Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Manic Monday #155
I'm going to start a new Monday meme that I found here through my friend Lee's blog.
Of all your favorite foods, which one would you find the most difficult to give up for the rest of your life?
I think it would be pasta. I especially love ravioli of any type: spinach and cheese, meat, lobster, plain cheese... you name it. I love it inside a pocket of pasta.
Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
Pick a summer month... June... July... August.... sunny and warm and full of lazy days.
If you could be a contestant on any game show, past or present, which show would you pick?
It'd be Jeopardy, for sure. I have always wanted to be a contestant on Jeopardy. I was on the quiz bowl team in high school (we called it Scholars Bowl) and I loved it. Once I even answered in the form of a question and everyone laughed. I used to take out the Trivial Pursuit cards and draw grids on pieces of paper (three columns across with groups of 6 in each column) so I could answer the questions on the cards. I learned a lot of trivia that way. No one wanted to play with me, though, because I learned all the answers. I was over the moon when I found a family Trivial Pursuit game over the Christmas holidays. It has kid questions and adult questions so we can all play together. Turns out Aiden loves trivia as much as I do, of course. He's just like his momma!
Of all your favorite foods, which one would you find the most difficult to give up for the rest of your life?
I think it would be pasta. I especially love ravioli of any type: spinach and cheese, meat, lobster, plain cheese... you name it. I love it inside a pocket of pasta.
Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
Pick a summer month... June... July... August.... sunny and warm and full of lazy days.
If you could be a contestant on any game show, past or present, which show would you pick?
It'd be Jeopardy, for sure. I have always wanted to be a contestant on Jeopardy. I was on the quiz bowl team in high school (we called it Scholars Bowl) and I loved it. Once I even answered in the form of a question and everyone laughed. I used to take out the Trivial Pursuit cards and draw grids on pieces of paper (three columns across with groups of 6 in each column) so I could answer the questions on the cards. I learned a lot of trivia that way. No one wanted to play with me, though, because I learned all the answers. I was over the moon when I found a family Trivial Pursuit game over the Christmas holidays. It has kid questions and adult questions so we can all play together. Turns out Aiden loves trivia as much as I do, of course. He's just like his momma!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday Fill Ins 2/13
Before I do the Friday Fill Ins, I have to share something. I know you're waiting with baited breath for my fill ins , but this'll just take a sec.
My older kids' school is small and has been slowly adding things to the school as they can afford them. Last year we got a new lunchroom with an actual kitchen... but no kitchen equipment. On Mondays & Fridays they offer sack lunches and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays they have food brought in from local chains. Wednesdays are Chick Fil A days.
Aiden always orders the chicken nugget meal on Wednesdays. Evidently he's asked the lunch lady every week if she has some Buffalo sauce for the nuggets. The kid loves the hot stuff, remember? Alas, there has been no Buffalo sauce for Aiden.
Wednesday afternoon Aiden got into the van all excited because "Guess what, Mommy? TODAY MRS. HARMLESS HAD BUFFALO SAUCE FOR ME AND DAWSON!" Totally made the kid's day. I was ecstatic for him. It's the little things, right?
That's why I love my kids' school. It was a teeny tiny thing, but Mrs. Harmless *knew* it would make my son happy to have some Buffalo sauce. She made it happen for him, and I am so grateful for all the people at the school like her who seek to serve my children and know them so well. I feel totally confident that my children are well cared for when they're at school, that their heartaches are shared and their joys are celebrated. I made a point today to tell Mrs. Harmless how much her small gesture meant to both me and Aiden. She totally rocks. Everyone at BRCA rocks. I couldn't have asked for a better place for my kids to be when they're away from me.
Now, onto the Friday Fill Ins.
1. It seems like the laundry is multiplying. I cannot defeat it. I'm pretty sure it will bury me.
2. Come finish my laundry when you're done, please? And bring reinforcements. This pile of nasty cotton and synthetic blends are mean, I tell you. Downright horrific.
3. If I thought you would do it I'd ask you to each send me a crisp $10 bill.
4. People with cups of coffee in hand sitting in front of their computers is what I think of most when I think of you (dear readers).
5. To me, Valentine's Day means nothing. It's a silly, made-up holiday. I'd rather be shown love and affection on the other 364 days of the year than have high expectations for grand gestures this one day out of many. Totally inane holiday. That said, flowers would be nice. Just once. Even a wilted carnation would be okay. Really.
6. Knowing God is in control gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to putting together my new Store in Style cubes & desktops that will be delivered today. Oh, and watching Friday Night Lights. Tomorrow my plans include trying to finish the laundry and church at night and Sunday, I want to do something with the family, like a puzzle or a game. Uno, anyone?
My older kids' school is small and has been slowly adding things to the school as they can afford them. Last year we got a new lunchroom with an actual kitchen... but no kitchen equipment. On Mondays & Fridays they offer sack lunches and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays they have food brought in from local chains. Wednesdays are Chick Fil A days.
Aiden always orders the chicken nugget meal on Wednesdays. Evidently he's asked the lunch lady every week if she has some Buffalo sauce for the nuggets. The kid loves the hot stuff, remember? Alas, there has been no Buffalo sauce for Aiden.
Wednesday afternoon Aiden got into the van all excited because "Guess what, Mommy? TODAY MRS. HARMLESS HAD BUFFALO SAUCE FOR ME AND DAWSON!" Totally made the kid's day. I was ecstatic for him. It's the little things, right?
That's why I love my kids' school. It was a teeny tiny thing, but Mrs. Harmless *knew* it would make my son happy to have some Buffalo sauce. She made it happen for him, and I am so grateful for all the people at the school like her who seek to serve my children and know them so well. I feel totally confident that my children are well cared for when they're at school, that their heartaches are shared and their joys are celebrated. I made a point today to tell Mrs. Harmless how much her small gesture meant to both me and Aiden. She totally rocks. Everyone at BRCA rocks. I couldn't have asked for a better place for my kids to be when they're away from me.
Now, onto the Friday Fill Ins.
1. It seems like the laundry is multiplying. I cannot defeat it. I'm pretty sure it will bury me.
2. Come finish my laundry when you're done, please? And bring reinforcements. This pile of nasty cotton and synthetic blends are mean, I tell you. Downright horrific.
3. If I thought you would do it I'd ask you to each send me a crisp $10 bill.
4. People with cups of coffee in hand sitting in front of their computers is what I think of most when I think of you (dear readers).
5. To me, Valentine's Day means nothing. It's a silly, made-up holiday. I'd rather be shown love and affection on the other 364 days of the year than have high expectations for grand gestures this one day out of many. Totally inane holiday. That said, flowers would be nice. Just once. Even a wilted carnation would be okay. Really.
6. Knowing God is in control gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to putting together my new Store in Style cubes & desktops that will be delivered today. Oh, and watching Friday Night Lights. Tomorrow my plans include trying to finish the laundry and church at night and Sunday, I want to do something with the family, like a puzzle or a game. Uno, anyone?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tagged
I was tagged by Brandi for this entry. The game/tag was to find the sixth picture in the sixth album on my computer. This was kind of hard because of the way I organize my photos, but I think I figured it out.
Here's the 6th photo from the 6th album listed under My Pictures.
I originally copied it because I was going to use it as clip art on an anniversary card for my hubby. Our 13th anniversary was 1/20/09. Little did I know when I downloaded this image that it would mean something totally different to me than it meant to the Bush haters out there (1/20/09 was the end of the Bush era, if you didn't figure it out already...) To those who were ready to say goodbye to Dubya it meant one thing, but to me it meant the beginning of the Obamanation, as people are calling it. I'm trying to stay positive, but I don't like what I've seen so far.
Now that I've shared that, I'm going to park my behind on the couch and watch the DVR of Survivor. Although I've done hardly anything all day, I'm pooped, so I'm going to relax and watch TV for the rest of the evening.
Here's the 6th photo from the 6th album listed under My Pictures.
I originally copied it because I was going to use it as clip art on an anniversary card for my hubby. Our 13th anniversary was 1/20/09. Little did I know when I downloaded this image that it would mean something totally different to me than it meant to the Bush haters out there (1/20/09 was the end of the Bush era, if you didn't figure it out already...) To those who were ready to say goodbye to Dubya it meant one thing, but to me it meant the beginning of the Obamanation, as people are calling it. I'm trying to stay positive, but I don't like what I've seen so far.
Now that I've shared that, I'm going to park my behind on the couch and watch the DVR of Survivor. Although I've done hardly anything all day, I'm pooped, so I'm going to relax and watch TV for the rest of the evening.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
PSA
The piece of furniture to which you refer is CHEST OF DRAWERS.
It is not, dear lady, a CHESTER DRAWERS.
Now that we have that settled, I will resume noshing on my tuna fish and Wasa crackers.
Thank you, and have a nice day.
It is not, dear lady, a CHESTER DRAWERS.
Now that we have that settled, I will resume noshing on my tuna fish and Wasa crackers.
Thank you, and have a nice day.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
ABCDEFG.... are you sick of reading about Me?
A. Attached or single? Attached since 1994.
B. Best friend? My husband.
C. Cake or pie? Pie, please. Lemon meringue if you have it. Not the kind made like Jello. The kind made with sweetened condensed milk.
D. Day of the week? Thursday
E. Essential item? computer
F. Favorite color? red or orange
G. Gummi worms or bears? I like the worms better. They're more fun to eat.
H. Hometown? Gardendale, AL
I. Favorite Indulgence? powdered donuts and Mountain Dew... aka "the breakfast of champions"
J. January or July? January. That's when we celebrate our anniversary.
K. Kids? 2 girls, 2 boys
L. Life isn't complete without? E. Otherwise it's just LIF.
M. Marriage date? January 20th
N. Number of siblings? One younger sister
O. Oranges or apples? mandarin oranges
P. Phobias? drowning; death of a parent, sister, child or husband; the house burning down
Q. Quotes? "When my mother was dying, she said, 'Always try and be kind and nice to people. And if you do that, somebody will always speak up for you.' And I've found that to be a fact. They really do." - BB King
R. Reasons to smile? just waking up in the morning, the kids' laughter, a funny joke that makes me laugh 'til I hurt
S. Season of choice? Fall
T. Tag one person. Kim, because she left the sweetest comment on my blog recently! Thanks, Kim!
U. Unknown fact about me? Is there anything I haven't yet shared? Um... let's see.... I have a used bullet in my bedside table drawer and I have no clue how it got there.
V. Vroom Vroom... What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Sienna (2004)
W. Worst habit? picking my fingernails
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound.
Y. Favorite food? (Why is this the question for "y?") Mexican
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius, but I don't believe that nonsense. Don't even bother reading it.
B. Best friend? My husband.
C. Cake or pie? Pie, please. Lemon meringue if you have it. Not the kind made like Jello. The kind made with sweetened condensed milk.
D. Day of the week? Thursday
E. Essential item? computer
F. Favorite color? red or orange
G. Gummi worms or bears? I like the worms better. They're more fun to eat.
H. Hometown? Gardendale, AL
I. Favorite Indulgence? powdered donuts and Mountain Dew... aka "the breakfast of champions"
J. January or July? January. That's when we celebrate our anniversary.
K. Kids? 2 girls, 2 boys
L. Life isn't complete without? E. Otherwise it's just LIF.
M. Marriage date? January 20th
N. Number of siblings? One younger sister
O. Oranges or apples? mandarin oranges
P. Phobias? drowning; death of a parent, sister, child or husband; the house burning down
Q. Quotes? "When my mother was dying, she said, 'Always try and be kind and nice to people. And if you do that, somebody will always speak up for you.' And I've found that to be a fact. They really do." - BB King
R. Reasons to smile? just waking up in the morning, the kids' laughter, a funny joke that makes me laugh 'til I hurt
S. Season of choice? Fall
T. Tag one person. Kim, because she left the sweetest comment on my blog recently! Thanks, Kim!
U. Unknown fact about me? Is there anything I haven't yet shared? Um... let's see.... I have a used bullet in my bedside table drawer and I have no clue how it got there.
V. Vroom Vroom... What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Sienna (2004)
W. Worst habit? picking my fingernails
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound.
Y. Favorite food? (Why is this the question for "y?") Mexican
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius, but I don't believe that nonsense. Don't even bother reading it.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Friday Fill Ins 2/6
1. Please don't tell me what happened last night on Grey's Anatomy. I haven't watched it yet.
2. Can you let me sleep late in the morning?
3. The color mint green makes me want to puke. In three episodes of "Clean House" that I watched yesterday (while I was in bed, sick) the designer used mint green on the bedroom walls. Must've been a sale on that color paint. I hate that color. Makes me think of institutions. I would NEVER paint anything in my house that color.
4. I have a craving for waffles from The Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg.
5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it when each of my kids were born. Those were magical moments.
6. Eyes are the bread and butter for our family (hubby's an eye doctor)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hosting Aiden's movie birthday party. Tomorrow my plans include hanging out with the family and church and Sunday, I want to catch up on my Year of Cheer card class assignments.
2. Can you let me sleep late in the morning?
3. The color mint green makes me want to puke. In three episodes of "Clean House" that I watched yesterday (while I was in bed, sick) the designer used mint green on the bedroom walls. Must've been a sale on that color paint. I hate that color. Makes me think of institutions. I would NEVER paint anything in my house that color.
4. I have a craving for waffles from The Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg.
5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it when each of my kids were born. Those were magical moments.
6. Eyes are the bread and butter for our family (hubby's an eye doctor)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hosting Aiden's movie birthday party. Tomorrow my plans include hanging out with the family and church and Sunday, I want to catch up on my Year of Cheer card class assignments.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday Fill Ins 1/29
1. I'd really like someone to come clean out and clean up my basement right now.
2. Suh-weet shhuuuuugar! is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.
3. Possession is a word with a lot of esses.
4. I've never seen a movie with the character Captain Jack Sparrow.
5. Marshmallows and fire go together like creme brulee and a blow torch.
6. This winter weather and the freezing temperatures go on and on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to just coming home after getting the kids from school and putting on my PJs. Oh, and watching "Friday Night Lights"! Tomorrow my plans include hanging out at home, then church. Sunday, I want to stay in my PJs all day.
2. Suh-weet shhuuuuugar! is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.
3. Possession is a word with a lot of esses.
4. I've never seen a movie with the character Captain Jack Sparrow.
5. Marshmallows and fire go together like creme brulee and a blow torch.
6. This winter weather and the freezing temperatures go on and on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to just coming home after getting the kids from school and putting on my PJs. Oh, and watching "Friday Night Lights"! Tomorrow my plans include hanging out at home, then church. Sunday, I want to stay in my PJs all day.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Problem Solved!
My wonderful, kind, creative friend Kesa asked me if she could make Aiden's birthday invitations for me.
Like she even had to ask!
The cool ticket above is what I'm printing and sending out. I think she did an AWESOME job. I LOVE it.
(Kesa does this as a side job on top of a bunch of other jobs she does... so if you like it, let me know and I'll pass along Kesa's info to you so you can give her some business!)
Wings (not the Paul McCartney band)
As previously mentioned, we all went to Quaker Steak last night because Aiden is crazy about hot wings. Wonder where he gets that from?
Um, hunny? Little sauce there on your... yeah. There. You got it.
For those of you who know nothing about Quaker Steak, they have about ten trillion choices for sauces. You order wings or ribs and then tell the nice server taking your order how you want your meat.......
um......
er......
"lubed".
Heh. (The official name of the restaurant is Quaker Steak AND LUBE, but that just conjurs up so many things that don't need to be pondered when thinking about food, right? So at our house it's just Quaker Steak.)
Tuesdays are All You Can Shove in Your Gullet Wing Nights. Natch, that's Aiden's favorite night to go to Quaker Steak (did I tell you that this place is purposefully located right beside our local Harley Davidson store? You can get a better feel for the crowd now, right?)
So Aiden orders his usual: basket of kids' wings with fries. They offer Jell-O, applesauce and carrot sticks in lieu of fries, but somehow Jell-O and hot wings just doesn't scream "I'm a MAN!" does it?
Aiden's choice last night? Buckeye BBQ. It's Scoville rating? 5,000. Not too hot, but it's up there. In fact, it's the 3rd hottest sauce offered.
The hottest sauce? The aptly named ATOMIC.
Every.stinkin.time we've gone to eat at Quaker Steak, Aiden has literally BEGGED Stan to order the Atomic wings. Every.stinkin.time we've told him no. For real, y'all, you have to sign a WAIVER to eat those wings. Their Scoville rating? 100,000. Shyeah, right.
Last night we lost all sense of right and wrong (must be the effect of the new administration) and we actually let Aiden try an Atomic wing.
Stan tried it first.
Stan not likey.
Aiden tried it. Barely got his mouth around it. Decided Aiden no likey, either.
And there it sat, poor, abandoned Atomic wing.
And the dream, for Aiden, has died.
But he and his flaming tongue were consoled by ice cream.
Lots and LOTS of ice cream (good thing the birthday kid gets it free!)
 |
| From Aiden birthday |
Um, hunny? Little sauce there on your... yeah. There. You got it.
For those of you who know nothing about Quaker Steak, they have about ten trillion choices for sauces. You order wings or ribs and then tell the nice server taking your order how you want your meat.......
um......
er......
"lubed".
Heh. (The official name of the restaurant is Quaker Steak AND LUBE, but that just conjurs up so many things that don't need to be pondered when thinking about food, right? So at our house it's just Quaker Steak.)
Tuesdays are All You Can Shove in Your Gullet Wing Nights. Natch, that's Aiden's favorite night to go to Quaker Steak (did I tell you that this place is purposefully located right beside our local Harley Davidson store? You can get a better feel for the crowd now, right?)
So Aiden orders his usual: basket of kids' wings with fries. They offer Jell-O, applesauce and carrot sticks in lieu of fries, but somehow Jell-O and hot wings just doesn't scream "I'm a MAN!" does it?
 |
| From Aiden birthday |
Aiden's choice last night? Buckeye BBQ. It's Scoville rating? 5,000. Not too hot, but it's up there. In fact, it's the 3rd hottest sauce offered.
The hottest sauce? The aptly named ATOMIC.
Every.stinkin.time we've gone to eat at Quaker Steak, Aiden has literally BEGGED Stan to order the Atomic wings. Every.stinkin.time we've told him no. For real, y'all, you have to sign a WAIVER to eat those wings. Their Scoville rating? 100,000. Shyeah, right.
Last night we lost all sense of right and wrong (must be the effect of the new administration) and we actually let Aiden try an Atomic wing.
Stan tried it first.
 |
| From Aiden birthday |
Stan not likey.
Aiden tried it. Barely got his mouth around it. Decided Aiden no likey, either.
 |
| From Aiden birthday |
And there it sat, poor, abandoned Atomic wing.
 |
| From Aiden birthday |
And the dream, for Aiden, has died.
But he and his flaming tongue were consoled by ice cream.
Lots and LOTS of ice cream (good thing the birthday kid gets it free!)
I had a dream....
I hate when I am asleep and dreaming about having to go to the potty.
Right before I woke up this morning I was having such a dream. It's so bizarre I just had to share.
I was in a parking garage with Ashton Kutcher and actress/comedienne Mo'Nique (I know, right? Like those two would ever hang out. Maybe they're planning a remake of The Graduate together or something. Who knows.)
So we're all about to hop in a super tiny car. Me, Mo'Nique and Ashton. I called shotgun (wouldn't you?)
Right before I opened the car door I realized I needed to use the facilities, so after announcing that to Ash and Mo, I promptly sat down on the floor of the parking garage.
Fast forward to the next scene in my dream and I'm crossing the street from the garage to a row of buildings. Ashton and Mo'Nique are sitting at an outdoor cafe' table (probably discussing the Graduate script...) when I approach. I see a caption (YES, a CAPTION!) underneath where they're sitting that says, "2 Hours Later" like I'm in an episode of Spongebob or something.
"Hey!" I say. "Are y'all still waiting on me to go to the bathroom?"
"DUH." Ashton replies.
"Sorry. I didn't know what the plan was!" I retort.
So then I open the door to a bank and go inside. I walk all the way to the back and ask if they have a bathroom I can use.
The manager says, "We don't do that sort of thing here."
So I squat down on the floor in front of the horrified customers inside the bank and say, "Well, I guess I'll just go right here, then!"
Voila. Keys appear and I'm allowed inside a room straight out of a spy movie. It's all hush-hush and whatnot. Buttons are pushed and a hole opens up on a countertop.
Evidently, it's a top secret potty project. I'm instructed to hop up onto the countertop and try out the new high-tech, appear out of nowhere toilet. As I start to relieve myself in my dream, I awaken.
I hate when that happens.
As I was sharing the dream with my husband, he relayed a story about Lillian from last night (we took Aiden out to Quaker Steak for a 2nd birthday dinner, because he loves All-You-Can-Eat wings on Tuesday nights...)
Stan took the kids (minus Aiden) to the car while I finished paying the bill. There was an overcharge on the bill, so they waited longer than they expected to. Naturally, Lillian announced that she had to go potty. Thinking I would be right out, Stan told Lillian to get out and wait for me in front of the van so I could turn around and take her back to the potty when I came outside. She got out and started pacing back and forth in front of the car, moaning and groaning about how badly she had to goooooooooo.... I'm sure you can picture the scene.
Stan said she finally stopped and said, "Daddy! Can't I just squat right here in front of the van on the sidewalk?"
Bless her heart. She is so envious of her brothers that can go pee (practically) anywhere, anytime.
And that concludes today's session of "Potty Talk with Beth". Tune in tomorrow when we broach the topic, "Toilet Paper: Over or Under?!?"
Right before I woke up this morning I was having such a dream. It's so bizarre I just had to share.
I was in a parking garage with Ashton Kutcher and actress/comedienne Mo'Nique (I know, right? Like those two would ever hang out. Maybe they're planning a remake of The Graduate together or something. Who knows.)
So we're all about to hop in a super tiny car. Me, Mo'Nique and Ashton. I called shotgun (wouldn't you?)
Right before I opened the car door I realized I needed to use the facilities, so after announcing that to Ash and Mo, I promptly sat down on the floor of the parking garage.
Fast forward to the next scene in my dream and I'm crossing the street from the garage to a row of buildings. Ashton and Mo'Nique are sitting at an outdoor cafe' table (probably discussing the Graduate script...) when I approach. I see a caption (YES, a CAPTION!) underneath where they're sitting that says, "2 Hours Later" like I'm in an episode of Spongebob or something.
"Hey!" I say. "Are y'all still waiting on me to go to the bathroom?"
"DUH." Ashton replies.
"Sorry. I didn't know what the plan was!" I retort.
So then I open the door to a bank and go inside. I walk all the way to the back and ask if they have a bathroom I can use.
The manager says, "We don't do that sort of thing here."
So I squat down on the floor in front of the horrified customers inside the bank and say, "Well, I guess I'll just go right here, then!"
Voila. Keys appear and I'm allowed inside a room straight out of a spy movie. It's all hush-hush and whatnot. Buttons are pushed and a hole opens up on a countertop.
Evidently, it's a top secret potty project. I'm instructed to hop up onto the countertop and try out the new high-tech, appear out of nowhere toilet. As I start to relieve myself in my dream, I awaken.
I hate when that happens.
As I was sharing the dream with my husband, he relayed a story about Lillian from last night (we took Aiden out to Quaker Steak for a 2nd birthday dinner, because he loves All-You-Can-Eat wings on Tuesday nights...)
Stan took the kids (minus Aiden) to the car while I finished paying the bill. There was an overcharge on the bill, so they waited longer than they expected to. Naturally, Lillian announced that she had to go potty. Thinking I would be right out, Stan told Lillian to get out and wait for me in front of the van so I could turn around and take her back to the potty when I came outside. She got out and started pacing back and forth in front of the car, moaning and groaning about how badly she had to goooooooooo.... I'm sure you can picture the scene.
Stan said she finally stopped and said, "Daddy! Can't I just squat right here in front of the van on the sidewalk?"
Bless her heart. She is so envious of her brothers that can go pee (practically) anywhere, anytime.
And that concludes today's session of "Potty Talk with Beth". Tune in tomorrow when we broach the topic, "Toilet Paper: Over or Under?!?"
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
As if changing the roll wasn't enough trouble...
I give you the iPod Stereo Dock Speaker and Bath Tissue Holder.
Remember that song "Mambo #5" that was popular a few years ago? Maybe Lou Bega could be the spokesman for this product if he renamed his song, "Mambo #2": A little bit of Eagles while I poo... a squirt of air freshener for me and you..."
Do you really have that much time to spend on the toilet? Really? And if you do, could you fold a load of my laundry while you're in there?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Ahead... and Behind
I AM AHEAD OF THE GAME:
On Saturday I asked each of the kids to write out a Valentine message, then I took these pictures and uploaded them to Snapfish. I ordered one copy of each photo for each person in each of the kids' classes. I'm going to attach the pictures to paper and these will be the kids' Valentine cards. Easy Peasy. (Not my original idea... one I stole from one of the many scrapbooking magazines I read...)
So I'm way ahead of the game there. V-Day isn't for another 19 days! Woo hoo! Go Mommy! Go Mommy!
AND YET I'VE FALLEN WOEFULLY BEHIND:
Aiden celebrated his 8th birthday yesterday.
What? Huh? What's that you ask? What kind of party did he have?
(Hiding my eyes behind my hand as I mumble incoherently...)
None.
Bless his 2,921 day-old heart. All he wants is to have all the 2nd grade boys over for a movie party. All I have to do is pop some popcorn, buy some movie candy (in the boxes like they have at the cineplex) and rent a movie for the boys to watch.
For some reason I can't get past making the guest list. I got nothin' else. What's holding me up, you ask?
Creativity.
Sure, I could slap together a Word document and mail it out to the boys. They don't care. But for some reason, I do. If I make it, it has to have all the bells and whistles.
I ain't got nothin' clever in the way of boys movie party invitation ideas.
And thus the reason my son will celebrate his January birthday in, say, March? Sound good?
On Saturday I asked each of the kids to write out a Valentine message, then I took these pictures and uploaded them to Snapfish. I ordered one copy of each photo for each person in each of the kids' classes. I'm going to attach the pictures to paper and these will be the kids' Valentine cards. Easy Peasy. (Not my original idea... one I stole from one of the many scrapbooking magazines I read...)
So I'm way ahead of the game there. V-Day isn't for another 19 days! Woo hoo! Go Mommy! Go Mommy!
AND YET I'VE FALLEN WOEFULLY BEHIND:
Aiden celebrated his 8th birthday yesterday.
What? Huh? What's that you ask? What kind of party did he have?
(Hiding my eyes behind my hand as I mumble incoherently...)
None.
Bless his 2,921 day-old heart. All he wants is to have all the 2nd grade boys over for a movie party. All I have to do is pop some popcorn, buy some movie candy (in the boxes like they have at the cineplex) and rent a movie for the boys to watch.
For some reason I can't get past making the guest list. I got nothin' else. What's holding me up, you ask?
Creativity.
Sure, I could slap together a Word document and mail it out to the boys. They don't care. But for some reason, I do. If I make it, it has to have all the bells and whistles.
I ain't got nothin' clever in the way of boys movie party invitation ideas.
And thus the reason my son will celebrate his January birthday in, say, March? Sound good?
Making Memories
For those of you that scrapbook, you know that this week is the winter CHA meeting where all the new craft goodies are released. Ah, to be in Anaheim right now...
Anyhoo, the gals at the Making Memories blog are at CHA and are giving away prizes on their blog all week.
Check it out!
Anyhoo, the gals at the Making Memories blog are at CHA and are giving away prizes on their blog all week.
Check it out!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday Fill Ins 1/23
1. Oh, I am so upset for Camryn right now. She was supposed to perform something with her friend Brianna at the school's talent show today, and Brianna bailed on her. Camryn was devastated.
2. I don't like any changes, to my routine, big (or) little.
3. During the Golden Globes , I laughed out loud at Ricky Gervais. He's one HI-larious man.
4. Shutting down Gitmo.... are you kidding me??? B-I-G mistake. BIG. HUGE.
5. Right now I'd like to be in my PJs in my bed. More day to live, though. Things to do, children to taxi, laundry to wash, dishes to unload and reload.
6. DVR is my favorite gadget.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with the family. Tomorrow my plans include taking Lillian to a birthday party, church, and watching the Miss America pageant. Sunday is Aiden's birthday, so we'll do something to celebrate. He'll probably want to go eat wings at Quaker Steak, so we'll do that and then go to community group that afternoon.
2. I don't like any changes, to my routine, big (or) little.
3. During the Golden Globes , I laughed out loud at Ricky Gervais. He's one HI-larious man.
4. Shutting down Gitmo.... are you kidding me??? B-I-G mistake. BIG. HUGE.
5. Right now I'd like to be in my PJs in my bed. More day to live, though. Things to do, children to taxi, laundry to wash, dishes to unload and reload.
6. DVR is my favorite gadget.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing with the family. Tomorrow my plans include taking Lillian to a birthday party, church, and watching the Miss America pageant. Sunday is Aiden's birthday, so we'll do something to celebrate. He'll probably want to go eat wings at Quaker Steak, so we'll do that and then go to community group that afternoon.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
S'Wonderful
I got this from my friend Brynn's blog. She did hers last week and assigned me the letter S. I'm just now getting around to filling in my blanks. Busy, busy!
(1) Stan - my sweet, sweet husband! We celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss yesterday. Doesn't seem like that long, because we laugh everyday. I have so much fun with that man, and he takes such good care of me and the children. He's the bestest.
(2) Silence. I don't mind it AT ALL. Some days I crave it.
(3) Scrapbooking. Some say it's a fad, but I hope not. I really get a lot of fulfillment from it. It's a great creative outlet for me, so I hope the industry never goes away.
(4) Soaking in the tub. We have a gigantic tub that will actually hold two people (with very little water... ha!) Most of the time it's just me soaking, though. My precious husband bought me a Flat Screen TV with a DVD player in it a couple of Mother's Days ago and hung it on the wall in the bathroom. I often take my latest Netflix rental in the bathroom and soak while I watch movies. HEAVEN. Yeah, I'm Spoiled!
(5) Sister. I love mine. We have a great time together, and I wish we didn't live so far apart.
(6) Splenda. Last week I overheard someone say that it started out as a pest control agent. I'll have to research that one. For someone that loves Sweet tea but doesn't want all the sugar calories, Splenda is perfect. I get some for Christmas every year. This year I got the little pellets in my stocking. I carry them in my purse for those times when we dine in a restaurant that **shockingly** doesn't serve Splenda... like my favorite new BBQ joint, Dickey's.
(7) Sauce. I'm a dipping addict. I can't live without ketchup (Refrigerated, please. Hot ketchup is nasty.) I love any kind of sauce. When I was a kid I used to make sandwiches out of white bread and Arby's sauce from packets left in the fridge. That's how much I love sauce. Japanese White Sauce, Avocado Ranch Dressing, homemade cheese roux sauce, Quaker Steak's beer cheese dip, Bearnaise... you make it, I dip with it. Just last night I made a Tastefully Simple Spinach & Herb dip to send with veggies to my younger kids' school for the monthly teachers luncheon, and I had to have a spoonful on a cracker. It was too irresistable!
(8) Sales. I don't pay full price for anything (much). I have had to teach myself that I don't need something just because it's on SALE, though. I only buy stuff we really, really need. Sometimes it's hard to say no, but I feel so awful later if I buy something CHEAP on a whim and then realize I really DIDN'T need it. Not such a bargain then. Well, for someone else, maybe, because it usually ends up at the Goodwill store when I do my yearly purge of all things not necessary & taking up space.
(9) Sundays. Now that we've found a Saturday night church service, Sundays are usually our lazy family days. We just hang out at home in our PJs until it's time to go to kids' night at Dickey's (one child per adult eats free so we can all eat for around $25! SCORE!)
(10) Spending time with my kids. They're just amazing little creatures. I learn something from each one of them every single day. They really, really make my life so..... FULL. There's not a better word for it. A quick snuggle, a spark when something new is learned, a funny joke, tears on my shirt, "You're the best mom EVER!"... everything I experience with them is special. LOVE those kiddos. SO. VERY. MUCH.
"Yesterday I was reading blogs and found that MamaHen played a cute little letter game and decided I would enjoy playing along, so I asked her to assign me a letter and she did. The rules are: You have to list 10 of your favorite things, but they have to start with a certain letter (assigned to you by the blog owner)."
(1) Stan - my sweet, sweet husband! We celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss yesterday. Doesn't seem like that long, because we laugh everyday. I have so much fun with that man, and he takes such good care of me and the children. He's the bestest.
(2) Silence. I don't mind it AT ALL. Some days I crave it.
(3) Scrapbooking. Some say it's a fad, but I hope not. I really get a lot of fulfillment from it. It's a great creative outlet for me, so I hope the industry never goes away.
(4) Soaking in the tub. We have a gigantic tub that will actually hold two people (with very little water... ha!) Most of the time it's just me soaking, though. My precious husband bought me a Flat Screen TV with a DVD player in it a couple of Mother's Days ago and hung it on the wall in the bathroom. I often take my latest Netflix rental in the bathroom and soak while I watch movies. HEAVEN. Yeah, I'm Spoiled!
(5) Sister. I love mine. We have a great time together, and I wish we didn't live so far apart.
(6) Splenda. Last week I overheard someone say that it started out as a pest control agent. I'll have to research that one. For someone that loves Sweet tea but doesn't want all the sugar calories, Splenda is perfect. I get some for Christmas every year. This year I got the little pellets in my stocking. I carry them in my purse for those times when we dine in a restaurant that **shockingly** doesn't serve Splenda... like my favorite new BBQ joint, Dickey's.
(7) Sauce. I'm a dipping addict. I can't live without ketchup (Refrigerated, please. Hot ketchup is nasty.) I love any kind of sauce. When I was a kid I used to make sandwiches out of white bread and Arby's sauce from packets left in the fridge. That's how much I love sauce. Japanese White Sauce, Avocado Ranch Dressing, homemade cheese roux sauce, Quaker Steak's beer cheese dip, Bearnaise... you make it, I dip with it. Just last night I made a Tastefully Simple Spinach & Herb dip to send with veggies to my younger kids' school for the monthly teachers luncheon, and I had to have a spoonful on a cracker. It was too irresistable!
(8) Sales. I don't pay full price for anything (much). I have had to teach myself that I don't need something just because it's on SALE, though. I only buy stuff we really, really need. Sometimes it's hard to say no, but I feel so awful later if I buy something CHEAP on a whim and then realize I really DIDN'T need it. Not such a bargain then. Well, for someone else, maybe, because it usually ends up at the Goodwill store when I do my yearly purge of all things not necessary & taking up space.
(9) Sundays. Now that we've found a Saturday night church service, Sundays are usually our lazy family days. We just hang out at home in our PJs until it's time to go to kids' night at Dickey's (one child per adult eats free so we can all eat for around $25! SCORE!)
(10) Spending time with my kids. They're just amazing little creatures. I learn something from each one of them every single day. They really, really make my life so..... FULL. There's not a better word for it. A quick snuggle, a spark when something new is learned, a funny joke, tears on my shirt, "You're the best mom EVER!"... everything I experience with them is special. LOVE those kiddos. SO. VERY. MUCH.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday Fill Ins 1/16
1. Enough with the bitter cold. I'm ready for spring!
2. There is not much that causes me to be conflicted. I don't like to dwell on the negative.
3. I've been craving cold cuts and crackers. My husband has gotten me hooked on Wasa, which are delicious crackers that he eats with extra sharp cheddar. Yum-oh.
4. "The Office" and "30 Rock" make me laugh. I love Thursday night television.
5. I wish I could go to a warmer climate. Seriously. It was 19 degrees when I got up this morning.
6. My friend Joanie has been on my mind lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to staying home and staying warm and watching "Friday Night Lights" on NBC. LOVE that show! Tomorrow my plans include lots of laundry (the kids' hampers are overflowing) and church. Sunday, I want to just hang out with the family and maybe get some scrapbooking done. Nothing major. Oh, and our weekly trip to Dickey's for "lupper" (lunch/supper) because kids eat free on Sundays and that means we can all dine for under $25!
2. There is not much that causes me to be conflicted. I don't like to dwell on the negative.
3. I've been craving cold cuts and crackers. My husband has gotten me hooked on Wasa, which are delicious crackers that he eats with extra sharp cheddar. Yum-oh.
4. "The Office" and "30 Rock" make me laugh. I love Thursday night television.
5. I wish I could go to a warmer climate. Seriously. It was 19 degrees when I got up this morning.
6. My friend Joanie has been on my mind lately.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to staying home and staying warm and watching "Friday Night Lights" on NBC. LOVE that show! Tomorrow my plans include lots of laundry (the kids' hampers are overflowing) and church. Sunday, I want to just hang out with the family and maybe get some scrapbooking done. Nothing major. Oh, and our weekly trip to Dickey's for "lupper" (lunch/supper) because kids eat free on Sundays and that means we can all dine for under $25!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Liquid Heaven
I recently tried Starbucks' signature hot chocolate and got hooked.
H-O-O-K-E-D.
Bad.
And it's expensive, so I have cut back on it since the new year began. (I do like their new teas, but not enough to go there frequently to get them.)
Today I had to run by Staples to get a refund for something, and I noticed that my $3 Staples check (Woo! Big money!) expired tomorrow, so after I got the refund Quinn and I wandered the store looking for a good deal. I found a Starbucks gift basket amongst the Christmas clearance. It was marked $7.50 and had a sticker that said there was a coupon for a free Tall Starbucks beverage inside. I figured $4.50 (after the $3 check) was a good deal for a small bag of coffee, some Tazo teabags and a packet of peppermint hot chocolate plus a free Tall beverage. We paid (it ended up costing just $2.50, because the kit was actually priced at $5.50!) and left.
When we got home Quinn wanted me to make the cocoa for him. I opened it up and discovered it was a bunch of tiny chunks of peppermint flavored chocolate that I had to melt with milk to make the beverage, just like they make it at Starbucks. Interesting.
I made the cocoa and Quinn declared it to be delicious. He took it with him when we went to pick up Aiden and Camryn from school. Of course, Aiden got curious when Quinn bragged that the cocoa was so yummy and that he had gotten the only serving (yep, the packet only made one full mug...)
As soon as we got back home, Aiden asked if I could make him some cocoa. I dug out some chocolate and created my own drink. What I came up with is nothing short of heaven. Liquid Heaven.
(I took pictures just like Christy at A Southern Plate does, 'cause I think it's cool to have a visual guide. Christy has the best food blog! She cooks just like my grandmother and mother and I do, so I love to try her recipes. I made her Crockpot Stuffing for Thanksgiving and the hubby and I both thought it was the best dressing we'd ever tasted. If you like food, check her out!)
So anyway... the hot chocolate.
I used 6 squares of Hershey's Bliss milk chocolate, about 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk and 1/4 t. peppermint extract. If you don't have Bliss chocolate you can use about 3T of any other sweetened chocolate you have on hand. Hershey's kisses would work very well.
I broke the chocolates in half and put them in the bottom of a microwaveable mug.
I added just a little bit of 1% milk (enough to barely cover the chocolate) and microwaved it for 30 seconds.
Then I stirred it until the chocolate was fully incorporated with the milk.
I added enough milk to bring the level of liquid almost to the top of the mug and microwaved that for a full minute.
I took the mug out of the microwave and added the 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint flavoring. I like it mildly minty like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie, but Aiden likes his mintier, so I gave him 1/2 teaspoon. Use what you like. Stir well and enjoy.
Mine didn't last long at all. It was gone in about 3 minutes! It tastes just like Starbucks, so don't blame me if you get addicted!
H-O-O-K-E-D.
Bad.
And it's expensive, so I have cut back on it since the new year began. (I do like their new teas, but not enough to go there frequently to get them.)
Today I had to run by Staples to get a refund for something, and I noticed that my $3 Staples check (Woo! Big money!) expired tomorrow, so after I got the refund Quinn and I wandered the store looking for a good deal. I found a Starbucks gift basket amongst the Christmas clearance. It was marked $7.50 and had a sticker that said there was a coupon for a free Tall Starbucks beverage inside. I figured $4.50 (after the $3 check) was a good deal for a small bag of coffee, some Tazo teabags and a packet of peppermint hot chocolate plus a free Tall beverage. We paid (it ended up costing just $2.50, because the kit was actually priced at $5.50!) and left.
When we got home Quinn wanted me to make the cocoa for him. I opened it up and discovered it was a bunch of tiny chunks of peppermint flavored chocolate that I had to melt with milk to make the beverage, just like they make it at Starbucks. Interesting.
I made the cocoa and Quinn declared it to be delicious. He took it with him when we went to pick up Aiden and Camryn from school. Of course, Aiden got curious when Quinn bragged that the cocoa was so yummy and that he had gotten the only serving (yep, the packet only made one full mug...)
As soon as we got back home, Aiden asked if I could make him some cocoa. I dug out some chocolate and created my own drink. What I came up with is nothing short of heaven. Liquid Heaven.
(I took pictures just like Christy at A Southern Plate does, 'cause I think it's cool to have a visual guide. Christy has the best food blog! She cooks just like my grandmother and mother and I do, so I love to try her recipes. I made her Crockpot Stuffing for Thanksgiving and the hubby and I both thought it was the best dressing we'd ever tasted. If you like food, check her out!)
So anyway... the hot chocolate.
I used 6 squares of Hershey's Bliss milk chocolate, about 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk and 1/4 t. peppermint extract. If you don't have Bliss chocolate you can use about 3T of any other sweetened chocolate you have on hand. Hershey's kisses would work very well.
I broke the chocolates in half and put them in the bottom of a microwaveable mug.
I added just a little bit of 1% milk (enough to barely cover the chocolate) and microwaved it for 30 seconds.
Then I stirred it until the chocolate was fully incorporated with the milk.
I added enough milk to bring the level of liquid almost to the top of the mug and microwaved that for a full minute.
I took the mug out of the microwave and added the 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint flavoring. I like it mildly minty like a Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie, but Aiden likes his mintier, so I gave him 1/2 teaspoon. Use what you like. Stir well and enjoy.
Mine didn't last long at all. It was gone in about 3 minutes! It tastes just like Starbucks, so don't blame me if you get addicted!
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