To the Beach!

The girls and I are headed out to the south Texas coast for a week! We'll be staying in a house with my mom, dad, brother, SIL and two nephews ages 11 and 14. I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories and anecdotes from the trip, but since they read my blog, I probably won't be able to share them! Hah!

See ya in a week!

Friday Fodder

In effort to make my life easier, I'm going to begin "FRIDAY FODDER" which will basically be a widely distributed picture or spam that I've received in my in-box. It could be a picture, it could be a joke... nonetheless, it will be fodder. Enjoy!

This week's Friday Fodder is compliments of my real life friend, Meghan.

Oh, and this is not an invitation to begin receiving spam... HOWEVER, if you have something worthy of Friday Fodder, send it to me!

Rooster's Beak

So, I realize pico de gallo (Spanish for "Rooster's Beak") isn't really hard to make, but it is one of my favorites and I wanted to share!

Here's how I do it:

2-3 seeded tomatoes; coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet (1015) onions; coarsely chopped
1 fresh garlic clove; finely chopped
1 handful of fresh cilantro; finely chopped
1 juice of a lime
Cumin, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix it all up and let it "marinate" for a couple of hours; Serve over grilled chicken (or with fajitas, tacos, charro beans or just eat with a chip!) YUM!

This will keep for several days, but drain off excess liquid before serving.

Hear ye, hear ye!

Well, my ears are clean as a whistle, so it appears as if I have mid-frequency hearing loss. My dr. is referring me to an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist for a more comprehensive hearing exam. This is one website I found on this type of hearing loss:

Possible signs of hearing loss in adults that may indicate the need for assessment include:

• People seem to "mumble" - YES
• Can hear but have trouble with understanding speech - YES
• Trouble hearing, especially in the presence of background noise - YES
• Difficulty understanding someone unless they are facing you - YES
• Ringing/buzzing/noises in the ear(s) - Occasionally if sounds like I'm in a tunnel.
• Ask for frequent repetition - YES
• TV/radio louder than others prefer it to be - YES
• Avoid social situations - Well, no... I'm a social butterfly!
• Friends/family express their concerns - YES
• Exposure to loud noise/equipment - Does my iPod count?
• Sudden hearing loss (over night or past 90 days) - NO
• Hearing difficulty in one ear - I favor one ear over the other
• Dizziness (severe or frequent) - Not usually
• Pain in one or both ears (in the absence of an ear infection) - Sometimes
• Chronic ear infections (especially with drainage present) - NO

I'll be making an appointment soon... And, I'll keep ya posted.

Huh?

I have a drs. appointment tomorrow to get my hearing tested.

Randy has made off the cuff statements for over a year now saying, "You need to get your hearing checked!" when I've asked that he turn up the volume on the t.v. or asked him to repeat what an actor said on the show. I often thought it was just the high dollar surround sound system that we had and that perhaps it wasn't configured correctly - like too much bass, not enough treble, etc., but Randy said he can hear it just fine.

So, the other day, Randy was holding a piece of electronic equipment that was on the fritz and he said, "Wow, do you hear that?" And I said, "Hear what?" He said, "What? You mean you can't hear that buzzing noise?" And honestly I couldn't.

That's when in all sincerity told me that I needed to get my hearing checked and that he was worried I may suffer from hearing loss. He said that he has felt this way for a year or more.

Of course, I didn't want to admit that I may have some hearing loss. I mean, who does? But it finally became clear to me that I needed to get it tested over the weekend. I was in the bathroom getting ready for church and I had set the timer on the microwave to help the girls remember when playtime was over and it was time to get ready for church too. I heard Randy call for the girls saying, "Girls, it's time to get dressed for church." And I said to him, "Did the beeper go off yet?" And he said, "Yes, you can't hear it?" And no, I could not.

He walked into the bathroom where I was and said he could hear it loud and clear. Well, that did it for me. I made the call the next day and I have an appointment first thing tomorrow morning.

I'm hoping I just have an over abundance of ear wax build-up, but I keep you posted.

I loathe shopping!

Not really. I love to shop when it is for simple stuff like t-shirts and shorts. I loathe shopping for bathing suits. It is torture. Sheer torture.

And that sad truth of the matter is that I will be living in a bathing suit all summer long, so it is quite the necessity.

So, on Saturday, I trekked out to five stores, tried on 'umpteen' bathing suits and came home with nothing! You wanna know why? Because the styles of bathing suits that I found at all five of these stores had these built in compartments for boobs that were essentially useless to me.

Here's what I'm talking about:

I'm not trying to be crude, but I've nursed two children and lost a lot of weight... Oh, and gravity! And stretch marks! What do you think my problem is?

EXACTLY!

My boobs do not fit neatly into these pre-fashioned cups and if they do, I'm showing a little more cleavage than I think a 35 year old woman at the neighborhood pool should be showing.

Oh, and forget the tankini look for me. For some reason, the tank size that I needed was always a little too cropped and the bottom size was always cut a little too low. So, I was then showing wrinkled stretch marked skin around my belly button area, that I'd like to keep covered up, thank you very much.

I went back to a few more stores on Sunday and had better luck, although not much. At one point Elisan criticized me because one of the bathing suits I tried on looked too much like a teenager's bathing suit. Sheesh... I can't win for losing! I finally settled... YES SETTLED... on a one piece bathing suit that fits great and doesn't show off the [old] girls, but is the most boring and plain bathing suit I've ever seen. At least it is purple and not black. It looks a bit like this one, but think 1 pc, not tankini as shown in the picture.


And even now, I don't like it because again with the stretch marks, but these are on the tops of my legs! Ick! Enough already with the stretch marks! Do plastic surgeons do leg tucks too?

My husband thinks . .

. . . I'm a redneck too. Me! A redneck! Can you imagine?

Randy wrote a blog entry today at High-Tech Redneck explaining the reasons why I am a redneck . . . Those who know me best. . . what do you think?

Another quick lunch idea

I'm totally in love with HEB's Fully Cooked Herbed Chicken Breasts. You just can't beat them for taste, price and ease!

So, the other day, my folks visited and brought me a gallon zip-lock bag of fresh basil. Basil is my favorite fresh herb, but since I tend to kill all green life forms at my house I don't grow it on my own. (That needs to change, though, b/c I can't keep spending $2.00 on a few basil sprigs each week! I think a trip the plant nursery is in order.)

I made up a shortened variation of this recipe - enough for one serving (which was the equivalent to 2 medium Roma tomatoes), tossed it with some leftover pasta from the night before and an HEB Fully Cooked Herbed Chicken Breast. TOTALLY YUMMY and worth the extra 5 minutes of tomato topping preparation. Yes, that's right... about five minutes extra.

(That is not a Roma tomato shown in the picture. This photo was taken several months ago.)

• The chicken breast has about 160 calories and 29 grams of protien.
• The pasta has about 210 calories and 10 grams of protein (per serving, but I scaled back on the pasta a bit since it was lunch.)
• Tomato topping... well, that can be tricky because it depends on the amount of olive oil you use. I only use a smidgen! Roma tomatoes are about 35 calories each.

So, all in all, you are looking at 440 calories (+/-) depending on the amount of pasta and olive oil you use. And, it's a healthy portion of protein! Yum!

Stuff heard 'round the house!

This morning at breakfast, the cows were out and they were eating the grass along our fence line in our backyard. The girls were oooooo'ing and aaaah'ing at the the baby calves and making comments about them.

Here's one of our conversations:

Kyla Mae said, "Ooooh, mommy, look! He's licking his booty!"

I said, "Eeeew, yuck! We don't lick our booties."

Then, Elisan chimed in, "Yeah or he might have to go to the doctor!"

And Kyla says, "Or the dentist!"

Straight outta Hollywood

Okay, so you know I was totally pumped about the "Lost" season finale that aired on Thursday, right?

So, the first hour passes and not much happens. I mean, stuff happens and it is interesting, but no real eye opening scenarios, ya know? They tend to save that kind of stuff for the last 15-20 minutes of the show, right? It's called a cliffhanger for a reason.

We were watching the show and it was at the place where Kate hears a noise in the house and she is busting into Aaron's room with a loaded 9mm and what do you know, it's Claire who is sitting at the bedside and she turns to Kate and IT happened.

OUR ELECTRICITY WENT OUT! It was not raining. It was not windy. It was not ANYTHING... except for a beautiful cloudless night and YES, the electricity went out. It was as if we were starring in our very own sit-com and as soon as the power went out, the laugh track begins. But, no... it was my reality. My very own reality show.

The lights did not come back on until well after 10:00 p.m., so I have nooooo idea how it all finished up. I mean, I read how it all wrapped up, but it is just not the same.

Now, I just need to go digging around on You Tube to watch the rest of it.

Haphazard Thoughts

Okay all you "Losties" out there! Are y'all ready for tonight's 2 hour season finale? I am! And I can't wait for all of the unanswered questions to finally be solved. (yeah, right!) I've refrained from talking about "Lost" on the blog like the other bazillion bloggers out there, but I'm going to abandon my rule, just for today...

So, like what's the deal with Claire? Is she dead? Alive? And what about her father (and Jack's dad) Christian? Thoughts on Aaron, anyone? And, did you catch the fact that Ben's mother and John's mother are BOTH named Emily? Hmmmm... And who's funeral was Jack attending in last season's finale? What about Jin and Sun? Didn't Jin make it to the freighter? Why isn't he one of the "Oceanic Six"?

Okay, that's enough for now. I have many many more questions... What are your burning questions?

So, Randy started a blog last night. It's called "High-Tech Redneck" and true to form, his opening blog intro is... well, it's eye opening as to what kind of man I'm married to. Feel free to comment on his blog and issue condolences to me.
Last but not least, I've been given an bloggity award by my friend Charlotte in Denmark. She said that she awarded me this award because "If it was not for your blog - we would be TOO FAR away and I would have no idea about life at your house. And blogging about everything from your kids potty-habits to your own life, likes and dislikes in the way you do is creative IMHO. Some days a good laugh - sometimes deep thought but NEVER boring."

Never boring? Well, I have to disagree, I mean... just read THIS post!

I would like to pass along the Kreativ Blogger award to my friend Leigh Ann who is always reading new books and showing us creative and crafty goodies on her blog!

The countdown begins

Well, the countdown begins today! One more week of school. Well, really, it is more like 3 1/2 days left, since Monday was a holiday and Friday is a 1/2 day. So...

How will I spend my soccer free/ballet free/homework free last week of school before summer break begins? I have nooooo clue. But, this will be my very last week with Kyla Mae before she heads off to full-time preschool, for the very first time in her life in the fall. I'm already missing her because I know that our exclusive time together is coming to an end.

We decided to not enroll her in preschool at the typical age of three because she has an October birthday, which means, she will have one extra year of preschool than Elisan did, who's birthday is in August. So, we held her back until this coming up year, but decided that since this will be her first and only year of preschool, we'd place her in the 5 day a week program. And, since it will be at Elisan's school, we decided to arrange for her be in the 'aftercare' program so I don't have to make two trips to the school to pick Kyla Mae up at 1:30 and Elisan at 3:30. (Did you get all of that?)

So, you can see why I'm a little sad that my time with KM is coming to an end. Come September, she'll be gone the entire day. I'll miss the little toot, but she's sooooo ready for school that truly, it is in her best interest. But, I can't help but feel a little selfishness where she is concerned. I mean, she is my baby, right? There will be NO MORE babies and I am having a hard time letting go of her. But, she'll be five in October, so it's time. -Sigh-

We had a great weekend. Both sets of grandparents came in for the ballet recitals and it was great to see them all. They left on Sunday and we had all of Sunday and Monday to ourselves. It was nice.

Sunday, I took the girls to the discount movie to see "Horton Hears a Who". Eh? It was okay, but I wasn't particularly impressed. The animation was beautiful, but that is about all I can say about the movie. Oh, and that Steve Carell was one of the voice-overs and I LOVE HIM... although, I'm not an "Office" groupie.

Monday, I mowed the grass (can you say WORKOUT?) and then washed the van. Mere seconds after I parked the van in the garage it rained... for about 5 mins. That would have been enough to send me to the looney bin after I had spend 2 hours washing it! Randy says it is called 'living right'. Perhaps it is true that it only rains after your vehicle is washed. Maybe I need to wash the van more.

The rest of the day was spent hanging out. It was nice. Randy cooked on the grill and I didn't interfere and it was nice. Afterwards, with all that red meat protein coursing through my veins, I did an hour of weight lifting while the girls were watching "American Gladiator" with Randy. Good times.

So, now, it's time to head out to school. Better get a move on.

Ah, it's over!

I can breathe a sigh of relief now. Ballet recitals are over, thank the Lord! Oh, and yes! Ballet is over as well. I couldn't be more thrilled... I'm so overdue for a break, you have no idea.

Kyla's recital was at 7:30 on Friday night. Can you say, M-E-L-T-D-O-W-N? Yep, that's what happened mere minutes before Kyla was set to perform. But, the show must go on, and thus she put on her happy face and marched on stage with the rest of the class. She was brilliant, if I do say so myself... But, at 7:30? Which is typically her bedtime? I can see why she was miserable, grumpy and cranky. All smiles at the end though, so it was worth it!


Elisan's recital was Saturday morning. She loved every second of the attention. She too, was brilliant on stage and everyone was very proud of her performance.

Both sets of G-parents came in for the recitals. We're so grateful they were able to take part in the fun and festivities!

To the rescue!

Today was Elisan's last field trip of the year. We traveled to a nearby ranch that is set up for large events - including paddle boats, swimming, inflatables, basketball, volleyball, mini-golf, etc. It was a lot of fun despite a minor mis-hap that occurred while Elisan's class had use of the pool.

The parent's were originally told that the first graders would not be given pool privileges, but upon arrival, we saw that the first graders did in fact have pool privileges. I wasn't worried, until I saw that the pool was mainly 4 & 5 foot depths. The 3 ft depth was only at the stairs.

Well, in case you missed out... Elisan is super short, so 4 ft is petrifying to her - as it should be. And seeing as this was our first time to swim this year, Elisan was a little rusty on her swimming. But, that didn't stop her from pushing off the side of the pool to test her sea-legs. It wasn't long before she realized that she couldn't touch without going underwater and that she had forgotten how to swim.

I'm standing on the edge talking to her and telling her to relax and swim. She then got hysterical on me and begins to flail about and scream as she's trying to bobble up and down. Water is getting in her face and she gave me this look that said, "Mom, I really need you RIGHT now."

At that point, I didn't hesitate and jumped in and grabbed her and pulled her to the side. I was fully clothed. Athletic shoes, socks, shorts, tee-shirt... you get the gist.

Everything happened so fast, I don't think anyone even noticed that 1.) Elisan was struggling and 2.) That I had jumped in, fully clothed - not even the life guard.

After I calmed her down, we decided it would be best for her to stay near the steps. She was happy to oblige.

I'm just glad I was there. I had originally decided not to go, due to prior commitments, but one of my friends from Elisan's school talked me into going instead. I'm so glad she did.

Randy's Gene

Today, I attended the awards ceremony at school. We received a letter that Elisan would be the recipient of an award, but the letter did not state what the award was.

Well, as you can guess by my graphic, she won the highest overall average in Math for her 1st grade class! OH MY GOODNESS! I could not have been more proud!

You see... I am terrible at math. I have a literal fear of math... so, when my precious little girl won the math award, I was beyond excited for her! I thought maybe she would get the citizenship award or something like that, but MATH?!? Holy cow!

This is definitely a gene she picked up from my chemical engineering husband Randy, who by the way, has already taken credit for Elisan's math accomplishments. But that's fine with me. He works tirelessly with her, making math fun for her, helping her to 'see' the equations in her head and helping her to think beyond the limits of first grade math.

Mean Grrrls

Two years at Elisan's PreK-4 end of year conference, the PreK teacher suggested that we hold Elisan back from entering Kindergarten based on her maturity level. At the time I was appalled. Why on earth would we hold her back for a year? What was this lady smokin'? I mean, afterall, Elisan learned her ABC's (not just memorized the silly song, but actually recognized and stated the letters) at 18 mos (for crying out loud!). Sure, Elisan was immature, but she was 4 years old at the time and as I recall, the 5.5 year old girl in her preK class was the most unruly child I've ever seen. How was it that my little girl was worse than her? Besides, we had already enrolled Elisan into the private Christian school she attends now and tested into the faster paced class.

So, come August, Elisan began Kindergarten. She did well. We were pleased. I don't recall her having any social type problems and nothing was ever brought to my attention.

Because Elisan's birthday is in August, she was/is the youngest child in her class. Her birthday is a week before school begins each year. This year, it seems as if most of the kids have already had their birthdays. Heck, there is even a child in her class who is 8. I didn't begin to notice a "problem" until this year.

This year I've noticed that she doesn't have any friends. Oh, she interacts with the other kids socially on the playground, but she is not really playing 'with' them. It is more like she is playing alongside them. At the most recent field trip, several of the little girls were latched on to each other like Siamese twins, but not Elisan. She was more content to hang out with her four year old sister.

The other day, we were talking about playing with the kids that didn't have any friends to play with and we were talking in particular about the little girl who is eight years old. She's recently transferred to Elisan's school, so she hasn't made any bonds with any of the other kids.

I said, "Wouldn't it be nice to play with Sarah? She doesn't have anyone to play with. Don't you think that she might get sad when no one plays with her?" And Elisan said, "No, I don't think she gets sad that no one plays with her. I don't get sad when no one plays with me and I play by myself all the time."

And today (which prompted this blog entry) as I was waiting in the pick up line watching Elisan's class at recess, I noticed that Elisan was trying to play with two little girls and both of them physically (and brutally in my opinion) turned their backs on Elisan and walked away. The even had their arms folded across their chests and flicked their heads as they turned away from her!

I sat there and tears filled my eyes. Why were those girls treating my baby so badly? Is it because Elisan is immature? Is it because she's an innocent? It is because she is not old enough to be their friends?

Why doesn't my child have friends? I keep coming back to the idea that perhaps she is immature and young. That, although she is super smart, maybe, just maybe she is not emotionally ready to face the rigors of the social climate of elementary school?

And, when will she grow into her maturity? Will she always be a step behind? Will she try to overcompensate as she grows and fall into the wrong crowd?

I don't know why I am so worried about it, but as a woman, I am a social creature. Having friends is like a life-source for me. I want the same for my child. Randy thinks I'm being ridiculous, but I have to wonder if we are doing wrong by our child by continuing to place her in an environment in which she is possibly not thriving? Or is she? I mean, she said it herself that she doesn't mind not having anyone to play with... maybe it's just me that has a problem with it. Which is probably just the case.

No one told me that parenthood would be so hard... (sigh)

Big Muffles

Workout Secrets Revealed!!

Haphazard Thoughts

Lots to talk about and not a lot of time to cover them all...

So, soccer is officially over! O-V-E-R! Yippee! I can reclaim my Saturdays again. Now, we can laze around for several hours in the morning again! No more Tuesday practices! YES! Here are the pictures to prove it!

My dad came for a visit and brought 20lbs of crawfish with him! YUMM-O! They were so good! Here are a few pictures of crawfish fun! Thanks Dad!


So, Randy has a friend at work who is about 6 months ahead of Randy in the working out routine. So, Randy will come home and tell me new knowledge that Sam imparted to him while at work. So, the newest thing is protein drinks. While they are not "new" new, it is new to us. So, Randy sent me to H-E-B to purchase EAS Myoplex™ Precision Nutrition Formula® in chocolate. It's a protein powder drink mix. It is the equivalent to 42 grams of protein per serving. That is like eating 2 chicken breasts!

You know how if you drink a slim-fast drink it is supposed to act as a meal replacement drink? Well, forget slim-fast! Try this stuff. I mean, I drank some and the thought of food... well... it is not there. There isn't a thought of food...which is a nice surprise, since I tend to think on food a lot! H-E-B also sells them in the ready-made version for a whopping $2.99 each. Not bad if you are drinking it as a meal replacement! Who wants lunch?

14 more (actual school) days until school is out. I'm actually looking forward to it! I am looking forward to having my girls together again. (Lord, please give me patience... and quick!) Until then, we still have ballet recitals to get through. Here's sneak peek of the costumes, modeled by Kyla Mae! (Shhh, don't tell Elisan that KM tried on her dress. She would have a COW!)

(Elisan's costume)

No pictures from Mother's Day! We went to church Saturday night so mama could sleep in on Sunday. It was sooo nice sleeping until 8:00 a.m. Sure beats my usual 5:30 a.m. I was awakened by my sweet Elisan whispering "Happy Mother's Day" in my ear. She and Kyla had cleaned the entire house before 8:00 a.m.! They made their beds, cleaned their rooms, picked up the toys in the game-room, straightened up the living room, laundry room and kitchen! They did a fabulous job and I was extremely proud of them.

Not only did Elisan orchestrate the cleaning, but she also acted as my very own personal shadow the entire day. She followed me around (relentlessly) so I would have someone to talk to. I did manage to use the potty once or twice without interference though. To reward them (and me!) for their efforts, I took them out for ice cream later that afternoon.

Randy got me an "airbrush" tanning session at the local tanning place. So, look for me to be sporting a "canned tan" in the coming days.

A good weekend was had by all!

Want a life? Get a blog!

I know my blogging as been lackluster as of late, and I'm sorry folks, but I've been busy. Busy with school stuff, soccer stuff, ballet stuff, life stuff... And, I don't anticipate it getting any less busy in the coming weeks (heck, maybe months... because then we have summer which means a week long Sullivan vacation at the beach, swimming lessons, our cruise, etc...you get the idea.)

So, I'm here, I'm reading about your life... I'm just not blogging about mine (as much!)

Weekend Fun!

Our church had a grand opening of our youth facility called the "HEROES" building (meaning heroes for the next generation!) and the church had a family picnic event to celebrate it! Here we are!

Randy and Erica

Elisan and Kyla

Thanks Kristi for sending the pictures!

A Quarrelsome Wife

Did you know that the word quarrelsome is used in the New International Version of the Bible 7 times? And that five of those times it is used to describe wives? Apparrently, Solomon had a lot to say on the matter...

• A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping. (Proverbs 19:13)

• It's better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife (Proverbs 21:9)

• It's better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill tempered wife
  (Proverbs 21:19)

• It's better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. (Proverbs 25:24)

• A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day. Restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. (Proverbs 27:15)

Several years ago, I read the book, "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Okay, roll your eyes if you must, but I will say that her book changed my outlook on my marriage, my life and my man. It was like I was seeing him for the first time in our marriage. What he needed and what he wanted. Oh, and how he saw me, which was huge for me...

I'm sure there are Feminazi's out there who quite literally would rather stick their finger in their own eye than go out of their way to please their man. I'm not even talkin' about sex... I'm talking about little stuff like a kind word, a loving glance and calming spirit over a chaotic home. And it's sad to know that there are miserable marriages out there that could easily be repaired if only the WIFE (yes, wife!) changed her attitude and outlook about marriage and men.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the poster-child for Dr. Laura's book! Randy and I have our difficulties, just as any other married couple... (remember, I suffer from PMS, right?!) But, I make the conscientious effort to be the wife that he desires, not the wife that he detests.

So, stop and think for a moment? Are you sending your husband to the roof or are you a blessing?

News Flash!

Didya know that gas prices are like totally high? I paid $3.45/gallon last week. YIKES!

This is going to sound so prima-donna-ish but I don't pay attention to that kind of stuff. If I need gas, I get it. I never worry about the cost because it goes on the credit card, which Randy pays, so I don't really 'see' the money that is spent on gas (or groceries, etc.)

Make sense? No?

I know what you are thinking and it's true. Oh, yes... I'm that wife that knows nothing about the bills. Or, the amount of money that we have in our account. And, Lord, I know nothing about the stocks. Yes, I know. I'm a kept woman. (And don't worry, I've heard it all... you can't offend me.)

So, anyway, I was at the gas pump, pumping out $60+ dollars of gasoline into my mini-van and I was astonished at the gas prices. I immediately thought back to my college days when $5.00 could give you a 1/2 tank and 3-4 days of joy riding. I can't imagine being a college student right now just trying to put gas in my car. The equivalent today, would be nearly $25 for that same 1/2 tank!

So, once school is out and my 50 mile/day commute is over for a few months, I'm going to make a concerted effort to only fill up my van every two weeks, rather than every one week.

So, what are you paying at the pump in your town and have you considered reducing your fuel intake and driving? If so, how?

For the sake of dignity

Wow, do I have a great blog post. I mean, it is one for the record books... but for the sake of my eldest daughter's dignity (and the fact that she can read now...) I will refrain from re-telling the story of how we were all grossed out on the way home from church yesterday.

I will say this... I think my worst fear is coming to pass... my child may very well be the grossest kid I know. But, I say this with love... A love only a mom could endure.

Okay, so I was IM'ing my friend today and here's snippet of our conversation:

her:what do u give a couple renewing vows for 10 anniversary?

me: nothing;a card

her: no gift?

me: I mean, give me a break. Ten years? That's nothing, as you know... Besides, have they hit a rough patch and are renewing for a purpose, or just an excuse to have a party?

her: party

on house boat on the lake , heavy party-ers

me: and nothing else? no housewarming, no new kids, no new job?

her: a co-worker, no children

me: I personally WOULD NOT bring a gift. I'd bring a card. I'm sorry... but they don't need gifts. What would you give them? A toaster? Because the one they have is 10 years old?

Okay, so I am totally out of line here? I mean, c'mon... a gift for a 10 year vow renewal? They don't even have kids. It's not like they have "endured" raisin' children.

Is that nonsense? How about unnecessary? Am I just being a tightwad? That's ridiculous, right?

Comments, thoughts?

Gotta love those spring storms

It's no secret that Central Texas produces some turbulent weather. Here's proof:


While we did not see a tornado from this storm, it was reported that tornadic rotations were spotted about 10 miles east of us.

Never a dull moment...

What am I feeding that child?

I'm always talking 'bout what I'm eating, but this Friday, I thought I'd show you what Kyla eats for lunch. She makes it herself. I'm telling you... I've got my kids trained!



She loves eggs, or let me say, she loves to peel hard boiled eggs and use the egg slicer. She discards the yolks (because of the cholesterol, right?) and gobbles up the whites.

She also eats a slice of white cheese. It cannot be yellow. (No yolks and no yellow cheese... maybe she doesn't like yellow food?!) Well, no, that can't be because there is a pile of yellow banana pepper rings on her plate (or, is that color fluorescent green?)

Finally, she'll eat a few slices of smoked ham lunch meat and a few bites of my baked chicken breast. And, she eats it all!

What you don't see is a big 'ol pile of Cheetos (on a separate plate) that I've managed to crop out of the photo. She's gotta have her Cheetos!

My foiled attempt at being bad

Okay, so Sunday I had a huge craving for hot wings from Wing-Stop. If you've been around my blog for any length of time, you know I love hot wings. It is my favorite food. Oh, even now, at 6:55 a.m., they sound yummy!

Oh, yes... back to the story...

So, I had this huge craving and I could not talk Randy into going out and getting some. He had just had a 2 hour bike ride and hot wings did not appeal to him. (Can't say I blame him.)

Well, needless to say, I got a little belligerent. I know, this speaks volumes of my personality, but ladies, you know how it is... when you want something, you want it NOW. So, I made everyone dinner - Elisan a grilled cheese sandwich, Kyla Mae had mac n' cheese and Randy had a salad with sliced chicken breast and for me? I called in an order of hot wings.

I left the house giddy with excitement. I timed my dinner so that I could sit at the table alone and read my latest magazine in complete silence... (Remember, I was belligerent.)

So, I arrive at the Wing-Stop, a mere 3.5 miles from my house, walk in, tell them I'm there to pick up my order and the girl at the register looks at me like I've lost my mind. And apparently, I had, because there wasn't an order waiting for me. She told me they didn't have my order in their system. WHAT?! How could this be? I told her, "Look, I talked to a guy, he took my order, told me it would be ready in 15 mins and here I am." She, without sympathy, said, "Well, we don't have it."

Well, rather than wait another 15 minutes for my order to be ready, I walked out.

And then it dawned on me. I had called the wrong Wing-Stop. I had called the neighboring town's Wing-Stop, not the Wing-Stop 3.5 miles from my house. The Wing-Stop in the neighboring town was 15 miles away. ACK!! I couldn't imagine driving a 30 mile round trip for wings... I mean, I was desperate and belligerent, but I wasn't that desperate and belligerent.

So, I called the other Wing-Stop, cancelled the order and went home.

I walked in the house, wingless and Randy laughed at me. It serves me right.

Oh, and for dinner? I ate condensed chicken and stars soup. Mmmmm, soup is good food.

Got Questions? I've got answers!

Wow, y'all came up with some good questions! I had fun answering them and I think I answered them as thoroughly as possible. Because of that, this post is INCREDIBLY long and if you anyone reads all of it, well, then you my friend, are incredibly bored!

So, here goes... ENJOY! Oh, and if you asked a question, consider yourself tagged! I'll be checking around to see if you do my challenge!

Stormi asks:
“If you had to vote for a democrat, whom would you rather vote for?
Hillary or Obama?”
The answer to that my friends would be Hillary. While, Hillary is a socialist leftist, I believe Obama is extreme socialist FAR leftist.

Now, my question to Stormi is… what makes you think I haven’t already voted for Hillary? I “Rushed the Vote: Operation Chaos” back in March and voted for Hillary in the Texas primary.

Anna asks:
“What is your favorite junk food that you are secretly eating and not blogging about?”

Aha! Anna must think I am not as well behaved in my eating as I boast about on my blog! And… she’s right. While I do have a tendency to stick to my diet more so than not, I do take a bite here and a nibble there of forbidden foods.

• Cheetos – They are always in the house and I will eat 1 or 2 (seriously!) when the girls eat them for lunch. I literally eat one or two, then close the bag and put them away. If not, I’d sit there and eat the whole bag.
• Cookies – IKEA sells some yummy imported crispy thin coffee flavored cookies and when I go to IKEA I buy a pack. I eat 1 (or 2) a day (sometimes not). They are soooo good.
• Coffee with hazelnut cream – I always drink coffee in the morning, but lately, I’ve been enjoying a cuppa in the afternoon. It seems to curb my afternoon hunger. But, is it junk food? Probably not… but, the hazelnut creamer I use, is. Randy calls it “synthetic lubricant,” since it is non-dairy. But, it has 30 calories per tablespoon and I use at least 3 tablespoons – so that makes 100 calories per cup – give or take! YIKES!
• Popcorn – I love, love, love popcorn. So, at least once a week, I’ll air-pop a ton of popcorn and then I add 1-2 tablespoons of REAL melted butter. I then add butter-flavored salt (no calories) and shake it up. Mmmmmm!

Heidi asks:
What is your favorite dessert, and why?
This is so easy… it’s Crème Brule’. I have a fabulous no fail recipe for crème brulee if anyone is interested. I could eat my weight in that stuff.

What is your biggest vice?
Vice? I don’t have any! Ha… well, at least not the traditional vices like smokin’, gamblin’, and drinkin’ etc., at least, not any more!

My present-day vice would have to be Internet usage. It’s terrible. I spend many a fruitless hours on this stupid computer.

What denomination of church do you attend, and why?
My family and I attend a non-denominational church. Randy and I were both brought up in an Assembly of God church, which is a full-gospel charismatic Holy-Spirit filled church. We found that in the current church we attend. We love our church, our pastor, the praise and worship, the children’s ministry, the adult ministries, everything about it… we love.

Heidi, when we lived in Minnesota, we attended River Valley Church in Apple Valley with Pastor Rob Ketterling. We loved that church and in the event that we move back to MN, we’ll definitely be heading back there.

Leigh Ann (LA) asks:
What is your biggest regret in life?

I’ve thought long and hard about this one… (Thanks, LA) and while I have a lot of mini-regrets, I have to say my biggest regret in life is not getting a college degree that gave me a skill. Having a criminal justice degree gives me no real marketable skill and looking back on that now, it is a huge regret. I am not sure what I would do, if I could do it all over again, but I do know that I would graduate with a skill – Computer Scientist (shout out to Angie), Engineer (shout out to Randy), Teacher (shout out to Kristi and Amanda), Nurse (shout out to my mama), Architect (shout out to Heidi), Accountant (shout out to Cyndi and Sheryle).

Erica asks:
What's your middle name?
Ouch… I hate that question… it is Larenda. Not sure where that name came from. However, I’ve since met a Lorinda and she actually likes her name. Imagine that?

Have you ever felt like "Erica" was really a boys' name with an "a" tacked on the end? And how much does it annoy you when it's spelled with a "k"?
That thought has never occurred to me. I will say I have never liked my name. I don’t consider myself to be an Erica. Not sure what I would name myself if I could, though. And, yes… I don’t like ‘Erika’ at all and it seems as if most people spell my name like that. It is annoying.

Cyndi asks:
Knowing what you know now would you do something different?
Yes, of course.

• Would have never moved to Minnesota (sorry, Heidi!)
• Would have enjoyed Denmark more.
• Would have convinced Randy in our High School years that we would be getting married and it would have saved us 7+ years of miserable relationships.
• Would have gotten a worthwhile college degree. (See above)
• Would have only had 1-2 years of young adult rebellion, instead of 3-4.
• Would have gone away to college, rather than stayed at home and attended the local university.
• Oh, the list is long… but I think those are the highlights…

Would you make the same choices and or decisions?
Yeah, I guess I would.

• As much as I did not like moving to Minnesota, we would have never had the opportunity to live in Europe.
• And as much as I missed living in the U.S., I would have never have met my dear friend Charlotte, nor would I have had the opportunity to live in another country.
• Had I married Randy right out of college, we’d now be married nearly 14 years and that totally boggles my mind. I’m glad we had miserable relationships before we re-connected because it taught us how to truly love one another.
• Since I’m not currently working, I guess it doesn’t matter that I have a college degree in Criminal Justice. Besides, I know for a fact that my friend Cyndi has no plans of going back to work anytime soon and she has a skill, so even if I had an actual ‘skill’ I likely would not be using it.
• The young adult rebellion helped me to “get it out of my system” so to speak. I’ve heard of countless times when a couple marries too early and then they divorce because they felt like they ‘missed out’ on their youth.
• I miss having the real college experience, but my folks paid for it in a time when money was tight, so I’m lucky to have gone to college at all.

So, wasn’t that fun? Now, in effort carry out the fun, I tag Stormi, Anna, Erica, Heidi and Leigh Ann.

I'm going out on a limb here...

Okay, bloggity-ville... I'm going out on a limb here. I realize my audience is not far reaching and it mostly comprises of my local friends, but I'm opening my blog up to questions from the peanut gallery. You don't need to know me personally to participate.

So, hit me with your best burning question about me, my life, my blog, my kids, my husband, my political beliefs, my religious beliefs... no holds barred!

My hope is to field at least 5 (or more!) questions from you, the reader. I'll answer as honestly as I can (or as I see fit...snicker, snicker!) Please keep it "PG" since this is a family blog! Please post your burning question(s) in the comment section of this entry.

I'll answer in depth on Monday! Then, I'll "tag" 5 of you to do the same! Oh, the suspense!

More with chicken. . .

Tell me when you are tired of seeing what I eat for lunch!

I'm on a wrap kick! I found these yummy whole wheat low carb/low fat tortillas by LaTortilla Factory and they are fabulously large for a stuffed to the max wrap. Here's the recipe and some optional ingredients to spice it up!



Roasted Chicken Wrap

• 1 Fully Cooked Roasted (Frozen) Chicken Breast (thawed/seasoned) - 160 cal; 29 g protein
• 1 LaTortilla Factory whole wheat low carb/low fat tortilla - 80 cal; 8 g protein
• 2 tsp shredded Asiago cheese - 20 cal; 1 g protein
• 2-3 leafs of green leaf lettuce
• 1 slice red onion
• 1 handful of spicy alfalfa sprouts

Slice thawed chicken breast into strips. Sprinkle cheese on top and melt in the oven. Place lettuce leaves, bean sprouts and onions on wrap. Once chicken is heated through and cheese is melted, place on top of veggies. Roll up wrap and place toothpicks at each end to secure.

260 calories; 38 grams protein

(Nutritional Information from The Daily Plate)

Spice it up with optional ingredients:

• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole (approximately 60 calories per 1 oz)
• Fresh sliced mushrooms
• Substitute spinach for lettuce (for added nutrients)

Warning: Rant Ahead

I've been stewing on this rant for a while, but have resisted writing about it because I didn't want it to be a PMS induced rant that would have spewed venom and of course, ultimate regret once it was all said and done.

This rant is about people. But not just any old "people"... it's about those people who are just not organized, prepared or just don't care.

I'll begin with organized. The room mom for Elisan's class contacted all of the families about helping out with various upcoming stuff. I signed up to bring snacks for her class after a jog-a-thon fund raiser. I heard back from the room mom, verifying that I was indeed signed up for the snack, so the next trip to the store, I purchased all that I needed for the event which was more than a week away. (I'm just efficient, what can I say?) Room mom emailed me (5 days later) and told me what kind of snack to buy. I already purchased the snacks. Couldn't this had been addressed in the first (or second) email to me? Why now? I emailed her and told her I had already purchased the snack, which was "Special K Cereal Bars" which, by the way, my kids LOVE, and she emailed me back saying that I should probably buy something all the kids will enjoy. So, now, I'm stuck with an overabundance of "Special K Cereal Bars" and will now have to go back to the store to buy something more appealing for all of the kids!

Next up preparedness and just not caring... Two weeks ago, Kyla's team soccer pictures were set for 8:30 a.m. We arrived at 8:30 a.m. We were the only ones there (aside from the photographer.) I double checked the schedule and yes, I had the right date. About 10 minutes later, the coach and his family showed up. They wandered around doing the ol', "Well, I wonder where everyone is? I phoned everyone last night to remind them, so everyone knows." (At this moment, I discreetly check my phone because I didn't recall receiving a phone call from the coach, and sure enough, I had not missed a call either. Thus, I have to question whether or not they phoned anyone at all.) About 8:45, another family arrives and luckily they have another team member in tow. So, we now have 4 kids for pictures. This is a team of 10 players. We wait and wait and wait until 9:15 for any remaining stragglers and of course, no one else showed up and we ended up taking the pictures with 4 kids. Wow... that's awesome. 45 mins down the toilet. (Oh, and meanwhile, I was missing Elisan's 8:30 a.m. game.)

I am not saying I am the end all-be all of organization and preparedness...no sir'ee bob, all I'm saying is that if most people could attempt to be more efficient and prepared, the world would be a much better place AND they might actually begin to CARE.

Stuff heard 'round the house!

Today while heading home from the gym, Kyla was opening up a mini-box of lemonade coated "Nerds" and she exclaimed,

"Wow, Mommy! Look! It's corn!"

(I know, I'm a horrible mom. Not only am I feeding my kid candy, but I'm feeding my kid candy on the way home from the gym. And, in the van. What kind of mother am I?)

A love affair with Johnny

My girls have a love affair with Johnny. That is, “Johnny-on-the-Spot”… a.k.a. Port-a-Potty.

I’m not sure why, but they can both use the toilet prior to us leaving for the soccer fields and lo and behold, one of them will inevitably need to use the Port-a-Potty before the end of the game.

I understand the need to go pee. I’m a woman with a bladder the size of a grape. But, I will chance a bladder infection before I use the porta on the prospect that I may possibly have to go to the restroom in the next 30 minutes. I’d rather wait, if you don’t mind.

And trust me, I’ve used them before. I’m not THAT uppity about using them, but truly it is under dire circumstances. Like… we’ve been at the soccer fields for 2.5 hours and it is only half time and I drank 2 cups of coffee that morning. Sure. I’ll go.

But, this post is not about me. It’s about Elisan and Kyla and their apparent love for Johnny. I’m not sure what it is. Perhaps it is the freedom of Johnny that they love so much. They can slurp down tons of sport drinks without any repercussions. There are times when I am taking them to Johnny and they are skipping along side me that I wonder if they truly love Johnny -- the closeness that only Johnny can give. Not sure.

And Elisan… that poor child will stare at the contents of Johnny like a deer in headlights. Truly. It’s like a rubber-necker at a car collision. You don’t want to look, but you can’t seem to take your eyes away from the mess. Yesterday, I had to snap her out of her trance to say, “Elisan! Stop looking, start peeing!”

I’ve finally come to my senses and bring not only anti-bacterial soap with me, but disinfectant wipes as well. No sense in not being prepared for the inevitable, eh?

Weekend Fun

68 wordsThis is my best time... after my 5th try...

It's working! It's working!

After two months of taking Calcium Supplements (shown here), I am proud to say that I've noticed a REMARKABLE difference in my mood swings and overall general self. For good measure, I've also been taking B Complex with Vitamin C ("a nutritional support for stress") every day, as well.

Randy has noticed a difference, too. He said he would have never guessed I was in my PMS 10 day countdown.

The sad thing is, that I've known about the Calcium/PMS related studies for over a year now, but resisted taking the supplements because I have a hard time sticking to a medication regimen. (Thus, the whole birth control concept is lost on me... well, that and the fact that I freak out over synthetic [or natural] hormones.)

But, I've stuck to the Calcium and it has worked. I could not be more thrilled.

Sidenote: I used to drink a lot of milk. Like two gallons a week. But, when we moved to Denmark, I could not drink the milk. It tasted funny to me. Perhaps the lack of hormones? Hehe...

Anyway, once we moved back, I was grossed out by milk and now, very rarely drink it. I wonder if there is a possible link there? My body was craving calcium. I was depriving it.

Okay, I'm done talking about PMS for a while, I think. Thanks for bearing with me!

Anchors Aweigh

Thank so everyone who commented on my "I need a Vacation!" post.

Randy and I agreed on taking a cruise in July. While, it may not be my ultimate vacation... by a long shot... it is economical, it is something I don't have to toil over Trip Advisor to plan, and it departs from Galveston, with will not require us to purchase plane tickets. So, there it is... in a nutshell. Cheap and Easy!

Actually, I'm pretty excited about the lack of planning that will be entailed with this trip. Because I am a planner by nature, I tend to over-analyze which basically sucks the fun out of everything and by the time vacation rolls around I would know everything there is to know about said destination, thus taking the element of surprise along with it.

So, I plan to go with the flow and roll with the tide on this trip. So unlike me, but so freeing as well.

Diet Tips

Okay, here's a chance to flex your dieting muscles! So, take this opportunity to comment on a tried and true diet tip that you love to share.

These tips have helped me along the way...

1. Keep fat free yogurt stockpiled in the fridge and eat a container (or drink a smoothie) when you are hungry. For a little pizazz add a teaspoon or two of granola. I usually eat two containers of yogurt a day. A smoothie after the gym, then a fat free vanilla flavored yogurt in the afternoon.

2. Don't just give up the 3 of the four (diet, too!) sodas you drink a day... give them up completely. I can honestly say, that once I gave up soda I felt better. Sure, I crave them every once in a while, and I do allow myself to have it, but only in emergency situations!

3. Log what you eat everyday, and I mean everything! I know... B-O-R-I-N-G! But, you'd be amazed how quickly it all adds up. It's all about accountability. If you can't be accountable to yourself, who can you be accountable to? (I use Daily Plate to track my foods. It's free and user friendly... just sign up.)

4. Eat a snack after dinner. But, try to make sure it is 100 calories or less. Don't go overboard on this one, but definitely reward yourself for a hard day's work of exercise and dieting. I love the Dole Frozen Strawberry Bars. They have 90 calories and are totally yum! Or, a 100 calorie mini-bag of popcorn, with a dash of popcorn salt.

5. Tis the season for fresh yummy fruits and veggies. Eat up! One strawberry has about 7 calories. A medium tomato has about 25 calories.

6. The thrill of the grill! Cook on the grill as much as you can - chicken fajitas, kabobs, turkey burgers, fish, lean cuts of beef. YUM!

It's your turn now... gimme some tips that have worked for you!

I'm bored... take a quiz

The unintentional A+ kid

First up, Anna wins! I have NO desire to move back to my hometown. I'm surprised some of my fellow SETX friends did not chime in and answer! Because, if you are from SETX, you know that you never want to move back! Tisk, tisk!

On to today's lightbulb moment...

Elisan has a rival at school. This 'rival' is a smart kid. How do I know this? Because Elisan talks about how no one in the class is as smart as "Suzie". Suzie memorizes her memory verse by Tuesday. Suzie answers all the questions. Suzie is in the highest reading group. Suzie makes 100's on her spelling tests. Suzie makes straight A's. Suzie this and Suzie that...

Well, the funny thing about it is, that Elisan is also an A+ student. This weekend, while sitting at the dinner table, Suzie entered the conversation again.

Randy said, "Elisan, how do you know that Suzie is smarter than you?"

She answered, "Because she is!"

And I said, "Well, do you know that you are a straight A student also? And that you make mostly A+'s?"

She looked at both of us and said, "I do?!"

"YES!" we both tell her.

My sweet little girl didn't even realize she had braggin' rights about her grades! Of course, she does now. And hopefully her self-esteem will blossom a bit. We're so proud of her and we tell her all of the time, but I guess, like most people, you don't believe it when it comes from the people closest to you.

Elisan, you go, girl! You make us proud!

The Unimportance of Meme

Minnesota Mom tagged me for a Six Unimportant Things About Me!

But there’s a twist! I love a twist! One of them is completely and utterly false. Y'all remember playing games like this before right? "Four Truths and a Lie?" Well, this is "five truths and a lie..."

Minnesota Mom is having a giveaway for whoever guesses the correct wrong. I am not. So, if you want a shot at winning a prize, go visit her! Otherwise, guess my wrong, and leave it in the comments!

I also tag: Charlie, Leigh Ann, Kristi, Anna, Angie

1. I have been wearing glasses since 1st grade. I can't see a thing without them.
2. My personality is not as compulsive as it was... say, 2 years ago. I've learned to "let go."
3. I love to cook new recipes, but rarely find the time.
4. Exercising has become my new hobby, whereas before, I prided myself on NOT exercising.
5. I'd move back to my hometown in a heartbeat.
6. My college degree is in Criminal Justice.

There ya go!