whew!)

6.5 more days until school is out. And let me go on the record as stating... I'm so glad! I'm ready for some down time with my girls. Since I worked last summer, it seems like they spent the bulk of their summer fun time with the babysitter. Trust me... knowing they were spending their summer vacation with a sitter and not with their mama was not fun. So, this summer, I plan to relish every single day with them.

Speaking of school finishing up, the next few days will be busy with parties, awards and a Kindergarten graduation! I just love Kindergarten graduation. What could be more fun and precious than to see your 6 year old don a cap and gown, walk the aisle of the auditorium and accept her diploma of graduation. It's just... special.

This weekend we'll be at the soccer fields for an invitational soccer tournament. Elisan was invited to play on an all girls' team for this one-day tourney and we're really excited for her. She's super excited too! It's so fun to see their hard work pay off.

In a couple of weeks, Randy is heading to Austria for a one day business trip. Yes... can you believe it? ONE DAY! I'm so bummed. I was so totally gonna beg to accompany him on this trip, but since it turned out to only be one day, what's the point?! What company send a person to Europe for one day? I'd at least ask to stay one additional day (on my dime) just to site see.

So, "LOST". Anyone out there watching "LOST"? I have my theory as to how it will end... add yours if you want, but I think that the last two standing will be Desmond and Jack, who will assume the roles of brothers Jacob and "Man in Black" and that once again, all will be right in the (crazy mixed up "Lost") world. I think Desmond's use of the word "brother" all of these years, has actually been foreshadowing of such. Take it for what you want... that's my theory and I'm sticking to it... at least until Sunday.

And is anyone watching "24"? How's that going to go down? Will Chloe end up killing Jack? We can pretty much assume that Jack is toast... but how?

Finally, I'm pretty excited about Friday night! The girls are going to church party and that means DATE NIGHT for us! We only have a two hour window to drive there, dine and drive back to pick them up, which means staying somewhere local, but I'm still pretty excited about it!

I leave you with this gem from Kyla. They dictated their favorite food recipe to their teacher and she compiled the recipes into a booklet for the class! And yes, that's pretty much how it's done around here.

Ain't nuthin' like a bug bite...

There ain't nuthin' like a bug bite that will light a fire under you!

Let me set the scene...

Sunday, the girls are playing outside and I was trying to convince Elisan to try on her inline skates and skate around the driveway.

(Sidenote: Elisan skated for the FIRST time several weeks ago and let me just say... it was fun as she clung to me and dared me to let go of her hand while she inched her way around the skating rink. In her defense, skating is hard... However, I don't remember learning how to skate, nor am I a teacher in any form or fashion, so me trying to show her how to skate was frankly, lost on both of us. But, I digress...)

So, Kyla jumped up and said, "I want to skate mommy!" So I pulled the skates off the highest shelf in the garage where they have been stored for at least two years - if not longer. I did a cursory check for any varmints that might have taken up residence in the skates and then helped Kyla put them on. She skated for exactly 2 minutes when Elisan began begging to skate as well! (Which, I knew would happen. She's sooo predictable!) So after Kyla's turn, Elisan put the skates on.

No need to get into that whole experience of inline skating on the driveway... because, that's really not the point of the story. The point is, the next morning, Elisan showed us a very suspicious bug bite on her foot.

Aside from the fact that she is in desperate need of a toenail polish touch up, notice the red, puffy skin around the apparent puncture wound of said bug bite.

If you aren't familiar with Central Texas spiders, let me just say two words... BROWN RECLUSE.

Randy and I decided that we needed to get her into the doctor pronto! So, yesterday morning, we visited the pediatrician regarding the bite and she pretty much laughed it off saying it was most certainly NOT a spider bite and in fact, was more in line with a flea or mosquito bite.

Pardon me for being an over-reactive parent, but um... flea bite? Mosquito bite? Really?

How embarrassed do you think I was at the very moment? Um... very.

So, while I'm thankful the bite is nothing to be concerned with, I'm glad we didn't take any chances with it. I'm sure an undisturbed inline skate on the top shelf of the garage is a perfect hideaway for various bugs and spiders alike. I think next time, I'll look around a bit more before we stick our feet in random stuff.

Popular... to be or not to be

I have struggled with a popularity issue all of my life. (Haha, I just re-read this line and it reads like I've struggled with being too popular all of my life! If only... but seriously...)

Realistically, it's only within the last year that I've "come into myself" and finally realized that I'm happy in my own skin. It was a virtual slap in the face the way it all came about, but nonetheless, I got there. But the reality is, don't we all try to fit in... to be likable and fun... to please everyone around us?

There is so much pressure involved in trying to please everyone all the time. It's not possible. Not everyone is going to like you. You cannot be everything to everyone. It took me 36 years to figure that out. So now, having freed myself of the pitfalls of popularity and trying to be everything to everyone, how do I transfer my new found awareness to my girls? How do I convey to them to be comfortable in their own skin, when I have just figured things out myself?

Any insight is appreciated.

Dear Lord, help me to convey to my girls that they are precious, made wholly by You, to be the girls You set them apart to be, before they were knit together in my womb. Give me wisdom and insight into their emotional and physical needs so that they will look to You for approval, not to the world. You gave these girls to me for a reason, help me Lord to do right by them.

And finally, thank you for healing me of the pressures of popularity. We are to be set apart from the world, not conformed to it. Please Lord, continue to renew my mind every day, so as not to fall prey to the lie of popularity again. Amen.

A new claim to fame

Most of y'all know I'm from the piney woods of Southeast Texas right on the Texas/Louisiana border smack dab on the Gulf Coast. But, more importantly, it's the Cajun Redneck Capital of the World.

I made that part up... sort've. I mean, it's not officially the Cajun Redneck Capital of the World, but if there were such a title, Southeast Texas would be neck and neck with other Cajun Redneck locations such as, Southwest Louisiana.

But, I'm proud to say that Beaumont, has a new claim to fame. But, for those of you not familiar with Beaumont (or the Golden Triangle, which encompasses Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange - my hometown) let me give you a brief "claim to fame" history of my (red) neck of the woods.

A few notable famous people from the Golden Triangle:
Tracy Byrd (Country Music singer)
Mark Chesnutt (Country Music singer)
George Jones (Country Music singer)
Will Wynn (former Austin Mayor)
Janis Joplin (Singer)
Jimmy Johnson (former Dallas Cowboys football coach)

A few notable businesses that began in the Golden Triangle:
Jason's Deli
Sweet Leaf Tea
Conn's Appliances

So, imagine my surprise when while flipping through the TV guide Randy spied a program that piqued his interest... "Gator 911"

"Gator 911" is on CMT and it's basically a show where a former law enforcement officer turned gator conversationalist is called out to rescue alligators that have lost their way into neighborhoods, ponds and drainage ditches. It's Cajun Redneckin' at it's best, people.

The ironic thing is that Randy and I are waiting to spot people we know on this show. Seriously. And it could one day be my parents on that show because a couple of years ago, a gator was spotted in their neighborhood lake behind their house. Wouldn't that be a hoot if the Gator 911 man was called out to my folks house to rescue a 10 ft gator? I can see it now... they'd be famous.

So, anyway... want to know a little bit about the place and people I call home? Watch Gator 911. And, then let's talk.

Disney 2010

This is the abridged version. If you desire to read the unabridged version (with more pictures), click here.

We had such a great time at Disney World! It was truly a once in a lifetime vacation for us, especially since the girls were at the perfect age to go. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to go when we did.

Here are the main highlights:

1.) First night there, Elisan threw up at the resort restuarant. Oh yes. She did.

First thought? 'Oh no... our vacation is ruined!' No joke people... I'm that kind of mom. (It's all about being transparent people...) Seriously, though... while I WAS worried about my poor sick baby, I have to admit, I was equally worried that our first full day in Disney would be spent in the hotel with a sick child. But, with a lot a prayers, a lot of rest and some cereal the next day, she was 100% the next day. We attributed the sickness to excitement, lack of food and a culmination of motion sickness (plane, train and bus).

2.) Going to Disney World during the school year is totally worth the pain of doing a week's worth of homework when you get home.

The crowds were very low and the longest we waited for a ride was 30-40 minutes, and that was for the Toy Story Mania ride (which is a 3-D arcade style game/ride.) Otherwise, we waited less than 15-20 minutes for the head-liner rides like Rock'n'Roller Coaster, Test Track, Mission: Space, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, etc.

3.) The Wilderness Lodge resort was fabulous! If you can, stay in a WDW resort. The bus transportation to and from the parks alone made staying at a WDW resort worthwhile. Seriously.

4.) I was totally disappointed in the Royal Table Breakfast with Cinderella (and friends). You can read about it here.

5.) I absolutely loved the 50's Prime Time Cafe! It was a lot of fun and a must-do, for sure! I also really enjoyed Chef Mickey's character dining.

6.) No offense to people with strollers, because it wasn't that long ago that I was pushing a stroller myself... But, my goodness... they need an HOV lane or something for strollers. The massive amount of strollers was mind-boggling. Especially at Magic Kindgom. I was also astonished at the number of mothers with teeny-tiny babies - like newborns. I can't imagine taking a two year old to Disney World, much less an infant. I say... more power to ya.

7.) Meal plan is a must, especially if you have any intention of eating at the parks.

8.) Elisan was totally not interested in standing in line to take a picture with a character. Kyla was interested only if the line was not too long. I guess Elisan was a bit too old for that. Fine by me, because the lines for some of those character signatures and photos was longer than the line for a ride. And, then you'd see each child in the family take a picture with the character, then a group picture, then the adult would jump in for a picture too. It was nauseating.... and time consuming, so I'm glad my kids weren't all about the characters.

9.) On our first day there, Kyla got scared on the second ride of the day. Yep... no bueno for her. So, she avoided any rides that were dark, loud or had 'fright factor' written all over it.

10.) Epcot has updated all of their "futuristic" rides. No longer are the people of "tomorrow" wearing silver jumpsuits and driving flying cars. That's kind of nice.

11.) Like most kids, the girls quickly grew tired of the shows and attractions that didn't require a seatbelt and warning instruction for people with heart conditions, etc. Oh, I take that back... Elisan reminded me that if there were real people acting out parts - like the Lion King or Nemo musical, then that was okay. The animatronic stuff was not that fascinating to them.

12.) The girls loved the "Jedi Training" at Hollywood Studios! A definite must-see for any kid!

All in all, we had such a great time. We truly had a Disney experience! Everything about Disney World was first class and high quality. We really felt as if we got our money’s worth in every aspect from the hotel, parks and meals. It definitely is a vacation that we will remember for a lifetime.

Home again!

We're home and exhausted. More later...

I {heart} Pickles!

Remember these?

Here's my final product!

These pickles were so good... "were" being the operative word. They didn't last long in our house! The pickles turned out crisp and crunchy, much like Claussen pickles. And, they even kind of tasted a bit like Claussen pickles too. I am definitely going to make more when things slow down a bit around here... summer, maybe?

Here's the recipe again. I'd suggest reading through the comments to get user feedback. That definitely helped me as I tweaked the recipe a tad. (I can never follow a recipe exactly! It's not who I am.)

Japanese goodies, Crusader Fest and Soccer

My title leaves little to the imagination, I know. But, I could not come up with a clever title for today's entry.

A few weeks ago, I won a blog contest hosted by my friend blogging friend Erica. Erica and her family live in Okinawa, where her husband Chris is stationed. Her package arrived yesterday and it was chocked full of tasty treats and fun finds from Japan!

I especially love the tin of Spam. Notice the picture on the front... Mmmm, can you say Spam Sushi? Thank you Erica for all of the fun stuff you sent to us!

Yesterday evening, was the girls' school spring carnival. There was a food, various booths, a rock climbing wall, petting zoo and many, many bounce houses. The girls had a lot of fun, but enjoyed the rock climbing wall the most. It was nice to get out and see all of their friends and families at this event.

Today we wrapped up Elisan's soccer season with a double header. Elisan's coach complimented her on her hard work this year and was genuinely impressed with how well she improved this year. She did a great job and we are so proud of her!

Inspiration welcomed here!

I'll admit, I've been feeling out of sorts for about a month now. What with all of the bad news swirling around (here, there and in the news) ... it has a way to bring you down, ya know?

Yesterday, I decided that I had had enough. I cranked up my praise and worship music and just let the sounds fill my house. Then, while I was eating lunch, I caught up on a missed sermon from a couple of weeks ago and it was just what I needed to hear!

Our pastor preached on "Courage" and how to defeat the 'Goliath's' in your life. It was dead on and I walked away with a fresh word and renewed spirit.

I shared this with my husband last night, and as usual, he sits amazed that I can even be sad, much less on the brink of a depression. Then today, he sent me a video of a former co-worker standing on his artificial legs for the first time. It was remarkable and inspirational, to say the least. The look on this man's face was priceless.

See, this man, Randy's friend, had died. The team at the hospital worked on him a long time to revive him and finally, they did. And while I don't recall all of the facts surrounding his illness, apparently, his body got a severe infection in the process and he lost both of his legs and all of his fingers to the middle joint. But, today, he's standing on artificial legs, bracing himself against a table with hands that do not have fingers. He is a walking miracle.

So, while I've had a major pity party the last month, I realized that I have a lot going for me. For my family... for my future. I'm a child of the most high God and need to start acting like one.

Lord, forgive me for not trusting you, for placing my trust in myself. For seeking peace in a world that has no peace. I pray for your peace. I pray for your wisdom to handle the difficult times. I pray for your supernatural healing over my mind and emotions. In your hand is strength and power, to exalt and give strength to all. I'm worth more to you, than the value I've placed on myself. Help me to shine your bright bold light on those around me. Forgive me Lord. Amen.

Rooted

First of all, thank you all for your kind words over the death of my cousin, Sean. I debated about mentioning the circumstances surrounding his death, but realize that his death can bring someone closer to God.

On Tuesday, my cousin took his own life. As you can imagine, this news shook our family to the core. It was a senseless death. A death that could have been prevented. The reality is, that Sean was having a very hard time. His life circumstance were difficult and he could no longer endure the pain. He was trying to turn his life around... trying to make a difference in his life, but couldn't see the light for the clouds.

Sean had recently recommitted his life to God. He was going to church, getting involved and trying to turn his life around. The sad fact is that we fight an earthy enemy - Satan - whose sole desire is to steal, kill and destroy. And let's face it... if we aren't rooted in God's word and grounded in our spiritual walk and prayer life, then we could be overtaken by the enemy of this world too.

You know, I have to believe that Sean is resting in His Heavenly Father's arms right now, because we serve a God full of grace, mercy and love. I have to believe that Sean's death is not a victory for Satan, but victory for God. Sean is at peace now. I truly believe it.

The enemy is real. He is brutal. And he will not stop.

But, we can stop the enemy... by asking God into our lives and becoming rooted in His word, His ways and His love.

In Loving Memory

Today, I learned that my cousin Sean passed away today. Sean leaves behind a wife and four children.

Sean is one of my first cousins on my dad's side of the family. The Sullivan side of my family is a tight knit group of folks. This is the family that gets together without fail, every Christmas and squeezes into a rented building and celebrates as a family. (Yes, rented building, because there are so many of us.) So, as you can imagine, his death (along with the recent death of my uncle - on the same side of the family) is hitting us pretty hard.

Sean has always held a special place in my heart. At one time in our early/mid-20's, Sean and I used to hang out quite a bit. We'd frequent this super yummy Chinese restaurant near my apartment and just laugh and philosophize about life, relationships and the future. Of course, as most friendships do, we both moved on, moved away and got married. And even though I lost touch with Sean over the years, I could always count on him to give me a great big bear hug and give me a hard time in the process about one thing or another.

Sean, you will be sorely missed. I pray you are at peace and seeing your Heavenly Father's face today. I love you, man.

Test and Prove

For those of you that don't know, I am married to a Chemical Engineer. Granted, he does not work in the chemical engineering field, but by degree, he has a lot of scientific knowledge of all things relating to applied chemistry.

In a way... he's like a scientist who must test and prove theories and processes on a daily basis, even in his current position.

Why am I bringing this up? Because living with a scientist (of sorts) can be annoying at times. Let me draw an illustration for you...

Yesterday afternoon he walked in the door from work and I said, "Kyla's soccer practice is rained out tonight." (He's the coach of her team.)

He says, "When did you check?"

I say, "A few minutes ago."

He then proceeds to pick up the phone and call the rain-out number, to test and prove that soccer practice was indeed canceled for the evening.

Of course, this isn't the first time he's tested and proved something I've told him. It happens all the time and he doesn't even realize he's doing it.

Last night before bed I poked fun at him for his testing and proving methods. He said... "Someone has to make sure a car will stop when the brake is applied, or that an airplane will fly every time it hits the runway, right?"

I conceded. Yes, I suppose that's true.

I married an engineer/scientist. What did I expect?

Random stuff

On Monday, I had the pleasure to attend morning Chapel at the girls' school. In addition, the 3rd grade classes were performing their "Heroes of the Faith" presentation. It was lots of fun to see all of the kids dressed in their "period costumes". Elisan was Florence Nightingale. I made... actually sewed from scratch... her apron and skirt. Impressive, ain't it? (Especially since sewing is not my thing.)

I also enjoyed seeing Kyla enjoying the praise music the kids sang at Chapel. Our school is run by the Baptist church in Round Rock. I didn't know Baptists were so charismatic!
Yesterday, I made an impromtu trip to a bluebonnet patch near our house on the way home from school. The girls have been wanting to get in the middle of a bluebonnet patch ever since they sprouted a month ago! With all of the rain we got this past fall and winter, the bluebonnets really made a showing this spring.

Remember this necklace I posted a picture of last week? I made my knock off version last night and I'm pretty excited with how it turned out. My version cost me around $9.00.


And finally, if you like spicy food, allow me to suggest this. It's Spicy Hatch Pozole soup by Central Market brand for HEB, . Very good and very spicy. I added shredded roasted pork to my bowl with some crumbled tortilla chips, with a side of avocado. This jar only served 2 and it was kind of expensive, but it was a nice change of pace around here.